“She’s coming to dinner tomorrow,” he says, the words coming out faster than normal.
“Yeah, I know, what about it?”
“Didn’t you tell me that Colby’s coming here today? That he’s going to be staying here?” I did, but the urgency in his tone makes me go over it again. “He can’t see her, Dad,” he snaps, and yeah, he sounds more scared than angry at how fucking stupid I am for not realizing this before. “If he sees her, if he hears you calling her Nan, he’s gonna put two and two together. We know Duffy and Ma never read the papers, especially the society pages, so of course they never see her picture there whenever she goes to one of those galas with my uncle and cousins. They don’t give a shit about a billionaire’s mother, but Colby’s gotta know who she is.”
“Fuck,” I mumble, trying to figure out a way out of this.
“I really doubt he’s ready to keep a secret like this for you—for us. Harrison Crawford having any ties to the mob would be the news of the fucking century, but if it gets out that he’s yourcousin?” Bran’s screeching by the time he gets to the end, and I don’t fucking blame him, but I am glad my office is soundproof because it means he can get all this fear out in any way he needs without anyone else hearing him. He’s not saying anything I don’t already know, anything I shouldn’t have already thought of, but I understand his panic, because Ididn’tthink of this.
No one in the family, not even Rory, knows that Harry’s my cousin, and up until four years ago even Bran didn’t know. He thought—like everyone else still does—that Nan was simply the aunt Da hid from the world for her own safety,which is a half truth. I don’t even think they know her actual name.
When Nan came to America looking for her brother and she found him, she also stumbled into Theodore Crawford and they fell in love recklessly fast. From then on, Uncle Theodore and Da did everything in their power to erase the connection between Da and Nan.
The Crawfords are New York royalty, have been for centuries. They’rerespectable citizens—whatever the fuck that means—and have more influence than anyone cares to admit. Their empire would be ruined if our familial relationship came to light, and that’s why Harry and I only told our children when they were adults, when they could deal with a secret of this magnitude.
I can’t put them in danger just because I have this...need. Hell, it’s more than a need, it’s as inevitable as two attracting magnets. No matter what stands between them, they still find a way to be as close as possible.
“Dad.” Bran’s soft whisper brings me back to my office. “I think you need to be very clear—at the very least with yourself—on how many secrets you’re willing to let him into, because from everything you’ve told me, he can sniff one out like a freaking bloodhound.”
I nod a couple of times to show him I hear him.
Harry’s husband, Tristan, found out about me by accident the very first day they were together, but I don’t knowwhen Harry would’ve told him if it hadn’t happened that way. I have no fucking idea how to navigate this, and I already have the giant task of somehowwooingColby to deal with.
I doubt he knows I even have a son.
That thought lights up my brain with a fraction of a plan, and I know it’s the only correct first step.
“You should meet him tonight,” I mumble, unable to say anything else for now.
“Yeah?” I have to smile at the sudden and bright excitement on his face.
I nod again. “Stay for dinner. I’ll call Nan tonight or go see her in the morning. Don’t worry about any of it.”
“Okay, Dad.” With a trust that will never stop leaving me breathless, he accepts my words and hugs me quickly before stepping out of the office. I’m sure he’ll go bother Celly about whatever she’s cooking for tonight. She’s been uncharacteristically excited about our guests since I told her last week, and declared she’d make sure Colby and Maggie’s rooms were perfect.
I fall back onto the tan leather couch and try to think.
I’ll never stop hating the fact that I have to keep my family a secret, that I have to be extra vigilant when I go see them, that I have to climb through a fucking window to visit. I hate even more that Bran has to do the same, but... I can’treally wish things were different, because if they were, Harry wouldn’t exist, at least not as the man I admire and love so deeply. Theo and Iris wouldn’t either, and along with Bran, they’re the only people I think are absolutely perfect the way they are.
A sigh I wouldn’t let any of my men see leaves me. There’s no changing this situation, ever.
Harry and I will have to deal with this for the rest of our lives, and after, Theo, Iris, and Bran will have to do it too. Though things should be easier then because Bran isn’t taking over for me.
The phone on my desk rings, and with another sigh I go to pick up. I can’t even have five fucking minutes to sulk for fuck’s sake.
“What?” I bark out the question.
“Mac and the twins are here. We’re checking the car for trackers or bugs now.” Blake’s voice sounds hesitant.
“All right,” I tell him, cooling my temper. “I’ll be right out.” There’s a lot of ground to cover with Colby, and a family dinner where he gets to meet my son is surely going to be a good thing for whatever image he has of me.
Right?
7
COLBY
Ostriches have nothing on me—not if the last week is any evidence.
