“Yeah. I bet.”
I don’t really remember Aunt Cara; neither does Gino. He only knows her from pictures or stories.
I glance at him. “You know,” I add, “you’re surprisingly good at this.”
“I had a feeling,” he says. “He left for three years, noteven a year after Mom died. Something was keeping him away. I was too young back then to even try to figure out what it was.”
He exhales slowly. “Before he died, we talked about a trip he had planned out west. He told me I should go with him—said it would be good for us. A father-son bonding trip. Seems silly now. Clearly, he was trying to plant a seed.”
He continues. “But obviously I didn’t go. I didn’t even think about it again after that night. I wouldn’t be surprised if the trip was really for Vanessa’s graduation. She finished school less than a week after he died.”
He shakes his head. “After he died, I found a letter tucked in with the will. Real cryptic. He wrote that one day I’d understand why he was gone for those three years—and that the beautiful auburn sun would come home.”
He snorts. “Pretty sure he was referring to Vanessa on that one.”
I nod slowly. “That makes a lot of sense.”
Then I look at him. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“I was pissed for years. How was I supposed to know it was something I’d need to remember?”
We leave the office and head downstairs to clean up. Drew is already in the entryway, clearing shattered glass and wiping away blood.
A black SUV pulls into the driveway. Gabe, Jake, and Marco step out, all of them built similarly—deep hazel eyes, light brown hair, the kind of resemblance that comes from shared history rather than blood.
Jake takes one look around and lets out a low whistle. “Damn, man. What the fuck happened?”
“Some assholes decided to not follow the rules. I’m guessing they were Irish?” Gino says, looking at Drew. Drew nods toconfirm it.
I head straight for Gabe and murmur, “Don’t act too surprised when you see someone you recognize.”
His eyebrows lift in question, just as Juliet and Vanessa come down the stairs.
Vanessa’s changed into a green sundress that shows off her beautiful curves and makes her green eyes pop. Every head in the room turns.
“Oh, shit,” Gabe says, grinning. “You brought that nurse here? Damn, dude. Dragging her into this already—you must really like her.”
Then he points at Vanessa and says, “He must like you.”
“Dude, that’s my sister,” Gino yells at him.
The room goes dead silent.
“What?” Gabe, Jake, and Marco respond in unison.
I roll my eyes.
“Hi,” Vanessa says, lifting a hand in a small wave. “Hey—you’re the other guy from the hospital. Umm… Gage? No—Gabe, right?”
“Uh, yeah. These are my brothers, Jake and Marco.”
They both wave, clearly still processing who she is.
Gino clears his throat. “Alright. Back to work, you three.” Then he looks at Juliet. “Lucy and Kevin will be here at seven. Is that enough time to get dinner ready?”
Juliet arches a brow. “Plenty.”
Juliet heads toward the kitchen, Vanessa trailing just behind her. I watch them go, my attention caught on Vanessa’s red hair as it cascades down her back.
