Chapter 18
Richard peered about Memphis and Maverick’s cabin, trying very hard to not relive what happened there just three days prior.
Layers. Build the layers, Richard.
It was a practice he’d acquired after his parents died. He would envision layer after layer of impenetrable steel between himself and the thoughts, emotions, and triggers that sent him into a state of grief.
One steel layer. Two. Three, four, five.
Five,he mused with a half grin. Ava hated fives. The fact pulled a manic laugh from him.
“Richard?” Andie said, voice thick with concern. “You called this meeting, and we’re all here. Did you have something you wanted to say?”
The buffet table was long gone. The leftovers were a thing of the past. And the horrid party hats Andie bought for the twins had gone out with the trash.
Richard cleared his throat and looked from one face to the next, dodging Maverick’s glare from his angled bed in the corner.
“Yes,” he said. “Thanks for coming, guys.”
“I had no choice,” Maverick grumbled under his breath.
Richard ignored him. “Before Andie and Trenton got together,” he said, nodding in the couple’s direction, “Andie and I had several conversations about what our future here would look like. We agreed that we’d have to really guard the details of our family history. You never know when someone is…vileenough to sell people out for a quick buck.”
He shot a look in Maverick’s direction, hoping it reminded him of his part in this whole mess.
“In the end,” Richard continued, “it worked to our benefit to share our story with Trenton. He’s our business partner, and a very close family friend as well.”
Emmitt let out a loud sigh. He made a show of looking at his watch. “You going someplace with this? The party’s about to start and Trenton and I are doing a blues piece together.”
Irritation brewed beneath Richard’s calm façade. Fine. He’d cut to the chase. “I think we can all agree that what happened last week was a disaster. It nearly tore our family apart, and we can’t have that happen again. We’re stuck here. Together. And so…” A flame of heat flared hot in his chest as he forced out the declaration.
“So I don’t think any of us should pursue relationships.”
There. He’d said it. He waited quietly for a response.
None came. Unless the tinny tick of his watch counted. Were they even listening?
“That is, to say,” he added, “that it would be in the best interest of the family if we simply remained single. We can’t risk telling people about our background and having them use it against us later. Heck, some crazy person could blackmail us to buy their silence.”
More tinny ticks from his watch.
Emmitt locked eyes with Memphis across the room, then rolled his eyes dramatically.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Is thisboringyou?” Richard challenged, a new flare of fire raging in his chest.
“On the contrary,” Emmitt said. “This has been fascinating. You done now?”
“What do you mean,am I done?This needs to be a conversation. It involves all of us.”
But Emmitt was already shaking his head. “You don’t want aconversation, Richard. You want adictation. You want to dictate what we can and can’t do. Well, I’ve got news for you, King Richard theGrump, I’m going to date who I want, when I want, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. Isthatthe conversation you wanted?”
Andie leaned far over the couch to glare at Emmitt. “He’s hurting right now. Could you just lay off?”
“Oh, easy foryouto say. You’ve already found yourperson. And now we’re supposed to live like monks the rest of our lives? Why didn’t they just send us to a monastery if that’s how we were supposed to live?”
“Yeah,” Maverick blurted. “Just because you did a crappy thing and it came back to bite you doesn’t mean we should all have to give up our shot at finding love and having a family.”
“Seriously,” Memphis said. “There’s no way I’m agreeing to anything like that.”
