“No, you don’t. You love me for being a brilliant strategist.”
“I’m hanging up now before you talk me into something else I’ll regret.”
“But you’re calling Pike?”
“If I can figure out how to get the fucker to talk to me? Yeah.”
After a bit more small talk, they ended the call. Seth found himself chuckling despite everything as he walked into the house.
“Everything go all right?” Grace asked.
“Yep. Tuxes acquired, and I put off some office drama. It can wait until I get back to LA.”
Grace kissed his cheek. “I know today was busy. Are you planning to talk to the twins tomorrow?”
Seth didn’t see how he could put it off. “Yeah.”
“Thank you. Since you’re here, I’m making your favorite pot roast for dinner. Everyone’s coming. Well, except Jack and Connor.”
Because they’d refused to come…or because they hadn’t been invited?
He chewed on that unsettling worry until the Cooper house began filling with family. Matt arrived first, carrying a bottle of wine and looking like a successful New York PI in his tailored suit. Danny and his wife Maggie followed with their baby girl, Anna, who immediately commanded everyone’s attention with her chubby cheeks and infectious giggles.
“Matt.” Seth caught his brother’s arm as Grace bustled around the kitchen. “Can I steal you for a minute? I wanted to talk…business.”
“Sure.” Matt followed him into the den, closing the door behind them. “You really want to talk about shit at the office? Or the twins? I know Mom asked you to talk some sense into them since she’s apoplectic. But, honestly…I don’t think the twins are going to change.”
Seth didn’t think so, either, but he wanted to hear Matt’s side of this. “Because?”
His younger brother winced. “Um, I’ve known for a while that Jack and Connor share girls.”
“Yeah? Since we’re confessing, I found out this past summer, when the twins crashed with me in Cali. I kept my mouth shut because I knew Mom would lose her mind. How long have you known?”
Matt rubbed the back of his neck, looking guilty. “About three years. I heard rumors, so I followed them. And…yeah. I didn’t say anything for the same reason you didn’t. So…got a plan? Know what you’re going to say to them?”
“No, and now Mom is talking about disowning them.”
Matt’s expression darkened. “Shit. She’s that serious?”
He nodded. “That can’t happen.”
“It can’t.” Matt leaned in, dropped his voice. “Especially over something like this. Hell, I’ve shared a woman with another guy once or twice. Who am I to judge?”
Seth blinked in surprise, then felt a laugh bubble up. “Seriously?”
“Why do you seem shocked? It was in college. Me and my roommate both had a thing for the same girl. She dropped by one night, we opened a bottle…and one thing led to another.” Matt grinned. “Best night of my life—at least at the time. Don’t knock it until you try it.”
“I have. More than a time or two.” Seth felt guilty for not telling Matt about Beck and Heavenly, but he wanted to break the news to the family all at once. Though he couldn’t before he’d primed his mom.
Shock crossed Matt’s face, then he laughed. “Of course you have. Anything I’ve done, you’ve done more.”
“And better,” Seth teased. “Any suggestions on how we keep Mom from tearing the family apart over this shit?”
Before Matt could answer, the door opened, and Danny poked his head in. “You two discussing the twins, by chance? You’re holed up in here, whispering like a couple of conspirators, so I figured…”
Seth and Matt exchanged a glance. “We are.”
Danny stepped inside, closing the door again. “Them sharing girls isn’t new. I’ve known since they were seventeen. I caught them at a house party.”
