“I’m starving,” Tripp said as he leaned back in his chair, perusing the menu. “What do you recommend here, Stan?”
Stan was contemplative, really giving the question a degree of thought that Reese didn’t think it warranted. “The turkey club is great, but you can never go wrong with a lobster roll.”
But oh, what it must be like to be Tripp Devereux, with not a care in the world except his next meal. Either he was the master ofcompartmentalization, or Reese had been giving him too much credit throughout her life—which was really saying something, since she’d never had a strong positive opinion of him outside anything related to business.
“Oh,” Brynn said, her attention turned toward Reese. “The store didn’t have the dresses available for pickup yesterday, but they overnighted them. If you’re up for it, we can head over after lunch and try them on.”
The idea of even a small respite from her father was like music to Reese’s ears. “That sounds great,” she said, meaning it.
“Mom and Sharon, you’re both welcome to join if you’d like,” Brynn added effusively, her big eyes looking pointedly back and forth between them to really sell the invitation.
Sharon spoke first. “Oh, I’m not sure…”
“You should come along, Mom.” Reese leveled a soft smile in her direction. “It’ll be nice to have you there.”
Reese wanted to keep her mom close right now, to let her know that she wasn’t alone. It was a feeling that Reese understood all too well, like the world was on her shoulders and asking for help would only be a bother to other people.
“What about me?” Stan asked, surprisingly glum.
Brynn rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Dad, you already came tomydress fitting. Maybe we give Reese a little space today, yeah?”
Stan tilted his chin up, a surprisingly childish look that he wore well, and again, it made Reese soften slightly. He relented. “Well, I suppose that I can be convinced to go home and start prepping dinner while you all are out having fun. Those steaks aren’t going to marinade themselves.”
“Exactly, honey,” Margie said to mollify him, smiling broadly. Reese expected this wasn’t the first time they’d had a variation of this charming domestic conversation.
What would that be like? Having a father that wanted to do even stereotypically feminine things with you just to spend timetogether? To not want to miss a moment of the person you were becoming?
Reese had spent her life fitting into the mold of her father’s world, and it still hadn’t granted her entry.
Sydney’s thigh was resting against her own, like she was willing Reese to calm down.
It was a whole special level of frustration that she couldn’t even enjoy a beautiful woman wanting to casually touch her as they enjoyed lunch together!
And, really, she was trying.
Trying to calm her racing mind. Trying to not think the worst of her father’s behavior, trying to tell herself that maybe she didn’t have the whole story.
Trying, trying, trying…
…and failing, evidenced by the fact that by the time their meals arrived, her eyes had narrowed into slits. It was almost physically impossible for them not to, given the way her father was bloviating at length on The Devereux Group and his plans for their future expansion into the mid-Atlantic region.
“It’s an ambitious plan, Tripp, but you know I don’t generally discuss business during family time,” Stan said before taking a bite of his lobster roll.
Tripp nodded and cut into his salmon. “Right, right. But since we’re becoming family, the two are blending together, no? When would we ever talk shop?” he asked, letting out a forceful laugh.
Margie placed her napkin back on her lap, having used it to wipe off an especially creamy-looking spot of sauce from her seafood pasta. “Stan has dedicated working hours when we’re at home together. Unless one of his investment properties is actively burning down, we’ve learned over the years that it can wait.”
“Absolutely, my dear,” Stan agreed. “There will always be another deal. Another cocktail hour. Another young upstart looking to earn their piece of the pie.”
Reese wasn’t sure, but she felt like Stan’s gaze lingered on her brother for an extra half second longer than was normal as he’d said the words. Probably wishful thinking on her part.
Was it so wrong to want everyone to dislike the same people you disliked?
She didn’t think so.
“That’s why it’s so great to work with family.” Tripp wrapped his arm around Grant’s shoulders and squeezed firmly.
Gross.
