“We’re starting at the top,” Harrison said, with the authority of the oldest son. “The attic is a mess. Lots to get through.”
“You’re the boss,” Drew replied. His easy acceptance surprised me, but only for a second.
The dynamic between them had been touchy for most of our adult lives, but everything had changed in the last few years. I could see the shift happening in real time. The big life events we were all weathering—marriages, a baby, moving—mellowed their static.
Drew paused with his hand on the doorknob that led to the gigantic attic. “Keep in mind, you’re about to enter Harrison’s lair.”
Harrison punched him on the shoulder. “You’re never going to let that go, huh?”
We laughed at the memory of our oldest brother campaigning to turn the attic space into his private oasis because he said we were always pestering him and getting into his stuff.
I paused when I crested the stairs, surveying the stacks of boxes. “Damn. This is a lot.”
“We have our work cut out for us,” Drew agreed. He glanced over at me, then leaned closer to pluck at my shirt. “Hold on, what have you been up to?”
I followed his gaze and discovered a smear of pink on the edge of my collar. “Oh, uh, you know,” I mumbled.
Harrison walked over to join the examination wearing a smile. “I like her. Definitely an upgrade from…what was her name?”
“C’mon, let’s not,” I sighed and walked away from them.
“No,let’s,” Drew insisted. “And her name was Gretchen. Never liked her. Too demanding. She acted like she owned you. I can already tell Nina is a better fit.”
“And you seem, I don’t know, lighter,” Harrison added. “It’s about time.”
They moved on to start examining boxes, and I paused to consider what they’d said. If anyone was in a place to judge me, it was the two of them. Their relationships had changed them for the better, and for them to suggest that my fake marriage was doing the same for me meant something.
And yeah, Nina was worlds away from my ex, Gretchen. She always found a way to exclude Noah, trying to make it sound like it was for his own good, whereas Nina orbited around my son. Sure, part of it was because she dedicated her life to children, but I could tell that there was genuine affection at the root of her relationship with Noah. She always thought of him first.
It was one of the many parts of her that left me in awe.
I’d always looked at my parents’ relationship and assumed that I’d be equally lucky. That I’d find a partner who’d mellow me and help me grow. Now I knew the truth about relationships, atleast when it came to me. My father and brothers had managed to make it happen, but I knew that it wasn’t in the cards for me.
No matter how perfect things might seem with Nina now, a messy reality was right around the corner.
Better to keep the chains around my heart now to prevent the inevitable heartbreak.
19
NINA
It was stupid to be nervous. These women were warm and genuine, and they seemed like they truly wanted to help me feel comfortable during my first visit to the family estate.
So why was I second-guessing every word out of my mouth? Why was I avoiding the snacks spread out on the long teak table? At least Noah was our primary focus, splashing around in the jaw-droppingly beautiful pool. Between the landscaping surrounding it and the tall slide built into the rocks, it looked like something out of one of the Ashford resorts.
“Noah, you’re a great swimmer. So brave,” Candace said as she watched him paddle by. She’d been in the water with him the whole time, but now she was perched at the edge of the pool so she could gossip with us too. “Maybe it’s time to get serious and hire a swim coach?”
She glanced over her shoulder at me. Right. His life was my jurisdiction, at least for now.
“Good idea. I’ll look into the YMCA for classes.”
Gwen shook her head. “Maybe hiring a private coach would be better? I’m pretty sure Harrison has some former Olympian contacts, through his charters. Maybe start there?”
I gulped. A privateOlympicswim coach? I needed to keep reminding myself that this was a different world. One the women surrounding me seemed to fit right into.
Candace, obviously. She was the epitome of elegance and class, even damp from the swim. Somehow, her gorgeous white hair looked just as good air dried as it did when she met me at the door with a perfect blowout. Logan hadn’t told me much about her background, but I was dying to get the full story.
And Gwen? She was influencer-flawless, and baby Sophia cooing in her lap completed the picture of domestic perfection. Logan had told me that before she’d taken time away to be a full-time mom, she’d been a PR ace.
