“Oh.”
Rhi speared a tomato. “Specifically, Nicholas mentioned your concept will be more responsive to women and other vulnerable populations. That’s my area of interest. Too many of these companies are helmed by a bunch of dudes who don’t know how anything works for anyone but them.”
She turned toward Rhi, forgetting her earlier intimidation of this woman. “Yes, that’s exactly the problem. Sometimes things that seem great in theory don’t work out in the real world for everyone.”
Rhi stabbed her fork at her. “Patriarchy.”
Eve grinned. “Smash it.”
“Nah.” Rhi’s teeth flashed. “Murder it dead.”
Eve turned her head, exhilarated, and found Alistair walking into the room. That wasn’t what made her stomach sink, though. No, it was the familiar dark-haired man behind him. Blood rushed through Eve’s head, making it pound.
Like someone had hit a switch, the party quieted, but Brendan didn’t seem to notice. He looked up and down the table. His gaze lingered on Tani’s bowed head. Maile edged closer to her friend, her dark eyes narrowed on the newcomer’s face.
Brendan was, as always, impeccably dressed in a tailored dark suit, his salt-and-pepper hair expensively cut. A perfect purple pocket square was his only pop of color.
In a few years, Nicholas would probably look like him. But he’d never be him. It was impossible for Nicholas to ever be this cold and remote.
“Hello, all,” Brendan said, almost cheerfully. “Apologies for being late.”
Eve’s fingers tightened on her fork. Even in his best mood, Brendan wasn’t cheerful. He was only mildly thawed. And he never, ever apologized.
Something was up.
John had sat at one end of the table, with Tani and Nicholas on either side of him. Alistair gestured to the only empty seat at the table, directly opposite John. No one had touched that seat. It was Brendan’s seat, because above all, her father had a severe complex about his stature in comparison to his father.
Before the tragedy, Brendan had occupied Nicholas’s role as president of the company. Sam and John had been co-CEOs, and then Robert had taken over Sam’s spot when he’d married into the Oka family.
Eve figured that had always spurred part of Brendan’s resentment of Robert Kane as well as his hatred of the Oka-Kane family, above and beyond the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death. Robert, a relative outsider, born to a middle-class family that owned a café, of all things, had leapfrogged above him to essentially become his boss.
Until Brendan had “bought” Tani’s shares and become co-CEO with John. That was when he’d started insisting on sitting opposite his father in a seat of equal importance. It didn’t matter if they were in the board room or the dining room.
Nicholas finally cleared his throat. “Father.”
Brendan’s gaze slipped over Nicholas, and Livvy at his side. Ever expressive, Livvy’s forehead was puckered. “Nicholas.”
He didn’t say anything to Eve, for which she was grateful. It meant she was already under his radar. She ran her fingers over her naked wrist. She should have worn some other bracelet tonight. It would have given her something to fidget with quietly, under the table, out of sight.
Brendan accepted the glass of wine Alistair handed him with a murmured “Thank you,” looking for all the world like nothing more than a pleasant guest.
Gabe caught her eye across the table.Are you okay?he mouthed.
A burst of warmth spread through her belly. She gave an infinitesimal nod and let go of her wrist.
John cleared his throat and raised his glass. “Now that we’re all here, I’d like to make a toast. To you, Nicholas and Livvy. My Barbara—” He swallowed, and Tani took his hand. “She used to say we had soul mates and maybe we do. But I know people who are meant to be can only truly be meant to be if the individuals choose to be. I am so happy you have chosen to be together. Though the path has been bumpy, you have weathered it with grace and kindness. May you have as happy a marriage as Barbara and I did. May it be filled with love and laughter.”
Maile straightened and lifted her glass. “May you treat each other with respect, always.”
Sonya beamed. “May you never go to bed angry with one another.”
The room was silent. Tani hesitated, finally picking up her glass. Her gaze met her daughter’s. “May your love be a light in the darkest of times.”
Livvy’s eyes filled with moisture, and she dabbed at them.
Eve had to blink back her own tears. They all lifted their glasses.
Except her father, she noted. Singularly unmoved, he sat back in his chair, and folded his arms over his chest.
