“He mostly wanted to know where his ancestors came from,” Jack says.
“Your mom didn’t object?” I ask.
All three of them shake their heads.
“We don’t think she knows it can be used to find other people you’re related to,” Decker says. “Both of our parents—they mostly use computers to play Frenemy Crush or pay their bills or look up what the neighbors’ houses are selling for. And even if they hear their friends talking about MatchDNA, they don’t know we took the test.”
Maybe it’s the margarita, or maybe it’s feeling like they’re letting me into a closer inner circle, but I don’t school my face fast enough, and all three of them give me matching embarrassed smiles.
“It was mostly a joke,” Lucky says. “Us taking the test. One of my patients kept telling me I should make sure we were related?—”
Jack picks up the story. “And then we got tipsy on eggnog while we were talking about it?—”
“And a few weeks later, our entire world got turned upside down,” Decker finishes.
Lucky shakes his head. “All because of eggnog and a joke.”
I swallow.
Then swallow again.
“For what it’s worth,” I say quietly, “I’m sorry it turned your world upside down, but I’m not sorry we had an opportunity to meet.”
Lucky smiles at me.
Jack does too.
Even Decker softens.
“And I still won’t tell anyone,” I add. “Any of it.”
Rhys eyes me.
I ignore him.
Iwon’ttell anyone else. Daphne deserves to know, but she can keep the secret.
She and I both know what my father would do if he found out about the triplets.
But I also know what I’d do if he found out.
And I’m glad I have an attorney on retainer who has no loyalty to or business with my father. If the triplets—if my brothers—ever need her, they’ll have her.
When I tell them my full truth, when they understand why it matters, when they agree to help me,thenI’ll have her already in their corner, ready for whatever my father might try to retaliate with.
He’ll have to go through me and every ounce of firepower I can summon to get to them.
“Never know what life’s gonna bring,” Lucky says. “Curses aside, always tends to be a little good with the bad.”
“Not always,” Decker says.
“Pessimist to the end.” Jack rolls his eyes. “You need someone to walk you to your car, Margie? Bandit and I would be happy to help.”
“I’ve got her,” Rhys says.
All three of them look at him again.
“What?” he says. “Can’t let her get there first and booby-trap the place again.”
