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“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” I say to Brett. “I’m not trying to …”

“It’s a good idea.” He grins. “Plus, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do, right?”

“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Clara says. “Plus, Mom and Dad deserve everything they get, and honestly, it’s Brett’s money anyway. I think it’s ridiculous that Granddad is now saying you need to be engaged by his eightieth birthday to get the money.”

“I agree,” Brett says. “But honestly, I don’t care about the money. I’ve got enough to live on.”

“Think about Charlie,” Clara says, and Blair gives her a look. “What? I’m not going to bring him up. I just want the nonprofit to go through.”

Brett looks over at me, and I offer him a warm smile.

“We can do this,” I say. “I’ve got you.”

“Thank you, Rosie. It means a lot.”

“You’re so pretty, Rosie,” Clara says, gazing at me and then at her brother. “For the life of me, I don’t understand why you’re not actually my brother’s girlfriend, but he’s a doofus, so he likely can’t get his act together.”

“Something like that,” I say, laughing, and he shakes his head, just watching us.

* * *

“I’m so glad to find someone in this family who actually likes playing gin rummy,” Theodore says from across the table as he sips his whiskey. “It’s really nice to get to know you, Rosie. I wish I could say Brett had told me more about you, but …”

“I know he’s very secretive about his personal life,” I say as I put down three jacks. “But I’m glad he invited me this weekend so I could get to know everyone. You and Lena in particular. I know how much he loves and adores you.”

He takes a card from the deck and sits back. “You know, I’ve noticed the way he looks at you.”

“You have?” My heart races, and I’m nervous he’s going to say he can tell it’s an act.

“It reminds me of when I first started dating my Lena.”

Oh. I let out a breath.

“Your turn, Rosie.”

“Oh yeah.” I pick up another card. “So, how did you meet Lena?”

“She was dating a friend of mine.” He shakes his head and laughs. “Quite the affair, it was.”

“Oh, you had an affair with her?”

“No, not really. They’d only gone on a few dates. I ran into her down at the burger joint, and I asked her why she was dating Timothy, and she said he was a nice man. And I said, ‘Do you want a nice man or a good man?’ And the rest was history.”

“Oh wow.”

“I mean, it helped that I sent her bouquet after bouquet of flowers and wrote her a song and did all the things charming young men did back in the day.”

“So, you knew you wanted her?”

“From the first time I laid eyes on her. I think that’s why I care so much about making sure Brett is happy. I want him to experience the same love I’ve experienced.”

“It must feel amazing,” I say. “You must be awfully proud of your family.”

“Tyson, we love him, but we spoiled him too much. The grandkids, they’re the best of us. Brett, Clara, Blair—they’re good, solid kids.” He smiles at me. “I don’t want them to be spoiled. That’s why I created the trust. Some people might say I’m a puppeteer, but I don’t want money to ruin them.”

“Money won’t ruin Brett,” I say honestly. “He’s a really good guy, and he doesn’t live his life based on money. I didn’t even know he was rich until very recently.”

Theodore’s eyes narrow, and he studies my face. Then he nods slowly. “I believe that’s true.”