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Unlike Emma, his father wasn’t smiling happily or holding out his arms for a hug. Joel Winslow wasn’t a hugger, and he didn’t spend a great deal of time smiling.
Unless he’d just made another million.
With a head of silver hair and lines at his temples, his father looked every inch the prosperous businessman in his dark suit. Zack had rarely seen his dad in casual clothes unless he was playing golf or on vacation. His mother had joked that Joel was born in a three-piece suit and had carried a briefcase to kindergarten on his first day of school.
The suit? Armani, of course. The briefcase had been Coach.
“I wanted to get a rental, Dad, so I would have transportation to get around.”
Joel’s frown deepened.
“You could have just driven one of our cars. Waste of money.”
If it wasn’t Joel’s idea, then it was usually deemed a waste. Even with Zack, who was Joel’s favorite child.
Not that I’m celebrating that fact.
“Zack, is that you?” another voice called from behind his father. His Aunt Kimberly.
His aunt, carrying car keys and a handbag, walked out on the porch before giving Zack a brief hug. His aunt was pushing fifty-five, but she didn’t look a day over forty with her dark brown hair and brown eyes, slim figure, and stylish clothes. She was wearing a pair of pin-striped black pants and a floral patterned silk blouse. Today, she was wearing black flats instead of her usual high heels. At five-two, she joked that she needed them just to reach things in high places.
Anyone walking by her would also easily see the platinum and diamond ring she was wearing on her left hand - an emerald cut center stone that was easily six or seven carats. Clearly, his dad had spared no expense.
Zack’s mother’s ring had been an amethyst - her birthstone - surrounded by diamonds.
“The rehearsal dinner is tonight,” Kim said now that the greetings were done. “Please be on time because the minister is on a tight schedule. Love you. I’m off to check out the wedding venue and make sure it’s set up right. See you later.”
Kim was already down the stairs and climbing into her sedan before Zack registered the words.
“Rehearsal dinner?”
This was the first Zack was hearing about it. He wasn’t against going. Probably. It was one thing to show up at the wedding, but the rehearsal dinner, too? That might be too much support. He wasn’t sure that was a place he wanted to go to.
Emma cleared her throat loudly and gave his father a scorching look that would have quelled most men. Not Joel. He simply shrugged and waved them all inside.
“Let’s have a chat about that, Zack. Come into my office for a drink.”
Emma disappeared, probably into the kitchen, but not before rolling her eyes so only Zack could see. She knew that Zack didn’t always get along well with his dad. Sometimes, it was fine, and other times it wasn’t. It was a toss-up as to which way today was going to be.
He followed his dad into the study that looked exactly as it had for the last thirty-plus years. Dark wood, brown leather, floor-to-ceiling books that Zack was sure his father had never read. They were there for show, to impress when people came over to the house. It had always been about appearances.
“I’m surprised you’re not having the wedding here on the grounds,” Zack remarked as his father poured two glasses of whiskey.
He accepted the glass but didn’t take a drink. It wasn’t his habit to have alcohol in the early afternoon. Maybe he’d sip at it so his father wouldn’t make a remark.
“The venue means a great deal to Kim,” Joel replied. “It has historical meaning.”
“It’s a nice location.”
“And we won’t have the wedding ripping up our landscaping,” Joel said, sitting on one of the brown leather couches. “Sit down. Relax a bit.”
“I’ve been sitting on a plane and then in the car,” Zack said, standing by the window and looking out at the grounds outside. There must have been rain recently as the lawn was lush and green. “I need to stretch my legs a little. I might go for a walk later.”
There was a tension in the air now that it was just the two of them. It was awkward as hell, but it had been for a long time. Zack had grown used to it, to be honest.
“There’s going to be a moment of remembrance for your mother at the ceremony.”
Fuck. This was one subject Zack didn’t want to discuss. Why had his father even brought it up? This only led to one thing…a disagreement.
