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“Where did you find such unique charms, Broadie?”
He peers up at me from the David Baldacci book he’s holding. “I had them custom-made.”
“You did? Where?”
“My buddy, Gianni, helped me.”
Gianni?Isn’t he…“The guy that owns the sex club?” I’m baffled by this.
“G’s a man of many talents. Now he’s one book you shouldn’t judge by its cover.” He smirks.
Sliding off the ladder, I reach for a foil-embossed hardcover by Charlotte Bronte. I can’t believe I’ve never readJane Eyre. “I’d love to hear all the tales of your billionaire boys club, Dr. Weston. I bet they’d keep me on the edge of my seat.” I chuckle.
“The six of us are quite a collection.” Placing his book down, he wraps his arms around me. “Can you stay?”
“Do you think that’s a good idea? Rushing back into things?”
His dimple disappears with the determined expression on his face. “In what way did we ever rush? Well, I know how I rushed… but once we spent time together and realized what I knew all along, how did we rush?”
He’s right. We barely saw one another once we returned. “Well, that’s because someone was working seven days a week.”
I expect him to make excuses, but instead, he holds me tighter. “You’ve taught me the error of my ways, Pop. Never again. You, Lauren, and Lilly. You’re my priority now.” He drops his forehead to mine. Closing my eyes, I revel in the feel of his openness. And I honestly believe him.
Broadie heats up a mouthwatering meal of salmon and grilled vegetables his private chef had prepared for him, and we spend the rest of the evening catching up on the things that have transpired while we were apart. He tells tales of Lauren and Lilly’s shenanigans, and I meet his stories tit for tat with those of my mother and Agnes.
As we lie on a chaise lounge on his lanai, I decide to share my thoughts on Gavin. I tell him how fond of him I’ve become and that I’d found him when he’d been searching for answers. We lamented the fact Gavin had to grow up this way. Barely knowing his father, then losing him so young.
“I’m so thrilled Nick was matched with him in that Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. He’s been such a great role model for him. I think he and his dad have given Gavin something to strive for.”
“I’m glad. You don’t realize how lucky you are in life to have family until people like Gavin remind you how quickly all that can be taken away.”
I run my hand over Broadie’s chest, nervous to share what’s been on my mind lately. “I want to take a portion of Dan’s life insurance and put it in a trust for Gavin. For college.”
Broadie shifts beneath me. “You sure, Pop?”
“Yes. He’s Dan’s son. Part of that money should go to him.”
He strokes his hand through my hair. “Don’t get upset with me. But I think you should talk to a lawyer. Find out what they recommend.”
“You’re right. Why would I be upset with you for saying that?”
He’s quiet for a moment. “I think there’s still a lot you don’t know about their situation. What you want to do is very generous. Yet, it could cause trouble if you don’t have the trust clearly stipulated. Say he doesn’t want to go to college. Or his mother wants to lay claim.”
I hadn’t thought about that.
“And you might want to get a paternity test. I don’t doubt what he’s told you. But legally, it’s probably best you do everything by the book.”
Unsure where they’re coming from, I’m suddenly rattled by the thoughts swimming in my head. Having Gavin in my life has made me feel maternal. Had Dan chosen to include me in their lives, I would’ve been his stepmother. “Have you ever considered the possibility of having more kids?” My voice is meek as the question sneaks out of my mouth. What’s the old adage? Don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answer. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked that.”
“Why not?” He twists so we’re facing each other on this narrow lounger. “You can ask me anything.” Tucking my hair behind my ear, he smiles down at me. “If you’d asked me a year ago, I’d have laughed you right off of this chair.”
“And now?”
“You offering?”
My brows pinch.What is he asking?
“You want me to put a baby in here, Pop?”
