Her brows rose with surprise.“So you’re not a city boy?”
“Not originally.My parents sold the ranch when I was twenty-one.They wanted an easier life, and Kyle talked them into making an investment in his security company.”
“You went to work for Kyle.”
“I did.”
“How did that go?”
“It was a struggle, especially at the beginning.When the business started turning a profit, Kyle spent his money instead of paying my parents back.Then he got married and had two kids, and he lived above his means.My parents didn’t approve.”
Her brows rose with interest.“Hmm.”
“This all came to a head at a family gathering at my brother’s house in Houston.His son’s birthday is on the 4th of July, so we always got together to celebrate.He had a nice pool, an outdoor patio.The kids were swimming.The adults were… drinking.”
“You included?”
He swigged his beer for emphasis.“Me included.”
“And you regret that?”
“We all could have behaved better,” he said, squinting into the distance.“You know how your father didn’t like your ex-husband and tried to warn you away from him?”
“Yes.”
“My mother did the same thing.She told my brother not to marry his wife.”
“On what grounds?”
“She said that Allison was shallow, spoiled, and mouthy.”
“Was she?”
Paul’s lips twisted into a wry smile.“Yes.”
“Did your brother tell his wife what your mother said?”
“He did.”
Vanessa sipped her beer, contemplative.“Whose side did you take?”
“Neither.I stayed out of it.”
“You’re the Jackson of your family.Neutral.”
He got the impression she found this quality annoying—in Jackson’s case, at least.“Kyle had just bought Allison a new car.My mother found out about this the day before the party and she took it out on Allison.She called her a shoe whore.”
Vanessa’s delicate brows rose.“A shoe whore?”
“Allison didn’t let that slide.She retaliated by calling my mother a classless, ah…”
“What?”
“It’s similar to quim.But not as nice.”
She seemed amused by his reluctance to say the word.“What did your brother do?”
“He got between them and accidentally knocked my mom into the pool.”
