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Dax takes a sip of his champagne before answering. “I saw some local shops down the street. I wouldn’t mind visiting those. I’m sure they’re total tourist traps. We aren’t allowed to spend money other than food, but it could be fun to window shop.”
Relieved he didn’t suggest another beach outing, I readily agree. “That sounds fun, yes. Let’s do that. We received a message on the app about dinner tomorrow. Apparently, we’ll be having dinner with the other contestants tomorrow night. Then we head out for our next segment of the trip the following morning.”
“Sounds good. I wonder where the next location will be,” Dax muses out loud.
“Guess we’ll find out soon.”
The calm atmosphere of the restaurant has put me in a serene and relaxed state of mind—or maybe it’s my few sips of champagne. Either way, I’m not bothered by Dax sitting across from me now that he’s been on good behavior this evening. Fingers crossed, he keeps it up for the rest of the night.
He seems so at ease here. Of course, this is a familiar environment for him.
Sometimes I let myself forget that he’s giving up three weeks of his life to do this trip with me so I can replenish my savings. Whenever I get frustrated with him, I try to remember that very important fact. He could be in his penthouse with his personal chef and eat like this whenever he wants. But he’s chosen to risk life and limb and dysentery to go on this adventure with me instead.
Okay, slight exaggeration. But still, I owe him, and I’m trying to keep that in mind whenever he tries to rile me up.
My thoughts are interrupted by the server as she drops off our salads and explains that our dinner will be out shortly.
Dax digs into the leafy greens like a man who’s never eaten before. “Perfect timing. I’m starved.”
I’m dying to make a comment about him being a growing boy and needing his food, but I refrain at the last minute. I’m sure he’ll twist it into some sort of sexual comment.
Instead, I put my efforts into eating my own salad.
“Tell me about your family,” I surprise myself by saying.
Dax looks up from his plate. “You want to know about my family? I mean, there’s not a ton to say.”
I pin him with an incredulous look. “Not a ton to say? You’re a member of the grandiose Anders family. You and your brothers run a hugely successful business and live in penthouses in Manhattan. I imagine you could talk about your family for days and never run out of things to say.”
He chuckles at that. “Well, you have a valid point. But you already know about my family. You’re best friends with Lana. Since she’s married to my brother Jake I’m sure you’ve heard all our family secrets.
“Lana doesn’t spill any family secrets, much to my dismay.”
He laughs. “Alright, then. So, you already know Jake. He’s the oldest brother, and, of course, you know he runs our company. I’m the middle brother, second-in-command at The Anders Group. I handle some of the legal things within our organization. And then there’s our youngest brother, Ethan, who is in charge of operations. But you probably know a lot about him, since you’re friends with his wife, Liz. Is there anything else you wanted to know about?”
My hands are on the table, fiddling with the fork. “What about your parents? Or how did the business get started? I don’t know. I’m just curious, and honestly, Lana doesn’t talk much about your family. She’s too busy talking about Jake this and Jake that, all the time.”
“Well, I think you met my parents a couple of times. They’ve been together since they were young. They started the business together. All of us boys were raised knowing we’d take control of The Anders Group eventually. It was my father’s legacy to us. He finally stepped down recently, and now the three of us brothers are in charge.” He stops to take a sip of water before continuing. “My father was always tough but fair. He instilled good values into us, and we work hard to make sure his company continues to thrive and grow. We work so hard because we want to make him proud.”
He says that last bit with a passion I can feel and see. The business is clearly important to him. Interesting. The playboy has a serious side, after all.
“Do you enjoy working with your brothers?”
“Most of the time, yes. It can be annoying sometimes. But overall, the three of us get along very well. Jake, Ethan, and I have a special bond. We also know when to give each other space. That’s probably the most important thing when working with family.” He raises his brow in question. “And what about you? I haven’t heard you talk about your family much.”
I’m not surprised that he’s asking about my family, but I am surprised that he actually seems interested in my answer. He’s leaning forward, and his full attention is focused on me as he waits for me to respond.
“Well, I have a sister, Chelsea. She’s living in California at the moment, so I don’t get to see her often. And you know my parents live in Massachusetts, near the border of Connecticut. Since they retired early, they spend their time raising chickens and goats.”
Dax’s eyes crinkle up in the corners. “Chickens and goats? Are you serious?”
“Yep! One day, they announced they were moving from the city, and no amount of convincing would get them to stay. Now, they’ve taken to farm life. They seem content with the quiet, though I couldn’t imagine living there.”
While we are talking, the server drops off our main entrées and quietly backs away, leaving us alone again. We both pick up our forks and begin eating but continue talking. This feels like the first real conversation we’ve had since meeting, and I’m surprised to find that I’m enjoying myself.
“I’d love to meet them before the wedding,” Dax says with a conspiratorial wink and a nod to the right. “We should’ve made time to go see them before now, but it’s been crazy with work.”
Just then, I notice Taylor settling into a seat at a table near us. Her camera is already out and appears to be recording.
