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He lifted his shoulders while toying with his fork. “Moving in. Getting settled.”
There was more than that, but he wasn’t about to tell the entire table about it. Or any single one of them, for that matter.
“You bought that house three months ago. You don’t do anything else useful with your life, so what in God’s name is taking you three months to get settled?”
“Dad,” Loyal interrupted. “I have a few things to go over for the foundation. Can I get some time before you and Mom head back to Washington?”
“Of course. After Merit and I are done.”
“We are done,” Merit said. He wasn’t doing this again. And next brunch, he was fucking pulling a Grayson.
“When are you guys flying out?” Asher asked from his right.
“Bill has us scheduled for take-off at four,” their mom said. “We have to meet him at the hangar by three-thirty.”
“Well, then, we might as well tell you now…” His middle brother paused, and everyone at the table turned, watching and waiting with expectation. Honor tucked her red hair behind her ear and lifted her eyebrows in silent question. Merit noticed their clasped hands just before Asher nodded at his wife, and they shared a smile.
Together, they turned their grins toward his parents and said, “We’re pregnant.”
“Oh!” Mom exclaimed. She clapped her hands, then waved a hand at her face as tears flooded her eyes. “The first grandbaby!”
Merit sat quietly, smiling at the pure joy on his brother’s face while everyone else peppered him and Honor with congratulations and questions of the due date. He was happy for them. Asher would be a great father.
He on the other hand, couldn’t even imagine being in his brother’s shoes.
Someday maybe. Years from now. He’d only just turned twenty-six two months ago, he wasn’t ready to be strapped down with that type of responsibility.
For his immediate future, the plan was to get over Mae Lockhart and get back to enjoying life. That infamous Diamond family plan he usually turned his nose up at was going to come in handy for once. His gaze strayed to the phone number on his coffee cup. Maybe Lyssa could help him with his plan. Starting tonight.
Everyone had risen to exchange hugs with the expectant couple, so Merit took his turn and then started collecting dirty dishes. Sunday morning staff always cooked and served the meal, but then they got the rest of the day off and the kids all cleaned up. He didn’t usually stick around for that part, but maybe today he would. Loyal had jumped in pretty quick to distract Dad earlier. In fact, they’d grown closer since his oldest brother moved back from Texas last fall. It was surprisingly nice feeling like he had an ally.
As he stacked a fourth plate in his hands, his dad stepped up beside him. “Merit, I’d like to see you in my office please.”
“Sorry, but I’m on dish duty today.”
“Let the others handle that. This can’t wait.”
“Thanks a lot, Dad,” Shelby groused with a smile. “First time he actually wants to help and you take him away.”
Their father leaned down to give her a kiss on the temple while shooting Merit a stern look that said he’d better follow.
Yep, that’s about how it went around the Diamond house. Bells got a kiss, he got the evil eye. Figuring it was better to get this over with, he handed the plates off to his sister and grabbed his mostly empty coffee cup.
He had a feeling he wouldn’t be sticking around after their chat.
Chapter 3
When his dad closed the office door, Merit wondered why he even bothered. As many times as he’d been hounded in front of everyone at brunch, why the privacy now? He took a seat as Dad walked around to sit behind the large walnut desk.
“Your credit cards didn’t work this morning.”
“Yeah. A couple of them were declined, but it’s not like I run them up to the limit, so I’m guessing it’s identity theft or something. I’ll call Rob in the morning.” The family finance manager would figure it out.
“Don’t bother.”
“Don’t bother?” he repeated with confusion. “Why not?”
“You don’t bother with a job, why bother with the cards?”
