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It killed him to say that. But as soon as he did, he knew it was true.
He wanted to tell them that even if he did want her in his life, it was too late. She was already back with Brad. But then he’d have to admit he’d been practically stalking her. So he let it go, waiting for the next argument.
Fortunately, his mother decided to—finally—come to his rescue as she laid her hand on Benny to stay further comments. “Leave him be.” But she did look at him a little longer with sadness in those dark, loving eyes. “He’ll have to realize some things for himself.”
Ouch.
“If we’re done with the third degree, maybe we can eat? I have tons to do back at the office. Where are the kids?” he asked Daisy.
“They’re with their dad,” she said, disbelief on her own face. “He’s had them since Friday and will be dropping them off later tonight. They were ecstatic. And it’s giving me time to start the packing,” Now she was barely restraining her excitement, her lips tugging into a grin.
“Packing? What’s going on?”
She clasped her hands together, almost as if in a prayer. “My lovely new sister-in-law is what’s going on. For weeks she and Dominic have been negotiating where they’re going to live, and it looks like they decided that, despite being farther away from Kate’s work, they’re going to live at Dominic’s.”
“Okay,” he said slowly, not sure what that had to do with Daisy unless… “Are you moving into her place, then?”
She was beaming as she nodded. “Seeing as how the market is still getting back on its feet, Kate wants to hold off selling for now and she thought maybe the kids
and I would want to move in. Get our own space. I’m paying her rent, of course.”
He nodded. His sister had stubbornly refused all handouts since going through the divorce, much to everyone’s dismay, so it wasn’t a surprise that she’d insist on paying rent. Probably top dollar too.
“It’s such a beautiful house,” she gushed, her eyes shining. “And what with living right next door, Aunt Glenda has already assured me she’d love nothing more than to help me watch the kids after school. I can’t imagine it being more perfect. The girls will have to share a room, of course, but they’re fine with it. I think Paul might even be a little jealous,” she added, referencing her youngest and only son.
“But don’t forget I want to help too. Even if they won’t be under the same roof,” their mother interjected, looking a little weepy. “I’m expecting lots of sleepovers.”
Daisy softened her smile and placed her hand on her mother’s. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“This is great news, Daise,” Cruz said. “I’m excited for you and the kids.”
“Good. Because I’m going to need your help moving. With Dominic and Kate gone until next late Saturday night, I need some brawn for the heavy lifting.”
“Isn’t that what we have Benny for?” he asked and took another drink.
Benny smiled wryly. “Don’t worry, big brother. I know you’ve gone a little soft in your old age, might suffer a bit from early arthritis. I’m prepared to pick up your slack. I can probably hook you up with some geriatric medical supplies too. Just say the word.”
“When do you need me?” he asked Daisy, ignoring his youngest sister.
“I can’t get off early until Saturday, around three, and I would really like to get it done then. It shouldn’t take too long. Kate left the keys with me and has insisted I use most of the furniture she already has. Probably just a couple hours. Unless you want to help us get a couple of Kate’s things moved over to Dominic’s. He had a few things he wanted in place before they get back, something to have as a nice homecoming for Kate.”
It was going to put a serious kink in Cruz’s plans to have a decision made on which subcontractor he was going with by the end of the week, but it couldn’t be helped. It was family.
“Fine. I’ll meet you here around three. Ben,” he asked, trying to turn topics. “Did you hear anything yet about that fellowship?”
Which did the trick. With everyone onto a new topic and busy dishing up dinner, Cruz pretended to listen while letting his mind go somewhere else. On someone else. Again.
Oh, hell. He entertained the idea of slamming his head against the table to try and knock some sense in his damn brain but figured that would only alarm everyone around him.
Moving on. Seemed like something everyone was doing around here. Benny as she wrapped up her residency in pediatric medicine at the U and looked toward the future; Dominic who was starting a new life with the woman he loved. Hell. Even his newly divorced sister was moving on—literally and figuratively. And, of course…Payton.
For all he knew she and Brad were back to pricing out china patterns again for the big nuptials in between planning cocktail parties for her mother and her friends.
She’d moved on.
Maybe it was time Cruz did, too.
Chapter Eighteen
