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“Don’t think I’ve ever had them. But if that’s what you want, I’ll give it a try.”
If she was ordering just for herself, she might get an anchovy and sausage pizza. Few people shared her tastes though, not to mention what it might do to her breath. “Nah, not tonight. How about a Hawaiian pizza instead?”
Scott stretched both arms over his head and rolled his neck from side to side. “Go for it. Do you mind if I grab a drink?”
With a nod she punched in the restaurant’s number and watched Scott walk away, her eyes taking in the sight. Again tonight he had on faded jeans that hugged his ass and encased his long muscular legs. The outline of his shoulders strained against his dark gray T-shirt, and her mind created an image of what he’d look like without his clothes on. Judging by what she’d seen and felt, Scott’s body rivaled that of some of the hottest actors in Hollywood. Suddenly warm, she pulled at the front of her shirt while she placed an order.
“Were you kidding about the anchovies or do you eat them on pizza?” Scott asked, joining her again with a glass of water in each hand.
Still hot from the mental image she’d created, Paige accepted the glass and took a sip. “Nope, I like them. Everyone I know thinks I’m strange, but it’s one of the few things I have in common with my cousin Nolan and my granddad. We all like anchovies on pizza. Grosses my mom out, so if she’s around I don’t usually get them. At least not anymore. When I was a kid, it was a different story. Then I ordered it as often as possible.”
“Do you mind if I ask you a question about your family? Yo
u don’t have to answer.”
When it came to family, she had nothing to hide. “Ask me whatever.”
“How did your father end up here instead of working at Foster Oil? Every Foster I’ve met has a position at the company and calls Texas home.”
Few people knew about her wealthy relations. It wasn’t something she felt a need to share with anyone. Since not many knew, she also never bothered to share how her dad had gone from being a spoiled, rich playboy to project manager at a large construction company.
“My dad is my granddad’s only son and he was supposed to take over for him someday. But in college, he got into gambling. I don’t know the exact amount, but he blew through most of his trust fund. Afterward, Granddad more or less disowned him. He wouldn’t give him any more money or let him work for the oil company. My granddad didn’t trust him and didn’t want anything to do with him.” Embarrassment set in and she wished she’d declined to answer.
“They didn’t see each other or speak for years. Dad stopped going by Michael and started using his middle name, Jeremy, instead because he didn’t want to be associated with his father. Granddad didn’t even go to my parents’ wedding. Aunt Bebe refused to speak to him because of the way he reacted and treated his son. My dad stayed in contact with his two sisters, Mary and Iris, and I think they kept my granddad filled in on how he was doing. After my brother was born—Joe’s the oldest grandchild—my granddad finally reached out to my dad. They don’t have a perfect relationship, but they have one now.” Paige took another sip of water. “Granddad decided he wouldn’t make the same mistake with his grandchildren as he did with his son. So he decided his grandchildren would not be trust fund kids. He covered college for all of us. If any of us wants to work for Foster Oil, there’s a spot for us, but we all need to work. All of my cousins have taken him up on that offer. Joe and I are the only Foster grandchildren not to. Joe went into physical therapy.”
Scott listened, not commenting, and unfortunately his expression didn’t tell her anything. She’d have liked to know what he was thinking. He hadn’t met her dad and had no way of knowing what a great man he was. Sure, he’d made some bad decisions in his early twenties, but he’d overcome them. Paige hoped Scott didn’t form an unfavorable opinion of him before they even had a chance to meet.
“Granddad tried hard to convince both of us to join the family business. I think he wanted Joe to take over someday instead of my cousin Nolan. Neither of us budged though.”
“So you get along with your grandfather?”
“Oh, yeah. Joe and I would spend two weeks in Texas every summer with him and he’d visit around the holidays. I don’t get there as often anymore, but he sends me e-mails and calls. He came to my wedding and Joe’s. Paid for both our honeymoons. He even visited Joe and Trish at the hospital when Gabby was born. But Joe and I are both closer to my mom’s parents and Aunt Bebe. She still hasn’t forgiven her brother for what he did. They can’t be in the same room together for long without getting into an argument.”
A smile tugged at his mouth. “Your aunt doesn’t seem like the type you’d want angry with you.”
“She doesn’t lose it often, but she’s got a temper and doesn’t forget anything.”
Scott let the smile spread across his face. “I’ll be sure to stay on her good side. In your father’s case, it sounds like her anger was justified. Your grandfather’s actions were extreme.”
“I agree, but my dad wasn’t entirely blameless either.”
“Still, it was his son. Your grandfather could’ve found another way of handling the situation. You don’t abandon family like that.”
Countless times she’d heard or read that the Sherbrookes were a tight-knit family despite its size and wealth. Her own core family was close too, even though Joe and his wife had moved. And if she ever had a family of her own, she’d want it to be close in the same way. Unfortunately, having a family of her own might not be in the cards for her, a fact she tried not to think about often.
Chapter 8
Scott’s conversation with Uncle Mark ended when his wife, Abby, called him over for assistance. Left alone to mingle, he went in search of his cousin Derek. Since this was his and Brooklyn’s engagement party, the guy had to be hanging around somewhere.
For the most part, he hadn’t seen much of his family since before the foundation’s auction back in June, so numerous times as he wandered from room to room a cousin or uncle wanting to catch up stopped him. Despite its size, the Sherbrooke clan remained close, something he loved about his family. Sometimes he forgot other families weren’t the same way. Just look at Paige’s family. Her grandfather and father had gone years without even speaking, let alone visiting each other. He’d had trouble comprehending that her grandfather had skipped his own son’s wedding. Nothing short of either death or a natural disaster would keep his dad away when he married someday. The same was true for any of his uncles and aunts. When he married, every Sherbrooke and Belmont alive would be there.
Thoughts of marriage brought Paige to mind. He’d invited her along today. He wanted her to meet his parents as well as the rest of his family, but a bridal shower for a college friend prevented her from coming. Now, as he looked at the family members around him, he wondered if perhaps it’d been for the best she couldn’t come. Meeting his entire family at once might be too overwhelming. A more gradual approach of introducing her to only a few at a time might make it easier. Starting with his parents.
Coming around the corner, Scott spotted his mom with just the man he wanted to see. Derek stood talking to her, his twin sister, Allison, and Brooklyn. Before Scott reached them though, all three women left.
Scott dropped a hand on Derek’s shoulder when he stopped alongside him. Right away his cousin turned. “Congrats,” Scott said. “Suspected you and Brooklyn would get together someday.”
“You’re not the first person to tell me that. Wish I’d figured it out years ago myself.” Derek kept his eyes on his fiancée across the room as he spoke. “Where’ve you been hiding?”
