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Curt crossed his arms and digested the words. “From what I know about Harry, it doesn’t surprise me. I never understood why you dated him, and I expected you to kick his ass to the curb long before you did. The same goes for their father. Using his son’s relationships to benefit himself or the company sounds like something he’d try. And we both know he wouldn’t be the first person to do it. ”
How she should’ve handled her previous relationship was irrelevant at this point. Only her current one mattered. “Anyway, when I confronted Gavin, he denied it. But I’m not sure I should believe him.”
“You’ve spent more time with him than me, but I don’t see him doing something like that. He seems like a decent guy. And I’m not the only one who says that about him.”
“What, do you conduct background investigations on the men I date or something?” Curt played the role of a typical protective big brother from time to time, but he’d never hinted at digging around to learn more about the men she got involved with.
“No, but considering his father and brother’s—”
“Half brother,” she clarified.
Curt glared at her, and for the first time all day she cracked a smile. Regardless of age or the situation, sometimes it was simply fun to annoy one’s older brother.
“Considering their reputations and what Harry did when you were together, I was concerned about you. Gavin and I have some of the same friends and acquaintances, including his stepbrother, Evan, so I reached out to a couple.”
Should she hug him for being so concerned or slap him for butting his nose in where it didn’t belong? Maybe both.
“None of them found it weird?” she inquired.
“Not the way I asked. And you can do what you want, but unless Gavin has lied to you in the past or given you another reason not to trust him, I’d give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Forget what Harry said and move on.”
“He waited until I confronted him before he told me about Erin,” she pointed out.
“Withholding info is not the same as lying.”
“Gee, thanks, Professor Sherbrooke. I didn’t know that.”
Curt ignored her sarcastic reply. “Hey, I agree with you. He shouldn’t have waited to tell you about his daughter, but maybe he had his reasons. I did something similar in the spring. Only Trent and Gray know, but when I met Taylor and her family, they didn’t know who I really was.”
She couldn’t help herself. “And who did they think you were, Santa Claus?”
If looks could injure you, she’d be suffering big time right then.
“Curt S. Hilton, the author. My point is, he’s not the first person to not share personal information until they’re ready. And since he came clean as soon as you confronted him, I wouldn’t hold it against him. Just like I wouldn’t hold Harry’s action against Gavin.”
Curt had no reason to fabricate such a story; still she found it hard to accept. And in her opinion, what he’d done was far worse than Gavin simply withholding information, because while C. S. Hilton was Curt’s pen name, he’d lied to Taylor and her family.
“They didn’t recognize you?”
“Nope, not until I shaved off the beard, cut my hair, and ditched the glasses,” he explained.
She tried to envision her clean-shaven brother with a beard and long hair but couldn’t do it. “You’re lucky Taylor
forgave you. I’m not sure I would’ve.”
They both fell silent. Leah didn’t know what was occupying her brother’s thoughts, but everything Curt had said since she opened up to him was going through her head.
“One last thing and I’ll drop it. Taylor’s an excellent judge of character, probably because of her job. And she liked Gavin,” Curt explained. Then true to his word, he changed the subject. “Brett’s running for a seat in the Senate. I’m not sure what to think. I can’t picture him in Washington. Can you?”
No, but their elder brother wouldn’t be the first male Sherbrooke to surprise her. “A few years ago, I never would’ve pictured either Jake or Trent married with children either.”
***
Erin’s company and conversation kept him engaged throughout the ride from Connecticut to Rhode Island, so keeping thoughts of Leah at bay had been manageable. Unfortunately, an empty condo didn’t do the same.
After dropping Erin off and offering Amber and Todd his congratulations on their baby news, he debated on whether to drive back to New York or crash at his apartment in Providence. In the end, he’d opted to hop back on the highway and head home. If on the off chance Leah called and asked him over, he didn’t want to be hours away.
Not that he expected her to call tonight or even tomorrow.
