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"Do we want to know?" Kimberly asked.
"No," Travis and I said at the same time.
Reese looked positively delighted. "My, my, this does seem like a story we should know more of, but maybe another time. Aunt Lena is already calling us to dinner. Oh, and we've been bad. We haven't helped her at all. Come on, let's go." She ushered us all away from the sitting area, then came up to me. I put an arm around her shoulders.
"I like this news, cousin," she said.
"You do. Why?"
"Because I think you finally understand that just because it didn't work out with Cammy, that doesn't mean that all relationships won't work."
"What are you talking about? I never thought that."
"Didn't you? I mean, let's recap. You had a short but intense relationship with Cammy. You thought you'd end up married. You even bought property to build a house, and then it didn't work out. Since then, you haven’t done relationships. I'm not talking about hookups. So, when can I meet Megan? I'm at a disadvantage. Everyone else already met her.”
“No, they haven’t. Only Travis and Sam, and only because they were in the office.”
"What's troubling you? You seem serious. That's unlike you. Is it just that she's your intern?”
"That too, but she's also younger. She's at a different stage in her life. Perhaps she wants different things."
"Oh, cousin, come on. You fit with someone younger. I think that's the perfect combination."
“Maybe, but she’s nine years younger than me. She’s mature for her age, though.” I rolled my eyes. “Hell, I sound like Declan, searching for trouble when there’s nothing.”
“So don’t mess it up.”
I laughed. "I've missed you, Reese."
As we reached the table, I held out the chair for her.
"It's good to have everyone here," Mom said.
"Mom, this smells delicious." She’d made one of her favorites: beef stroganoff. She claimed it was easy to cook for so many people.
"I'm glad to be back too,” Reese said. “I’ve missed you all, and The Happy Place. By the way, the administrator told me a pipe broke on the upper level of the building.”
“I know, I took care of it,” I said. Gran’s bookshop was on the ground floor, so fortunately it didn’t impact the rest of the building.
“I’m sad the upper levels are still empty. I’ve always hoped we’ll fill up that whole building with life,” Gran replied.
“It’s a great building,” Travis said, a look of intense concentration etched on his face. We all knew that building meant a lot to our grandmother, and because of that, it meant the world to us too. It was in a great location for any type of business. That was one of the reasons Reese and her idiotic ex had wanted to open a spa there.
“Anyway, I’m excited to get back in the thick of it. But I've got to say, I can't wait to go back to London," Gran remarked.
"You're already planning your trip?" Declan asked.
"When?" Tate added.
Oh, for fuck's sake, these two couldn't give it a rest. They went on and on about how Gran should be careful. True, she was older, but she was very fit.
"Why?" Gran asked, and I recognized that tone. It was far too sweet. It meant she was preparing to hand them their asses. "What are you two afraid of? That I'm too old to travel?"
"We didnotsay that," Tate said adamantly.
"No, but I know how you boys think. And I won’t hear any of it.”
One point for Gran. I’d definitely missed her.
During dinner, while we caught Reese and Gran up on the comings and goings of the family, I realized exactly what was bothering me. Megan was holding back—and I suspected it wasn’t just because she was my intern. Granted, we’d avoided being too open with each other while we were trying to keep things professional. But since we’d failed anyway, I planned to change that.
