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Glenna’s hand on his shoulder drew him from his thoughts. “You are thinking of your mother.”

Wes nodded, his attempt at a smile falling flat. It didn’t surprise any of the St. Claires how well Glenna could read them after being with the family for so long, but Wes still found it uncanny.

“It’s hard not to think about Mother while I’m here in this house.”

Glenna nodded her agreement. “Yes, but she would not want you to wallow.” Even after all these years in America, a sliver of her Italian accent dusted her words from time to time.

He crossed his arms over his chest. From his seat, he had to tilt his head up a bit to look at her. “Who says I’m wallowing?”

She rolled her eyes, which drew a chuckle from him.

Like him, she crossed her arms. “You sit like a cranky toddler, a frown across your forehead. Always buried in your work. Never looking up.” She unfolded her arms and pointed a finger at him. “You best start looking up, young man. Or you’ll miss it. Miss life. It will race right by you while you have your head buried in all of…this.” Her hand waved across the stacks of papers on the table. “A warm, loving woman will bring you much more than these lifeless papers ever will.”

Wes shook his head and picked up his spoon to dive into the stew that sat in front of him. It was better on all levels to eat her outstanding food than argue with her. “Okay, Glenna. You win.”

“Hmph. I don’t want to win. I want you to have a life.” With that, she turned on her heel and marched back toward the kitchen.

Wes placed a piece of stew meat in his mouth and chewed. He had a life. He did. A full one. Rarely bored in New York, there was always something to do. Places to go. Glenna’s comment about a warm, loving woman stuck in his head though. Sure, he had lots to do in New York with no problem staying busy, but there weren’t a lot of people in his life he could call close.

He’d dated, of course. Even entertained theideaof marriage once. Turned out the woman was seeing another man behind Wes’s back, toying with both of them to see who had more money, more power. When he’d found out, it hadn’t bothered him much, a clear sign she wasn’t the woman for him. And for the most part, closing the deal was better than sex. He had his work. He had his family, his brothers and sister. That was enough. Why would he need more?

The brunette from Grey’s came to mind again. She’d been doing that for days now since they’d danced. He’d meant to ask around, see if he could find out more about her, who she was. But each day he got caught up in work and lost track of time.

“Uncle Dubs!” Annalise’s head bobbed as she ran down the length of the room toward him. Her sandy-colored hair was in little braids that twisted into a bun on top of her head. She wore a light pink leotard with a matching tutu around her waist. Her tennis shoes that lit up hot pink when she took a step were a stark contrast to the rest of her outfit.

“Hey, My Lise!” Wes matched her excitement as she threw herself into his arms. He sat her on his right leg and looked her up and down. “You look like cotton candy.”

She giggled. Best sound in the world.

“I’m not cotton candy, silly. I’m headed to my dance class.”

Mike had come into the room behind her, the smile on his face evidence of the love he had for his daughter. “Hey, can you help me out today?”

Wes looked from Annalise to his brother. “Sure. What’s up?”

“Annalise is done with class at four but I have a conference call here from home I need to do. Dad is busy and…”

“I can get her,” Wes cut his brother off. He knew Mike didn’t like sending a car for Annalise if a family member could get her. As well acquainted as she was with Wilson, their driver, it eased Mike’s mind to have her with their dad or one of her uncles or her aunt. The girl had grown attached to Glenna as well, which was understandable, but it was tough for Glenna to break away. She didn’t like leaving the house “unattended” as she called it. Besides, Wes was more than happy to do it.

“Thanks.” Mike’s relief was palpable. Again, Wes couldn’t even imagine the weight his brother carried on his shoulders. Emotional and otherwise.

“But only if I can take My Lise for ice cream after.”

“Yes! Please say yes, Daddy! Please. I want to get ice cream with Uncle Dubs after my class.”

Wes loved their pet names for each other. Struggling with the W sound when she was younger, Mike had tried to explain to Annalise that it was a double U. She clung to the dub in double and went with it. Hence, she now called Wes Uncle Dubs. The little girl could call him anything she wanted. He in turn called her My Lise because she found it so amusing that he not only said her name wrong, but also claimed her as his.

Mike laughed. “I’m sure I’m supposed to say no because it’s before dinner, but I concede. You may go get ice cream with Uncle Dubs after.”

“Yay!” She hopped out of Wes’s lap with a fist in the air. “Ice cream!” She ran back down the length of the table to her father and took his hand. “Let’s go, Daddy. Time’s a wastin’.”

Wes laughed, as did his brother. Where she got such phrases was beyond him. But damn if she wasn’t the cutest thing.

“Thanks again.” Mike looked back again before leaving.

“Anytime,” Wes said as he watched them go.

*

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