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“Then surely it’s too hot for those,” I remark dryly, pointing to his pants.
He chuckles, running a hand through his soft waves, but he doesn’t sit down yet. And if he did, it wouldn’t be near me, but on an opposite sofa. Or in the far corner of mine.
Giving him an exit strategy, I tell him, “Food will be here soon.”
“Great. Do you want a drink?”
“Please. Something alcoholic,” I tag on, needing something strong and celebratory after my first day.
“Got it.”
I follow him into the kitchen. “Compared to Vail, our roles are reversed.”
“True. Get your own drinks,” he amends, pretending to be affronted.
“I’m happy to; I just don’t want to appear like I’m invading your space.” Opening cupboards, I start familiarizing myself with where the crockery and glasses are kept, finding kitchen grocery essentials like condiments and spices, tins of tuna, and soup.
We raise a toast to my first day, the full-bodied red wine welcome. And when dinner arrives, we sit at the island rather than the long table, rock music playing in the background.
Leaning back in his chair, the picture of nonchalance despite the lack of shirt, Brecken asks, “Have you started on your list?”
“Not yet.”
A nod. “There’s like, thirty pages. You’ll fill that thing up in no time.”
I smirk. “Not if I use every line on every page, a separate point on each.”
Our eyes hold for a long second. He thinks I’m teasing, or maybe he’s hoping I’m not. It’s hard to say.
“You’ve got a week.”
I smile. Somehow he can turn everything into lawyer talk. “Or it doesn’t happen at all?”
“A week, because we’re all dying of curiosity.”
Ohhhh.“If I miss anything out can I add it in later?”
A nod. Softly, “Doesn’t mean it’ll happen though.”
“I know.”
Leaving the dishes, I grab Brecken’s hand and lead him into the living room, both of us settling on a large couch opposite the empty fireplace. “What was it like to discover you had two half-siblings?” I’m not including Sienna in this.
“Winter,” he draws out, laughing tiredly. “This is heavy stuff.”
“You’re a lawyer, you can handle it.”
Exasperated, Brecken shakes his head, telling me, “I was fourteen when I met Roo for the first time. He was sixteen. But I knew about Luca from the start, I just didn’t fully realize we were related until I was six. Dad and Mom were involved for many years, so I grew up with him around a lot. Unlike Roo.” A pained expression crosses his face. “It doesn’t sit right that my dad left London and his child behind. I think there’s lots of regret there, but you’ll need to have that conversation with Reuben. Maybe even Dad.
“My parents ended their relationship because of an affair,” he continues, holding me captive with those sharp, analytical eyes. “Turns out Sienna was a by-product of that. Dad ended up marrying Sienna’s mom, Anna-Maria, but they divorced when she was small too. His third and final divorce was six years ago. A childless marriage.
“He dates lots of women, but he’s told me he’ll never marry again. That he made his legacy more complicated than it needed to be by having four families.”
At least Balthazar has the financial means to provide for all his children. Some families don’t get that luxury. But maybe that’s a big assumption of mine, so I ask, “Did you see him often, after the divorce?”
“Quite a bit. We stayed in the area so that it was possible. He provided for me and Mom. For all of his children.”
“I seem to remember something about The Moms coming together?”
