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“He’ll be on his honeymoon,” Logan said. “It can wait until he gets back. I mean he sort of has enough to deal with at this moment.”
August looked at him and Logan stared right back. No matter what his dad wanted to do with this situation and the new son he’d found, Logan couldn’t change a lifetime of animosity overnight. He’d been willing—hell, not willing, but had thought he’d try for Adler’s sake—but if he were being honest, he hated that Nick was related to them.
He hated that the man who’d been his rival in business for more than a decade was his half brother. He kept usinghalfin his mind to make the relationship seem more distant, but it didn’t change the fact.
Nick Williams was now a blood relative.
“It’s your decision,” August said. “But from a man who’s just had a secret explode when he wasn’t ready for it, I can tell you, it’s better to confront things on your terms instead of trying to manage the fallout.”
His dad turned to head back into the house and Logan was going to just let him leave. But Logan reached out and touched his shoulder as he walked past.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I don’t know what it is about me, but I just can’t stand to lose. And if I see a chance to win, I have to take it.”
His father nodded. “It’s the Bisset in you. You get that from me.”
“The golf scramble was really successful,” Quinn said as she met up with Adler and Iris in the afternoon. Adler looked less stressed than she had been earlier. It was as if the bride-to-be had entered some sort of numb zone. The only reason Quinn thought that was from her years of filming destination weddings. Some brides just got tighter and tighter the closer they got to the ceremony and then others, like Adler, chilled out and nothing fazed them.
While Quinn normally preferred the chilled-out bride over a bridezilla, she wasn’t sure this was healthy for her friend. “Did anything else happen?”
“When?” Adler asked as one of Iris’s glam squad hovered around her doing her hair for the rehearsal dinner.
“At the family meeting?” Quinn asked.
“No. They just finalized the press release. Which is so bizarre. Nick’s mom wasn’t at the meeting. Nick said she’s freaking out. I don’t know her that well, so I’m not sure if I should reach out to her or just ignore the entire thing,” Adler said. “Olivia’s been cool, but she always has been. Carlton wanted everyone to pose for a picture, but Tad Williams refused. I thought it was going to get dicey, but then everyone just sort of moved on.”
“I’m sorry you are dealing with this,” Iris said.
“It’s not your fault. Dad sort of said that it was ironic that I thought I was marrying someone so solid and stable and then this happened. I think he was trying to help,” Adler said.
“I’m sure he was. He mentioned to me that he could do something outrageous if I thought it would help you,” Quinn said.
“Oh, God, no. I’m not sure I’m ready for that,” Adler said.
“I know. I told your dad you were handling it fine and that you liked him happy and...well, father-like,” Quinn said.
“I do. I need something to be consistent and steady in all this,” Alder said. “I know I shouldn’t make this all about me—”
“You’re the bride, you’re totally allowed to,” Iris said.
“Agree,” Quinn added. “It is all about you.”
“Nick is freaking out. He keeps trying to be all,I’m cool with it. But he really hates Uncle Auggie. He was willing to be cordial for this weekend but learning that he’s his real dad has him thrown.”
Quinn’s phone started vibrating like crazy where she’d set it on the table. “I bet.”
She wanted to be a good friend and just stay focused on Adler. Like, was that a hard thing to do? Her dad always said it wasn’t like she was a brain surgeon; she could have a conversation without looking at her phone. But...
“Just answer your phone,” Adler said. “I hope it’s not anything urgent.”
She smiled at her friend. “I’m sure it’s not. I want to be here for you.”
“Honestly, Quinn, you being the producer of the wedding show is huge for me. I think I would have bolted last night if it had been anyone else,” Adler said. “Go ahead. I’m going to try to text Dad and make sure he knows I’m okay.”
Iris was deep in discussion with one of her glam squad, so Quinn picked up the phone and turned her back on Adler.
She glanced at the first text, which was a link to a news story push from one of the wires. Skimming it, she saw it was the news that Nick was August Bisset’s biological son. “It’s just that press release Carlton sent.”
“Good,” Adler said. “Any reaction?”
