AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My brothers will be over at six thirty. So, we’ll leave by then.”
I turned to face him, curious now about what he had told them. “What did you say?”
“Nothing.” He smiled. “Yet. But I’m gonna tell them at work today. I’m going to tell them that we’re dating. Because”—his smile widened—“that’s how I roll.” Then, he winked, which was so unlike Charles. “I just told them that I had plans and I needed either of them to watch the girls. They both volunteered.”
“Dad?”
Charles jumped two steps away from me, and I dropped the spatula on the floor when Sarah entered the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow, taking us in as though she knew something was up.
Charles always said she was an old soul, even at the tender age of ten. And I knew she’d seen us. A part of me wondered how long she’d been standing there.
“Mary’s crying,” she said. “I have no idea what it is this time. She’s just whiny. And she’s asking for you.”
Charles was almost out of the kitchen when he said, “Okay. I’ll take care of it.”
Studying me with curious, narrowed eyes, Sarah sat down at her regular spot at the table.
“Bacon and eggs. That’s what we’re having this morning.” My voice sounded nervous. How could it not?
Tonight was our first date, and the girls still had no idea.
Charles
I tapped my pencil against the boardroom table, unable to stop this nervous tic I had. We were going over next quarter’s projections, and I couldn’t keep my head in the game.
Mason sat next to me, head deep in his financial statements. We were waiting on Brad.
I’d always been up front with my brothers. So, why the hell was I so nervous right now?
“What time do you need us there tonight?” Mason asked, flipping through the financials. “Where is Becky going? Why isn’t she available again?”
I peered down at my watch. I didn’t want to say this twice. “Where is Brad?”
And right on cue, he strolled into the boardroom with that easy stride. He plopped down in his regular spot, to the right of me, laughing, slapping a magazine on the table.
“What’s so funny?” Mason asked.
“Sonia.”
Mason glared at him. “What now?”
“Nothing. She’s just funny.” He waved a hand toward the magazine, knocked on the table twice, and placed his ankle on his knee. “Check out page forty-four. It’s hot off the press, not even on the stands yet.”
I picked up the magazine and flipped through the pages. Opening to the page Brad had mentioned, I laid the magazine flat on the table. Brad’s smile was small yet charming, his elbows on his knees, as if he were sitting against our black leather recliner at home. He looked relaxed, at ease, and—though I’d never admit it to him out loud because his ego was already bigger than life itself—very sharp.
“Brad Brisken leads the company at Brisken Printing Corporation as VP of acquisitions and sales by day, but by night, this single man is helping his widowed brother raise two little girls. When he’s not working, he’s playing Barbies or watching princess movies.” My eyes flipped to Brad.
“What?” He cheesed. “I know. It sounds insensitive. I guess it’s a way for them to sell papers. It’s a great picture of me, isn’t it? The tie is fine, but that”—he pointed to the table for emphasis—“that is a great photo.”
“It is.” I flipped to the next page, which showcased a mirage of photos. Brad laughing with Mary. Us in the bathroom, cleaning up the mess that Mary had caused. Becky laughing beside me. Brad drying off Mary and getting her changed. Downstairs by the swings, all of us playing in the yard.
The collage made me gulp. I loved this picture of us, the idea of this being our future. Becky just fit. She molded nicely into our family.
“The pictures turned out great.”Wife or death. Brad would definitely be getting prospects for the wife part after this magazine when into circulation.
Brad reached for the magazine and tucked it into his side. “Okay, let’s go. Projections. I still gotta take off a little early to pick up the Frozen Monopoly game for the girls tonight. Where are you going anyway? Is Becky not available?”
I swallowed and readjusted my tie. “Uh, I’m taking Becky on a date tonight.”
