AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sit down!” Alexa urged, gesturing for her to take a place at the table.
“Still can’t believe you were in Thailand, as well,” Reese repeated, preparing a plate for Benny, then for Alexa, as Oriana filled a plate for Nora, Alan, then herself. “I mean, what are the chances?”
Brea laughed nervously. “It was crazy, wasn’t it, Oriana?”
“What part of Thailand?” Reese asked. “Bangkok?”
Brea looked at Oriana with an expression only Oriana could decipher. She got the hint that it was better to lie right now until they figured everything out… if they could.
“Yup! Bangkok,” Brea said. “That’s where most of the artists in Thailand live.”
Reese slid his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you, Brea. We’ve thought about you so much over the years.”
Brea’s cheeks were cherry red. A moment of silence passed, during which Oriana thought she might collapse.
“Everyone! The pizza is getting cold,” Oriana finally managed, remembering she was the woman of the house, the leader. She had to ensure everyone was happy, safe, and well-fed.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Panic shot through Oriana, and she leaped for the door. It stood to reason that the blackmailer would pick now to reach out. Brea was back, and both women were in his line of fire. Didn’t he want to play with his prey a little bit more before the main event?
But instead, when Oriana opened the door, she was surprised to find her half-brother, Grant standing before her. He wore a goofy grin and extended his arms.
“Oriana! That was a quick trip, wasn’t it?”
Oriana gaped at him, surprised. After all, in reality, she and her half-brothers had only met once thus far, which put their relationship at a strange point. They didn’t quite know one another yet were headed somewhere— which meant something.
“Oh! Oriana. I forgot to mention Grant was stopping by,” Reese said, running behind her.
Grant’s eyes were curious, hurt. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
“Not at all,” Oriana hurried to say, although, in reality, he sort of was.
“Grant was on the Vineyard today to see Chuck,” Reese added. “I figured you’d want him to stop by.”
“I think you were on the plane when I reached out to Reese,” Grant explained easily. “But please. Tell me if I’m intruding. I have no problems finding a restaurant. We can catch up some other time.”
But sending her half-brother away wasn’t in Oriana’s nature, not even during this difficult time. “Please. Come in! I’m just jet-lagged. We have plenty of pizza, right, Reese?”
Alexa hurried to grab another chair for the table, and together, they crowded around, with Reese piling a plate high with slices of pepperoni and onion for Grant.
“Brea? This is my brother,” Oriana said nervously. “Grant, this is my best friend, Brea.”
Grant had no idea that Oriana hadn’t seen her best friend since the year 2000. Smoothly, he stuck out his hand to shake Brea’s, and Brea said, “Nice to meet you. Chuck’s your father?”
“Indeed,” Grant said.
“I practically grew up at Oriana’s house as a child,” Brea explained. “I just adored Chuck.”
Grant’s smile faltered slightly. Oriana knew this was because he didn’t like thinking about his father here on the Vineyard when he should have been on Nantucket with him and Roland.
“This pizza looks great,” Grant said, avoiding the topic.
Oriana sat between Brea and Reese, two of her favorite people in the world, and heard herself laugh as Benny slathered his face with cheese and red sauce. It was true that a toddler could bring even the strangest crowd together.
“I wish I could eat like that,” Grant joked.
“Nobody is stopping you,” Brea reminded him.
As everyone cackled at Brea’s joke, Reese cleared his throat and asked Brea and Oriana what they’d gotten up to in Thailand and what their favorite meal had been. To this, Brea and Oriana talked at length about the Pad Thai they’d eaten during their first evening together.
