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CHAPTER 22
TROY
It’s nine before I make it home and Melissa meets me looking exhausted.
“You’re late.” She runs her fingers through her hair and says wearily, “Mom’s sleeping now, but it’s been a bitch of a day.”
I drop my briefcase and nod toward the dining room.
“Tell me over dinner. I’m so hungry I can’t think straight.”
She follows and pours me a brandy and a large one for herself and takes the seat beside me as Mrs. Carlton miraculously appears with my meal.
When she leaves, Melissa sighs heavily.
“We need a family conference about mom. She must get some help. She was asking about dad today, wondering when he will be home from his trip.”
The food hovers halfway to my lips because this is new.
Melissa says sadly, “I’ve been looking into places she can go to get help. There’s a great one not far from here and it’s kind of like a retreat. I mentioned it to her today, and she appeared happy to try it out.”
“She did?”
I’m surprised and Melissa nods. “She knows she needs help, Troy. She’s not stupid and got quite upset earlier. She wants me to run it past you and Harrison first, but I’ve booked an appointment in the morning.”
I set down my knife and fork, feeling unusually emotional as I stare at my sister and hate that I’ve let her down. She has been dealing with this alone when it should have been the three of us working together. We are a team, and my family means everything to me.
I nod and say with a catch to my voice, “I’ll back whatever you decide. Would you like me to come with you tomorrow?”
“Would you?” Melissa looks so relieved I feel like the biggest bastard alive, and I nod. “Of course. I’ll cancel my meetings and head to the office after we’ve checked it out.”
She smiles and I hate that I’ve loaded all of the responsibility onto her delicate shoulders.
“I spoke to Harrison earlier. He said much the same.”
That doesn’t surprise me at all because he’s so like me it’s scary sometimes. We are business machines, much like our father was, and any domestic issues are always handed to Melissa to deal with. I wish she had better support and I say impulsively, “Listen. I’ll ask my assistant to meet me here tomorrow. She can help you with whatever you need. Use her to help ease the burden.”
“Oh, yes.” Melissa’s eyes dance with mischief. “The poor unsuspecting Laura Kincaid. How’s it going? Has she even looked at you yet?”
The fact she’s laughing makes me smile and I roll my eyes. “Of course. No woman can resist me.”
“Have you bent her over your desk yet or made her orgasm just from the sound of your voice alone?”
She giggles at the memory of our meeting in the coffee shop, and I shrug. “How do I know? I haven’t checked her underwear.”
“Gross.” Melissa pretends to gag. “I’ll enjoy meeting her again. The poor woman. Perhaps I can give her some pointers on how to deal with you.”
“I doubt it.” I shrug and resume my meal, glad that Melissa is a little happier.
I notice her phone light up as it rests on the table beside her, and there is something about the sparkle in her eyes that tells me this is no ordinary caller.
She swipes the phone and heads to the opposite end of the room, and I see her whispering into the phone, and it can mean only one thing. It’s a guy.
It takes her five minutes before she heads back and from the sparkle in her eyes, I can tell it’s good news.
“Who was that?” I nod toward her phone, and she is uncharacteristically cagey.
“Just a friend.”
