Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
I swallowed, completely taken aback at how delighted—moved even—she was at the tickets. The idea that she’d never had anyone do anything nice for her troubled me. Why not? Surely she’d had parents. Boyfriends? “Well, I don’t want to be accused of neglecting my daughter’s education, now do I?” I was rarely the one to lighten the mood, but the situation called for it.
Autumn looked at me, a small smile creeping over her face. “As if you’d neglect anything when it comes to Bethany. You’re an amazing father.”
A ball of heat burrowed into my chest. There wasn’t a better compliment. It was the only thing that meant anything to me in this world.
A knock on the door interrupted my imminent makeover. That would be the Globe-Wernicke—my distraction from my impending divorce. Except that I hadn’t thought about it once since I’d gotten home.
Six
Gabriel
I pushed the door into the Mayfair pub around the corner from Beck’s place. It had been his turn to choose the venue for the regular gathering of my brothers in everything but blood. This place felt like an old school gentleman’s club with good beer, friendly staff, and comfortable leather armchairs. We didn’t need anything else.
“Did you know that the only time you’re on time is when we meet on a Sunday night?” Beck said, pushing a pint of Guinness toward me as I took a seat at the round polished table.
Joshua clinked his glass to mine. “You okay, mate? You look weirdly rested.”
I nodded. The weekend with Bethany had been just what I needed. In the end, I’d escaped lipstick and managed to go two full days without a call from Mike. It had been blissful. “I’m usually late because I’m at work. I just managed the weekend off.”
“You’re always so busy. I thought we were in a recession,” Joshua said.
“Not for me,” Tristan replied.
Joshua, Andrew, Tristan, Beck, and Dexter were as close as it got to family. Dysfunctional, frustrating, and more than a little irritating at times, but unquestionably loyal and one hundred percent in my corner. Being as busy as I was, I would have skipped our weekly drinks if they’d been held during the week, and it felt good to be able to make it. Even if we sat around and talked about nothing, I knew I’d walk away feeling like I had a spine of steel.
“Yeah, and not for me either,” I said. “I have a round-the-clock job attending to Mike Green’s arsehole, apparently.”
“Why is it that when Gabriel says something like that, it’s like hearing my dad swear?” Tristan asked.
“I wouldn’t wish arsehole-attending on anyone,” Joshua said. “But Mike Green? What did you do to deserve that?”
Mike Green was known as the client from hell. And Joshua knew better than most, because if it wasn’t for Joshua, I wouldn’t be working with Mike. “Yeah, I must remember to thank you for introducing him to me,” I said.
“You have to get rid of him. Walk away,” Joshua said. “I’ve never been so happy to lose a client.”
“Easy for you to say. If I wasn’t doing three deals for Mike, I wouldn’t have any work. Law has been hit hard in this recession. Especially M&A.”
Tristan mumbled something in Dexter’s ear and Dexter just shook his head.
“Ever thought about retiring?” Beck asked.
“I’m thirty-three. You want me to take up golf and bowls?” I took a sip on my pint. As if I was just going to give up my career. Law was long hours, that was just how it was. And it wasn’t like Beck left the office at five thirty every day.
“No, but you could give up law,” Tristan said.
“I like my job. It’s Mike Green I don’t like.”
“At least you have a reliable nanny for Bethany now though, right?” Dexter said, quite obviously changing the subject.
“Oh yes, how is Hot Autumn?” Tristan asked. “That red dress on her the other night looked incredible.”
I tried not to crack my jaw as I clenched my teeth. Tristan had better keep well away from Autumn. “Bethany likes her a great deal, and it’s nice not to have to worry about finding someone.” I tried to keep my tone even, but I was sure it sounded like I wanted to wipe that lecherous look from his face. With a hammer.
“You seem tense when I mention her, mate. Protective. Has anything happened between the two of you?” Tristan said. “Have I missed something?”
“No,” I barked.
“If you even look in her direction, I’m going to have to kill you,” Dexter said.
I glanced up, ready to reassure Dexter that no lines had been crossed. But he was addressing Tristan, not me.
“So do me a favor,” Dexter continued. “Just don’t ever mention her again. And don’t even think about asking her out.”
It wasn’t as if I was about to ask her out, but I wondered if she was off limits to me too. Dexter probably thought I was so responsible, I’d never even consider making a move on Bethany’s nanny. Or that my manhood had shriveled up and fallen off. But it hadn’t and . . . there was something about Autumn. Something compelling that drew me to her. Something that had me buying tickets to musicals to make her happy. Something making me sit next to her at dinner parties. Autumn just had me thinking about possibilities far more than I’d done before. Far more than I should be.