showed him the man he’d be in fifty years’ time.
“If that’s what you want,” he said, quickly brushing the tears away, refusing to let his granddad see him break down, “then I’ll honor your wishes. I’ll keep all of our income the same, because I don’t deserve any more than my brothers, but the majority of the company’s earnings will be reinvested into property, into growing our portfolio.” They all received a significant payment each quarter, and would for life, but Nate was more interested in building the business than taking more than he needed.
Clay’s eyes were filled with tears, too, the old man looking so weak in the hospital bed, nothing like his former big, imposing self. The long conversation had taken what little strength he had. “Your brothers are good, capable men, Nate, but every family needs a leader. Someone with vision and passion.”
Nate nodded and let go of his granddad’s hand, settling back into the armchair and feeling like he’d been hit by a ten-ton truck. Now that they’d settled business, it was time to make the old man laugh.
“You wouldn’t believe what happened to me today, Granddad.”
His eyes lit up. “A woman?”
Nate laughed and passed him the flask again. “It sure as hell was.”
* * *
Faith had spent the morning cleaning the house, which she didn’t want to admit wasn’t exactly her forte. Cooking? Sure. She didn’t even mind getting groceries so long as she had enough cash to buy what she wanted, but she wasn’t exactly used to wielding a mop and bucket. Give her a collection of art to admire—that’s what got her attention and held it.
“Hello?”
Faith sat bolt upright, fingers tightening around her cup of coffee. It was a woman’s voice, one she didn’t recognize, and she rose to walk out into the hallway.
“Hello? Anybody here?”
“Hi!” Faith called back, locking eyes with a beautiful brown-eyed blonde. She had a toddler on her hip, with hair as blond as her mother’s but eyes the brightest blue.
“Sorry, I saw someone was here and I thought Nate must have been home.”
Faith tried not to bristle, hated how jealous she was over the gorgeous woman standing in the hall who’d walked in as if she knew the place well. So much for Nate not bringing women into his home.
“I’m, ah, Nate’s new housekeeper,” she said, turning to walk back into the kitchen to put her cup down. “Do you want to leave a message for him?”
The woman had followed her, her daughter on her feet now and tottering off unsteadily. “No, I’ll catch him later. I was going to ask him over for dinner, but now that he’s got you I guess he won’t be so desperate for a home-cooked meal. Don’t tell him I said it, but he’s been a lost soul without Mrs. T looking after him!”
Faith smiled as the child climbed up onto the sofa. “Your daughter is beautiful.” Faith hated that she was bristling over the thought that the child could be Nate’s.
“She loves her uncle Nate’s house, that’s for sure.” The woman smiled. “Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Chloe.” She held out her hand.
Faith took it, relief hitting her like a train head-on. Nate was the girl’s uncle? “Faith,” she said. “So you must be…”
“Ryder’s wife,” she said, going over to unsuccessfully grab the little girl. “And this is Rose.”
“Poor girl, having an uncle like Nate to keep all the boys away when she’s older.” Faith smiled. “I can just see him with his brothers, all lined up on the porch with shotguns.”
Chloe laughed. “Maybe, but right now she has both her uncles wrapped around her little finger, and her daddy, too. She’s lucky to be the only girl.”
“Can I get you a drink?” Faith was suddenly a whole lot more relaxed.
“You having a coffee?”
“I’ve just had one, but if it means I don’t have to clean for a bit longer then I’ll have another.” Faith was already starting to warm toward Chloe, especially
“If that’s what you want,” he said, quickly brushing the tears away, refusing to let his granddad see him break down, “then I’ll honor your wishes. I’ll keep all of our income the same, because I don’t deserve any more than my brothers, but the majority of the company’s earnings will be reinvested into property, into growing our portfolio.” They all received a significant payment each quarter, and would for life, but Nate was more interested in building the business than taking more than he needed.
Clay’s eyes were filled with tears, too, the old man looking so weak in the hospital bed, nothing like his former big, imposing self. The long conversation had taken what little strength he had. “Your brothers are good, capable men, Nate, but every family needs a leader. Someone with vision and passion.”
Nate nodded and let go of his granddad’s hand, settling back into the armchair and feeling like he’d been hit by a ten-ton truck. Now that they’d settled business, it was time to make the old man laugh.
“You wouldn’t believe what happened to me today, Granddad.”
His eyes lit up. “A woman?”
Nate laughed and passed him the flask again. “It sure as hell was.”
* * *
Faith had spent the morning cleaning the house, which she didn’t want to admit wasn’t exactly her forte. Cooking? Sure. She didn’t even mind getting groceries so long as she had enough cash to buy what she wanted, but she wasn’t exactly used to wielding a mop and bucket. Give her a collection of art to admire—that’s what got her attention and held it.
“Hello?”
Faith sat bolt upright, fingers tightening around her cup of coffee. It was a woman’s voice, one she didn’t recognize, and she rose to walk out into the hallway.
“Hello? Anybody here?”
“Hi!” Faith called back, locking eyes with a beautiful brown-eyed blonde. She had a toddler on her hip, with hair as blond as her mother’s but eyes the brightest blue.
“Sorry, I saw someone was here and I thought Nate must have been home.”
Faith tried not to bristle, hated how jealous she was over the gorgeous woman standing in the hall who’d walked in as if she knew the place well. So much for Nate not bringing women into his home.
“I’m, ah, Nate’s new housekeeper,” she said, turning to walk back into the kitchen to put her cup down. “Do you want to leave a message for him?”
The woman had followed her, her daughter on her feet now and tottering off unsteadily. “No, I’ll catch him later. I was going to ask him over for dinner, but now that he’s got you I guess he won’t be so desperate for a home-cooked meal. Don’t tell him I said it, but he’s been a lost soul without Mrs. T looking after him!”
Faith smiled as the child climbed up onto the sofa. “Your daughter is beautiful.” Faith hated that she was bristling over the thought that the child could be Nate’s.
“She loves her uncle Nate’s house, that’s for sure.” The woman smiled. “Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Chloe.” She held out her hand.
Faith took it, relief hitting her like a train head-on. Nate was the girl’s uncle? “Faith,” she said. “So you must be…”
“Ryder’s wife,” she said, going over to unsuccessfully grab the little girl. “And this is Rose.”
“Poor girl, having an uncle like Nate to keep all the boys away when she’s older.” Faith smiled. “I can just see him with his brothers, all lined up on the porch with shotguns.”
Chloe laughed. “Maybe, but right now she has both her uncles wrapped around her little finger, and her daddy, too. She’s lucky to be the only girl.”
“Can I get you a drink?” Faith was suddenly a whole lot more relaxed.
“You having a coffee?”
“I’ve just had one, but if it means I don’t have to clean for a bit longer then I’ll have another.” Faith was already starting to warm toward Chloe, especially
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