My Stallion Heart (The Stallions Book 7) by Deborah Fletcher Mello Page B

what I’ve been able to piece together,” Travis added, “your mother left when she was fifteen, maybe sixteen years old. She was very young. My dad would have been two so that meant Uncle James was three, maybe four. They may have been just too young to have any memories of her.”
    “I wish we’d had an opportunity to meet them,” Natalie said.
    “My father died from a brain aneurysm when I was five,” Travis noted. “I lost my mother a few years ago from breast cancer.”
    John nodded. “We were young when our parents passed. It was a car accident. I was seventeen and Luke was barely out of diapers.”
    “I was out of diapers,” Luke interjected as he tossed his brother a look before continuing. “John stepped in and became our father then.”
    “And I never got the chance to meet our father,” Phaedra said. She took a deep breath. “I grew up in New Orleans with my mother and my brothers were raised in Dallas.”
    Natalie smiled. “Looks like we have more in common than we thought. We never knew our father, either. Noah was the law in our house.”
    “You didn’t know him at all?” Phaedra asked, shifting forward in her seat.
    “Papa was a rolling stone,” Naomi said softly. She threw a look at her brothers, then Natalie.
    “We knew him but he didn’t want to know us,” Nathaniel said, a hint of bitterness in his tone. “He’s actually still alive. He lives here in Salt Lake City with his wife and family.”
    “But Norris-Jean loved us enough for him and her,” Nicholas countered. “She wasn’t very traditional about it but it was love.”
    Matthew smiled. “Well, we’re happy that we can be here to support you and to celebrate her life. We regret that we never met her but we look forward to learning about her through you.”
    Noah nodded. “Thank you. So what do you all do?” he asked, curious to know more about his new cousins.
    “I know John’s the CEO of Stallion Enterprises,” Naomi interjected. “I did a Google search for you.”
    John laughed. “That I am, and my brothers all work for the company. Matthew is an attorney and heads our legal department. Luke manages our acquisitions division and Mark...well, Mark likes to spend our money on anything that goes hard and fast.”
    Mark nodded. “Yep, I do. I do.”
    “I had money on you in the last Moto Grand Prix,” Nicholas said. “If I’d only known then that we were related!”
    The family laughed.
    “I’m the only one that doesn’t work for the family business,” Phaedra said. “I’m a professional photographer. So I couldn’t help but recognize you, Natalie. I have a really good friend who shot the Dior collection last year. Your images were stunning!”
    Natalie blushed. “Thank you. So you know Hopper?”
    Phaedra nodded. “He and I go way back.”
    “It’s a small world,” Natalie said. “He’s one of my favorite photographers to work with.”
    “So you’re a fashion model?” Luke questioned.
    “I am. I’m based in London. This is actually the first time I’ve been home since...” she paused momentarily “...well, in a long time.”
    Noah reached out and squeezed his sister’s hand, stalling the tears that had risen in her eyes.
    Luke smiled, a wave of understanding washing over his expression. “My wife Joanne is a fashion designer. She’s the brain trust behind JLD. I don’t know if you’ve heard of them.”
    “Joanne Lake Designs!” Natalie said. “I’ve been wanting to do a piece on her and her clothes for my fashion blog,
Pretty, Pretty
. She’s showing her new fall line at New York fashion week this year, isn’t she?”
    Luke nodded. “She is.”
    “My brother-in-law’s in the fashion business, as well,” Travis said. “I couldn’t tell you what he does, but you’ll get to meet him a little later.”
    “What about you guys?” Matthew questioned, looking from one face to the other.
    “I’m just in law enforcement,” Noah answered.
    “He’s not
just
in law