Chapter 2 Family Ties and Lies #4
“You should’ve been our next CEO.” To this day, she didn’t understand why he’d turned down the job. Their uncle had been a silent partner up to that point. Aaron’s refusal to step into the role of CEO had forced him out of the proverbial woodwork where he preferred to be.
Her brother shook his head. “Serving as a police officer puts me in a better position to continue investigating our parents’ disappearance.”
“They’re gone, Aaron,” she declared softly. “Please assure me you understand that.”
His expression hardened. “I thought we agreed to disagree on this.”
“We did, but that was while we were still hoping they would be found alive, but that didn’t happen. They’re gone,” she repeated. “Until you accept it, you’ll never be able to move on with your life.” That’s what her counselor had told her.
“I’m not trying to move on with my life,” he pointed out tightly.
“I know.” That was the problem.
“But I won’t keep you from moving on with yours,” he sighed, reaching out to tap the tip of her nose. “If you really want to.”
She slapped his hand away. “I’m not leaving you behind, if that’s what you mean.
” She would keep telling him that until he believed her.
“Why else do you think I invited you to join A.J. and me for games and pizza? I want us to get back to doing stuff together, Aaron. It’s been too long since the last time you and I relaxed and enjoyed an evening off like a real family. ”
He studied her for a moment. “I would if I could. But like I said, I’m on duty this evening.”
“If you want, we could play a game together now.”
He shook his head. “I’ve gotta be on a conference call soon with Uncle Cary.”
“About?” she prodded, irritated she wasn’t being invited to join them.
“Diamondback’s financials. Nothing urgent. Just the usual update.” He sent a dark look in the direction of the living room. “If you weren’t entertaining a visitor, you could’ve joined us.”
“A.J. isn’t a visitor,” she reminded in a testy voice. “He’s my boyfriend. Someone you’re going to be seeing a lot more of.”
Her brother didn’t answer.
“At least let me bring you some lunch.” She pointed at the kitchen. “There’s no way you missed the scent of all that chicken I brought home from Modello’s. It’s really good.” She’d already sampled a piece. “They had it catered in for an employee appreciation event.”
“Thanks, but I’ll pass.” He didn’t look even remotely tempted. “You know how I feel about buffet-style food.”
Suit yourself. “You work too much.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “And you know what they say about all work and no play?”
He snorted and took a seat behind his desk. “While I get my dull self back to work, I hope you enjoy your visit with your boyfriend.”
“I will.” She stared intently at him. “If anything changes with your schedule, feel free to join us.”
“Thanks.” He raised his bottle of water to his lips.
Her heart ached for him. “Please be careful this evening. Despite how much you claim otherwise, you’re still healing.”
He shooed her out of his office. “Shut the door behind you, will ya?”
She gave it a louder bang than necessary. Returning to the living room, she found A.J. squatted down, playing with Bandit.
He glanced laughingly at her. “Did your brother tell you who the ring is for?”
“No, but I’ll wear him down on the topic.
Promise. That’s what sisters are for.” She chuckled to cover the prickle of worry his question raised.
Maybe Aaron was right about keeping A.J.
from finding out about the family business just yet.
Maybe she should instead be focusing on helping Aaron find the closure he needed to move on with his life the same way she had.
A.J. took a seat on the floor, beckoning her to join him there.
She moved across the room and plopped down beside him. “I tried to talk him into joining us for a game of cards, but he said he had to get on a conference call.”
A.J. grimaced. “Too bad.”
“You’re still invited to put your game face on.” She leaned his way to bump shoulders with him, thrilled to pieces when Bandit flopped down on the floor between his legs. Her cat adored A.J. That said volumes about A.J.’s character.
A.J. swooped closer to brush his lips against her temple. “You’d really rather play games instead of necking with me?” His leisurely movements suggested he could’ve spent the rest of his afternoon doing exactly that.
She gave him a mischievous look. “Is that your way of saying you’re afraid of losing to me?”
“Not even a little,” he mocked.
“Oooo!” She narrowed her gaze at him. “Challenge accepted.”
As she curled to her feet, his stomach growled.
Loudly. “Right after lunch,” she chuckled, hurrying to the kitchen to retrieve the enormous to-go box of grilled chicken fingers, steak fries, and coleslaw.
She could dimly hear her brother on a phone call in his office and wished she could make out what he was saying.
On her way back to the living room, she grabbed a deck of Uno cards off the coffee table in front of the sofa.
She dropped back down on the floor with the box lunch and cards in hand.
A.J. bowed his head to say grace before digging into the chicken.
They ate with their fingers, dipping the chicken and fries in the restaurant’s signature sauce.
“So good,” Aurora moaned. “I could drink this sauce straight from the container.”
“Ditto.” He reached for another chicken finger. “Thanks again for sharing your lunch with me.”
“No problem. As you can see, it’s enough to feed an army,” she pointed out.
“Just about.” He watched as she shuffled and dealt the first round of cards.
She set the remaining stack between them. “Since I dealt, you get to go first.” She turned over the first card, which turned out to be a Blue Two.
He promptly slapped a Draw Four card on top of it. “Red.” His voice was flat as he followed it with a red Draw Two card.
“Rude.” Aurora drew six cards, inwardly fuming at nearly doubling the size of her hand before playing her first card.
“Aurora goes for the rebound,” she intoned, laying down a red Reverse card, followed by a blue Reverse card, followed by a blue Draw Two.
It got rid of three cards while giving him two, which netted her a five-card gain overall.
What ensued was the most cutthroat game of Uno she’d ever played, as well as the most enjoyable. Neither of them held back. She was dimly aware of Aaron hovering on the other side of the wall in the kitchen, hopefully waffling on his decision to join them.
She wanted so badly for her brother to spend some time getting to know A.J. Changes were coming their way—big ones—and she wanted Aaron to be on board with them. They’d been through so much together and shared a bond she didn’t want to give up.
A few minutes later, he cut silently through the living room and made his way to the front door.
Her heart sank at the realization that he was leaving much earlier than he had to, well before his next shift at the police department began.
Either that, or their uncle had given him a sidebar mission to complete.
“Be safe,” she called after him, not sure what else to say.
He gave her a crisp nod instead of saying anything and left the house.
Worry clogged her throat as she listened to him rev his motor and drive away.