Chapter Eight #2
Carl hesitated, glancing around to make sure the tailor was out of earshot. “I’m…more of a lapsed Catholic. Honestly? I’ve experienced enough to accept that happiness doesn’t always look the way we expect.”
True that. If it did, Seth wouldn’t be sharing Heavenly with Beck. But now he didn’t want his future any other way.
“Look, that girl between Jack and Connor might have been screaming, but…” A sly grin flirted at Carl’s mouth. “She definitely wasn’t protesting.”
His answer gave Seth a spark of hope. “So…you don’t have a moral problem with it?”
“Not my place. I know Grace never pictured the twins sharing a woman, but they’re grown men—well, mostly—and Gia is an adult. If that’s what they want, who are they really hurting?”
“No one,” he agreed. “I’ll talk to them about being more circumspect…but I won’t have the family torn apart over this.”
“I doubt Grace actually wants that.” Carl paused. “Jack and Connor aren’t my boys, so I’ve stayed out of it. If they’re just having fun…who can blame them? But I don’t think they’re mature enough for a relationship that complicated.”
Seth had to chuckle. “Oh, after the summer they just spent with me, I know they’re not.”
“I understand your mom’s concerns. If it was one of my kids, I’d be worried, too. But she can’t tell Jack and Connor how to live their lives anymore. She’s just not ready to accept that.”
“That’s where my head is, too.” Even more than Carl could possibly know.
“Would it help if I talked to Grace? Gently, of course.”
“Would you?” Seth felt a surge of optimism. “She might listen to you.”
“Sure. Her happiness is my first priority. But she’s going to have to soften her attitude and accept that the twins seemingly have a…different approach to romance. If she severs the family, she’ll regret it.”
“We all will.” He clapped Carl on the back. “I appreciate your help.”
Seth had never expected his mom’s fiancé to become an ally, but he just might be the only person who could bridge the gap between his mother’s beliefs and her sons’ desires.
“Of course. Your mom has a good heart. She just needs help seeing that ‘normal’ isn’t the only way to be happy.”
“Exactly.”
The rest of the fitting passed with companionable small talk, and Seth decided he liked Carl. The man would fit well in their family.
After he waved goodbye to his future stepfather, he climbed into Grace’s SUV and headed back to her house. Along the way, he pulled out his phone and dialed the office.
“Cooper Investigations West, this is River. If you’re dying, hang up and call 911.”
Seth laughed. “Charming phone manner as always, Kendall.”
“Thank fuck you called. I’ve been busier than a one-armed paperhanger trying to juggle everything.”
“I’ve been gone twenty-four hours. What the hell happened?”
“The computer backup system exploded, two potential clients called to hire us right this instant, and I’m pretty sure something died in the break room refrigerator. Other than that, I’m peachy.”
“Sounds like it. How’s everything else?”
Raine’s brother sighed bitterly. “Oh, fantastic. Dean dumped all my shit on the porch last night and changed the locks while I was out on surveillance. Apparently, his new roommate is some law enforcement buddy. I don’t know his name, but I hear he’s Dean’s new wingman.
They’re hitting the bars together. He was my best fucking friend, and now he’s pretending I never existed. ”
“That sucks.” Once, River and Dean had been like brothers.
“Yeah, well, the asshole bought me out of our house. We signed the papers yesterday. I’ve got the check in hand, so at least I’ll have cash to find a new place…when I get time. For now, I’m sleeping on the office sofa, and it’s about as comfortable as a pile of rocks.”
Seth winced. “I’ve slept there, too. I know. You need somewhere to crash? Liam and Hammer would—”
“No. Raine and the guys have twins, and they just got back from their honeymoon. Last thing they need is me ruining their romantic bliss. Besides, I don’t want to see or hear the things they do to my sister. That would scar me for life.”
He tried not to laugh. “Have you asked Heavenly to help you find a place? She might have some ideas.”
“Already did. But your girl has gone crazy. She suggested I talk to Pike, of all people, about renting a room in his Beverly Hills mansion. Ha! That will be a cold day in hell. I told her I’d rather sleep on your office sofa.”
“Are you sure? Pike lives just down the street from where Jasmine takes care of that elderly couple. She’s, like, three blocks away.”
River hesitated. “I didn’t think about that.”
“Pike met her in the neighborhood. They were both walking their dogs. Living there might make it easier to ‘accidentally’ run into her.”
“Huh. I fucking hate you for being right.”
“No, you don’t. You love me for being a brilliant strategist.”
“I’m hanging up now before you talk me into something else I’ll regret.”
“But you’re calling Pike?”
“If I can figure out how to get the fucker to talk to me? Yeah.”
After a bit more small talk, they ended the call. Seth found himself chuckling despite everything as he walked into the house.
“Everything go all right?” Grace asked.
“Yep. Tuxes acquired, and I put off some office drama. It can wait until I get back to LA.”
Grace kissed his cheek. “I know today was busy. Are you planning to talk to the twins tomorrow?”
Seth didn’t see how he could put it off. “Yeah.”
“Thank you. Since you’re here, I’m making your favorite pot roast for dinner. Everyone’s coming. Well, except Jack and Connor.”
Because they’d refused to come…or because they hadn’t been invited?
He chewed on that unsettling worry until the Cooper house began filling with family.
Matt arrived first, carrying a bottle of wine and looking like a successful New York PI in his tailored suit.
Danny and his wife Maggie followed with their baby girl, Anna, who immediately commanded everyone’s attention with her chubby cheeks and infectious giggles.
“Matt.” Seth caught his brother’s arm as Grace bustled around the kitchen. “Can I steal you for a minute? I wanted to talk…business.”
“Sure.” Matt followed him into the den, closing the door behind them. “You really want to talk about shit at the office? Or the twins? I know Mom asked you to talk some sense into them since she’s apoplectic. But, honestly…I don’t think the twins are going to change.”
Seth didn’t think so, either, but he wanted to hear Matt’s side of this. “Because?”
His younger brother winced. “Um, I’ve known for a while that Jack and Connor share girls.”
“Yeah? Since we’re confessing, I found out this past summer, when the twins crashed with me in Cali. I kept my mouth shut because I knew Mom would lose her mind. How long have you known?”
Matt rubbed the back of his neck, looking guilty. “About three years. I heard rumors, so I followed them. And…yeah. I didn’t say anything for the same reason you didn’t. So…got a plan? Know what you’re going to say to them?”
“No, and now Mom is talking about disowning them.”
Matt’s expression darkened. “Shit. She’s that serious?”
He nodded. “That can’t happen.”
“It can’t.” Matt leaned in, dropped his voice. “Especially over something like this. Hell, I’ve shared a woman with another guy once or twice. Who am I to judge?”
Seth blinked in surprise, then felt a laugh bubble up. “Seriously?”
“Why do you seem shocked? It was in college. Me and my roommate both had a thing for the same girl. She dropped by one night, we opened a bottle…and one thing led to another.” Matt grinned. “Best night of my life—at least at the time. Don’t knock it until you try it.”
“I have. More than a time or two.” Seth felt guilty for not telling Matt about Beck and Heavenly, but he wanted to break the news to the family all at once. Though he couldn’t before he’d primed his mom.
Shock crossed Matt’s face, then he laughed. “Of course you have. Anything I’ve done, you’ve done more.”
“And better,” Seth teased. “Any suggestions on how we keep Mom from tearing the family apart over this shit?”
Before Matt could answer, the door opened, and Danny poked his head in. “You two discussing the twins, by chance? You’re holed up in here, whispering like a couple of conspirators, so I figured…”
Seth and Matt exchanged a glance. “We are.”
Danny stepped inside, closing the door again. “Them sharing girls isn’t new. I’ve known since they were seventeen. I caught them at a house party.”
Seth’s jaw dropped. “And you never said anything?”
“Who was I going to tell? Mom would have had a stroke. Matt was finishing college, and you were busy with your PI business. Besides, I didn’t see the harm.
” Danny shrugged. “I shared a woman or two with other guys before I married Maggie—not that she’ll ever know.
That would blow her modest little mind.”
“Looks like we all have.” Seth clapped his brothers on the shoulder. “This kink must be genetic.”
They all burst into laughter.
Then Seth sobered. “I talked to Carl today. He agrees that Mom needs to let this go. He’s going to try talking to her before she carries out her threat to kick Jack and Connor out of the family. I’ll do the same.”
“Good. I’m not losing my brothers because Mom can’t handle their love life.”
Danny nodded. “And she can’t cast us all out of the family.”
“Amen,” Matt seconded.
Seth felt a surge of relief so strong it nearly knocked him over. When the time came to tell the family about Beck and Heavenly, he’d have his brothers’ support. Mom would have to cave when she realized all her sons stood against her, right?
Grace called them to dinner, interrupting his thoughts. The three brothers agreed to share intel before they headed to the dining room.
Dinner that evening felt like stepping back in time. The table was crowded with family, full of laughter and conversation, though he was keenly aware of the twins’ absence.