A Clandestine Corporate Affair(48)

Ana’s father left at seven-thirty, and Jordan hung around playing with Max until it was time for him to go to bed. If nothing else, it looked as though he would be a good uncle.

“He’s a great kid,” he said, after Ana took Max into his room to get him ready for bed, and Nathan walked Jordan to the door. “What is it with all the kids lately? It must be something in the air. First you, then Adam, now Emilio.”

“What about Emilio?”

He pulled on his coat. “That’s right—you left the party yesterday before he made his announcement. His fiancée is pregnant. They just found out. I didn’t think anything could shake that guy. He’s like granite, but I think he may have actually been a little misty-eyed. He looks really happy.”

“There’s definitely something to be said for finding the right woman,” Nathan told him. “Maybe you’ll be next.”

“The problem I find is that there are so many right women, I’m not sure which one to choose.”

Nathan grinned and shook his head. “It’ll happen. Probably when you least expect it. You’ll meet someone and you’ll just know.”

“Was it like that with Ana? Because I recall you saying that you broke it off.”

“And it might have been the worst mistake of my life. I’m just lucky that she was willing to give me a second chance.”

“You’re getting sentimental, which can only mean you’ve had way too much to drink.”

Actually he was stone-cold sober, but he didn’t argue.

Jordan slugged his arm. “Go sleep it off. And Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. And drive safe.” He watched his brother disappear into the night, then he shut and locked the door and set the alarm.

He found Ana in the kitchen washing dishes by hand. “Is the dishwasher broken?”

“It’s already full and running. This is what’s left.”

He stepped up behind her, slipped his arms around her waist, nibbled her ear. “Are you sure you don’t want to leave these for tomorrow?”

“It’s tempting, but I really hate waking up to a dirty kitchen.” She smiled up at him hopefully. “If we do it together it’ll take half the time.”

Half the time ended up being an hour. When they were finished, they heated mugs of spiced cider in the microwave then cuddled up on the couch in front of the fire. Ana had barely spoken since everyone left, and Nathan was beginning to wonder if something was wrong.

“Is everything okay?” he asked her. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

She sighed and rested her head against his chest. “Just tired. It’s been a really long day.”

“That it has.”

“It didn’t work out exactly as we planned, but I think it went okay.”

“Better than I anticipated, considering the guest list.”

“It was really strange opening the door and seeing my dad there. And even stranger when your brother showed up.”

“Yeah, that was definitely unexpected.”

“He was really good with Max. I wouldn’t have pictured him as a kid person.”

“As long as it’s someone else’s, I guess. He doesn’t seem to have any desire to settle down and have a family of his own. Of course, neither did I.”

“This is probably a terrible thing to have to ask, since he is your brother, but he’s not going to say anything to the board at Western Oil about us, is he? I know that you were concerned about him finding out.”

“He said he wouldn’t. He said he wants a fair fight.”

“And you trust him?”

“You don’t?”

She shrugged. “Maybe it’s because of the things you’ve told me, or just a gut feeling, but it seems as though he really resents you.”

“He has no reason to resent me. I saved his hide more times than I can count. He owes me.”

She lifted her head and looked up at him. “Saved it from what?”

“Our father. He was a hard-ass, and he liked making his point with a belt, or the back of his hand, or sometimes even his fists.”

Her eyes went wide. “Your father hit you?”

“I told you before, he was a bully.”

“I just figured that you meant he bossed you around. I didn’t think he was physically abusive. And you protected Jordan from him?”