Page 23 of Don't Fall for a Grump

Bree narrows her eyes a little, as though she’s uncertain of herself, but then, she takes a deep breath and commits. “What happened to your mom?”

Internally, I’m relieved, which probably sounds awful. But to me, this is far safer ground.

“Mom was born with a heart defect,” I begin. “She was on medication all her life. The doctors had told her she wouldn’t even reach the age of eighteen, but she did, and married my father at 19. That was the first miracle in her life, she used to say. When she gave birth to me, that was the second miracle. However, she died when I was six.”

Bree is listening intently and then frowns at my last statement. I don’t understand her confusion at first, and then I suddenly realize why she’s bewildered. “Daniel?” I ask.

“Yes.” She nods, waiting expectantly.

“Dad remarried a lovely woman called Lizzy.”

“You guys are half-brothers?” Her eyes are wide with surprise. “No one can tell. You’re so close.”

“We never saw ourselves as half-brothers. Dad never allowed the term in the house. We have always just been brothers.”

This seems to please Bree, and she smiles warmly. “Your dad’s an amazing guy,” she says.

“He is. He was dealt a crappy hand in life, but he never gave up or complained. Lizzy died of cancer four years ago.”

“Oh god.” Bree gasped as her hand flew to her mouth.

“Yes. Like I say, Dad’s had a rough life. But he rolls with the punches and doesn’t let anything get him down.”

“You’ve had it tough too, Jackson,” Bree says.

I can’t remember ever hearing her call me by name before. It sounds wonderful coming from her lips.

“You’ve lost two moms in your lifetime. That can’t have been easy.”

“I don’t really see it that way, but I understand that other’s might. Lizzy was a good woman, but she never replaced my mom. Besides, I was at NYU and away from home a lot when Lizzy first got sick.”

Bree now gawks at me. “You went to NYU?” she balks.

I can’t help but laugh, “Yeah. Why, do I not look smart enough?”

“No, no. That’s not it at all. It’s just… I went to NYU too.”

It was my turn to look stunned. My dad’s housekeeper went to NYU?

Yeah, but she’s not just a housekeeper, is she?

“Ah, that’s shocked you, huh?” she grins. “Why? You think a housekeeper can’t get into such a prestigious uni?”

It’s like she read my mind, not that I’d ever admit it. It now occurs to me that I don’t even know what she did in the city.

“OK, I give in.” I raise my hands in surrender. “What did you actually do in the city?”

Bree grins. She then closes her fingers together and throws a gesture like a mafia guy in the movies. “I could tell you,” she says, grimacing and putting on the worst Italian accent I had ever heard, “but then I’d have to kill you.”

I can’t help but laugh, but then I shake my head. “Come on. Spill.”

“I worked in the financial district.”

“And?”

“My employers were Barker and Reid,” she says.

My eyes fly open and are now as wide as saucers. “Barker and Reid?” I blurt, unable to hide my astonishment. “But they own half—”

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