Page 87 of Nothing to Fear

“You have my sympathies.”

“Oh, Quade,” Alice semi-chastised. “Your family love you. Your mother must miss you terribly.”

“She knows where I am.”

“Your sister dotes on you.”

“And I her,” Quade said, stepping back to her side. “Della’s the bright spot in all of our lives.”

“If it wasn’t for her, I dread to think how awful things might be. It’s such a tragedy how this has worked out. A tragedy.”

“Unfortunately, this is the only way it can be.”

“How do you know each other?” she asked, behind the curve.

“I went to school with the Breckenridge boys,” Quade said. “Alice and my mother are friends. Though they’re so different, I have no idea what they talk about.”

“She was at the high tea last week. She smiled, but this must tear her up. From a mother’s perspective, I can’t imagine any of mine being so distant. It will be breaking her heart every minute.”

“If that were true, she’d accept my choice, like you’d accept any of your sons’,” Quade said and smiled. “Enough about family. Would you like to see what we’ve built here?”

“We would love to! You should know we’ll fund whatever you need,” Alice said. “Are you too proud to ask for help? You spent most of your younger years at our house. Once you were just another of my boys.” Darroch got his mother’s attention. “You should keep in closer touch.”

“Yeah, especially if he’s thinking of moving in on my girl.”

“He had his chance.”

Quade laughed. “And I blew it, so I’d say you’re safe. Though, Savvy, I’ve got to say you could do so much better than Darroch Breckenridge.”

“You know you’re not the first man to tell me that tonight.”

“Better step up my game.” Darroch tucked her against him. “I’ve got to start screening who you’re talking to.”

The tease was taken in humor.

“The other man who said it was your brother.”

“So I can kick his ass without a police report? Excellent.”

“Darroch.” Alice tsked yet smiled. “Your brothers respect your choice and Savanna’s.”

Quade’s smile grew. “I don’t know, he’s doing something right, there’s a lot of choice at Breckenridge House. Tripp stillsingle?” And that got a laugh from everyone. “The Breckenridge everyone wants and no one can have.”

“Someday the right woman will steal his heart,” Alice said.

“I just hope it’s before we hit retirement,” Benedict added and nodded. “Show us around.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

“I DON’T KNOW which to ask first.”

After a stop to drop them off at her apartment, the Breckenridge parents continued their journey home.

In her bedroom, she freed her hair from its bounds. “You want to know how I met Quade?”

“And how you know my brother—or how he knows you?”

“Don’t worry,” she said, the zipper of her dress gliding loose until the fabric dropped from her body. “You’ve seen more than he has.”

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