Page 90 of Bling

Picking up his suitcase, he walked downstairs where Henry was coming out of his bedroom.

“Good morning, Mr. Alvarado. I was hoping to see you before I left. I wanted to run something past you.”

• • •

Isabelle came downstairs an hour later to find her dad and uncle chatting at the kitchen table. “Good morning, you two,” she said, kissing them both on the cheek before making her way to the coffeepot.

“I’m glad you’re both up. I wanted to talk to you about the family reunion.”

Henry smiled. “Mr. Oliver already talked to me. It’s kind of him to offer to take us.”

Isabelle frowned. “What do you mean he already talked to you?”

“This morning as he was leaving. He told us you invited him and said he doesn’t want me to have to sit in a car for two days with my injuries and suggested we all fly on his jet.”

Isabelle sank into the third chair with her coffee cup. “And you’re OK with this?”

“I just had the shit kicked out of me, Isabelle. I sure as hell don’t want to be trapped in a car with two teenagers for four days.”

She twisted a piece of her dark hair around her finger. “I’m glad you’re OK with it. You both seem to dislike him and his money, so I didn’t want to assume anything. I was going to talk to you about it first. He wasn’t supposed to.”

Henry leaned forward and smiled. “He seems like an OK guy. I’m not saying I trust him completely, but I can see why you fancy him.”

She smiled. “I do like him a lot. I probably should have asked before inviting him to the reunion though. I wonder how Aunt Sandy will feel.”

Her dad shrugged. “Your cousin Tara is bringing her girlfriend with her. Her mom and I are the only ones who know. I suspect you two won’t be the only ones the family talks about,” he said with a smirk.

She chuckled. “Good for Cousin Tara. I’m glad she feels brave enough to come out. I know how our family has a history of being less than open-minded.”

She stood and drained her coffee. “I love you both. I need to get to work. I’m working overnight at the hotel too, so I won’t see you until morning.”

Henry muttered under his breath about her working too hard, but she ignored it.

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