Page 32 of Love Is Brewing

“I haven’t yet,” she said, laughing, “but if I eat fake sushi from a grocery store, I’m sure there are worse things I could contract.”

“Which is why I stick to the basics. I stepped it up from making fries or opening a bag of chips though.”

“Really?” she asked. “What did you make?”

“One of those boxed pasta salads. It’s a kit, but I boiled the pasta. That should count.”

She laughed. “You weren’t lying about looks being deceiving, but I’ll admit I’m not much of a fancy cook either. I can do basic things. I can follow a recipe too but do little more than make chicken to have on a salad or maybe a steak. I rarely make burgers and never fish. Can’t stand the smell of it in the apartment and get annoyed when someone else close to me cooks it.”

“At least we know those things about each other,” he said. When the oven beeped, he popped the burgers in.

“Tell me about your siblings,” she said. “Not personal things, but things you’d say about your family if we were getting to know each other. You talked about your mother, but not your father. You said you moved around a lot. Can I ask what that was about?”

“You know nothing about us?” he asked, frowning. “Most people know West’s background.”

“I’m not interested in West’s background. If I wanted to know that I would have researched him.” She smiled and tilted her head. “I want to know about you.”

11

WILLING TO DO THE SAME

“Well, this is a first for me,” Elias said.

“What? That someone wants to get to know you?” she asked, frowning.

“Pretty much,” he said. “Normally they want to know about me because of Fifth Kid. They know that part first. Once they know about West, it’s all about him.”

“If we are being honest, I know some of how that feels. Once people find out I’m an attorney and where I work, I worry they are more interested in that. I don’t have that worry with you, do I? I hope you don’t think I’m looking for that. I’m really not.”

“No,” he said. “I don’t.”

Because either she was a superb liar—which he didn’t believe—or she truly wanted to know him and only him.

“Then tell me about your parents, if it’s not too intrusive. Are they divorced?”

He sighed and took a drink of his beer. He’d poured himself the same as her even though sweet beers weren’t his preference.

“My father was in the Army. He died overseas when I was nine. West was eighteen and became the man of the house. Evenwhen he left for college, he came home every weekend and made sure things were set.”

“But you said you’re the fifth of eight. There were others older that could help out too,” she said.

“And they did. Braylon was next. He was fifteen. He had a lot on his shoulders. He’s an attorney now and works with West in Manhattan. He’s recently married to Lily, who works for my sister Laken. Laken is next; she’s getting married in March to Jamie Wilde. Not sure if you follow football.”’

“Not really. I’m assuming he played or something?”

“Ex-quarterback and now an analyst onFox Sports,” he said.

“Bet they get a lot of eyes on them, but she was probably used to it working for West. She’s not an attorney, is she?”

“No,” he said. “She’s Vice President of Acquisitions. She’s got her finger in every single pie. Just like she did as a kid. Always had to know everything and everyone and what was going on.” He knew he was smiling when he said that, but he didn’t enjoy it as a kid.

“Matt was like that in our family. Who is next?” she asked. She’d climbed on the chair at the island and put her chin in her palm.

She’d come in without a jacket on, but wore a heavy teal sweater that rested on the hips of her jeans. Not light or dark, kind of in the middle of the blue color spectrum.

They were a little baggy on her, but he knew it was the style. They were fitted enough in the waist for him to see how small of a frame she had.

She had designer sneakers on her feet and he was happy that she’d dressed casual, but it’s not as if he expected her to be ready for court either.

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