Page 31 of Easton Island: Old-Fashioned Christmas
“Maybe she thought he cared for you,” Morgan said softly.
Tristan’s eyes flashed with anger. “He never married Mom, but he gave her money.”
He said something low, and Morgan almost didn’t hear it. “You think Brett doesn’t want you either.”
“Why would he?”
Elizabeth cleared her throat. “Listen to me, Tristan, I didn’t know your mother very well, but she loved you and cared for you all these years. Your Uncle Jeff loves you too. There appear to be some decisions needing to be made, but you are too young to have to worry about this.”
Gerard spoke. “You should be focused on school, sports, being a kid.”
“I’m not hungry anymore.” Tristan pushed the plate away. “I told Uncle Jeff I didn’t want to come here. Nobody wants me.”
Elizabeth stepped closer, her voice steady and strong. “I do not believe it. Neither does your uncle. Tell you what…instead of dwelling on bad stuff, I’m going to ask Jax, one of my close friends, to show you around. Do you like antique cars?”
Tristan brightened. “Like race cars?”
Morgan couldn’t help herself. “I would consider Burnie a race car, especially when Grandmother is behind the wheel.”
Gerard choked back a laugh.
Elizabeth shot her husband a pointed stare. “Collector cars. He and Ben Baker, the estate’s chauffeur, can show you our collection.”
Tristan’s eyes grew round as saucers. “You have a chauffeur?”
“He helps transport guests to and from the harbor and airport.”
“Is Easton Island named after you?”
“After our family,” Elizabeth said. “As well as the airport and the harbor.”
“You must be rich.”
Morgan quickly steered the conversation in another direction. “Do you like the snow?”
“It’s cool.” Tristan hopped down from the barstool. “I’ve never seen snow before. It’s awesome.”
“I’ll have Jax find you some warm winter clothes.” Mrs. Arnsby darted out of the kitchen.
She returned in less than a minute, closely followed by Jax. “I heard we have a young visitor who would like to see our car collection and maybe take a ride on a snowmobile.”
“A snowmobile?”
For a second, Morgan thought the boy was going to pass out from excitement.
“You’ll need warm clothes.” Jax put a fatherly arm around the boy and led him out the door with Tristan talking his ear off, firing off a round of questions about the snowmobile and if they thought they might see deer.
Mrs. Arnsby stacked the dishes Tristan had left behind. “The boy has an appetite. I bet his mother had a hefty grocery bill.”
“He seems like a good kid,” Morgan said. “He’s had a lot thrown his way with his mother’s death.”
“An uncle unable to care for him,” Gerard tsk-tsked. “The question now is, if Elizabeth is correct and Tristan is Brett’s son, what does he intend to do.”
Elizabeth cast a wary glance toward the hall door. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Chapter 13
Morgan peeked around the corner, making sure the hallway was empty before closing the office door.
