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EVERLY
I STEP INSIDE THEO’S TESTkitchen in London, watching him whisk together eggs and parmesan cheese.
He glances up and smiles at me. “Hey there, you’re just in time. I’m testing a carbonara sauce for our Italian menu and need a taste tester.”
“Oh, thank god, I’m starving.” I pull up a barstool as I watch him work.
Cash is meeting me here as soon as he finishes at the office. He had a call with Harrison and Dylan this afternoon that he couldn’t miss.
“How does it feel to be Senior Vice President of Townstead International?” Theo asks with a proud smile as he sprinkles pepper into the mixture.
“It’s fantastic,” I say, grinning from ear to ear.
The week since the acquisition was finalized has been a whirlwind. My dad had to cut ties with the company, and I can’t name a single person who felt sad to see him go. He let greed get the better of him, and it cost him everything.
The looming threat of jail will keep him out of my life, and I’m okay with that. The last shred of hope that he could shift his mindset died when he tried blaming me for his mistakes. In that moment, I realized he would never change. There was something cathartic about finally standing up to him after years of letting him beat me down. It felt liberating to put him in his place, knowing he’d face the consequences of his reckless choices alone.
While my dad’s life is imploding, mine has never been better. When Cash and I got back from our visit to Aspen Grove, we returned to a fully furnished apartment, thanks to Marcus. My favorite part was the beautiful daffodil painting in our living room from Marlow’s latest collection. She’s a famous artist known for her floral pieces, and I’m honored to have her artwork in our home.
“I’m sorry you had to handle Richard and Mom by yourself all those years,” Theo says, his eyes downcast. “I should never have ignored the situation the way I did.”
I lean over to place my hand on his arm. “I was the one who chose not to tell you what was going on and should have confided in you instead.”
Recently, I’ve learned that I don’t have to face anything alone. Between Cash, Theo, and my found families, I have more love and support than I could ever ask for.
“Have you talked to Mom lately?” Theo asks while adding pancetta to a hot, oiled pan, the meat sizzling when it hits the surface.
“As far as I know, she’s still in Miami. Hopefully it works out with Mark, the surgeon.” I’m not interested in rekindling arelationship with her, but that doesn’t mean I want her to be unhappy.
“Yeah, maybe,” Theo says skeptically.
The day after the acquisition was complete, I came clean to him about supporting our mom all these years. The next morning, I woke up to a notification that her house and car were paid off. Then I received an email from Main Street Market in Aspen Grove saying she has a large credit there, allowing her to get groceries whenever she’s in town.
Theo didn’t want her to continue to be a constant burden on me. Cash would have done the same if I had asked, but he understood this was the one aspect of my life Theo and I needed to handle together.
“You’ve been my rock since we were kids, Theo. You’re the best brother anyone could ask for.”
“You mean the best older brother, right?” He smirks.
Here we go again.
“You were born two minutes before me,” I remind him, holding up two fingers. “It doesn’t count.”
“It absolutely does.” He grins as he mixes the sauce in with the pancetta, the rich aroma filling the air.
“What smells so good?” Cash asks from the doorway.
He’s wearing slacks and a white button-down shirt with the top two buttons undone. With his tousled hair, he’s utterly irresistible.
He has on the new bracelet I gave him when we got back to London. I found one online that looks similar to the one he’s worn for the past fourteen years, which we’re keeping in a box in the closet along with our marriage pact.
He comes over to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I tilt my head and kiss him.
“I missed you,” he murmurs against my lips.
“I missed you too,” I say.
“Do you guys ever take a break from the PDA?” Theo teases from his spot at the stove.