Page 33 of Family Bonds- Emma & Warren

She poked him in the side. “We’ll let that one go. Moving on, it took decades to restore the good name to our side of the family tree, but it’s there. At that time though, there was a longstanding will that said The Bond Resort could only be left to a male Bond member with the last name of Bond. And it couldn’t be a bastard, as we know there are several that came from James’s indiscretions.”

“Got it,” he said. “Even in this day and age, that still holds true?”

“I guess,” she said. “No one has disputed it. My mother and aunt wanted no part of the resort and since my grandfather hasso many other businesses, it’s not a big deal. They were each given a buyout for it going to my Uncle Charlie. It worked for them. But they’ve got interests in all the other holdings and businesses on this side of the family.”

“Which means you do too,” he said.

“Yes,” she said. “Not that I have any interest in them. I’ve got the career I wanted, but I also know there could come a day when I have to step up and do my part. Thankfully there are a lot of cousins willing to do it.”

“Like Hunter?” he asked.

“Yes. Hunter is the only male Bond, so he gets The Retreat, but has the same interests as his father, my mother, and aunt, and how it gets filtered down. Hunter’s sister, Hailey, owns Bond Law.”

“I know the firm,” he said, smirking. “My baby sister, Stacy, is graduating from Law School in a few weeks.”

“That’s awesome,” she said. And based on everything she’d read about him, she’d bet anything he footed that bill. “Because Hailey would not get part of The Retreat, I’m sure my Uncle Charlie did the same thing and bought her out, but it’s not for me to know or care.”

She wasn’t sharing any inside family information there.

“Do you have siblings?” he asked. “Or I can research more while we wait for dinner.”

“Crash course. I have a brother, Roark. He’s a defense attorney and Hailey’s right-hand person in her firm. Not a partner, as Hailey will never take on partners, but close enough. Roark is married to Chelsea, who works for Hailey. They’ve got a daughter, Taryn.”

“What do your parents do if you don’t mind me asking?”

This was where things got tricky, but she had a good enough answer for many.

“My father is a federal judge and my mother dabbles in other Bond businesses. She does a lot for charity.”

Which was the truth.

“And you talked about Hunter and Hailey.”

“Hunter is married with two boys. Hailey is married to Rex Knight. They’ve got a boy and a girl. The last is my Aunt Melanie and her husband, Robert Stone. Those are Grace’s parents. You know she’s cooking our dinner now. She’s engaged to Lincoln Harrington, who is a helicopter pilot for Bond Charter.”

“I know Lincoln,” he said. “Small world. He flew me over last weekend.”

“Grace has an older brother, Skyler, he’s single. And there you go. Quick family history. I know I said I wouldn’t ask questions, but can you share about your family? I admit I researched you and know you have two sisters and were raised by a single mother. I saw little on your father.”

“Not much to say about that asshole,” he said.

The knock at the door saved him from answering anymore.

10

RULES OF YOURS

“That has to be our food,” Emma said, jumping up. She opened the door and laughed.

“Are you going to let me know what is going on?” he heard from another woman.

The door opened wider, and he saw a small woman in a chef’s uniform standing there.

“Grace Stone, meet Warren Showers.”

“Oh shit,” Grace said, moving forward and shaking his hand. “I know you. My fiancé is a fan.”

“I just found out who that was and met him last weekend,” he said.