Page 49 of Storm Warning
David leaned forward. “Did it seem… performative? Like he wanted to be seen?”
Kate hesitated, picturing the scene in her mind, then nodded. “Now that you mention it—yes. And someone nearby was definitely filming.”
“Of course they were,” David muttered.
Zach’s gaze sharpened. “Thanks, Kate. That helps.”
Kate glanced from one brother to the next, struck again by how different they were—David all restless energy, Zach zen but watchful, Nick somewhere in the middle, steady but quick to smile.
The conversation drifted, and the mood returned to easy. They teased each other about old stories, about work, about the time David nearly set the kitchen on fire trying to flambé a dessert. She relaxed into the rhythm of their banter, into the warmth of Nick’s body beside hers.
She glanced over at Marguerite, captivated by the sparkle in her eyes and the way love radiated from her as she chatted animatedly with her boys. A pang tugged at her heart as shethought back—had she ever shared such moments with her own parents?
Kate frowned, the memory elusive and fading. Sure, she knew her parents had loved her, but they hadn’t been the kind to show it like this, so openly and warmly.
Watching them together ignited a longing deep within her. She smiled wistfully, resting her palm over her heart, feeling a dull ache of yearning. She craved this: a family, a connection. A place to belong.
After a while, Marguerite stretched and rose. “All right, it is time to find my bed. Do not stay up too late.”
Zach offered his arm to steady her. As he led her inside with David trailing behind, Nick shifted closer to Kate, his knee brushing hers. The simple contact sent awareness crackling through her nerves.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The firelight danced across his face, softening the edges of his expression, gilding his skin gold.
“Did you have a big family growing up?” he asked, voice quiet.
Kate blinked, surprised by the question. “No, just my parents and me. I'm adopted. My birth parents died when I was a toddler, and I went into foster care. They eventually adopted me. They loved me, but…”
She hesitated, searching for the words. “We weren’t close the way you all are. My dad worked non-stop. My mom was… kind, but distant. Reserved. I never felt like I truly belonged.”
Nick remained silent for a beat. “I get it. Growing up with wealth and servants was like being part of a corporation rather than a family, everything measured in expectations.”
She swallowed, struck by the quiet vulnerability in his tone, the shadows flickering in his eyes. “And now?”
“Now it’s better,” he said. “But it took time tofigure out how to let them all the way in. To truly trust the connection with my brothers.” His thumb brushed along the rim of his glass. “I envy how easily David connects with people. For Zach and me, it’s… work.”
Tenderness she didn’t dare show rushed through her. “I think you’re better at it than you realize.”
He held held her eyes, something unguarded in his. Her breath caught. The air between them thickened, charged.
“This experience, being stuck here, is good for us, I think,” he continued, his voice reflective, with a hint of sadness woven in. “We’ve talked more in the last few days than we have in months. I mean personal, non-work talk, of course.”
He paused, watching the flames. “We see each other daily, but we’ve been so busy that all we’ve done and talked about is work. And Marguerite looked happier than I’ve seen her in a long time. I hadn’t realized how bad it had gotten until now.”
His voice trailed off, and her heart twinged, reacting to the sadness in his voice.
Maybe she could help, as an outsider. “Then, use this opportunity to restructure. Talk to your brothers and Marguerite. Change how things are going. Find a way to have more family time. Why are you working so much? Do you need more staff? Do you love it that much, or is it habit?”
When he didn’t answer right away, anxiety gripped her. Had she overstepped? What did she know of how corporations worked?
“Good question. Perhaps a little of both?” Nick finally said. His voice held a hint of realization, and she relaxed when he didn’t sound upset. “We do have excellent staff we should delegate more to, but perhaps we need another assistant.”
His voice grew thoughtful. “Michael is amazing, but he’s acting as PA to all three of us. If we each had our own, they could be the interface between us and the company, and couldtake over some of the traveling. Then one of us could be here with Marguerite more often, so she wouldn’t be alone so much.”
Warmth flooded through her at the rising enthusiasm in his voice.
The world tilted, and she found herself flat on her back, cushions soft beneath her, Nick propped over her, powerful arms braced on either side of her head. His legs tangled with hers.
It was absurdly sexy how he had flipped her around so effortlessly, all controlled strength and smooth intention. Her body thrummed with awareness, soaking in his closeness—the heat radiating from him, the weight of him hovering above her, the woodsy scent of his cologne mixing with smoke and night air.