cotton sofas under cabana tents were populated with self-absorbed Euro models and the men who liked to buy them drinks and dinner. This evening was no different.
“Hey, Parker. Over here.” He turned at the sound of Stephen’s voice, to see his brother sitting comfortably on one of those sofas, with no model in sight. There would be, eventually.
“‘Sup, Stephen.” Parker ambled over, offered his knuckles in greeting and took the silent invitation to join him. “You having dinner here?”
“Just stopped by to see how Brittany’s doing. Have you seen her?”
“No, but I just walked in. She’ll be around.”
A pretty blond cocktail waitress in a revealing halter top and low-slung sarong sidled up to their table and flashed a smile. “Hi, guys. What’ll it be?”
“I’m having dinner,” Parker said, “but not for a few minutes, so just a bottled water for me.”
Stephen ordered a light beer and asked if Brittany was around.
“She’s in the kitchen,” the waitress said. “You’re her brothers, right? I’ll tell her you’re here.”
When the waitress left, Parker slipped off his shades to look at his brother.
“How was the water this weekend?” he asked, knowing that Stephen, although he was as much of a workaholic as Parker, spent every free minute on his elegant cruising yacht.
“Gorgeous. A great escape from the mess that has become Garrison.”
Parker acknowledged that with a puff of disgust. “You got that right. I talked to our newest sister today.”
Stephen yanked his own sunglasses off. “And?”
“And she’s added Garrison to her last name.”
“Oh, man. What did she say?”
“In a nutshell, she won’t rescind her shares, won’t sell them outright, doesn’t want a family reunion and would like to be left alone to run her property.” Parker crossed his ankles and peered at the blue-on-blue horizon. “Brandon’s filed the legal papers. I’m contesting.”
“I don’t know if you need it legally, but you have my support.”
Parker nodded. “Thanks, bro. God knows if I’ll have the others’.”
“Adam will back you. And Brooke. I think, anyway.”
“What do you mean? What’s up with Brooke?” Parker had a well-known soft spot for his sister. “Is she still upset about the will?”
“About the fact that Dad had another family, oh yeah. I tried to talk to her about it, but you know Brooke. She’s private.”
“I’ll give her a call,” Parker said.
“You know, I think she’s seeing someone, too.”
“Really? Did she mention that at the Sunday dinner I missed?”
“No, in fact, she denied it,” Stephen said. “But I know I saw her at the Grand last Thursday.”
“The day of the will reading?”
“That night, actually. I saw her across the lobby, and some guy had his arm around her. Then he disappeared around the corner with her.”
“And you never saw him before?” Parker leaned forward, his brotherly protective streak ignited.
“I only saw him from the back and when I asked her about it on Sunday, she said I must have confused her with someone else.”
“Brittany?”
“Brittany was here that night.”
Brooke wouldn’t lie, so Stephen must have been mistaken. “I’ll have to talk to her, but still, I think she’ll support my decision to contest the will. Not sure about her evil twin, though.”
Stephen laughed softly. “Brittany’s always a wild card.” He glanced around as though just mentioning their sister would conjure her up. “I guess it depends what Garrison, Inc. wants to persuade her to do with this restaurant.”
Parker shrugged. “I know this is her baby, and I was just thinking she’s done a fine job bringing this place into the twenty-first century.”
“It’s profitable.”
“On paper, yes. But do you have any idea how many more millions we’d get if we used this slice of land for condos?”
Stephen conceded that with a nod, saying nothing as the waitress delivered their drinks.
“She’d be devastated if we go that route,” Stephen finally said. “You’d have to evict her, technically.”
“I know, and I won’t unless we’re forced to. As long as she’s turning a real profit here—and I mean a significant profit—then we can wait. But Garrison, Inc. owns the land, even if she owns the restaurant. If we wait, all that’ll happen is that the cost of building will rise, and we’ll charge five million for a condo instead of four. But if her business starts to falter, which, knowing the cyclical nature of the restaurant trade, it inevitably will—”
Behind him, a small but firm hand landed on his shoulder.
“Nothing is inevitable.” Brittany’s voice was as cold as the water he sipped. “Except that yet another poor, unsuspecting fool is up at the hostess stand asking for you. Haven’t I seen this one before, Parker?”
She’d heard everything. He knew it. He’d just effectively put his sister on notice. What would that do when it came time for her support in contesting the will? He planted a smile and stood to greet her.
“Of course you’ve seen her before,” he said, reaching to give her a brotherly, if cursory, hug. “She’s my administrative assistant.”
Brittany ignored his outstretched hands by putting hers on her slender hips. “That’s Anna?” She frowned deeper. “She looks different.”
“So is this a date or a business meeting?” Stephen asked.
Parker pulled his sunglasses back on. “A little of both, my friends. A little of both.”
They both opened their mouths to speak, but he slipped away with a half salute of goodbye before they could bombard him with questions he didn’t want to answer.
Anna saw his silhouette before she could make out Parker’s face as he walked toward her, backlit by the early evening sun reflecting off the water. He moved like an athlete, so strong and in control of every muscle. He held his head high, his broad shoulders erect, his expensive suit draping perfectly over the body it was cut and sewn to fit.
When, she wondered, would this man stop taking her breath away?
She’d taken the job as his assistant knowing full well that she found him attractive. That
