“You eat like a maniac,” Daniel said, as Becca swallowed the last bite of her sandwich.
“So would you if you grew up with four brothers. Either I ate fast or I starved when they stole all the food off my plate. I chose survival.”
He smiled, and damn if it didn’t make her whole body ache. It was like the tiniest chink in his armor had opened up, giving her a glance beyond the hard shell he projected. If she’d felt attracted to him before she’d arrived in Charleston, right now she was fighting it on two fronts.
Daniel being angry was exciting enough. Daniel being nice?
He was dynamite.
“Growing up with two brothers was enough.” He shot her an interested look. “Your family seems close.”
Becca smiled, relaxing now that she was on more comfortable ground. “It’s huge and noisy and we have a lot of fun. They drive me crazy, of course, but since they’ve all moved back to Hartson’s Creek and met their significant others they’re a little more mellow. Plus I get the added bonus of having lots of nephews.”
He blinked as though he didn’t quite get the concept.
“How about your family?” she asked. “Are you close?”
Another laugh. She was getting used to the sound of them coming from his lips. “Not really. I’m close to Nathan, of course. But Nina and Lawrence… well we only saw them during the summer and holidays. They’re older and Lawrence resented my mother, which led to him disliking Nathan and me, too.”
“Why did he resent your mother?” Becca tipped her head to the side, licking the crumbs from her fingertips. Daniel’s gaze dipped down and narrowed.
“You must have heard the stories. I thought they were rife at GSC?”
Becca shook her head. “Nope. And I’m not big into gossip, so even if I heard them, I wouldn’t pay much attention.”
He looked surprised at that. He was such a closed book. It was as though he hated anybody taking a peek he wasn’t willing to show them.
And yet right now it felt as though he was opening. Just a tiny bit. Enough for her to see a pinprick of light on the inside.
“My father was married to Lawrence and Nina’s mother when he fell in love with mine. It was a mess. Not just at home, but at the distillery, too. My mom’s dad, my grandfather, was his business partner. He died within a year, and a lot of people say it was because of the stress my mom and dad’s relationship caused.” Daniel looked at
her with those clear blue eyes. “The distillery nearly went under, and my dad’s divorce with his first wife was apparently nasty. I don’t know all of the details because I wasn’t born yet, but I know that Lawrence and Nina suffered a lot.”
“They can’t blame you for that. You didn’t even exist.” Becca sipped at her coffee, glad for the caffeine injection. It was going to be a long drive home tonight.
“You’re assuming that people think rationally. They don’t.”
“That’s very true.”
Their gazes connected again. It was getting stupid how often it was happening. “I guess that’s why you freaked when you saw me and Nathan hugging.”
“I didn’t freak. I was just surprised. Especially when I found out you were an employee.”
“You’re messing with the staff now? What kind of idiot are you?” Her impression of Daniel was woeful. But it made him smile.
“Is that what I said?”
She nodded. “Pretty much word for word.”
“Well, he turned out not to be an idiot at all. Which is good.” He looked down at his hands, the smile still playing on his lips. He was looking better now that he’d had something to eat. Less pale and sallow. His eyes were brighter, his jaw less tight. She glanced across at the windows to the skyline of the city.
“I should be going,” she said, sighing softly. She really didn’t want to leave. Not now that they were finally talking. “It’s getting late and I don’t want to be half asleep as I drive home.”
He looked up, his eyes assessing. “You could stay.”
Becca blinked with surprise.
“I mean, you can stay in the guest room.” He pointed at the door opposite his own. “I’m having dinner with Lawrence and Nina tonight. Since you’re so good with families, you could join me.”