“I know. Nick and I were going to give you some time to process everything,” Sam stated. “Especially considering you don’t know Rusty like we do, it’s still a shock to discover your father at our age.”
Understatement. Reese hadn’t even known there was a father to discover. He thought Martin Conrad was his father, for nearly four decades.
“Since Rusty is home from his stint in jail for embezzling from one of our local charities, Nick and I planned on confronting him with the truth.”
Reese was well aware that Rusty had been arrested for skimming funds from a charity that Lockwood Lightning endorsed and supported. From all the stories Reese had heard and from the bits and pieces of what he’d dug up online, Reese had drawn his own conclusions that he’d lucked out in life by not having Rusty Lockwood raise him as his child.
“And you want me in on that meeting?”
Reese had to choose his words carefully because he still hadn’t explained everything to Josie—they’d sort of been busy pretending to be engaged, fighting a magnetic attraction—and he still wasn’t sure how the hell to handle any of this.
“We don’t want to pressure you, but I did want to include you,” Sam told him. “All of this is still new to us as well. I wouldn’t mind getting to know my half brother a little more, but that’s going to be your decision.”
Half brothers. Reese had grown up an only child and used to wonder how having a sibling would’ve changed his life. He likely would’ve been sharing the family business. Having someone else to lighten the load wouldn’t be a bad thing. He would’ve had an automatic friend growing up, too, but he’d had plenty of friends even without siblings.
Friends like the one he’d just groped until she was moaning in pleasure.
Pushing aside those delicious thoughts of Josie, Reese focused on what he wanted to know about Nick and Sam. Discovering two guys who were prominent in their fields of luxury liquor and hospitality—fields surprisingly similar to his own—and who were both eager to get to know him sounded promising, and Reese found that he did want to explore these new relationships.
This whole new chapter in his life would take some time to wrap his mind around, but new ventures never scared Reese. He welcomed challenges... including kissing Josie Coleman.
Again, he shifted his focus back to the call and away from Josie.
“I could make another trip to Green Valley,” he told Sam. “Why don’t you tell me when would work for you guys? I’m opening a new restaurant in Manhattan next weekend. Maybe we could discuss a possible working relationship as well.”
“That would be a solid start,” Sam agreed. “I’ll talk with Nick and text you. We plan on confronting Rusty soon, though.”
Reese swallowed and wondered if tag-teaming was the answer. What good would come from all of them going to Rusty? What did Sam and Nick hope to accomplish? Did they just want to let the mogul know that his sons had all been identified?
None of them needed money and Reese certainly wasn’t looking for a father figure to fill a void. He had plenty of love and affection from the amazing couple who’d raised him.
Reese really needed to talk to his own parents before he went to Rusty. He needed all of the history, no lies, no secrets. Reese needed every bit of his life revealed to him.
He needed to understand his true role when it come to Rusty Lockwood. He needed to know where he actually stood in all of his relationships and what the hell he was supposed to feel.
Because his entire world was in upheaval and he honestly had no idea what to think about any of it.
“I’ll see what I can work out,” Reese replied. “But I can’t make promises right now.”
“Understood. I’ll be in touch soon.”
Reese disconnected the call, held his cell at his side and continued to stare out the window. He wasn’t ready to face Josie yet, not when his body was still humming from their brief, intense encounter. Their clothes had stayed on. There had barely been any skin-on-skin contact. What would happen when they finally took that next step?
Because Reese had every intention of doing just that. He’d been uncertain before, even after that first kiss, but the way she’d responded moments ago—how could he deny either of them?
&nbs
p; There was too much passion here to ignore. There was too much pent-up desire. Who knew how long those feelings had been stirring?
They would never know what they could have if he didn’t take the risk. No, he didn’t want to lose her as his best friend, but what if things only got better?
When he turned, he found Josie staring straight at him. She’d clearly had time to compose herself, but that hunger was still in her eyes. Her squared shoulders and tight lips, though, were good indicators that she wasn’t happy about what she was feeling.
“You’re going back to Green Valley?” she asked.
Reese pocketed his phone. “That’s not where I thought we’d pick up from where we just left off.”
She crossed her arms and stared across the room. “Where did you think we’d pick up? Kissing? Because I’m still not sure that’s a good idea.”