Descent (Steel Brothers Saga 15)

Luke stayed put.

“The chips are for you too,” I said. “Why don’t you go join the boys?”

Luke stayed silent.

“Don’t be impolite, Luke,” Vicki said. “Answer Mrs. Steel.”

“I think I’d rather stay here,” he said. “Thank you.”

Vicki’s face fell. I felt for her. I’d hate to know one of my children was unhappy. As a mother, I felt everything my children felt. It was heart-wrenching sometimes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“At least drink your punch,” Evie said.

Luke nodded and took a sip. “Thank you. It’s good.”

It was just Hawaiian Punch out of a can, but I was glad he liked it.

“Bryce is going to Disneyland with the Steels, Luke,” Vicki said. “Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

He nodded sullenly. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Evie shot me an apologetic glance. Really? That was where this was going? Was I supposed to invite this child we hardly knew to go on a trip with us?

We could well afford it, of course, but that wasn’t the point.

This was our trip. A trip for my boys and me. And Bryce, but he’d always been kind of an honorary Steel brother.

What was I supposed to say?

“Joe is thrilled that Bryce is going along, of course,” I said. “This way there will be an even number for rides.”

There, that ought to do it.

“What were you going to do before?” Vicki asked. “When it was just you and the three boys?”

“I probably would have gone on the rides with them.” I smiled. “I’m so glad I won’t have to. Amusement parks and I don’t get along very well.”

There. If I offered to take her kid along, I’d have to go on the rides again, which I didn’t want to do. If she continued to push it, she wasn’t paying attention, and I’d tell her flatly that we could not take her son.

“I’m sure you’ll get to go to Disneyland soon, Luke,” Evie said.

A look passed between the two sisters.

Nothing more was said about Disneyland.

Thank God.

“Tell us about your romantic trip to the Broadmoor,” Evie said, in what seemed to me to be a deliberate attempt to change the subject.

Normally I’d be thrilled, but my relationship with Brad was private. I didn’t talk to anyone about it. I might have talked to Sage or Patty, but I wasn’t that close to Evie, and I wasn’t close to Vicki at all.

“It was wonderful. We really reconnected,” I said simply.

“I’m envious,” Evie said. “Tom and I need some time to do just that. Sometimes I feel like I don’t even know him anymore.”

“I think all married people feel that way from time to time,” Vicki said.

“I can’t recall the last time we made love,” Evie said.

I hid a gulp. This was getting way too personal.

The silence seemed to linger for hours until Evie finally continued.

“He’s so great with Bryce, though. He always has time for his boy. He’s the greatest dad ever, and I love that about him.”

“Bryce is a wonderful young man,” I said. “Always well-behaved when he’s here.”

“Glad to hear it, since this place is his second home.” Evie laughed.

Good. She wasn’t talking more about her sex life.

“I wish we could have had more children,” she went on. “But then, if we had, he wouldn’t be able to give Bryce so much individual attention. Of course, he’d have to actually have sex with me for that to happen too.”

God. Back to that again.

“Chase and I do okay in that department,” Vicki offered.

They both looked to me.

I cleared my throat. “Yeah. We’re fine. You know. There.”

This was so none of their business! Brad and I had no problem in bed. Not a one. The only problem I had was that I wanted him around more. Still, when he was around, he always took time with his boys. He taught them everything about the ranch. They all, even little Ryan, knew their way around Steel Acres.

I silently wished for an interruption.

But I wasn’t ready for the one that came.

Chapter Forty-Three

Brad

I opened the French doors to the deck and walked out. Daphne sat with Evelyn Simpson and a woman I didn’t recognize.

I cleared my throat.

They all turned.

“Hi, Brad,” Daphne said. “Come join us.”

“I can’t,” I said gruffly, sounding a lot like my old man. “I need to speak with you. Alone.”

“Oh, of course.” Evie stood. “We should be going. Oh…Brad, I haven’t had the chance to thank you for including Bryce on your Disneyland trip.”

“Of course. Our pleasure.” I tapped my foot. The trip to Disneyland probably wouldn’t happen at this point. I needed to send my wife and children into seclusion. I just wasn’t sure where yet.

I needed to speak to my wife, and I needed these women to get the hell out of here. I wasn’t feeling patient at the moment.

The woman I didn’t know called for her strange child, a kid I didn’t recognize.