The air is crisp, a wind blowing across the lawn of the Farm. Our family’s getaway is an escape from the hustle and bustle of life, where we all come to congregate and get fresh air and have big-scale family dinners. We all have a space here, a bedroom that we use when we need a spot to land. Granted, I don’t ever use mine, but the others do. Ford is staying here until he finds a place of his own.
“I’m thinking about hiring Barrett’s trainer, Achilles,” Ford says, stretching his arms overhead. “I’m having a hard time getting a hard enough workout in on my own.”
“Paying someone to kick your ass. I’ve never understood that,” I joke. “Seems like you could just run another mile or lift another set and do it without shelling out money.”
“It takes effort to look like this,” my brother says, flexing his biceps.
“Do you forget you basically look like me? Just less good-looking?”
“You wish,” Ford laughs. “You should see how your assistant looks at me.”
I glare at him and he only laughs harder. “How are things going with Mallory?”
I let my mind go to the one moment that I keep replaying. Her looking up, her eyes filled with every ounce of lust I was feeling, along with a dose of uncertainty. The way her lips parted in anticipation, how her chest rose and fell as she tried to stay calm. The smell of lavender is as fresh as it was as I breathed her in for the first time.
“That good, huh?” Ford chuckles.
“She’s smart. Doing a good job.” I rise from the swing and lean against the rail.
“Nice vanilla answer. I love your evasiveness. You’re turning into Barrett.”
I roll my eyes.
“I chatted with her a bit before I left your office today,” he informs me. “I like her.”
My head snaps to his. “What do you mean?”
My brother’s laugh comes immediately. “Just like I thought.”
“Just like you thought what?”
“It’s only natural. She’s a nice girl. She’s seems smart. She’s gorgeous as hell.”
I take a quick sip of tea to keep him from looking at me too closely. “I’m not following along.”
“Only because you’re still chasing her tail, which is exactly my point.”
“Whoa,” I say, standing up straight. “I think you’re ahead of yourself.”
He climbs the stairs to the porch and leans against the rail on the other side, grinning at me. “I haven’t been around much these last few years. I only know what our siblings tell me, mostly meaning Camilla, plus what Mom and Dad volunteer. But none of them have ever mentioned you with a woman. Not seriously.”
“This is not news.”
“But why, Graham? It’s like everyone in the family is moving on, starting their own thing. Lincoln is having a kid. Barrett will eventually grow a pair and do the same. I’m not averse to the idea myself. But you? Don’t you want a family of your own some day?”
“Sure.”
I leave him standing on the porch as I head into the house. I don’t close the door behind me because I know he’ll follow. Sure enough, when I get into the kitchen and turn around, he’s standing in the doorway.
“I’m not pressing you,” Ford says. “To be honest, I couldn’t give a shit about what you do with your life as long as you keep working because that benefits my bottom line.”
“Fuck off,” I chuckle.
“But I do think you work too much. I think you take shit too seriously. I think one day you’ll look back on your life and wish you’d lived a little more.” With a simple shrug, he turns and starts down the hallway. “I’m jumping in the shower. If you leave before I get out, lock the door.”
His footsteps fall against the steps, his weight causing the floor joists above me to creak as he makes his way to the bedroom at the end of the hallway upstairs.
I hate when he does this. He says something semi-insightful and then leaves you to think about it. I don’t want to think about it.