Ava huffed. “I don’t think so, Gracie. You’ll eat them all. We’ll each have an order.”

Gracie shrugged. “Fine.” She met my gaze. “And ten minutes of your time, please.”

“That isn’t happening. I have no desire to hear whatever Ronan sent you to tell me.”

They shook their heads. “Ronan has no idea we’re here.”

“He’d be furious if he did,” Ava added.

Gracie looked at me beseechingly. “Please, Beth. Ten minutes of your time. Then if you want, we’ll leave and never bother you again.”

“Give me one reason why.”

Ava leaned close. “If you ever had feelings for my brother, please.”

Something in her voice stopped me. My chest felt strangely tight. “Is Ronan all right?”

“Please,” she repeated.

“I’m off in an hour.”

She nodded. “We’ll eat and wait.”

“Fine.”

I hurried away, wondering what they were going to tell me.

And why I wanted to hear it.

* * *

I carried over a cup of coffee and sat beside Gracie. She was talking on her phone but hung up as I sat down.

“Everything okay at home?” Ava asked with a smirk.

“Jaxson told me to take my time.” Gracie smiled at me. “He’s at home with our baby girl. I wanted to make sure they were doing all right.”

Ava snorted. “I’m sure he was eager to kick you out of the house so he’d have Kylie to himself.”

Gracie laughed but didn’t deny it. “She is a bit of a daddy’s girl,” she murmured. She turned to me and held out her hand. “I think we should start with proper introductions. I’m Gracie Richards—Ronan’s cousin.”

Ava extended her hand across the table. “I’m Ava Callaghan. Ronan’s sister.”

I shook them both. “I’m Beth Jones.”

For a moment, there was silence, so I cleared my throat. “Your ten minutes is going to go fast if you don’t say anything.”

Ava sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Ronan is my younger brother. He’s part of a set of triplets.”

I waited, lifting my eyebrow.

“He’s complex and smart. He’s been struggling lately and…” She huffed. “Okay, he’s been a jackass about how he handled this, all right?”

“Handled what exactly?”

“You. Him. Having a relationship. Shit,” she muttered. “I’m usually a far better speaker.” She looked at Gracie, who smiled and turned to face me.

“Ronan,” she began, “he’s the oldest of the three boys. He’s always been the leader. The peacemaker. He looked out for the other two all the time. The three of them are jokesters, but Ronan has a deeper sense of…” She paused, looking for a word.

“Responsibility,” I finished for her.

“Yes,” she agreed. “He always made sure the other two were happier.”

“Even if it meant he wasn’t,” I stated.

They looked at me. “How did you know that?” Ava asked.

I shrugged. “His mannerisms. He was shocked when I asked him how he wanted his eggs. He was thrilled to pick his favorite ice cream—little things most people wouldn’t think of or notice, I noticed about him.”

Gracie nodded. “Yes. That’s Ronan.”

“It doesn’t explain anything,” I pointed out.

She sighed. “Give me a minute.” She paused. “The three boys have always been incredibly close. I think, at times, Ronan felt lost in the shuffle. He was always part of a group. One of the triplets. He rarely was just Ronan. But when he met you, that was what he got to be. Just Ronan.”

“So, he hid his identity?” I laughed dryly. “Convenient. More like he didn’t tell anyone about me because of who I am.”

Gracie frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I’m nobody. A student struggling to pay her bills. To look after her brother. I have no place in the world Ronan inhabits. He knew that, so he let me think he was just a normal guy. He didn’t want his family to know about me.”

“You’re wrong,” Ava said. “I know it looks that way, but it isn’t. You let him be just a regular guy.” She held up her hand. “I’m not saying what he did wasn’t wrong, or pretty stupid, but the fact is, I think he was more Ronan when he was with you than ever.”

Gracie chimed in. “He shouldn’t have hidden his family, but Ronan wasn’t ashamed of you. Why would he be? You’re strong and independent. He likes that.”

Ava spoke. “Our aunt Emmy put herself through school as a waitress and baking scones for a coffee shop. My mom and her sister worked their way through school with odd jobs and tight budgets. The three of them were friends. They pooled clothing, food, and resources to get by. Uncle Bentley—one of the wealthiest men in the city—met Emmy and fell for her. Because she was real. My dad and mom fell in love for the same reason. Dee and Maddox were from two different worlds, but they found what they needed with each other. Money doesn’t dictate where your heart lies.”

“I’m grateful for the family history lesson, but what does that have to do with Ronan lying to me?” I asked. “If he was so proud of me, why wouldn’t he tell me who his family was?”

Tags: Melanie Moreland Vested Interest - ABC Corp Romance
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