'Tis the Season (14 page)

The gentleness of her voice broke him. He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, put them back on, and heaved a sigh of surrender. “For a few months before I turned forty, that milestone birthday had me doing a lot of . . . introspection. And I realized a lot of things.”

“Like what?” Tess asked.

With one last sigh, Charles gave in. He talked about how resentful he'd grown about being groomed for the COO position since birth, how his life hadn't been his own . . . everything he'd said to Dane already, everything he'd been holding inside. “And most of all, I'm worried that I'm turning into
him
. Into Dad.”

The fire crackled in the fireplace, the popping sounds of the shifting logs filling the silence. Tess's eyes had flown wide. Dane took a sip of beer. But Pierce leaned forward, put his bottle on the table, and stared at his eldest brother.

“I can't speak to most of that,” he said. “It must be hard on you. I can't imagine the constant pressure of it. I've always been grateful as hell that it all fell on you. But you always seemed to be born to the throne. Like you really were made for leading the company, and one day, the family. All these years, I thought you
liked
it.”

“For a long time, I did,” Charles said. “Until I looked around a few months ago and realized my life was all about work. I barely see my kids; my son, Thomas, is starting to hate me and he's still in single digits; and after a disastrous marriage and ugly divorce when the mother of my kids took off, I'm alone.” He looked around at his siblings. “Don't you see all the parallels? I'm becoming just like him. That used to thrill me. Now, seeing how bitter he's become . . . it terrifies me.”

“No. You'll never be like him,” Pierce said earnestly. “You have a heart. You care about those things. That alone means you're a much better man than he's ever been.”

Charles sucked in a breath. He and Pierce had butted heads throughout the years. With an eight-year gap between them, and Pierce's shitty attitude and determination to be wild, Charles had had little patience for his youngest brother. Until last year, when Pierce had returned to New York, and as grown men they were able to forge a new kind of relationship. Now, Pierce's soft but strong words had the same effect on Charles as a sucker punch and a hug combined. “Thank you for that,” he murmured.

“It's the truth,” Pierce said. “Look. You realized you weren't spending time with your kids and they were starting to resent it. You fixed it. You changed it. The old man never even thought about that, much less did anything about it.”

“Point to the jock,” Dane said.

“But Charles,” Tess said. “If you're that unhappy about working so much, do something about it. We'll all back you. Call a meeting; give some of the other board members more responsibility. Because one day, you'll be CEO, and you can step back and do less, like Dad does now. And he can only do that because as COO,
you're
the one who's really doing all the work.”

“You're already in charge,” Pierce said. “Everyone knows it. It's just not said out loud.”

“He's right,” Dane added. “The board knows it. Dad does too. The company would take a major, major hit without you at the helm. Use that power and change some things for your benefit. Don't let the power use you, you know?”

Charles nodded and picked up his bottle again, taking a few long swallows. “I'll think about it. Okay?”

“Okay. Let's change the subject and let him breathe on this a bit,” Tess said. She tapped her manicured nails against her glass. “Soooo . . . who's the dark-haired beauty?”

Charles winced. “I was hoping you had forgotten about that.”

“Not a chance in hell,” Tess proclaimed with a wide smile. “Spill it.”

Charles shot a glare at Dane, then looked back to Tess and Pierce. “If I do . . . it can't leave this room. I'm dead serious.”

“Charles.” Tess leaned in, causing her long dark curls to spill over her shoulders. “You know whatever you tell us stays with us. That's a given.”

“This is . . . It could be really unfortunate if any of it got out at this juncture,” Charles said.

“Stop with the fancy talk and just say what you need to,” Pierce demanded.

“I slept with Lisette the night of my party,” Charles said quietly. “I got a little drunk, she wandered in, and I basically threw myself at her.” He noted the way Tess's lips parted in shock, the way Pierce's eyes rounded, but made himself say the rest. The part he hadn't even told Dane . . . that he hadn't even admitted to himself until now. “And that's not even the worst of it. Because since that night, I can't stop thinking about her. I think I'm falling for her.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Whoa,” Pierce breathed. “The
nanny?
”

“Watch it,” Charles warned with an edge.

“Don't get me wrong, I like her,” Pierce said. “She's really nice. Great with the kids. She's made them . . . uhh . . .”

“Easier to handle,” Dane offered tactfully. Tess flattened her lips to suppress a grin.

“Yes,” Pierce said. “That. Hey, Abby likes her a lot. Lisette's so quiet, kind of shy, and I'm usually playing with the kids, so she and I don't talk very much when I see her. But Abby draws her out, and they've talked. Abs thinks she's really sweet.”

“She is,” Charles murmured, reaching for his bottle. He stared at the label and tried to ignore the way his heart was thumping around in his chest.

“She's lovely,” Tess agreed. “Kind. Patient. Caring. I've seen it.”

“She's also gorgeous,” Dane said, “which is a nice bonus.”

“Yeah, she is,” Pierce said. “I'll admit it, I always wondered if you hired her because she was so pretty. You couldn't know how she'd be with the kids, so . . .”

“That's not why I hired her,” Charles snapped. “I hired her because she was qualified for the position. And because I could tell right away that she was a warm, kind person, so she'd bring that to the kids. Her looks had nothing to do with it.”

“Touchy,” Pierce noted, and it was almost a taunt. “Yeah, I'm not the only smitten little kitten in this room.”

Charles raised the bottle to his lips and knocked back a few swallows of beer.

“So . . .” Tess ventured. “Had anything ever gone on between you two before that night?”

“No!” Charles said firmly. “Never.”

“Okay. So how . . . ?” Tess asked.

“I told you, I was drinking. I was in the study, and I broke a glass. She heard a noise and came to check it out, and it just . . . happened.” He shook his head as if he still couldn't quite believe it himself.

They were all quiet for a minute.

“Hey, I'm glad you got laid,” Pierce said, trying to lighten the moment. “If anyone ever needed to—”

“Shut up,” Charles snapped.

“Charles.” Tess swept her long hair back over her shoulders. “What about since then? How's it been between you two?”

“Since then? It was fucking awkward at first, of course. But I kept trying to get her to talk to me, to break that ice, so we could be at ease around each other again.” Charles thought back to the night after, the anxious look in Lisette's eyes when she got back to the house. “I think she was plain scared. She loves her job, and she thought I was going to get rid of her. Which was ludicrous, since it was my fault, really.”

“Um, hold on,” Pierce said, pinning him with his gaze. “Why is it ludicrous? Of course she was scared—you hold her life in your hands.”

“What?” Charles stared in confusion. “No, I don't.”

“Yeah, you do,” Pierce shot back. “Think about it. Everything in her life depends on you. Her job, her income, even where she lives. You have total power over her life. Hellooo?”

“He's got a point,” Tess murmured.

Charles scowled as Lisette's words echoed in his head.
“This isn't my home; it's yours. That's not my car; you own it. The money I make all comes from you. Don't you understand? My livelihood—everything in my life—is dependent on you . . . Hear me.”
He swore under his breath.

“What are you getting at?” Dane asked Pierce.

“Well . . . someone has to say it.” Pierce eyed Charles and asked quietly, “Did she sleep with you because she was scared to say no? Have you even considered that?”

Charles swore viciously under his breath and slammed his bottle down on the coffee table. “You've got some set. I'd never abuse my power that way,” he seethed. “And I can't believe you'd imply that I would, or that I did.”

“You're not hearing me,” Pierce said. He took a swig of beer.

“What I just heard,” Charles said, blood pulsing at his temples, “is you implying Lisette slept with me out of fear, that I used her in a power play or something much worse. That's a hell of a thing to say.”

“Charles. I know you didn't, and you wouldn't. But did
she?
I'm trying to make you see it from her point of view.” Pierce scrubbed the back of his neck. “You've had insane wealth and power your entire life. You're a great guy, but you're not getting this: you have
a lot
of power over her,” Pierce said. “That puts her at your mercy. Whether you would use that power or not is irrelevant. That imbalance still exists. If you're falling for her, you have to acknowledge that.”

Charles took a swallow of his beer as his mind worked. “Perhaps.”

“You know . . . Julia got supremely fucked over by her ex-husband,” Dane said. His tone had turned somber, and they all turned to look at him. “He was rich, powerful, and treated her like a toy. And then like dirt. He used all the power his wealth and connections gave him to bury her when he decided he was done with her. He was ruthless. People like that exist, Charles. You're not one of them, but regular people are wary of people like us.”

“People like us?” Charles echoed.

“Yeah. Insanely rich and privileged, which makes us powerful. We
are
different, Charles. To most of the world, we are.” Dane shrugged. “You have no idea what it took to get Julia to see me as just a guy who wanted her. To trust me. To trust that I wasn't going to use my power over her, in any way, ever.” His brows arched to punctuate his last point as he said, “And she didn't live under my roof. She had her own life.”

“Not to mention,” Pierce added, “word gets out you're doing the nanny, and she'll be tabloid fodder in the blink of an eye. Remember how it was when it first got out Abby and I were a couple? Her face was on gossip websites, all that shit.” His eyes narrowed. “Remember when that sleazy photographer followed her to work one day, and I called you, asked for a bodyguard for a few weeks?”

“I remember,” Charles grumbled.

“Abby's a first-grade teacher,” Pierce reminded him. “She works with children. She could have lost her job. Luckily, the paparazzi got bored with us pretty fast, and besides, I'm not a COO. If you and Lisette don't work out . . . you think she'll find another nanny job again so easily?”

“Okay, fine! Goddammit! I hear you.” Charles rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn't think of those things. But
she
does. She's the one who's concerned about the difference in social status, not me.” He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he huffed out a frustrated breath and said, “I don't think about the power balance; I just think of her. So it's what
she
thinks. And I hate it.”

“Then show her she's wrong,” Dane said. “That's what I did, and I have the most incredible woman in the world. You want Lisette? Then go after her. And show her, and the whole world, that you don't care about any of that stuff. Show her she's wrong.”

“Very romantic,” Pierce said. “But she's
not
wrong; that's the problem.”

“Since when are you the voice of reason?” Charles snarled.

“Since I'm the only one here who's endured a public smearing and paparazzi following my very normal, small-town girlfriend to her job and to her house,” Pierce said, a hard edge to his voice. His eyes flashed as he fixed his brother with an unflinching stare. “Nothing touches you, Charles, you're like fucking Teflon. But I've seen firsthand what happens. I felt awful bringing Abby into my circus of a life. You ready to do that to Lisette?”

“So that's it?” Charles said, feeling a wave of anger and hopelessness batter his insides. “Just give up on the idea of pursuing something meaningful with her because of power issues and class wars?”

“If you just want to sleep with someone,” Dane said quietly, “maybe find someone else.”

“That's not—I want something with
her
,” Charles admitted. “And I haven't wanted anything real with anyone in a long time. She's different. She's special, and I . . .” He swore, shook his head, and stared at the floor. Why had he finally found someone he found interesting enough to pursue, and it had to be tangled up in class bullshit? Couldn't he do anything the easy way?

“Oh, honey,” Tess whispered. She leaned in and grasped his hands. He looked up at her, and she squeezed his hands tightly. “You're a good man. You can find a way to make it work if you really want to try. Nothing's impossible. Difficult, but not impossible.”

“You really care about her,” Pierce said.

Charles nodded. “More than I realized.” His voice had grown low and gruff, and he cleared his throat. “She's a wonderful woman. She's got this steely inner strength, surrounded by unbelievable softness and beauty and warmth. Her warmth . . . I want that in my life. I need that; I'm craving it. I want
her
.” He looked up at his siblings. He had their full attention. “I'm what, too good for her because I come from big money? That's bullshit. We're just two people, goddammit. I'm not royalty; she's not from the gutter; this isn't some fairy tale. We're just
people
.”

“Hey. Charles.” Pierce stared intently at him. “Right there. You just proved you're not like Dad. Because no way would he ever lower himself to date someone from a lower social class, much less his kids' nanny. He would totally care what people would think or say. He'd never take it public. He
does
think he's royalty. So congratulations. You hearing me?”

“Yeah. I hear you,” Charles took his brother's words on board. “Thanks.”

Pierce nodded and winked before taking a swig of beer.

“If something actually happened between us,” Charles said slowly, “I'd . . . I'd shield her from the spotlight and the bullshit as much as I could. The gossip, and anything or anyone nasty. You know, use my powers for good, not evil?”

They all smiled, the tension in the air dissipating like mist.

“You're already thinking in terms of trying to be together, more than a fling,” Tess pointed out softly. Her smile spread and lit her eyes. “So you just need to find out if she has feelings for you too. Do you think she does?”

“I don't know.” Charles uncrossed his legs and shifted in his seat. “I know we're attracted to each other, and we're both fighting it like hell, but I don't know if she has actual
feelings
for me.”

“Ask her,” Dane said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Jesus, dude,” Pierce said, sitting back and stretching out his long legs. “For one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, you're being a total candy-ass about this.”

“I am not,” Charles insisted. “I'm trying to be careful with someone who, according to you, feels powerless and vulnerable in comparison to me. Not to mention that I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I have feelings for her at all, much less deal with all the difficulties and obstacles that come along with it. It's a mess.” With a heavy sigh, he reached for his beer bottle. “You've all given me a lot to think about today.”