Justin’s chest tightened. What did Leo know or think he knew?
“How goes it?”
“Nearly complete.” He’d spoken to his attorneys earlier that day, and the necessary paperwork was being sent before evening.
“Back in the office Monday then?”
Justin wished he could give his brother a definitive answer. As much as he missed New York and the busy urban streets, he wasn’t certain he’d back to his beloved Manhattan by Monday.
“Not sure yet, this …” What did he want to call what he was doing? Justin didn’t want to lie, but he wasn’t yet ready to share with Leo that he had a son and that Leo was now an uncle. “This is taking longer than expected.”
“All the Travati brothers are spending way more time hammering out deals they thought were closed, eh?” Leo gazed past his computer screen, the lines of fatigue around his eyes and mouth obvious even over the computer.
“Seems like. I’m off to make a conference call. You’ll keep me informed?”
Leo nodded. “Always do. And you the same?”
Justin nodded. He was, in fact, lying to his brother by omission. The hypocrisy of his actions wasn’t lost on him. He needed to meet Max and then find the right time, the right moment, preferably when all four Travati brothers were together, to actually tell them that not only did he have a son, but they, his brothers, were Max’s uncles.
“When I have news,” Justin lied, “you’ll be the first to know.”
*
“You did what?” Nina gasped, her voice so loud that half the Rockwater Farms kitchen staff turned to look at Nina and Aubrey.
“Shhh, I’m already the town harlot. Do you have to give them rumors to spread?”
“Oh please.” Nina waved her hand. “You’re a grown woman. Besides, kitchen staff always need something to gossip about.”
Nina, coffee cup in hand, followed Aubrey into her office. The muscles of Aubrey’s legs were sore. All the right muscles ached in all the right places for all the right reasons. She smiled, and then the smile slid from her face with the realization that there wouldn’t be a repeat of last night. They’d sign the paternity papers sometime today and then hammer out the details of Justin meeting Max and when Max and Justin would spend time together.
“Little hungover?” Nina asked.
“No booze,” Aubrey said. The passion last night hadn’t been fueled by alcohol. This was real, honest-to-goodness attraction, the kind that swept your feet from beneath you and yanked your breath from your lungs. She’d had the same exact feeling fifteen years ago, the first time she’d slept with Justin. “Besides, we both know that drunk isn’t an excuse. Stopped being one in college.”
“True.” Nina tilted her coffee cup to her lips. “Details, please.”
Aubrey sank into her office chair. Her emotions were near the surface, and she was so conflicted when it came to Justin. She’d told him he was the father of her child, then three days later had the most mind-blowing sex she’d had in fifteen years. Fifteen years.
“It was amazing.” She looked out the window of her office. She wasn’t happy or excited. There was too much weighing on her to feel the elation that should come after a night of mind-blowing sex. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, then looked at Nina. “And complicated. Last night shouldn’t have happened. There’s already conflict and emotion and challenges, and this just … Well, it muddies the waters and makes everything even more difficult.”
“Love usually isn’t easy.” Nina swallowed a sip of coffee. “Or it hasn’t been for me.”
“Love?” Aubrey’s eyes narrowed on her sister. “I’m not in love with Justin Travati.”
“You have your story and I have mine.”
“Really, Nina? You’ve been cooking for too many weddings.” She reached out and pressed the On button for her computer. “We were together one night fifteen years ago.”
“And you worked with him for a year and a half before and three months after. Never had sex again and now share a child with him.”
“We don’t know each other well enough to be in love.” She clicked on her calendar and to-do list for today. “Besides,” she mumbled, “I’m not even certain he likes me.”
“Mm-hmm. I can see that, especially after the secret you kept for fifteen years.”
Aubrey glanced over her computer screen and toward her sister. “Exactly. But thanks for mentioning it again. I hadn’t quite forgotten that I kept Max away from his father for nearly forever.”