“And you’ve deemed us fit to be in your life now?” Tessa came to her feet, tugged the hem of her shirt down and crossed her arms. “I’m skeptical, for sure, but more than anything I’m a little hurt you basically spied on us.”
Nash nodded. “I expected all of you to feel that way, but I had to do what was best for me and my mom. My stepfather is gone and I’ve taken care of her for years. I have to put her wishes and feelings above anything else.”
“She was okay with you coming here?” Damon chimed in.
“She left that decision up to me,” Nash informed him. “But she was worried that, at this point, I would disrupt your lives.”
“I have a brother,” Cassie whispered, her eyes filling.
“Cass,” Damon warned. “We still need proof, though I’m pretty sure Nash is telling the truth.”
“It’s the eyes,” Cassie said with a wide smile as she swiped her damp cheeks. “He’s got our eyes.”
Obviously not one to show emotions, Tessa turned to her father. “How could you go from his mother to our mom in such a short period of time?” she asked, throwing her arms wide. She still hadn’t sat back down and Nash was pretty sure she really wanted to storm out. She was definitely the more vocal sister.
Damon eased back in his chair, his hands gripping the leather armrests. “Without getting into details you all probably don’t want to hear, Elaine and I were attracted to each other, but we never fell in love or even mentioned a relationship beyond the physical. Once she left, I met Rose and love at first sight was something I had believed to be a myth until I saw her. We met one day, went on our first date the next and were inseparable. She was it for me.”
Nash swallowed. His mother had pretty much said the same thing. She and Damon hadn’t been in love, just young lovers having a good time. And they were from two different worlds, which was probably frowned upon at that time.
The beginning of his mother and Damon’s relationship mirrored that of Lily and himself. Only Nash had every intention of a different ending.
“Your eyes,” Tessa murmured as she slowly maneuvered around the coffee table and sat on the other side of him. “I knew when you first came here that there was something about you.”
Nash nodded, trying not to get too wrapped up in these emotions that threatened to rise to the surface. “I saw it first thing, too.”
He hadn’t even realized until this moment just how much he wanted the girls and Damon to accept him. He may have more money than he would ever need or know what to do with, but there was one thing money couldn’t buy...a family. And deep inside, that’s what he’d always wanted.
“You really are my brother?” she asked, her voice cracking.
Nash smiled. “Yeah, I am.”
“So what now?”
Nash shifted to focus back on Damon, who still had his silver brows drawn as if he didn’t know whether to be confused or angry. This was another part of the plan that he’d have to tread lightly on because as much as Nash wanted to get those horses, he also wanted this family. He just had to figure out a way to cleverly capture it all.
“That’s up to you,” Nash told his father. “I love working here, but I understand if you aren’t able to trust me right now.”