Brothers of Paradise Series

Faye’s hand slips out of mine as my mom hugs me for a long few seconds. “You look good,” she tells me.

“Thank you.”

“Rhys.” My oldest brother shoots me a wry grin and pulls me into a half-hug. He’s tan, far more than he should be, and his hair is a mess of dark curls. Spending months of the year traveling as a photographer apparently does that to you.

“Get a haircut,” I tell him. “Think of the wedding pictures, man.”

He gives me a level look. “It’s artfully disheveled. It’s a look.”

I keep a hand on his shoulder and nod hello to my youngest brother. “Parker.”

“Good to see you, man.”

“Likewise.”

“Where have you been hiding this one?” He smiles at Faye, his hair bleached a dirty blond from the sun, and she laughs.

“Is Lily already here?”

“Yes, she’s making cocktails with Hayden. Would you each like one?”

“Yes, please.” Faye shoots her winning smile at my mother-the megawatt one, the one that could melt ice-and the effect it has on my mother is immediate. She smiles back.

“I’m so happy you’re here, dear,” she says. “Come on up, let’s show you around. And Henry, your father is by the grill.”NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

Something in me tightens at her words, at the look in her eyes. No doubt she’s heard about our argument. Dad hasn’t called or emailed me since I turned down the project in Chicago. I knew he’d be angry, but I hope he has the wherewithal to not take it out on Lily’s wedding weekend.

Dad barely says hi to us, his back turned, focusing on the lobster tails on the grill like he has to make sure they stay put. The rest of us drink Aperols in the sun, out on the porch, the soft sound of waves crashing below.

Faye takes the seat next to me around the table. “This house is beautiful, Mrs. Marchand. Absolutely stunning.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Mom says, but she’s loving it. She’s always been a sucker for flattery. “I’ll give you a tour after dinner.”

My family is the picture of politeness, but it’s clear that they’re curious. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve introduced them to anyone, and Parker and Rhys are both currently single.

My sister’s fiancé is sitting opposite Faye, occasionally shooting her bemused looks. “Don’t worry,” he tells her once, as the table devolves into a debate about the new construction project next to the marina. “They’re always like this. You’ll get used to it after a while.”

Faye smiles. “I don’t mind at all. I’m an architect too, actually. We could talk about developments all day.”

My father has barely spoken all dinner, but he immediately perks up. “You’re an architect?”

The table quiets, as it so often does when he deigns to speak.

“Yes,” Faye says, her broad smile still intact. “It’s what Henry and I first had in common. And I understand building runs in the family?”

She’s being charming and kind. If my father throws this back in her face somehow…

“Why did you choose architecture?”

It’s a simple enough question, but there’s nothing simple about him. He’ll inevitably find some way to spin her answer back around to critique, if not about Faye, then about me.

“I love it. Building structures that last, the shape and the forms. It’s art that we inhabit, functionality and beauty combined. It’s been with us since we constructed the first huts.” Faye’s voice is earnest. “It’s man’s attempt to tame the world into shapes, into recognizable forms, to make structures that last. There was never anything else I wanted to study.”

There’s no mistaking the clear passion in her voice. Under the table, I reach for her hand, and it slides into mine without hesitation. She means every word she says, but she’s also set up a situation where it can’t be turned against her without making my father sound like a philistine.

“That’s beautifully put,” Lily says.

Dad looks unmoved. “So you’re the new influence, huh?”

“Pardon?”

“Did you know about his trip to Chicago last week?”

I shake my head. “Dad, stop. We’re not discussing this.”

But he doesn’t stop, and neither does Faye. I can see the exact moment it clicks in her eyes-that my friend who offered the firm the contract is my dad. Something flares in them, the same kind of competitive anger I’ve seen so many times before, and I know it’s not Faye I need to protect. It’s my father.

She gives a slow nod. “I knew about his trip, yes.”

Dad slides his eyes from her to me, narrowing them into slits. “So your decision wasn’t even your own?”

“Yes, it was, and I still stand by it. But we can talk shop after dinner.”

“So you can insult me again?” He puts his wineglass down hard, the glass rattling, and the temperature around the table drops noticeably. Fuck. This was exactly what I hoped wouldn’t happen. My mother’s gaze flicks from me to my father, and my brothers are both gearing up for a fight.

This needs to be diffused.

“I gave you my honest opinion on the project, Dad. It wasn’t meant to be an insult, and it’s unfortunate that you chose to take it as one.”

His gaze zeroes in on Faye. “Did you think it was immoral too? That was the word he used. Immoral.”

If looks could kill, my dad would be dead from the one my mother shoots him. “Michael! Behave!”

I put my hand flat down on the table. “Dad, let this be the last we talk of it. Stop embarrassing yourself.”

“It’s a simple question,” he says, clearly unbothered by our demands.

Faye leans back in her chair and slips her hand out of mine, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t know the specifics, but I didn’t think it seemed like a good project, no. Your son is an expert at these things. I’ve seen the way his employees idolize him, even if they’re scared out of their minds of him, too. I trust his opinion. If he said it was immoral, then I’m sure it was.”

Dad’s eyes widen, and then he breaks into a surprised chuckle. “I understand why you brought this one home, Henry. Damn. Do you know he doesn’t own his firm? He has a co-partner.”

His voice is challenging, like he wants to provoke Faye again, but it still cuts. I know he thinks I should be further in my career by now-he runs me harder than any of my siblings. Always has.

“Come on, Dad, you’re being wildly unfair,” Lily protests. “Henry is the most successful of all of us!”

“Yes, and don’t I know it.” He shoots her a pointed look that makes Hayden bristle, before returning to Faye. “So? What do you think?”

“Well, sir, as you’ve pulled no punches here tonight, I’ll do the same.” She puts down her napkin and smooths her hand over it, like she’s preparing for battle. “I think it was an exceptionally smart move. Together with Rykers, Henry can attribute double the number of prestige projects to his name. They can pull in more funding as a firm, not to mention Rykers focuses on different kinds of projects. They strengthen one another. I’ve been told you’re a very successful developer, but so far, I haven’t seen any of that business savvy in your comments tonight. If you’d like to really learn more about your son’s business, you should come to New York. That is if he’ll have you, after your rudeness. And that, sir, is what I really think.”