Page 54 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

“Thanks,” he said. “I think I’ve taken up a lot of your time and I appreciate that. I’ve got things to think about. If you want to send me over the information on the security that you’ve got, I’d appreciate it.”

“I can do that,” Kyle said, standing up when he did. “Don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. I mean that. I know you work on Sundays but have Saturdays off. My wife would like to meet you. Maybe we can have you over for dinner on a personal level soon.”

“We can do that,” he said. “Tomorrow I get to meet your son on his grounds.”

Kyle laughed. “Kelsey is a sneaky one doing that at the restaurant. She knows Duke will behave. Those two are very close.”

“So I gathered.”

Van left after that and went home to try to absorb all he learned. The hardest was the personal information about his grandfather and father, but he wasn’t shocked either.

15

ME AND MY MAN

“I’m assuming your brother knows we are coming tonight?” Van asked the next night.

“Of course,” Kelsey said. “He has to cook my food. I’ll make sure the server knows that too, but they do.”

“What?” he asked. “He cooks yours special?”

“Don’t give me shit over that,” she said, bumping her shoulder into his. “I get that enough from my mother, but Duke doesn’t mind. He gets it.”

“Gets what?” he asked.

She could tell it was odd to him. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her brother’s other chefs.

“That he’s the best and I should get the best. He’d want that.”

She was laughing when she said it. She was joking but not really.

“What’s the real reason?” he asked.

“He’s my brother,” she said. “I do a lot for him, he does for me too.”

She was still grinning and he shrugged his shoulders. He rarely asked her to elaborate. She wasn’t sure if that made her happy or not.

“Whatever,” he said.

“It’s not a big deal,” she said. “Just something he’s said he’d always do and to make sure he knew I was here.”

She kept her grin on her face, but that was part of the reason. Duke said he’d always take care of her and that meant making her food too.

She found it sweet but knew it might be annoying to her boyfriend tonight. The protectiveness of her brother.

But she was the older twin and would remind him of that too.

“Table for two,” Kelsey said, walking in and seeing the hostess. “For me and my man.”

She slipped her arm through his and saw Brittany at the hostess counter lift an eyebrow. They knew her here.

Her relationship wasn’t a secret, but it wasn’t that common of knowledge either. Might as well put it out there for most to see.

Why not?

“This way,” Brittany said.

“You didn’t need reservations?” he asked. Other people were waiting.

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