Page 16 of Devlin

"Yes. He was always telling my dad that he needed him in earlier and earlier and sometimes on the weekends. He'd also ask him to travel to inspect some boat or hand-deliver a yacht. It drove my mom crazy that my dad could never say no."

"Maybe he didn't want to say no."

"I'm sure he didn't. As you said, he loves to work. Which is why I'mso worried about him now. His job has been his whole life. He lost everything else."

He thought about that, wondering if he wasn't going down the same path as Frank, maybe even his father…

That was a disturbing thought. The last person he had ever wanted to be was his dad.

"But it wasn't all about my father's job," Hannah continued. "I didn't realize this until I was an adult,but my mom didn't just want my dad to spend more time with her; she wanted her own dream. And she couldn't have it in this small town."

"The dream of real estate? They sell houses here."

"They do, but I think she was in loyal wife mode back then. She didn't want to leave me with a sitter while they were both working. Once we left, she had no choice. She had to make it on her own.Leaving my dad's shadow, moving away from his needs, gave her the opportunity to find herself. Over the last ten years, she has built one of the most successful real estate companies in Austin."

"So, the split was good for her."

"Yes. It was good for her and good for him—me, not so much. I still miss the family I once had, being able to be together, especially on holidays or birthdays.As a kid, it was hard to split time, and as an adult, I've seen less and less of my father. Divorce is really hard on kids." She paused. "But your parents will probably get back together. This is just a fight."

"I hope so. It's difficult to see either one without the other. I really thought they were true partners in every sense of the word. When my dad is with my mom, he's different. He'skinder, softer, more generous, more attentive. She balances him out."

"What does he do for her?"

He frowned at the question, then tossed back the rest of his whisky, letting the warm, smooth slide of liquid take away some of the guilt he felt for never asking that question himself, for possibly taking his mom for granted, the way apparently everyone else in the family had done.

"My dad has given her a great life," he said finally. "They've built an incredible family and legacy together."

"Maybe she wants something of her own."

"Like your mom?"

Hannah shrugged. "Possibly."

"That's actually exactly what she said and in a very dramatic fashion, which was even more strange, because she was never one to air any family laundry in public. Butshe gave it to my father in front of their friends and even some business associates. She told him off in very firm terms, saying she'd given her life for him. She even mentioned something about keeping his secret, whatever that is."

"That's an odd thing to say."

"I thought so, too." He picked up the second glass of whisky and drank it halfway down. He was starting to get a nicebuzz going, which was probably a bad idea, because watching Hannah through a blurred whisky gaze was bringing all kinds of foolish thoughts into his head.

"Is that Logan?" Hannah asked, tipping her head toward his brothers, who were still watching them with considerable interest.

"Yes, and my brother, Ross."

"I remember Logan. He was the closest in age to me and so popular.Every girl wanted to date him. When I'd visit in the summers, my friends were always trying to find ways to accidentally run into him."

He smiled. "Logan has never had any shortage of girls after him."

"The same is true for you and the rest of your tribe. Are any of your brothers or cousins married?"

"Not yet."

"Do most of them live in Boston?"

"We're all spreadout. I'm the only one who lives full-time in King Harbor. My cousins, Phillip, Jason, and Brock are in DC, LA, and Boston respectively. My brother Trey is also in Boston, while Ross is in Kentucky, and Logan jumps around from place to place."

"Why did you choose to live here?"

"The sea," he said with a simple shrug. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

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