Page 29 of One Big Little Secret

That’s what I get for being the single one, I guess. Flat jokes and a heap of fucking work waiting back at the office.

Dexter used to be the family workhorse, but ever since his wedding day, he decided Romeo time was more important andwork should take a back seat to his personal life. Fine, but someone has to pick up the slack. And since Archer has Colt and it’s a second job being a dad, now that workhorse is me.

“You must tell me more about the business.” Evelyn fixes her shiny brown eyes on Archer. “Your expansions, your success, it’s all very impressive. Especially for someone with an interest in real estate. I’m just fascinated.”

She has an interest in property? That’s news to me.

I glance at Mom, but she’s discussing comics with Colt. Or rather, he’s educating her about the comics he prefers and why. Mother looks lost when the kid starts talking about anime. I don’t think she ever broadened her horizons past the household name superheroes and cartoons from the 1960s.

Thankfully, Archer steps up and gives Evelyn a few details about our current projects. I add a little about The Cardinal and what we’re hoping to make it.

“Wow.” She frowns like she’s struggling to understand the concept, but that’s nothing new. I’ve found that the older the person, the less comfortable they are with today’s vacation rentals, even though the market keeps changing rapidly to embrace fresh concepts. “So you acquire properties you lease out as hotels?”

“You’ve heard of AirBnB and Vrbo?” Dexter asks. “We run on the same principle, but we specialize in high-end properties. Think hotels with great service, but exclusive. Many people don’t want old-school hotels anymore—at least, not in the traditional way we think of them.”

Evelyn nods. “I see. And you have properties in Omaha?”

I’m surprised she knows about our most recent acquisitions.

From the way Archer hesitates, I can tell he wasn’t expecting this, either.

“That’s right,” he says. “It’s a real work in progress and we won’t have anything running until next year. For now, we’re only operating in Missouri.”

“Ah, that’s sensible.” Evelyn clears her throat. “You see, if you’re expanding out of state… I just wondered if you ever might consider anything farther north? Like Minnesota?” She smiles at each of us. “I have a few proposals I think you’d love to hear.”

Archer blinks.

Dexter glances at both of us to check we’ve heard her right.

It’s hard to process what’s happening.

Evelyn Hibbing, Mom’s oldest friend, who only seconds ago could barely understand our company and never normally talks business at all, suddenly has a suggestion for expansion.

The silence goes on too long.

“I’d be happy to talk anytime, Evelyn. You’ll have to buy me coffee, though,” I tease. Mom smiles at me approvingly.

The surprise isn’t lost on her. She probably knows I offered out of politeness, but that’s more important to her than anything else.

Still, by stepping up here and being the model son in a business sense, I can stay in Mom’s good graces. I’d like to think it helps make up for never being the big family man Dexter and Archer turned out to be.

And if I can keep Mom smiling with my head to the grindstone, maybe it’ll keep her from forcing any matchmaking bullshit on me.

True to her word,Salem isn’t late.

I get to The Cardinal at nine o’clock sharp and find her waiting by the front door in black pants and a pinkish blouse,her dark hair pulled back from her face. She climbs into my SUV quickly.

“Mr. Rory,” she says stiffly as she settles in her seat.

“Again with the Mr. Rory shit? I said you could call me Patton.”

“What if I prefer Mr. Rory?” Her gaze darts to me and away again.

I snort loudly.

Goddamn, I hate beingMr. Rory.

That was my dad’s name, not mine. I’ve never felt big enough to fill his shoes just yet—but if that’s what she wants to call me, I sure as hell can’t force her to do otherwise.

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