Page 35 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

It’s not as if Coy hadn’t seen her put food away before.

Part of it had to do with the awkward silence in the room. If she was chewing she didn’t have to worry about what words might need to come out of her mouth.

“Yep,” she said. “I can’t wait to see this theater room you’ve got. I’ve only seen this floor of your house and not much more than the main living.”

It’s not as if she went around checking his place out when she was here with her family almost two months ago.

“Do you want a tour?” he asked. “I didn’t think much of it.”

“Sure,” she said. “If you don’t mind. Your parents’ house was nice and pretty, but this is more my style. I mean, generally with decor and stuff.”

“I know what you’re saying,” he said. “I’m glad I don’t have my mother’s tastes.”

“There isn’t anything wrong with floral,” she said. “But I might find it funny if it was here in anything other than plants.”

Helena had a few pictures on the wall that were pretty floral landscapes. Maybe something she wouldn’t actually mind one of, but the house was more soft than it was modern to her.

Which fit Helena’s personality because Coy’s mother almost seemed as if she floated from one room to the next. More like gliding effortlessly with everything she did.

Helena was warm and open and friendly. She even offered to go to lunch or be someone for Angel to talk to if she was missing home.

She was touched by the offer but wouldn’t take Coy’s mother up on it. At least in the situation they were in currently.

“I like nature,” he said, “but I’m pretty minimalistic. My mother has had years to decorate and change things in the house. Me, I just buy what I like and if it doesn’t match, I don’t care so much.”

“I don’t have anything in my place but the basics,” she said. “I do want to get a few things and might take a day to go shopping in Boston. We’ll see if I’m feeling up to navigating it alone.”

“If you want to go and aren’t sure about it, let me know. I can go with you.”

“Are you asking because of Spencer and you need to keep an eye on me?” she asked. It was going to get old fast if everything he did was because of her brother.

“No,” he said. “I don’t get to Boston often either, but there are always things I need. I find excuses not to go and that will stop me from doing it.”

“Then I’ll let you know,” she said, smiling. She wanted to believe he was being honest and would give him the benefit of the doubt.

“You know this part of the house,” he said.

She followed him back to the front of the house where the original structure was and down the hall. They’d passed a more formal living area that she was assuming he never used, then into his office.

“This is nice and big,” she said. “I put a desk in my spare room, but just a tiny one since I’ve got the bed in there. I tend to sit on the couch and do things anyway.”

“I’ve got more to do than just patient notes,” he said.

“You’ve got the whole practice to run,” she said. “Which takes a lot of work that I think people take for granted.”

“There is that,” he said. “Plus I’ve got other investments and I’m sure you know ownership in the retirement community with my brothers. A small part just to be part of it. I don’t sit back and not keep informed of where my investments are.”

She did know that. “And you’ll want to know other things that will eventually come to you too,” she said. “I get it. It’s got to be confusing and maybe frustrating to not always be able to focus on one thing. Though no one would complain about it either.”

“No,” he said, smirking. “It would be irresponsible for me to not take an interest. There are three of us and we will all get an equal share of what my father has. Just because my brothers work for Bond Realty doesn’t mean they get more equity. They earn their salaries that they get and they are building their own wealth and legacy just like me.”

“Because you all want this island to grow. I think that is what I love about it. That none of your family take things for granted like many would.”

“No,” he said. “We don’t.” They moved out of the doorway of his office and he opened the door to his room. “This is my suite. It starts in the old part of the house and then goes into the new part.”

“Wow,” she said. “This is huge.” She wanted to say it was the size of her apartment, but that would be stretching it.

“Closets on each side,” he said. It was the first thing you encountered when you walked in.

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