Page 22 of The Duke's Brother

As the potential for more income brightened the prospect of being the sole owner, so did his motivation. She had never seen her brother happier. With the influx of money, she dared to schedule another heli run. Something for her to do to clear her head. Because if the bakery didn’t need her, she would ski, but what else? Perhaps she could start up classes at university again. The wide wilderness and snow filled mountain would help clear her mind and help her decide.

Chapter 13

Tripp couldn’t shake the dark cloud that followed him wherever he went.

“Hey grumpy.”

“Lucan, leave me alone.”

“Oh, youaregrumpy.”

He turned to his brother and tried to play along as they always did, but his heart wasn’t in it and his brother did not seem funny today. “Hey Lucan. Just trying to get through my days right now.”

“How are the clean-up plans going? How’s Grevena?”

“Excellent. We are meeting to make plans to refresh the whole place, renovate, and modernize where we can but still maintain that quaint historic feel.”

Lucan nodded.

“The shops have suffered from lost publicity and sales because they so carefully guard us from the press. I think we should do a couple press invited appearances every quarter and take turns supporting individual establishments.”

“That sounds like a great idea. And security would be simple enough to maintain. We know the area.”

His brother had only one thing on his mind, ever, security. Tripp wondered if a lady had ever even turned his eye.

“She’s training.”

Tripp pursed his lips.

“Jenneca’s getting really good. Her times bring her up to Olympic contender potential.”

“That’s great!” He was happy for her. She deserved whatever it was she most desired.

“You could train with her.”

“My days are past, Lucan. I tried. My times are slow.”

“So, I didn’t say go be an Olympian. I said you could train with her.” He raised his eyebrows and a spark of hope lit Tripp’s malaise.

“I could go start competing and at least get myself some points.” In order to qualify for the Olympics, he would need a certain amount of points by January 21. “And he would need to be competing at the top times. He doubted, with the lack of time and effort he had put in, that he could get his times down low enough, but he could be gaining some points. And, he admitted, run into Jenneca at the same events.

“Have you even told her all that you did for her and the bakery?”

“No, well, some of it. But what she really wants is this Olympic dream.”

“But the bakery cleared the way so she could get it. She needs to know.”

He shrugged. He didn’t want Jenneca grateful to him anymore. He didn’t want that feeling of her being beholden to him. He just wanted to spend time with her. Every day for the rest of his life. And if he had to start competing as a skier again to do it, even better. His smile started small but it crept across his face until he felt like his old self.

Lucan groaned. “Happy’s back.”

Tripp pounded his brother on the shoulder. “Thanks, brother.”

He made sure all his efforts at clean up were well under way and appropriately supervised and then he boarded his jet and took off once again to Austria. He would have a few days there to work up better times and then go to his first event for points toward qualification. He knew once he showed up at any event, the press would take it and run. He determined to hide from them as much as possible, especially where Jenneca was concerned.

The jet was quiet with the memory of all his brothers from the last trip echoing in his brain. But he slept for a large part of it and when he landed, hurried out to the waiting car.

The hotel gave him his usual room. The suite spread out in front of him in the rustic luxury he appreciated at Dachstein. A fire burned in the fireplace, his hot tub already bubbled in welcome. A spread of fruits, cheeses and breads waited for him on the counter. And all of it made him wish that Jenneca was at his side.

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