Page 76 of Phillip

“Everything looks great.”

Phillip turned, not expecting to see Hannah, Devlin, and Brock. “What are you doing here?”

Hannah tilted her head as though his question were Greek. “We’re enjoying everything King Harbor has to offer.”

“It’s about time I showed up at this thing,” Brock added.

“Oh, I think I see someone I know.” Hannah pointed toward a gaggle eating kettle corn and left without saying goodbye.

“Must’ve been an important person,” Brock muttered.

Devlin shook his head. “We could’ve planned that a little better.”

Phillip looked between his brother and cousin, wondering what was going on. “Plan what?”

Devlin and Brock exchanged glances. “We talked.”

“This doesn’t sound good.” Phillip backed up to a trash can and ditched his untouched snow cone. Returning, he crossed his arms. “I’m ready. Whatever it is.”

They laughed.

“We’re going to buy the Ferrari,” Devlin said. “Everyone will kick in some cash, and it’ll be like a gift and a donation.”

“That was my idea.” Brock grinned before Phillip could register what they’d said. “I know there are a couple things that you never got to with Dad.”

A wave of emotion hit him, and Phillip’s throat tied into a knot.

“I was too young to pick up anything from Dad,” Brock added. “And you need to know I don’t blame you for that.”

Phillip swallowed hard. He’d lived a lifetime certain that Brock blamed him for their deaths. The weight of the conversation nearly made him cry, but he managed to crack, “Since when do you fix up cars?”

Brock chuckled. “I thought maybe you could show me a thing or two, big brother, or even better, we just look at it and sip whisky.”

Big brotherhit Philip in the gut. One double whammy after another. He was certain Brock didn’t see him in the role of an oldest brother.

Phillip rubbed a hand over his face. “I appreciate the gesture, guys, but really, don’t.”

“Come on.” Devlin tilted his head. “The family’s on board.”

“We want you to keep the car.” Brock stepped back, and Uncle Graham joined the conversation, greeting Phillip with a nod.

This was like an intervention.

“We do.” Uncle Graham drew their attention. “And I need to make a correction to what I said before. You are every bit the Blackthorne you should be. I’m sorry if I said anything to the contrary.”

He didn’t know what to say.

“Don’t give up the car if it’s only to bring the Blackthorne name good press,” his uncle added.

God, he loved his family, the whole stubborn lot of them. They were all the same, in their own way. Blackthorne through and through. “I appreciate that—”

“But?” Brock crossed his arms.

Phillip chewed the inside of his cheek. “Following through is the right thing to do. Dad wanted me to grow up, to stand by my word, and that’s what I’ve done.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

The Ferrari 330 GT wouldn’t be the most expensive car to go on the auction block that night. But it was the only one that paralyzed Ashley. Her banker approved a middle-of-the-night request for a line of credit, so long as she used her home as collateral.

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