Page 30 of Phillip

“It would’ve been a nonevent, except that two gentlemen overindulged and got into something like…” Ashley deferred to Devlin.

“A food fight.”

“Wait, what?” Phillip asked. “I didn’t hear about that.”

“You did, but the brilliant Miss Cartwright spun the whole problem into a charity event.”

“I love charities,” she downplayed and blushed.

Phillip’s jaw dropped. “The lobster-throwing thing?”

Devlin laughed. “You got it. Boatworks’s charity lobster throw started as drunken shenanigans between two surly grumps. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.”

“There was a lot of talk to make it an annual event,” Ashley added.

Devlin nodded. “The woman can work magic.”

“Would you like to join us?” Phillip asked.

His cousin shook his head. “I told Hannah I’d grab takeout—”

Something had caught Devlin’s eye, and after a small head tilt, Phillip repositioned in his chair and followed his line of sight.Graham.

“Huh.” Phillip rubbed his jaw. His uncle alone at the Vault wasn’t interesting, but the company at his table would raise more than a few eyebrows.

Ashley caught on to their unspoken questions and picked up her purse. “Excuse me. I need to make a phone call.”

“She’s perceptive,” Devlin said after she excused herself.

“She’s a lot of things,” Phillip added under his breath.

Devlin laid a hand on the chair next to him, lifting his chin.

Phillip nodded. “Take it.”

“Do you know those men?” Devlin asked in a way that let Phillip know he already had the answer.

He stole another quick glance at Graham’s corner table, tucked away but not out of sight. “Real estate developers, I think.”

“Yeah, from a big-time consulting firm out of Boston.”

“Huh.” Graham hadn’t mentioned entertaining out-of-town guests. “Blueprints?”

“Surveys, maybe. I don’t know. I can’t get a good angle without being obvious.”

“We could say hello,” Phillip suggested.

Devlin nearly laughed. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been scolded for interrupting.”

They both chuckled. When a business ran in the family, family time often became business time. They’d learned early not to disturb.

“Did you hear…” Devlin stole another look.

What hadn’t Phillip heard? Even when he tried to avoid the gossip, he still heard more than enough. “About the property lines?”

Devlin’s brow furrowed. “Think it’s true? About the deeds?”

“Trading hands in a poker game?” Phillip chewed the inside of his mouth. “If so…” He whistled low. “There’d be consequences.”

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