Page 144 of The Maxwell Brothers
“Which brother owns Maxwell Wineries? Is it Travis? I remember reading an article about your family, but I got the names mixed up.”
“No, Tate.”
“Travis, Tyler, Tate. Your family must like the letter T, huh?”
He grinned. “Yeah. We bug Mom and Dad about it pretty often.”
“Does everyone’s name start with T?”
“No, the others are Declan, Sam, and Luke.”
“What do they do?”
“Declan’s a lawyer. Sam is a doctor. He’s on a stint abroad with Doctors Without Borders. And Luke has an architecture company.”
“And Travis?” I liked hearing him talk about his brothers. It relaxed me. If I was honest, his mere presence was comforting.
“Travis is the one who just sold his company. He’s partying like never before.” He frowned.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing. Just wondering if Declan has a point when he says Travis is partying too much.” He rolled his eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, I’m turning into Declan.”
I couldn't help but laugh. “Why is that so bad?”
“Guy's a lawyer, has a permanent stick up his ass.” Thankfully, I hadn’t taken a sip of wine, because I would have spit it out over the table. Tyler had a way with words.
“I think that comes with the territory for some reason. Lawyers are serious.”
“I wouldn't know. I’m just the one who shakes things up.”
I laughed between forkfuls of pasta alfredo. The sauce was rich and creamy, and it was just divine.
After we both finished eating, I put the plates in the dishwasher. I felt Tyler's eyes on me the whole time. Turning around, I double-checked, and I was right. He was serious again.
“Kendra, all jokes aside, I meant what I said earlier. Tell me when you’re in trouble.”
I rolled my shoulders. “Trouble happens. It's not like I'm helpless or a damsel in distress.”
He groaned. “Stubborn woman. If you have someone to watch your back, it doesn't mean you're a damsel in distress. It means you're taking precautions. ”
“I usually have pepper spray with me, but I also have one of those small devices that looks like a car key, but when you press on it, it sounds like a police siren. It scares everyone off, trust me.”
His eyes bulged. “That's your defense mechanism?”
“Yes. It's not like I can physically fight someone off. Look at the size of me.” I was five foot eight, but I wasn’t exactly agile or strong. I wasn’t one for gyms and workouts.
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“I'm not. I'm just explaining that I'm not helpless.”
“I know that. Still, if you’re in trouble, call me. Promise you'll tell me.”
“What if you're gone?” I asked.
“I'll find a solution.”
I sighed. “Are you always like this, so determined to get your way?”
