Page 13 of Once Upon a December
“See you Friday.” He winked and Felix’s grin widened again before he nodded and made a quick beeline out the door through the small space between Branson and Julian.
“I uh… I’ll leave you two alone then, sir.” Julian started to step back, out of the doorway but Branson pinned him with a dark look.
“Careful, Jules.”
Julian turned pink again and ducked his head. He backed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Gibson frowned at his brother when Branson finally stopped watching the retreating figure and turned back to look at him.
Gibson crossed his arms over his chest, “Stop flirting with my employees.”
Bran chuckled as he moved further into the room and collapsed down onto the leather sofa, “I will if you will.”
“Oh, shut up.” Gibson snorted as he followed his brother to the sitting area and knocked his feet off the coffee table just as soon as Branson had settled them atop it. “Felix isn’t an employee.”
“Is he or is he not your party planner?”
Gibson narrowed his eyes, “How do you know that?”
“I do more than just flirt with Jules to see him blush. He told me you were meeting with the guy planning the company holiday party.”
“And you decided to come barging in anyway?”
Branson shrugged his broad shoulders, “I figured you could use the escape. How was I supposed to know you were in here groping the guy? It’s not exactly Gibson-like behavior.”
Gibson fought a smile at the excuse that was far more thoughtful than he’d been giving Bran credit for. His brother had only known he was in a meeting planning for a party he hated. He’d come in to interrupt trying to be helpful, not a total ass, even if with Bran the two things weren’t mutually exclusive.
“He’s not just an employee.” He sat down opposite his brother.
“Clearly.”
“Don’t be rude.”
Branson raised an eyebrow, “You actually like the guy.”
“Of course I like the guy.” Gibson frowned again, “Why does that surprise you?”
“Because I thought you were supposed to be the smart brother.” Branson shrugged and leaned back in his chair, “Fuck him if you want. Enjoy the distraction. Just don’t get attached to the guy, Gib. You know better than that.”
Gibson’s fists clenched again, “You don’t know a damn thing about him, or about me for that matter, so stop talking out of your ass.”
“I don’t know you?” Bran narrowed his silver flecked eyes, “Bullshit. You’re a workaholic. You put this company ahead of everything else in your life. You spend what little free time you give yourself taking care of Roman and Dawson and me, even though I tell you to go to hell at least once a week. Don’t kid yourself into thinking some guy you’re fucking isn’t going to get big ideas and expect you to change. It’s always the same. Eventually they always want you to choose and you always choose us.”
Gibson grit his teeth against the urge to curse and yell. He was always calm and collected. Only Bran had the ability to rile him with nothing but a few judgmental words that hit too close to home for his liking.
“Felix isn’t like that.” He finally growled.
“They’re all like that.”
“Not Felix.” He insisted. “You don’t know him. Family is important to him, as important to him as it is to me.”
Branson shrugged, “I hope you’re right, brother. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Gibson sighed, “We’re not even… I haven’t… Look, Friday will only be our first real date. Yes, I like him. Yes, I want more with him. I hope that it will work out. But I’m not putting the cart before the horse and planning our life together. Even if I was, it isn’t any of your business so just drop it, okay?”
“Fine.”
“Fine.” He shot back.
“I said, fine.” Branson sighed.
