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Of course he does, he was here for it.
“I can keep an eye on her and Tess can run up to help until Charlie’s…back on her feet.” He smiles at the pun.
“I’m moving her into my house, Dad.”
He takes a breath. “Does she know that?”
“She thinks I’m on crack,” I mutter dryly before taking a swig.
Dad chuckles. “Look, I can give her the suite.”
“No. It’s fine. I’m rarely home and I’ve got a spare room.” That’s a lie. My spare room is currently occupied.
“Okay, well when she chews your butt out for interfering with her life, please insist she move into the suite when it frees up this Friday.”
She won’t say no.
“I’ll lock up,” I tell him. “You should head home.”
He nods before reaching for his car keys. “The room next door to her is open tonight. Key is in the lockbox.”
I meet his knowing eyes. Appreciating the fact he knows I’m not leaving her tonight. “Thanks.”
He smirks. “Goodnight.”
Chase walks through the door, crossing Dad on his way in. “What are you doing here so late?” I ask.
My brother runs a hand through his hair. “Contractors screwed up in the kitchen and now our oven isn’t working. Thought I’d pick something up here.”
“Kitchen staff is gone but help yourself.”
Chase mutters a thanks and pours himself half a glass of the Summer Ale. “Rough day at the office?”
“Just need to clear my head. What about you? How’d it go this weekend?”
My brother shakes his head. “It was a wild goose chase, Noah. Every lead is a dead end.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning no one’s willing to talk. And people keep dropping names of those we already spoke to.”
I scratch my chin, remembering the last time he and I followed a few leads. “It does feel like we’re running in circles, doesn’t it?”
He nods, resigned. It hurts me to see him like this. This should be the happiest time of his life. He’s about to marry the girl of his dreams.
But I get it. He won’t be happy until he makes all her dreams come true. And that’s to find her family.
“It just seems odd. I can’t believe no one would be willing to talk after all this time. Especially when it’s their own daughter looking for them.”
Chase stops twisting his glass, his eyes drifting away.
“Chase?”
“When we meet with some of these leads, we don’t…tell them who she is…”
“What? Why?”
“Pepper is afraid that…if she says her name, if her parents find out she’s looking for them…they’d stay hidden.”
