Page 3 of The Truth of Us

What does Theo actually do for a living? I wondered offhandedly.

Caleb glanced up from the couch, immaculate as always. “Do you?”

Theo smirked. “Debatable.”

Julian glared, his jaw tight. “You’re late.”

Late? Late for what?

“Dinner with Dad left a bad taste in my mouth,” Theo said, pulling a face. “I had to go out last night for a palate cleanser.”

Richard had been riding Julian hard lately about settling down. Julian rarely mentioned it, but I usually got the unfiltered play-by-play from Theo.

“How was it?” I asked, looking up from my screen.

Theo grinned, speaking right over Julian's low murmur, “It went as expected.”

"She was magnificent," Theo chimed in.

“That’s not an answer,” I chuckled. Julian was deflecting as usual, but I was genuinely curious about Theo’s night.

Theo flopped into the leather chair across from Julian. “Dear old Dad just threatened him with legacy again and heavily implied Julian's biological clock is ticking... You know, who doesn't love a good chat about breeding and reproduction before the main course?”

Before anyone could comment on that delightful mental image, my phone buzzed. An email from HR requesting senior management's presence at an event planning kickoff. Thank God I already have a PR meeting booked.

“Can anyone sit in on a meeting? We’re finalizing the internal holiday event,” I asked, tapping the notification. “HR needs confirmation on the scope and executive presence.”

“Christmas party,” Theo corrected. “Call it what it is.”

Julian looked ready to bite his brother's head off, but his gaze suddenly locked on something past the glass walls of his office. I looked back down at my screen, clearing a couple of unread emails and accepting my PR calendar invite.

When I looked up again, Julian was still staring out into the corridor. Theo was tracking his brother's line of sight.

“No way,” Theo muttered under his breath.

Intrigued, I locked my phone. “What?”

Theo grinned, that unhinged smile that signalled Julian was about to be tormented. “Tell me I’m not hallucinating.”

Following their gaze through the glass, I spotted her: a gorgeous woman with honey-brown hair pinned in a low bun. Even fully covered in tailored trousers and a fitted sweater, it was obvious she had an incredible shape underneath.

“Well, that’s promising,” I remarked.

"Sure is," Theo agreed, his tone practically dripping with mischief.

Glancing around, I noticed Caleb watching her, too. Fuck, I almost forgot he was in the room. While Rowan was a silent observer by nature, Caleb carried an almost kicked-puppy energy most days. It had changed little since we first met when I was twelve and he was fourteen. He ran our financial empire brilliantly, but sometimes I genuinely thought the guy just needed to get laid to burn off the melancholy.

Maybe I could send him... shit, what was that brunette's name from last night again?

Theo cut into my thoughts. “She was at the restaurant last night. Julian couldn't keep his eyes off her, stared like she was a hostile takeover.”

“Coincidence,” Julian snapped, his voice tight.

Theo winked. “Or fate.”

I took another look through the glass, then checked my schedule. The pieces clicked into place. “She must be from the event planning firm. Karen said she was sending a senior coordinator.”

“She’s leading?” Julian asked, his posture stiffening.