Asher frowned at his brother. “Ease up, Ian. There’s enough of Bradford to go around.”
Ian let out an audible breath, seemed to strive for patience, then said, “You wouldn’t be as calm if you knew Bradford’s area of expertise.”
“Which is?” Dale asked.
“Not my place to say,” Ian answered evasively. “But to be clear, Connor, you don’t bring a machine gun to a spitball fight.”
Connor raised both hands in protest. “Hey, I hear an insult in there and it’s not helpful.”
Grant stepped closer and gave Ian a stern look. “It’s not. Connor why don’t you do as Clay requested and just start at the beginning?”
The show of support from Grant brought the smile back to Connor’s face. Not all of the Barringtons were easy to get along with, but they were loyal. It had been impossible to stay annoyed with any of them once Connor had realized that. It was the reason he felt equally protective of them. Not just for Viviana, but because he valued his relationship with them.
With that, Connor settled back and began. “It all started when I went up to Reemsly Preparatory School to speak to the drama department. Claire usually writes my speeches and accompanies me to the venues. This time she couldn’t, and I didn’t want to go alone.”
“So you called Bradford,” Clay joked.
“I did,” Connor admitted with a shrug. “I knew he wouldn’t judge me, and like I said, I didn’t want to go alone. I’m not the person the public thinks I am. All I have to do is open my mouth and people know it.”
“Hang on,” Ian said, leaning in. “You asked Bradford to hold your hand because you were afraid to speak without Claire? I don’t believe it. And I don’t believe he’d fly back for that. So why don’t you tell us what really happened?”
Asher jabbed Ian in the ribs. “I used to be the asshole of the family so I feel qualified to say you sound like one right now. I’ve seen Bradford and Connor together. They crack each other up.” His voice turned more sarcastic. “Don’t worry, Ian, Bradford can have more than one friend.”
“Shut the—” Ian didn’t finish because Dale cleared his throat. He started over. “Thank you, Asher, for that insight.” He turned to Connor. “Please, go on.”
Sophie stood and moved to sit next to Connor on the couch. “Ignore the sarcasm and focus on how they all came when they heard you needed them. Ian always sounds like this when he’s worried. He’ll feel better once he knows all the facts.”
Connor nodded in agreement. She was right. Ian was actually a lot of fun to be with since he’d met Claire, but when he was concerned about something he still sounded like he had a stick up his ass . . . or a silver spoon . . . Connor smiled, remembering a conversation he’d once had with his brother on the topic. It was impossible to be intimidated by Ian while wondering how much silverware he had stuck up his anus. “Okay, so back to Reemsly. After meeting with Bradford, I decided the best way to handle the school visit was take on Bradford’s badass personality so no one would ask me anything I couldn’t answer.” He schooled his expression to one similar to Bradford’s. Cold. Emotionless. Jaded.
Sophie clapped her hands together. “Those acting classes have really paid off. Wow. I wouldn’t mess with you.”
“Right?” Connor joked, giving in to a smile. “Anyway, you need to know that part because that’s who I was when I met Angelina Kroll.” He sighed at the simple pleasure of her name rolling off his tongue. After that, the entire story of their time together flowed. From his attraction to her, her insult, what he’d learned about her son, his realization that she was being nice to him only to gain access to the Barringtons, then how she’d been fired from a job that hadn’t been a healthy environment anyway. He also summarized what Bradford had said about Svete as well as his suggestion that Connor keep Angelina away from the situation. “I want to work with Bradford to nail Svete, but I don’t want to do anything that endangers this family. I want to call Angelina and tell her the man she met doesn’t even exist, but Claire has put so much work into making me into this man.” He hung his head. “I used to embarrass Viviana almost daily. I don’t want to go back to that. I like this woman, but I don’t need this to be about that. I just want to help her.”
Sophie took one of his hands in hers and gave it a squeeze. “Oh, Connor. You’ve never embarrassed any one of us.”
Asher interjected, “We can’t help him, Mom, if we’re not honest with him. There was the time he threw up all over the bathroom at Annie’s parents’ house. Then he lost Clay on a mountain. Am I the only one who remembers when he had sex with that princess in a hall closet at your Christmas fundraising ball without knowing who she was and almost had to marry her? I could go on, but—”
“We get it,” Ian cut in. “That’s not you now, Connor. We know that.”
Connor rubbed a hand over his face. “It is, though. Beneath this suit there’s a man who just wants a good beer and a bonfire. I still get stupid ideas all the time. The only difference is I don’t act on them anymore.”
Clay arched an eyebrow. “I believe that’s what’s called growing up, something I’ve been told many times to do myself. Don’t change who you are on the inside, Connor, but you were embarrassing your sister. I admire your desire not to. Do you want me to buy Reemsly and fire whoever this Svete guy is?”
For the first time, Dax interjected himself into the conversation. “Clay, you’re not buying a school Bradford thinks is being embezzled from. I don’t care how bored you are, being investigated by the IRS as well as the FBI won’t be entertaining.”
“I’m not bored,” Clay protested, turning to face his longtime friend. “Why do you always assume everything I do is due to that?”
“Because it usually is.” Dax folded his arms across his chest. Kenzi Barrington couldn’t have chosen better. Not many men could hold their own in a room of Barringtons, but Dax was a powerhouse in his own right. He loved his wife and her family, but he certainly wasn’t a pushover.
How he and Clay had become friends and remained close for so long was a mystery to Connor. They had very little in common. Dax was a self-made hardened businessman. Clay had been born with a trust fund the size of a small country’s economy.
They often bickered like an old married couple, but somehow it worked. Connor almost smiled as he imagined Dax’s expression if he’d shared that thought aloud.
Clay mirrored Dax’s stance in mockery. “Was. That’s not who I am anymore, either. Connor and I have that in common. We’ve both enjoyed prolonged bouts of immaturity and strive on a daily basis to leave that part of us behind.”
“Tell me more about this woman,” Sophie asked, bringing Connor’s attention back to her.
“She’s incredible. Very intelligent, but earnest too. I wasn’t upset when I realized why she was being so nice to me, because she really cares about that school. I didn’t see her son, but my guess is he’s a tiny thing . . . and shy. You’d really like Angelina, Sophie.”
Sophie smiled and gripped his hand again. “I’m sure I will. Now let’s see if we can unravel this. First, Bradford and whatever he’s doing at Reemsly. Ian, I want you to find out exactly what’s going on there and keep a lid on it. If this man, Svete, is really stealing money from the school I have no problem with exposing him so the law can deal with him, but don’t let Bradford get hurt in the process. I like that boy.”