Serendipity (14 page)

“Are they coming?” Faith asked about his brothers.

He'd called them both. She'd heard him explaining that they needed to come over, that it was important. She'd forced Tess into the kitchen when an argument seemed imminent. Forced because Tess hadn't wanted to move, not when asked politely and not when ordered to do it either. Only when Faith had told her she could come and eat now or starve for the rest of the night had the teen stomped her way into the kitchen, where she'd refused to engage in any conversation at all.

Ethan's jaw tightened. “Yeah. Once I told them it wasn't about me, they each agreed to show up.”

Ouch.
“At least they're coming.”

Faith had stood by his side during the revelation about Tess and kept her busy while Ethan placed calls to his siblings. She'd done what she could. But she couldn't imagine how difficult he found this whole situation, and he didn't need her observing his family drama any further.

“Where's Tess?” he asked.

Faith glanced at him. Exhaustion was evident in the lines around his eyes and she had a hunch it was about to get worse.

“She's in the kitchen. I gave her some of Rosalita's finest,” she said, leaving out the details about how rude, obstinate, and difficult the girl had been. He'd learn soon enough.

Faith placed a hand on his shoulder, finding it difficult to believe that just a little while ago, she thought they'd be heading up to his bedroom. “I really should get going before your brothers get here.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Seriously? Because it's going to be difficult enough to break the news to them without a stranger in the midst.”

“We're all strangers,” he muttered. “And I'd like you to stay.” He reached out and clasped her hand.

She wondered if there was a hint of desperation in the request when without warning he spun her toward him. “Do not for one minute think I forgot about what we were about to do before we were interrupted.” The heat in his gaze promised her he hadn't.

Her body trembled at the thought of being with him. “I haven't forgotten either.”

But she had a hunch he wouldn't be free to act on his sex life for a while. A pang of disappointment followed that thought.

“Are you sure you want me here?” she asked.

“Positive.” He dipped his head for a quick kiss.

“Eew!”

Faith flung herself out of his arms.

“Get a room.” Tess stomped in, further making her presence known.

“Jesus, kid. Relax,” Ethan said.

“Did you finish dinner?” Faith asked her.

Tess bit her nails before finally muttering an answer. “Yeah.”

“Did you put your plate and things into the sink?” Faith automatically asked.

Tess braced her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side. “No. I left it next to both of yours on the table. Are you telling me a place like this doesn't have a maid?”

Ethan expelled a long breath of air.

At least he was showing restraint and patience, something he'd need for the long haul, Faith thought.

When the doorbell rang, Ethan's knowing gaze met hers. She wondered if he considered his brothers a reprieve from being alone with Tess or more like being in front of a firing squad. Neither possibility appealed.

“I'll be right back,” Ethan said, heading for the door.

Faith turned to face the girl. “That's probably your other brothers,” she explained. “There are two more of them.”

“Big whoop.” Tess folded her arms and glanced around. “So what's with this place? It's like a goddamn empty museum.”

Faith bit the inside of her cheek. “Ethan just moved in.”

“What happened? He spent all his money on the house and couldn't afford furniture?” Tess returned to gnawing on her nails.

Black chipped polish, Faith noted. Lovely.

“Faith.” Ethan stood in the doorway, his two brothers waiting behind him. “Can you hold down the fort in here?” Ethan asked. “I need to talk to them first.”

She nodded, forcing a bright smile. “We'll be fine,” she promised him.

I owe you.
He mouthed the words.

She grinned, deciding it might be nice to make him pay.

Ethan led his brothers into the kitchen, the only other place in the house with furniture other than his room. The tension was so thick he could slice it, but there was a kid in the next room who needed them to pull it together like a family.

He set his jaw, counted to ten, and turned to face his younger siblings.

“What's so important that we had to show up when you snap your fingers?” Nash, the middle brother asked.

Unlike Dare who, along with Ethan, had inherited their father's dark hair, Nash favored their mother, his coloring and hair lighter.

Ethan braced his hand over the back of a chair and met his brothers' gazes. “There's no easy way to say this, so I'll get right to the point. There's a teenage girl in the other room. Her name's Tess, and I just found out she's our sister.”

Both men looked at Ethan as if he'd lost his mind. Sometime in the last hour, he figured he definitely had.

“Remember Leah Moss, Dad's secretary?” Ethan asked.

Nash nodded.

“Sort of,” Dare said. As the youngest, he'd find it the hardest to remember.

“Well, according to the woman who dropped off Tess on my doorstep, and this piece of paper, we all share the same father.” He held out the envelope that held the DNA test and birth certificate Kelly had given him.

“You're saying Dad had an affair?” Dare asked, sounding appalled, angry, and disbelieving all at once.

“I'm not saying it. This paper is.” He waved it in the air once more.

Nash, the attorney, grabbed the envelope, pulled out the papers, and did a quick examination. “Could be forged. I'll check it out.”

Ethan nodded. “Good. In the meantime, assuming it's all real”—and Ethan's gut told him it was—“Tess is here and she's ours.”

“Who dropped her off?” Dare asked.

“A woman named Kelly Moss. Says she's her sister. Leah Moss is her mother too.”

“And what kind of sister drops a kid off with a stranger and leaves?” Nash asked.

Ethan had wondered that himself—until he'd seen the hug and flash of tears in the other woman's eyes. “The kind who can't handle her anymore.” Exhausted, Ethan ran a hand through his hair. “Prepare yourselves. Our little sister is a pain in the ass.”

More like an out-of-control juvenile delinquent, but let his brothers see for themselves. “Kelly said it's time for me to step up and play big brother.” He deliberately paused for impact. “Which means it's time for all of us to do the same.”

“What you're really saying is she's
our
problem because you don't plan on being there for her any more than you were there for us.” Having said his piece, Dare narrowed his gaze, his expression bordering on disgust.

Ethan bit the inside of his cheek to keep from hitting his own brother. “What I'm saying is that she'll be living here with me. You two ought to meet her. And since you both have such strong views on someone who'd bail on a kid, I'm assuming you'll be around for her too.”

That seemed to silence the duo for the time being, so Ethan continued. “Consider my house your house. Come by when you can. The kid's a mess. She needs all three of us.”

Nash's expression changed from suspicious to merely wary while Dare looked at Ethan like he wasn't sure what to make of him and didn't want to bother figuring it out. Which had all been well and good
before
Tess had entered the picture.

“She's in the living room. Are you coming to meet her?”

The two men glanced at each other and nodded.

“Let's go.” Ethan headed for the other room without bothering to make sure they followed.

He entered the living room and found Faith pacing, Tess leaning against the wall, her expression hostile and bored. He wasn't buying it. She'd just been dropped off on his doorstep and didn't know a damn thing about him. She had to be scared and intimidated, not that she'd show it. The kid had perfected the defensive wall she'd put up around herself.

He met Faith's gaze for a quick second, grateful she'd stayed, that he had one ally in what felt like a viper pit, not a family gathering.

“Tess, this is Nash and Andrew. Everyone calls him Dare.” Ethan pointed out each brother.

The three of them stared at each other. Ethan wondered if they'd noticed that beneath the black eyeliner, Tess's blue eyes resembled their father's.

Nash stepped up first. “Hi, Tess,” he said awkwardly.

“Where are you from?” Dare asked her.

She set her jaw and refused to reply.

“Tess, say hello to your brothers,” Faith said into the silence.

The girl glared. “Hello, brothers.”

Since the little hellion wasn't going to cooperate, Ethan decided to focus on the adults. “And Faith Harrington, these are my brothers, Nash and Dare.” Again, he gestured between the three.

“Harrington?” Nash asked.

Faith straightened her shoulders. “Yes, Harrington,” she said in her most formal—wary—voice.

Shit,
Ethan thought.
Now what?
“I'm assuming you remember each other from high school?” He strove for familiar ground.

“I know who she is.” Dare stepped forward and shook her hand. “I heard you were back in town.”

She nodded.

“I heard too.” Nash didn't bother with a polite handshake. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest. “From my clients,” he added coldly.

Faith pasted a smile on her face, one Ethan recognized as forced. “And what clients would those be?” she asked too sweetly.

Nash had already thrown the first punch. Faith was readying her defense.

“I'm an attorney. I represent the people in this town your father screwed over.” His brother's arrogant gaze raked her over. “Hardworking people who didn't deserve to lose their homes or their retirement funds. People like my adopted parents.”

Ethan shook his head in disbelief. If asked, he'd have said the night couldn't possibly have gone further downhill.

“Oh man, you're a
lawyer
?” Tess asked in disgust. “And what does this one do for a living?” She jerked a finger Dare's way.

“I'm a cop.” Dare met her gaze, almost challenging her to comment.

“Fucking swell.”

“Watch your mouth,” all three brothers said at the same time.

At least we agree on something,
Ethan thought.

Tess leaned back against the wall, her face once again a sullen pout.

Nash stepped closer to Ethan. “You asked me to come and I did. But this is a family matter, so what's she doing here?” He tipped his head at Faith.

She flushed red. Anger or embarrassment, Ethan couldn't be certain. By the way she folded her arms inward, she was definitely hurt.

Ethan had forgiven his brothers their bad attitudes toward him. He wouldn't allow them to treat Faith the same way. “Who is she? She's my guest and my friend, and I expect you to treat her with respect. She's as much a victim as your clients, so back off.” It was the first time he'd raised his voice at his brothers since his return.

Damn, it felt good.

Faith shifted from foot to foot. “I told you I should have left earlier.” She started for the door, when suddenly Tess darted around the room and stopped her.

“Hey. Don't leave me with them!” Her voice trembled. “I don't know them and who knows what'll happen to me here?” She faced Faith, treating her to the first expression of emotion they'd seen.

Damned if it wasn't panic. Ethan couldn't decide if this was an act or if she really was afraid of being alone in the house.

With him.

“You don't know me either,” Faith reminded the girl. But she grasped Tess by the shoulders and met her gaze. “They're your brothers and you need to get to know them. It might actually be kind of nice having older brothers, not that I'd know. But you should give them a chance.”

“Yeah, but one's a cop and the other's a lawyer! And I don't know what
he
does”—she pointed to Ethan—“but it's probably something else I'll hate,” she muttered, back to angry and moody once more.

“For a kid with her own juvenile probation officer, you should be glad to have a cop and a lawyer on your side.”

“A what?” Dare shouted at Tess.