The change of subject was a welcome reprieve, but the mention of LA launched images of Heavenly through his brain, huge blue eyes gazing up at him above her gorgeous smile. Her little laugh lingered between his ears. He could all but smell the intoxicating scent of her, something so unique that he’d recognize it—even blindfolded—in a crowded room.
Every moment he’d spent with her only made him crave her more.
But she’d chosen Beck.
Seth still couldn’t process that without his blood boiling. Hell, he couldn’t even remember the last time a woman had turned him down. He’d certainly never had one dump his ass.
It was done. He refused to be hung up on her. Heavenly wasn’t the only gorgeous woman in the world.
“The West Coast is an acquired taste.” He forced a smile. “Damn place is perpetually sunny and has a million palm trees. Did I mention the earthquakes, fires, and weirdos? And their traffic can be even snarlier than ours.”
“Oh, dear.” Grace cringed. “And Liam? How is he doing?”
“Better now.” Dancing through a minefield might be easier than explaining his friend’s unorthodox relationship to his very traditional Catholic mother, but he didn’t keep many secrets from her. “He’s in a serious relationship. Actually, he and Hammer both are—with the same girl. Raine is a little dark-haired spitfire.”
“She’s with them both? At the same time?” Grace gaped, eyes wide.
This conversation wasn’t awkward at all. “Yeah, Mom. It’s called polyamory.”
“Goodness,” she tsked. “How would you know that? Never mind. Don’t answer.”
He laughed, this time for real. His mother might suspect he had an interesting sex life, but she never asked. “Liam and Hammer are really happy with Raine. They’ve even got a baby on the way.”
“Oh. My. Well…babies are always a blessing.”
Seth knew what his mother was thinking. “You don’t have to worry. That kind of relationship isn’t for me.”
“Whew! I’ve always tried to be open-minded. Remember when you mooned over that grunge girl—”
“Mom,” he groaned. “I was fifteen.”
“But I don’t think I’m ready to handle something as unconventional as a threesome…”
“Put your fears to rest. Tell me, has Matt had any problems with the agency while I’ve been gone?”
“None.” She seemed happy with the change of subject. “In fact, he’s even started contacting the clients on your waiting list.”
First the crib, and now his business? Matt was taking care of every fucking thing these days.
Some part of Seth realized he should be thrilled and impressed. Instead, it just pissed him off that his younger brother had stepped into his shoes so easily. First, Heavenly hadn’t wanted him. Now, Matt seemed determined to usurp him.
“Well, good for him.”
Grace didn’t miss his sarcasm. “I thought you’d be happy that everything is going smooth as silk. Well, almost everything. The twins have been driving me batty—all the girls and booze and…I don’t even want to know what else. I’m sure the good Lord put Jack and Conner on this Earth to test my patience.”
“I’ll talk to them tonight.”
“Matt already did. They’ve been better since.”
Of course.
“In a few weeks, they’ll head back to college and the rest of you boys will go back to your lives,” she went on. “Then I’ll have the house to myself again, and I’ll miss the chaos. Maybe.”
He felt like snarling too much to share her laughter.
As his mother stopped at a red light, she turned to him, grin fading. “What’s wrong?”
Honestly, he couldn’t explain it. He should be happy he wasn’t coming home to a Christmas present unfinished, a business in shambles, and a family at each other’s throats. Instead, he was annoyed that the Cooper family didn’t seem to need him. If that was the case, why the hell was he here?
“Okay. Enough is enough.” Grace darted a concerned glance his way. “What happened in LA? You’re not melancholy about coping through Christmas. You’re pissy. Start talking.”
Though she’d been a wonderful wife and a terrific mom, the woman would have made a kick-ass shrink. Grace was intuitive and tenacious, especially when it came to her boys. Seth knew better than to feed her a string of platitudes. She’d only dig until she unearthed the truth.
He sighed. “I met someone…”
“Really?” She sounded shocked—with good reason. “That’s great. Why are you here, instead of with her?”
“Because it’s Christmas, and I’d never live to tell about it if I missed the holidays at the Cooper household. Plus, I have an agency to run. I can’t blow off my responsibilities indefinitely.”
“I’d miss you terribly if you weren’t here, but you deserve to spend your life with someone special. You’ve taken such good care of your brothers and me over the years. But your duty to us is done.”
Those words felt like a kick in the balls. Even his own mother didn’t need him anymore?
“Don’t look dumbfounded. I’m not trying to make you feel unappreciated. You’ll always be important to us, and of course we’re glad you’re home—”