“That’s good.”
They walked into the living room and found Trent and his father having a discussion.
“Ten minutes early. I’m impressed,” Trent said. “That makes at least two occasions this year you’ve made it on time. How did you whip him into shape, Kiera?”
“I find threatening him works best,” Kiera answered.
“Threatening who?” Addie walked into the room. The last time he saw Addie, he wouldn’t have suspected she was pregnant. Now he noticed the small bump.
Trent immediately put an arm around his wife when she sat. “My brother. Kiera says that’s how she gets him places on time. Did you know he showed up late the day of our wedding?”
Gray was glad that his brother’s comments drew the attention off of Kiera, but he’d rather not have them focused on his own shortcomings either.
“As much as I love discussing myself, perhaps we can find another topic. What were you talking about when we walked in?”
“I was about to tell Trent and Addie about the Clean Water Matters initiative. Patrick called to tell me about the new nonprofit organization his son and wife started. He said you’d promised Anderson your support at the fundraiser. I thought Trent and Addie might be interested.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Kiera look his way. He’d never mentioned the fundraiser to her. Even w
hen he’d seen the cover of Celebrity Today, which mentioned it, he’d kept his mouth shut. As much as he wanted to tell Kiera the truth, he couldn’t risk blowing his cover.
“Wasn’t that fundraiser a couple of weeks ago?” Kiera asked.
“Yes. Out in California. It garnered a lot of support, according to Patrick.”
“I read about it this afternoon,” Kiera said to everyone in the room, but her silent question to him hung in the air.
“I’ve never heard of it. What’s the organization’s goal?” Addie asked.
As his dad shared what information his friend had passed along, Gray remained focused on Kiera.
She wasn’t saying much. That didn’t bode well. As much as he’d like her to be okay with finding out about the fundraiser now, she wouldn’t be. And he couldn’t blame her.
Betty, a member of his dad’s household staff entered the room. “Dinner can be served whenever you’re ready, Mr. Sherbrooke.”
“Thank you, Betty.” His dad stood and offered a hand to his wife. “Since Mathieu is off tonight, I asked Jason to prepare one of his signature fish entrées tonight.”
Trent and Addie followed his dad and Abby out, but Kiera hung back, a frown on her face.
“You went to that fundraiser mentioned in the magazine? I thought you had a business emergency to take care of in California?”
“After I finished work that afternoon, I ran into Anderson. He invited me to the fundraiser. It sounded like a good cause, so I stopped in for a few hours.”
Parts of his statement were true. He’d stayed only a short time, and the project was a good cause.
“I see.” She pulled her hand away from his. “And you forgot to tell me, right?” Kiera’s frown deepened.
“Not so much forgot. More like, it didn’t seem important at the time. Then, it slipped my mind altogether.”
In the months they’d been together, they’d never argued. It looked like that was about to change.
“Really, Kiera I stayed a couple of hours then flew back here.”
“We should join everyone.”
“C’mon, Kiera. I wasn’t trying to hide it from you.”
“If you say so.” She took a few steps toward the doorway, but he grabbed her arm before she got far.