“Yes, of course, you must be Brad,” I said, extending my hand.

“Come here and give me a hug, Vicky, I understand you are a long lost cousin,” he chuckled taking me in for a warm hug. Then he pulled himself back and held on to my hand. “Damn woman, you are lucky you are my cousin,” he smiled with a devilish grin.

Luc chose that exact moment to make his way into my office. “No harassing the interns,” Luc said, walking toward my desk. “I see you have a lunch date, Vicky, I just wanted to check in on your progress,” he stated matter of factly and I hoped I hid the blush that appeared on my cheeks by his mere presence. Luc turned his head and his eyes landed on the cart covered in food. “You haven’t eaten?” he said looking back at me and I shook my head. “Okay, go ahead and eat and stop by my office when you have a minute.” He turned around to leave and nodded his head saying, “Brad,” before he walked out the door. Geez, Luc is always so intense and serious.

Brad made himself comfortable, taking his sport jacket off and placing it on the back of the chair, before taking a seat with a wide smile on his face. The Andrews men clearly had a distinctive look. He was tall like Bryce with the same wide shoulders and strong physique; only his eyes are a lighter blue where Bryce’s are an interesting shade of grey. Their skin looks almost naturally tanned and they both have the same shade of dark brown hair, only Bryce has strings of grey running through his.

“So how are we cousins?” I asked, squinting my eyes and trying to make small talk with the complete stranger who had made himself feel at home in my office.

“My mother was Bryce’s sister, but he adopted me when I was a boy,” he explained and I couldn’t help but notice that he said the word ‘was.’ His mother must no longer be alive. My heart ached for this stranger.

“I’m sorry,” I replied.

“My parents died in an accident when I was seven, that’s life, Vicky. I am twenty-seven years old. I barely have any memories of them,” he explained to me, making me wonder why he was revealing so much to a stranger. “Bryce told me about your mom and your dad, I’m sorry that must be tough because she raised you,” he trailed off and for the first time since I met him his unabashed surety wavered.

“It’s been a hard time,” I admitted. “But that’s life, right, Brad.” I said, plastering on a fake smile. I really shouldn’t be putting up a front with this guy; he seemed genuinely nice.

“Don’t be offended by Bryce, Vicky, he means well but considering who he is and how much he has on his plate, he is constantly being pulled in different directions. I don’t envy my uncle.”

“So you are here to make excuses for him,” I said light heartedly, but a small part of me is hurt that he didn’t make our lunch date.

“No, I’m not, I’ve had my share of issues with Bryce. I am not going to lie to you, he was my guardian growing up and having no parents meant I fucked up a lot, excuse my French,” he grinned. I couldn’t help but eye the food on the cart. I was starving. “I’m sorry you are hungry and I am talking away,” he said, standing up and moving the cart closer to us. I stood up around my desk and took a plate off the cart filling it up once again with numerous salads and pasta.

“I am actually very interested in what you have to say Brad, I just haven’t eaten all day. Why don’t you take a plate and we can talk some more over food,” I suggested. Brad took a plate of food and we both sat munching away. He was easy to talk too, and I liked the idea of meeting another family member, although my curiosity about Bryce’s other children became heightened by the passing moments. Brad was funny, outgoing and extremely handsome I wondered if they were the same.

“How are Bryce’s other kids?” I asked.

“Honestly, Vicky, you aren’t missing out on anything. My other cousins are a bunch of spoiled rich kids,” he admitted through a large bite of lasagna.

“Oh, what makes you different then Brad?” I giggled. He was fun to talk to.

“Honestly, he may have adopted me, but I wasn’t his kid. I was left shit loads of money, but I have always felt the need to prove myself to him and at times our relationship was rocky, and I was very much on my own. I spent a good number of years feeling sorry for myself and rebelling,” he admitted while his cheeks flushed.

“What changed Brad?” I asked, knowing I may be pushing my limits with him.

“Honestly? One bad fuck up and the realization that I needed to grow up,” he admitted with all honesty. He definitely wasn’t a stuck up rich kid, despite his name.

“I hear you, I’ve done my share of messing up since my mama died, this is me trying to get my shit together,” I admitted, lowering my head.

Suddenly Brad leaned forward. “Does getting your shit together include shagging the boss?” he asked, throwing me completely off. My jaw dropped and my pasta practically came pouring out of my mouth. I dropped the plate on my desk and looked at Brad wide-eyed, but he had a playful grin on his face.

“What do you mean?” I asked, still in shock. Luc and I couldn’t have been that obvious.

“Ah, you are a real Andrews…” he grinned some more. “Come on, Vicky, I saw how Luc was watching you, and you were eyeing him,” he chuckled, leaving me speechless. “No worries, I won’t tell Uncle Bryce, besides Luc is valuable around here. As long as he doesn’t go breaking your heart…. anyway you seem like a nice kid, and the big French dude hasn’t gotten laid in far too long…” Brad went on leaving me in a continuous state of shock.

“For the record I have not slept with him….” I answered vehemently. I don’t know why it was so important in that moment but it just was. Then my tone dropped “You know about that?” I asked, flinching my head back with surprise. I remembered Luc telling me that his ex-wife’s boyfriend was close with Brad, but he never mentioned being close with Brad. Brad was like a whirlwind.

“I introduced him to my uncle, my best friend is engaged to his ex-wife, I’m sorry I don’t know how much you know. I should really stop talking,” he said, rising from his chair and placing his plate of pasta on the bottom shelf of the cart.

“I know about all that…” I admitted.

“I figured you did, if you got, uh… through,” he coughed, “to him,” he continued to mutter.

I shook my head but I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s not like that Brad,” I tried convincing him.

He waved me off. “Yeah right.” I figured there was no point in explaining.

“Don’t let him convince you he’s a bad guy. He’s become an asset to Tyson over the past two years and he’s my friend. Although my friend Dylan isn’t too happy about that…oh, well.” He shrugged, then continued. It was hard to get two words in with Brad. “Dylan is back in Boston and it was Dylan that sent him here in the first place…” he continued to mumble on. “Well, Vicky, it’s been a real pleasure… we will have to do lunch again cuz,” he said coming around my desk and giving me a big hug.

“Yeah, Brad… sounds great,” I said, really meaning it. He was like an active volcano of information on my long lost family and on Luc, and he seemed like a genuinely nice guy.

“Take care, Vicky,” he said, throwing his coat over his shoulder as he disappeared out the door. I fell back in my seat and let out a long breath. Wow, cousin Brad was a handful and he seemed to know everything about everyone. I forgot to ask him if he worked at Tyson. I couldn’t help but wonder why Bryce had to cancel our lunch without even a message or a phone call.

Deep down I was disappointed, even though I knew I didn’t have a right to be. I didn’t know what I was expecting from him but after giving me a place to stay and a job, I thought he would also give me his time. Thinking about it made me realize that it was easy for him to provide a place to stay or a job, it was his time that seemed to be the much wanted commodity around here, or maybe his other families are used to this from him. I wondered if Mama realized that staying in New York would have left her a lonely woman. Bryce would have been working all the time and she would have been alone to care for me. Back home growing up, my papa worked for a delivery company from nine to five, so he was always home in the evenings and we always sat for family dinners, we always did things together. Thinking of all the family time we spent together put a smile on my face.