“I heard part of what happened over the weekend with the mother and sister-in-law. Wasn’t really happy about it. Did like his reaction though.”

“If I mean to do this relationship thing, I’m going to have to find a way to deal with her. The mother anyway. The sister-in-law can eat a bag of dicks. She may never know how close she came to eating my fist.”

Brody laughed. “Maybe she needed that.”

“Not at a charity event, for fuck’s sake. The evening was about raising money for the arts, not for some stupid play for attention by a sister-in-law who wants to bang the brother she couldn’t marry, if you know what I mean.”

“Ah. You think that’s the issue?”

“I don’t know for sure. All I can say is she seems unnaturally interested in where Levi puts his dick.”

“Some people can’t be happy with anything.”

“Don’t I know it. But I’m good. Jonah is good. What it is more than that I don’t know. But for now, I’m happy.”

“How much have you shared with him?”

“More than I intended to. He’s got . . . I don’t know, this way about him. I find myself sharing stuff I haven’t talked about in a long time. If ever. But he never looks at me with disgust or pity.”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “Sweetheart, there’s nothing to be disgusted over. Not with you. Everything you survived was about you overcoming other people’s shitty behavior. None of it was your fault.”

“I’m no angel, Brody. I was not very nice to Elise when she first came around. I tried to break you up. I broke your heart before that. And you’re still my friend. Thank you.”

He smiled. “You did break my heart. And that sucked. But if I’m being honest—and since I’m an old family man now and all I guess I have to—my heart got broken because I didn’t listen to what you told me. You never made me promises. I just wanted them to be there. And you made your peace with Elise. You went to her and apologized and whatever you said—she won’t tell me—was enough to make her not only forgive you, but be fond of you. You have flaws, no lie. But you own your shit and a hell of a lot of people don’t. Just let this guy love you. Understand you’re worth loving. Because you are. What I have with Elise makes everything different. Better. You deserve that too.”

It couldn’t be avoided any longer. Jonah had ducked his mother’s calls until Wednesday morning when she simply waltzed into his office, dragging his father and his brother Eli.

“As you have deigned to ignore the woman who gave you your very existence, I had to hunt you down. Your father and Eli as well.”

“If you want to count a coy call for lunch that she then sprung on us as ‘let’s all talk about Mal and Gwen,’ yes.”

“You stop that.” Their mother gave Eli a look and he sighed, dropping into a chair at the conference table in the room.

“I’ve been busy. I called you back.”

“You called me back at midnight when your call would go straight to voice mail. Honestly, I don’t know why you boys think I’m so stupid.”

Levi poked his head in and then froze when he saw what was going on.

“Don’t you try to scamper off, Levi. Come and sit.” Liesl pointed at a chair and he obeyed.

“You get conned with a lunch date too?”

Levi nodded. “It was a call from Jonah’s assistant.”

“Mother, leave my staff out of it. She’s already petrified every time you come into view.” Jonah put his phone on Do Not Disturb and headed to the table.

Their father would never say anything to disagree with their mother, especially not at a time like this.

Toby, another brother and Eli’s twin, popped in and then groaned.

“Now, we’re all here. Food will arrive shortly. I did not lie. We will be eating. I figured you were all busy enough that you’d need to eat while we discussed this mess.”

True to her word, Jonah’s assistant brought food in just two minutes later. She gave him a look full of apology and he waved it away. He knew how his mother was; he couldn’t blame his assistant for getting caught up in her whirlwind.

“It has come to my attention that some sort of kerfuffle occurred between Gwen, Daisy and Raven on Saturday evening at the benefit. It has also come to my attention that whatever this kerfuffle was, it spilled out to the hotel’s drive where Jonah and Levi got into a heated argument with Malachi. Do I have this correct?”

“Mother, I’m not sure this is any of your business.”

Oh, Eli; so naive about their mother.

“Elijah, if it is not a mother’s business when her children are in trouble, whose business would it be?” She turned a hard eye to Levi, knowing Jonah would hold out longer than anyone else. Levi knew he was the weaker link of the two and he sighed.

“It was resolved. If Mal wanted you to know what it was, he’d have told you. Leave it be. He’s got to deal with his wife on his own.”

“So it was Gwen, clearly. Stupid woman. What happened in that bathroom? Don’t lie to me. This is one of my boards, you know. People came to me who’d seen the aftermath. I need to understand whether or not I should be sure Gwen is never invited to such events in the future.”

“Yes, don’t invite her to anything in the future.” Jonah spoke quietly.

“Boys, your mother is rightfully concerned. We all know Mal has been having trouble. His work is suffering. You have to share with us. We want to help him. He shouldn’t have to deal with this on his own. That’s what family is for.”

Eli blew out a breath and looked to Jonah. “Tell them.”

“I think Mal should be here for this. I am not comfortable talking behind his back.” Jonah sat back, looking at their mother. “He’s an adult. He’s married. We can’t just talk about him like he’s a kid. Any of you would be angry if this was about you and no one bothered to include you.”

Liesl smiled like the cat who ate the canary and he knew he’d been outmaneuvered. “As a matter of fact, he’ll be here in a minute or two.”

“You’re good.” He nodded her way.

“Where do you think you come by it, boy?” his father asked.

They were eating when Mal came in. He paused in the doorway and then came into the room and sat down with a resigned sigh. Jonah pushed food his way.

“You will be pleased to know Levi and Jonah would not tell me the details of whatever transpired on Saturday evening. Jonah rightfully pointed out that you should be here when we discussed this issue. And of course I completely agree, which is why you’re here now. What is going on, Malachi?”

“This is really not your concern.”

Jonah kept eating. Mal was the youngest. He’d been spoiled more than any of them had been. But he was weaker against his mother than the rest as well. It was only a matter of time before he broke, and everyone in that room knew it.

“Now you know that’s a lie. Of course it’s my concern. It’s all our concern. Your wife is clearly unbalanced. She’s driving a wedge between you and your family and she has been for some time. We love you. We’ve let you go your own way. But this has to stop. At the very least give me your version of events.”

“She hates Daisy.” Mal put his fork down and ran a hand through his hair.

“Whatever for? She’s delightful.”

No one had ever told their parents about the strife that had been between the two women since Gwen had made a rather ugly and pretty blatantly racist scene. Since then Levi hadn’t spoken more than the words it took to warn her to keep her distance from his woman or there’d be hell to pay.

“What else have you all been keeping from me?”

Then Toby spilled. The entire story about the first time Gwen met Daisy when Gwen had accused Daisy of being a gold-digging whore, complete with racist overtones, to the situation on Saturday night.

The other brothers stared at him, mouths open.

“What? Fuck this noise. There is no way Gwen should have gotten away with it for so long. She’s an ugly bitch. I’m sorry, Mal, but she is.”