Dash like the rest of us, but he was concerned about her health in the beginning, afraid that it would hurt her health or Dash’s. His fiercely protective nature often rode the line of being judgmental or even controlling, but he was usually smart enough to rein it in.
Trying to control a McPhee was like herding cats. Clearly.
If he knew his younger sister got knocked up due to a one-night-stand with somebody she hated simply because she lost a drinking game, needless to say there would be a lecture or two involved.
I loved my brother, but I didn’t feel the need to add that to my plate at the moment, any more than a fat, delicious Philly cheesesteak. Both turned my stomach just to think about them.
I tried to hide my grimace behind a big smile as we approached Archer with arms outstretched.
He stood, looking debonair in his three-piece casual he wore for work at the tallest high-rise in the city. Heck, in the state.
Like Dad, he had the darker brown hair, though he didn’t wear a beard. He was svelte, thanks to a fitness regimen he treated like his own personal religion. He had the McPhee good looks, and a strong dose of charm, mixed with an alpha dog mentality that had seen him through law school and now served him well as one of the more sought-after lawyers in the Northeast.
He was a good man, with all the good humor of the Sagittarian sign he was born under, with a foot over to the more domineering Capricorn cusp, so he was a mix of dark and light. He could be a sweetheart, he could be a dick, but he was always, always, always a McPhee. He hugged us hard when we got to him. “Good to see ya,” he greeted us both. “You look amazing.”
We sat at the table where he had already ordered all our favorites. It was such an Archer thing to do, but his little nephew wasn’t that happy about the menu, especially Archer’s hoagie with every meat known to man on the bun.
“You look a little green, sis,” he commented. “Are you okay?”
“Jet lag,” I lied easily.
“She’s just getting over the flu,” Fern added.
“That’s a shame,” he said before taking an enormous bite. “It’s not like you’re going to get one of these in Aldayne,” he added, with a mouth full of food.
We laughed at our silly brother.
He swallowed and wiped his hands on a napkin. “I guess I don’t have to ask what’s new with you. I can just go online and read about it.”
I shrugged. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I couldn’t turn it down.”
“Mom said it came with a big windfall. I’d like to look over the contracts, if you don’t mind. For the discounted rate, of course,” he winked.
It was an inside joke. He never charged family.
I laughed. “Of course,” I said. “Enough about us. Tell us about you.”
He chuckled. “I just won a huge case and made a fat bonus. The usual. Don’t change the subject.” He broached the next part as carefully as Archer McPhee could. “You should know I’ve been contacted by PING.”
I groaned. God, I really wished I could eat. I drank some of the soda instead, which was a big enough mistake. “What did you say?”
“I told them to go fuck themselves,” he commented casually. “Wolves have no time for vultures.” His eyes met mine. “You sure you can handle it, Pea?”
Again, I shrugged. “I had to deal with them in L.A. sometimes. They were our rival news outlet, if you can call what they do news. They’re annoying but unavoidable.”
He nodded. “So, tell me about this prince guy.”
“I can help you with that,” a familiar voice said from behind. I whipped around to see Auggie approaching, his own cheesesteak order in hand.
Several people watched the interaction, mostly because Auggie had about five guards surrounding him. Everyone in the restaurant lifted their phones to capture this strange, unexpected occurrence.
Archer stood immediately. Auggie put his plate on the table next to me before he reached out to shake his hand. “Prince Augustine at your service.”
“Archer McPhee,” my brother responded. “Nice to meet you.” Both men sat. Archer, ever the attorney, was quick with a question. “I thought you were known as the Duke.”
“It’s one of many titles,” Auggie dismissed. “And about as useful,” he smiled. “I apologize for intruding on your family lunch, but after everything Pea told me about you, I knew I had to meet