heard him.
* * *
At the end of the day, Dalton walked into his office and dropped down in the chair across from his desk. “We need to talk, Jace.”
Jace pushed aside the papers he’d been reading, giving Dalton his undivided attention. “All right. What’s going on?”
“I can’t handle being at Sutton Hills and will look for a place in town.”
Jace didn’t say anything for a few moments as he nodded slowly. Then he said ruefully, “To be honest, you lasted longer than I thought you would.”
Dalton met his gaze and then released a deep sigh. “I was worried you would think I wasn’t going to uphold my end of the promise.”
“No, I don’t think that. Besides, thanks to you, we were able to buy back all those shares, which put us in a good position. Even Dad said it was a good move on our part when I talked to him on the phone.”
Jace, Caden and Dalton were preparing for the trip to visit their father this weekend, and it was a visit that Jace was looking forward to making. He was sure the same held true for Caden. However, he couldn’t help but be concerned for Dalton. Although his brother had expressed a desire to see their father, Jace knew how hard it would be for him. Of his own choice, Dalton hadn’t seen their father in over five years. It would be hard for Dalton, but it would be hard for Sheppard, as well.
“I’m glad he thought so,” Dalton said.
The room got quiet for a moment, and then Jace spoke up and said, “Losing Mom was hard on all of us, Dalton, but I know it was especially hard on you, and I realize that. The two of you were extremely close, and to be honest, I worried about you. Especially when you didn’t want to go see Dad as often as the rest of us. I thought you believed all the trash the media was spreading.”
Their grandfather had shielded them from the courtroom drama by not allowing them to go to their father’s trial. But they had gone on the day the verdict was read. They had been so sure the trial would end differently.
Dalton glanced down and studied the floor awhile and then glanced back at his brother. “I had my reasons back then, Jace.”
“Did those reasons have anything to do with the question of Dad’s innocence or guilt?”
Dalton’s expression stilled for a minute, and then he looked over at Jace. “I would be lying if I said it never crossed my mind. Like you said, Mom and I were close. But Dad was such an easygoing person. I know anyone can get mad enough to snap, but Dad would still have thought of us and not hurt Mom. I believe that.”
Jace believed that, too, although initially, like Dalton, he hadn’t been sure, especially since the three of them had heard their parents’ argument the night before. “Do you have any idea where you plan to move?”
Dalton shook his head. “No. I’m hiring a Realtor. I’m thinking a one-bedroom condo in a gated community would serve my purpose. If I like it well enough, I plan to buy it.”
Jace knew that for his brother to be thinking of buying a place meant he would hang around awhile and wouldn’t jump a plane to return to England the first chance he got. “That sounds like a good plan.”
Dalton stood. “And just so you know, I like your Shana Bradford.”
Jace lifted an arched brow. “My Shana Bradford?”
“Yes, I’m very impressed with her and have been since that meeting a week ago. She’s sharp as hell, and I particularly liked how she handled Arrington and Fields. A couple of times, I thought they were out of line with how they grilled her, but she held her own with them.”
Jace smiled, remembering. “I knew she would. The last thing we needed was for the company to begin panicking. But already I’ve noticed improvement in morale.”
Dalton checked his watch. “I’m meeting Caden downstairs and we’re headed to McQueen’s, that bar and grill down the street. Do you want to join us?”
Jace shook his head. “Thanks, but no. I still need to finish reading all these documents. My goal is to learn as much about the company as I can.”
He then tilted his head back and stared at his brother. “And how’s your reading coming?” He had given Caden and Dalton the same documents, and he knew they hadn’t yet put any