No Matter What (The Billionaires of Sawgrass #4) - Delaney Cameron Page 0,3
help her brother had kept her from having a husband and family of her own wasn’t lost on Reece. In his mind, that was a heavy price to pay. She’d never uttered one word of complaint or regret. Aunt Leigh was in all things a realist, preferring to dwell in the present rather than spend time re-examining the past. Reece was left hoping that his actions showed how much he appreciated the sacrifices she’d made for him and Addison.
Wade was already at a table when Reece arrived at First Watch.
“Hey, man. Thanks for coming.”
“No problem,” Reece replied, taking the seat opposite.
A smiling waitress appeared as if on cue. Reece accepted her offer of coffee and flipped open the menu. He skimmed past Belgian waffles, frittatas, fancy-sounding omelets and French toast. He was a creature of habit. For breakfast, he always had bacon, eggs, and buttered toast.
After they ordered, Wade asked, “How are things at Diamond Jet?”
“Busy as ever. We just hired two more pilots and a flight instructor.”
“Are you still dating the meteorologist from Channel Nine?”
Reece laughed inwardly. Had it really been four months since he’d gone on a date? If he was a playboy, he wasn’t a consistent one. “I’m not seeing anyone at the moment. How about you?”
Wade smiled widely. “I met the most wonderful girl. Her name is Robin. She owns a cake shop in Ponte Vedra. She’s beautiful, uncomplicated, and doesn’t fall asleep when I drone on and on about the life cycle of sea urchins and mollusks. I think she might be the one.”
The return of the waitress with their food gave Reece enough time to be envious of Wade’s good fortune and then feel guilty about it. “That’s great.”
“I’m planning to take Robin to Savannah this weekend to meet Mom. I was hoping I could talk you into going, too. You know how excitable my mom can get. It won’t seem so much like an inquisition if you’re there to act as a buffer.”
Reece had never been in this situation himself, but he remembered the grilling his brother-in-law endured when Addison brought Clayton home to meet Aunt Leigh and his father the first time.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Maxine might view my presence more in the nature of an intrusion.”
Wade reached for the bottle of ketchup. “Leave that to me. I’ll work it so the invitation comes from her.”
This was the sort of family drama Reece preferred to avoid. On the other hand, he was curious to see the woman who’d managed to catch his stepbrother’s eye. Wade’s job as a marine biologist kept him on a research vessel for weeks at a time. When he wasn’t leading expeditions, he was a popular presenter on the university lecture circuit.
“Where did you meet Robin?”
“At the dry cleaners, of all places. She was in line ahead of me. After I dropped off some shirts, I noticed a pair of sunglasses on the counter. I figured they had to be hers. I caught up with her in the parking lot. She’d just realized she left them behind and was on her way back. We got to talking, and the next thing I knew I was asking for her number.”
“Did she give it to you?” Reece asked, smiling a little.
“No, but she did suggest we meet for coffee the following day.”
Reece silently applauded the unknown Robin’s handling of the situation. Poise and discernment were qualities he admired. “I like her style.”
“Don’t go getting any ideas,” Wade said, pointing his fork in Reece’s direction. “If you turn on the charm, Robin might decide to throw me over for you.”
“I doubt it. According to Sylvie, my reputation for playing fast and loose with women’s hearts precedes me. Unless I mend my ways, I’m destined to remain a lonely bachelor.”
“I’ve heard some of the rumors. You’re click-bait, Reece. Everything you do gets talked about. That’s what comes with being in the top one percent.”
“I have no problem taking the heat for things I’ve done. It’s getting raked over the coals for everything else that bothers me.”
“Some of that will go away once you get married. At that point, you’ll cease to be interesting.”
“I can only hope, right?”
The two men parted outside the restaurant. Reece didn’t immediately head back to Sawgrass. The social worker who’d first made him aware of the dire need for pilots to assist with medical flights was recovering from a ruptured spleen. Sylvie had sent flowers, but Reece felt this warranted a visit to the hospital.