in the family had known Burke existed—Lorraine, mother to their deceased father, and Claudia, the woman his father had, essentially, stepped out on when Burke was conceived. Claudia was the only one not at the meeting.
Lorraine caught Burke’s eye and gave him a satisfied grin. “See? They want you here as much as I do. Which is why I’ve come up with a plan.”
Burke’s brows shot up in surprise. He saw similar expressions on the others too.
Lorraine wrote the word secret on the board, wrote an equal sign parallel to it, then drew what looked like the big flame of a fire. “Secrets spread like wildfire. More often than not, those secrets are based on assumptions. False ones. So what happens if—this time—we take the power into our own hands?”
She proceeded to draw an X through the word secret, reinforcing it by repeating the action two more times. She put a cap on the marker, spun to face those at the table, and folded her arms.
“Let us tell the world about you. About the wonderful addition you are to our family. The public knows that these guys lost their father,” she said, waving a hand over the group. “They know they lost their grandfather in the same accident, and that they tragically lost a brother not long ago too.”
This, of course, Burke remembered very clearly. The day he’d heard that Winston, the youngest one closest to his age, died of an overdose.
“What they don’t know,” Lorraine continued, “is that they’ve since gained something very precious. An unexpected piece of their father—in you. It’s a gift.”
Burke tried to wrap his head around the comment. He’d felt more like a curse to the family, in truth. Had he not recently lost his mother, that very fear might have kept Burke from ever seeking a relationship with them.
“You’re a gift to us,” Lorraine said again. “I’d like to tell the world about you myself. I’ll clarify that your father was a mere signature away from divorce and that they later reconciled. No assumptions. No juicy gossip, at least nothing too scandalous since we’re the ones sharing it. At that point, your concerns will be made moot.”
“How do you plan to do it?” Duke asked.
“A morning show,” Lorraine said. “Probably Mornings in Mind with Samantha Pingley. I was thinking it could be a Christmas special, since it centers around gifts and all.”
“But it’s only fall,” Zander pointed out. “Is he supposed to hide out until then?”
“I don’t mind,” Burke assured. “I just bought a big piece of property in Piney Falls. I’m heading there next to check it out.”
“You mean Tiny Falls,” Duke said with a laugh.
James gave Duke a nudge. “We’re having Thanksgiving at the cabin anyway,” he said, turning to Burke. “You can join us there. It’s close to Piney Falls and it’s private too.”
“Precisely,” Lorraine said. “Besides, the Christmas season starts right after Thanksgiving; that’s not far from now.” Her face shifted then, her pleased expression drifting to something more…inquisitive.
“Now,” she said, a crease forming at her brow as she narrowed a look at Burke. “Is there anything we should know about you? Better we know now than to have the media dig it up and surprise us. A secret scandal back in Manhattan? A misdeed swept under the rug?”
“A woman scorned that might come after you or your money?” Betzy added.
“Psh, you mean multiple women scorned,” Duke said. “Look at this stud—he’s a Benton. He’s been breaking hearts since he was twelve just like the rest of us, right man?”
Burke allowed for a grin. That was probably true for them. In fact, they had each recently found their match, fallen in love, and made it official through vows. For Burke…dating, falling in love, breaking hearts, that whole field lost its luster once his own heart was broken at a young seventeen. And after experiencing so much loss following that time, Burke’s aversion to attachment had set in like stone.
He didn’t like to admit it, but he guessed that was another reason to start fresh—leave one end of the country for another. Perhaps here, his heart could heal enough to fall in love. Perhaps.
For now, Burke could answer Lorraine’s question with a clear conscience. “No,” he said, glancing from her to the others in the room. “No scandals or love interests to speak of.”
“Yet.” James shrugged. “He’s a Benton. It’s inevitable.”
“He’ll probably pick up a country girl in Piney,” Duke said. “One who’s got mad skills on the banjo.”