Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 78576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Still getting ready.”
“What do you think this is about?”
“I asked Dad this morning.” My brother takes a drink of coffee. “Apparently, Pat Lamone’s DNA results are in.”
My eyes go wide. “This quickly?”
He nods. “Ruby’s guy is quick. That’s how we found out that Jack Murphy was related to Brendan and Sean so quickly.”
I nod. “Wow.”
“Of course, they don’t know what the results are. Apparently only Aunt Ruby knows, and they asked her to let us all know today at the meeting.”
“This is all kinds of fucked up,” I say.
“You’re telling me, brother.”
Angie walks in then, her dark hair bouncing. “Hey,” she says.
Angie’s quieter than Sage, but she’s usually a little more jubilant than this. Who can blame her, though? All we can think about is Uncle Joe. I don’t think any of us really gives a rat’s ass about who Pat Lamone’s father is and if he’s related to us in some other way.
We already know he’s a Steel, through Lauren. What does the rest matter?
Angie grabs a cup of coffee. “Has Sage come down yet?”
“I’m right here.” Angie’s twin enters. Her eyes are red and swollen.
“Hey, sis.” I grab her in a hug. “You doing okay?”
She wipes her eyes. “Every time I think I am, I start to cry again. What are we going to do without Uncle Joe?”
“We’ll get along, just like we always have,” Henry says. “After all, no one will live forever.”
“I know.” Sage grabs a cup of coffee.
A moment later, Mom and Dad enter.
Dad is still a mess. His eyes look worse than Sage’s. He clears his throat. “Everyone ready?”
“Sure,” I say.
Though none of us are ready for any of this.
A tear drops from Sage’s eye. “Daddy, why does this even matter? Who cares who that guy’s father is?”
“It matters to him,” Dad says, “and like it or not, he’s one of us now.”
“Let’s go,” Mom says.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Maddie
Having breakfast with just Mom and Dad seems so strange. Rory and Jesse are in Europe, of course, and the tour is going really well. We all want them concentrating on that and not the problems back here.
Callie, of course, as Donny’s fiancée, was invited to the big Steel meeting at ten o’clock today.
I have no idea what it’s about. I didn’t ask Dave. I don’t want to horn in on anything, and I know Callie won’t tell me either, unless she’s been told it’s not confidential.
I’m not a member of the Steel family. My three siblings are, but I’m not.
I have to learn to be okay with that.
“More eggs, Maddie?” Mom asks.
I rise and take my empty plate to the sink. “No thanks, Mom.”
“You have everything packed up?” she asks.
“Just a few more things I need to get together. Oh, by the way, Dave asked if he could drive me to school this afternoon at two.”
Dad lifts his eyebrows and looks away from his paper. “Oh?”
“Yeah, I kind of told him he could. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not.” Mom smiles.
She’s no doubt hoping to get another Steel-in-law out of this.
Dad cocks his head. “Anything we should know about, Maddie?”
“We’re dating,” I say, “but I wouldn’t expect anything. Dave has made it clear that he’s not one to fall in love quickly, even if the rest of his family seems to be.”
Mom’s shoulders slump.
Yeah, I was expecting that.
“Sounds like he’s a sensible young man,” Dad says. “I have no doubt that Donny, Brock, and Brianna love your sisters and Jesse, but it did happen awfully fast.”
“Apparently that’s how it happens in the family,” I say. “Except for Dave.”
“You just turn on your natural charm,” Mom says. “He’ll come around.”
I resist rolling my eyes. “I like him a lot. I may even love him, but I don’t want him to”—air quotes—“come around unless he feels the same way.”
“How could he not?” Mom asks.
“Mom,” I sigh. “You just don’t get it, do you? I’m not Callie or Rory or Jesse. There’s nothing special about me at all.”
My mother doesn’t reply at first. She’s no doubt trying to think of something to say.
But my dad rises, comes to me, takes both my hands in his, and forces me to meet his gaze. “Madeline, I don’t want to hear you say that ever again. You’re perfect just the way you are, and you are just as special as your sisters and brother. It’s not easy being the youngest, and it’s not easy following three siblings who are all amazing. But you’re not in their shadow, princess. You never were. You are you. You’re beautiful and smart and talented.”
I scoff. “I don’t have a smidgen of talent.”
“Of course you do. Perhaps you just haven’t found it yet. You’re an excellent writer. I read all your papers from English class.”
My dad is trying to be nice, but my papers are simply college papers. Sure, I get straight As. Big deal. I’m an English major. I’m not going to law school like Callie.