Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
After the general chaos of setting the table subsided and a dinner of potatoes, roast beef, garlic rolls and every other delicious comfort food Hugo had asked for was laid out banquet style before them, the conversation started up again as if it had never stopped.
Solomon was given a seat across from Hugo and Robert’s friend was placed to his right. What was his name again? Right. Boone.
Hugo had already decided he wasn’t a fan of Boone when they were down in the basement. He’d followed them to help grab a few boxes, but when the fermentation bucket took a header, he’d clung to the wall by the steps so he wouldn’t get dirty. He didn’t offer to help.
Any man who could come over for dinner and watch his slender, elderly host move box after box to higher ground and not lend a hand? A handsome face didn’t make up for that.
“Let’s stop talking about my name, okay?” Robert finally begged his parents. “This is Hugo’s birthday, not mine. We should be telling embarrassing stories about his childhood or dragging out the naked baby pictures.”
“Make that decision carefully, brother.” Hugo smiled at him before he bit into a buttery potato and groaned. “Dinner is delicious, Mama.”
“Thank you, dear.”
Robert was still considering it, he could see it in his eyes, but he was smart enough to give in. They both knew Robert’s pictures would come out next, and he had his coworker to think about.
“Fine, no pictures. We can give our two guests a chance to talk instead. Actually Boone has some great stories from our trip to Greece. Tell Hugo about the parasailing incident.”
Oh, please, tell me about the parasailing incident in Greece.
He could feel the wave of internal eye rolling going around the dinner table. Greece again. Robert was a good salesman, so good his company had sent him on a trip last year with a few of his fellow all stars. Hugo had been proud of him, they all had, but he hadn’t stopped talking about it since.
“It wasn’t that big a deal,” Boone said, sending Hugo a nearly perfect attempt at a humble smile. “I saw something in the water. It could have happened to anybody.”
“A shark?” His nephew asked with interest. “A sunken pirate ship?”
Emerson leaned toward his son with a patient smile. “Let him tell the story and we’ll find out, son.”
“It was a big deal,” Robert said, adamant. “He saved a woman’s life. She was going under and he just swooped in like Batman. At first it looked like something was wrong. His body was twisting around so much that the boat had to slow down so he could come back in. Then suddenly, he was gone. Crashed right into the water. We didn’t know what was going on until the boat came back in and we saw a woman hugging him and crying on his shoulder.”
“So all that twisting and falling. That was to save her?” Hugo sought out Bronte’s gaze after she spoke, seeing the same skepticism he was feeling. What Robert was describing sounded more like panic on Boone’s part. “Did she tell you how she got out that far?”
Robert waved off the question. “She went back to her hotel so we didn’t get a chance to talk to her. But apparently she works on the boat. She fell off when he was taking his turn.”
So she worked on the boat and no one noticed or heard her shout for help? That fish tale stunk to high heaven.
“That is quite a story,” he offered politely, tackling his plate again.
“Just another exciting day on the islands,” Robert said with a sigh. “And then Boone bought us enough rounds of ouzo to sink the Titanic.”
Hugo caught his mother and father sharing a subtle glance and instinctively looked over at Solomon. His brows were lowered, lips tight. Yeah. He wasn’t buying it either.
Why was Robert?
Boone nudged him with his shoulder and he looked over in surprise. “I guess that’s why your brother kept wanting me to meet you. He thought we’d get along. We do both have the same natural instinct to help people.”
Hugo could feel a shift in the air the instant Solomon realized why Boone had been invited to dinner.
The same reason you were, Hugo thought a little grumpily. Nosy family members deciding to play matchmaker instead of buying gift cards like normal people.
“Hugo is a registered nurse who worked for years as a police officer. He’s been helping people, literally saving people in one way or another, every day for most of his adult life.”
Boone tensed beside him but his easy smile was still firmly in place. “I’m aware. Robert has told me a lot about him since I took over the sales department last year.”
Took over? Was that why his brother was kissing Boone’s ass?