“Why?”

“I only met you. You have a lot going on in your life and I’m trying to put mine back together.”

“All the more reason I think we should kiss and enjoy each other. We both need someone.”

“But when the need is gone…”

“It’ll never be gone. There’s an acceptance going on here. You’re trying to accept what you didn’t know and I’m trying to accept what I’ll never get back—my brother.”

Tyler pulled back. His hands came to hers and he linked their fingers. “I didn’t expect this when I met you on the plane.”

“How could you have?”

“Did you?”

Courtney shook her head. “No, you just smelled good.”

That made him chuckle. “Thank you for calling me.”

“I couldn’t think of anyone else I wanted to have over to help me with this.”

Tyler released her hand and stroked his down her hair. “I know this is all new. You don’t know me from Adam, but you saying that means a great deal. I’m never going to let you down on purpose, Courtney. I can’t guarantee I won’t fail you at some point. But it won’t be on purpose.”

She tucked her lips in between her teeth and let his words resonate. “So, if you disappear from me it won’t be on purpose?”

There was no way to keep her words controlled. They shook on her voice like a wave of panic for the ears to hear.

“I’m saying I’m not perfect.”

“I’d despise you if you were.”

“I’ve broken the heart of everyone I love. I walked away when they all needed me.”

“But you came back.”

“I never should have gone.”

For a moment she had to remind herself that they were both momentarily broken. As much of a pillar of strength as he’d been all day, his involvement with her was stirring up feelings in him he hadn’t yet dealt with. Fair enough. She’d called him in the middle of the night to help her deal with her feelings. She could certainly allow him a moment of pity.

“Three years in the life of a man is not that long, Tyler. In a few months the pain you think you caused will not be relevant. In a year it’ll be a slight sting. In three more years—nearly forgotten.”

“You don’t understand. I come from this perfect family and I’m not perfect.”

“Again, I’d despise you if you were. I cannot imagine your family is perfect. No family is perfect.”

“Mine is,” he said very matter-of-fact.

“What a compliment to them that you think so. But I can guarantee you they aren’t.”

He cupped her face in his hands. “Sunday. Dinner. Are you up for a crazy night?”

She raised her hands to his wrists. “What does that have to do with your family?”

“Everything. I want you to meet perfection.”

Courtney swallowed back the tears—the excitement—the fear. “You want me to meet your family?”

“A woman who drops her scarf for a good smelling man to pick up and spends the worst day of her life kissing that man shouldn’t be afraid of one dinner with his family.”

“Right. I’m not afraid. I’ll meet your family.”

He stepped in and brushed a kiss on her lips. “I should warn you that…”

Courtney lifted her fingers to his lips. “Don’t warn me. You’ll just get me worked up if I think there is something that is going to happen. I’ll be fine. You met my family and survived.”

He chuckled as she pulled her fingers back. “I’m thinking I’ll need to meet them again. Our introduction wasn’t one of great timing and when they realize you spent the day with me and not at their house, they’ll probably change their mind about me.”

“No they won’t,” she quickly answered. She wasn’t about to let her parents turn on Tyler. He’d been nothing but gracious. And they weren’t the only ones who lost Fitz. She’d lost him and she would mourn and hurt much longer than either of them she was sure. If she needed Tyler in her life then she’d have him.

Courtney stepped back. “C’mon, let’s go upstairs and find those items I wanted.”

She held out her hand for the handrail that should be within a few feet of her. When her hand came to the newel post, she began her way up the stairs.

“Just turn on whatever lights you need to. I’m a tad bit oblivious to its need,” she said and he chuckled from behind her.

At the sixteenth step, which she’d counted a million times, she turned left down the hallway to Fitz’s room. With her hand on the wall she felt for the door, turned the knob, and pushed it open.

Courtney stepped in and heard the switch of the light as Tyler stepped in behind her.

“Baseball player, huh?”

“Yes. A good one too.”

“I can see that. There has to be fifteen trophies in here alone.”

She nodded and stepped in further feeling her brother surrounding her as she did.

“He held the record for home runs during high school.”

“Impressive. My cousin was a semi-professional ball player. His room didn’t look much different.”

“Which cousin?”

“Christian, Christian Keller.”

She turned her head toward him. “Pitcher.”

Now he laughed hard. “You know who Christian Keller is?”

“Because of Fitz. We used to go to the games.” She couldn’t believe the connection. “You have quite an impressive family tree. A baseball player, a country music artist, an oil heiress, and you…heir to Benson, Benson, and Hart.”

The air in the room grew thick and she knew she’d crossed the line. But she waited for him to make a comment. The pain of the passing moments before he spoke was agonizing.

“I guess you’ve done some research, huh?”

Courtney let her shoulders drop. “I’m sorry. I hope you understand my unique position. I needed to know who it was that comforted me so much that day.”

“I understand it, heir to the Fitzpatrick Financial Corporation.”

Courtney bit the inside of her cheek. “You did your research too.”

“Easily done.”

She nodded in agreement. “My father is afraid you might be a gold digger.”