As if his brother had any room to talk in his prissy button up suit shirt.

“There’s a connection, okay? I wouldn’t expect you to understand. You’re not like me.”

“You’re right. I’d rather date a lot of women. I’m young. I’m good looking. I’m not going to tie myself down.”

They were different, he and his brother. They had a similar look, but Spencer had always been more carefree and Tyler more the caretaker. Maybe that came from being the oldest, he didn’t know.

“But in all seriousness, man,” Spencer looked at Tyler and gave him a nod. “I’m really sorry to hear about her brother.” He lifted his beer again in salute. “To our service men and women.”

Tyler smiled and lifted his bottle too. Something told him that Fitz Field was one hell of a man and he’d have liked to have known him.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Courtney had ignored Tyler’s text message telling her goodnight.

She needed to be alone tonight with her computer and the Internet. She needed to find out who this man was that held her heart so tight.

Sitting quietly through dinner while her mother sobbed had been heart wrenching enough. Hearing about the cards and phone calls that still came in with condolences had drained her. When Courtney returned home, after arguing with her mother about staying at their house, she’d collapsed into a chair and cried.

Now she went searching for answers on who Regan Keller was before she married Zach Benson. Really, she couldn’t be so cold as to have killed a man.

Her computer read story after story about Alexander Hamilton and his marriage to a wealthy debutante. She found connection to Hamilton and Pierpont Oil, which she thought was interesting. It had been three hours of searching before she came to an article that even mentioned Regan Keller and Alexander Hamilton together—and it was very brief.

Then she found the article about the fire at the Rockwell Theater. It had been gutted after an extensive remodel. The play Annie had been in rehearsals and Clara Keller was the lead.

The article went on to say that Regan Benson, Arianna Keller, and Clara Keller had all been treated for smoke inhalation and subsequent injuries. And then it mentioned the body.

The body of an unidentified man was also found inside the theater. There was evidence he had been shot.

Courtney rubbed her hands along her pant leg. Did her father really know what he was talking about?

She sulked back in her chair. Certainly he wouldn’t make something up just to detour her from loving a man.

Her father had said it was in self-defense. None of the articles that came up even mentioned Tyler’s mother as a suspect. She had to assume his source, most possibly police related, knew what they were talking about.

The point was, Regan Benson, mother of the man she loved, hadn’t been pegged as a killer by her own father. So what happened that she’d give up her baby and kill the man so many years later?

She had to know. She had to know the whole story and she needed Tyler to tell it to her. When she heard his voice she’d know the truth of it all. At that point she’d make her decision as to whether it was better to have loved and lost—or she’d fight for her man.

~*~

Tyler arrived in the office earlier than he’d planned. What else was he to do when he’d been tossing and turning all night long?

His father’s assistant, Mary Ellen, had let him into the board room and started a pot of coffee.

“You don’t need to do that. We can handle it,” he said as she added coffee grounds to the filter.

“It makes me happy. Probably why I’ve been doing it for so long.” She laughed and pressed the start button. “Who would have thought so many years would fly by so quickly? My baby is having a baby and Zach’s babies are running corporations and non-profits.”

“I’m not running anything.”

She smiled. “In time.” Mary Ellen walked past him and toward the door. “I met Courtney yesterday. She’s a lovely girl.”

“She is.”

“Your dad says you’re serious about her.”

Now Tyler laughed. “Everyone seems to think so.”

“Do you?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I think so too.”

“Perhaps it’s fate, you working from within BBH. Lots of true love has happened within the walls of these offices.” She gave him a wink and walked out of the room.

Ten minutes later she was back in his doorway, but this time Courtney was on her arm.

“Thank you, Mary Ellen.”

“My pleasure, sweetheart.” She gave Courtney’s arm a pat and walked away. “I would have been able to find the room myself. I can smell your cologne.” Her voice shook as she spoke.

“That strong, huh?”

“Just something I’m keen to be drawn too.”

He was across the room and he wasn’t moving toward her, so she walked in. Surely her blunt text, lack of response to his texts, and the rigidness in which she stood there were more than enough reason for his lack of movement

She let her cane open up and she walked toward the table. The chairs behind the table moved and she could feel the air stir as he moved.

“Good morning,” he said as he touched her arm and leaned in to kiss her warmly on the mouth. “I have to say waking up alone this morning wasn’t nearly as much fun.”

Courtney pushed back her shoulders. “I’m sorry about that. We can’t always be together you know. I mean we still have lives away from each other.”

Her words weren’t ones she’d practiced or even meant to use.

Tyler stepped away from her and the press of his fingers on her skin disappeared.

“Right. I know that.”

“I’m sorry, Tyler.” She let out a sigh. “I don’t mean to be so nasty this morning. I got a little worked up yesterday.”

“Did something happen with your parents?”

Didn’t something always, she thought. “Mom is very emotional.”

“To be expected.”

Courtney nodded. “She’s devastated. I’m devastated,” she admitted.

“And your dad?”

“He’s worried about me—and you.”

“Ah,” Tyler sighed. “Should I talk to him? I’m never going to hurt you. I’ve told you that. In fact, even if this doesn’t work out between us I’d still want to be your friend.”