“Did you want to ask Bex something, sweetie?”

Indigo shook her head. “I don’t have any questions,” she said. “But I really like your hair.”

Theo felt Jordan’s hand on her thigh, and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you,” Bex said. “Do you like purple?”

“Jordan and Antee said that I could have a brand-new room for Christmas. I want to paint it the very same color as your hair.”

Theo heard Jordan laugh quietly. “Well, that’s not exactly how I thought that was gonna shake out. Looks like Patty’s safe this time around.”

11. THE REILLY BOYS

It was safe to say that Jordan and his older brother, Caleb, were every bit as much alike as Theodora and Cleopatra. The same number of years separated the siblings, and both Theo and Jordan were the youngest and the most focused of the four. Both of them had set their sights for specific careers and had their educational futures planned. When Patty and Caleb walked down the aisle at their high school graduation, the only plans they had were to get the hell out of Whisper Creek.

Patty entered and won the prestigious Songbird singing competition. Within a few days, she set off for Nashville. Caleb accepted an invitation offered to him to go hang out with a friend’s brother in Lake Tahoe. Patty wound up back at home a few years later when she got pregnant with Indigo. Caleb visited every so often but found that his heart belonged in South Lake Tahoe. He hadn’t spent more than a week at a time back in Colorado since packing up his things at the age of eighteen. The last time he’d been in Whisper Creek had been the previous March. He’d spent four days in town, and the most exciting thing he’d done was help his dad pick up a new auger.

While growing up, Max had always talked to his boys about eventually leaving the business of Fireweed Farm to them. Knowing he had no interest in running a Christmas tree farm, Caleb had made appointments with his academic counselor at the high school. He was sure farming wasn’t in his future. He loved sports of all kinds, but he’d never been good enough at one in particular to earn himself a scholarship. The idea of him getting into sports medicine and becoming a physical therapist was lobbied about, but it was tossed in the rubbish bin almost immediately. Caleb couldn’t see himself taking classes in anatomy and biomechanics, and he knew it wasn’t in his nature to care for others the way a therapist was expected to. He had little patience for people in pain. He never thought of himself as a bad person but knew that most of the empathy and compassion his parents shared had been handed down to Jordan, not himself. It wasn’t until he’d spent a few weeks in the beach and ski resort setting of South Lake Tahoe that he realized how to turn his love of sports into a career he could live with.

Caleb found himself in the best of all vacation worlds. He couldn’t come up with a tournament, a convention, or a special event that wasn’t held in this new city. People from all over came to compete or sit as a spectator for golf, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, climbing, karate, swimming, skiing and snowboarding. There was never a downtime, and the resorts were always full of tourists willing to spend money on any number of events being held. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he did indeed have a mind for business. Just not the Christmas tree business.

When his friend’s brother offered the two of them jobs in the resort he owned, they both accepted and found themselves a two-bedroom apartment to share. The following fall, Caleb enrolled in an online program and earned himself a BS in Sports Management. Within a year, he’d begun to help plan events for the resort. A year after that, he quit his job and opened his own sport event planning company. He’d spent the better part of a decade planning everything from high school swim meets to world famous golf tournaments. He’d built himself a reputation, and his roster was always full.

“I haven’t known him for very long,” Bex said, “but apparently your brother is a big deal in the world of sports.”

Jordan watched as Caleb stacked wood in the fireplace. “He always thought he was a big deal growing up, too. It’s nice to see he’s finally suckered some other people into believing that it’s true.”

“Ha, ha, little brother,” Caleb said, using one of the long hearth matches to catch the kindling he’d packed on fire. “If you weren’t so attached to your trees, I’d suggest you come back with me and make a little money of your own. I could train you, give you a job. You’d have a blast.”

Jordan squeezed Theo’s fingers and gave his head a shake. “You know, I forget between your visits how different the two of us are.”

Bex, Theo, Caleb and Jordan had moved from the dining room table to the family room. When it was suggested that it was time to head back to the barn after dinner, Theo was faced with a wall of resistance from her four-year-old charge. It had been decided that Odette would give her a bath and the two of them would crash in Jordan’s seldomly used cabin. Because sleepovers at the Reilly’s house happened a few times a month, Indigo knew exactly where to find her toothbrush and a clean pair of pajamas. She’d given Jordan and Theo hugs and kisses goodnight, then she and Jupiter had happily gone off with Odette to play in the tub and read bedtime stories.

Theo noticed that Bex was watching the exchange between brothers with interest. She sat on the floor, her legs folded in front of her and her fingers playing with the fringe on the rug lying beneath her.

“Yeah, it’s pretty obvious that you’re nothing alike,” she agreed. “I mean, except for looks, and even there, no one would mistake you for the other one.” Bex glanced over at Theo who was sitting on the love seat above her. “Caleb told me a little something about you and your family. Sounds like you all go way back.”

“We do,” Theo said. “Did he tell you he took my sister’s virginity right here at the farm during the annual Valentine’s Day party?”

Bex laughed. “I didn’t hear that, no.”

“Funny. It feels like Cleopatra tells that story all the damn time.”

“She’s had a hard time letting go after all these years,” Caleb smiled. Theo could see the glow of the flames playing over his face. “And for the record, I didn’t take anything. It was all freely, and if I’m honest, somewhat aggressively given.”

Jordan shook his head. “That was information I didn’t need. As far as Patty having a hard time letting go … I don’t buy it.”

“Oh, no?” Caleb challenged.

“No. She does it for shock value.”

“That’s pretty much how she lives her life,” Theo added.

“And people are always left wondering why she didn’t choose more wisely.”

“That’s especially true when that Valentine’s Day dance comes up in conversation.” Theo smiled playfully at Caleb.

The older Reilly shot Theo a scornful look. “And all this time I thought you liked me.”

“I like you just fine,” Theo tossed back. “I’m still positive I picked the right Reilly boy, though.” She turned her head and looked up at Jordan. He smiled and covered her mouth with a lingering kiss.

“All the time with the kissing,” Caleb groaned.

“Throw more wood on that fire,” Bex directed. “The heat feels good.”

“If you want to see Patty again, she’s coming home on Sunday,” Jordan informed his brother. “We’re throwing a welcome home party for her at the Madeleine. She’s not really in any kind of shape to give you another tumble in the hay, but maybe the two of you could share a piece of cake or something.”

Caleb watched the fire for a moment. “I heard about the accident. It sounds like it was really bad. Dad said it was touch and go for a while. I’m really sorry, Theo. That must have been really scary.”

“It was. She was in a coma.” Theo blinked and kept her eyes on the fire Caleb had built. “You could barely see her face she was so wrapped up in casts and bandages.”

“This your sister you’re talking about, right?” Bex asked.

Theo nodded. “You know the road you drove on coming into town?”

“Sure.”

“It’s called SH-96. Patty was taking some classes in Pueblo last September. She was on her way home one night and another driver crossed the center lane. She hit her head on.”

Bex gasped and Theo could see her profile as she turned to look up at her. “That’s so scary. It sounds like she’s okay though, right?”

“Well, the accident happened at the beginning of September.”

“And her welcome home party is on Sunday? Is that why her kid lives with you?”

“Oh, lord,” Caleb said, standing up. He began gathering empty bottles. “I need another beer. Anyone else?”

“I’ll pass,” Jordan told him.

Theo shook her head. “I think I’m done thanks.”

“Well, I’m on vacation,” Caleb declared.

“Something tells me you drink a lot even when you’re on the clock.”

Caleb smiled at his brother. “Another good thing about planning sporting events,” he said. “There’s always beer.” He walked off toward the kitchen.