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something?”
    Darwin checked his watch again. He’d been so comfortable talking to Kent he’d completely forgotten that the board of directors for KK Enterprises waited in the hallway. He stood, Kent following suit.
    â€œYour people are outside,” he reminded his brother.
    Kent sighed. “Can’t we just forget they’re there? I’m finally talking to you like I should have years ago. I’m so sorry for all the shit I piled on you. You didn’t do anything to earn it at all.”
    Darwin’s heart swelled. He’d been angry at his brother’s animosity, but he missed having Kent in his life. He threw himself at his brother and clung tight to his waist. It wasn’t businesslike, but he didn’t care. There’d been many times since Dean died that he’d wished he could talk to Kent. He’d even picked up the phone a time or two. He wasn’t sure if it had been pride or stupidity that had made him put it back down. Probably both.
    â€œI miss you, Darwin,” Kent whispered, his breath blowing against Darwin’s ear.
    â€œMe, too.”
    The two men broke the clench and stepped back. Darwin wondered if Kent felt as awkward as Darwin did.
    â€œBefore we let them back in and tell them you’ll give us a transfusion—and just so we’re clear, I won’t ask a second time, I promise—tell me something that I’ve missed because I had to go be stubborn.”
    Darwin thought for a moment. He knew what he wanted to say, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to share his news with anyone other than Henley at the moment. He peered at his brother and saw nothing but honest curiosity. Darwin drew in a deep breath.
    â€œThere’s this restaurant I used to go to. It’s called Asiago—”
    â€œI took Mila there for our anniversary. They’ve got great seafood.”
    â€œYeah, it also had a waiter named Roy.”
    He waited for his brother’s reaction. When he said nothing, Darwin plowed ahead.
    â€œLong story short. I went there each week to look at him. He was sexy, but a bit dry. Then a couple weeks ago, he was gone and I had a new waiter. He made me laugh. He…” Darwin stopped. He wasn’t sure how to talk to Kent about this.
    â€œMade you feel something you haven’t in a long time?”
    Darwin nodded.
    Kent gripped Darwin’s shoulder. “That’s a good thing. I know you miss Dean, but he wouldn’t have wanted you to lock yourself away. He would want you to get out and meet someone, and I think you know it.”
    Darwin did. He and Dean had talked about it when they’d found out he didn’t have much time left. He’d insisted Darwin do his best to find a new love. But Darwin couldn’t bring himself to do it. Every look in Roy’s direction felt like a dishonor to Dean’s memory. But then Ricky appeared and tore through every defense Darwin had built around his heart. He had no idea how. They’d only seen each other two times, but it had been enough that Darwin wanted to know more.
    â€œSo about Asiago?” Kent prompted, pulling Darwin from his thoughts.
    â€œI met someone. His name is Ricky,” Darwin said on a sigh.

Chapter Five
    After he and Kent had let the board members back into the meeting room and told them there would be an infusion of cash, Kent had stayed to catch up a little more. They’d gone to Darwin’s office and talked, Kent being every bit the big brother. Darwin wouldn’t deny how good their new tentative bond felt.
    â€œIt’s never easy, is it?” Kent asked, sitting on the plush black couch in the middle of Darwin’s office. Darwin cracked a new bottle of Macallan M from the cabinet above the small wooden bar he kept for when clients came to talk business. He poured them each a shot to celebrate the saving of Kent’s company, as well as the two of them working to iron out their