Family Man

can't go on taking the sort of losses we took last year. Did you tell her that?”
    “I suggested she think of selling them, yes,” Katy replied, even-toned.
    “But you failed to convince her,” Maureen muttered. “Do you think the Bastard can talk her into it?”
    “I don't know if he's even going to try,” Katy said. “I have no idea what Luke's plans are yet. So far I think he's just been gathering information and letting people know there's new blood at the helm. He's only been here a couple of days.”
    Darren's smile was cynical. “That should be long enough to see that only three out of the five restaurants are really doing well and Gilchrist Gourmet is sliding downhill fast.”
    Katy looked up quickly, wondering if Darren knew that Luke intended to snaffle the Pacific Rim as his fee for saving Gilchrist, Inc. Apparently not, she decided as she examined his face. Far be it from her to make the announcement. Justine could handle that. Or Luke himself. He certainly was not shy about his intentions.
    “If you'll excuse me, I've got to change for dinner,” Katy murmured. “You're staying the night, I assume?”
    Hayden nodded. “We've been assigned our usual rooms upstairs.” His eyes narrowed. “I'm not sure I like this business of bringing Luke into the family like this. It's a risk. He's an unknown quantity.”
    “Oh, I wouldn't say that.” Katy smiled. “He has a lot in common with the rest of you. I think there's reason to be hopeful that Gilchrist, Inc. will survive. Whatever else you can say about Luke, he does seem to know what he's doing when it comes to the food and beverage business.”
    “What I'd like to know,” Eden said coolly, “is why did the Bastard finally decide to join us?”
    “Maybe he just felt it was time to explore his roots,” Katy suggested brightly.
    “Sure.” Darren chuckled grimly. “The guy walks into our lives after all this time because he's suddenly developed a deep longing for family ties. If you believe that, I've got another bridge I can sell you.”
    “I should think it's obvious he's here because Justine offered him the position of head of Gilchrist, Inc.,” Maureen announced. “Why that woman refuses to see that she has plenty of talent to pick from on this side of the family defeats me. Damn it, we're the ones who've been loyal to her all these years.”
    Eden's crimson mouth twisted. “She tried to get Luke to take over Gilchrist after his wife and parents were killed three years ago. He's known all along he could show up on her doorstep and take over at any time. Why did he decide to do it now, when Gilchrist, Inc. is in the worst shape it's ever been in?”
    “Good question,” Darren muttered. “Why now? If he'd been smart, he would have joined the company years ago, when everything was still rosy.”
    The coven turned accusing emerald eyes on Katy, as if expecting her to come up with a suitable explanation. She smiled quickly and started backing toward the exit. “Like I said, I've got to change.”
    “Revenge,” Hayden said in portentous tones.
    Katy cleared her throat uneasily. “I beg your pardon?”
    “That's why he's here.” Hayden nodded to himself. He gazed into the still pool water as if he could foretell the future in its depths. “My brother Thornton never forgave Justine for failing to accept his choice of a wife. Thornton passed that anger down to Luke. And now Luke sees a chance to avenge his parents. He's here to burn Gilchrist, Inc. at the stake.”
    An unfortunate choice of words in this family, Katy thought. “Gilchrist was starting to totter all by itself,” she pointed out hastily.
    “But it probably would have survived,” Maureen said slowly. Her gaze rested on her husband. “Oh, we might have lost a couple of the restaurants and had to scale back plans for Gilchrist Gourmet, but we would most likely have made it. Justine would have seen sense in the end. She's not stupid.”
    “You're right.” Eden eyed her mother thoughtfully. “Luke knows we're in deep water, but we can still swim. He probably realized that if he wanted to ensure that the company goes under, he has to be here to give it a shove.”
    “It's revenge, all right,” Darren muttered. “That's the only logical explanation. Damn. Justine is going to hand him enough rope to hang the whole family.”
    Katy was startled at the rapidity with which they were all jumping to the same conclusion. “Now hold on just a second. I'm sure Justine