How did we end up back here?
Not that he was complaining. Not at all. Acting like couch potatoes – okay, okay… more like mashed potatoes – created some interesting memories, but had also rumpled his muscles into a painful and stiff mass. And he’d learned something else about his body. Two number fours within 24 hours was too much of a good thing, even for him.
Reid smiled, remembering how Luke – shy, but playfully – had introduced the ‘rating’ of their sexual encounters, a few days ago. Number 1 being – obviously – just making out without any climax, up to number 4: the Walhalla Workout, with both of them filled and fulfilled, including a let’s-make-sure-there’s-not-on-ounce-of-desire-left-shower to close the deal. Loving every second of it, and in any case being insatiable by nature, Reid had grinned approvingly at Luke’s four fingers and questioning look and now he had to pay the price.
Reid stretched with a silent moan, happy with the space their bed offered.
Okay, maybe a little too much space. Where did Luke go?
He could hear him laugh in the kitchen and Reid frowned. Visitors? Now?
Fortunately Luke came back into the room on his own, placed a tray with all kinds of yumminess on the bed and climbed in.
“That was Uncle Seth on the phone,” Luke answered his unasked question, “With some more information on Dan Snyder.”
“The lookalike,” Reid took a large bite of the warm croissant and gave Luke a boyish grin.
“Exactly,” Luke sipped his coffee. “Do you want to hear the story?”
Reid nodded, his mouth full, but his eyes sincerely interested.
“Okay. I know you’re not very familiar with our family history yet, so please bear with me. Jack and Brad are brothers and cousins to my dad. Good dad.”
Reid took another bite, while making a big V sign in the air. Check.
“Jack and Brad’s father and Holden’s father were brothers and Bert Snyder, Jack and Brad’s dad, was killed in a car accident caused his own wife, Dolores.”
“Of course he was.”
Luke ignored him and continued: “But during their marriage, Dolores had an affair with one Frank Pierce.”
Reid sighed. “Is it something in the water? Is there someone in Oakhell who not had or is having an affair?”
“Firstly, Dolores and Bert didn’t live in Oakdale and secondly… “ Luke raised his finger, “right here,” he smiled and pointed at Reid, “and right there, I presume.”
Reid gave him a nod. “Yep, that’s the direct effect of never settling for second best. There’s no reason to look around when you already have the best there is.”
“Exactly,” Luke softly squeezed Reid’s chin. “We’ll show them how it’s done.”
He finished his coffee and moved over to the breakfast, “But anyway…Dolores had an affair and according to this Dan Snyder, his father found out about it and took revenge.”
“Of course he did,” Reid started to sound a bit bored and gave Luke a ‘been there, heard that before’ look.
“He had an affair of his own, with Frank Pierce’s younger sister.”
“Very tasteful.”
Luke was pretty sure Reid wasn’t referring to the breakfast and smiled.
“And when Dan was in his teens, Bert Snyder was killed. Dan’s mother was convinced it wasn’t an accident, so she ran off to Europe, taking Dan with her.”
“That explains why he’s showing up now?”
“It does. He came to Chicago a few months ago and noticed several people looking at him in shock. Somebody approached him in the supermarket, asking him point blank if he had staged his own death. When he asked what the woman was talking about, she had mentioned Brad Snyder and that’s when he started digging.”
“I must admit,” Reid smiled, “it actually sounds plausible.”
“It does,” Luke agreed, put the tray on the ground and nestled himself against Reid’s chest. Reid held him close.
“Thanks for breakfast. It was delicious.”
“I’m glad,” Luke sounded content. “Can we stay like this for a while?”
“Gladly.”
Luke put up one finger. Excellent proposition.
***
Katie was waiting on the porch when Luke and Reid arrived at the Snyder farm.
“Hey,” Reid kissed her on the cheek, “Waiting for us?”
Katie gave a nod. “I’m afraid to go in.”
“Come.” Reid put his arm around her shoulder and his other hand reached for Luke.
“The Three Musketeers,” Luke smiled at Katie.
“Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno,” Reid stated with a little mischievous grin.
“Show off,” Luke snorted, with a big smile. When Katie nodded, Reid nudged her.
“What?” she shook her head, “You think I don’t know what that means?”
Reid gave his answer through his provoking look.
“One for all, all for one,” she said as bored as possible.
Reid did look genuinely impressed. “So you do know your Latin, do you?”
“Nope, not a word,” she said cheerfully, “but I’ve seen the movie.”
They stepped inside laughing and Katie squeezed Reid’s hand. Thank you.
After greeting Emma and Holden, they found a seat at the kitchen table and Katie was grateful for Reid’s arm behind her. She could see him holding hands with Luke on his other side and smiled. Katie felt truly blessed with their friendship. She didn’t know what to expect, but Brad was still a very emotional part of her being, so she needed all the support she could get.
Especially when Emma came and sat next to her.
“Honey, Seth and Dan are already here and even prepared as I was, the resemblance really shocked me. But we explained the situation to Dan, so please feel free to let your emotions out, when you feel the need to. We’re family.”
She tapped Katie’s hand and stood up. “If you’re ready, I will get them. They’re in the lounge.”
Katie could only nod. Her throat had turned into sandpaper, there was an annoying ringing in her ears and she felt queasy. But as Emma predicted, there was no way she could have prepared herself for this moment. She heard a loud high pitched squeak and it took her a few seconds to realize it had come out of her. She put her hand before her mouth and felt tears dropping on her fingers.
This couldn’t be real. What kind of sick mind game did she walk into?
“Oh my God,” she whispered, when Dan sat down looking very uncomfortable. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I…”
He smiled. Oh God, that smile. How she’d missed that smile.
“I’m the one who’s sorry,” he said. Katie took a deep breath. His voice was different. She felt some relief. His voice was different and he had a foreign accent. It wasn’t Brad. For some reason she could really watch him now. And he let her, without talking.
She noticed more differences. Dan was younger, but the look in his eyes was very serious. Maybe even too serious for his age. It was a huge contrast with Brad’s carefree and boyish charisma. But the fact remained: the likeness was stunning.
The initial shock transformed into acceptance. He wasn’t Brad. Her sigh was deep and telling.
“Are you okay?” Reid softly stroke her back.
She nodded. “I’m getting there.”
“You two are an item?” Dan guessed.
“Nope, I’m with the other gorgeous blond,” Reid smiled at Luke, but probed Dan’s reaction out of the corner of his eye. The man just nodded, without any sign of feeling awkward or even surprised.
“I see.”
While Emma poured out the coffee, Katie let her curiosity out to play.
“How about you, Dan? What’s your story?”
Dan smiled – making Katie gasping for breath – and started to relax.
“Not very interesting, I’m afraid. I’ve lived in Europe and came back to the States after my mother died. I’m single, I live in Chicago and I’m still trying to find my way, to be honest.”
He noticed Reid’s piercing look, as if he was scanning Dan’s face.
“Looking for something?” Dan raised his eyebrow and Reid gave him a glimpse of a smile.
“Just checking,” he murmured.
“Let me guess… you were looking for any signs of plastic surgery, right?” Seth smiled at Reid, “I did exactly the same.”
They all laughed, although a little uneasy.
“You can’t be careful enough,” Reid shrugged.
Both blonds on his side smiled at him.
Dan didn’t look offended and reached inside a pocket and pulled out some photos.
“I totally understand your caution and suspicion,” he sounded calm. “So maybe I can ease your mind with these pictures.”
Dan handed them to Katie and one by one the photos were passed on. Childhood pictures, that made Emma tear up.
“Bert looks so happy on this one,” she shook her head to the picture of her brother-in-law and the son she never knew he had. “But you’re right, even as a child you looked exactly like Brad. It’s such a same Bert never told us about you.”
“He wanted to,” Dan softly replied, “but my mother didn’t want to hear of it. She was afraid Bert’s family would take me away from her.”
“Did you ever meet up with Jack and Brad?” Katie asked, not finding any pictures of the three of them together.
Dan shook his head. “No, I didn’t. Much to my regret, I must add. Especially after I found out about Brad.”
Katie hung her head for a moment, took a deep breath and gave Dan a fragile smile. “I’m sure Brad would have loved to meet you,” she whispered, “Family was very important to him.”
Dan hesitated. “I understand Jack is out of town? Has that anything to do with him killing Brad?”
“On the contrary,” Katie smiled, a lot brighter this time. “He remarried his ex-wife Carly and they’re on their honeymoon. It took Jack a long time to forgive himself, but he learned how to deal with it.”
“I’m happy to hear that,” Dan gave her a nod. “I can’t imagine how he must have felt.”
Katie sent over another smile and focused on her coffee. It’s not Brad, she kept saying to herself. Would Dan run for the hills if she leaned over and touched his hair? Kissed his lips? Argh! She sipped her coffee instead.
