I’d never seen him like this. Not in his work office or at home. “Aiden?”

He lifted his dark gaze but I couldn’t read his expression. “Hey. You can set your coat in here.”

“What’s going on? Your brothers are here?”

“Yes. We’re having a meeting before the board gets here.”

“There’s a board meeting tonight?” What was going on? His brothers had no power over the board. Were they coming to work here? Beck, maybe. He could sell his tech company, or heck, run both, but I doubted he wanted to. He loved his job and he loved Eva more. Xander didn’t hate the company, but his attitude was live and let live. Dawson wasn’t leaving the ranch.

“Yes.” Aiden rose and rounded his desk. Putting his hand on my lower back, he led me toward the stairwell. The conference room was down one level. “I have something to tell you, and to tell the others.”

He stayed quiet and I kept my questions to myself. Aiden was half in his head and half with me. He led me through the open office space that was normally bright with natural light during the day.

My stomach fluttered as several pairs of eyes watched us enter the conference room. It wasn’t just Aiden’s brothers. Their wives were here too, and they were as quiet as me, their curious gazes following us to the head of the table by the mantel.

Gentry’s brow was furrowed. Didn’t he know what this pre-meeting was about?

What the hell was going on?

Aiden pulled out a rolling chair for me. When I was settled, he sat and folded his arms on the table.

“When I married Kate, you thought it was for the money.” He looked at his dad first. Gentry didn’t avoid his gaze, just dipped his head. The brothers’ gazes brushed across me before they nodded too.

“We know you love her,” Beck said.

“Right,” Aiden said quietly. “I can’t deny the trust was my original motivation. There was a lot riding on my decision, for all of us. As for how I felt about Kate, my private life was just that—mine.” He cleared his throat. “But I realize that I’ve kept a lot to myself over the years, and all it’s done is hurt me and those closest to me. And that’s gotta stop.”

Several bodies shifting in their seats filled the silence.

“I want to tell you all why I married Kate, and when I’m done, you’ll know why I’ve made the decision I have.”

Curiosity and anxiety mingled in my gut. I’d never seen Aiden so open with his family. I treasured the times he could be himself and joke around with them, but he was never this earnest.