I knew Juliette well enough to know she wouldn’t be casually “Sal’ing” my father anytime soon.

Izzy and Colin joined my mother on the L-shaped sofa in the center of the wide-open space. Ever the one to read the room, Izzy smoothly redirected the conversation. “So, what about your family? Do they know yet?”

I wasn’t sure if the subject change was a blessing or a disaster waiting to unfold.

Juliette hesitated, then picked up a photo album from the coffee table Mom had strategically set out. “I’ve only told my brother so far since he tried to help me find Constantine years ago.”

“Her brother is a veteran,” I told my dad, keeping my tone even. “He, uh, currently works with Carter Dominick at The Sapphire Hotel.”

Dad’s shocked stare slammed into me with a heavy dose of what-the-fuck, and a shudder rolled down my spine as I coughed into a closed fist.

“The one Renaud co-owns as well?” Mom beat Dad to the punch, instantly making The League connection.

“Yup,” I confirmed. “That’d be the one.” I shared a few words in Italian to reassure my parents that Juliette already knew about my past, and hopefully, that’d slow their racing hearts and calm the storms in their minds.

“And Juliette is still here after knowing all that?” Dad asked, his shock not going anywhere despite my best efforts.

And, of course, now he chose to switch to English. Thanks for that.

Juliette raised her hand like a student, offering a shy smile. “That she is.”

This woman kept blowing me away at every turn, and it wouldn’t take my parents long to understand why my connection and attraction to her ran much deeper than the physical.

“His eyes doth see what his mind doesn’t accept,” my mother spoke up, possibly paraphrasing Shakespeare or making up her own version.

“Anything else I should know that might rock the ground beneath my feet?” My father swiped a hand along his black-and-silver-trimmed beard, studying me like a man wondering how I’d survived my own fair share of earthquake revelations.

I rounded the sofa, drawing closer to where my father stood. The tremor of shock still ran through me and sparked a memory, one I should have connected sooner. “There is something.” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

How had I not thought of this before? Then again, I’d been in survival mode all weekend. I could probably cut myself some slack.

“What is it?” Juliette’s voice pulled my head upright, my hand falling to my side.

I met my father’s gaze before dropping what I hoped would be the final bomb of the night. “Juliette’s father owns the brand Legacy Ridge Bourbon.”

“You’re a Carmichael?” my father asked her, unable to shake the astonishment from his tone.

My mother was probably clueless about why he was familiar with her last name.