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THIRTY-TWO
THEO
Hadley is nervous. How do I know? Because she spent all day Saturday cleaning the house from top to bottom, in addition to baking. She sent me and the kids to the grocery store with a long list of items and when I got the wrong brand or not enough of one item, she yelled at me and then burst into tears.
This morning, she woke early again to finish cleaning and baking before hopping in the shower. Now, she’s pacing in front of the large picture window that faces the driveway, watching and waiting for her brother.
“Why is Hadley doing that?” Piper whispers.
“Her brother is coming here today and he’s”—I struggle to find the word most appropriate to describe him. Asshole doesn’t work with a four-year-old— “Kind of mean.”
Her eyes grow big. “Is he going to be our uncle? I don’t want a mean uncle.”
“Well,” I start to say but find myself tripping over my words. Finally, I end up saying, “It’s too soon to tell.”
Honestly, I don’t know if I want to get married again, even if it would be my first legal marriage. Being with Hadley lessens the stinging hurt of Serena’s betrayal but it doesn’t take away the fact a woman I loved broke her vow to me. There was no loyalty and honesty in our relationship, ever, and I’m not entirely certain a person can ever get over something like that. Maybe love doesn’t fix everything.
A massive black SUV pulls into the driveway, sending Hadley scrambling. “Oh, my God,” she says. “He’s here.” Her gaze lifts and lands on me. “He’s really here, Theo.”
“I know,” I state.
“Don’t kill him, okay?” She glances at Piper sitting next to me who has a worried look on her face because she’s probably still contemplating having a mean uncle. “At least not in front of the kids.”
I push up off the couch and stride toward her, wrapping my arms around her once I’m close enough. “I’m happy to see you haven’t sacrificed your sass for your brother.” The doorbell rings but the fucker can wait. I lower my head, brushing a soft, slow kiss against Hadley’s tips. Taking my time is a deliberate move. I want her bastard of a brother to wait on the porch, so I enjoy the sweet watermelon taste of Hadley’s lip balm, the way she fits perfectly against me, the feel of her softness in my hands.
Until the doorbell rings again. Hadley pushes away and says, “We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”
“I’ll answer the door,” I tell her. “You get the kids. They’re your allies too.”
She nods her head before heading upstairs to find Colton while I make my way to the front door.
I’m not sure what I expected Curtis to look like but when I open the door, his appearance surprises me. There is some resemblance between him and his sister; they have the same green eyes, and his nose is slightly turned up like Hadley’s. But he’s taller and broader and has the look of a snake oil salesman. His hair is slicked back and he’s wearing a crisp navy-blue blazer with a white button-down shirt underneath, the collar open at the neck, and a gaudy gold watch on his wrist that catches the sunlight.
We stare at each other for a tense moment before he clears his throat and says, “Y’all gonna make a man stand out in this heat or what?”
My eyes narrow and I reply, “Or what.” Reluctantly, I step aside, inviting him in with a sweeping gesture of my hand.
He inhales sharply and smiles. “Blueberry muffins?”
God, I hate this man already and he’s only said a dozen words to me. My hand flexes into a fist, ready to strike at the first sign of disrespect.Please give me a reason, I silently encourage him. Hitting someone or something would feel good.
“Hadley’s been baking,” is all I say.
“Sunday breakfasts are a tradition in our family. It’s normally when we take care of business.”
I nod. “She’s filled me in, but let me remind you, this is my house. We play by my rules.”
There’s a commotion on the stairs and I turn to watch Colton and Piper run down the stairs ahead of Hadley, who’s taking each stair one by one. Fuck, she’s gorgeous, wearing a pair of jean shorts and a thin red-and-white polka dotted blouse. Her chestnut brown hair is loose and wavy, but somehow, every strand seems perfectly in place.
The kids rush into the dining room, leaving the three of us in the foyer. As soon as Hadley is within reach, I latch on to her hand, silently signaling to her brother that she’s mine.
“Hi, Curtis,” she greets him shyly. “You didn’t bring Izzy and the kids?”
“No, I didn’t. They’re spending the week on Tybee Island while I’m here to wrap up this deal.”
“Well,” she says, placing her free hand on her hip. “We better get to negotiating.”
I know she’s trying to be sweet and nice to make this situation less tense, but it’s actually doing the opposite. It’s setting me on edge because I don’t want Curtis to think he’s going to walk into my house and manipulate Hadley. He’s going to get what he deserves as the CEO of Gerard Fine Foods, and not a penny more.
