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She shakes her head. “In his shoes, I probably would have done the same thing, especially since Maxon and my dad have had a strained relationship for as long as I can remember. He seemed to prefer Griff, even though they both worked for Dad as interns while in high school. He constantly belittled Maxon for not being macho and manly enough.”
“What an awful thing to say to your own son, especially when he’s still just a kid. Any reason he showed favoritism to Griff?”
“I don’t know, and Maxon won’t spill. But I’m sure it sucked. Just like I’m sure whatever Griff had to do to curry favor with the old man must have been dirty and underhanded since that’s all Barclay understands. So my brothers learned to be unscrupulous, ambitious assholes from the best—at least until Keeley and Britta.”
And until Harlow accepts that I’m here for her, she’s handling all this alone.
“I’m sorry, baby.” That her father is an asshole. That her brothers aren’t forthcoming. That she’s having to deal with an illegitimate brother when she’s already in turmoil. “I wish I could say something to make it all better.”
She shakes her head slowly. “You can’t. I’ve known for a long while that Dad is a total bastard. With the age gap between us siblings, I didn’t realize how much our father picked on my brothers. I thought I was the one who got the brunt of his displeasure.”
My heart stops. Is Harlow going to tell me something? Is she finally willing to open up? “What displeasure? Baby, what did he do to you?”
Harlow jerks, seemingly startled by my question. “If you’re thinking he touched me inappropriately or something awful like that, no. The truth is, he saw a girl child as useless in business, so when I wanted to intern, he laughed at me, patted me on the head, and told me my best bet was to marry well.”
I gape at her. “Does this man know how smart you are?”
“I don’t think he paid much attention to me once he saw that I lacked the requisite penis to house one’s brains.” She rolls her eyes. “Once I got older, he dolled me up and took me to functions, introduced me around…” She shakes her head. “You know what? He’s just an asshole, and I don’t want to give him more energy. I’d rather focus on now. I don’t know whether to pity Evan growing up as the wrong-side-of-the-blanket kid or congratulate him for skipping a childhood with Barclay Reed.”
There’s more to this story. I can feel it. But like everything else between us, I can’t force her. It’s starting to frustrate the hell out of me. What will it take to make her trust me?
“Does Maxon want to meet him?”
“Yeah. I gave him Evan’s contact information. We’ll see. Maxon is all about family now. Well, not the parents, but he’s ready to surround himself with people who matter. He also seems interested in finding out whether assholery is a genetic trait or a learned behavior, and I guess Evan will answer some of those questions for him. I’m sure Griff will go along, too. You know, scope out the long-lost brother together.”
“What about you?”
She shrugs, then shakes her head and picks up her game controller. “I don’t need anyone in my life, Noah. I’m better off alone.”
* * *
I wake up early the next morning. Harlow isn’t beside me.
I don’t need anyone in my life, Noah. I’m better off alone. Harlow’s words resonate in my head. After the two brothers she trusted more than anyone shut her out, even to well-meaningly shelter her, I fear she really means them.
This damn woman is tying me in knots. How the hell am I supposed to reach her if she won’t talk to me? If she refuses to even sleep in the same bed with me?
Creeping down the hall, I find her in her own room, curled up under the covers as if blankets can somehow ward off the hurtful people in her life. Or does she only mean to keep me out?
The frustration is bugging the shit out of me. Being under the same roof with a woman who only wants laughs and sex when I know we could have so much more isn’t easy.
After tossing on running shorts and a pair of sneakers, I run out of the house and past the guard gate. The sun is just beginning to lighten the sky with vivid oranges and golds. I’m thanking every higher power imaginable that there are no reporters or paparazzi hanging out now. The new guard at the gate waves me out and I head down the deserted road, pounding one foot in front of the other on the pavement.
My thoughts circle and chase one another. Am I spinning my wheels with Harlow? Will she ever come around? Giving up seems logical. Why beat my head against that towering brick wall she has up around her heart? On the other hand, who in Harlow’s life has ever truly invested in and cared about her? Not her father or mother. Definitely not her ex-fiancé. Not even her brothers until recently, if everything she’s said is true. It begs one question: Who’s been on her side? Who’s been that someone she can count on, no matter what?
I don’t think anyone. And keeping everyone out is her way of stopping potential hurt before it even starts. I don’t blame her. But I also don’t like it. Do I really want to be like everyone else who’s let her down? Can I really imagine my life without her?
No.
Jesus, I think Iamin love.
Well, hell…
After a three-mile loop around the estate, I walk back the last quarter of a mile, sweaty and exhausted and no closer to talking myself out of it. The sun is a blazing orange ball rising in the blue sky. It’s going to be a scorcher, and I have a feeling summer will be no joke. But after a dozen seasons in Dallas, I’m used to heat and humidity. What I’m struggling with is the fact that days are sliding by, and while I’ve learned more about Harlow, I’m no closer to convincing her to trust me.
Something’s gotta give.
The phone in my pocket buzzes, and I pull it free in case she’s calling and wondering where I’ve disappeared. When I see Cliff’s number pop up, I groan. Unless we’re negotiating a new deal of some sort, he’s never calling with good news.
