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—Caleb—
Our eyes locked from across the dance floor of my grandfather’s ninetieth birthday party at his estate. In a room filled to the brim with my family and his guests, we found one another without even trying.
I couldn’t get over her clingy fucking dress, accentuating all the curves of her luscious body.
Suddenly, the music changed to a slow song, blaring through the speakers as I started walking toward her. Once I was standing in front of her, I reached out my hand, simply stating, “Dance with me, darlin’.”
She smiled, grabbing my arm. “I’d love to.”
Leading us to the dance floor, I molded her body against mine and pulled her tighter into my chest.
“Look at you, Caleb. I didn’t know you could dance.”
I winked, guiding her arms up around my neck. Leaning into my embrace, she slow danced with me. We swayed to the beat, in sync with each other.
“You feel good in my arms, Evie.”
“You don’t feel so bad yourself.”
“Are you having fun?”
“I am. Your family is amazing, Caleb. I still can’t believe I’m in the home of Beau Hawkins or that I’m in the presence of the Hawkins dynasty.”
“It’s just a brand.”
“It’s more than a brand. Your family is a legacy. Do you ever have regrets of walking away from all this?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. I know what it involves, and I never wanted any part of it.”
“Not even when you were younger?”
“Especially when I was younger.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to make a name for myself that didn’t involve my family’s money.”
“Your grandfather is still the CEO?”
“He is. My grandmother passed away several years ago, and he’s never been the same. She was the love of his life.”
“I love how your family’s marriages have all been together a lifetime. That’s so rare to find these days. Who’s going to take over the company when he retires?”
“My cousin Tristian wants it. He’s worked for my grandfather for as long as I can remember.”
“Why haven’t you ever talked about your family before?”
I thought about it for a second.
“When I was growing up, it was hard to make friends I could trust. Everyone in this town knows who we are. It’s one of the reasons I moved to Texas. I wanted a fresh start where people didn’t know my last name and what it stood for. If it wasn’t for Tristian, I would have spent a lot of my childhood alone.”
“Are you still close to him?”
“I am. We’ve kept in touch throughout the years. Even after he was sent away.”
