“My mom was the voice of reason my whole life. When I was younger, I was petrified of thunder—I mean, terrified of it. I would scream, cry, kick, and—naturally, me being a daddy’s girl—I would always have to run into his arms the moment any storm would start. One night, my dad was out of town and a storm started, so I had to run into her arms. And for the first time, she told me what really happened during a storm and how we could count the seconds to see how far away the storm was. That way, I would know when to really be scared or when to enjoy the free light show going on outside. She opened the door and each time we’d hear the thunder, we would count together. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, and on and on. Never once was I scared. We sat on the balcony in her room and, gosh, for hours, I sat in her lap, watching the storm come, and enjoying it all. She said life was scary enough without not knowing the whole truth about it.” Hadley smiles at the memory.
“My mom was more than a pretty face at the charity dinners that she hosted, she was the heart and the fighter behind most of them. Even when she was struggling with cancer and sick from the chemo, she wouldn’t give it up. Mom told me once that she had to do it. Even when she could barely stand, she continued her work on them because she knew people were relying on her. That they didn’t need the excuse of her being sick not to have the chance at something they needed, that we are all fighting for something in life. That was my mom, though—the least selfish person I know.
“Mom’s last talk to all of us was her words of wisdom that I’m sure everyone in this room came to know. She loved sticking her nose in people’s business, always thought she was right. Julie only ever wanted everyone she cared for to be happy and whole, even with her gone.
“When Mom got the diagnosis about her cancer, no one ever saw it coming—it hit all of us hard. But she handled it with such poise it made Grace Kelly look bad. How did she cope with that kind of news? Most would give up at the word terminal, but not our mom…she fought the fight of her life with the spirit of a soldier, and the soul of Mother Teresa. She never once complained about any of it and had faith through every single moment of this journey. My mom held on to all the good memories—her happy times—instead of turning to those deep, dark places of pity that most would turn to. She even stopped her treatment gracefully. Even though cancer defeated her body, it never defeated her soul, and for that, she’s a survivor.
“Today, we applaud the life of a mother, wife, daughter, and friend. I’m so very proud to be able to call Julie Marie Thomas my mother, my best friend, my hero, my inspiration. Thank you so much for coming to celebrate her with us. I’ll carry her with me forever.” Hadley offers a small smile to the crowd and comes straight back to my side.
I stand up, not giving a shit about anyone else but her. She needs me here, right here in this church. I cup both hands over her face and lean my head against hers. “Hadley, you’re amazing. I know she’s so proud of you, no doubt about that.” I wipe the tears from her eyes before they even start to fall.
“I hope you are right.”
“Aren’t I always?”
Hadley
“Hadley?”
I turn around to see a blond girl about Mark’s age calling my name. We decided to have the Irish Wake a couple days after the funeral per the request of my mom—always a planner, even in death. It’s a good thing that my parents have a huge house because every single person my mother ever knew is under this roof. And, hell, I only know about half of them.
“That’s me.”
A tiny grin graces her thin lips, highlighting the sadness I’m sure she feels inside—the same sadness I’m sure we all feel inside over the loss of my mother. When she locks eyes with me, I see something else behind them, but I can’t place it. It’s almost like she’s studying me, observing me, looking for something familiar in me. Although there’s nothing familiar about her. “God, you have gotten so big, so beautiful.”
Her words catch me off guard since I don’t recognize her, so I’m not sure how she would know me. “Thanks. I’m sorry, there are so many people here, I can’t remember everyone. Do I know you?”
She shakes her head softly, and for the first time since noticing her grief, it makes me wonder if her sadness is about something other than my mom. “I met you when you were little, but you were so young you probably don’t remember. My name is Andrea. I was friends with Mark years ago.”
I extend my hand to her, and feel something eerily familiar about her. Maybe she was in some of the old pictures I’ve been looking through for the funeral. “I’m sure any other day I would, but my brain is fried from dealing with all of this. Thanks for coming. I’m sure my mom would be happy that you’re here.”
Andrea sucks in a breath and covers her mouth with a small hand when I mention my mom. “God, I can’t get over how much you look—”
“Hadley, do you know where the extra plates are? The servers don’t know,” Sarah says, interrupting her. Part of me wants to hear the rest of Andrea’s sentence, curious as to whom she thinks I look like. I’m sure she was about to say my mom, not knowing that I had been adopted. It had never been a secret, yet at the same time, it was never something we broadcasted. I was their child and we never had a need to explain otherwise. I turn to Sarah and see her stand there, waiting for me.
“I am sorry, Andrea. A hostess’s job is never done. I have to go deal with that, but I will be sure to tell Mark you came by.”
“You don’t need to do that, I’m sure he doesn’t remember me. Let me get out of your hair. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
I turn back to Sarah after Andrea walks away. “I think they are in the pantry with the extra glasses, but you don’t have to do that. You can have the servers or the chef do that. Just relax and try to enjoy this the best you can. Mom would want that.”
“I know, but I want to take some of the pressure off of you. You know the boys won’t help with this mess and they never understand what goes into these things. Anyway, who was that girl you were talking to?”
“Her name was Andrea, said she was Mark’s—”
Mark interrupts us as he pulls Sarah into him. He rests his hand protectively on her stomach and whispers in her ear with a wide smile on his face. It takes all of two-point-two seconds to register what just happened.
“OH MY GOD! How did you not tell me I’m going to an aunt!?” I run over and hug them both as Mark gives me a death stare while Sarah smiles from ear to ear.
“Hadley, do you always have to be so damn loud? We didn’t want to tell anyone with everything going on,” Mark yells at me, but I’m too excited to worry about him right now.
I rub my hands over Sarah’s flat tummy. “You have got to be kidding? This is just what this family needs! I can’t believe it, I’m going to be the coolest aunt ever! When did you guys find out?”
“We actually found out the day after your mom passed away. Mark never really wanted children so I pushed that thought out of my head, but I was late, took a test, and sure enough, a plus sign popped out. You know your brother, pulled me straight into my doctor to make sure everything was right on track with me and the baby. As of right now, everything is perfect. I am due mid-May.”
“Well, congrats! I’m so stinking excited! You both will be amazing parents. I’ll try to keep your secret but, honestly, this is too good not to tell someone.”
“Wouldn’t want to ask you to change on account of us anyway, Hadley. I’m taking Sarah to go sit down and rest. Do you need me to send someone in to help?”
“Oh, before I forget…an old friend of yours was here.”
Mark turns his attention back to me with a raised eyebrow. “Oh-kay,” he says, dragging out the word. “Who? Is he still here?”
“No…and it was a she. Andrea, but I didn’t catch a last name.”
His posture stiffens and his eyes darken. “What did she say?”
I shrug, unable to wipe the smile off my face over the news of Sarah being pregnant. “Nothing. Just that she’s
sorry for our loss. She acted like she knew me, but I don’t remember her.”
“It was a long time ago. There’s nothing to know about,” he says before dragging Sarah away to sit down.
I shake my head at my brother’s odd behavior and walk away to find the china in the pantry.
“Hello, Hadley”
Plates drop, shattering into a million pieces on the floor.
Two words made this awful day so much worse. Bennett’s eyes are filled pure poison as they look straight into me. He is enjoying every torturous minute he puts me through.
“What, you aren’t happy to see me?”
Staring at him, my brain can’t seem to form a single word.
I hear the door open but can’t process any of it except…
Bennett is here.
In my parents’ house.
Looking like he wants to kill me.
“Babe, Mark sent me in here, said you may need help. Is everything o—” Reed takes one look at me, then Bennett, then the broken plates that surrounds me on the floor.
Bennett soaks it all up and grins at me. “Just as I suspected. Looks like it didn’t take you long to go running back to him. Hopefully, he won’t leave you when something better comes along because I won’t be there to pick up the pieces this time. Just wanted to tell you I was sorry for your loss. I am getting out of here.”
Everything after that happens in slow motion.
Bennett walks right past Reed, running into his shoulder.
Reed snaps and pushes Bennett against the wall with his left arm on Bennett’s neck. His right arm is up, ready to strike.
I break out of my trance, running over and pulling on Reed’s arm. “Please, baby, don’t do this here, he isn’t worth it,” I plead with him. If he hurts Bennett, who knows what he would do.
Reed seems to somewhat relax but doesn’t let Bennett go. “I’m telling you this one time, fucker—One. Fucking. Time—you don’t ever open your damn mouth to Hadley again, you understand me? Or next time, Hads won’t be able to stop me from bashing your fucking head into the ground. Open up those damn ears and listen to me, and listen real fucking good, I’m never leaving Hadley again—never.”
Reed lets go of Bennett and shoves him out the side door. Bennett turns around, and his eyes tell me everything I need to know. He isn’t kidding about anything he told me weeks ago. He smirks at both of us. “Oh hey, Hadley, remember what I told you? I always make good at what I say. Unlike other guys in this room—right, Reed?” His vicious smile is the last thing I see as Reed slams the door and I start shaking.
“Hads, what the hell was that shit?”
“What? Oh, nothing. He’s just pissed I broke up with him and he said some stuff—nothing I can’t handle, though. Will you get the broom and dustpan from the closet behind you?”
Reed looks deep at me, and I think he is about to say something but changes his mind. He hands me the broom and right as I take it from him, he looks down at my broken wrist and then into my eyes. “You know you can tell me if he said or did something that wasn’t right, don’t you? I just want to make sure you are okay.”
“I know, Reed. He didn’t do anything. I’m fine, just drained, you know. Why don’t you go talk to Lance and Court? I will be out in a couple.”
I don’t wait for him to answer before I bend down and clean up the mess, trying to compose my pulse. Something is going on with Bennett. My heart is telling me that whatever is going on in his repulsive head isn’t anything good. I don’t know his fucking angle on anything but he knows I would protect my family and Reed no matter what. And now, I’m no longer protecting Reed from the fact that Bennett could ruin him—no, I’m protecting Bennett. I can’t tell Reed…he’ll never understand anything. He won’t get why I was with Bennett or why I stayed with him for so long. Without a doubt, if Reed finds out the reason I was hurt, Bennett would be dead before I ever had a chance to stop it.
Chapter 20
Hadley
“Rise and shine, time to get your ass out of bed!” Reed says and turns on every light in his room. I glance at the clock and it’s 7:00 am! What the hell? After the thing at my parents’ house last night, we came home, got shit-faced, and had crazy sex. Now he wants me up. Hell. To. The. No.
“Reed, baby. I love you, but I’m not getting up until it’s normal wake up time for the weekends. Now turn off the lights before I kill you.”
“That’s not fucking nice to tell me after I went and got Waffle House for you, all while I left you, my sexy and very naked girl, back in our bed.” Moving the sheet down my back, Reed starts kissing my other tattoo of lilies on the side of my ribs.
My head pops up as I smell the breakfast, rolling away from him. “There are waffles and hash browns smothered and covered in this room. Ain’t nobody got time for that.”
Reed starts laughing and hands me my plate. “Two things, real quick. You just said ain’t, and you’re turning down morning fucks for breakfast?”
“Mmmm…duh,” I say with a mouthful of hashbrowns.
“Fucking oddball babe. You and food have some strange love thing going on.”
“Mmmhmmm,” I hum, shoveling more food in my mouth. I don’t tell him that I had counted every single calorie I ate for so many years because Bennett noticed every single pound I put on. He doesn’t need to know that.
“What’s next on the tour of Atlanta, Mr. Guide?”
Reed pulled my very full butt out of bed to play tourist for the day. And I love every second of alone time with him. We’ve done just about everything I’ve wanted to do since I moved here. We saw the sharks at the aquarium and even got to play with the penguins. We drank every Coke that has ever been made at the World of Coke. Then we had some of the famous chili dogs and orange slushes at Varsity.
“We don’t have to be at our last place until eight o’clock, so we have almost two hours to burn. Want to walk around Centennial Park for a little bit? Maybe get you some more food right before?”
“Sounds fun. My parents have a brick here…maybe we can try to find it. I never looked when I’ve been down here.”
“Any clue where it is?”
“Nope, but we can start at the fountain and look.”
“Did you come here for any of the Olympic stuff going on?”
“Yep, my dad’s company had the contracts for the security for the sporting events part of it, and when the bombing happened, they took over the whole thing so he got too busy to take me to a lot. I was only six and Mom didn’t want to go by herself with me, but I think Mark took me see the US women win gold in soccer. Funny, I think that was the only time he ever took me to a place by himself.”
“Mark is weird. He’s so protective of you, but you guys have never been close.”
I’ve always thought the same thing, and it makes me sad because it seems like I’m never good enough for him.
“Oh shit, that’s cool as fuck!” Reed points to the Fountain of Rings.
“I know, I love it. When I come here for lunch during the summer, it’s packed with kids trying to cool off. I always wanted to do it but twenty-five is too old to be running around in overgrown sprinklers.”
Reed drops my hand and starts taking off his shoes.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m twenty-eight, and I’m about to go play in those things. Lose the shoes or I’m taking you with those on,” he says, tossing his hat on a bench.
“Reed, wait, we can’t. People will think we’re insane. It’s October and no one else is in there.”
“One life, babe. Who gives a fuck about what people think? My girl wants to go…she’s going.” With my shoes still on, Reed hauls me over his shoulder, running in and out of the water coming up from the ground. He does this until I don’t care about the people around, don’t care I’m soaking wet, don’t care about anything but having fun here and now with the only person who would ever think about making me do it. Who doesn’t have to say anything to show me what I mean to him. An
d love every single second of it.
The water stops, leaving us dripping wet and laughing at each other. “Happy? Now I look like a wet dog,” I say, and wrap my arms around Reed’s neck.
“Babe, you know I always think you look good wet.” He leans down and kisses me, lifting me up and spinning me around as another round of water sprays us.
“I can’t believe you packed a change of clothes for me? It’s like you planned that we would be doing that.”
“Well, you never know, not to mention, I was a boy scout.”
“Really?” I’m shocked because Reed as a Boy Scout is something I can’t imagine.
“Nope, I wasn’t. My dad wouldn’t sign me up for that shit, but I did want to.”
“I would have loved to see that. Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Okay.”
Reed laces his fingers through mine as we walk. “You aren’t going to keep bugging me, babe?”
“Nope, I love surprises. We never did anything like this, and it’s been a blast.”
“All right, Hads. We’re here.”
I stop and see the biggest Farris wheel. “OH! Reed, we’re going to do Sky View?” I ask, clapping my hands together. “I’ve wanted to go on this since it opened, but it’s a couples thing.”
“I would like to take all the credit for this one, but when I asked Courtney where you wanted to go, she said she would kill me if I didn’t take you here.” People talk and walk around me, but I can’t register anything. Reed never does things like this. Ever. Then he pushes me through the gate.
We enter the gondola and I pinch Reed’s arm. “Fuck, Hadley, why did you do that shit?”
“Well, I knew I woke up this morning, but I just wanted to make sure this was really you, no alien abduction or something like that.”
“Told you, babe, this is me showing that I’m all in.”
“Thanks, this means more to me than you will ever know.”
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