“Love you,” Lottie said to the table.
Hailey’s heart nearly broke in half when Lottie reached up and covertly swiped a tear from her cheek. Damn, Derek. What had he done this time? She kissed her daughter’s head too. “Be right back, sweetie.”
She and Charlie made their way to the car. “What happened?” She couldn’t hold it in one more second.
Charlie shoved her hands into the pockets of her cardigan and kicked at a tuft of grass. “Derek was at the donut shop with Ariel’s two kids. They were all three laughing and cutting up. Lottie ran over to the table. He was awkward and stiff with her, nothing like he’d been with the other two kids. Then he told her they needed to leave because he was taking the kids fishing.”
“No.”
Her best friend nodded. “Lottie said something about liking fishing too, clearly angling for an invitation, but he just walked off like he didn’t hear her.” Charlie crossed her arms over her chest. “Who does that? Even if he couldn’t take her, he should’ve talked to her or at the very least acknowledged that she spoke.”
Hailey pushed her hair from her face with trembling fingers. The heaviness in her chest made every breath a struggle. “The devil. That’s who.”
Charlie’s arms came around Hailey’s shoulders, and for just a moment she let herself fall into the comfort. Then she quickly pulled back. Any more and she might not be able to stand back up and face her problems. That was the story of her life. Get knocked down, get back up and keep fighting. It was exhausting. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Charlie rested a hip against the car. “Now tell me about yesterday.”
The heaviness in her chest became ten times heavier. She shrugged. “It started before the ceremony ever began. I heard him agreeing with my dad about the bar. I gave him a chance to prove me wrong before we walked in, but he reiterated what he’d said to my father. I couldn’t do it.” She shoved her fingers into her hair. “I’ve made another damn mess of things though.”
The wind whipped Charlie’s hair into her face, and she looped it behind her ear. “Are you going to try and work it out with him?”
Hailey turned, rested her butt against the vehicle, and stared at the house. “No.” She scuffed her tennis shoe over some gravel on the curb. “I drove around for a long time last night, and I realized I was marrying him to have some semblance of a family for Lottie, and because being with him was easy. The fact that he said all those things just proved that I only knew what I wanted to about him. That’s not how two people build a life together.”
Charlie’s hand was warm on her arm as she ran it up and down. “I know it’s hard, but I think it’s for the best. You deserve something better, Hailey. Someone who lights you up and believes in you. Someone who worships you.”
Hailey snorted without humor. “I don’t need all that.”
“Yes, you do.” The seriousness in Charlie’s blue eyes punctuated the point.
“Well, I doubt I’ll find that around here.”
“Then go—”
“You know I can’t leave.”
“Why?”
Hailey held up her index finger. “I have the bar.” Another finger. “I can’t take Lottie away from Derek, and as shitty as he is, she still loves him.” A third finger came up. “This is my home. I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to. I’m trapped in small-town hell.”
Charlie cocked her head. “You don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
“You hold the keys to get out of your jail cell. It’s your decision.”
Hailey laughed. “Yeah, no, it’s not.” She gave Charlie a quick hug. “Thank you for keeping Lottie. I love you.” She was done with this conversation.
“Anytime. Call me tomorrow.” Charlie opened the car door and climbed into the vehicle. “Remember what I said, Hailey.”
She waved as Charlie pulled away. Her friend didn’t understand.
No one understood.
Chapter 6
Beau woke with his head hanging off the side of Lottie’s princess bed. The thing wasn’t built for a grown man. That was why the ticked-off kid, with her skinny arms folded over her narrow chest, was upside down in his vision. “Oh, hey.” He tried to get himself into an upright position while keeping his junk covered.
“Why are you in my bed?” If he thought Hailey had a frosty, take-no-shit look, then this nugget hadn’t fallen far from the tree.
“I’m a princess.” He shoved his hair from his eyes and flashed her a grin. “Can’t you tell?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Yep. Like mother, like daughter.
“I’m going to tell my mom.” She turned and left the room.
“She knows. She’s the one who told me to sleep in here,” he called after her.
“I’m still going to tell her you slept in my bed naked.” Her voice came from down the hall.
“I’m not naked.” Not a phrase he thought he’d ever yell at a little girl. There was something seriously wrong with this picture.
He took advantage of her exit, closed the door, and slipped into his jeans. This morning was starting like last night ended.
From the intoxicating high of celebrating his number one hit to the crushing low of the lonely and dejected drive home from Houston, none of it made sense. He was having trouble reconciling the whole thing in his head. On the one hand, it’d been the best night of his life and on the other, the worst. It was enough to make him want to crawl back into the princess bed and pull the covers over his head.
But princesses were made of sterner stuff, and he had shit to do.
Slow, shuffling steps took him to the hall bathroom. After he’d finished his business, he heard a bark, a squeal, and male voices. Sounded like Jack was here with Walter. Sparks of unease jetted across his nerves. What if they dropped him from the label? Didn’t matter that he was family, they were running a business.
He moved to the sink, washed up, and splashed water on his face. An ache throbbed in his arms when he gripped the sides of the basin. He tilted his head from side to side until the bones in his neck cracked. An inspection of his face revealed a purple bruise on his jaw. Thankfully, Rick had only landed one good shot. Damp fingers tunneled through his hair, and he glanced at the door then back to the mirror. “Can’t hide in here forever, Callen.” May as well face the music, because the tune wasn’t going to get any better.
From the front room, he could see Jack and Walter in the front yard. Jack had brought reinforcements. Luanne and Gavin were with him too. They were all talking to Hailey while Lottie hugged on Walter.
Hailey was standing with her arms crossed and her shoulders hunched. They were probably talking about the wedding that wasn’t. Something about the scene rubbed him the wrong way. It wasn’t anyone’s business what had happened. A fierce protectiveness burned away his concern for himself. He didn’t like it, and didn’t want to think about why he felt she was his to defend, so he pushed the screen door open. “Mornin’.”
Walter barked and ran for him with Lottie hot on his heels. He knelt and scratched the dog behind his ears. “Hey, boy. Were you good for Jack and Luanne?”
“He was fine. He’s good company,” Luanne said. “Better than Jack some days.”
Jack nuzzled his wife’s neck, and his hand went to her belly. “Woman, do I need to remind you what good company I can be?”
“Get off me.” Luanne’s protest would’ve been more believable if there weren’t two rosy stains on her cheeks and she didn’t giggle like a teenager.
Gavin groaned, and Hailey chuckled.
Jack grinned at Gavin. “You’re just jealous.”
“Not me.” The cocky grin Gavin Bain wore indicated that he’d recently shown his wife Scarlett what good company he could be.
The sensation of being on the outside looking in grabbed Beau. These two men had everything he wanted—a career in the music business they loved and a family they adored. But they were the exceptions and not the rule. He could
n’t have his dream and a family. One would always suffer for the other. Clyde had hammered that into his head since he first picked up a guitar when he was sixteen years old.
He and Hailey exchanged a look. Her discomfort seemed to match his. It was clear by her expression that she’d pay him to make it stop. Gladly. “So, should we get down to it?” He rubbed the light sheen of sweat from his forehead even though it wasn’t hot outside. “I’m sure the three of you aren’t here just to return Walter.”
“Hailey, would you mind if we used your porch to talk with Beau?” Jack asked.
“You can use the living room. I need to get ready anyway.” She placed her hand on Lottie’s head. “I’ll take Lottie with me into my room. You’ll have plenty of privacy.”
“Thank you,” Gavin said.
They all made their way up the steps to the house. Beau got there first but stood back to allow Hailey and Lottie to pass.
“Put on a shirt,” his host said.
“Yeah.” Lottie agreed.
He ignored the kid and focused on her mother, armed with all the charm he could muster. “You like what you see, don’t cha, darlin’?”
She burst out laughing and patted his chest. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Ace.”
Her laughter rang off the walls even though she’d disappeared inside the house. His fist clenched at his side to keep from rubbing the spot she’d touched. His reaction to the feel of her soft hands disturbed him.
The trio on the front lawn stared after Hailey. “What?” He glanced into the house. Maybe he’d missed something.
“You don’t affect her at all.” Luanne said it like she’d just seen a unicorn.
“So?”
She shook her head and walked past him into the house. “I never thought I’d see the day, pretty boy.”
Jack and Gavin followed her in, Jack’s expression grimmer than he’d ever seen, but Gavin merely looked amused. Weird.
“’Scuse me a minute. I’ve been instructed to put a shirt on.”
He made his way to Lottie’s room and dug through his bag for a shirt. He glanced at the princess bed behind him and chuckled. He’d never had a worse night’s sleep. The thing was way too small for him, but he’d been grateful for a place to lay his head.
“Mama, why was Beau sleeping in my bed?” Lottie’s voice drifted down the hall to him.
“There was a misunderstanding, he thought he was moving in here, but since we’re not moving out now, he’ll have to find a new place to live.”
Crap. This day just kept getting better and better.
He found Jack, Gavin, and Luanne with their heads together when he returned to the living room. They broke apart like a bunch of junior high mean girls at the lunch table when the nerdy kid asked to join them.
Guess who was the nerdy kid in this scenario.
He took the only empty seat in an overstuffed chair, making him the focus of everyone’s attention.
“Tell me about this clusterfuck,” Jack said.
Beau rubbed the back of his neck. “To tell the truth, I don’t know.”
“Not good enough.” Jack was all business, and it was clear he wasn’t taking any crap.
The air he’d been holding in his lungs huffed out, and he shook his head. “We hung around the bar after the show to celebrate the single hitting number one. Buddy and I stopped drinking after a few drinks, but Rick and Dawn kept at it. We all took an Uber back to the hotel. We said goodnight in the lobby, and I went to my room…alone.” He gave Jack the same steely-eyed look his cousin was giving him.
“We believe you, Beau,” Luanne soothed. “What we want to know is what happened next.”
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I went to my room and got in the shower. When I came out, Dawn was naked and in my bed.”
“How did she get in?” Gavin asked.
“That’s what I asked her. She said she told the front desk it was her room too, and that she’d lost her key.”
“And they just gave her one?” Luanne’s tone expressed the same outrage he’d felt when he heard it from Dawn’s lips.
“I guess. I don’t know any other way she could’ve gotten the key.” He still couldn’t believe it.
“What happened next?” Jack steered the conversation back on track.
“I told her to leave. I said I didn’t want her there. She said I was lying and that I’d told her over and over with my eyes and my body language that this was what I wanted.” He shook his head. “Can you believe that? I swear. I’ve never led her on at all.”
His three inquisitors exchanged a look.
“What?”
Luanne shook her head. “Nothing. Go on. When did Rick come in?”
“The door must not have latched because he kicked it open. He stormed in screaming and throwing punches. I have to admit it did look bad. I’d gotten Dawn out of the bed. She was naked. I was in a towel.” His hands went to the back of his head, and he dropped his chin to his chest. “It all went to hell after that.” He looked up at them. He needed them to believe him. “That’s when Buddy rushed in. He tried to talk some sense into Rick, but the idiot wouldn’t listen. Buddy tried to stop Rick from throwing a punch, and that’s when he got rammed into a wall and broke his arm.”
Gavin sat back and ran his fingers through his hair. “Shit.”
“Yeah.” Beau knew it was bad, but it hadn’t been his fault.
“Do you understand what you’ve done?” Jack asked. “I told you to be careful with Dawn.”
“What I’ve done?” Beau couldn’t have heard him correctly. “I didn’t lead Dawn on. I didn’t give her any secret message, and I sure as hell didn’t invite her back to my room.”
“Come on, Beau,” Jack said. “We’ve all seen you around women. You’re like candy to them.”
“Jack,” Luanne reprimanded him.
“No, Lou. I’m serious. It’s like the more he can lure in, the better.”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I can’t help if women are attracted to me. And I’m not going to be mean to them. That’s just not who I am.” He appreciated Jack, and they were developing a familial relationship, but he’d gladly kick the guy’s ass right about now.
“All we’re saying is that you’ve got to be careful,” Gavin added.
Luanne jumped to his defense. “Really? How careful were you before Scarlett?”
The guy had the decency to look embarrassed. “Not very.”
“That’s what I thought.” Luanne stood and came to Beau’s side. “This was a setback when we had momentum rolling. I get it. I know you two are upset, but Beau didn’t cause this.”
“Thank you, Luanne.” He was so grateful for someone to be on his side.
She held up her hand. “Not so fast, pretty boy. You’re not completely off the hook. Jack did tell you to be careful about Dawn. While this is on her, if I had to guess, you probably didn’t draw that hard line with her. Which means you need to listen to us, especially Jack and Gavin. They’ve been doing this a long time, and they know how to navigate you through this minefield. They can help you avoid the pitfalls of this business. You’re lucky to have their collective wisdom.”
Gavin chuckled. “I think wisdom is a strong word.”
That seemed to lighten the mood a bit, and Beau was grateful.
Jack dropped his head, and when he raised it Beau saw eyes the same color as his own staring back at him. “I’m sorry, Beau. It wasn’t fair of me to accuse you. We just know how big you can be, and we don’t want anything to come between you and your dream.”
“Yeah.” Gavin rubbed his hands on his thighs. “What Jack said.”
Beau nodded. “Thanks. That’s what I want too.” He glanced at Luanne then turned his attention back to Jack and Gavin. “So what do I do now?”
The three shared another look, and he knew he wasn’t going to like it.
“Lottie, do you want to ask me any questions about the wedding or why I didn’t marry Roger?�
�� Hailey squirted mousse into her palm.
“No.” Lottie sat at the vanity playing with tubes of lipstick. Open, twist, inspect, twist, close…repeat.
“Are you sure?” She spread the product through her hair, then began to scrunch her hands around her curls. “There was a lot that went on, and it was confusing for the grown-ups, let alone a kid. No matter how smart the kid is.”
“Can I put on this one?” The kid in question held up a ruby red lipstick.
“Not that one. Your mouth’ll look like a monkey’s butt.” She reached into the drawer and withdrew an alternative. “Try this one, but only a little bit.”
“Okay.” Lottie tilted down the small mirror that sat on the counter and began to apply the makeup carefully. “Uncle Hank and Aunt Charlie explained it to me.”
“What did they say?”
Lottie lowered the tube from her mouth. “They said you decided you couldn’t marry Roger, and that it was good that you figured it out before you were actually married.” She shrugged and went back to painting her lips. “Or something like that.”
Hailey could sense that her kid didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “Well if you have any questions, you know you can ask me anything.” The dark circles under her eyes had her reaching for the concealer. Maybe some mascara would perk up her face and make her not look so tired. A quick application and she was ready to go.
Lottie continued to dig around in Hailey’s makeup drawer. “Mom, since you and Roger aren’t getting married, does that mean you and Daddy can be back together now?”
Hailey froze while fiddling with her hair. What in the world? Her features stayed neutral, but just barely. She met Lottie’s gaze in the mirror. “Um…no, sweetie. You know your dad is married to Ariel now. He’s not coming back.” She didn’t add that she wouldn’t have him on a silver platter. She didn’t think her daughter needed to know that.
Lottie turned on the stool, a stubborn look on her face. “Why not?” shot from her pink lips.
Where had this come from? She’d never seen such attitude from her girl. Also, she thought Lottie understood that her parent’s marriage was over. Hailey knelt before her to make sure she was eye level with her. “Well, because Daddy doesn’t want to be married to me anymore.” She straightened the headband Lottie had in her hair. “I know this is hard for you to understand, but what happened with me and your father didn’t have anything to do with you.”
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