13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
LUCAS
I n the kitchen, Finn and Hayden take a seat at the breakfast counter. I open the fridge and pull out three Budweisers and pass them on. Twisting off the cap, I toss it into the sink and take a long pull of my drink.
“Okay, hit me with it.” I know for a fact my brothers have a lot to say. Better to get it over with.
Hayden twists the bottle in his hands. “The media has gone nuts over you and Penny. Some are calling you the greatest couple of all time. Others think you’re a home-wrecker and Penny is a cheater who doesn’t deserve a man like Darren, and that’s putting things lightly.”
I rub my fingers up and down my forehead. It’s been days. Why hasn’t there been another celebrity scandal for the media to move on to? “You said you were getting the PR team on it? Can they make it go away?”
With a shake of his head, Hayden says, “We put out a statement on your behalf stating that Darren’s accusations were false, but with all the photos and video evidence of you and Penny together, plus his statement about the two of you having an affair which drove him into Karen’s arms, there wasn’t much they could do. It was dying down until they spotted you in Oaks Valley.” Hayden blows out a breath. “We’ve lost two major clients because of this. Hopefully no one else leaves us or we could lose a ton of money.”
I slap my hands on the counter. “Is that all you’re worried about—the money?” As head of finances, sometimes all Hayden sees is dollar signs.
“Of course not,” Hayden retorts. “What I’m trying to say is that if we’re losing clients because you’ve been seen with Penny, I can only imagine what damage is happening to her company. The media are ripping her apart.”
“This isn’t her fault. That asshole is to blame.”
“We know that. The media doesn’t. The juicier the story, the better. They will milk it for every drop they can whether it’s true or not. Destroying people’s reputation isn’t a concern for them,” Hayden says.
Leaning against the counter, I cross my arms over my chest. “How do we fix this? Penny has worked too hard for her career to be tarnished.”
“Why do you care so much?” Finn asks. “I thought you hated her.”
“Things have changed.”
“What things?” Finn gives me a curious look.
I never told my brothers why I hated Penny so much. After what happened I didn’t want to think about her or speak her name. It was better to forget she ever existed. So without going into detail, I say, “We had the time to talk and work through some misunderstandings.”
Thankfully they don’t pry and ask questions about what those misunderstandings were.
Finn takes a sip of his beer and sets it on the counter. “How the hell did you end up in this mess?”
“Photographers surrounded her. The assholes wouldn’t let up. I couldn’t leave her in such a vulnerable state.” I don’t tell them that I nearly did a couple of times. Something inside me kept pulling me back to her.
“I’m surprised you took her to the cabin during Garrett’s anniversary. You never let anyone join you. Not even us,” Hayden says.
“I didn’t have much choice. It’s not like I could have dumped her at some random hotel. The paparazzi were hounding her everywhere she went.”
Hayden rubs a hand over his chin. “She could have called someone she knew to pick her up and take her somewhere secluded. Then you could have wiped your hands of the situation. Is there something you’re not telling us about Penny?”
“Like what?”
“Well, it didn’t take long to see there’s some kind of connection between the two of you. Are you finally realizing that all the bullshit people say to you about being like Dad is exactly that—bullshit—and you’re in a relationship with her?” Hayden questions.
I slide my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “We’re just friends.”
Although, something tugs at my heart, telling me this could be more. I mentally shake myself. No, it can’t go any further than what it is. Because if I try having a relationship with Penny, I’ll only break her heart. She’s too important to me to hurt. It’s better not to risk it.
Hayden and Finn give me a dubious look.
“It’s true. She’s just come out of a serious relationship, and I’m not looking for one.” I try to sound convincing, but even to my own ears I’m not sure I’m buying it.
“Well, maybe a relationship with Penny will turn things around.” Hayden drums his fingers on the counter in thought.
I push away from the counter. “What do you mean? I just said we’re not together.”
“If the public thinks you are, then do it.”
Frowning, I glance at Finn to see if he’s following. He shrugs his shoulders and looks as confused as I feel. “You still don’t make any sense,” I say.
“We get PR to make up a story about how Penny’s relationship with Darren was over a few weeks ago, and she didn’t have an affair with you. They’d broken up before you got together,” Hayden suggests. “It will be your word against Darren’s.”
“Then, what if instead of Penny hiding, you’re seen together as an enamored couple. Confess your love for each other. You already have half of her fans on your side, you only need to convince the other half. People go nuts over a great love story. They’ll soon forget about the scandal because they’ll be invested in what the two of you are doing. You’ll be the next golden couple in no time.” Finn points his bottle in my direction and smiles like he’s solved the problem.
Could it be as easy as that? I take a moment to think. The attraction is undeniable—no pretending there. Hell, I can’t keep my hands off her. But fake love? That’s a problem. I haven’t a clue what love is. Sure, I’ve seen it between my brothers and their wives. All loved-up expressions and loving touches. If I pretend, can I make it look real? Or will the media see right through me?
“What if Penny doesn’t agree to it? Hell, I’m not sure if I want to do it.” That means spending more time together. Not seeing other women. It sounds too complicated, yet being with Penny longer sounds better than spending time with dozens of different women.
Finn shrugs. “If you think of a better way to get out of this mess, let us know. We’ll do whatever it takes to help.”
My brothers are my best friends. We’ve bonded even more over the loss of our mother and the betrayal of our father. We are by each other’s sides in a flash. Or sticking our noses in each other’s business. With their wives added in the mix, we’re stronger than ever. What would it be like to have that connection with a woman? Loving only one person for the rest of your life. Pure love radiates from Finn and Hayden when they look at Harper and Alyssa. Never could I imagine them cheating on their wives like our father did. But they were never told they were like him. Not like I was.
All my life I heard:
“You’re the spitting image of your father.”
“When you grow up, the girls are going to fall at your feet like they did for your father when he was younger.”
“Your father was wild in his youth, just like you.”
“You’re a lucky man to have the charm of your father. Women love it.”
“Don’t get a girlfriend, they don’t like it when you have a wandering eye.”
That last comment hits hard now that I understand it. Not only did my father have a wandering eye, but he also couldn’t keep his dick in his pants even when he was married and proclaiming his love for his wife.
If that’s love, I don’t want it.
The kitchen door opens and Alyssa walks in. She glances around at the empty beer bottles on the counter. “I thought you were organizing something for dinner?”
Shit! We’ve been discussing what to do about Penny and we’d forgotten about food. “I’ll call the restaurant downstairs and have them send up pizzas.” I pull my phone out of my pocket.
She gives me a hard stare. “Fine. I want one with extra anchovies and mozzarella cheese. Pay them extra if necessary to speed it up.” Like the dancer she is, she gracefully spins on her heels and sashays from the room.
Hayden watches her leave. A huge grin spreads across his face. “Man, I love that woman.”
“I can tell by the goofy expression on your face,” I remark.
“One day you’ll be wearing one too and you won’t even be sorry.” Hayden grins.
One day you’ll be wearing one too.
Not if I can help it.