Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
HAYES
I drove down the long driveway that led to my father’s home. The estate was huge. More like a park with a house than a house with a manicured yard.
The two of them had turned the estate into a haven for the many, many grandkids in the family. All our family dinners and gatherings were held here.
I could see lights twinkling in the distance, where my father had recently installed new outdoor fixtures to light up the large oak trees that dominated the backyard. It gave the place a magical feeling, as if it were detached from the rest of the world—a private universe where only our family’s dramas and joys existed.
Coming here was always a bittersweet experience. The beauty of the estate was undeniable, but it also served as a constant reminder of how vast and complicated our family tree was. And honestly, it did make me miss my mom a little. It wasn’t fair she didn’t get to be a part of her grandchildren’s lives.
I rang the bell and waited.
Kathy answered it with a big smile.
“Hayes! It’s great to see you!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug that smelled faintly of cinnamon and lemon. She stepped back, holding my face in her hands like she often did when I was a child, inspecting me. “You look thin. Have you been eating well?”
“I’ve been eating fine, Kathy,” I assured her, smiling despite myself. “Just been busy with work and all.”
She tsked softly and ushered me inside. “Well, you’re here now. We’ll fatten you up a bit. Your father is in the den. I’ll bring in some sandwiches. I just pulled some cookies from the oven. I swear, that man is like Cookie Monster these days.”
“Sounds great,” I said. “You spoil us.”
Kathy was that kind of grandma. She was always baking cookies, bread, and homemade pizza. I loved that she loved to take care of her family. As much as I wanted to be angry and bitter my father moved on, I couldn’t be. Not really. A couple of my brothers were struggling a bit, but we all loved our dad and wanted him to be happy.
I found my way to my father’s den. Hudson was already there. With an intimate setting like this, we opted to skip the alcohol. Hudson was an alcoholic in recovery and none of us wanted to get in the way of that. For full-blown parties, he insisted we include alcohol, though. It was his way of living in the real word and practicing his self-control. The system had been working so far.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
“Bathroom,” Hudson said.
I took a seat on the leather couch and leaned back. Liam strolled into the den a few minutes later. He’d flown in for a few days. Isaac was sitting in a leather armchair with his phone in hand. He was furiously typing away.
Liam leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eye. “So, Isaac, who are you texting with that stupid grin on your face?”
Isaac didn’t even look up. “None of your business.”
Hudson snorted. “It’s definitely a woman. Probably someone whose name he doesn’t even know.”
I chuckled. “Sounds about right. How many are we betting he’s juggling right now?”
“Hey!” Isaac protested. “I’m not juggling. I’m exploring my options.”
Liam raised an eyebrow. “Exploring options? Sounds like code for man-slut .”
“Shut up,” Isaac muttered, but he was grinning. “You old farts might be married, but I’m still playing the field.”
“Seriously, at what point are you going to actually date someone? Like, for real?”
Isaac shrugged. “Why settle down? I’m having fun.”
“Fun gets old,” Hudson said dryly. “Trust me.”
Liam nodded in agreement. “Plus, you’re not getting any younger. At some point, you’ll want more than just random hookups.”
“Easy for you two to say,” Isaac retorted. “You’re all married with kids. Some of us enjoy our freedom.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sounds like you’re living up to the Bancroft name. Just don’t come crying to us when you find out you have a dozen kids.”
Isaac flipped me off. “Laugh all you want. But I’m enjoying my life.”
“Enjoying your life means more than just sleeping with random women,” Hudson said. “I wouldn’t trade Diana for anything.”
“Why are you guys picking on me?” Isaac scowled. He pointed at me. “He’s a man-whore, too.”
“Hey, I’m not actively sleeping around.” I shook my head. “You’re on your own on this one.”
“Oh, really?” Liam leaned forward, his interest piqued. “Do tell.”
I couldn’t help the smile on my face. “Her name’s Dixie. She’s… cool.”
“He’s hooked,” Hudson said.
“‘Bout time,” Liam said.
“Lame,” Isaac added.
“She’s not impressed by the Bancroft name,” I said. Now that we were talking about it, I wanted them to know about her. “She doesn’t care about money or status. She’s passionate about her work, creative, and absolutely hilarious.”
Isaac snorted. “Sounds too good to be true.”
“Trust me, she’s real. Works restoring furniture, lives in this tiny apartment that somehow feels more like a home than any penthouse I’ve ever seen. Although her building should probably be condemned.”
Liam whistled. “Sounds like someone’s falling hard.”
“I’m not falling,” I protested.
“Who’s falling?” Dad asked as he strolled into the room.
Kathy was right behind him with a large tray filled with sandwiches cut into triangles, a plate of cookies, and several cans of soda.
“Hayes,” Liam said. He reached for a sandwich and took a bite.
“Well, that sounds exciting,” Kathy said.
“Tell us about your trip,” I said, changing the subject. I didn’t need them making me overthink things with Dixie. She and I were meshing together naturally and that was enough for me.
“It was so beautiful,” Kathy said.
She perched herself on the armrest of Dad’s chair. He automatically wrapped an arm around her waist. I didn’t think people could age backward, but my father looked twenty years younger.
I guessed love did that for a man.
“Did you guys sit on the beach the whole time?” Liam asked.
Kathy laughed, her eyes sparkling with joy. “We did some beach sitting, but we also explored. Armand surprised me with a sunset cruise one evening.”
Dad chuckled, squeezing her hand. “I wanted to recreate our first date all those years ago. Remember how we used to go sailing?”
“Oh, that was decades ago,” Kathy said, her voice soft with nostalgia. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
“How could I forget?” Dad replied. “You were wearing this pale blue dress that matched the ocean. I knew right then I was in love with you.”
Hudson leaned over to me and whispered, “They’re like teenagers.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Their love was genuine, unfiltered. Sure, it was a little intense for an afternoon get-together, but seeing Dad happy was nice.
“Tell us about the resort,” Isaac prompted, grabbing another sandwich.
Kathy launched into a detailed description of their resort, her hands animating every word. She talked about the crystal-clear waters, the pristine beaches, and the incredible food they’d experienced. Dad listened, occasionally adding a comment or squeezing her hand, his eyes never leaving her.
“We met this lovely couple from Australia,” Kathy said. “They were celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Can you imagine? Fifty years together?”
“That’s impressive,” Hudson said. “Especially in today’s world.”
“They told us their secret was never going to bed angry,” Armand added. “Always resolve conflicts before sleeping.”
Isaac rolled his eyes. “Sounds exhausting.”
Liam chuckled. “Says the guy who can’t commit to remembering a woman’s name.”
“They have names?” Isaac asked, but he was grinning.
“The trip sounds like a blast,” Liam said. “Next time, take me instead.”
“Next time, you’ll have no choice,” Dad said. “We’re going back, and we’re bringing all of you—wives, kids, the whole crew. A massive family vacation before the wedding.”
My brothers and I all exchanged looks of surprise.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“A few weeks before the big day, we want everyone to experience the islands together and celebrate as a family,” Kathy said.
Hudson raised an eyebrow. “All of us? Together? On an island? Sounds like a wild time.”
“Or a disaster,” Liam added with a chuckle.
I shook my head, already imagining the chaos. “You sure you want to subject the Maldives to this crew? Is it even big enough to host our massive brood?”
Armand waved a hand dismissively. “It’ll be perfect. But first, there’s something we need to address. Kathy and I have been talking. It’s about the wedding.”
“What about it?” Liam asked.
“Hayes and Isaac, we don’t want you showing up to the wedding stag,” Dad said.
I blinked, glancing at Isaac.
He looked horrified. “What are you talking about? Weddings are like a singles bar.”
Kathy gave us a patient smile. “No solo appearances. We don’t want anyone treating the wedding like a hookup playground.”
“You can go home with the woman you bring,” Armand said, his expression serious. “And that’s it. We don’t want incidents in closets or behind trees or in limos.”
Liam snorted, trying—and failing—to hide his amusement. Hudson outright laughed, slapping his knee.
Isaac set his phone down, crossing his arms. “Let me get this straight. You’re enforcing a plus-one policy to keep things… wholesome? At a Bancroft wedding?”
“Yes, exactly,” Kathy said. “It’s time you both settled down anyway. Look at Hudson and Liam. They’ve figured it out.”
Hudson shot us a smug grin. “It’s true. Married life is great.”
“Speak for yourself,” Liam muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched with amusement.
Isaac and I shared a look of mutual disbelief.
“Fine,” I said, shrugging. “Isaac will be my plus-one.”
Isaac nodded solemnly. “Agreed. I’ll wear a sexy red dress. Just no kissing on the mouth.”
“Perfect,” I said.
Dad chuckled, shaking his head. “Amusing, but no. We’re serious about this. Both of you need to find real dates. Consider it your homework.”
Isaac groaned. “Great. Nothing like being assigned girlfriend homework.”
“You’re welcome to invite a date on the family trip, too,” Dad added casually. “In fact, it might be a good idea. Keep you from wandering into the bungalow of an exotic beauty.”
“Uh, I kind of hope I wander into an exotic beauty’s bungalow,” Isaac said.
Instantly, my mind conjured an image of Dixie—her sun-kissed skin in a bikini, or better yet, naked in my bed in one of those ocean villas. Oh hell yes. I could get behind that idea.
“I’ll think about it,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.
“Good,” Dad said, satisfied. “It’s about time you boys started thinking long term. Life’s too short to waste on fleeting distractions.”
His words settled over me as the conversation shifted. Hudson and Liam resumed their verbal jabs, Isaac made a sarcastic comment about wedding prep being more complicated than running a Fortune 500 company, and Kathy shook her head at all of us.
I wasn’t a relationship guy—never had been—but there was something about Dixie that made me wonder what life could look like a few years down the road. And for the first time in a long time, the idea didn’t terrify me.
I knew my family would welcome Dixie, but how would she feel being surrounded by thirty-plus Bancroft family members? She seemed like the kind of woman who could hold her own in any situation, but my family wasn’t just large. It was loud, invasive, and could turn a peaceful island into a noisy festival.
“I have to get going,” Hudson said. “I promised Diana I would be home early to take my shift so she could get some sleep.”
“Good luck, man,” Liam said.
“Thanks,” Hudson replied, his fatigue evident. He managed a weak smile before heading out the door.
Kathy gave him a soft, sympathetic smile, and I could see the nostalgia in her eyes as she likely recalled what it was like being a young parent. Lucky for Diana, she had a man who wasn’t going behind her back, unlike Kathy’s late husband—my uncle.
“I should get going as well,” I said and got to my feet.
“I’ll be sending out information about the Maldives trip to everyone’s email,” Kathy said. “We’d really love it if we could get everyone there.”
“I look forward to it,” I said, wondering if Dixie had a passport.