CHAPTER 32 Dex Bradley
Your Side Project
I glance across the room at her. I’ve had my eye on both her and my son the entire time I’ve been here, and when I see that Everleigh is with her, I know she’s fine. I didn’t like leaving her alone, but she walked away to feed the baby, and then my dad pulled me aside.
“Not here, Dad,” I mutter.
“We’re opening the front room this weekend. I’ll have someone bring you the details and the keys. I have some big whales coming your way, and I need you there every Tuesday night to host.”
“Fuck that,” I say.
“What did you just say?” he says.
“You heard me. I’m in season now, Dad. I can’t just hang at your side project on my one day off. I have shit to do.”
“Be that as it may, this is now one of the items on your list. You agreed to it. You signed a contract.”
“You know as well as I do there’s nothing you can do to enforce that contract,” I hiss at him.
“So you no longer want thirty-five percent of the profits? It goes both ways.”
I know this man, and I also know he will do whatever it takes to shave those profits down as low as he can so I only get a portion of what was promised to me.
That’s just how he works. It’s how he’s always operated, and I don’t have to like it, but I did know that going into our agreement.
“I’ll do what I can, but if I have events going on, I can’t duck out on my responsibilities to run your side gig.” I give him a pointed look.
“You won’t be saying that when it’s the main gig. I’ve hired some of the best in the business to handle things. It’ll be fine. You put in your weekly appearance, and you stay on the payroll.” He throws my own pointed look back in my face.
I realize as my eyes meet Ainsley’s across the room that I don’t want any part of this deal anymore.
The money is nice, sure. But aside from that, I can’t really put my finger on why I agreed to it.
Family loyalty, I guess. Working hard to make him proud when I should know by now that’s an impossible feat—or an uphill climb at the very least.
“I don’t want her to know,” I say.
“Who?”
“My wife.”
He rolls his eyes. “Everyone knows that’s a sham, son. Stop playing into it. You look ridiculous.”
“What if it’s not?” I ask.
“Isn’t it?”
I don’t answer, and I suppose not answering is an answer in itself. It might’ve started that way, but it’s certainly not where we are now.
And the more I look across the room at her, the more regretful I feel that we don’t get more time together.
I have to get back to California. I’ll be back in Vegas in a couple of days, but seeing her and not having enough time to be with her tells me how deep my feelings have started to run for her.
When it’s time to head to the airport, she goes with me.
She bids my sister goodbye, mostly because Everleigh has been holding Jack since Ainsley handed him over, and I don’t bother saying goodbye to my parents.
Ford has to catch a flight back, too, and the four of us share the same car to the airport that we took to the funeral this morning.
“Good seeing you, man,” Ford says to me when we arrive at the airport. “Wish it was under different circumstances.”
“I’ll see you in Vegas in a couple of months,” I say back, and we high-five but hold on as we turn it into a hug. He hugs Ainsley next, and then he goes in to clear security while we get the baby carrier out of the back of the car and gather up everything we need to head back home.
“Thanks for meeting me here,” I say once we’re all checked in for our flights and we’re waiting in line for security. “I know it wasn’t easy traveling with the baby.”
“It wasn’t hard,” she says, glancing down at Jack. “I actually quite enjoy taking care of him.”
“You’re good with him. You told me once you wanted to be a teacher, right? I think you would’ve made a good one.”
Her eyes get a little misty at that. “Thank you, Dex. That’s really sweet of you to say.” She looks like she wants to say something more, but she twists her lips instead and doesn’t add anything.
I can’t help but wonder what that was about, but it’s our turn at security, so we each fumble through our wallets for our licenses and Jack’s birth certificate before we’re waved through. She’s quite early for her flight, but I need to go board mine, so she walks to my gate with me.
“I’ll see you in a few days,” I say softly, and I lean down and press my lips to hers.
I glance at the carrier next, where Jack is awake and smacking the little toy Ainsley attached to the top of the handle.
“And you, little man. See you on Sunday.” I lean down and press my lips to his forehead, and I think it might be the first time I’ve kissed him in front of Ainsley.
I’ve kissed his head before, but only when we’ve been alone. I’m not sure why showing affection feels strange to me, but then I think of the fact that I didn’t even say goodbye to my parents today, and I guess I can understand why.
“We’ll miss you,” Ainsley says as I start to walk away, and I backtrack for one more kiss before I have to go get on the plane.
“I’ll miss you, too,” I say as I disappear into the jetway, my heart squeezing a little as I realize I’m leaving a piece of it behind me here…a piece they’ll carry home and have waiting for me when I return.