Chapter 18
Chapter eighteen
Stephanie
I was pretty sure deathly paleness wasn’t a symptom most adult children experienced when in the presence of their father figure.
But after those light moments of singing karaoke with Nash, seeing that smooth face (thanks, plastic surgery), more pepper-than-salt hair (thanks, Turkish “vacation”), twisted smile, and a blonde bombshell on his arm (wife number seven to be exact), I remembered I hadn’t prepared Nash for this exact moment of an Addams family nightmare… er, Christmas.
I’d brought him into enemy territory and thrown him to the literal sharks. If he thought Great-Aunt Edith was bad, Hiram Addams was another story.
Oh, they had met before. On opposite sides of the board room and a marketing war. And as of two years ago, I’d been caught in the middle.
I’d stopped taking Hiram’s calls, but passive-aggressive texts still pinged my phone occasionally. Like at that crazy office party. We hadn't had a face-to-face meeting in over two years, and now we were doing it with Nash present. Lovely.
“What do we have here?” Hiram tilted his head thoughtfully, but with a dark, cunning gleam in his hazel eyes as they darted between Nash and me. Hazel eyes… The one predominant feature we shared. Everything else I inherited from the mother I could barely remember.
Nash’s hand gently squeezed my arm. Right, he was still holding onto me. He bent his head to my ear. “You okay?”
Blood whooshed in my ears, but I nodded and flashed him a small smile, hoping he read the apology in my face.
“Dad.” The word felt rusty on my tongue since I never used it.
“Nice to see you.” I glanced at the young blonde woman beside him.
She didn’t look more than thirty-five, but between the make up and the…
lifts I couldn’t be certain. She was young.
That much was obvious. Could even be Zoe’s age.
He’s old enough to be her father. Ugh. “And you must be…”
“Zara!” the woman cried enthusiastically. “We were married just last month. Hiram, what a cute little family you have!”
Zara—who ironically shared a name with one of my nieces—didn’t talk, she gushed. And this family was anything but small. As for cute… Sure, the kids were. Everyone else was a piranha. Mostly. And currently watching the showdown in smug intrigue.
“Prescott,” Hiram growled, ignoring Zara’s trilling voice and grip on his arm with her clawlike hot pink nails. “What are you doing in my home?”
My heart thundered in my ribcage, begging to take flight, and I sucked in a raspy breath.
“He’s here with me,” I said with a firmness that surprised even me, taking a step closer.
“Nash is my boyfriend.” Every nerve and muscle was taut with strain, ready to go to battle.
I felt like one of those early medieval rulers granting sanctuary to an enemy. Claiming him as my business.
Hiram’s eyes sharpened, followed by an ugly curse. “It’s not enough that you humiliated us by agreeing to work with him, but now you sully our name further by sleeping with him of all people?”
Embarrassment burned my cheeks. “That’s not… We’re not—”
Hiram flicked a hand, silencing me. “You told me you were bringing a suitable guest. He is not welcome in my home. You’re a little—”
“Don’t insult her,” Nash interrupted in his commanding boardroom voice, making half of my siblings gawk at his audacity.
He shifted protectively beside me. “I know I’m not worthy of your daughter, and whatever choice words you have for me, fine.
But leave her out of it. She’s a fine woman—one to be proud of. I know I am.”
Um… swoon. I gaped at him. Fake. This is fake. But when Nash met my gaze and kissed my forehead, it sure didn’t feel like it.
“Leave them alone, Hiram,” Nana snapped, smacking her clipboard for emphasis and cutting into my short-circuiting spiral of emotions. “She brought a date, as you asked. They’re your guests. If he goes, so does she.”
Ignoring his mother, Hiram hummed to himself, patting Zara’s arm.
“Children and their little rebellions.” He blinked at me.
“You’ve disappointed me yet again, Stephanie.
” To the rest of the group, he waved, adding, “Carry on. We’ll get settled and cleaned up”—he eyed Zara, frowning slightly at her jeans and blouse—“into something more… suitable, and then we’ll come join you. ”
Once they were out of earshot, Great-Aunt Edith threw a handful of popcorn in the air. “Woo-hoo! Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Nana instantly jumped back into karaoke mode, calling for the next pair—Hailey and Ivy. With Hailey being a professional singer, she was always a guaranteed win. She should have been paired with Nash.
But I barely heard the duet as Nash steered me towards the couch, settling in with his arm draped lightly over my shoulders.
I tucked my legs under me to counteract the dizziness swirling through my veins, and the slant of the sofa tilted me towards him.
I couldn’t find it in my heart to care that I was almost plastered against him as the adrenaline drained from my body.
His fingers gently caressed the side of my neck, loosening the tight muscles. I wanted to fight the sensation. Fight the urge to relax. But I was too tired. Too… everything. Giving in, I let myself sink against him, dropping my head against his chest. Listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat.
“You regretting coming?” I muttered. Not that anyone could hear me over the sweet sound of the women singing “Winter Wonderland.”
Nash’s chuckle rumbled under my ear. “Not a chance.” His soft words tickled the hair at my temple. “I’m exactly where I want to be. Chilly reception notwithstanding. I’m not here for them. I’m here for you, Steph.”
The words warmed my soul more than the cozy blanket he tugged over our laps and were twice as sweet as hot cocoa topped with marshmallows. His eyes softened in the glow from the Christmas tree, and his lips tipped up in a grin.
Steph, stop staring at his lips. This is FAKE, girl.
I blinked rapidly and refocused on the duet, clapping as Hailey and Ivy bowed dramatically.
But not before Nash chuckled again and tipped me farther into him.
He had noticed me looking at his mouth, and no doubt my thoughts were way too obvious in neon lights above my head. It could be real though.
Liz had been right to question my acting abilities. This was going to be a long week.