Brynne
BESTIE:
What’s Scout wearing tonight? Should I match her?
THEO:
Please don’t.
WILLOW:
What does she like? I want to give her something.
THEO:
Again, please don’t.
She’s shy.
RONAN:
I can’t believe I have a niece.
BESTIE:
I can’t believe Theo has a KID!!!
RONAN:
Oh, true.
Damn, Theo. You’re a fucking dad.
THEO:
I don’t need the reminder, guys. I know.
ME:
Is she excited to meet everyone at least?
BESTIE:
Theo???
RONAN:
He probably got distracted by his reflection.
I slid my shaky hand over the smooth fabric of my dress, suddenly thinking maybe it wasn’t the right thing to wear. It was short, but most of the dresses I wore outside of work were, and it showed off the tattoos lining my arm.
Ronan and Willow stood somewhere behind me as I stared out at the overflowing parking lot. Nerves twisted my stomach, but I forced a deep breath into my lungs.
Last night, Trinity called and told me all about Theo’s daughter, Scout. She was twelve, and practically silent, but Trin could feel a sadness radiating from her that she recognized, that she understood.
I still couldn’t believe Theo had a kid—a twelve-year-old daughter . Trinity didn’t know what school she was going to, if she was going to attend a regular school at all, or do online classes, but a part of me hoped she’d be at mine. That I’d be her teacher.
I knew better than most what it was like being the new kid, to feel like everyone was staring at you simply because you existed and were different.
“Do you think tonight is a good time to ask?” Willow’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I roughly cleared my throat. I turned toward them, watching as Ronan stared down at her, his eyes soft.
“Let’s feel it out.”
She was buzzing with excited, nervous energy, but I didn’t think it was entirely because she was anxious about meeting Scout.
“Ask what?” I couldn’t stop myself. Willow glanced up at Ronan, and he shrugged.
“I want to ask Theo if he can help me restore the lighthouse.”
My brows lifted. “Restore it? Do you know—how would you even?—”
“That’s what I want to talk to him about.” She sighed, running her hand over her hair. “I know how to do it—I’ve researched it to death. But actually putting those things in motion? No idea. I’m hoping he knows.”
“He might have his hands full…”
I didn’t need to expand on what he’d have his hands full with. She nodded in understanding and shifted closer to Ronan.
“Are you ready for the school year?” she asked, changing the subject. I grinned.
“I spent the last few days getting my room ready,” I said. “I went with an Edgar Allen Poe theme this year. I think the kids are really going to love it.”
Willow’s eyes lit up. “That’s so fun. Do you have a new theme every year?”
“Yeah. I don’t want it to feel stale, you know? And the kids like when the room reflects what we’re learning about.”
Before Willow could say anything else, a voice sliced through the air.
“Hey, you hot slut. Wanna take me for a ride?”
A cackle left me as I turned around, finding my best friend hanging out the back window of her mom’s car. Theo sat in the front, but his head was toward Demi. And…Scout. Where was she?
“It’ll cost you,” I called back, and Trin flashed me a wicked grin. They drove around the parking lot for a few minutes before they parked, and the second they did, Trinity was out of the car and sprinting toward us.
“Jesus Christ,” Ronan muttered under his breath. “She doesn’t even look both ways. She should’ve learned that when she was like two?—”
She threw her arms around me, squeezing tight. “I felt like an old woman waiting for her husband to return from the great war.”
“You just saw me.” I laughed, gently pushing her away. As soon as I did, I saw three people walking toward us—Theo, tall and elegant as ever, but… different . Demi, also tall, and lean, and classier than I could ever hope to be.
And then someone else. Someone smaller.
Someone who looked a hell of a lot like Trinity did when she was twelve.
I felt my smile fall. Felt my stomach drop with it. Felt my nerves fry.
A hush fell over our little group, quiet and tense, as Theo, Demi, and Scout stopped before us. Theo stood closer to his daughter, who was staring down at her feet. Her blonde hair was braided to the side, and her clothes were simple, but looked expensive.
Everything but her shoes. They were scuffed and worn, nearly falling apart.
Theo clearly bought her a new wardrobe, but why didn’t he update her shoes?
“Hey, man,” Ronan said first, breaking the tension. He gave Theo a bro-hug before turning his attention to Scout. Crouching slightly, he smiled, but she didn’t look at him. “I’m Ronan. But you can call me?—”
“Big, stinky butthead,” Trinity interrupted. My mouth fell open, and before I could stop myself, a disbelieving laugh tumbled out.
“I was going to say Ro,” Ronan grumbled, shooting her a look.
“Same difference.” She shrugged.
“This is my girlfriend, Willow.” He gestured for her to come closer, but it looked like she was seconds away from a panic attack.
“Hi,” she whispered. Scout’s eyes barely flicked to her before they returned to the ground.
“She’s just shy,” Theo said roughly, twisting his hands together. He stared down at Scout, almost like he was silently begging her to speak—to say something . Anything.
But she didn’t.
“And this is Brynne,” Trinity announced excitedly, looping her arm through mine. “She’s my best friend and will be your English teacher at school.” Scout’s eyes lifted to meet mine before she dropped them again.
“ My school?” I glanced at Theo, but he wasn’t looking at me. His head was tipped back, and he was studying the stars like they were the most interesting thing he’d ever seen. “She’s going to my school?”
“Yep.” Trin grinned. “You’re her new teacher!”
“I don’t know her schedule,” I muttered. “I might not be?—”
“I’ll raise hell to get her in your class,” Trinity said, shrugging like she didn’t just threaten to raise hell at my middle school.
“Can we eat?” Theo blurted. “I’m starving.”
From a distance, he’d looked the same as he always did—polished, effortless, the picture of arrogance. But up close…he looked worn out. Exhausted.
His hair was longer than I’d ever seen it, and there was a thick coat of stubble along his jaw. His clothes, while still more expensive than my rent, were disheveled and wrinkled. Bags sat under his eyes, his skin pale, and cheeks sunken.
He looked rough .
Theo flicked his eyes to me as he passed, letting them glide over my body in a way that made heat fill my veins, but quickly looked away. Trinity and I followed behind the group into Dockside Grille, our arms still looped.
Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the low, warm light casting a hazy glow over the restaurant. Every table had a white cloth with faux candles sitting in the middle. Fresh flowers sat around the place, their scent mixing with the food.
“So, what do you think?” Trinity whispered, gesturing toward Scout.
“She’s quiet.” She nodded. “Maybe she really is just shy.” Trinity shook her head.
“She’s depressed.”
“I mean…” I gave Trin a look. “Wouldn’t you be if your mom randomly died?”
She shrugged. “I guess. But…I don’t know. I’m worried she might—” She shook her head as if dislodging the thoughts, the memories. “I’m worried she might do something permanent about the pain, you know?”
My throat tightened. “You could?—”
“I’m not qualified to talk to anyone.” She made a sound somewhere between a scoff and a laugh. “I’d just fuck her up even more.”
“Or you could be real with her and show her you’re a safe person to talk to,” I countered. “Maybe she needs that. Someone she can turn to who will understand her feelings.”
Trinity shrugged again. “We’ll see.”
We were quickly seated at a large table in the back. A part of me expected Theo to sit by us. He always did when we ate a meal with everyone like this. He sat close enough for us to talk, to jokingly flirt, but far enough away that it wouldn’t be inappropriate.
But tonight, he didn’t.
Instead, he sat on the opposite end of the table. And other than a few cursory glances, he never looked my way.
Was it me? Did he not want me here meeting Scout? Or maybe it was my dress? Did he think it was inappropriate to wear around her?
I ran the diamond along my chain necklace as I skimmed the menu.
Trinity and Willow chatted, filling the silence with some much-needed conversation.
Theo and Ronan talked in a hushed tone the way men often did.
Demi was pointing things out to Scout on the menu, letting her know what was good and what wasn’t.
And then there was me…on the outside looking in.
I’d never felt so out of place in the Caldwell family before. For the last six years, Trinity and I had been inseparable, and never once did I feel like an outsider. Like I wasn’t part of them .
But tonight, everything felt off. Everything felt like I shouldn’t be here, like I was intruding.
It was too late to leave now, though.
When I looked down the long table, I found Theo staring at me. His throat bobbed as our eyes locked, and heat rushed over my skin again. His eyes dipped to my chest for a beat too long before he barely shook his head and looked away.
My throat was dry, my hands were sweaty, and my thighs trembled from pressing them so tightly together.
“So, how are you liking your new place?” I asked, and Willow grinned.
“We love it. Sailor found a little cubby he likes to hide in. He nearly gave us a heart attack the first time he disappeared into it. We thought he ran away.” She glanced at Ronan, and he grinned.
“Sailor?” Scout’s quiet, almost silent voice was like a bomb at the table. All eyes turned to her, and a flush of pink filled her cheeks. “Is that your kid?”
“Our cat,” Ronan explained. “Willow found him at the lighthouse. He was a stray, and we brought him home.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “Cool.”
My lips twitched at Ronan’s expression—he was freaking out. We all were.