Theo
I t was one of the last weekends with warm weather of the year, and we took full advantage of it.
Trinity, surprisingly, did an amazing job decorating the backyard.
A long table spread the length, a nude-colored runner down the center.
It was overflowing with fresh plants, the last remnants of summer.
It looked like a Pinterest board threw up all over my backyard.
I nearly laughed. Six months ago, I would’ve never believed that this would be my life. When I left Cedar Ridge at eighteen, I never expected to move back. Ever . But here I was.
And I didn’t entirely hate it.
But I didn’t entirely love it, either.
I missed my old life every day, but this new life was growing on me.
I lounged back in my chair, watching the sun reflect off the ocean. Condensation gathered on the outside of my glass, and I wiped my hand down the front of my jeans.
Yeah, I was wearing jeans .
Designer jeans, but still.
And it wasn’t just because I was running out of slacks to wear because Larry had a taste for designer fabric.
Tonight was casual. I wanted to fit in .
I ditched the slacks, but not the button-down. Without it, I knew I’d feel naked. But I kept it casual with a black one, rolled up to the elbows, and the first few buttons undone.
Lounging in my deck chair, I felt like the picture of casual.
But inside, I was a high-strung mess.
I still couldn’t stop thinking about my conversation with Brynne last night. I couldn’t get the image of her tits out of my head.
It was obvious she was hiding an amazing, soft, curvy body underneath her clothes, but I never imagined it would’ve been that perfect. She was built like one of those statues of a Greek goddess—soft, and round, and so fucking perfect.
Before I came downstairs, I had to fuck my fist again . I felt like a damn teenager. The wind blew just right, my mind barely drifted, and I was hard.
And it was because of her.
Or maybe it was because I’d gone months without sleeping with anyone.
I told myself it was the latter, but I knew the truth—it was her .
I wasn’t in love with her. I didn’t even like her, not like that.
But I wanted to fuck her.
Badly.
“Big big bro!” Trinity shouted, her voice carrying through the house. “Where is your beautiful daughter?”
“Her room!” I called back, my head twisted over my shoulder.
Footsteps thundered up the stairs inside, and I smiled to myself as I brought the glass to my lips. I told Scout she’d be recruited to help. She didn’t believe me, but she should’ve.
I heard a groan, then the door shut, and I winced. Maybe I should’ve told Trinity to leave her alone. She was already having a hard time with finding her place here, and the party was making everything worse for her.
She wasn’t looking forward to a house full of people she didn’t know, and I understood it. She was out of her depth here—but so was I.
And I needed a night of normalcy. I needed to be surrounded by the friends I’d left behind, the people who used to be the most important in my life.
Everything was so damn different now. I saw them posting their nights out on Instagram every weekend, and Archer made sure to let us know about his new conquests.
Trent kept to himself, but that wasn’t unusual.
A part of me wondered if he was a robot or an alien.
I hadn’t ever seen him with a man or woman before.
And Jordy…
He was too busy living his best life with his newborn son and wife to come today. He constantly updated us with things the baby was doing. But I couldn’t pay attention to it.
Seeing the little guy made my heart ache in a way I couldn’t quite understand. It wasn’t jealousy, but it was… something .
Because when I looked at his baby, then looked at my own kid, I realized how much I’d truly missed out on.
I’d never wanted the late nights or diaper changes or burp cloths. But when I thought about Scout as that little baby…I wanted it.
Or I thought I did.
I knew it was ridiculous. I knew even entertaining the regret was going to send me into a spiral I couldn’t claw myself out of.
But I’d missed her first steps, her first words, her first time trying solid foods, her first day of school. Everything.
I’d missed it all.
Not because I’d wanted to. Not because I was a deadbeat dad.
But because I didn’t know she even existed.
No matter how hard I tried to picture Scout as a baby, I couldn’t. I’d tried to think of her as a toddler, and…nothing. My mind was blank. I couldn’t picture her as anything other than who she was now, and that killed me.
When she was still in a highchair, what was I doing? Sleeping with some nameless, faceless stranger? Closing a multimillion dollar deal?
And there she was…just on the other side of the city.
As much as I didn’t want to be angry at Sarah, I couldn’t help it. She stole those years from me. She made the decision to keep our daughter from me.
If she would’ve just told me, I would’ve never let her and Scout live in that shitty apartment. I would’ve never let Scout go to some public school. I would’ve given her—them both—the best of everything.
I could’ve been a father to her from the very beginning.
Reaching up, I ran my fingers through my hair. I knew I sounded like a spoiled child crying, “ It’s not fair! ” but it wasn’t.
I couldn’t be mad at a dead woman, though. For more reasons than one.
Because if Scout got even the faintest whiff that I was upset with her mother, she’d never trust me again, and she was just now beginning to let her guard down around me. She was letting me in—slowly, barely, but it was happening.
And I wouldn’t do anything to fuck it up.
Voices sounded from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder again. Trinity and Scout were talking quietly together, their heads nearly touching. Whatever they were discussing could only mean one thing—trouble.
Because wherever Trinity was, chaos always followed.
I groaned as I got to my feet, setting the almost-empty glass on the side table as I made my way to them. My brows rose with every step. They didn’t acknowledge me as I approached, like I didn’t even exist.
Finally, Scout glanced at me, and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“What?” I asked, and she shook her head.
Trinity turned, and the sight of them standing next to each other hit me like a brick to the face. It still baffled me how alike they looked.
Trinity was a little taller, and Scout was a little more pale, but they could’ve been sisters.
“What did you do?” I leveled the question at Trinity, who didn’t look guilty in the slightest, but that didn’t mean shit. “You did something. I know it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She clapped me on the arm, and Scout covered a laugh with a cough. I darted my gaze between them, my eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“It’s girl talk,” she said, flicking her fingers dismissively. “You wouldn’t understand.”
A knock at the door pulled my attention, but I kept my gaze on them as I backed down the hallway toward the foyer. Lifting two fingers, I pointed them at my eyes, then at the girls.
“Oh, my god.” Scout grimaced. “No one does that anymore.”
“Really?” I scrunched my brows. “What do they do instead?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “But not that.”
Another knock sounded, and I shook my head, turning my back to them as I rushed across the foyer. Pulling the door open, a smile immediately filled my face as Archer threw his arms around me.
“There he is!” he shouted, his voice echoing around the small room. He gently shoved me out of the way as he stepped into my house. “Damn, Theo. This place is nice .”
I shrugged. “It needs some work, but?—”
“It has that New England charm,” he said as he looked around.
“That just means it’s old and dated.”
Trent stood in the doorway, holding a bottle of wine. He shoved his glasses up his nose, looking uncomfortable.
“What are you, a vampire? You don’t need to be invited in.” I waved my hand at him, and he stepped through the door.
“I brought this for you.” He held the bottle out, and I took it from him. “It’s non-alcoholic, so your child can have it as well.”
“You’re the only person I know who looks like he’s apologizing for giving a gift.” I laughed, slapping his shoulder with my palm. He cringed, and I laughed again. “Sorry. I forgot.”
He hated being touched—he hated a lot of things. As much as everyone thought I was rigid in my ways, they had never met Trent before. The man was a walking brick wall—he was unmovable. Impenetrable.
Impossible.
“So, where’s my niece?” Archer asked, spinning in a circle.
“She’s not your niece,” I said. Reaching over, I grabbed his shirt and dragged him toward me. “Go easy with her, man. She’s…shy.”
He shrugged. “Kids love me,” he said, and I shook my head.
“Just—don’t freak her out, alright? I don’t want to have to kick your ass in my new house.”
He chuckled, lifting his hands in silent surrender. “I’ll be on my best behavior. Scout’s Honor.” His face lit up. “Oh, my god. Scout’s honor !”
He couldn’t stop laughing, and when I turned my gaze to Trent, he was still standing against the wall, just taking everything in. I sighed, smoothing my hand over my hair.
“I missed you guys,” I said tightly. “Jordy and Carly really couldn’t make it?”
Trent and Archer shared a look. “Ethan is teething, so they wanted to stay home. And…”
“Oh, god,” I groaned. “What?”
“Sean is coming, too,” Archer rushed out.
I blinked, feeling my jaw tighten without me telling it to.
Just the sound of his name was enough to put me on edge.
But I forced a deep breath, forced calmness into my veins.
“I let it slip and he demanded to come. And—what could I say, man? Bruce was, like, five-feet away. I didn’t want him to overhear and?—”
“I get it.” I flexed my hand. “Fuck. I didn’t want to deal with him.”
“I’m sorry,” Archer said, sounding sincere. “I didn’t know how to get rid of him.”