Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
We showered and got ready separately. I had clothes at Hutch’s place, and he had some at mine. When I came out of the bathroom, he was on the balcony with his back to me, bent over with his arms leaning on the railing.
The ache in my gut intensified. I couldn’t help wondering if he was second-guessing us, if maybe I wasn’t worth it to him. I couldn’t say I wouldn’t understand the decision—regardless of what we meant to each other, they were his family, his blood. Hutch was the kind of man who took that seriously.
I walked out onto the balcony. He didn’t turn to look at the sound of the door closing. I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, kissed his nape, before resting my chin on his shoulder. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. We can wait a little longer.”
“In what world do we not have to do this?” he snapped, and I stiffened. “Shit. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to take this out on you. I’m just upset.” I nodded, slightly stung but understanding. I loosened my hold on him, and Hutch turned around. He grabbed my waist, tugged me closer, dropped his forehead to my chest. “I don’t think I’ll ever get out of my head the way she looked at me. She was so brokenhearted, so betrayed.”
“I know.” I rubbed my hands up and down his back. “I’m sorry, but we didn’t do it on purpose, Hutch. We fell in love.”
He looked up at me, his eyes brimming with sorrow. Still, he said, “I don’t know that I’ll ever get used to hearing you say that.”
“Then I’ll be sure to tell you every day.”
Hutch gave me a small smile, then leaned forward and brushed my lips with his. “Stop being so damn sweet.”
I laughed. “Come on, you know you like it.”
We were deflecting, trying not to focus on what we were about to do. That much was clear.
“I’ll tell you a secret… I like it with you.” Hutch leaned in and kissed me again.
The doorbell rang, making us pull apart. “Who do you think is here first? My family or yours?”
“Guess I better go see,” Hutch said.
I went inside with him, lingering just a couple of steps behind as he opened the door. My father stood there, my mom beside him, and Kinsley behind them.
“Hutch?” Dad asked. “What’s going on here? Is everything okay?”
At least he seemed worried and hadn’t jumped straight to the defensive.
“Yeah, Allen, everything’s okay. It’s good to see you again—you too, Elaine, and Kinsley. Come in.”
They did, three pairs of eyes looking at me while Hutch closed the door. “Give us a few minutes, please, and we’ll explain.”
“You’re scaring me, Ryder.” Mom hugged me.
“I know, sorry. Just…trust me. We need to wait for Nora and Grant to get here.”
“What do they have to do with this?” Dad snapped, just as Kinsley said, “Oh shit, Ry.” Clearly, she’d already caught on, and there wasn’t any surprise there.
“Oh shit, what? Can someone explain to me what’s going on?” Mom asked just as the doorbell rang again. I looked up to see Hutch straighten his spine, and then he went to the door and opened it.
“I really don’t appreciate being forced over here like this with no explanation,” Grant said, then, “What are they doing here?”
“Family reunion.” Kinsley shrugged.
“Jesus, Kins.” I rubbed a hand over my face.
“Grant?” Nora asked Hutch. “What’s going on here?”
“Yes, Grant,” his father added. “I don’t have time for games. Why are we here? Did your sister get back with him? Did she ask you to tell us?”
I couldn’t help cutting in. “His name is Hutch. I don’t get why that’s so hard for you to respect.”
“Oh, boy. Here we go,” Kins said.
“I’m fairly certain we were the ones who named him. I’d appreciate it if you kept your opinion to yourself.” Grant crossed his arms as if trying to intimidate me, but it didn’t work. I might have backed down five years ago, but I wouldn’t now.
“Don’t talk to my son that way. Who do you think you are, Grant? Christ, sometimes I don’t understand how we were friends. The whole world might bow down to you, but Lynwoods don’t.”
The room exploded in noise—Dad and Grant going back and forth with one another, Nora and Mom trying to calm them both down. They were similar in more ways than my dad wanted to acknowledge. While he would never treat Kinsley or me the way Grant was with Hutch and Mads, they both liked to be kings of the world. They both liked to be number one; only before, they’d been able to do it together. I still believed things might not have gone as far off the rails as they had if Dad hadn’t been the one to go behind Grant’s back and start the separation of the Hutchinson-Lynwood Group. Grant might have been able to get over what happened between me and Mads, but he would never be able to get over that betrayal. In my dad’s defense, he did it for me, because how could he work with someone who hated his son so fiercely?