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He was inviting her to see the humor in the moment and if she hadn’t been pregnant, if her family hadn’t been the biggest mess on the planet and if she hadn’t thought he was a better man, she might be able to laugh. But there was too much riding on this. She didn’t want to give birth to another tragic little human who was doomed like Tara or her mom, or to be fair, like herself. And this man had been a ray of hope until she’d realized he wasn’t who she thought he was.
“Are you ever going to be able to forgive me?” he asked.
Sincerity radiated from every inch of his body. He might be a great guy. She just didn’t know him.
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“At least meet the rest of my family. I think you’ll see that I’m not as big of an asshole as you take me for.”
He dropped her hand and turned away from her, but she stopped him with her hand on his shoulder. She couldn’t help letting her fingers flex against the rock-hard muscles.
“Did you do it because of who I am?” she asked. It was one thing she needed to have answered before she could move forward.
“What are you talking about?”
“Did you and your brother believe that lying to me didn’t matter because you think I’m morally bankrupt?” she asked. It was one of the nicer ways her critics had put it over the years.
“Dios mio, Scarlet. Mo and I never discussed you until after it happened. I told him you were enchanting, beautiful and the kind of woman who made me forget everything but being by your side.”
She caught her breath. She wanted to believe him. When she looked into his dark chocolate-colored eyes, she hoped it was truth she saw there. But she didn’t know him.
She could only reserve judgment for now and tuck that sentiment away. Time would tell if Alejandro Velasquez was a man of honor.
Given that he’d done nothing but think about Scarlet since she’d shown up at the polo match, Alec was glad to be back in the company of his family. Everyone, including Bart and his sister, was milling around by the bar. Normally they’d be seated at the table and eating by now.
They’d waited for him, or more precisely for Scarlet.
As soon as they walked onto the balcony, Bianca and her sisters-in-law, Kinley and Ferrin, turned toward them.
“I should warn you that everyone here is going to be very curious about you,” he said to Scarlet. “Also, I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in a small town before, but it’s pretty much like being on a reality TV show without the cameras. Everyone will know who you are in less than a day and they’ll want to know why you’re here.”
“Nice. I’m used to it. You saw how TMZ published those pics of us kissing before we’d even left the ballroom.”
“Fair enough. I will say that generally most people are pretty nice here.”
“I’ll wait and see. I tend to bring out extreme reactions in people,” she said.
“What kind—”
“Alec, where have you been? I’m starving but Mom wouldn’t let us start eating until you were here with your date,” Bianca said, coming up to them. “And it’s not nice to keep a pregnant lady away from food.”
“Sorry, Bia,” he said, leaning over to kiss his sister’s cheek. “Have you met?”
“We did earlier. I’m glad you’re here,” Bianca said to Scarlet. “Now, how about if we mosey over to the buffet line.”
She looped her arm through Scarlet’s and drew her toward the food. As the two women walked away, he realized that it might be in his best interest to step back and let his family do their thing. Maybe their warmth and kindness would help convince her that he wasn’t a total jerk.
“Mom would scold me if I didn’t make sure you’re eating, too,” he heard Bianca announce as they walked away.
As soon as Bianca and Scarlet were at the buffet table, most of the crowd shifted from their conversations to line up. Mo held back and Alec went over to join his brother.
“So?”
“What?”
“Did you make things right with her?” Mo asked.
“In twenty minutes? It’s a wonder that you got Hadley back. I mean you have no clue about women,” Alec said.
Mo punched him in the shoulder a little harder than was necessary, but Alec knew his brother was still mad about losing the match to Bart.
“I think I have a bit more than a clue, Alec. After all, one of us will be going home with the woman he loves today, and the other one...”
“Will still be trying to figure out how he screwed up so badly. I don’t know what it was about that night,” Alec said. “Don’t listen to me. I’m tired and have to leave for Seattle in the morning to meet with one of my clients. I’m a little distracted by that.”
Mo shook his head at him. “It’s not fatigue that made you say that. I get it. It’s hard when you screw up. It took me a long time to get past my own anger and realize that I had to change if I wanted Hadley back in my life.”
“But you knew she wanted you back,” he said.
“Not really,” Mo said. “You’ll figure this out. Be yourself and see what happens. It’s not like all your hookups show up in Cole’s Hill. She must be back for a reason.”
A reason?
Well, that showed how screwed up he was that he’d never stopped to think about why she had sought him out. Was she in trouble?
She was an heiress with her own reality show and an A-list lifestyle. He doubted she’d come looking for him to solve a problem for her. Maybe she hadn’t been able to write off their night together as a onetime thing.
By the time he got his plate of food, there was only one chair left at the table, conveniently between Scarlet and Hadley. He took the seat and noticed that a woman he didn’t know was seated across from him. He guessed she must be Scarlet’s assistant. She had midnight-black hair that she wore in a ponytail and large sunglasses pushed up on her forehead. When their gazes met, she glared at him.
She was definitely Scarlet’s friend. He didn’t need to guess how she felt about him. “I’m Alejandro.”
“I know,” she said.
“And you are?”
“Billie Sampson,” she said. “I’m here with Scarlet.”
“I guessed,” he said. “So are you from New York originally?”
He had learned a long time ago that if he kept asking questions eventually whoever he was talking to would relax.
“No. I’m originally from Maine.”
“I have some business interests in Maine,” he said. “I need to plan a visit. Can you recommend a time of year?”
“Yes.” But she didn’t say anything more.
He almost smiled. She was stubborn and he could tell she wasn’t going to give him an inch. He respected that. He’d lied to her friend. He liked that Scarlet had someone like Billie in her life.
From what he’d read online, it seemed like her life was a big chaotic mess, but this interaction with Billie and his earlier conversation with Scarlet showed him how little he knew of the real woman.
Billie turned to talk to Ferrin. Alec took a bite of his food before glancing at Scarlet, who was watching him.
“You have a good friend in her,” Alec said.
“I know. It takes a lot to tick her off and even more to win her over,” Scarlet said.
“Like you?”
“Yes, just like me. It’s just that so many people think they know everything about me that I hold my close friends to a different standard,” she said. “They really have my back.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he said. He wanted to be cool and just make small talk, but he had never been that kind of guy. He was someone who got answers; it was what made him so good at his job. He solved problems and helped companies by researching their digital imprint and finding ways to clean up the bad stuff.
“I’m glad you’re glad,” she said, a soft smile playing around her lips.
“I stink at small talk,” he said.
“You do,” she agreed. “What’s on your mind?”
“Why did you come to Cole’s Hill?”
Her face lost all color and she chewed her lower lip before wrinkling her nose and sort of shaking her head. “I’m not ready to talk to you about that yet.”
So it was something... But what?
Scarlet enjoyed meeting the Velasquez family and their friends. During the lunch, Alec took a lot of good-natured ribbing from his family members about pretending to be Mo. Scarlet wished she could laugh about it but she wasn’t there yet.
After they were done eating, Alec’s nephew, Benito, and Penny, the daughter of Kinley and Nate Caruthers, wanted to ride the ponies, so the group went back downstairs so the kids could ride. Billie was deep in conversation with Ferrin Caruthers, the daughter of illustrious college football coach Gainer.
“Hey, Scarlet, come over here,” Hadley called out.
She sat down next to Hadley, who was engaged in an intense conversation with her sister and her sister’s fiancé. Hadley leaned closer to Scarlet. “So, I figure you and I are the only ones who don’t think the fact that Mo and Alec switched places is funny.”
“Yeah. I mean I get that this family likes to joke but it was kind of a dumb thing for grown men to do,” Scarlet said.
“I agree. Do you know why they did it?”
“No. Alec has promised to tell me when we’re alone,” she said.
“Well, it’s totally Mo’s fault. You should know that to begin with. He got sick with food poisoning and didn’t want to cancel. So, he asked Alejandro to accept the award for him, and read the prepared speech.”
“It sounds so reasonable when you say it like that,” she said softly, almost to herself.
“It does. But, of course, I saw the photo of the two of you kissing and I thought it was Mo. He and I have some history, so it caused problems for us. Once we talked, I got why they did it, but it still hurt to see his name and yours linked together everywhere on social media,” Hadley said. “I think... I can’t speak for Alec but once he realized the photo was everywhere, he rushed to Mo to try to fix things. Still, I know that doesn’t make him a good guy in your eyes.”
Scarlet leaned back in the chair and tipped her head up to stare at the summer sky. It was hot, and she felt sticky and tired. Hearing Hadley’s explanation of the lie didn’t make her feel better. She was more confused than ever.
Alec should have said something to her at some point that night.
“Thanks for sharing that with me,” she said, realizing that Hadley was waiting for a response from her.
“It didn’t help, did it?”
“No. I’m still ticked.”
“Me, too,” Hadley said. “Half the town thinks I took Mo back after he kissed you.”
“They think we just kissed?” Scarlet asked.
“Well, probably more, but I’m not giving them any of my time. The thing with Mo and me is more complicated because we have a long relationship. So, I’ve definitely seen the real guy behind the hottie that everyone in the town thinks he is. I’ve seen him angry and sad and apologetic. He’s real to me. I don’t think that Alec is that way for you yet.”
“He’s not,” Scarlet admitted. “I don’t know that he ever will be.”
“If you need someone to talk to,” Hadley said, “I’m here. In fact, I’m hosting book club at the Bull Pen on Friday night if you want to join us.”
“What’s the Bull Pen? What book are you reading?”
“It’s a bar and music hall on the outskirts of Cole’s Hill. We never read a book but just call it book club so our moms won’t be on us about going out too much. Funny how a weekly book club is fine, but drinks aren’t.”
Scarlet had to smile at the way Hadley said it. “Who will be there?”
“Let’s see. My best friends, Zuri and Belle, and Helena if her fiancé, Malcolm, is working late,” Hadley said. “You can bring Billie if you want.”
“Let me talk to her and see if she wants to come. My friend Siobahn is here with me, as well,” Scarlet said. “Your book club sounds like her kind of thing.”
“Great. So, I’ll put you down as a maybe.” Hadley reached for her phone. “What’s your cell? I’ll text you, so we can keep in touch.”
After Hadley sent her her number, Scarlet realized she was starving. She hadn’t been able to eat at the buffet mainly because everyone at the table had been asking her questions and her stomach was in knots. But now she wanted to eat.
“Do you know where I can get something to eat here?”
“I’m heading there now.”
“Scarlet, this is my sister, Helena,” Hadley said. “Hel, this is Scarlet O’Malley.”
“Hello, I love your show. And I have to be honest—you’re gorgeous in person,” Helena said.
“Thank you,” Scarlet said. “Your fiancé is playing with the Velasquez team?”
“Yes,” Helena said. “He grew up hanging out with the Velasquez brothers.”
“There was tons of food left from the brunch. Come on, I’ll show you the kitchen.” She followed Hadley and found Bianca was already in there eating a plate of enchiladas.
“Busted,” Bianca said. “I’m going to be on a water and carrot stick diet after I give birth but right now I don’t even care.”
Hadley, Helena and Scarlet laughed with Bianca as she took a huge bite of her food. Scarlet made herself a plate.
Hadley left the kitchen to take a call. Bianca wiped her mouth as Scarlet and Helena sat down next to her and started eating. She was so hungry she ate too quickly, and she didn’t realize it until she felt the food start to come back up.
