Avery winced. “I talked to him, but it didn’t go well. He wants us out after the current lease is over, so he didn’t see the need for us to change anything.”
“Fuck, Avery.” Dylan placed her hands on her hips.
“Why did we spend all week painting when we didn’t have permission?” I’d been too distracted with thoughts of home and Cade to even think about it. I assumed Avery took care of it like she did everything else.
“It looks so much better than it did before I can’t imagine he’d complain about the change,” Dylan said.
Avery’s pinched face said otherwise, but I didn’t argue.
“Let’s get this cleaned up,” Avery said, bringing me back into the room with the girls.
I slowly stood, feeling my muscles protest. My muscles ached from lifting my arms over my head to paint. My head pounded from the combination of the long week and alcohol. I took the paint trays to the back to rinse them in the sink.
On Saturday, I’d have to face my dad and Layton. I wanted to hide in Annapolis so I didn’t have to deal with it. I wanted to bury my head under my pillow.
My phone dinged when the last of the trays were rinsed and rested on paper towels. I dried my hands on a towel before I pulled my phone out of my back pocket. My heart soared thinking it was Cade.
Colin: I’m still picking you up at the airport, right?
Hadley: Yes. See you then.
As soon as the plane landed on Friday morning, I was restless with anticipation to see Colin. It had only been a few months since I’d left, but it felt like a lifetime. I walked through the airport toward baggage, scanning the area for him. I finally found him next to the carousel with a big grin as he watched me approach.
“Hey, sis.” He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me into him. “Long time, no see.”
“Too long.”
He placed a finger under my chin, tilting my face up. “Hey, I don’t blame you for leaving. I’d escape too if I could. I graduate next year. Then I can do what I want.”
I hoped that was the case for him. That he didn’t wait as long as I did to distance himself from our dad.
“How are things in Annapolis?”
“Great. We’re getting more clients at the firm and the attorneys I work with are working with me to get donors to expand Kids Speak there.”
The carousel dinged as the conveyor belt began to move. He gave me one last squeeze before stepping away from me.
I pointed out my bags. Colin lifted them off the belt before we walked toward the garage where his car was parked. I waited until we were leaving before asking all the questions swirling in my head. “Tell me everything. How are your classes? Do you have a girlfriend?”
Colin glanced over at me. “One thing at a time. College is awesome. Classes are interesting.”
“You’re going, right?” I remembered what college was like. It was easy to sleep in and have fun rather than take your classes seriously.
“Of course, Mom.” He smiled teasingly.
I laughed. “Your grades are good?”
“Again. Yes, Mom.”
“Sorry, it’s a hard habit to break.” I looked out the window at the familiar scenery passing by. I’d expected to feel nostalgic when I was back here, but I just wanted Cade here to show him everything I loved about my town.
I sensed Colin sober. “I know. But you don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’ve got things under control.”
“I don’t worry about you necessarily.” I was more worried about dad doing to him what he’d done to me. He’d strong-arm him into a career he didn’t want or a job he didn’t like.
Colin raised his brow.
“I worry about Dad telling you who you can date, what classes you should take, or what your major should be.”
Colin smiled at me, his dimple popping. “He tries, but I don’t let him.”
“What?” I shifted to face him. When had Colin grown up?
“He tries. I nod like I agree. Then I go do whatever I want.”
“You do?” I tried to remember how Dad was when he was demanding things from me. I rarely considered disobeying him.
“Yeah. He’s too busy to check my grades or my schedule. By the time I graduate with a degree in what I want, it will be too late.”
“It can’t be that easy.” I looked at him now all grown up. The muscles of his arms flexed as he shifted his hand on the steering wheel, his strong jaw ticked with irritation.
“It is that easy. You didn’t have to move across the country to live your life. You just have to know how to handle him.”
I didn’t know if it was because I was the oldest or if I felt the need to hang around here to be there for Colin, or I needed Dad’s love more than Colin, but I wished I had seen things this clearly when I was younger.
“Do you know what’s going on with the business? He told me he’s in danger of going bankrupt. He needs Aiden Black to invest.”
Colin whistled. “Uh. No. I have not heard that. Do you believe it?”
“He’s threatening to withdraw funding for Kids Speak. If the business goes under, he won’t be able to afford it.”
“How are you supposed to help with that? It is what it is.”
“He wants me to smooth things over with Layton and come work for him.”
“No. Fuck that. Layton is a weak bastard for asking you in front of everyone. You’re not going to, are you?”
“No, but I was going to talk to Dad tomorrow morning. I want to discuss things with him before the gala.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“If I don’t work for him, he won’t fund Kids Speak, so it affects the gala. How can I announce an expansion if I don’t have his backing?”
A muscle in Colin’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t
