by Lea Coll
When the noise died down, she continued, “We have a promising new development that will ensure Kids Speak’s growth. My brother, Colin Winters, had this amazing idea to pair athletes with the children. He intends to test the idea out here in New Orleans by getting fellow college athletes to visit them during their classes, to invite them to practice and games, and provide instruction in their sport if they’re interested. I’ll be approaching professional athletes as well. I anticipate that this will be a highly successful, mutually beneficial program for the students and the athletes. I have an acting director here in New Orleans, Winnie Fieldman.” Hadley paused to point Winnie out to the room and waited for the applause to slow before continuing.
“My brother will work with Winnie to handle the athletic side of the charity. I will direct the chapter in Annapolis, Maryland. We will develop those two chapters before we expand further. I want to thank you for your support over the last few years. I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to see the children in the program flourish. To see them gain confidence. Winnie prepared a slide show for you that will play the rest of the evening.” Winnie pushed a button for the overhead projector.
She took a deep breath. “I want to thank my father for his financial backing. We would not have gotten this far without him, but I’m excited to see where this program will go with your support going forward. Thank you for your donations tonight and I hope you’ll keep Kids Speak in mind going forward.”
The applause for her was deafening. Pride filled my chest as she took in the crowd’s reaction. Her dad tried to steal her night, but he hadn’t. Her vision for the charity outshone his plans to discredit it.
Hadley turned away from the podium before heading toward me, but she was stopped by person after person. She patiently talked to each one as I waited for her to get to me.
When she was free, she walked into my arms. I pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “You were amazing.”
“Thank you. It felt amazing.” She was trembling from being in front of all of those people or their reaction. I wasn’t sure.
I pulled back slightly to see her face. “What did everyone have to say?”
“Oh, you’ll never believe it, but people offered to put me in touch with their PR teams and professional athletes they have connections with. Everyone I talked to is so excited with this new direction we’re taking.” Hadley hugged Colin. “It’s all thanks to you and your awesome idea.”
When Hadley released him, Colin puffed out his chest and smiled. “Anytime.”
Hadley shook her head. “Stop being so cocky.”
“But the charity wouldn’t be anything without you,” Colin said.
“I’m so happy everyone could be here tonight. I just wish Dylan and Avery could be here too.” Her eyes twinkled with happiness. She hadn’t let her father’s actions or words get her down.
“You can have a similar event in Annapolis at some point too—a kick-off for the program. We have connections with the media now,” I said.
“I can’t wait to get back and get it off the ground. I have so many ideas,” Hadley said.
Taylor hugged Hadley and congratulated her before she left with Gabe to check out the finger food in the back of the room.
Winnie pulled Colin to the side to discuss his plans for the athletic side of things. I finally had Hadley to myself. “If I haven’t said this already. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” For the first time since the positive reaction to her speech, she looked down. “I was surprised my father went to such lengths to punish me in front of everyone.”
I thought her father was an asshole, but I wouldn’t say that to her. I thought he was vindictive and mean, but I hadn’t thought of what he did as punishment.
“When you do what he wants, you get money or things, when you don’t, he does things like this.” She gestured at the podium where her father spoke earlier.
“As long as he can’t hurt you anymore, that’s all the matters.”
“I’m not going to lie. It hurt, but the more I see what he’s doing as a game and not my father, it’s easier. I have you. I have Colin. I have my friends both here and in Annapolis. I don’t need him.”
“I’m sorry your father hasn’t been much of dad to you.”
Hadley shook her head and her smile was bittersweet. “It’s not your fault.”
I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “But you’re right. You have so many people in your corner. We’ll be here for you.”
Her eyes lost their melancholy look and brightened. “Have I thanked you for coming yet?”
“No. You haven’t.”
“I’m so glad you came. It’s an important night for me and I can’t imagine not having you here.”
“I’m glad you invited me.” My chest was full of love for this woman. She was brave, strong, and hard-working.
“I love you.” She wrapped her arms around my middle.
“I love you too.” I wanted to hold her all night and whisper everything I was feeling in her ear. I’d never get enough of her. She was it for me.
“Come on. You have people who want to talk to you,” Colin said.
The rest of the night, Hadley fielded questions. Most were excited for her and wanted to help in any way they could.
On our way out, Hadley said in a low tone. “That was our best night ever for donations.”
I squeezed her hand. “That’s great news.”
“It is.” Her smile fell off her face. I turned to see what or who had caught her attention.
Layton pushed off the wall where he’d been waiting for her.
“What are you doing here?” My voice came out harsh.
“I’m here to see you.” He nodded toward Hadley.
“I have nothing to say, and anything you have to say, you can say in front of Cade.” Hadley stepped closer to me. I dropped her hand so I could put my arm over her shoulders.
Layton looked uncomfortably from her to me. “I wanted to apologize for how things went down.”
“You mean how you proposed publicly or how you confronted me in Annapolis?” Hadley was practically vibrating from anger.
“Both. I’m sorry I put you in that position.” Layton’s expression was contrite.
“Why did you do it then?” Hadley asked.
Layton glanced at me before he turned his attention to her, rubbing the back of his neck as if what he had to say was difficult for him. “Our fathers are the same. My dad controls me the same way yours does. He wanted me to propose in front of everyone. Our engagement was supposed to look good for their business merger and if I wanted to keep my job, I needed to go through with it. He assumed you’d go along with it. He never expected you to say no.”
Hadley’s chin lifted slightly.
“I saw you up there tonight. You stood up to your dad and found a way to gain funding for your charity. It was inspiring.” He looked away from her. “It made me think about how I want things to be different for me.”
His plea was so heartfelt, I almost asked what he planned to do now, but I waited for Hadley’s reaction.
She was quiet for a few seconds, her face softening as she chewed her bottom lip. “Apology accepted.”
Then she grabbed my hand to make a move around him.
“I hope we can still be friends,” Layton said.
Hadley paused and said over her shoulder, “Acquaintances. That’s all I can offer you.”
Layton nodded. “That’s fair.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
CADE
We slept for a solid nine hours after we went over every detail of the evening and made love. We stayed overnight in a hotel I’d booked in the downtown area. I thought it would be perfect for exploring New Orleans before we had to head to the airport. I’d never been to New Orleans. I wanted to see the sights.
“Are you awake?” Hadley rolled over in my arms so she could face me.
“I have been for a while. I’m excited to see th
e city.” I’d flown in yesterday afternoon, met Hadley at Colin’s house, dressed and gone straight to the gala.
“Brunch with Gabe and Taylor first. Then we can walk around.”
“Sounds perfect.” Anything with this woman sounded perfect—a lazy Sunday, brunch with friends, or sightseeing.
She kissed me. “We’d better get showered and dressed. It’s almost eight a.m. and we’re supposed to meet them soon.”
“I wish we had more time to stay in bed.”
“Me too. But how often are we in New Orleans? I’m excited about coffee and beignets.”
She kissed me again and headed for the bathroom naked. She sent a saucy look over her shoulder. “Care to join me?”
I was up in no time. I grabbed her by the hips, pulling her into me. Her laugh turned to a moan when I kissed her neck and bit her shoulder lightly. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”
“Just don’t make us too late.” Her voice was breathy.
“I make no guarantees.” I guided her to the bathroom, still kissing her as I turned on the shower.
I took my time with her in the shower. I dropped to my knees, spreading her legs before I devoured her with my mouth. When she was limp after her orgasm, I lifted her into my arms, taking her against the wall. I relished in each inhalation, each whimper, her slick skin, and tight pussy pulsing around me. When my release roared through me, the only thought I had was this woman is mine and I am never letting her go.
After we dried off and dressed, we headed out for beignets. We approached Gabe and Taylor, who were already waiting for us outside the restaurant.
“You two look cozy,” Taylor said before turning to lead the way inside.
I exchanged a smile with Hadley before we followed them in.
We waited in a long line for bags of beignets and French-roasted coffees. Since it was warm, we found a table outside. We ate in silence for a few minutes, before I said, “The beignets were worth the trip.”
“Aren’t they? They’re one of the things I miss most about New Orleans. Other than Colin and you guys, of course.” Hadley brushed white powder from the donuts off her skirt before looking at Taylor. “When are you going to visit Annapolis?”
I knew Taylor was from Annapolis originally, but not much else.
“Soon. We haven’t been back in a while. Gabe’s been so busy as co-manager of the bar.”
Gabe shook his head. “We can get away. I told you that.”
“If you’re sure.” Taylor’s forehead scrunched.
“I’m sure. Isaac wants me to scout a new location for the bar in Annapolis anyway.”
“Are you moving back at some point?” Hadley watched Gabe’s serious face and Taylor’s more cautious expression.
“We’ll see. I love it here, but I think it will make more sense for us to spend part of the time in Annapolis.”
“How will you work, though?” Hadley asked after the waiter took our order and left.
“I’m still working on the details. I think I’d need to get a different job.”
I placed my hand on the back of Hadley’s chair and listened to them talk about the pros and cons of Taylor’s job and the prospect of working part-time at Hadley’s firm if it was successful.
I turned my head toward Gabe. “Let me know if you buy a place and need a contractor. My brother and I are going into business.”
“That would be great. I don’t have any contacts there.” Gabe leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
I talked with Gabe about going into business with my brother and the Rebuilds program while the girls talked about the logistics of Taylor and Gabe living in two different cities.
This right here was everything I’d ever wanted. A future with a woman I loved. The possibility of marriage and children. I let the hope fill my chest, filling all the cracks until nothing was left but my love for this woman and excitement for my future with her.
Epilogue
HADLEY
I’d been floating around on a cloud since the reaction from the crowd at the Kids Speak gala. I was brimming with excitement and couldn’t wait to talk to Dylan about the new direction we were taking.
“Stop daydreaming.” Cade pulled to a stop in front of my office.
“It’s hard not to after the weekend we had.” My stomach plummeted when my father revealed he intended to pull his support, but I quickly pulled myself together, intent on winning everyone back with my ideas for Kids Speak’s future.
“I have a surprise for you.” Cade smiled and his knee was bouncing.
I tilted my head. “Does that have anything to do with bringing me to work earlier than I need to be here on a Monday?”
Cade leaned over and kissed me lightly on the lips. He pulled back slightly to say, “Yes. Come on.”
Then he was out the door and rounding the hood to help me out. He was relaxed and happy.
We stood on the sidewalk holding hands. “Is the surprise in the karate studio or the office?”
“Your office. Still no idea?”
“None.” I was stumped. “Did you procure a thousand new clients for us, and if so, are they waiting in the office to jump out and yell surprise?”
He laughed. “No. Can you unlock the door?”
“How is there a surprise in here when you don’t have a key to the office?”
“I don’t. But I may have enlisted Avery’s help.” At my raised brow, he added, “And Nolan’s since I was gone this weekend.”
I pushed open the door. “The carpet’s different.”
The old carpet was gone. The walls were still the same color we’d painted them last week, but there was crown molding on the ceilings. My mouth dropped open when I saw the gold letters mounted on the wall—Arrington, Gannon, & Winters in the same script as our website.
“Wow. This looks amazing. You did this?”
“I commissioned the sign with a local company and asked them to rush it, but Nolan handled everything else while we were gone.”
“Why would you do this?”
His fingers gripped my hips and pulled me into his body. “Because I love you and I’d do anything for you. After the fight we had, I wanted to do something for you.”
“Okay.”
“Nolan also designed built-ins. He does custom work.”
“What built-ins?” I looked around, not seeing any new additions to the reception area.
He tugged me down the hall until we were standing in front of my office. He leaned over and flipped on the overhead lights. Behind my desk were two floor to ceiling shelves on either side of the window, lined with my law books, and my degrees hung on the newly painted wall. “The sign and shelves are mounted to the wall but can be removed.”
“What happens when the lease is up? The landlord didn’t want us doing any renovations.” It was great that the built-ins were removable, but the carpet and crown molding were not.
“Avery’s working on that.”
“You didn’t have to do all of this.” I stroked his cheek and leaned into his body. “But it’s everything. Thank you.”
Then it hit me. This was real. My dream had come true. I was a partner of a firm and worked with my friends. The possibilities with Kids Speak were endless. I was with the man I loved and starting a new life—one without the constraints and judgment of my old one. Here, I could be happy.
“I’d do anything for you. Anything to make you happy,” Cade said.
“I’m starting to get that.”
Cade kissed me before pulling back slightly. “I want to erase the moment I said I wasn’t sure what I could offer you because I was scared. I’m not now. I know what I want. I want you in my life forever.”
I didn’t think it was possible to be happier, but I was wrong. “Me too.”
“There’s only one thing left to decide.” His tone was light and playful.
“Oh yeah, what’s that?” My heart beat faster in anticipation even though he couldn’t possibly propose. We’
d only been together a few weeks.
He tilted his head slightly. “Do you want to move into my house one day and live, or do you think we should flip it?”
The fact that he wanted my opinion on his home hit me directly in my chest. My heart clenched. “You really want to know what I think?”
“Yeah, we’re together now. We make these big decisions as a couple.” His hand cupped my cheek and his eyes were sincere.
The idea of us planning a future together when I hadn’t been sure Cade would want that with me was everything. “I want to live in that house with you. I love the water and the porch. I love that you picked it.”
A small smile played on his lips. “Then that’s what I want too.”
“Are you asking me to move in with you?” I tilted my head slightly, considering him. Was that what I wanted? Maybe not this second, but someday I did. I wanted a house, marriage, and kids.
“Not today. But someday soon. In the meantime, I’m going to need your help picking out the finishes.”
My eyes widened. “I can pick anything I want?”
He held his hand up. “Within reason, of course. I’m not sure what kind of taste you have.”
I slapped his arm. “I have good taste.”
“Uh huh.” He stepped away from me and placed his hand on the desk. “Are you ready to break in this office? Avery might have mentioned that she’s in court this morning and Dylan has a client meeting outside the office. I made sure I locked the door when we came in.”
I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. “You’ve clearly thought of everything.”
His eyes darkened as he stepped into me and placed his hands on either side of my face. “I love you, Hadley Winters. Never forget that.”
“As long as you don’t let me forget it.”
Then his lips were on mine, his fingers gripping my hair as he pulled me impossibly closer to him.
