The Hastings Series

by Vanessa Siena

  He shook his head. “Now isn’t the time to talk about it,” he told me, then squeezed my hand and smiled at me quickly. “We’re almost there. Fifteen minutes.” I nodded and patted his hand, hoping whatever it was that bothered him had a way to disappear soon, with or without my help.

  ***

  Jagger’s old home was not what I expected. I imagined him growing up in a nice family home with his parents and sister, maybe a big backyard and a garage where he would work on old cars and repair them just like he did with his car. But the thought of a simple bungalow never entered my mind. I wasn’t judging. It’s a nice home, and I wasn’t going to judge him for it. Also, he never talked about his parents living here too. He only said that Harlow and Hunter lived here now, so their parents might’ve moved out.

  Jagger grabbed our bags out of the trunk, and I closed it afterward. “This is it,” he mumbled, sounding nervous.

  “It’s cute. So, your sister’s not home, right?”

  Jagger shook his head. “We’ll settle in and then go to the diner this evening. They both work late tonight, but Low said we’ll have dinner together.”

  “Sounds good. I can’t wait to meet them,” I said with a smile, then followed him up the path to the front door. After he unlocked the door, he stepped aside to let me in. I walked past him, and immediately was greeted by the smell of wood and cinnamon. I took in a deep breath, wondering how a home could ever smell this good.

  “Jesus Christ.” Jagger chuckled, closing the door behind me. “Hunter didn’t lie when he said that it constantly smelled like Christmas in here. Harlow is into candles now. I guess she lights them as soon as she comes into the house.”

  I looked around and surely found the first set of candles on a small table, sitting between two doors. “It smells amazing, to be honest,” I admitted, turning back around to look at Jagger. “Show me around.” I smiled, holding out my hand for him to take. He put down the bags, then slid his fingers through mine and nodded toward the living room. “We spent most of our time in here, Hunter and me. The kitchen’s not really in use since they mostly eat at the diner.” He pointed toward the kitchen on the other end of the living room.

  I nodded, taking it all in. There was a big couch and a recliner, which looked old but comfy. Then there was a record player in one corner, with a big shelf holding vinyl records. The style of the furniture was vintage, and I imagined Jagger still living here. Well, the apartment he lived in now was also very nicely furnished, with a few things missing. But we talked about that already, and we’ll probably look for the missing pieces sooner or later.

  Jagger pulled me toward the two rooms on the other side of the hallway. He opened the one nearest to the front door. “This is, well, was my room. We’ll stay in here.” I looked inside, eyeing the bed like the one he had in his apartment and a small dresser, which didn’t seem to fit a lot of clothes. There was nothing else in there, but I liked how minimal it was. In the end, he didn’t come here often anymore.

  The other room was Harlow and Hunter’s bedroom. It looked like they bought some new things, but all in all, the room wasn’t very special. A little bit like mine, simple but cozy.

  “And that’s the bathroom. They renovated it, the kitchen will be next, I think.”

  “It’s a nice home, but…” I looked around, noticing there were no more rooms in the house. “Where did your parents sleep? Did you share a room with Harlow before they moved out?”

  Jagger stopped, then looked at me with what looked like shame flashing in his eyes. I was quick to comfort him. “It’s not weird to share a bedroom with your sister. I had sleepovers with Dallas all the time when we were little,” I told him, but his expression didn’t change. Shit, did I say something wrong?

  “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to—”

  “Don’t apologize. It’s a fair question,” he assured me, then pulled me back to the living room to sit on the couch. He turned to me, looking at our hands on his lap. I didn’t understand what he meant because I was sure I had upset him.

  “It’s a bit difficult, you know.” His voice wasn’t as confident as before, and his eyes stayed on our hands, not looking up into mine. I felt bad because I had put him in this situation. I didn’t mean to push him to talk, but I wasn’t stopping him now. I said enough already.

  “Harlow and I moved in here when I was old enough to get a house. She was still young, and we had some issues with our parents. Well, with our dad, to be specific.” He stopped, and his eyes were on mine now.

  “Our parents aren’t around anymore, but we’re good now. I mean, Harlow’s happy and I moved to Newton. There’s nothing to worry about, I just didn’t think I would get so fucking emotional coming back here. Just know that nothing’s wrong, all right?” He smiled, lifting his hand to cup my cheek. “I’m glad we’re here and I’m excited for you to meet my family.”

  I let his words linger in my mind for a while, before deciding that I wasn’t going to judge him for his past. Why would I? I had no right to and I liked the man he was today. “I can’t wait to meet them.” I smiled back, leaning in to kiss his lips. His lips moved against mine, and he pulled me closer. I could feel him grinning into the kiss, and I pushed my fingers into his hair to tug on it. There was a reason why Jagger wasn’t as wild as other men his age. His behavior was relaxed and attentive, making sure everyone around him felt safe and happy. And that’s how I wanted it to be. No negativity and no past events changed the way I felt about this man.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Jagger

  As we pulled onto Frankie’s Diner’s parking lot, I let my eyes wander over the diner I spent so much time at. It didn’t change much after Hunter and Harlow renovated it, but it was strange since I’d only seen it with a crumbling façade and dirty windows. The sign stayed the same, but each letter was lit, not like before when half of them needed new LED lights inside of them. It looked better, and by the pictures Low sent me, I knew the inside was still the way Frankie left it. Only cleaner.

  I turned to look at Gray, who was pulling the hood of her jacket over her head. “You weren’t kidding about the rain.” She grinned.

  I nodded, looking out the window and up to the sky. “It comes and goes, but I think it’ll stop before we leave later tonight.” I knew Hastings’ weather too well.

  “Are you ready?” I asked with a smile and opened the car door. Gray nodded once, then stepped out. I did the same, locking the car and pushing the keys into the pocket of my jacket. “All right, here goes nothing,” I murmured, hoping them meeting for the first time went well. With Gray next to me, we walked to the entrance of the diner and I held open the door for her, then I followed. I was surprised by the people sitting in the many booths. Last year, you would only see older men sitting here, maybe eating something or just reading the newspaper. But now it was the opposite. Young people, teenagers, and college students filled the booths, eating full meals. Their laughter filled the whole diner, and the music playing in the background was soothing, making this place feel at home. Harlow insisted on buying a jukebox to play vinyls and for her to switch them out whenever she wanted to change the vibe of the music.

  Gray’s fingers touched mine softly, and I looked at her with a smile. “Nice, huh? It’s great to be back,” I told her. I tried to push that one thought of what happened last year aside, not wanting to remember what went down with my father. It was incredible how Harlow wanted to work in here and keep Frankie’s legacy up, but then, she was strong enough to forget about the bad and horrible things that happened in her past. That’s why people adored her. And that’s why she was able to forgive Hunter for his past.

  Before Gray could answer, I heard my name being called out from afar. “You’re finally here!” My sister appeared from behind the counter, and she was quick to reach me and throw her arms around my neck. I chuckled, hugging her tight and kissing the side of her head while she kept her arms locked around me.

  “I missed you, sweet girl,” I
whispered, watching Hunter come our way with a smug grin. His eyes shifted to Gray, who was still standing beside me, if not a few steps behind me to not bother our sibling reunion.

  “I’m so happy you’re here. I missed you.” I could tell she was happy, but there was a slight hint of sadness to her voice. I wasn’t leaving for another two days, but she was already upset that I would leave. I wished I could stay, but Hastings wasn’t my home anymore. Not for now.

  When she pulled back, she stepped away to let Hunter reach me, and without hesitation, I hugged him and patted his back. “Good to see you, man,” I told him, and he nodded, not letting our hug last for more than five seconds before stepping back again to stand next to my sister.

  Hunter’s eyes were on Gray again, and I reached back, grabbing her hand, and pulling her to my side. Now that she was here, I wasn’t sure what to say. Hunter didn’t show many emotions most of the time, but I could tell he was trying to figure out if he accepted Gray or not. Harlow, on the other hand, was beaming.

  “This is Gray Washington. I told you guys about her before,” I explained, but they knew already. I told them about her before we had our second date, but I had to be polite and introduce her. Harlow stepped forward, hugging Gray tightly, then moving.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Gray. I’m Harlow. Jagger wasn’t kidding when he said that you’re beautiful.” Of course, now was the time for my sister to put me on the spot and let Gray know that I’ve talked to my sister about her already. Gray’s smile grew and she glanced at me for a second, amusement dancing in her eyes. When her eyes left mine, she continued the conversation with Harlow.

  “It’s nice to meet you too. Jagger’s told me a lot about you.” Her voice was calm, and I could tell they were already comfortable with each other. Hunter, on the other hand, hadn’t said a word yet. When I raised an eyebrow, he imitated my facial expression and Harlow nudged his side to make him talk. Not sure why he acted this way now, but I had a feeling it had to do with Bliss. He knew what happened between his sister and me, and he was trying to figure out if I had the same intentions with Gray.

  He snapped out of his thoughts, then turned to look at Gray with a tight smile. “Hunter. Nice to meet you, Gray,” he said in a low voice, not showing much emotion.

  “You too,” Gray replied with a smile, and I prayed to God that they were going to get along. I wasn’t saying that they didn’t like each other, but Hunter was an asshole most of the time, and I needed him to relax and let me handle my dating life on my own.

  “All right, big guy.” Harlow laughed, patting Hunter’s chest. “Go back to the kitchen to prepare our food. I bet these two are starving after that long drive.”

  Hunter didn’t hesitate to do what she told him, and I forgot how pussy-whipped he was when it came to Harlow. It was entertaining to watch, considering he wouldn’t take shit from anyone. Not even me at times. So, he nodded, then got back to the kitchen, leaving us three standing there by the door.

  “He’ll take a break to eat with us but let’s sit down already. It won’t take long.” Harlow turned around and walked toward an empty booth with a reserved sign on the table. I smiled at Gray and nodded toward my sister. As we reached her, I let Gray slide over to the window, and I sat down next to her. My hand squeezed her thigh, and hers covered mine to assure me that she was all right and felt comfortable.

  Harlow stopped a waitress who was passing by with a filled tray, then asked us what we wanted to drink.

  “I’d like to try that iced tea Jagger always talks about,” Gray said to Harlow and received a wide smile from her.

  “Two pitchers of our iced tea. Thank you, Aggie.” Low sat down on the other side of the booth.

  “My head is all over the place lately, and I’m glad I have Hunter to think about all the things I forget so easily. My body is playing tricks with me too. One day I feel like eating five steaks at once, the next I can’t even hold in water.”

  Gray smiled, tilting her head to the side. “Congratulations on the pregnancy. Jagger told me,” she said, sounding almost apologetic. Harlow’s face lit up, and I knew they would be talking about this for a while before I was able to say something. Besides, I’d heard it all already. The many phone calls I had with Harlow were sweet, but I knew Gray would handle some topics better than me. So, I let them talk and get to know each other. I kept caressing Gray’s leg, making her feel welcome and wanted.

  “We’re so excited to meet him. Or her.” Harlow’s brows furrowed. “We don’t know the gender yet…but I have this strange feeling that it’s a boy.” Now, a smile appeared on her lips and Gray was all ears. “Hunter thinks it’s a girl, but I can’t imagine him with a little girl around the house. But then, I think it would be funny to see him handle a teenage girl someday,” Harlow laughed, and I grinned at the thought of that.

  “Oh, God, let it be a girl,” I prayed.

  “Anyway, enough of my pregnancy. How did you two meet?”

  Gray didn’t mind answering that question or talking about us to my sister. I knew it wouldn’t be a problem to get them to like each other, but I was hoping Hunter wouldn’t keep his strange mood up with Gray. Even if she handled him well just then, I hoped he’d accept who I was dating. In the end, it was none of his business, anyway.

  “He moved into an apartment block where my brother and my cousin Sage live. She invited us both to a party and that’s where I first saw him.” Gray looked over at me with a soft smile, and I squeezed her thigh once again. “I wasn’t sure about him at first, but after getting to know him a little better, I knew I had to give him a chance.”

  Harlow had a huge grin on her face now, and I chuckled. She probably knew what Bliss and I had was over, since they were close and talked a lot. I was glad Harlow liked Gray so much. “Well, I think he’s the greatest guy on earth. And you both look happy, so you’re both doing something right here.”

  Harlow always knew what to say to let others feel special. And the way she looked at Gray told me I made the right decision asking her out. As long as Harlow had a smile on her face, I had no reason to feel as if I was doing the wrong thing.

  Gray turned to look at me, a soft smile appearing on her lips. “Yeah, I think he’s great too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Gray

  Hunter was a great cook. I’d give him that. But he hadn’t warmed up to me yet and the looks he gave Jagger told me that he wasn’t yet over what Jagger had with Bliss. I knew about Hunter and Bliss being siblings, but Jagger never said a thing about them caring about who they dated. Maybe Hunter just wanted his sister to be with Jagger, but that wasn’t the case and I hoped he would understand sooner or later. In the end, if what Jagger and I had was going to last, he somehow had to adjust to us being a couple.

  “Did you enjoy the steak? It’s one of Hunter’s specialties. He can cook anything, Harlow said, her eyes full of admiration for her boyfriend and soon to be the father of her first child. You could feel their love in the whole diner, and the way they communicated with each other without even speaking was adorable. As if they could read each other’s minds.

  “It was delicious, thank you,” I replied with a smile. I made eye-contact with Hunter again, and he was studying me closely. He didn’t know what to think of me, and his stare made me uncomfortable. He was protective over Harlow, but also Jagger. And to be fair, Hunter was a big, intimidating guy. He was well built, and his face was hard to read.

  “All right, man. Give her a break.” Jagger chuckled, then cupped the back of my head with his fingers buried into my hair. “Gray’s an amazing woman, and I would appreciate it if you’d stop looking at her as if she’s done something wrong. Is this about Bliss?” Jagger asked. I was surprised how openly they talked about things, especially if a certain someone was Hunter’s sister and Jagger’s ex in one. I scrunched up my nose, hoping this conversation wouldn’t be awkward.

  “Nah, that’s not it.” Hunter’s voice had a hint of amusement in it, that much I
heard. His eyes moved to Jagger, and I braced myself for what he would say next. If he’s not mad about Jagger not seeing his sister anymore, or the fact that he ended things with her, why was he so damn mysterious? I wondered if Harlow had to keep up with him behaving like this. But then, she seemed to have him under control.

  “I was glad to hear you two weren’t fucking around anymore. You guys were toxic as hell. I’m just trying to figure her out,” Hunter said, his eyes back on mine again. Now, the amusement I heard in his voice before also appeared in his eyes, and the corner of his mouth turned up into a smug grin.

  “Well, don’t.” Jagger sounded annoyed with his best friend.

  “I think she’s great, Hunter,” Harlow announced, then smiled at me brightly. “I know when Jagger’s happy, and he certainly is with Gray by his side. And talking about his past lovers won’t help. Jag’s happy. It’s been a while, and I wanna keep it that way.”

  The three of them shared something right then. A memory. Something they lived through and hoped to forget again as soon as possible. All their faces fell for a second, but the pain that flashed through their eyes quickly vanished again. They didn’t want to show any sign of weakness.

  I glanced at my hands, not sure about what to say. There obviously was something in their past that scarred them deeply, and Harlow talking that way about him made it clear that Jagger was broken before.

  “Thanks, sweet girl,” Jagger said to her, then reached over to my hands, sliding his fingers through mine. I turned to look at him, and I mimicked his smile, letting him know I was okay.

  “I didn’t mean to offend or scare you in any way, Gray,” Hunter told me. “Just making sure my brother here made the right choice dating you.”

  I nodded and smiled, then looked back at Jagger, unsure of what to say. I usually talked a lot, but Hunter still made me nervous. As long as Jagger was happy, I was too. But I still found it weird how they just pushed Bliss to the side. If a guy treated Sage the way Jagger treated Bliss, I would go apeshit on him just to teach him a lesson. But then, I didn’t know the whole story. And I didn’t know Bliss. It wasn’t my business. If Jagger wanted to talk about his past with Bliss, I would hear him out. Otherwise, I wasn’t going to dig.