“No kidding.” Cash raised an eyebrow.
Gavin glared at his brothers and was met with matching pitying expressions.
Will slapped Gav’s shoulder a little too hard. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you guys about this B and B we stayed in. You have to take your girls to France.”
Gavin recognized a purposeful turn of topic when he heard one, but he didn’t dare steer the conversation back to him and Hallie. He had a feeling his brothers were hinting that he was further in with her than he was aware.
They were wrong.
He’d taken Cash’s advice about being up front with Hallie. When she’d asked about family, he’d laid out how content he was with his bachelor status. She’d been okay with it. Right?
He rubbed the center of his chest, uncomfortable for some reason. Glancing down at his glass, he decided to blame the bourbon.
He wasn’t going to let his brothers get in his head any more than they already had. He and Hallie were good. Just the way they were.
Nineteen
“I’ve never seen you look more stunning!” Cassandra embraced Hallie in another hug. The brunette’s big smile and boisterous attitude were completely contagious. Hallie felt shy accepting the compliment. But she tried anyway.
“Thank you.” She smoothed her hand along the red sheath. “I feel beautiful wearing it.”
“Gavin can’t tear his eyes off you,” Presley commented.
“That’s my favorite part,” Hannah said, her gaze following Presley’s across the room to where the Sutherland brothers were clustered at the bar. “Hallie has been looking at him like that for years. It’s past time he returned the favor.”
“Is that true?” Cassandra asked.
“Completely true,” Presley said. “She avoided him like crazy when I met her.”
“No, I didn’t,” Hallie murmured. A lie. She had totally avoided him.
Presley’s smirk communicated her disbelief. “I’m assuming we’re going to see a lot more of you two together.”
“Yeah, no more hiding him away in your dark bedroom,” Cassandra teased.
“We’re just having fun,” she reminded them. “Gavin and I are comfortable with the way things are.”
“Gram called him your boyfriend.” Hannah sang the word.
“Gram is a wishful thinker.” Hallie raised one eyebrow.
Publicly dating Gavin was one thing, but his being her “boyfriend” was another. There was a traditional, old-school part of her that embraced the idea, but she was now fun-and-fresh Hallie. The other part of her would have to catch up.
“The rule-breaking challenge was the best thing that ever happened to you,” Presley said. “You’re so happy you’re sparkling.”
“I think that’s the diamonds,” Hallie said, swishing her train. She had to smile. She was happy. Breaking a few of her rules had changed her life for the better. Was it so outrageous to believe Gavin was benefiting, too? Would he eventually decide he wasn’t a stuck-in-his-ways bachelor? Decide that, like his brothers, he was also eager to settle down?
No matter how many times she warned herself to halt this line of thinking, she couldn’t help circling the possibilities. She didn’t share her thoughts with her friends or her sister. Instead she sipped champagne and chatted about other innocuous topics. And when Gavin interrupted to ask her to dance, she didn’t share her thoughts with him, either.
She simply enjoyed dancing with him, swaying to the music as her gorgeous red dress sparkled under the lights. She kept her eyes on the sprig of holly pinned to his lapel and mused how he looked like a prince. Well, a prince in a cowboy hat, but that worked for her. They enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and she sipped more champagne, laughing and enjoying herself.
By midnight, the party was nowhere near winding down. Hallie, though, had almost had enough “peopling” for one evening. She hid a yawn behind her hand as Gavin made his way back to the bar for a refill. He didn’t make it before being corralled into a group of guys she didn’t recognize. They were slapping him on the back and laughing. He sent her an apologetic smile, but she waved him off. She needed a breather anyway.
She slipped into a shadowed corner and propped her arms on a high-top table. No one was around, giving her a precious moment to herself. Parties zapped nearly all of her energy. Plus, she wasn’t exactly a night owl. She preferred a hot tea over a martini most nights, and that’s if she wasn’t already asleep by now.
“My goodness, I thought you were Hannah.”
Mags Dumond intruded, her hand wrapped around an elegant stemmed glass. Her fingernails were long, painted glittery silver to match her dress. The sequins dotting the fabric were almost holographic. She closely resembled the disco ball hanging over the dance floor.
“Hannah is wearing pink tonight,” Hallie said with a patient smile.
“She’s also been wearing Will Sutherland. We get it. You’re in love.” Mags snorted at her own joke before drinking the remainder of her champagne in one gulp. “I noticed you hanging on to a different Sutherland man tonight. You and Gavin on the dance floor.” She fanned her face. “Save some for the bedroom!”
Hallie tried to keep the smile pasted on her face, which was always a challenge when dealing with Mags. The older woman had something snarky to say about someone—about everyone—if you talked to her long enough.
“What an odd couple you two make.”
Case in point.
“Well, it works for us.” Hallie was tired, and a little grouchy. She didn’t have the stamina to deal with Mags tonight. Hell, she hardly had the stamina to deal with Mags on any night. Not that that deterred the party’s host.
“Gavin is so... What word am I looking for? Free-spirited. He is the least serious of the Sutherland clan. And you, honey, in case you haven’t noticed, are no Hannah Banks. You are positively rigid. I can make out the set of your stiff spine in your flowy gown. Ha! I mean, even your irritating grandmother knows how to have fun. You know I’m kidding. I love her,” Mags lied with a smile. “Why are you hiding over here in the corner?”
“I’m not hiding,” Hallie said through her teeth. She didn’t love personal confrontations, and Mags had made this terribly personal. “Gram is the best person I know.”
Unlike Mags. The woman might be rich in dollars, but when it came to kindness she was flat broke.
“Well, of course you think so. Eleanor was the one who took you in after your parents gallivanted off to another part of the world. I’ve always thought it would be wonderful to do whatever you wanted in life without worrying about consequences. If that’s what you’re doing with Gavin, honey, my blessings.” She waved a taloned hand. “Be careful, though. Consequences have a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect them.”
Hallie’s face grew hot as a dozen retorts piled up in her throat. Thankfully Gavin approached at that moment, two glasses in his hands.
“There he is! The life of the party. I’m glad to see you with a refill for this one.” Mags shot a thumb in Hallie’s direction. “She’s falling asleep. Liven her up.”
With that, she returned to her party, loudly commenting to someone as she went, and likely ruining their day, as well.
“I see she hasn’t changed a bit,” Gavin said with a headshake. “When is she going to realize that being famous and being infamous aren’t the same thing?”
He handed Hallie a glass of champagne and she swallowed a hearty gulp.
“You didn’t take whatever she said to heart, I hope.” He touched Hallie’s shoulder, concern evident on his face.
Tears burned the backs of her eyes. “You didn’t hear everything she said.”
“I can imagine. Every word rolling off her forked tongue is thoughtless and mean.”
True. Mags probably hadn’t given much thought to the things she said. But what she’d said to Hallie held an undeniable nugget
of truth. Hallie’s parents had gallivanted off to another part of the world, leaving Hannah and Hallie to be raised by Eleanor. And Gavin was the life of the party.
Who did Hallie think she was, trying to convince herself she was a fun, rule-breaking maven? Had she been trying on a new personality, like the red gown, to see if it fit? Mags had seen through Hallie easily. Hallie knew deep down she and Gavin were an odd couple, which was why Mags’s pointing it out hurt so much.
If it was obvious to Mags that Gavin and Hallie didn’t belong together, it was probably obvious to a lot of other people, too. For all her shortcomings, Mags Dumond had told Hallie the truth. Hallie knew she wasn’t supposed to care what other people thought, but part of her did. She and Gavin were cut from two very different cloths—his vibrant red, and hers boring beige. She had been playing a part by wearing this dress and showing up on his arm tonight. Who did she think she was trying to pass herself off as carefree?
“I’m tired,” she said, and wasn’t that the truth. She was absolutely beat.
“Okay, well, we can leave.” Her handsome, accommodating date cupped her elbow with one hand. “If you’re sure you’re ready.”
“I’m sure. It’s been a long day and this party has been particularly draining. I’ve talked about myself enough to last two lifetimes.”
They said quick goodbyes to her sister and friends and his brothers. Thankfully, no one guilted them into staying for one more drink. Once they were on the road, Gavin turned toward his own house instead of hers.
“Where are we going?”
“My place. I have a hot tub with your name on it.”
“I’m better off alone.” She hated how true that sounded. She was used to being alone, to handling emotional pitfalls by herself. As much as she wanted to lean on him, it seemed foolish to get used to his being around.
“I respect that, Hals, I do. But you can be alone at my house. I’m not taking you home when you don’t feel well. I hate the idea of you there without me.”
“That’s...actually really thoughtful,” she admitted.
He gripped her hand. “Don’t start that rumor, whatever you do. You’ll ruin my cutthroat-lawyer reputation.”
She was too tired to laugh, but she did spare him a smile. He wasn’t the problem tonight. Maybe she had taken what Mags said personally. Maybe she’d wake after a good night’s sleep in Gavin’s arms and feel completely refreshed.
Back at his house, they stripped out of their evening attire and stepped onto the balcony overlooking the private lake. The wind was crisp, but the water in the hot tub was warm and silky. She eased into the bubbles and took her first full breath in hours.
“You sound better already.” He smiled, relaxed as per his usual. “Come here.”
She slipped through the water and he pulled her onto his lap.
“Do you feel better, too?” His arms cradling her, he kissed her temple.
“Much.”
“Told you.”
“Bragging is unattractive.”
His laugh tumbled around in her chest, relaxing her further.
“Have you ever made love in a hot tub?” he rumbled into her ear.
“You’ve asked me this before.” She turned and pressed a kiss to his mouth.
“Well, I must not have heard the answer I wanted if I’m asking again. So. Have you?”
“Is this another challenge to break one of my rules?”
“If so, will you say yes?” A wicked smile overtook his mouth. She couldn’t resist.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His fingers speared into her hair, which she’d piled on top of her head in an effort to keep it dry.
The brisk wind chilled their shoulders, but they made their own heat. Her hands wandered down his chest to his lap and he cupped her breasts as he moved his mouth on the side of her neck.
What started out as touching graduated to more, and even though the last thing she should do was indulge in the man she couldn’t keep, she couldn’t help losing herself in him.
Back inside, she curled against him in bed, warm from the hot tub as well as their lovemaking. She relaxed against him, her arm thrown over his middle, her damp hair on his shoulder. She’d vowed to push everything Mags had said to her aside, but one thought looped in her mind like the lyrics of an overplayed song.
Mags had crowed about consequences, warning that they always found you. What had she meant by that? Maybe something, or maybe nothing. Hallie fell asleep without arriving at an answer. She woke in the morning, groggy, having dreamed most of the night.
She couldn’t remember a single one of those dreams, but they’d left a film on her like a premonition of something bad to come.
Twenty
The following weekend, Hallie felt better about, well, everything. Presley was hosting another girls’ night in. Cassandra and Hannah had arrived ahead of Hallie.
Hannah brought three pizzas. The pies were out, box tops open to allow the piping hot cheese to cool. “One cheese, one veggie, one with bacon and chicken,” she announced.
They plated up and poured the wine. Hallie spilled a small amount into her glass. She’d been sipping cocktails practically nonstop since she’d started seeing Gavin. She’d forgotten how much eating and drinking happened while dating—a lot more than her usual.
Halfway through their second slices of pizza, Cassandra and Presley were discussing honeymoon destinations. Hannah had done nothing but delight them with tales of France, specifically about the romance of Paris. Hallie listened supportively, but as the only woman present who was not currently searching for a romantic getaway destination, it was hard not to feel left out.
“And the bread!” Hannah exclaimed. “Bread and cheese and wine is a religion over there. France is the perfect place for a honeymoon.”
“It sounds like the perfect place to live.” Cassandra smiled.
“I can’t wait to visit Paris,” Presley said on a sigh. “It’s always been my dream to travel and write. I can’t wait for Cash’s world tour so I can sightsee.”
“The only con is that wine makes me careless. I woke up several mornings missing my clothes,” Hannah said.
“The case of the missing clothing,” Presley said with a melodramatic gasp.
“I’m fairly certain the culprit was Will,” Cassandra said with a giggle. Presley and Hannah howled with laughter. Hallie had to chuckle—her sister and Will were seriously cute together.
“Careful or else you’ll end up pregnant before you know it,” Pres warned. “And then who will help me drink wine?”
“Me!” Cassandra offered and the two women clinked glasses.
“I’m not sure careful matters when your period is as irregular as mine,” Hannah said. “I could be pregnant now and wouldn’t know it.”
“You would know.” Cassandra waved the idea off.
“Maybe not.” Hannah shrugged one shoulder. “There is a rumor that Banks ovaries thwart the effectiveness of birth control pills. How do you think Hallie and I were conceived?”
Hallie frowned at her sister. “Is that true?”
“According to Gram.” Hannah shrugged. “So, even though I am on the pill, I’m never truly safe. Will is worth the risk.”
“Well, sure. You’re married now. If you oops-ed your way into a pregnancy everyone would be thrilled out of their minds.” Cassandra made a follow-up joke about Hannah having twins, but Hallie was barely listening.
“I didn’t know about the birth control thing,” Hallie sort of repeated. She and Gavin had been relying on Hallie’s birth control since the first time they’d slept together. And there had been a lot of times since.
“I’m sure it’s an old wives’ tale. Or Gram was trying to scare us into being careful when we did end up having sex,” Hannah said.
“Hallie?” Presley, who picked up on e
verything unsaid, was watching Hallie closely. “What’s going on with you? Does the wine taste okay?”
“This is our favorite vintage.” Hannah frowned at her own glass.
“I think Pres is asking if the wine tastes okay to Hallie,” Cassandra clarified. “Though, how would she know since she hasn’t touched it.”
Hallie’s cheeks grew warm. Hannah’s mouth fell open. “Oh my God. Tell me you were safe. You and Gavin. You were safe, right?”
“I was trying to break rules!” Hallie bleated. “I assumed my tried-and-true birth control worked until you trotted out a family horror story tonight.” She’d had no reason to doubt her trusty pill until then.
“It’s only been a few weeks since you two started seeing each other,” Hannah said. “I’m sure you’re fine.”
“Well...” Presley started and every head in the room swiveled to her. “Cash and I had a scare a week ago and he bought about a dozen home tests in a panic. One of the tests claimed to be able to tell as soon as eight days after conception.”
“Eight days?” Hallie asked, her voice hollow. She was going to be sick.
“Like Hannah said, you’re probably fine,” Presley said, her tone light. “But if you want to set your mind at ease, I have several tests leftover...”
“Oh God.” Hallie shoved her plate aside. She couldn’t think it.
“I’ll take one, too,” Hannah piped up. “Deal?”
“I don’t know, Han...” Chances were, Hallie was fine. That her imagination had run wild on the heels of her conversation with Mags, the harbinger of doom.
“Come on, it will give us something to do,” Cassandra chirped. “You can each take a test and then when they both read negative, we will switch from wine to shots of tequila.”
More laughter rippled around the room, but Hallie didn’t join in. Pregnancy would be a cruel outcome considering this was the one and only time in her life she’d broken so many of her own rules. Almost too cruel an outcome to imagine. Pregnant with a playboy’s baby? That sounded like the title of a romance novel.
Good Twin Gone Country Page 13
