The room falls silent with just the sound of breathing as everyone absorbs what she had to say.
“But, Jacinta, sweetie,” Dad starts, and she holds up her hand.
“No, Dad. Right now, that’s how I feel, and I want you to respect it. In a few days when I've had time to absorb it, maybe I’ll feel differently. For now, just leave it be.”
He nods, looking devastated for her, but if I’ve learned anything about Dad so far, it’s that he’ll respect her enough to do as she asks.
Jaxon runs a hand through his damp hair, and there’s no question as to whether he’s uncomfortable right now. “I don’t know how I feel about it. I'm still trying to absorb the information, to be honest. I’m not going to turn my back on it, but I’m going to need a couple of days. I’ll do whatever tests they need to. It’s not much, but it’s a start, and that might be all I can handle right now.”
Emma nods sympathetically while I put my hand on his towel-wrapped thigh and give it an encouraging squeeze.
“Whatever you decide, I’ll support you. Anything you need, okay?” I whisper to him, and he turns to look at me, eyes filled with surprise. “Jax, you're essentially going through what I did a few weeks ago. It’s a huge upheaval in your life. Let me be there for you.”
He reaches down and grabs the hand I put on his thigh, holding it like it’s his lifeline, and Jacinta gives me a small grateful nod from the other side of him.
“Well, while we’re discussing unpleasant things...” Thomas sits up straighter in his chair. He had been lounging, or should I say looking like he was lounging, all relaxed and casual, but I could tell by the tension in his shoulders and the shadow in his eyes that he was just biding his time. He looks at me before glancing around the table. “The threat of her NDA was not enough to deter Cecelia from talking to the media yesterday.”
“What!” Oliver shouts, sitting up straighter in his own chair.
“Let’s get the lawyers onto that,” Holden chimes in, with Jaxon and Jacinta adding their opinions, but I can tell by the grimace on half the table’s faces that none of this is news to them.
“Well, she didn't actually talk about the company or about the twins and Dad. She, and we’re assuming it was her as it’s too much of a coincidence not to be, leaked the details of Harlow’s relationship with the five of you.”
Before I can help it, I gasp, and I can practically feel the blood draining from my face. “Oh my god.” My heart just about stops at the announcement. It’s not that I’m embarrassed about any of it. I knew it would get out there eventually if we kept going, but I was just enjoying beinguswithout any outside influence, and I was hoping when it did get out, it was because we were the ones controlling it.
“I’m calling Hope,” Holden announces, jumping to his feet, phone in hand. “She needs to get here for damage control.”
“Sit down, Holden. I’ve already sent the helicopter for her and Mom and Dad,” Dad says, running a hand through his already messy hair.Must be where Jaxon gets the reaction from.I would have assumed that Emma or Molly had had something to do with that earlier, but now I know he’s already been stressing out this morning.
“And of course it’s all nasty trash, and there are a hoard of reporters at the gate. If any of us are going to leave—not that I think that’s a good idea—it would probably just be better to do it by air for the next few days,” Thomas continues.
“God, this is a shitshow.” Declan slams his fist down on the table as I think about the consequences of this.
Chuck, Melinda, and Max already know about it, so I’m not worried about that, and everyone who is important to the guys knows too, so I guess it can only be damaging in a professional capacity. But really, how bad could it actually be on that front? They’re all CEOs of their own businesses, plus the board of Neighpalm Industries is everyone at this table as well as Nana, Poppy, and Poppy’s sister Meredith. So the likelihood they’re going to lose their business is practically nonexistent. Dec and Holden may lose a few clients, and sales for Jaxon, Kai, and Jacinta might go down. Maybe even Oliver too? But it could also benefit them all. What's the old adage? Even bad news sells, or something like that.
As far as it concerns me, I really don't care that the world now knows I'm in a relationship with these guys; people would speculate whether I was Brad’s biological daughter or not. The billboard already hit my reputation, so this isn’t the first time that I’m getting some kind of Summers-related backlash. Maybe that’s why I’m not so freaked out about this? I’ve already had a little taste of judgment from the world, albeit because of something totally different, but that experience didn’t kill me. It sucked, and yes, I need to be more assertive and work harder to find opportunities, but I’m okay. Either that, or I’m doing an excellent job of numbing myself until reality actually slaps me in the face. I think I already knew that any association with the Summers might come with its fair share of drama, and if I’m being honest with myself, I can’t ignore the fact that a polyamorous relationship was always going to raise eyebrows. The press just turned it into something even juicier with the bullshit sibling angle.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I haven't been listening to what’s going on around the table, but of course I don’t clue into that until my name is being called.
“Harlow! Are you okay?” When I look up, everyone is staring at me. Of course it was Kai who asked the question. My hand is still in Jaxon’s, and it’s his turn to give mine a squeeze.
“Ah yeah, I’m okay. I’m just considering the fallout and all that.”
“You’re not considering whether this is worth it or not?” Holden reaches his arm around Oliver and gives him a side hug at the worried tone in his voice.
“No.” I shake my head, sending him a reassuring smile. “No, I’m all in. I wouldn't have started anything with any of you if I wasn't prepared to see where it went, good or bad. And I can hardly bolt now at the first sign of trouble. Actually, it’s not even the first sign. Through all this stalker drama, you guys have stuck by me.” I can see how relieved the five of them are at my words. It’s kind of hard to be more reassuring with other people at the table, but I’ll make sure to touch base with each of them today.
“Alright. Let’s wait for Hope and Mom and Dad to get here before we start considering our statement to the media, if we even address it at all. Sometimes I think feeding into the bullshit makes it worse. How about I do the dishes?” Dad declares, and Emma and Molly jump up too.
“We’ll help,” Molly says. “I don't feel like battling the media to go home just yet. Emma needs to be here when the lawyers arrive anyway.”
“How about a movie marathon in the theater until then?” Holden suggests. He stands up and stretches, exposing those abs that inevitably distract me for a moment. When his shirt comes down and I look up, he’s smirking at me. “I have a phone call I need to make, but after that I’m good to go.”
“Yes,” groans Oliver. “It’s about all I can manage this morning.”
“I’ll pass. I want to try to find where the photos in the news outlets came from. I’m going to make some phone calls to a friend or two I have in the media, and if I can't find anything out, I’ll get Jake to throw some official weight around,” Thomas says, draining the coffee from his mug then heading out without glancing backward. The rest of us help Dad, Emma, and Molly clear the table.
“I’m going to grab a shower,” Declan says before giving me a kiss on the head and disappearing.
