I don’t ever want to feel out of control around a woman again. My ex-wife took any hope I had in love and tossed it into the world’s largest trash can. And I don’t plan to go dumpster diving to get my hopes back.
“Hey, big brother.”
My baby brother, Hunter, pulls me out of my thoughts as he and his fiancé, Winter, round the corner.
I give them both hugs, and Winter immediately starts telling me where their gate is and asking what can she carry of Lulu’s.
I hand her Lulu’s pink backpack. “That’s all she wanted to bring on the plane. You checked her suitcases?”
“Yep,” Hunter says. He looks around. “Where is my favorite niece?”
“She’s your only niece,” I remind him. “And she’s in the restroom.”
“Alone?” Hunter turns to Winter. “Darling, can you go see if she’s okay?”
I put up my hand. “She’s not alone. You think I’d fucking do that? Haley’s with her.”
Winter and Hunter stare at me.
“Haley Laine,” I add, gesturing to her suitcase next to me. “This is hers.”
“Haley Laine from Montana?” Winter asks me. “Emerson’s best friend?”
“Yes.”
“Max’s fiancé, Emerson?” Hunter adds.
“One and the same.”
I explain how Haley literally ran into me.
“She’s going through something for sure,” I say. “I don’t know what’s up, but she was damn upset.”
I shift my gaze to the restroom doorway just as Haley walks through it. She’s holding my daughter carefully by the hand. Lulu’s got a big smile as she spots me.
Lulu feels safe with her.
My heart stirs.
But I push those feelings back down where they belong.
No sense in getting my heart involved when I’ve sworn off women.
* * *
Haley
As I exit the restroom with Lulu, I see that Liam is no longer alone. I wave as I recognize Hunter and Winter.
Super. More people privy to my breakdown.
Like Liam, Hunter has green eyes and a pro hockey player’s body. He’s shorter than Liam, who’s the most intimidating of the four brothers in my opinion. A lot of that is hisdon’t fuck with meattitude. Hunter’s more laid-back with a friendly smile. He’s also wearing a ball cap pulled down low over his forehead, but that doesn’t stop people walking past us from giving him and Liam second looks.
Hunter gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, and Winter wraps me up in a hug.
“What are you two doing here?” I ask.
“We’re taking Lulu to Montana with us. We’re getting married in just over a week,” Winter says as she puts her arms around Hunter.
