It’s not the grief that’s killing me.
It’s the guilt.
She’s gone because of me.
She’d rather do that than live a day longer at my side.
A slightly squelching noise brings my thoughts back to the present, a noise that only a kid with sticky fingers can make against smooth leather.
“Did you wash your hands, Lio?” I ask, eyeing them.
The sticky handprints he left on that couch a week ago took Stephanie ages to clean.
Time she spent talking my ear off.
Lio nods, already focused on his boat again. My attention returns to Hunter, who meets my gaze with simmering frustration.
“What? Were the rainbow sprinkles for the cupcakes sold out again?” I ask sarcastically.
I know I’m a fucking dick to him, but I can’t help it most of the time.
This is me being nice.
“Lio, ears,” Hunter nearly hisses, and Lio places his boat down next to him on the couch, covering his ears with his palms and humming a lullaby. It’s not his first time tuning us out.
“You’re such a fucking dick,” Hunter accuses as soon as Lio can’t hear him anymore.
“What have I done this time?” I ask with an eye roll.
Hunter is like a nagging wife, always berating me. I shouldn’t work so much. I should be home, do more with my son, take time for myself, and not drink so much. I can’t stand hearing it anymore.
I can’t stand anything, least of all myself, when my thoughts aren’t occupied with work.
“You’ve been complaining for days, stressing yourself and us out because you can’t find a mechanic, and one came in two days ago, but you pushed her to the curb just because she’s a woman?” He confronts me with disbelief written all over his face.
“How do you even know about that?” I ask, surprised, but he just glares harder. “It’s not because she’sawoman. It’s because she’sthewoman. It’s the girl Nash fucked last weekend. Don’t tell me you’re naïve enough to believe her story. She just wanted to worm her way in to spend more time with Nash, seemingly determined to snatch herself a Jones.”
I know I pegged her right the second she walked into my office.
“Oh, she told me that you called her a gold digger. What the hell is wrong with you? She was the one telling Nash no when he asked her out again. You were there!”
I blow out a breath in reply.Am I the only one in this family able to think with my head?“Of course, she did! She’s playing hard to get, and Nash jumps on that like the mindless idiot he is!” I grunt, looking back down at my papers.
“North,” Hunter warns, voice low and unyielding. There’s an edge to it, letting me know he’s not to be fucked with right now. “Sloan is going to work here. She starts tomorrow. She’s going to fill in for William, and we’re going to treat and pay her very well, and I meanverywell. If she wants to stay after William is back, she can. Do we understand each other?”
I stand from the chair, placing my hands on the surface of my desk and leaning in. “I’m going to tell you what I told her. I need amechanic. She can’t play around here to humor you or Nash. If you want to give her money, give her the fucking money and make sure she leaves, but I can’t?—”
“I know you think you’re the big fish here, but don’t forget that a third of this…” he motions around us, “… ismine, North. You’re only sitting in that chair, making decisions, and playing the boss becauseI let you. But I can change that in a heartbeat if you keep being a fucking dick for no other reason than to be one. We decided to send Lio to kindergarten a year late, but maybe it would be better for him to start now. Maybe it would be better for me to be in the office next door every day, in a fancy suit just like you, walking around with a stern face and a coffee, second-guessing every fucking decision you make. Just because Ican.”
I glare at him, knowing he damn well would. Hunter is the most easygoing person around until he senses someone he cares about is being treated unfairly. Then, he’s willing to go to great lengths to correct that injustice. He’d do all this and more just to make sure I paid for how I treated her.
Fuck.
“For fuck’s sake, Hunt! She’s going to get hurt or break shit. She doesn’t have what it takes to—” I start to argue.
“She starts tomorrow,” he interrupts, leaning over to tap Lio on the shoulder, effectively ending this discussion. Lio lets go of his head, takes his boat, and hops off the couch. “And I’m goingto ask her how she likes working here. You don’t want to find out what I’ll do if she tells me she feels uncomfortable, North.”
With that, he heads out the door, and Lio mutters, “Bye, Daddy,” before they leave my office.
