He smirked. “I didn’t realize it was for the beef industry…”
I laughed. “So you’ve seen your dad’s girlfriend naked. Fun.”
He blew out a slow breath and looked away. “He’s insisting we go to a family dinner. I thought we’d be able to get away with just running by, making an appearance, and leaving but he’s making threats. Plus Savannah is coming to town for it. He knows we’ll show up for her.”
I rested my head on his chest again to hide my reaction to that piece of information. It was awkward, no matter how I tried to look at it.
“He wants us to bring you, too.”
I stiffened. “Why?”
Hayes sat up and pulled me into his lap so we were facing each other. “Because you’re our girlfriend, I’m guessing. He probably has some kind of photo op planned and wants to make us look like the good little boys he wants us to be.”
I swallowed a wave of self-doubt and played with the neck of his shirt. “Do you want me to come?”
He tipped my chin higher so I’d meet his gaze. “None of us want to go but if we have to go, we’d prefer to have you there. At least there’ll be something pretty to look at.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m serious. It’s a family thing and you’ll get to see your sister for the first time in a while. I don’t want to intrude if you just feel obligated to invite me.”
“I’m serious, too, Cassidy. We want you with us. You’re our girlfriend. That means family events that no one wants to go to.” He hesitated. “Are things going to be civil between you and Sav?”
I nodded jerkily. “She’s your sister.”
“Yeah, she is. She means everything to us so it’s important that you don’t hate her.”
“I don’t hate her.” I scooted out of his lap and moved across the room to my bag. I hated the way I felt in that moment. I was jealous of Savannah again and it made me hate myself. Of course, her brothers cared about her more than anything in the world. That was the way it should be. I just couldn’t help the sadness I felt that I’d never been that for anyone and that I probably never would be.
“Hey. Come here and talk to me.”
Humiliatingly, tears burned my eyes. I blinked rapidly to clear them and jumped when he suddenly wrapped his arms around me from behind. “I’m sorry.”
“About what? What’s wrong, Strawberry?”
“I don’t want to say.” I turned into his chest and gripped his shirt. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I don’t know why I’m being so emotional. It’s stupid. Of course, I’ll be civil with Savannah.”
“No, Cassidy. That’s not good enough. Nothing you feel is stupid. So talk to me. Please.”
I groaned. “I promise you, it’s stupid.”
“Cassidy.”
“Fine!” I wrapped a healthy covering of anger around myself so it’d be easier to pretend to not care if he laughed at me. “I’mjealous. I’m jealous of Savannah and it’s disgusting of me and I’m ashamed of myself but there it is.”
“You’re jealous of Savannah? Because of Cole?”
I smacked his chest. “Are you kidding? Because of Cole? No, you idiot! I’m not jealous of her because of Cole. I’m jealous of her because you guys care about her so much. She’s… She’s loveable. The guys back in LA love her, you guys love her, everyone loves her. And sometimes I just feel…the opposite of that. No one’s ever loved me like that and I’m jealous. It probably makes me a small, petty, unhappy little troll, but that’s the truth.”
Hayes was smiling at me like he thought I was the funniest thing in the world and it instantly pissed me off even more. He saw it happening, though, and held me tight, even when I tried to push him away. “You have no idea how you’re loved, Cassidy.”
I froze. “Hayes…”
“You’re loveable.” He kissed the top of my head. “And I love Savannah even more than ever because she set into motion you showing up here. You have nothing to be jealous of, Strawberry. Nothing.”
I melted into his chest. I couldn’t give voice to just how much his words affected me. It was ridiculous but they felt like a soothing balm being spread over all the aches and pains I’d felt for so long. I felt wanted for the first time in so long.
“You’re loveable, too, Hayes.” He pitched his voice higher to mimic mine. “And so hot.”
I laughed and pulled back to look up at him but before I could tell him just how loveable he was he was kissing me. It quickly turned heated and led back to the couch. I managed to break apart just before he pulled my panties down. I gripped his face and met his gaze. “You’re loveable, Hayes.”
