Now that they were standing face-to-face, Xavier could see the signs of wear and tear that the years had wrought. Fine lines surrounded Red’s eyes, and his hairline was now slightly receded. He was still in incredible physical shape. It was the one thing his father had given him—the body of an athlete. “It’s good to see you, son,” Red said, his gaze intense.
Son.That word coming out of Red’s mouth was like nails on a chalkboard. It was hard to fathom that he thought of Xavier that way.
Red was a few inches shorter than him, which took Xavier by surprise. When Xavier was a kid, his father had always seemed like a larger-than-life figure.
“Red,” he said with a nod, acknowledging his presence.
Red drew his brows together. “Can we talk, Xavier? I think it’s best we clear the air.”
“Okay, that’s fine, but this might not be the time or the place.” Xavier looked around him. Too many people were milling around. It already was awkward. No need for an audience.
“We’re going to be working together, so I don’t want there to be any tension,” Red announced, his arms folded across his chest.
Xavier almost laughed out loud. Their relationship hadalways been tense until it became nonexistent. Red had bailed on Xavier, Caleb, and Landon in every way imaginable as they’d made their way through adolescence into adulthood. Xavier couldn’t even remember the last time he’d seen the man. In all likelihood, he didn’t want to hold on to that memory.
“Of course not. No one wants that,” Xavier said. He didn’twantto go down this road with his father. This conversation seemed as if it should have happened decades ago. Maybe then he would have cared to listen. But having a heart-to-heart now felt too little, too late. Did his father think that their talking would result in a Hallmark television moment where everything was forgiven?
Red studied him for a moment. Xavier could see he was deep in thought about something. “Just so you know, I didn’t ask Hattie to put that stipulation in the contract. It’s important that you understand that. I’m not trying to manipulate anything.” He eased his shoulders back, creating tension in the seams of his jacket. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Xavier shrugged. “We signed on the dotted line, so it’s a nonissue. My brothers and I want to learn everything there is to know about running Yukon Cider. That’s our priority… and Hattie’s as well.”
“She loves the three of you. Always has. You’re the future of Yukon Cider. You might not understand her reasoning, but she wants her company to be a symbol.”
“Of what?” Xavier asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Family. Unity. The things that matter most.”
Okay, Xavier was calling BS. Since when had those things meant anything to Red? Suddenly, all Xavier’s defenses were up. His mother had warned him about falling for Red’s charms. He couldn’t allow himself to fall into the trap so easily.
Xavier needed an exit plan from this conversation. Fast. Otherwise, he might just lose his cool.
“If you don’t mind, I need to track someone down,” he said, sounding clunky. He needed to focus on something else.
Someone else. True. Where was she?
“Sure thing. We have plenty of time to talk later.” Red placed his hand on Xavier’s shoulder and lightly squeezed it.
Xavier walked away, his head spinning with a million different thoughts. For so long now, he had viewed Red in a monstrous light, and those negative feelings were still churning around inside of him, threatening to spill over. There were so many questions he’d wanted to hurl at him. Why did you abandon your sons? It really was time to concentrate on something other than Red, especially since Xavier’s head was pounding from all the stress.
Where had True gone? Xavier hadn’t seen her since they were all gathered with Hattie in the mayor’s office. Both Red and Hattie had resurfaced in the ballroom, but there hadn’t been any sign of True. Xavier looked out across the room, searching for a stunning brunette in a little blue dress. He couldn’t find her anywhere!
She was gone. Vanished. Poof. He had scoured the ballroom, walked down the hall, and even ventured upstairs. No sign of True.
When it sank in that True had left the reception, Xavier felt a little bummed about her not saying goodbye. They had bonded tonight. Or at least he’d thought they had. He’d been out of the game for so long now, maybe he had misinterpreted things. Maybe she was simply being friendly to Hattie’s grandson. That was possible, but his gut instinct didn’t usually lie to him. She had given him all the feels. The push and pull of attraction. Subtle flirting and a hungerto spend more time with her. To explore the possibilities. To kiss those beautiful lips.
Once all the guests began to head out for the evening, Jacques drove them back to Hattie’s house. On the drive, his grandmother fell asleep on Xavier’s shoulder. He didn’t have the heart to wake her up after the night she’d had. A few more minutes of resting her head on his shoulder wouldn’t do any harm, he figured.
“Jacques, could you loop around the lake one more time?” Xavier asked, giving in to a sentimental urge.
Jacques nodded. He turned his head and smiled at Xavier. “I think that’s a great idea.”
As Jacques drove around the lake area, Xavier’s thoughts turned to True. She had made the night enjoyable even in the midst of his grandmother’s fainting spell and Red’s unexpected presence. She had been incredibly sensitive about his lack of knowledge regarding Hattie’s illness. True hadn’t judged him. She had stayed by Hattie’s side, supporting her with friendship and words of assurance. He wanted… no, he needed to see True again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“So, tell me all about the reception. I didn’t want to pester you last night for the juicy details.” Bonnie leaned over the bar, waiting with bated breath for True to deliver the piping-hot tea. Bonnie would deny it if pressed, but she lived for town gossip.
“It was a lot of fun,” True answered. Her thoughts immediately went to Xavier. She felt bad about not saying goodbye to him last night, but she hadn’t wanted to pull him away from an intense conversation with Red. From what she’d gleaned, their relationship needed a lot of TLC. Hattie would be ecstatic if they managed to mend their issues with each other.
