Sin City Baby

She leaned against the kitchen counter, hands crossed in front of her chest.

“About?” I asked.

Checking my phone, I saw that Hadley had just messaged me that she was outside. I put my phone back into my pocket and moved toward the door.

“About your godson's mother and you?” she sneered.

“Uhh, not really,” I said.

Rebecca followed me outside.

“Not really?” she pressed. “So you two weren't totally ogling each other earlier?”

“Rebecca, it's really none of your business,” I said. Hadley and Grayson were already out of the car and walking toward us, so there was no time to finish the conversation. Hadley's hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, though her hair was barely long enough to be pulled back at all. Loose tendrils framed her face, somehow softening it ever more. She wasn't wearing any makeup, and she looked more tired than usual, but she was still as breathtaking as ever.

Her dress was a loose-fitting, a soft pink and white maxi dress, but it left her arms bare, and gave a nice view of her cleavage. Her ample cleavage, I might have added, and yes, I glanced as she walked toward us. Rebecca smacked my arm, clearly noticing where my gaze had fallen. Hadley had too, but she just smiled and winked at me.

“It looks nice from the outside,” Hadley said, taking in the house. “Bigger than I expected.”

“Yeah, well, I had big plans,” I said as I stuck my hands into my pockets and motioned for her to follow me inside. “The staging company just dropped by, so there's some furniture all over the place. They're on their way back to pick up more stuff, but they shouldn't get in the way of a tour.”

Rebecca pursed her lips and remained moodily silent. She had been difficult the entire time the stagers were there. Laura, the designer, didn't see eye-to-eye with Rebecca on a few things, but we were paying Laura. Rebecca, on the other hand, had ulterior motives and couldn't be trusted to make decisions. Not that she really had any say one way or the other. I let Laura have free rein with things and that had obviously pissed Rebecca off.

As did Hadley's presence.

“How many bedrooms does it have?” she asked.

“Five. Well, technically six,” I said. “But, one I've set up as a library-slash-computer gaming center.”

Hadley chuckled. “Still very much a nerd, I see.”

She patted me on the back as we stepped inside. She walked around the place, taking it all in, while Grayson went straight for the saltwater aquarium that ran along the wall.

“Very nice,” she said. “Who decorated?”

Rebecca stood up tall. “I did.”

The two women shared a look, and then it hit me. “Oh yeah, Rebecca, Hadley is an interior designer actually,” I said.

Hadley continued. “Before you show the place, I'd consider nixing the accent wall though, it makes the living room appear disjointed,” she said. “Accent walls should be used for very specific reasons – ”

“It is. It's to separate the formal living area from the casual one,” Rebecca said matter-of-factly.

“Oh yeah?” Hadley asked. “There's a formal and a casual living area? In one room?”

“Yes, it's an open floor plan,” Rebecca snipped.

“Ah, I'm a designer, sweetie. I know an open floor plan when I see it, and this is just a large living room,” Hadley said, her voice clipped, her smirk almost painful to look at. “But if it works for you, that's fine. I'm just saying, from a potential buyer's perspective, you may want to nix it.”

“Perspective buyer? Are you interested in buying our house?” Rebecca asked.

“Maybe,” Hadley said, taking me by surprise. “I mean, I have been looking at moving back home, and this place is nice. Really nice.”

She turned her attention to Grayson who remained standing at the fish tank, completely transfixed with it, and smiled.

“Does this come with the house?” she asked.

“Uhh, I guess it could,” I said and scratched my head. “I hadn't really thought about it.”