The Man Who Has No Heart (Soulless 2)

My stomach tightened in reaction.

“Yeah, he’s got it bad for you.” Tucker approached the restaurant. “So, you want to hold hands or something?”

“No. Just pull out my chair for me. That should be enough.”

“Got it.” He opened the door for me. “After you.”

I stepped inside first, and then we walked into the restaurant together. Deacon and Valerie sat across from each other at the table, Derek at the head of the table. They didn’t notice us right away.

Tucker walked beside me, close enough that our arms touched.

Deacon turned and looked at me, and instead of being annoyed with his brother’s closeness, his eyes shone like they always did when he saw me.

Derek got excited. “Cleo!” He hopped off the chair.

“He’s more excited to see you than me,” Tucker said in offense. “And I’m his uncle.”

Valerie looked at me, immediately sizing me up, clearly annoyed I was there.

I had purposely dressed in an unremarkable way, wearing jeans and a shirt, ditching the makeup and putting my hair in a ponytail. I wanted Valerie to find me unintimidating, and it meant a lot to me that Deacon didn’t look at me differently, as if nothing had changed.

Derek ran to me. “Cleo, I missed you.”

I didn’t want to brush off his affection just for Valerie’s sake, so I kneeled and hugged him. “I missed you too, Derek. How have you been?”

“Good. We went to the aquarium, and I touched a starfish.”

“Wow, that’s really cool.”

“Uh, excuse me?” Tucker kneeled at my side. “What about me?”

“Uncle Tucker.” Derek moved into him next.

I stood up and watched them embrace.

Tucker rose to his full height. “That’s more like it.” He walked to the table and pulled out the chair next to Deacon, knowing I wouldn’t be able to stand sitting close to her. “Here, babe.”

“Thanks.” I sat down and let him push my chair in.

Then he moved to the seat beside Valerie. “Hey, how’s it going?” He couldn’t even pretend to like her, could barely make himself look at her. He grabbed the menu and stared at it. “Hmm…I might get the steak and fries.”

I wanted to turn to Deacon, look at him like I usually did, talk to him like I usually did, but I had to force myself to look at my menu like he didn’t exist, like he wasn’t the most important thing in the world to me. “How are you liking the city, Valerie?”

She’d been stirring her iced tea with her straw when I addressed her. “It’s nice. I’ve been here many times.” She didn’t seem combative like last time, either because she was trying to show better behavior or seeing me with Tucker chased away her fears. “But it’s weird to walk everywhere. Can’t wear my heels like usual.”

Well, I did it without a problem.

“What are you getting?” Tucker asked.

I scanned the menu. “Hmm…maybe the acai bowl. Or the coconut pancakes.”

“I’m getting the chocolate chip pancakes,” Derek said.

“No, you aren’t.” Deacon held up the menu. “You already had mac and cheese last night.”

“Oh, come on,” Derek said. “Grandma lets me order whatever I want. Mom does too.”

Of course she did.

“Well, I’m not either of those people. Pick something else, or I’ll pick for you.”

Derek sighed. “Whatever…”

Valerie watched the two of them interact, being quiet. She turned to me. “So, how long has this been going on?”

“Uh…a couple months,” Tucker said. “We met through Deacon.”

Tucker was the wrong man for me, and it felt odd to mention our relationship when Deacon and I were perfect together. Now I looked at him like a brother. “We have a lot in common, mainly our jobs.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Valerie said. “You’re both part of the help.”

It was an offensive thing to say, but I didn’t react.

But Tucker made a face, looking at Deacon with his eyebrow raised.

Deacon just shook his head.

This might be the worst lunch I’d ever had.

The waiter came over and we ordered, and Derek wisely picked the veggie bowl. Then Derek spoke to his father. “Are we going to the cabin tomorrow?”

“No.” Deacon rested his arms on the table, visibly more tense than usual because Valerie was there.

“Why not?” Valerie asked. “Derek talks about it so much that I looked forward to seeing it.”

I didn’t want her out there. It was our place.

Deacon was quiet for a while before he spoke. “It’s being fumigated. Can’t go for at least two weeks.”

That was a lie—and he pulled it off.

“Cool,” Derek said. “You think there are anthills inside?”

“Termites,” Deacon answered. “They’ll eat through the wood.”

“Didn’t you get an inspection when you bought the place?’ Valerie questioned, turning his response into an opportunity to interrogate him.

“Yes,” Deacon answered. “They weren’t there at the time.”

Tucker looked at me and mouthed. “Wow…super bitch.”

I had to keep a neutral face.

“Maybe next time,” Deacon answered. “Besides, I have a beach day planned tomorrow.”