I’m suspicious as fuck of anyone who comes in contact with my family, but what if she has a family of her own and she’s giving them up to stay here because of the money? What kind of situation was she in before that caused her to pick up everything and leave?
“Are you getting all this?” Kade asks as he pours the batter.
“Ugh, yeah.” I make a few more notes and try not to let my thoughts distract me, but I can’t help but wonder what she’s doing now. If she’s happy here or if she’s just sticking this out because of the paycheck.
“When I met Collins, I didn’t know my own name.” Kade has his back to me as he flips the pancakes. “She made me forget everything I knew all at once and I didn’t know which way was up. It was confusing, and if I was more like you, then maybe that might have made me angry.”
I take in his words and though I don’t want to admit that he’s right, he’s definitely hitting the mark.
“I know you, Xavier, and your reaction to change is to keep a cautious distance. I think your reaction to what you’re feeling for Doctor Lula right now is exactly what I would predict it to be.”
“I never said I felt anything for her.”
He looks over his shoulder as he puts the pancakes on the plate. “I would ask you if I look stupid but we both know I’m the handsome one in the family.” I shake my head as he places strawberries on the stack of pancakes and pushes the plate to me. “Try them.”
I cut a wedge and take a bite. They’re pretty damn wonderful but I would never give him that much credit. “Passable,” I say around a mouthful as I go in for another bite.
“Sure.” He sees right through my bullshit but doesn’t call me on it. Instead he looks at his watch, then starts to clean up the kitchen. “My wife is going to thank you for the extra alone time with Lula. Do you want to go with me to break up their good time?”
I think again about Lula being stuck here and trying to make friends. I think about how I’ve been with her, and how hard I’m making it for her to stay. What are her reasons for coming here, and am I standing in the way of her happiness?
The thoughts that swirl in my head don’t paint me in the best light. Maybe it’s time I try another approach, but the thought of her getting close to me makes my body tense. Is it because I want to push her away or because I want to pull her to me?
“Right behind you,” I agree as I decide it’s time to find out.
Chapter Four
Lula
“I love that color on you.” I pull my hand away from the fan to look at my blue nails that have finished drying.
“Thanks.” I smile at Collins, thinking it was sweet of her to ask me to come with her, but I think it might have been a sympathy invite. “You miss your sister?” I ask.
That’s who she really wants to get her nails done with. I could see their bond while they were on the island together. They could share a whole conversation in one look, and I was so envious of it. I wonder if that’s a sister thing or if it’s a bond that comes over time. I’ve never had either so I wouldn’t know.
“Yeah.” She drops back in her chair. “It’s bittersweet getting to see her for a few days, but I know she’s in good hands with Vaughn.” She lets out a long sigh as her hand comes to rest over her stomach. “Berkley needs to finish what she started.”
“She’ll be back soon,” I reassure her. The last thing Collins needs is stressing over her sister so early in her pregnancy. “We can try the ultrasound machine. I’m sure it will be here by the time she gets back.”
“How soon can we tell the sex of the baby?” She perks up at my idea.
“Early, I’m sure. We have the luxury of playing with the ultrasound machine as much as we want. Not to mention your husband wasn’t messing around when he bought the best.” I don’t want to know what all the machines cost. I only told him what I would need and what would be nice to have on hand. He got it all.
“He’s protective.” She rubs her hand over the baby bump that isn’t really there yet.
I understand it because he almost lost her. Kade is pulling out all the stops when it comes to keeping his family safe. That’s another thing I long for in my life but something I’ll never have. The threat of my father will always loom over me as long as he’s alive. Hell, even dead it would because if people knew I was related to him I’d never get a job. He will forever haunt me.