Always With You (The Connor Family 6)

“I can’t believe Mom and Dad got to meet you first,” Bianca exclaimed the next morning. We’d started the day with breakfast. The girls had hit it off easily.

“Well, it wasn’t planned,” Hailey said, but Bianca waved her away as if it didn’t matter. Bianca had already seen the article this morning, and Hailey had schooled her on how to block potential questions. Rage coursed through me just remembering that fucking article. I knew why Marion did it: if she kept making headlines, she’d have an easier time convincing investors to back her show. Especially since she was playing the victim card. Knowing the reason didn’t make me any less angry. In fact, I’d decided that I was going to turn over a new leaf, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. But I had family to protect. I had Hailey to protect. Playing fair wasn’t going to cut it. I’d already made a few calls this morning while Hailey was in the shower, set a few things in motion.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize the girls were talking about me.

“How long do you think he’ll last before he bails?” Hailey whispered.

“Well... I’d like to give him credit, because he’s usually super patient with me, but he’s already phased out. I give him two hours.”

“Nah, let’s make it three,” Hailey countered.

I grinned at them. “I hear you, you know.”

Hailey grinned back. “We were just checking. You were thoroughly ignoring us.”

“Let’s start,” Bianca said. “We have lots of shops to see.”

I almost asked how many exactly, then decided I’d rather not know from the get go. Sometimes ignorance was bliss.

Ten shops later, I was starting to regret my decision. How many dresses could one try on before buying one?

“Okay, new rule,” Hailey told me when we entered yet another shop. Bianca was already checking out racks with dresses. “No more brooding and rolling your eyes.”

I stared at her. “We’ve been at this for seven hours.”

“I know. I warned you.” With a coy smile, she added, “You said you’re brave, remember?”

I shook my head. “Fine. I’ll wait in this chair and pretend I don’t exist.”

“Excellent plan.”

Mortification aside, it actually was fun watching Hailey with my sister. Bianca had made no secret that she wished she had a sister. And Hailey, well... I couldn’t watch her and not admit to myself that I was completely in love with her.

When she walked over to me, rubbing her hands in excitement, I almost kissed her against the wall, right here, right now.

“Bianca’s decided on a dress. Are you ready?”

“Sure.”

“Look.” Hailey pointed to the changing room. My sister stepped out in a floor-length dark green dress. It looked great on her, but I’d thought the same about almost everything she’d tried.

“You look beautiful, Bee-Bee.”

Bianca winced. “Reid, I told you not to call me that when there are others around.”

“That’s his nickname for you?” Hailey asked, perplexed.

“Yep.”

Hailey rubbed her hands over her cheeks. “Oh, boy. So he’s one of those brothers.”

“Can you help?” Bianca put her hands together as if in a prayer.

“Afraid not. My brother Landon still calls my sister Val munchkin sometimes.”

Bianca pouted. “So there is no hope, then.”

“Afraid not.”