Hot 4 (Multiple Love)

My instinct is to run back to the boys, but I can't do that without Blake seeing. Going back will tell Blake everything he's suspecting is true, and I don't know if the boys will want that. Certainly not now in the middle of a parade with hundreds of people watching.

What the hell is he doing here?

Blake begins to walk toward me, and Liberty follows my line of sight, obviously sensing a change in my mood.

"Who is that?" she asks.

"The boys' father. He doesn't know about us," I whisper quickly.

"Shit," she mutters, taking hold of my hand protectively. "Do you want me to get you out of here?"

"I think I have to face him," I say, knowing that this isn't a situation that can be evaded.

"Connie," Blake says as he gets closer. He scans my colleagues with judgmental eyes, and I want to apologize to them all, even though his behavior is in no way my responsibility. "What are you doing here?"

I pause, pulling my purse onto my shoulder. The arm I now hold across my body feels like a shield of sorts.

"I’m here with your sons," I say.

"Why? I thought I made my thoughts on this clear."

I take a step back, inhaling deeply and slowly. Keep calm, I tell myself. Hold it together. He's going to lash out because he's exactly like my own father. They have a specific and predictable mode of operation. One that involves them expecting everyone around them to listen to them like they're God.

"You did make your thoughts clear, and I'm really sorry that you feel that way about something that doesn't directly involve you."

I hear Tabitha inhale quickly with shock at my directness. I guess she was expecting me to be more deferential, but I don't want to be. Funny how it feels so much easier to stand up to Blake than it does with my own father.

"They are my sons," Blake hisses. "Everything they do directly affects me."

"I think you need to calm down," Mark says, moving closer to my side.

I'm just about to reply when Summer appears out of nowhere. "Blake. I'm so glad you could make it," she gushes. With his attention taken, I step back again and watch with horror as his face breaks into a huge smile, and they hug like family. "Summer. There you are."

"I've been telling Holden how they should invite you into town more. You're their father, after all. Family is what's important." She eyes me over his shoulder, her smile not meeting her eyes. A chill runs down my spine.

"You always were a great influence on my boy," Blake says. "Where is he?"

Summer points toward the rig as though she's still Holden's girlfriend and he's waiting for her.

"What the fuck?" Liberty mutters, watching everything unfolding like an over-the-top Brazilian soap opera.

"I've been telling Connie she just needs to leave them alone," Summer says. "She's gotten them all confused, but maybe you can convince them that she's no good for them."

"That's exactly what I intend to do."

I turn to where the rig has started to move forward. "Go," Tabitha hisses, nudging my panic-stiffened body forward. I stumble through the crowd, banging into a couple who mutter disapproval. I round the other side of the rig, wanting to get as far away from Blake and Summer as possible. I bang on the door, and Holden throws it open. I must be grave faced because as he tugs me inside, he leans in with concern. "What is it?"

"Your dad is here with Summer. He's on the rampage, but he's hugging Summer like his long-lost daughter."

"Fuck," Holden says. He shouts forward to Harris, who can't stop to look out the window and is professional enough to keep his eyes on the road. "Kane and Karter are out there," Harris says. He presses the button on his walkie-talkie, relaying the information. I crane to look and find them both searching the crowd for trouble.

"What's going to happen?" I ask, even though I know that Holden has no idea. I've never been in a position like this before. With a racing heart and sweaty palms, I don't know what to do with myself.

"You're safe," Holden practically growls. "You don't need to worry because we are not going to let anything happen to you. I mean it. You're just going to stay in here, and we will deal with them both."

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine."

I know he's a capable man who can handle pretty much anything that comes his way, but that doesn't mean I don't get to worry about him. It doesn't mean that I don't get to have a say about how he handles things that involve me too.

"Summer is taking things too far," I say. "Does she have your dad's number? Because I really got the impression that she had called him and invited him to the fair."