Chapter One
August Seventeenth
Tanya
I pull my car to a stop in front of a beautiful two-story house that looks like it belongs on a set of some old western movie. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. Simply put, it is absolutely breathtaking. A part of me is jealous that my cousin ended up in a place like this, while my life has turned to complete shit. A bigger part, the better part, is happy that Hadley is getting her chance at happiness.
Cutting off the engine, I slide out of the car, slinging my purse over my shoulder. I slam the car door before heading up to the huge wraparound porch. I hit the bell and wait, getting no response. I knock, but still there is no answer. I can hear a party going on in the backyard, a big party judging by the number of cars and trucks parked out front. Just as I’m about to give up and walk to the back of the house, the door swings open and one of my best friends rushes out to wrap her arms around me.
“I’m so glad you're finally here, Tanya,” Willow says, smothering me with air kisses. “I missed your bitch ass.”
“Who are you calling a bitch, bitch?” I ask, squeezing her tight, popping my lips against her cheek. “Where’s Hadley?”
“She’s out back enjoying her birthday party.” Willow grabs my hand and pulls me inside the house. “I just gotta grab another bowl of potato salad. Then I’ll take you out to her.”
As much as I want to play catch up with my friend, I need to talk to my cousin alone. The problem I’m dealing with has to do with our family, and I need to talk to Hadley about it before I tell anyone else.
“Would you mind going and getting her, sending her in here?” I ask, chewing on my bottom lip. “I want a couple of minutes alone with her before I’m stuck in the middle of a ton of people I don’t know.”
Willow tilts her head to the side and stares at me. “What’s wrong?”
Shit, sometimes I hate that she knows me so damn well. “Nothing, I just haven’t seen her in so long. I want a little private time for her to tell me all about her new life.”
My friend looks at me a minute more and finally nods her head. “Okay, go on in the living room. I’ll send her in here as soon as I grab this potato salad.”
“Thanks, sweets.” I say, pasting on a fake smile.
She points down the hall to a large doorway, framed by intricately etched molding. “Just go right through there.”
She places another air kiss right above my cheek and walks off in the opposite direction. I head through the doorway, finding a room that is both gorgeous and comfortable. I take a seat on a plush leather couch and try to think of a way to tell Hadley what is going on. This really isn’t going to affect her, not in the way it does me. Still, she needs to know what our fathers are up to this time.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t even realize she is in the room until she plops down beside me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
With that she leans over and hugs me, rocking me from side to side. It feels so good to have her close again, and I blink away the dampness in my eyes. Other than my mom and my little brother Rusty, Hadley is the only person in my life that truly loves me. That’s not exactly true. Willow loves me, just like I love her.
“I missed you so much,” I say, clearing my throat.
Just like Willow, she’s able to read my mood. “What’s wrong?”
I hesitate for a moment, thinking of the child she is carrying. I quickly realize the child is the reason she needs to know what is going on. If my dad could pull this shit with me, hers could try the same thing with her or even the baby after it’s born.
“Our dads borrowed some money from some bigwig in Indy.” I start but hush when she starts to nod her head.
“Dad called me last week wanting to borrow money,” she states with a snort. “Actually, he wanted me to give it to him. The asshole said I owed it to him for all the money he had spent on me for the last nineteen years.”
My mind runs in circles, wondering what she did. If she gave it to him, I could be out of this mess. On the other hand, if he finds out she has enough money to bank roll his and my dad’s schemes, they’ll dog her for the rest of their lives.
“I didn’t do it,” she says with a shake of her head. “I’m not giving him anything ever again, not even my time.”
I pull in a breath, not knowing if I should be relieved or not. “Did he tell you they signed some sort of liens on the houses?”
“I don’t care, Tanya. I’m done worrying about them,” Hadley says, sounding stronger than she has ever sounded before.
I understand, but her words cut me to the core. “Did he tell you one of the houses is the one Mom and Rusty live in.”
“Oh, no.” The shock on her face mirrors the look I wore when I first found out what Dad had done. “He can’t take away Aunt Marie and Rusty’s house.”
That is exactly what I said, but I quickly found out how wrong I was. When Dad and Uncle Ricky borrowed the money to invest in some crappy internet company, the man they borrowed it from made sure everything was iron clad. They either have the money to him by next Friday or they lose everything they own. There’s only one other option, an option that I am not too damn happy about.
“There’s a way to save Mom’s house,” I mumble, hating to say the words but knowing I have to tell her. “If I marry him next weekend, he’ll give our fathers another twelve months to pay back the loan.”
Her shock grows as she asks, “What in the world are you talking about? Do you even know this man?”
I shake my head, no longer able to control my tears. “Nope, I’m not even sure why he wants me. Dad just said I either married him or he would cut me off completely. No money, no car, no school, nothing. When that didn’t work, he told me that the man was holding the deed to Mom and Rusty’s house, too.”
“How is that even possible? Didn’t your Mom get that house in the divorce?” she asks the same question I asked myself.
“I thought so, but I guess not.” I explain in the only way I know how. “If I understand it right, it’s Dad’s house. She only won the right to live in it until Rusty turns twenty-one.”
By this time, tears are rolling down her cheeks, too. “I’m so sorry to be laying all this on you, but I didn’t know who else to turn to.”
Before she can reply, two men walk into the room. The sight of them causes my mouth to water. The man in the front is handsome, but the other is panty dropping hot. I swear he has my clit pulsing just from one look. If my life wasn’t in such shambles, I’d probably be dragging him off to a dark corner right this second.
The one I can’t see myself fucking is staring at Hadley with a ferocious look on his face. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Damn, I thought this crying shit was over.”
Hadley is off the couch in a second, going straight into his arms. “My family is fucked up.”
“What did they do this time?” he asks, but I’m too busy looking at the other man to listen to Hadley’s response.
I stare at him, his eyes locked on mine. For a second, all my troubles disappear as I imagine running my tongue over every inch of his skin. Only when the other man’s voice breaks the spell do I look away from the man that will be filling my dreams tonight.
“It’s my story to tell. In case you’re wondering, I’m Tanya.” When he doesn’t introduce himself, I move on. “It seems that my father and his brother borrowed some money that they’re unable to pay back. The man is threatening to take their houses, and neither of them are willing to let that happen.”
“Okay,” he says, looking like he could care less.
“It seems Dad has traded me to cover the debt. The guy likes the idea of having a piece of eye candy on his arm.” I finish my words with a shrug, trying to pretend that it isn’t that big of a deal.
“You’re an adult; he can’t force you to do shit.” His words hold more than a little bit of attitude.
Hadley starts to explain something to him, but my attention is back on the man standing at his side. For the first time, I see the similarities between the two men. I can only study them for a second before the guy I assume is Hadley’s husband starts barking questions at me.
“What about your mom? What does she say about all this shit?”
I stare straight in his eyes, hoping he can see just how serious I am. “I do not want my mother or my little brother in the middle of this mess.”
Hadley goes on to explain more of the situation, and I have no choice but to give him a bit more information. “My brother is autistic, and he had a really hard time in the school system. Mom quit her job four years ago, so she can homeschool him. The child support is the only money she has coming in. I’ll marry this asshole, if that’s what it takes to keep food in their bellies and a roof over their heads.”
The man I’ve been slobbering over takes a step forward. “It just so happens we just bought a house, and we don’t have anyone to live in it. Your mom and little brother can stay there. We can even throw a little money her way for watching over the place for us.”
Before I can respond, a cocky grin spreads across his face. “If she agrees, it would be the answer to our problem and yours. While they’re at that house, you can be at mine.”
“Who are you?” I ask, not sure I even care what his answer is because he had me the moment he mentioned taking me home with him.
“I’m the man of your dreams, baby,” he replies, his smile growing bigger.
Hadley’s husband cocks a brow before asking. “Well, what do you think of his offer? You would all be taken care of here.”
For the first time, I begin to give this serious thought. It would solve all our problems. Mom and Rusty could be somewhere far away from Dad, and I would have time to get a job so I can help Mom out. Still, how can I accept what is obviously charity from Hadley’s new family.
I worry my bottom lip as I mumble, “I don’t know.”
“I’ll talk her into it,” Hadley’s brother-in- law says, walking toward me to grab my hand.
I know I should be pulling away, but my hand just tightens over his. Instead, I just hold on tight and decide to enjoy the ride.
“You were right, brother. I knew it the minute I laid my eyes on her,” he says to his brother as he leads me toward the door.
As soon as we step out of the room, I give his hand a squeeze. “What did you mean by what you said to your brother?”
With bright bluish-gray eyes shining with excitement, he looks down at me and smiles, not bothering to slow his pace. “You’ll find out soon enough, baby.”
I have to run to keep up with him, but I do it without a single complaint. “Where are we going?”
“My house,” he states, pulling open the front door and leading me onto the front porch.
As we rush down the steps, I think back to his offer and know I have to make my intentions clear. “If you're taking me back to your house to take me to bed, I’m okay with that, but I’m not making any promises about my family or myself moving down here.”
He finally slows down, coming to a complete stop right beside a metallic gray step-side truck. “That’s good enough for now.”