Prologue
Kyle
Two Years Ago
I had just finished getting dressed in jeans, a gray T-shirt, and black Chucks when I heard my sister’s ringtone blaring from my phone. Knowing her flight was due to take off shortly, I rushed over to my nightstand to grab it.
“Hey, Addie, what’s up?” I asked, answering the call just before it was sent to voicemail.
“Hi, Kyle,” she greeted. “My flight is about to board, but I wanted to make sure you were still able to pick me up from the airport.”
“Of course,” I answered as I headed out of my room. “You think I’d not pick up my little sister from the airport?”
It was spring break and Addie was coming home from college to spend the next two weeks finalizing the details for her summer wedding. She was marrying her fiancé, Brad, as soon as she graduated in a couple months. Brad was the younger brother of one of my best friends, Trent, but that didn’t mean I liked Brad or thought he was a good match for my sister. At twenty-two, I thought Addie was too young to get married and Brad’s lack of ambition was worrisome. Add to that his arrogant and entitled attitude—well, you could say I wasn’t his biggest fan.
“Are you sure?” she asked again, hesitating. “I could just call a cab—”
“Hey, relax,” I interrupted, not wanting her to worry. “The guys and I want to be there when you get off the plane. I think they’ve missed you as much as I have.”
The guys I referred to were my closest friends: Trent and Erik. There was actually one more, but Ian was stationed across the country in South Carolina so he was going to miss out on this visit and the wedding. I’m sure he didn’t mind since he disliked Brad just as much as I did. I knew Addie was disappointed he wouldn’t be there since she and Ian had been super close growing up. I’d never told her, or the guys, but I had a feeling Ian was using his job as an excuse to get out of having to witness one of his best friends marry an asshole. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do the same.
The four of us had met in kindergarten and had been best friends ever since. We had gone to school together, played sports together, and continued to be a huge presence in each other’s lives. In fact, Trent and I were attending the same law school with the intention of us both joining his father’s law firm once we finished next year.
I checked the time when I reached the bottom of the stairs, grabbing my wallet and keys off the side table near the front door. It was only a twenty-minute drive to the airport, but San Diego traffic—on a Friday, mid-morning—was going to be hectic. Plus, I had a couple errands to run before I picked up Trent and Erik.
“All of you are coming to pick me up?” she asked, sounding a little surprised, but pleased as well.
I smiled. “Trent is skipping a couple classes and Erik is taking the afternoon off from his shop to come with me,” I said.
“Well… I can’t wait to see all of you. I’ve missed everyone so much,” she said, a slight tremor in her voice.
I knew it was hard on her being away from all of us. Growing up, there was hardly a time where we could escape Addie following us around. Sure, it annoyed us at times, but the guys knew that things at home weren’t the best so they never made her feel unwanted. Instead, Trent, Ian, and Erik had become quite protective of her like she was their own little sister.
“Remind me why Brad isn’t coming with us to pick you up?” I inquired, only half-heartedly masking my irritation. I didn’t usually bring up her fiancé because it often resulted in an argument. At the same time, someone had to point out his obvious flaws. “I’m assuming you asked him to come to the airport?”
“I already told you,” she huffed. “Brad has to work this afternoon.”
I rolled my eyes. “Addison, he’s a waiter. Are you telling me he couldn’t get the afternoon off to come pick up the fiancée he hasn’t seen in four months?”
“He said the restaurant has been super busy,” she quipped back.
I took a calming breath because now we were both annoyed, but it ticked me off that she continued to defend Brad’s lame excuses for everything. Trent and his parents were hardworking, kind, and humble people, which made Brad’s obnoxious demeanor all the more baffling. I decided to opt for diplomacy because in a few months’ time, the asshole was going to be my brother-in-law. Exercising some restraint, I suppose, should start now. But it wasn’t going to be easy.
I rubbed my forehead, trying to erase the headache that Brad always brought on and tempered my own attitude. “Okay, fine, whatever,” I eventually mumbled but continued, “I’ll see you soon, little sis. Travel safe.”
“Okay…” she said, pausing for a second. “And thanks. I love you.”
“Love you, too,” I said and hung up.
Finally leaving the house, I ran my errands and picked up my buddies. Two hours later we were waiting near baggage claim for my sister. It would be easy to find Addie. At five-foot-nine, she was a few inches taller than most women. We both got our height from our father’s side of the family, along with our light brown hair and green eyes. I was thankful it was only physical attributes that we’d inherited from him.
The minute she came off the escalator, she came running over to hug all of us. “I can’t believe you’re all here!” she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
She hooked her arm through mine as we walked toward the carousels. “Hope you boys are ready! There is so much to do for the wedding and this is my last visit before the big day.”
I might not have been thrilled about her upcoming nuptials, but hearing the excitement in her voice convinced me to remain positive. Our grandmother and I were the only family Addie had left and she needed to feel supported by us.
Erik and I grabbed her bags from the conveyor belt and we all headed out the automatic doors. The April sun was shining and a cool breeze was coming off from the ocean. I put on my sunglasses, looking around the busy airport and pedestrian traffic, and guided our group to the parking lot. We loaded her bags into the trunk of my old Jetta and piled in to start the drive home. The conversation in the car was filled with crazy college and law school stories and catching up with each other’s lives. There was never a dull moment when we were all together.
*****
Two days later was Easter Sunday, and we had just returned home from church. ‘Home’ was where Addie and I grew up, at our grandmother’s house. I continued to live here while completing school since the University of San Diego was close by and I wanted to help take care of our grandmother. It was the least I could do for the woman who did everything she could to make sure Addie and I were provided for.
Addie and Grandma quickly made their way to the kitchen to start preparing the Easter dinner we would be sharing with Brad, Trent, and their parents. I could hear the two of them chattering on about the upcoming wedding. Any time plans were discussed I could detect a small hint of sadness in Addie’s voice. We were lucky to have our grandmother, who basically raised us, but it still hurt that our parents weren’t part of our lives anymore. Our mother had died eight years ago, but the reality was that we had lost her a long time before that. Our father left immediately after Addie was born. I was two years old so I don’t remember much about him and we never heard from him again. Grandma had essentially acted as both mother and father, and while we were forever grateful for everything she did for us, when it came to milestones like birthdays, graduations, and now this wedding, it felt like we were missing something or somebody.
Not having parents around had bonded Addie and I close together. I spent a lot of my childhood feeling responsible for her, but the truth was, she took care of me just as much as I took care of her. Even with her getting married I would have to continue to watch out for her. Maybe more than ever before.
A short while later, our guests had arrived and everyone was speaking excitedly about the wedding. Well, everyone except Brad. I watched him every once in a while, a little disgusted by his attitude, like he’d rather be somewhere else. He was a complete douchebag, barely spending any time with Addie since she had arrived home. I wanted to call him out the moment he’d walked in the door, but I didn’t want to upset my sister. He was her choice, and while I found him difficult to be around, he must have some redeeming qualities if Addie was going to marry him. But if he hurt her, all bets were off.
“Everything smells delicious, ladies,” Trent said as soon as we all sat down at the dining table. After a quick prayer, everyone started filling their plates with prime rib and mashed potatoes. We all settled into comfortable conversation, enjoying the time together.
As the meal was winding down, the doorbell rang. I got up, walked to the front door and opened it, expecting to see Erik on the other side. It wasn’t unusual for my friends to stop by for one of my grandmother’s famous desserts, especially on a holiday. But instead of Erik, I was greeted by a gorgeous vision with long, black hair and dark chocolate brown eyes. I was rendered speechless, completely distracted by her killer curves. She was young, definitely not older than twenty.
“Hi,” the mystery woman finally said, slowly eyeing me. She was fidgeting, nervously looking at me and then around me into the house, and then back to meet my gaze. “I’m looking for Bradley Thompson. A friend of his told me I might find him here?”
“Who’s at the door?” I heard my sister ask from behind me.
It took me a moment to realize I hadn’t said anything since opening the door. “Brad, there’s someone here to see you,” I yelled over my shoulder toward the dining room as Addie moved in next to me.
Addie was standing there silently observing our visitor as we waited for Brad. It had to be awkward for her to have another woman here who none of us knew, asking to speak with her fiancé.
“What do you want with Brad?” I finally asked, letting my curiosity get the better of me.
She licked her perfectly plump lips and swallowed hard. “Um,” she started, only to be interrupted.
“Simone, what the fuck are you doing here?” Brad shouted as soon as he came into the living room. The air was immediately filled with tension as everyone collected behind him, watching with frowns and looks of concern.
I glanced back at the mystery woman, Simone, since it was obvious Brad knew her. I didn’t have a good feeling about any of this, but like a traffic accident, I couldn’t look away.
“Brad, you wouldn’t answer any of my calls or texts the last couple weeks and I really need to talk to you,” Simone answered lowly, as though she was trying to keep their conversation as private as possible.
I could see the confusion on Addie’s face as she watched the conversation between her fiancé and Simone very closely. Like the rest of us, she was trying to process what was occurring in front of her. I looked between Simone and Brad, trying to get a better idea of what was happening. Simone’s earlier nerves were now replaced with a sense of urgency and the pleading look in her eyes was hard to ignore. And yet, Brad’s contempt for this woman was evident.
“We don’t have anything to talk about. You need to leave,” Brad stated bitingly. He turned away quickly, dismissing her.
I stood there, taken aback. That was beyond rude, even for Brad.
“I’m pregnant!” Simone blurted out, and Brad stopped mid-step.
Addie gasped, stumbling back. I reached out, to make sure she didn’t fall. Her eyes were wide with shock, pain, and hurt. I watched as Simone put her hands over her mouth, her gaze meeting mine briefly. Horror and fear was evident on her face and then she glanced at Addie, whose expression wasn’t much different. I found myself staring at Simone’s stomach. She was in jeans and a loose-fitting tank top, but now hearing her announcement, I could make out the unmistakable roundness to her belly. I was no baby expert, but I knew enough to know she was probably in her second trimester.
I looked back into the living room. Everyone was frozen with the same stunned looks on their faces, but my grandmother recovered first. She moved toward Addie who all but collapsed in her arms, sobbing.
Brad had turned around by then, hands on his hips and observing the scene impassively, like he was bored with the whole thing. Trent glared at his younger brother, appearing as pissed as I felt. His parents looked both embarrassed and disappointed. My hands balled into fists at my side. For once, I didn’t check my anger.
“Oh, hell no,” I growled and charged toward the asshole without a second thought. No one broke my sister’s heart and got away with it. A lesson Brad would learn the hard way.