Zach strode out of his office, walked down the hall and into the restaurant to find the birthday party had moved from the more open restaurant area to the smaller side by the bar where there were limited tables and stools.
He glanced back at Hadley, who’d grown pale at the sight of them all. Did it make him a bad person that he enjoyed her discomfort? He really needed to get past his old anger because his gut told him the disappearance and move had been outside her control, and had everything to do with her father.
“Hads!” Dani’s yell caught his attention.
Hadley strode past him and rushed over to the table where her sister sat beside Layla, Zach’s fifteen-year-old half-sister.
Zach rushed to catch up with her, ignoring his sister Jade’s whispered question, asking how he was holding up. Right now, he had no idea. Hopefully he’d figure out the answer before he had to reach out and reassure her he was fine.
“Hello, Hadley,” his stepmother, Serenity said, a soft smile on her face.
Serenity was more Zach’s mom than his birth mother had been. She had moved in as the nanny before he was born and raised all four boys and Jade, doing a mother’s job when their own mom couldn’t. Serenity hadn’t become involved with his father, Michael, until after Audrey’s death and they’d had triplets six years later. Five years after that came Layla, the oops baby.
With his mother’s mental health issues and her death by suicide, Serenity was the only mom he knew. Which meant she’d known Mia… Hadley, dammit, as well.
“Hi, Mrs. Dare,” Hadley said, as if she were still the teenager she used to be.
Serenity laughed. “Please, call me Serenity.”
“Thanks for looking out for Dani.” Hadley’s gaze swept the table and her eyes opened wide. “What did you do? Order everything on the menu?” she asked, obviously horrified by the amount of food on the table.
“He said I could order whatever I wanted,” she said, her gaze zeroing in on Zach.
A half-eaten hamburger, French fries, what looked like a cola in a glass, the mac and cheese Zach’s bar was known for, and a huge ice cream sundae were in front of Dani right now.
He liked this kid and he couldn’t help but laugh. “I suppose I did.”
“Hads, this is Layla. She’s older than me but we have a lot in common.” Dani pointed to his half-sister. “She told me not to miss out on the mac and cheese, so of course I had to try it.”
“Of course, you did. Hi, Layla. Nice to meet you,” Hadley said.
“Girls, I need to talk to Michael and Serenity.” Zach tipped his head, indicating Layla should take Dani and give them a few minutes.
In typical teen fashion, she rolled her eyes but pushed back her chair. “C’mon, Dani. Take your sundae and we’ll go sit somewhere so the grownups can talk.”
Dani glanced at her sister, as if for permission.
“Go. I’ll let you know when we have a plan.” Hadley gave her sister the same head tip Zach had used and the kids pushed out of their seats.
Once they were gone, Zach pulled out a chair for Hadley.
She lowered herself down and he dragged another chair over for himself, dropping into it.
He met his parents’ curious stares. “Obviously you know some of the details because you called her Hadley not Mia.”
“Dani told us they were on the run,” Michael said, using air quotes with his fingers.
Hadley sighed. “Dani’s got a way with words,” she muttered. “That’s one way of putting it. My father landed himself in trouble and sent us away. I’d read the article on Zach helping his sister-in-law last year and thought maybe he’d be able to… help us, too. Despite me… disappearing back in high school.” She looked down, obviously unable to meet anyone’s gaze, as she clasped her hands together on the table and turned silent.
The ball was in his court. Though he’d stiffened at the reminder, this wasn’t news to anyone at the table. And he’d promised himself to try and get over the past.
After all, she had prepaid cards on hand. Why would she have kept them ready if she hadn’t sensed a need?
“My son will always do what’s right. So will we. So how can we help?” Michael asked.
Zach ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward, one arm on the table. “I can’t say I’m happy with the solution I’ve come up with but it’s all I’ve got and I need your help.” He looked to his father who’d always been there for him.
Michael gave him a slight nod. “What do you want us to do?”
“Since Dani seems to have hit it off with Layla despite the age difference, that should make my idea an easier sell.”
Serenity laughed. “Dani certainly is wise and mature for her age.”
“What are you talking about?” Hadley asked.
Zach drew a deep breath, prepared for an argument. “Dani should go home with my parents.”
“But–”
He held up a hand, cutting her off. “Let me explain. My parents are staying in the Hamptons for the summer and I’m there almost full time now to run the new bar. Remy’s in charge here. We’re all just here for the birthday party. In East Hampton, the house is gated and you need a code for entry. No one can get through the perimeter of the home.”
“No.” Hadley shook her head. “I’m not going to be separated from my sister right now.” She folded her arms across her chest, her tone firm and unwavering.
“Even if her staying with them keeps her safe from anyone who might find you?”
She paled and he felt like a shit for his phrasing.
“Zachary.” Serenity chided, obviously agreeing.
He leaned forward. “I’m just saying, it’s a way to keep everyone safe. Plus, if Dani’s with Layla she’ll be kept busy and she won’t have time to think about everything that’s going on. She’ll be doing makeup and shopping and all the shit my sister likes to do. Meanwhile, Hadley can get other issues sorted. And I’ll explain more about what that means, later.”
New cell phones, fixed laptops, making them untraceable.
Hadley looked to Serenity and Michael. “I appreciate the offer and I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. Are you sure you don’t mind? I’d hate to make trouble for either of you.”
At least she was considering the idea, Zach thought.
Reaching across the table, Serenity touched Hadley’s arm. “Honey, whatever reason you disappeared, given your age at the time, I’m sure you had no choice.” She tucked a strand of her dark, shoulder-length hair behind her ear. “You were like family then and you still are. We’re happy to take Dani with us.”
Leave it to his mom to be so pragmatic and forgiving. He wished he could do the same but he wasn’t ready. He knew he’d have to get there but he needed to process the shock of Hadley’s return, first.
“Then yes. Thank you,” Hadley said. She turned to Zach. “So according to this plan of yours, who’s taking me in?”
“I’d be happy to.” Remy walked up behind him, bracing his hands on the back of the chair.
Zach refrained from telling his friend to fuck off in front of his parents. “You’re staying with me.”
Remy chuckled.
Hadley’s eyes opened wide. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
Neither was he but he wouldn’t compromise on the issue. “You came to me for help and this is what I think is best.”
He didn’t want to get into more in front of his family—his parents at the table, his siblings nearby—all of whom were watching with undisguised interest.
“Fine. But I need to explain things to Dani.” Once again, she looked at his parents, her expression turning soft and sweet. “I cannot thank you enough. If you need me for anything…”
“Call me,” Zach interrupted. “I’m getting them new, untraceable phones.”
“I have them in airplane mode,” she said. “I’m sure what we have is fine.”
Shit. “Airplane mode doesn’t protect you from being traced. It turns off Wi-fi and cellular but not GPS.”
Her lips parted wide in surprise.
He sighed. “I get why you would think that makes you safe. It’s a normal lay-person assumption. Give me your phones now. This way if anyone traced you here, we don’t want to lead them to your next destination. Like I said, I’ll get you both new ones tomorrow.”
Once again, Hadley stiffened and he knew he was in for an argument about cost later.
She slid out of her chair and strode over to where the teenagers sat.
Remy slid into her vacated chair, and Zach felt, rather than saw, some of his siblings close in around him.
“Okay, I’m not doing this,” he said to them. “My gut tells me Hadley will be around for a while so you can all get your answers in time. Right now Dani’s staying with Mom and Dad, and Hadley will be with me. They need help and I’m providing it. End of discussion.” He pushed his chair out and stood.
“Watch my foot,” Nick muttered.
Zach hadn’t realized Nick was behind him.
“I just wanted to say goodbye and thanks for hosting the party. Ellie’s cranky and Leah wants to go home and play with her toys.”
Zach rose and said goodbye to his siblings who were all doing the same with each other.
“Leah, come give me a hug, birthday girl!” he called out to his niece.
She ran over and wrapped her skinny arms around his neck. “Will you come over and play with my karaoke machine with me?” she asked, practically vibrating with excitement.
“I will,” he said, chuckling at the gift he’d bought her. He’d had to Google what to buy a seven-year-old girl but if her screams had been anything to go by when she’d peeled off the wrapping paper, he’d hit gold.
“I’ll get you back for that gift,” Aurora, Nick’s wife said, giving Zach a kiss on the cheek, Ellie in her arms.
“Bye, chunky monkey,” he said to the baby with big cheeks and a bigger smile.
Once the place had emptied out, leaving Remy to oversee the employees cleaning up, Zach turned to his parents. “We’ll go to the back parking lot together. I want to move Hadley’s car into my designated parking spot so nobody will bother it. Dani can grab her bag and you guys can head out. Call or text me when you’re home and settled.”
“I will.” His father slapped him on the back. Michael Dare, with his salt-and-pepper hair and the Dare indigo eyes, glanced at Zach like he wanted to say something.
When he merely shook his head, Zach breathed out a sigh of relief. He needed time before he spoke about Hadley’s return with anyone.
Hadley handed him the keys to her car and he moved the vehicle into his private, empty spot. He’d text and ask Remy to let Raven and the staff know not to assume it was an illegally parked car and call for a tow.
After he parked the car, he climbed out and stepped over to where his parents stood with Layla, Hadley and Dani.
Hadley turned to her sister, a worried look on her face and a sheen of tears in her eyes. “Be good and be smart. And don’t give the Dares a hard time. They’re doing us a favor, okay?”
“Yes, mom,” Dani said, but her easy grin told Zach she respected her sister’s words. “Don’t worry. I’ll behave.”
“Hey, kid? I hate to do this but I want to get you a new cell phone that I’m sure is safe. Think you can give up yours for the night? I’ll pick up a new one tomorrow and bring it over. Laptop too. I want to install some safety protocols.” Like a VPN that would keep her internet private.
He saw the indecision on Dani’s face. A teenager forced to disconnect from social media wasn’t an easy ask. Though it was nonnegotiable, he’d rather she give up the items on her own so she didn’t hate him for taking them. Why he cared what she thought of him, he hadn’t a clue.
“Can I get a brand new iPhone, then? The one with the big screen?” the little con artist asked.
He’d seen her phone earlier. The screen was cracked, and the model was old. “Sure.”
“No!” Once again, Hadley’s eyes were wide, her sensual lips parted in shock at her sister’s antics. “Don’t be a brat. Hand it all over and you’ll get the cheapest model and be happy with it.”
With a pout that turned to a smile after Zach privately winked at her, Dani walked to the back of his parents’ SUV and pulled out her phone and laptop. “Here you go.” She handed the electronics to him and he tucked the laptop under his arm.
“Thanks, kid.”
Hadley sighed. “I’ll pay you back when I can. I promise.”
Another argument she’d lose, he thought. “Okay everyone, we’re out.”
Another round of goodbyes followed and finally, Hadley climbed into Zach’s large, black SUV. Seatbelts clicked, he started the engine, put the vehicle in drive and pulled out of the parking lot behind the bar.
As if she understood his need for quiet or maybe she needed time to think too, Hadley sat in silence, not even asking where he lived. Her quiet demeanor left him the opportunity to sort through his own feelings. Seeing her again had been a shock. Having her in his life, in his home, no matter how temporary, wouldn’t be easy.
Not for the first time since coming up with the idea of separating the sisters, he questioned his judgment. He could have put Hadley up in a hotel with his credit card and she’d probably have been safe. But that was an assumption. He couldn’t be certain about anything. Keeping Hadley in his Hamptons home was the safest bet.
But there was more to his decision. A part of him wanted Hadley by his side. For over ten years, he hadn’t a clue where she’d been. Despite his anger, he didn’t want her out of his sight now that she’d returned. Not that he’d admit as much to her. He’d barely come to terms with that truth himself.
When it came to Hadley Stevens, he was a tightly wound ball of conflict, and he didn’t see those feelings shifting any time soon.