Page 6 of Wife Number One

3

HAYDEN

Ishould have worn a tie.

I cursed low beneath my breath, drawing a dirty look from the middle-aged woman and her teenage son beside me.

“Sorry,” I muttered. The back of my neck heated, and I tugged uncomfortably at my collar. I’d really thought the white button-down shirt and the clean pair of jeans I’d pulled on that morning would be enough. That I wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

But even the teenager beside me wore a suit, like it was him who was about to walk up on stage and be handed an award by the mayor of the city.

“Hayden!”

I turned at the familiar voice and threw an easy smile at my sister-in-law Mae when she waved me over from the table she’d snagged right beside the stage.

She stood as I approached, her long black dress swishing around her ankles and her blond hair all piled up on her head in an elaborate up-do. Diamonds sparkled on her ears, and there were matching ones around her throat.

I grimaced when she wrapped her arms around me, drawing me in.

“I’m so underdressed,” I whispered into her ear, hugging her back.

She stepped back, holding me at arm’s length. Without missing a beat, she shook her head. “Well, I’m overdressed but I was so excited to not wear Mom clothes for a few hours, so I went all out. You look great. Your brother doesn’t care what you wear. He’s just going to be so glad you came.”

A burly man from Mae’s other side reached out a hand and took mine, shaking it with a firm grip. “You can join my no-tie club. They aren’t my thing either.”

I grinned at Heath, returning his handshake. He was part of my brother’s family, and I’d always liked the guy. He and I were similar in a lot of ways, but it didn’t really make me feel any better that his neck was also tie-free. Because his shirt was crisp linen, and his jacket and pants matched. Even his footwear showed mine up, his polished dress shoes, while I hadn’t even considered wearing anything other than my old boots. I didn’t even own a pair of dress shoes, let alone ones that matched my outfit as nicely as Heath’s did.

I went around the table, saying hello to Rowe, the third of my brother’s partners, as well as my mom and stepdad, who were busily doting on their grandsons.

I sat next to my brother’s eldest, Ripley, and held out a fist to the kid.

He bumped it and grinned. “How you doing, Chaos?”

I rolled my eyes and ruffled his hair. “How many times do I have to tell you, that ain’t my name no more.”

Ripley sniggered. “It’s so much cooler than Hayden, though. Hayden sounds like he works in a bank and eats tuna for lunch every day.”

I dropped my mouth open in mock outrage. “And what exactly is so bad about tuna?”

Ripley screwed up his face in disgust. “Have you tried Mom’s tuna casserole lately?” He made some quiet gagging sounds for effect.

I elbowed him. “Hey. Don’t disrespect your mom like that. I bet she worked real hard to make that tuna taste good. It’s your immature, preteen taste buds that are the problem.”

Mae glanced over and winked at me. “Thanks for the backup, but he’s right. It was awful.” She turned a disapproving eye on her son. “But Hayden has asked you before not to call him Chaos. In this family, we respect that, okay?”

He nodded quickly. “I know. Sorry. I was only joking.”

Mae smoothed out the hair I’d ruffled out of place, her eyes full of affection for the kid who had grown about two inches since the last time I’d seen him.

QB, my stepdad, had Mae and Liam’s younger son, Jay, on his lap, and was keeping the little boy occupied with magic tricks that would only fool a six-year-old. While my mom tried to keep hold of their toddler who, despite his cute suit and tie, clearly wanted to be anywhere but here.

“Where’s the man of the hour?” I asked, my gaze flicking around the room and not seeing my older brother in it.

Mae took Casper from my mom and put him on her hip. She swayed back and forth, rocking her overtired son. The ceremony was a formal lunch thing, but Cas was still young enough to need a nap. “Backstage somewhere. He’s the first award, so they wanted him ready to go…”

A voice came over the loudspeaker. “Could all guests please take their seats. The ceremony is about to begin.”

Mae made a face that was half excitement, half “better do as they say or we’ll get in trouble.” She took her seat between Rowe and Heath and looked up at the stage expectantly.

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