Page 79 of Bought and Broken

“Astrid is still sleeping.” I glance over my shoulder to find Summer walking my way.

“She’ll be full of energy for later then.”

“Looks like it. Thanks for setting this all up.”

“It’s no problem.” I move on to the next table and Summer helps me. “How many people are you expecting?”

“From the looks of it, my parents invited our entirely family.”

“Any of your other friends?”

“Yeah, a few girls from work are bringing their kids, but they’re all older than Astrid. She has a few friends from daycare who are coming. At least they said they would. Are Dane and Tate coming?”

“Dane said he’d be here. I told Tate to figure out how to make it plausible.”

“You guys still fighting?” she asks, hands on her hips.

“It wasn’t really a fight…”

“You were upset.”

“Yeah, but it’s my own fault.”

We go to the next table and together we lay out the tablecloth and tape it beneath, then open up the decorations to lay out.

“It’s not your fault for wanting things to be serious with him.”

“But I don’t want that, Summer.”

“No, I think you do want that and you’re telling yourself you don’t because you’re stuck on leaving.”

“I am leaving. I’m waiting for the paperwork to finalize.”

She purses her lips, nodding once before turning and heading back to the house.

I sigh, watching her disappear inside.

She’s upset that I’m leaving. I don’t want to leave her, but I need to do this. I’ve told her she can come with me multiple times, but she knows in order to do that she’d have to rely on me for things for a while and she doesn’t want to. She’d have to find a new job, find an acceptable daycare for Astrid… she wants to be independent. That’s exactly why I’m leaving, so I get it. I just wish she wouldn’t be so cold toward me about it.

We hardly see each other over the next couple of hours while we work to get things finished up. The catering arrives promptly and her mother handles that while her father makes sure the bar is stocked. A couple of their friends are the first to arrive and instead of saying a word to Summer or Astrid—who has since woken up from her nap—they go right to the bar.

Dane shows up a short time later, Tate on his heels. They’re both dressed well in slacks and button up short-sleeved shirts. My brother is a handsome guy, and Tate? Well, he’s hot as sin.

I’m relieved to see Tate, even if things have been strained over the last week, ever since I got upset over how he reacted when my father showed up. I get why he did it, but I won’t deny it hurt. I hate being his dirty little secret. But I can’t be anything more because it wouldn’t be fair to him. I hate that I can’t throw myself around him right now, but the secret smile he offers me is enough to keep me satisfied until I can sneak away later and get some kisses.

I hug Dane. “Thank you for coming. I know it’s weird, but she wanted people she knows here.”

“Anything for you, little sis,” Dane says. “I wasn’t doing anything today and I haven’t seen Summer or her kid—”

“Astrid,” I correct.

“Yeah, that. I haven’t seen her since she was born.”

I hook my arm with my brother’s and walk to the backyard, feeling Tate’s gaze on me the whole way.

“Bar is inside, if you want a drink.” I gesture toward the patio, where the sliding glass doors are.

He hands me the pink bag he has in his hand before heading inside.

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