Page 63 of The Southern Submission

“I’d do anything for you. I just need you to trust me. To accept my help. You couldn't fucking do that when it mattered the most.”

Ainsley drops her head and covers her mouth as silent sobs rack her small body. She looks so tiny, more so than usual. Her normally sassy attitude gives her a larger-than-life quality, and missing it, she’s a shell. I could’ve gotten past this had she come to me with it immediately. If she’d been honest about Archer and the Haute List today, we could’ve worked through this together. Instead, she let Archer win because she pushed me away and I don't want to bridge that gap now.

“I’m sorry,” she says, pushing through the circle of my family and heading for the door with her head down. She stumbles as people veer into her path, and my heart pangs to go after her, to make sure she’s okay, but I can’t right now.

“What the fuck did you do?” Hayes asks. “You put our business in jeopardy. Not only are you dating a journalist, which was bad enough, but you found the worst imaginable who’s had it out for our family for years.”

“Fuck you.” I’m only willing to take so much criticism. “I didn’t know she was behind the Haute List, and she’s only written stories about Olympus through her legit job that were good for our image. There was nothing to warn me that this would happen.”

“I had so many amazing friends ready and they weren't good enough for you. None of them would have done you dirtylike this, or have reported on your every dalliance in a gossip blog. Damn, Payton, you really know how to pick them.”

I meet Harlowe’s dark gaze head-on.

“This is your fault,” I say, raising a finger and pointing at her.

I feel like kicking this hornet's nest and rattling everyone up because I’m hurt and pissed and want to go back to yesterday with my girl in my bed, trusting me to take care of her every need. I’m being the meddling middle brother at my worst.

“I wouldn’t have been looking for a fake girlfriend if you weren’t pushing for me to date in the first place. I needed an escape from your matchmaking attempts and Ainsley came along at the perfect time. We didn't expect it to become real. At least I didn't think I’d find someone so seemingly perfect for me, no matter how badly she stabbed me in the heart. So if you want to blame someone, blame yourself.”

“I think the fuck not.” Zander steps up so we’re chest to chest. “You made your own choices. It’s not Lowe’s fault you picked the worst woman in Atlanta who fucked you over even though it’s all fake. That’s on you, and if you get in her face, you’re going to feel my fist in yours.”

“Stand down, Zand. I’m not going to fight Harlowe over this.” I smile antagonistically. I want to feel something other than betrayal. Maybe him punching me is just what I need. “But you have to admit she overstepped. Even you warned me she was ambushing me with blind dates, telling me to run from your wife. What’s your home life like if that’s your advice to your brother?”

Zander shoves me and I rock back with the force, relishing a pain in my chest that’s not my heart caving in from Ainsley’s deception and duplicity.

Hayes grabs Zander by the jacket and hauls him back just as he cocks a fist to punch me. I was ready for it, willing to takethe hit, to bleed for my mistakes, and take a punishment fitting my failure. Instead, I face the disappointment of my family.

“You should go after her.”

Surprised by the words full of empathy and concern amidst the anger and frustration, I look over. Paige’s worried face peeks out from Hayes’s side.

“If she wanted me, she wouldn’t have kept this from me or left when it came out,” I say simply.

I look away at the party. People are still focused on our huddle, some with their phones trained on us, taking photos or videos, waiting for this to get ugly. Great, more gossip fodder. The only silver lining to this is there’s no Haute List to share gossip while Archer holds it hostage. There are plenty of papers that would print the photos and stories on their society pages, though.

“Don't be an idiot like your brother.” We all snap our heads Paige’s way now, then look at Hayes, who wears a sheepish look as he pulls her into his arms. “Go after her if she’s what you want. If Ainsley’s special to you, and you see a future with her, even after all of this and how it started, don’t let her get away. I don’t think she’s the kind of woman to come back if you figure this out too late. She’s a runner and she’s so guarded. You’ll never get through her walls again once they’re up. I liked her at the Fourth of July party. You were good together.”

Harlowe makes a sound of annoyance and waves her hand. “Fine, she’s not the worst. I liked her, too, and that’s saying something. She’s either a great actress or you have something real now. This gossip blog bullshit is a real fucking downer, but the way she looked at you when you were together was pretty adorable. I’ll never forgive her for printing my unborn baby’s name, though. And didn’t she dox you when you bought the Savannah house?” she directs to Paige.

Paige shakes her head. “She printed what was sent to her. Our realtor sent the information. She was careful not to give too many identifying details about the house, but there are only so many houses facing Forsythe Park, so it’s not her fault people found the house and camp across the street when we’re in town.”

My heart swells with admiration for my sweet sister-in-law. She can see the good in everything, and she’s carefully defending Ainsley despite what happened tonight. I straighten my sleeves and turn away from the group.

“Where are you going, fucker?” Hayes calls.

I turn, taking in my brothers with their wives again. I once thought they looked good this happy, and I loved that for them but never wanted it for me. Turns out, I just needed to find the right woman to realize I was desperate for that kind of connection and companionship for myself. Yet I just let that woman walk out of my life, likely to run as far and as fast as she can to get away from me.

“Paige is right. I need to go after her and see if it’s worth salvaging what I’ve found with Ainsley.”

“Go get your girl,” Paige calls, jumping up and down at Hayes’s side with a bright smile. She pauses and shakes Hayes’s arm. “Encourage him so he doesn’t do something dumb like you did and let her run away for good.”

Hayes looks down at Paige with a scowl that slowly morphs into an indulgent smile he gives only to her before it drops and he faces me. “You know what to do. Be a fucking Olsen.”

I leave my family, going after the girl who just broke the shit out of my heart.

Thirty-six

Ainsley

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