Page 43 of Make Your Save

She tilts her head to the side. “Wait, so are the two of you actually engaged or not?”

“We are, but only because she agreed it would look better for my case.”

Raven visibly relaxes, leaning back in her seat as she lifts her glass of wine to her lips and takes a sip of the red liquid. “Okay, I understand why you would have lied to Mom and I might like Hadley even more for this.” She pauses, her lips pursing. “I’ll be honest, it’s weird because she dated Beau. I don’t know her like that, but from what I do know, she’s always seemed very kind and caring.”

“She is,” I assure her. “She’s amazing with Lucy and she’s been a huge help to me.”

Raven stares at me. “You didn’t answer my question about Beau. Does he know?”

I shake my head at my sister, the guilt layering in the pit of my stomach. “I haven’t talked to him in at least a year.”

After the night I found Hadley in tears, I wrote Beau off. I’d had enough of his shit and I was sick of always cleaning up his messes, even in our adult years. He left that day for Boston and ended up getting himself into a whirlwind of trouble that landed him at rock bottom.

According to my mom, he was the one who put himself into rehab and based on that initiative alone, itgave my mother hope. She truly believes he’s making the right changes to get his life on track.

“You should talk to him,” she encourages, her expression softening as she leans forward, placing her forearms on the table. “I was reluctant to do it, but he’s been doing really well. He has a few weeks left in rehab and then he’ll be moving in with Mom and Dad for the time being.”

Irritation licks at my heart. “Why? So he can just take advantage of Mom and Dad’s kindness a little more?”

Raven shrugs. “I don’t know, Ro. I’m not saying he’s changed and things will be different when he gets out, but it seems like he’s trying and that’s all we can hope for, right?”

My sister has been the one with the most resistance toward Beau. The two of them butted heads for years, so this change of heart with her has me shocked. She’s never agreed with his behavior or actions, but it seems as though something changed.

“All I’m saying is, talk to him.” She shrugs again with indifference. “If he’s still the fucking asshole you remember, then write him off for good.”

I lift an eyebrow at her. “Is that your plan?”

“I guess.” She takes another sip of her wine. “I’m giving him a chance to show me he can change and be better. And if he can’t, then I don’t need to see or talk to him again.”

I mull over her words, considering her advice. Reaching out to my brother isn’t really what I want to do because it’s going to open a box of emotions anduncomfortable feelings. We’ve never had a good relationship, but what if there’s a chance that could change? If he’s doing better, perhaps there’s room for improvement in all aspects of his life, including his family life.

“Enough about that asshole,” Raven says with a laugh, breaking through my thoughts as she holds out her hand. “Show me some pictures of my baby niece. We play you guys in Aston after the break, so you’d better believe I’m going to need to see her in person then.”

Laughter falls from my lips. “I figured.”

I open up my photos, immediately going to the album I’ve created for pictures of Lucy. The first one that pops up is a picture I took of Hadley holding her when she didn’t realize I was watching. She’s standing in the center of my kitchen, wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. Her face is lowered to Lucy’s, their gazes intertwined as Hadley smiles down at her.

My heart clenches and something resembling homesickness wells in my chest.

Fuck. . .

I miss them both.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

HADLEY

Holding Lucy in my arms, I stare out at the glass at the end of the tunnel, feeling my stomach in knots. This is the first game I’ve ever been to and it’s been an experience to say the least. When Rowan asked me to come, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to. Being in the public like that, it opens up a lot of discussions.

Rowan was known to be a bachelor and even a bit of a playboy. No one figured he would settle down, so it’s been a bit of a shock to everyone who works closely with him to see him with a baby and now a fiancée.

What a secret life it looks like he’s been living.

Rowan ushered Lucy and me into the wives and families’ room, assuring me we’d be safe there. And thankfully, he was right. No one bothered us there. The women who were in the room already knew the situation and everyone has been so kind. I didn’t receive a single dirty look from anyone or have any bad feelings until this moment.

“Are you okay?”

I look over at Nova as she steps up beside me, her hand holding on to Posey’s as Riley follows behind with Theo strapped to her chest. Rowan told me I could stay in the room the entire time if I wanted to, but I know he wanted us to come watch him—not that Lucy has any clue what’s going on. He’s transitioned into the proud father role and I can’t deprive him of that, even if it means I’m subjecting myself to public scrutiny.

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