Page 5 of Reconcile

Asher flips me off and Baz points. “Um! That’s the bad finger!”

Viv shakes her head, but she can’t hide her smile. “You are such an as—” She looks at Baz. “Jerk.”

Baz was ready to call her out but loses his excitement and goes back to his food. I shouldn’t give them shit about that since technically Baz isn’t Asher’s kid. Baz is the result of a drunken night between Vivienne and Asher’s older brother Colt. Colt died before he ever got to meet his son. Asher wanted to help Viv out, but then the poor fucker when and fell in love.

Still, Asher is the only father Baz has ever known, and he’s a damn good one.

“Congrats, you guys. That’s really great.”

Viv and Ash both have goofy smiles on their faces, but Viv still pretends to be pissed at me. “It’s still kind of early. We’re going to tell everyone else soon.”

“I’m not gonna say a word.” I reach over to tickle Baz. “I have a little more self-control than this guy.”

“No way!” Baz says through uncontrollable giggles.

“Yes way!” He’s laughing hard now, and I give him a reprieve, turning back to Asher who’s watching me with a weird look on his face.

“You think you’re ever going to give monogamy a shot? Fatherhood?”

“Fu—” I look at Baz who has his eyebrow raised, waiting for the curse word to slip. “No. Not happening.”

Vivienne nibbles on her salad. “Never say never.”

“I’m saying it.” I take a drink of beer and look at Ash, wanting to shift the conversation. “I had lunch with Cole the other day.”

“Really? How’s he doing?”

Vivienne and Baz are deep in conversation about what’s in his salad, so I take the opportunity to talk to Ash. “Good. Angry that I’m working for a Sterling.”

He doesn’t look surprised. “Yeah, makes sense. What did you tell him?”

I look at Baz, who’s still busy with his mom but within hearing range and then look back to Ash. “What do you think?”

He chuckles, “You don’t miss your family at all?”

I shrug, shifting in my seat. “I don’t know. I mean... I did agree to have lunch with him.” And I have to admit it was good to see my brother.

“Yeah.”

“He tried to get me to come into the office and just look around. It’s ridiculous.”

He raises a questioning eyebrow. “Is it?”

“Yeah.” I take another drink. “You, of all people, know I don’t want that life. You know how the Rosses do business. It’s dirty. Buying homes right out from under people at dirt cheap prices and flipping them, wrecking land, and putting expensive condos up everywhere.”

“And Linc doesn’t do that?” He looks amused.

“Not like them,” I say firmly because Linc tries, he really does. And his company gives back often.

“Right. And it has nothing to do with the fact that they have Piper working there with them?” I hate the smug look on his face.

I hate that hearing her name still fucking stings. That my gut twists and my heart clenches in my chest just thinking about the girl I wronged so fucking badly when we were young.Way too fucking young.

“It has nothing to do with Piper.”

He doesn’t believe me. And he shouldn’t. The fact that she’s working for my brothers eats at me daily. Knowing Spencer is likely very actively trying to get into her pants—or already has—kills me.

And I have no right to feel that way.

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