Page 67 of And Then There Was Us
“That was the most beautiful story,” Brianna said.
As they mounted the stairs to the stage, Layla said, “I wrote it. Me and Hugh did.”
Halfway across the stage, Layla wriggled from Brianna’s arms and wrapped her arms around Hugh’s legs.
“That was the best play ever!” Layla gushed.
Before Brianna could pull herself together enough to thank him, and her mother, and Kat—Oh, wow, everyone did this for me? For Layla?—Hugh leaned in close and whispered, “What do you think of your little playwright now?”
Layla has such a kind heart.She looked at her daughter, grinning from ear to ear and jumping up and down like she was the star of the show. Which, of course, she was.
She snuggled against him. “I’m beginning to believe in fairy tales.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
THE CATERED DINNER arrived as scheduled and was swiftly set up in the reception area. Just beyond the table, Tami stood with Layla and Karen, all three of them giggling with their heads huddled together. Hugh watched Brianna, her mother, and Kat talking off to the side. Her mother shrugged, then looked at Hugh and winked, and he knew Brianna was chastising Jean for not revealing that Hugh had secretly gone to her work and introduced himself. He didn’t like to keep secrets, but the dreamy look on Brianna’s face that had remained since they’d stepped from the car was worth it.
“That was really something, Hugh.” Mack appeared by his side with a drink in hand. Without his tavern T-shirt, he looked older. Dress pants and button-down shirts tended to do that to men. He offered a drink to Hugh.
“No, thanks. Racing this weekend.” He held up his glass of water.
“You know, you set the bar really high for normal guys like me.”
“Do I?” Hugh looked at Mack and saw the tease in his eye, but Mack was right, and that realization brought him back to Brianna’s earlier comment about spoiling Layla. He made a mental note to watch the lavishness of his gifts. Brianna had worked hard to provide for her daughter, and Hugh didn’t want to create an alternative lifestyle for her. They’d have to find a middle ground. As he watched Brianna touch her locket and then glance at him and smile, he knew that together they could do anything.
“Hell, it’s okay.” Mack glanced at Brianna. “I’ve never seen her so happy. She’s a good egg, Hugh. She works hard, she’s a wonderful mother, and she really cares about people.”
“I feel like there’s a threat coming, Mack.”
“No threat.” Mack pulled his shoulders back. “Just a word of advice.”
Hugh raised his eyebrows.
“She doesn’t love easily. I’ve watched guys try to catch her eye, ask her out. One guy even brought her flowers every day for a week. And still she held back. She let all those walls down for you, and I would hate to see her name in a rag magazine with the bylineJilted Spouse.”
Hugh’s chest tightened. He narrowed his eyes and met Mack’s gaze. “I’m not that guy, Mack.”
“Yeah. You don’t seem like it, but tabloid tales don’t exactly show a monogamous lifestyle.”
Tabloids. Freaking tabloids.“How many women did you date before marrying Tami?”
Mack let out a quiet laugh. “Heck, I don’t know. Twenty? Thirty?”
Which Hugh translated as ten or fifteen. “Did you love any of them?”
“Are you kidding? I don’t think I knew what love was until I met Tami.”
“Yeah, the right woman pulls it out of you. There’s no doubt. Now, let’s say a photographer followed you around and your picture ended up in the paper with each of those women before you met Tami. How would she have reacted?”
Mack shifted his gaze to Tami. “She wouldn’t have given me the time of day. Tami’s not one for competition.”
“Fair enough. But should the rest of the world judge who you are based on those pictures?”
A deep V formed between Mack’s eyebrows. “What are you getting at?”
“That reality isn’t necessarily depicted in rag magazines, Mack. My dating years were captured on film. Yours weren’t.” Hugh shrugged and took a drink of water. He took a step away and Mack grabbed his arm. He stared at Mack’s hand until Mack released him.
“I just don’t want her to end up hurt.”
