Page 111 of Hound Dog
“Ohhhh,” Benn hissed, dropping his head back, looking at the ceiling. “It makes so much more sense now.”
Finn snarled, his lip curling back. “You don’t want to start with me, Ben.”
“No, really. This explains it.” He barked out a laugh. “You’refuckingthis guy. That’s why he wouldn’t sell me your birthday cake. And that’s where this newfound spine of yours is coming from.”
“I wouldn’t sell you a birthday cake because you came in at five-thirty after we’d closed.”
Ben’s smile turned brittle, and he shook his head, not taking his eyes off of me. “Did you at least wait to fuck him until after you broke up with me? Or has this been going on for weeks?”
The prying eyes of the crowd all shifted to me, awaiting my answer.
“Fuck you, Ben,” I hissed, seething. “I’ve never cheated on you. Not once. Not in all those nights you said you’d be able to meet up with me, only to get stuck at the office until midnight. Not when you were supposed to come see me sing the aria at the Rochester Opera House. Not even when you were supposed to visit me here… twice. And canceled.Twice.”
I turned and snatched my wine glass from the bar, taking a long gulp.
“I thought I owed you the respect of a face-to-face, quiet breakup. But I don’t owe you a damn thing. This is a private party… and you’re not invited.”
Ben took a step toward me. “Haylee, this is crazy—”
Finn lunged forward, stepping between me and Ben. Before he could say anything or, God forbid, throw a punch, Aunt Meryl also rolled forward, blocking me from Ben.
She sent Finn a stern look, before glaring Ben down. “You heard her. You need to leave.”
Maisie slid beside me and crossed her arms. Then, Addy, Enzo, and Simon joined the line of people. And Tim. And one by one, the rest of the strangers there at the bar stepped forward, ready to throw down with Ben.
Not that it would come to that. I didn’t even think Ben had it in him to fight Finn alone. Let alone a whole bar of people.
“Fine.” He yanked a small folder from the messenger bag slung around his shoulders and outstretched his arm in front of the barricade of people. “Here. Happy fucking birthday, Haylee.”
He threw the folder down onto the stool nearest him, then stormed out of the bar.
Aunt Meryl hugged me, rubbing her hand on my back before spinning to face Addy. “Well, shit. I need another beer after that!”
The tension diffused and the crowd protecting me slowly scattered, continuing the party as if the birthday girl hadn’t just had a major confrontation.
“You okay?” Maisie murmured. I caught Finn’s eye as he stood a couple feet away. He looked like he wanted to come up to me but was, instead, giving me my space.
“I’ll be fine,” I said.
“I told you he was an asshole,” Maisie grunted. Then, she leaned in and whispered, “but I think this guy’s a good one.”
I lifted the folder that Ben had tossed down and carefully opened it. Inside was a stack of papers.
Real estate papers.
Listing my house. He’d held an open house for my family home without my permission.
And there were already four offers over the asking price.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Finn
Fucking Ben.I was already so messed up in the head after that call with my half-sister.
Add to that Haylee’s ex-boyfriend sweeping in here on her birthday? Thank God she stood her ground and kicked him out.
Not for me. But forher. She deserved so much better than that asshole.
