Page 11 of Hung Up on the Hacker

“A good-natured one. Why?”

“She knows where you spent the night last night. Hence, so does Rachel. Who offered assurances she’d keep her mouth shut.”

“It’ll be fine.” Unperturbed, Hadley kept eating her oatmeal.

The phone she’d set on the edge of the table vibrated with a text. She nodded toward it. “You wanna check that?”

Cash tipped the screen up to read the message. “It’s Cayla. There’s apparently gonna be a big group dinner with everybody tonight at six. Cookout with the whole bakery crew and their significant others.”

“Tell her we’ll be there.”

He went brows up. “You want me to answer for both of us? That’s a hell of a couply thing to do.”

His own phone vibrated from his pocket.

“That’s probably yours.”

He checked the readout, confirming her assumption. “Your brother. Same invite.”

Swiping open both phones, he sent back individual texts in the affirmative. No reason to borrow trouble yet. Setting them aside, he dug back into the rest of his omelet.

“How are you feeling?” Her color was better.

Hadley sat back in her chair, the bowl in front of her empty. “More like a human. Maybe my blood sugar tanked or something. Food helped.”

“Good. Now, since it’s the middle of everybody’s work week, and we’re free until dinner, what do you want to do today?”

After considerable discussion, Hadley and Cash had opted to show up for dinner separately. Neither of them felt that breaking the news of their involvement to Holt in front of a mass gathering was wise, even if at least one of the people attending was aware of it. He wouldn’t appreciate being blindsided. They’d have to bide their time for another day. She was glad she’d cleared her appointments for the rest of the week. If this went badly, she’d need some time to process before picking up her tattoo gun again.

Courtesy of a nap that ran longer than she’d intended, Hadley was the last to arrive. She’d sent Cash on ahead while she showered and made herself presentable. Pulling in the drive beside his fully restored vintage black Mustang, she checked her reflection in the visor mirror. A couple of hours at the Misfit Spa, along with her nap and judicious application of makeup, had erased the last signs of whatever stomach thing had plagued her this morning. Satisfied, she made her way to the front door, knocking once before figuring she was family and pushing it open.

She was not prepared for the chaos waiting inside. Music and laughter filled the space, punctuated by joyful barking from multiple dogs. As she shut the door, a behemoth pit bull, with the biggest head she’d ever seen, came charging toward her, tongue lolling.

“Uh.” Hadley backed up to the door.

“Leno!” A sharp female voice arrested the dog’s forward momentum.

Leno’s butt dropped, so that he skidded forward on the hardwood floors, bumping into Hadley’s knees with that massive head. He woofed and nudged again, smiling at her. She’d never seen a dog smile before.

A gorgeous Latina woman with a toddler on her hip emerged from the kitchen. “Sorry. He thinks all new people live to adore him.”

“Oh.” Reassured she wasn’t about to be eaten, Hadley dropped her hand to the dog’s head, scratching between his ears.

Leno’s doggy grin spread wider in ecstasy, one foot beginning to thump.

“There now. You’re friends for life. C’mon, pal. Let’s go outside with the others. B.B., Otis! Out! Outside.” At her order, Banana Bread and a big-footed puppy appeared from nowhere and stampeded toward the door to the backyard.

Rachel opened it, calling, “Incoming!”

Cayla stepped out of the kitchen. “Good call. Oh, you’re here!” She hurried over to wrap Hadley in a hug. “Can I take your coat?”

“Sure.” Hadley slid off the bold red, faux fur jacket Cash swore looked like she’d murdered a Muppet. “What can I do to help?”

“Not a thing. The guys are all outside manning the grill. I think you’ve met Rachel already. And this is Mia, Brax’s wife.”

Mia lifted her chin in acknowledgement and angled the little boy her way. “And this is Duncan, our foster son. Can you say hi?”

Without a word, Duncan hid his face against her neck.

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