Chapter 4

Hailey’s POV

“Derek?” I gasped, trying to avoid looking at Tyler standing next to him.

Aaron turned his eyes towards me. “I take it you do recognize Derek. Hannah, Hailey, these are my sons, Tyler and Derek.”

“Hey, Hail,” Derek looked at me and winked, making my heart flutter in my chest. “Welcome to our home, Ms. Burke,” Derek said to my mom, giving her a warm smile.

I glanced over at Tyler, who was giving me a small smirk.

Oh god. Please don’t tell…I plead silently, hoping he was picking up on the telepathy I was sending his way.

This was not the way I wanted our families to meet.

Yes, sir, I imagined telling Aaron, I sure do know your sons. I have a huge crush on one and fucked the other.

That would go great in the family Christmas newsletter.

Tyler turned his gaze to my mom.

“Nice to meet you Ms. Burke,” he says politely, then looks back at me. “Hailey, is it?”

“Yes, that’s right,” I say, managing a smile. My heart was pounding so loud in my chest, I was just sure everyone could hear it.

“Oh, please, call me Hannah,” Mom said with a wave of her hand. “It’s so nice to finally meet you boys, I’ve heard so much about both of you!” Mom beamed at them.

“Good things, I hope,” Derek quipped.

“Well of course,” she winked at him. She linked her arm with mine. “Look at this Hailey, you have two handsome brothers now.”

I just smiled at her. Yeah, don’t remind me.

“Well I don’t know about you boys but I’m a hugger,” mom walked towards them, her arms stretched wide. “Bring it in!”

Derek warmly returned her embrace. Tyler was a little stiffer with his.

As she walked back to me, an awkward silence fell over the five of us.

I could feel Tyler’s eyes burning into my skin, but I avoided his gaze.

I looked at Derek, who was also staring at me. I was silently begging him to say something, anything to dispel the awkwardness.

“Well, I, for one, am glad to have such a beautiful stepsister,” Derek said, finally breaking the silence. I blushed at the compliment.

He then turned to Aaron and my mom. “Hailey and I have been friends for a long time, actually.”

Mom and Aaron exchanged surprised looks. “Well, what a small world this is!” Mom exclaimed.

“Shall we move this to the back patio?” Aaron said. “I’ll ask Jeffrey to bring out some mimosas. Boys, can you show the ladies to the patio?”

“Right this way,” Derek held out his arm for me to take, and Tyler followed suit with my mom.

Tyler and mom led the way around the spiral staircase, through what appeared to be a large living area decked out in dark leather furniture. I took it all in, my jaw open the whole time. I had no idea Derek came from such a rich family. He never talked about it.

After we made it through the living area, they led us down another long hallway lined with painted portraits. The whole house had a dark vibe going - dark brown furniture and brown wood walls and flooring. But to my surprise it wasn’t cold and uninviting like I had imagined when we first pulled up, there was a warm comfort to the place.

As hesitant as I was about mom rushing into this relationship, I was beginning to feel like I could see myself living here, almost like we belonged here.

“Are these all family members?” I heard mom ask Tyler.

“Yes, we have portraits made of all the alpha…I mean, heads of the household,” he answered. “This is our great great grandfather, he’s the one who built this estate…”

Tyler began explaining who each portrait contained to mom, but I couldn’t focus. His use of the word alpha caught my attention, but before I could even begin to ponder it Derek interrupted my thoughts.

“How are you feeling?” Derek asked, his voice low.

“Well. Seeing this house and finding out my mom is getting married is overwhelming, but I’m doing okay,” I shrugged.

He laughed. “I meant, how are you feeling after you drank a whole bottle of tequila by yourself?”

Oh, right. “I’m fine,” I lied. My head wasn’t pounding anymore but I wasn’t sure my stomach would be able to handle the mimosas that were coming.

“Uh huh,” he said with a half smile, seeing right through my lie. “Where did you disappear to last night? I was bummed you didn’t say goodbye.”

I stiffened. Both mom and Tyler turned their heads slightly back towards me and stopped.

Shit. I was so worried about Tyler saying something about last night, it didn’t even occur to me that Derek would bring it up.

“Last night?” I said, stalling.

“Did you already forget?” Derek said with a laugh.

“I didn’t drink that much,” I muttered. Unfortunately.

Derek let out an even bigger laugh. “Not that much? I’ve never seen anyone throw back so many tequila shots and still be able to walk out the door.”

My hangover headache, which had been starting to wane, came back suddenly. I rubbed the bridge of my nose. My mom gasped.

“Hailey Ann!” she scolded.

“Don’t worry mom,” I said. “I learned my lesson.”

“Partied hard, huh?” Tyler said, smirking at me.

I squirmed.

“We just met up at the pub near the dorms to catch up,” Derek said in my defense. “We all had a few drinks and then she just left.”

He turned back to me. “I was really worried about you. Especially…” his cheeks flushed, and he said the next part quietly. “...especially as beautiful as you looked last night.”

Tyler’s eyes narrowed at Derek. A flash of realization mixed with something more complicated passed over his face.

This is not good. He probably realized who I mistook him for last night.

Tyler said, “Some friend you are, leaving a beautiful creature like this drunk and vulnerable at a bar. Anyone could’ve picked her up.”

My mind flashed back to the night before, when I left with Tyler.

I’m never drinking again, I vowed. My head began to throb even harder.

“I didn’t,” Derek started, but Tyler cut him off.

“What if she had mistaken someone else for you and left with them instead?” Tyler looked right at me and raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling.

Clearly, Tyler was enjoying teasing me. I could feel my face grow hot.

Mom and Derek looked at Tyler, confused. I closed my eyes, silently begging Tyler to shut his big stupid mouth.

I opened them again and noticed Derek’s look had changed. He was still staring at Tyler, but his confusion had changed to suspicion.

“What do you mean?” Derek asked. “Anything happen last night that I should know about?”

The sound of someone clearing their throat loudly came from behind me, and I jumped.

I turned. Aaron had rejoined the group and was looking right at me.

And from the look on his face, he had heard everything too.

“Oh god,” I muttered.