Page 188 of Bridesmaid for Hire
“It will, you will find love, Maggie. I know you will.”
I wipe at my eye. “I thought I did.” I let out a long sigh. “And to top it all off, I have to figure out what to do with Haisley.”
“What are you talking about?” Hattie asks.
“Reginald is blackmailing me.”
“Excuse me?” she asks, pulling away to look me in the eye. “Okay, hold on. I know we’re sad that Brody is an idiot, but why didn’t we start with the blackmailing?”
“Because I can’t seem to wrap my head around it, and the Brody thing, well…”
“It’s consuming you, I get it. We will get back to that, but what’s going on with Reginald?”
“He wants Haisley working under the family name again. She told him that I had some ideas for partnering up and expanding her rental business. He said I either convince her to do it under Hopper Industries, or I could kiss my business goodbye because he has no problem steamrolling it.”
“He said that to you?”
I nod. “Yup. He was very serious too.” I hug my legs closer. “I have no idea what to do. It feels like everything is falling apart. And I know if Brody and I were talking, he’d help me figure this out, but, well, you know what happened there.”
“Well, talk it out with me. I might not know the Hoppers, but I understand business.”
“There’s not much to talk out,” I say. “I’m not going to force Haisley to work under her father, simple as that.”
“So, you’re just going to give up your business?”
I chew on the corner of my mouth. “I really don’t know.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
BRODY
I STARE AT THE WELCOMEMATin front of me. It’s generic, something Patricia picked out when she decided to level up their entryway. I remember Gary sending me before and after pictures and how proud he was of his wife for making their house look like a home.
I remember wondering what happened to the guy who’d dunk his head in a toilet to make his frat brothers laugh. He’s a far cry from that man, but as I look at the welcome mat now, I have to admit, it’s a nice one.
Kind of wish I had one for my place.
The door unlocks and then opens and when Gary’s face comes into view, I nearly throw my arms around him.
“Dude,” Gary says happily as he pulls me into a hug. “You’re back.”
Clearly Maggie hasn’t spoken to him yet or else he wouldn’t be hugging me like this.
“Just in time for the Rebels game. Patricia is out for the night, she’s working some charity down on the pier, so come in. I have pizza on the way. You can tell me all about—” He pauses and then his face sours. “Fuck,” he says. “I forgot about you and Maggie.” Oh shit, maybe she did get to him.
“Listen, man, let me explain.”
He holds up his hand. “No, it’s fine. Patricia told me I was being a baby and that I needed to grow up. If my best friend wants to date my sister, then I need to let it happen. She tried claiming that she knew there was something brewing between you two, but I told her—respectfully—thatshe was full of it.” He shakes his head. “I’ll be honest, it’s going to take me a second to get used to, but if you want to love my sister, then love her.”
I feel all the blood drain from my body and pour out onto the stoop of his brownstone. Becausefuckdo I want to love her, so damn badly, and yet, I made such a monumental mistake that I don’t think loving her is even an option anymore.
“Dude,” I say, swallowing hard. “I fucked up.”
His eyes narrow and his lips purse together. “How bad?”
I slowly nod. “Bad.”
He squeezes his eyes shut as his nostrils flare. I’m ready for him to slam the door in my face, but instead, he steps to the side, letting me in.
