Page 1 of Heartbroken Husband
CHAPTER 1
ZACH
Westwood Manor was too empty for my liking. Barefoot on the cold marble floor of our kitchen, I watched the sun rise over Lake Michigan, still not really used to how quiet mornings were around here these days.
It had been at least a year since even Dad had moved out of the massive home, but I still sort of expected either him or one of the others to come bursting in, stealing the coffee I was making for myself or pouring the last bit of cereal into their own bowl instead of mine.
I cocked my hip against the counter and waited for the coffee machine to work its magic, thinking back to what a nuthouse this place used to be at six thirty in the morning, all seven of us kids, banging around in here before school.
Cereal bowls clattering and Mom cooking a mountain of eggs while Alex bickered with her about being old enough to drink coffee and Jesse hurriedly trying to finish an assignment he’d been putting off for at least three weeks.
I’d always thought I’d move out as soon as I hit eighteen, but then I’d grown up and realized I didn’t care about finding a place that was newer or sleeker. This was home and I actually really liked living here. The house, an expansive, old as hell mansionon the Gold Coast, had seen us through decades of life together. It felt different these days but it was still home.
At least one of my brothers was still in residence with me, and objectively, the house was way too big for only Theo and me, but for the past year, the two of us had been rattling around in it alone.
Our father had taken off to enjoy his retirement in more tropical climates, places like Florida and the Maldives, where his biggest problem was the color umbrella he wanted in his drink and he never heard the wordsplumbingandmaintenancein the same sentence.
Charlotte, our sister, had moved out after she’d gotten married and was living her best life on a ranch in Texas with her husband. Will spent half the year here, and half the year in the UK. Alex and Nate, our oldest brothers, as well as Jesse, Will’s twin, were still in Chicago too, but none of them had lived in the Manor for years.
I snapped out of my reverie when the machine started sputtering, the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air as it filled my mug. Since it was a Saturday, I wasn’t expecting Theo to be up anytime soon, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when he suddenly spoke up from right behind me.
“Is that coffee or are you just holding an emotional support mug?”
I spun around to face him, surprised that he was not only awake but also showered, judging by his damp hair, and dressed.For golf, no less.
“You’re vertical,” I said slowly. “It’s not even seven yet and it looks like you actually have plans for the day. Should I be worried or proud?”
He rolled his eyes and headed straight for a mug of his own. “You’re hilarious this early in the morning. Is that natural or do you train for it?”
“I’ve trained. It’s a strict regimen. Years of discipline.”
He snorted, slid his mug into the machine, and set it to espresso. “I thought so. You should train a bit harder. It wasn’t that funny.”
“You said it was hilarious.” I feigned offense before I took a sip and watched him over the rim of my mug for a second. “So, what are you doing up? You don’t do mornings unless there’s a reason and you don’t have to work today.”
Theo’s Saturdays started somewhere around noon, once he woke after another wild Friday night living it up with the women of Chicago and beyond. The fact that he was standing in front of me, coherent and apparently not only just having stumbled back into the house, suggested that something had gone terribly wrong in his routine.
He glanced at me over his shoulder, his green eyes surprisingly clear. Not at all watery or red. In fact, there was no indication that he’d gone drinking last night at all.
“I’m just bored,” he said. “Usually, I’m too hungover to notice or I’m waking up at some rando’s apartment halfway across the city, but that’s not true right now.”
“Which brings me to my next question,” I said. “Why are younothungover or at some rando’s apartment?”
He shrugged. “I needed a break. Can I come with you guys today? I haven’t seen Colin for a while and I could use the fresh air.”
My eyes widened. “You want to come with us,willingly, to play eighteen holes with one of my clients on a Saturday morning? Are you sure I shouldn’t call someone? A psychiatrist? A doctor? Dad?”
He scoffed. “Dad is probably snorkeling or about to play a heated game of Bingo, but please, go ahead. Call him.”
“Are you aware of the fact that we actually do play golf out there? Like, in the sun with clubs and everything. Golf clubs, notnightclubs. We don’t just get dressed as if we’re going to play and then wind up sitting at the bar all day.”
He arched an eyebrow at me. “I know you and I know Colin. Obviously, I know that your idea of fun is entertaining clients over the weekend, and I can behave. I promise.”
“I know you can.” Theo, for all his faults, wasn’t incapable. He knew when to switch it off and when to play the part. He’d done it before. Often enough that I didn’t have to worry about him actively sabotaging a deal. “I just don’t know why you’d want to.”
He slid his mug out of the slot when his coffee was done but didn’t lift it to his mouth, waiting for it to cool. Instead, he turned to face me, leaning back against the counter and looking at me with an expression that was all easy confidence and sincerity. “I told you. I need a break. I’m not even hungover. I don’t know what to do with myself.”
While this was unexpected, the last few months had been a lot. Even by our standards. I still wasn’t sure why he’d want the sudden change, but I couldn’t deny that he probably needed it. Sunshine, fresh air, and tagging along on my standing tee time with our brother-in-law.
