Isaiah shook his head. “Yeah, well maybe it’s best if you don’t tell him that,” he warned. “For all we know, they’ll be back together again, and you’ll have to swallow your words.”

“I ain’t swallowing shit,” AJ said, turning in the direction of the doorway.

“Be cool, AJ,” Isaiah insisted, even more firmly. “You know he’s more pissed than he’s letting on.”

A few minutes later Nathan walked back in with a smirk. “Don’t tell me?” AJ asked, as disgusted as he’d been earlier. “You’re back together.”

“No,” Nathan said. “But she did say she made a hasty decision because she was upset about her mom.”

“I thought her mom was dead?” AJ countered.

“It’s her grandma, but she’s always called her mom.” He turned to Isaiah and picked up the shot the waitress had brought in while he was on the phone. “I didn’t know that. She wants to talk but can’t for a few days. She can’t take time off from the salon until at least Tuesday. After she got the call about her grandma, she got another from the salon. She says she’s also dealing with issues there this weekend—that she shouldn’t have been here at all today—and drove up on a whim. So it all just added up and she panicked, thinking she should just concentrate on her business, and that’s why she’d made the hasty decision. What?” He asked with a frown when he saw the scowl on AJ’s face.

“What was with all those calls she got that day at the house?”

“Same thing,” Nathan said, looking as annoyed as AJ now. “Calls from the salon.”

“Didn’t some dude call her that day too?”

“Raymond’s one of her brothers,” Nathan said, his face souring further. “I didn’t know you were taking notes. She has two others, Ron and Rick. Write that shit down so you don’t forget.”

“I’m just saying she seems wishy-washy and full of—”

“How ’bout a toast,” Isaiah said, putting his phone down and lifting his shot glass in the air. “We don’t get together nearly as often as we used to. So, to getting to spend this weekend together . . .”

Isaiah motioned for AJ to use his beer bottle. Addison lifted her glass too, even if technically the toast had nothing to do with her. She hoped it’d persuade AJ and Nathan, who were still glaring at each other, to do the same.

“That’s a very sweet toast,” she said.

Isaiah gave her an appreciative smile, and AJ lifted his bottle. Nathan joined the toast a bit grudgingly, but at least the subject of Kelli was dropped.

Hours later back in AJ’s hotel suite, after a few rounds of mind-blowing sex, Addison was still trying to decide whether she should get involved in AJ’s brother’s business. Should she mention the phone call from Kelli’s other brother Gilbert? One Nathan apparently didn’t know about. Either that or Kelli had lied about more than one thing that day. Clearly, she hadn’t mentioned needing to get back to Gilbert and someone else to Nathan when she told him she needed to stay put at the salon for a few days. Then she remembered something else that would only make AJ’s already distrusting impression of the girl worsen. Gilbert was someone she didn’t want to mention anything to about Nathan—her boyfriend.

Then AJ said something that helped her decide. “I hope I didn’t come across as a dick today when I questioned Kelli’s motives.”

They’d been lying in bed, rehydrating on a couple of bottles of Gatorade. She’d noticed he’d gone a little pensive. “I’d never think that of you,” she assured him, tracing his beautiful lips with her fingers.

He smiled, leaning over, and kissed her. “I just can’t stand shady people. It’s why I’m upfront and honest about everything.” His tone and expression were a bit foreboding, but he eased up and smiled sweetly again. “And I don’t care what Isaiah says. I never keep my mouth shut if I think someone’s doing anyone I care about wrong.”

Addison nodded, caressing his face with empathy. “I don’t have siblings, but I can say with all certainty that I understand what it’s like to feel protective over your loved ones. I live for Clair and would stop at nothing to protect her.” She smiled, kissing him softly. “I get it. The day Clair brings home someone, I know I’ll scrutinize every last little detail about him and worry sick that he might hurt her in some way. Trust me. I totally understand your concern. I don’t think I could keep my mouth shut either.”

“Do you know I’ve offered both my brothers jobs to run the multiple businesses I have going with my brand and online merchandising so they’ll stop being firefighters?” He shook his head. “I know it’s a noble occupation. They’ve worked hard to get where they are, and from what they’ve both told me, it’s totally rewarding, but it’s dangerous. It’s not necessary for them to put themselves in harm’s way, not with the money I bring in.” He frowned, noticeably troubled. “Of course, they’re both so damn stubborn. Neither wants their little brother supporting them.”

“They’ll be okay,” she assured him, her heart swelling over as he once again confirmed what a heart of gold he had. “Maybe when they get a little older and they’re tired of the work, they’ll take you up on the offer.”

AJ wrapped his arms around her, inhaling deeply as if her words alone were enough to quiet his worry about his siblings. Addison hugged him just as tightly, making note of two things.

A) She would not be sharing what she knew about Kelli with AJ because she didn’t know enough and AJ would without a doubt call his brother immediately to warn him.

B) AJ hated shady dishonest women.

Note taken loud and clear.

Chapter 16

AJ

Since the day Clair first mentioned overhearing Addison talking to her dad, AJ had casually asked her a few times if she had again. It’d been over a month now, and each time, to his relief, she’d said no.

The fact that Addison had now let her parents in on their relationship made accepting the fact that she might still be in touch with her ex occasionally a little easier. He didn’t like it, and he certainly didn’t like her keeping anything from him, especially something like this. But for Clair’s sake and because of Addison’s obvious abhorrence of the guy, it made her keeping in touch with him less maddening.

Clair was right. Addison was also one of the smartest people he’d ever met. If she was, in fact, still talking to him on occasion, she probably had good reason. Whether or not this guy had never wanted anything to do with Clair, the guy was still her father. He did have rights. It worried AJ to think maybe after all these years he’d changed his mind about wanting to be in her life. From the short description of the chat Clair had overheard her mother having with this guy, it sounded like he was trying to convince Addison that Clair might need him in her life after all.

It was as alarming as it was frustrating. He hated to think this guy might start harassing Addison. Maybe it was her reason for staying in touch and not just telling him to go to hell: to avoid the guy getting spiteful. She had mentioned on more than one occasion that she’d do anything to protect Clair. Her reasoning for not wanting anyone to know the identity of Clair’s dad seemed mostly out of pride. But it did make sense that, just like she still wasn’t ready to tell Clair about their relationship, whatever she might be keeping from everyone could be to protect Clair as well. Protect her little heart from her deadbeat dad possibly blowing into Clair’s life and getting her all excited about finally having a daddy, only to have him change his mind and disappear on them again.

AJ hadn’t even considered something until just then. The idea of Clair’s dad blowing into their lives again terrified him now, not just because he’d hate to have to deal with him in Addison’s life again, but because, like with Addison, AJ’s heart had since claimed little Clair too. He had often daydreamed now of how nice it would be when they were finally a family for all the world to see. Clair would someday be his stepdaughter, only he’d never use the word step when introducing her to anyone. Not once had it occurred to him that he might have to feel possessive about Clair. But he sure as hell did. He’d be damned if he’d stand around and have some deadbeat asshole who never wanted anything to do with her show up one day and make any claims on his little buddy. AJ hadn’t thought it possible that he could hate the idea of Addison still talking to her ex more than he already did, but damn it, this just shot it up a few major notches.