Sean knew what he was doing. He asked all the right questions and spent a special amount of time asking Hayley about her new life. He focused a little on her mom and how an eight-year-old coped with loss. Hayley cried a little, and Jack watched as Riley pulled her in for a hug. Hayley had grief clear on her face, and it broke his heart to see, even more so when he saw a similar grief on Riley's face. Of course, Riley would grieve the loss of Lexie. He admitted he'd loved her in his own way, and if everything had worked the way it did in normal families, they would have maybe made a go of it. A lot of ifs and maybes though. Jealousy spiked inside Jack, and he cursed the inappropriate timing of such a self-destructive emotion.

"Jack?" Eden was saying something to him, and he tore his gaze away from his husband and back to Sean.

"Do you have anything to add Jack?" Sean was asking. Jack had already spoken about the marriage, his love for Riley, and how Hayley fit into their lives. He guessed he only had one thing to add.

"I can't wait for all the publicity to end so the three of us can just be a normal family. I hope people can respect our privacy."

Sean nodded at the words and then stopped the tape. He stood. "I'll get a draft of the interview to you, and you can approve the photos you want."

"Okay," Jack found himself saying. A good thing, right? Approval on the article was something the Campbells or the Hayeses were very seldom offered.

They walked Sean to the back door out of the kitchen, but Eden walked him to the car. Jack couldn't fail to notice that Sean's hand brushed Eden's as they talked with heads together. Riley sat Hayley on the counter and boiled a kettle to make her chocolate. He was clearly not one hundred percent happy with Eden and Sean.

"We don't know anything about him," Riley grumped. Jack thought of the book in the good room and smiled.

"He's an author. He wrote a book about horses."

"And that makes him okay in your eyes?"

Jack smirked at Riley's irritable assumption. "No. He just seems like a nice guy. He was brought up on a ranch in Cali; he knows horses. He seems to like Eden." He said the last while leaning on the counter next to Hayley and observing Sean stealing the most tender of kisses from Eden. He watched Eden leaning in and gripping Sean's arms. They looked good together; affection twisted around them in an obvious bond.

"Well, I'm not sure." Riley pulled mugs down from the cupboard.

"You have to relax. It's her life, and it's your sister's choice who she falls in love with." Jack smiled. He was totally unprepared for what came out of Riley's mouth next.

"Don't lecture me, Jack. Jesus, man, given the way you talk to your mom, that's the pot calling the kettle black."

Jack felt his mouth hang open. What? Where had that come from? Hayley was looking from him to Riley and back.

"Are you gonna argue?" she asked. She lifted her arms, and Riley picked her up and settled her on the floor. "I'm gonna go read," she said quickly. Then, with all the astuteness of an adult stuck in the middle of an impending war, she left the room as quickly as she could.

"Are we?" Jack was still bemused. Even more so when Riley sighed.

"Your mom came to talk to me couple of weeks back."

"Go on." This didn't sound good, and Jack braced himself. He'd bet this was something to do with the freaking vet.

"Neil has asked your mom to move in with him. She wanted me to tell you—"

"No fucking way. He lives in a one-bedroom apartment—"

Jack had sudden fear and immediate anger churning inside him like acid. The relationship between his mom and that kid scared the ever-living shit out of him.

"He bought into the practice—"

"Fuck no." Whether the guy had a proper home or not didn't matter one bit. He was a newly qualified equine veterinarian, and he was only three years older than Jack himself. Yes, he had a way with horses, and yes, Jack grudgingly respected what he knew, but that made no difference. Neil was not the right person to be with his mom. "He's young enough to be her son."

"Jack—"

"It's sick. He just wants her money."

"Jack—"

"I'm going to talk to the vet."

He grabbed keys and stalked out of the kitchen, out of the door, and straight to Riley's 4x4, next to where Eden was still standing with Sean. Riley was right behind him. Calling him, telling him to calm down. But nothing was going to stop him. Jack had just about reached his God damned limit, and some guy fucking with his family was the icing on the cake.

"Eden, can you stay with Hayley?" Riley said as he was getting in the car. Jack didn't want his husband in the freaking car.

"Fuck off, Riley," he snapped. Every single shitty feeling inside of him was building to boiling point.

"I'm coming with you. I won't let you hurt him."

"Hurt him?" Jack was momentarily confused, and then he realized what Riley was implying. Clearly, Riley imagined Jack was going to go and kill Neil. And wasn't that a strong and sudden wish that spread through him like wildfire? "I'm going to talk to him. I won't kill him. Not that it's any of your business, Riley—"

"I'm going with you, Jack."

Riley pulled his belt over, and Jack heard the clunk as it connected. Riley was evidently here to stay. Jack forced the vehicle into drive, Riley wincing at the noise as the gears grated.

"We can't all afford brand new trucks," Jack sniped.

And suddenly every single ounce of vitriol hit Jack in an instant, all wrapped up in his fiery temper. Fucking husband with all his money and his strong silent attitude and his cell phone and his God damn fucking secrets. His mom being drawn in by some cheap two-bit hustler. How much more could one man take? The roads were familiar, and all too soon, the one-story veterinary practice was visible from the road, and if it was possible, Jack's temper rose another notch.

He put the car in park and stalked to the front door. Neil was in the reception area talking on the phone. He looked up and took a step back. Jack moved right into his space. Riley was there, pushing between them.

"Let's move this into the office," Neil was saying, but all Jack could see was red. "Jack, wait—" Neil held his hands up in a gesture to placate. That just made it worse.