Page 90 of Family Bonds: Duke & Hadley
“I think I understand. So you talked to your lawyer. Then what?”
“I told Hailey what a fool I was. She laughed at me. She’d heard we were dating and said we’d all been in the same boat. I guess it was more my guilt than anything else over my reaction to the conversation that had me calling her to see what she had to say.”
She took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you tell me about the clause in the contract?”
“I didn’t want you to think I was making it up,” he said. He held his hand up when she went to talk. “And Hailey asked the same question and laughed at that too. She said that was crazy and that not only wouldn’t I lie but your parents would have shown you the contract anyway.”
“Exactly,” she said, her shoulders straightening some. “Again, I can’t believe you think so little of me that I’d accuse you of lying.”
“I don’t think that of you. It’s more that I’m trying to tell you everything I did wrong. The whole thing is on me. Every part of it. And you have every right to be angry.”
“I’m not angry,” she said.
He moved from the other side of the island and pulled her off the chair and into his arms. “Then hurt. I know you’re hurt.”
She started to sniffle and hated herself for that. For coming off as maybe weak in his eyes. “I was hurt.”
“I’m sorry for that too. It’s not what I meant to do. Not any of it. Then I worried you’d compare me to Eddie and didn’t want that.”
He kissed her on the top of the head. He did that a lot. Not like being a father but more like a protector. And though there were times in her life she felt like she didn’t need one, in his arms she knew she didn’t want to be anywhere else.
“I believe you.” She didn’t want to admit his actions were a flicker in her mind of her ex. She’d shut it down fast though.
She moved out of his arms. She knew there was more that had to be said and she wasn’t going to let someone else steer this conversation their way or toward their ending. She wanted to be able to have some control over it for once.
To have a voice when it felt like she didn’t have one often.
If there was anyone she could do that with, it’d be Duke.
“I went to talk to Kelsey after. She gave me a big reality check.”
“What’s that?” she asked, going back to her breakfast.
“She pointed out the success of Southside is in part due to you too. Units sold, comparing sizes of restaurants evenly, the desserts at Southside are outselling Duke’s.”
“Really?” she asked, perking up.
“Yes. And you should have that big of a smile on your face and be proud of that. I’ve even noticed some takeout with desserts.”
“That takeout menu is getting bigger too,” she said. Which had been her idea to push that. It’d always been available before but not ever promoted. Once she started to add that to the social media accounts, there was a nice increase in sales there too.
“It is. You do know how to manage things from a business part. Not the kitchen. Not ordering what needs to be in.”
“No,” she said. “I don’t profess to know those things.”
“Both Hailey and Kelsey asked if having a manager at Southside would take some of the pressure off of me. Someone to do the scheduling and the training. To make sure things are done or taken care of while customers are there. Handling complaints or questions. So many things that come up.”
“That is what you do,” she said.
“And I’m not there enough,” he said. “If someone else was managing things, it’d give me time to be with my girlfriend. If she wanted that.”
“Am I your girlfriend?” she asked, grinning.
“You’re sitting in my kitchen eating my breakfast. No one else has done that in longer than I can remember.”
“I’m not so sure of that, but we’ll let it pass.”
“How about not someone I care for as much as you,” he said.
