Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

TANNER

I ’m driving the two-hour trip to the campsite with Bailey and Harper sitting in the backseat. I can’t stop staring at Bailey in the rearview mirror. She’s effortlessly gorgeous. It’s not just physical beauty. She has an inner glow about her. Her genuine, happy interactions with Harper are so endearing.

I take in her profile. She really should model. Her body and face are perfect for it. I can’t pinpoint the reason I’m happy she doesn’t want to do so. I hate the thought of people looking at her. I know exactly what those horny fuckers will be thinking.

The same thing you’re thinking, Montgomery.

Bailey is touching the new space in Harper’s teeth. “I can’t believe I missed your tooth falling out. We were wiggling that sucker all day the other day.”

Harper giggles. “Daddy told me to bite an apple. As soon as I did, it came out.”

“Ahh. Your daddy is a pro. I wouldn’t have thought of that. What did the tooth fairy bring you? ”

Harper’s face lights up. “A hundred-dollar bill. The most she’s ever given me. I can’t wait to buy candy with it.”

Bailey’s chin drops as her eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Wow. Your tooth fairy is way more generous than mine ever was. Maybe I should pull a tooth out.”

I grumble, “The tooth fairy may have had a little too much to drink that night and thought the hundred-dollar bill was a ten-dollar bill.”

Bailey giggles. “I guess drinking and tooth fairying don’t mix.”

I shake my head. “They certainly don’t.”

I notice Harper squirming. “Bug, did you go to the bathroom before we left?”

I can see her toothless grin in the rearview mirror. “Oh, yes. I forgot to ask you about the word of the day. It’s a hard one though so I had to write it down.” She reaches into her pocket and hands a piece of paper to Bailey.

Bailey reads it. “Abibliophobia. Hmm. I feel like I can figure this one out.” Her lips twist. “Phobia is fear and biblio has to do with books and reading. Is it a fear of books?”

I smile. “Close. It’s someone who’s afraid of running out of things to read.”

She harrumphs. She’s been enjoying the word of the day game as much as Harper has. “I never get them right. I take them home to Kam every day and she always knows.” She looks at Harper. “How about we add to your softball vocabulary today? Those are the words I know.”

Harper’s face lights up. “Yes! Maybe that can be my tradition on the days you’re with me.”

Bailey nods. “I like it.” She thinks for a moment. “Do you know what the payoff pitch is?”

Harper shakes her head. “No. Do you know, Daddy?”

“I do.”

“What is it? ”

I answer, “It’s the pitch that’s thrown when you have a full count, three balls and two strikes. It’s the payoff because unless it’s a foul ball, it’s the big decision pitch. Will the batter strike out, get a hit, walk, or simply get out in the field of play?”

Bailey nods in agreement. “Yep. It’s the most exciting pitch. So many different ways things can go.”

I see the wheels turning in Harper’s head as she absorbs the phrase. I love the way her mind works.

We arrive at the campsite. Fallon was in charge of pre-ordering tents through the school. They’re supposedly set up for us already. We just have to bring everything that goes inside the tents.

I open the trunk to unpack and notice that Harper has a new sleeping bag. Bailey and Harper packed the car while I was on a business call this morning, so I didn’t notice it then.

I look down at her. “Did Mommy get you a new sleeping bag?”

Her face falls. “Umm…well…”

Bailey interrupts, “We bought it the other day when we went shopping for snacks. On the way, she said she needed a new sleeping bag, so we stopped at Target to get one.” Her eyes toggle between Harper and me. “I’m now thinking that I should have asked you first.”

I turn to Harper, not happy with my little girl right now. “That’s going to cost you a month of allowance.”

“But, Daddy—”

“Don’t argue, bug. You’re lucky it’s not worse. I know exactly what happened. Mommy and Daddy said no, so you took advantage of Bailey. That wasn’t nice. You owe her an apology.”

She drops her head. “Sorry, Bailey.”

“And? ”

“My mommy and daddy told me I couldn’t get a new bag. I knew you’d say yes. I was wrong.”

Bailey mouths to me, “Sorry.”

I shake my head, letting her know not to worry about it. It’s the principle that bothers me, not the cost of the bag.

A big black Suburban pulls up next to us in the gravel parking lot. Beckett, Amanda, and Andie all emerge from the backseat. A giant, slightly older, bald man in a black suit steps out of the driver’s seat and immediately begins unpacking the trunk.

Harper yells, “Nico,” as she runs over and hugs the big man.

With one hand, he picks her up by the ankle. In a militant, deep voice, he asks, “Are you carrying any contraband, Miss Montgomery?”

She giggles, “What’s contraband?”

“For you, it’s candy.”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“So, there are no Skittles in your back pocket? If I were to shake you right now, none would fall out?”

I smile. Harper always has Skittles in her pockets. He clearly knows her well.

“Well…umm…maybe.”

Maintaining his serious demeanor, he says, “If you give it to Andie, she’ll be up all night. If she’s up all night, Amanda won’t get her sleep. If she doesn’t sleep, Beckett will be grumpy. No one likes a grumpy Beckett Windsor.”

Amanda and Andie both giggle along with Harper. Harper promises, “I won’t give her any Skittles. I swear. Put me down.”

He gently places her on the ground and holds out his pinky. Harper takes it in hers. “I promise. No Skittles for Andie.” She loudly whispers, “I have other candy too, Andie.”

Nico shakes his head. “Monsters. All of you. ”

Beckett chuckles as he shakes my hand hello. “Don’t mind, Nico. He adores the girls.”

I nod. “And he clearly knows them well. My daughter is an endless supply of candy.”

Andie tugs on his leg. “Daddy, you didn’t tell me my joke today.”

Amanda smiles as she looks at me. “He tells her the corniest dad jokes every morning. It’s kind of their tradition.”

It’s like our word of the day. It’s sweet.

Beckett scratches his face. “Hmm. How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?”

Andie tilts her head in contemplation for a moment. “How many?”

“Ten-tickles.”

Andie and Harper start hysterically laughing, and Beckett winks at me. I can only shake my head. “Wonders never cease to amaze. Beckett Windsor, brilliant mind filled with a bevy of corny dad jokes.”

He smirks and then notices Bailey. “Bailey Hart. Andie mentioned that you’re Harper’s new nanny. I didn’t realize we’d see you here.”

She smiles warmly. “Fallon had a family emergency. When Harper was worried about some of the girl activities, Fallon was kind enough to allow me to come in her place.”

Just then, another SUV pulls up. Trevor, Cassandra, Dylan, and Brandon emerge. Even dressed down, they’re always dressed up. They’re a designer family , as Fallon has named them.

Cassandra is much older than Trevor. At least twenty years older. I don’t know all the details, but Fallon mentioned that Cassandra is best friends with Trevor’s stepmother and it was a bit scandalous when it all went down. They had the twins via gestational host, given Cassandra’s age. However, if you see them together, you know they happen to be a perfect match. They both have a great sense of humor, always cracking jokes. They’re clearly in love, so I pass no judgment.

Cassandra is a well-known, high-powered attorney in Philly. She’s stunning, with shoulder-length dark hair and ice-blue eyes. Dylan is her mini-me in both looks and attitude.

I mumble to Bailey. “Warning, Cassandra has no filter.”

She whispers, “Dylan mentioned that her mom is a cougar. It looks like she’s much older than Trevor.”

I whisper back, “In age only. She might actually be younger in maturity.”

Bailey silently laughs as they approach us.

The three girls immediately huddle into their own private conversation while Brandon walks over to a group of boys.

Trevor shakes mine and Beckett’s hands while he kisses Amanda on the cheek. He winks at Bailey. “Nice to see you again, Hildy.”

Bailey lets out a laugh. “You as well.” She holds out her hand for Cassandra. “I’m Bailey. You must be Dylan’s mom. She told me all about you. I adore her so much. She’s a riot.”

Cassandra takes her hand and looks her up and down before turning to me. “Did you bring yourself a little snack, Tanner? I didn’t realize it’s that kind of sleepover.”

I chuckle as I kiss her cheek. “Tactful as always. Good to see you. This is Bailey Hart. She’s a professional softball player and Harper’s new nanny.”

She gives her mischievous smile. “Hmm. Why don’t you boys deal with our stuff while Bailey and I get to know each other?”

I look down at Bailey and she nods that she’s fine. She has no idea what’s in store for her.

As I’m about to walk away, Cassandra says to me, “Funny thing. My daughter came home the other day and said that Harper’s dad mentioned that she should ask me about sex tapes. That was a fun conversation.” She winks. “I owe you one for that.”

Oh boy. I’m in for it.

BAILEY

It seems as though Fallon only ordered one tent for the family. I’m sure it slipped her mind to order me an extra with all she had going on this week. Tanner felt terrible and begged a few families to give up a tent, but it was to no avail. I assured him that I’m fine sharing a tent with the two of them. The tents are huge. We have three sleeping bags and Harper will be in the middle. It’s not a big deal.

We did a few activities on the lake this morning, which were fun. We’re now split into groups. The kids had the opportunity to sign up for different activities. Harper and her two best friends chose crafts. I wouldn’t define this as a purely “girlie activity,” but there are fifteen girls and only two boys in it. There are no fathers. I suppose I understand why Harper felt like she needed a female with her.

We’re making friendship bracelets. The girls are all gathered together while I’m with Cassandra and Amanda. Amanda is sketching.

I look over her shoulder and see a near-perfect sketch of the three girls laughing together. “Oh my god. That’s amazing.”

She looks up and smiles. “I love to draw.”

Cassandra scoffs. “Don’t let her downplay it. She’s a professional artist. Her paintings are amazing.”

Amanda scrunches her face. “It’s more of my passion than anything. ”

I shake my head in disbelief. “Wow. I could never do something like that. I wish I had that kind of talent.”

Amanda deadpans, “You’re a freakin’ professional athlete. I’d say that’s a talent too.”

I twist my lips. “Hmm. I suppose. I wouldn’t say it’s my passion though.”

Cassandra asks, “What’s your passion?”

“Working with kids. I like writing too.”

She nods. “Take it from someone who’s been around the block a few times. Life is too short not to do what and who you love.”

I’m not sure how to answer that with regard to love and she notices. She continues, “It’s not like I don’t know what people say and think about me and Trevor. At some point, I just stopped giving a fuck. We make each other happy.”

“I’m not judging. I think it’s great. You’re probably a hero to most women.”

She lets out a laugh. “Damn straight. I’ve got a young, hot stud of a husband who thinks the sun rises and sets in my pants. Luckiest woman ever. Speaking of getting into someone’s pants, is there anything going on with you and Tanner?”

Amanda rolls her eyes. “Leave her alone, Cassandra.”

Cassandra shrugs, “What? When she was in her little bikini on the paddleboard, Tanner was salivating.”

Amanda sighs. “She’s twenty-eight, gorgeous, and has a sexpot figure. Every single man was salivating, not just Tanner. The piles of drool were bigger than the lake.”

I let out a laugh. “You two know that I’m sitting here, right?”

They giggle. Amanda has a sheepish look. “Sorry.” She rubs her big belly. “I’m just jealous.”

Cassandra appears unapologetic. “Nah. I have a keen sense about this kind of stuff. Tanner was staring at you like he wanted to eat you. The tents at the campsite weren’t the only ones being pitched today. ”

I shake my head. “It’s not like that at all. He’s my boss. That’s it.”

“A sexy, single boss. There’s chemistry. It’s obvious.”

“He’s much older than me.”

She smiles. It reminds me of Kam’s. “Have you seen my husband? Age is just a number. When you fight natural passion, it only leads to more passion.”

TANNER

After a few activities as a larger group, we split, and the girls are off doing their own thing, leaving those of us without a son a few minutes alone.

I’m sitting in an Adirondack chair overlooking the lake next to Beckett as we enjoy cigars. Trevor is with his son, Brandon.

He blows out a plume of smoke. “How is Fallon’s father?”

“She’s on her way there now. He’s been discharged from the hospital. I guess he’ll be immobile for a bit. He’s in good shape though. He’ll bounce back.”

“She must have been upset to miss this trip. I know it means a lot to the girls. I didn’t want Amanda sleeping out here in her condition, but she didn’t want to disappoint Andie.”

I lift an eyebrow. “I saw the setup in your tent. I think she’ll be more than comfortable.”

He had real beds brought in.

He smiles. “Anything for the woman I love.”

“When are you two getting married?”

He sighs. “She wants to wait until after the baby comes and she gets her figure back. Frankly, I was in the doghouse for a while and am still working my way out. We didn’t plan to get pregnant at fifty and forty-five, but it’s a blessing in disguise. Amanda coming into our lives has been a blessing for both me and Andie.”

“I’m happy for you. All of you. How’s team ownership going?”

He smiles. “Fantastic. Reagan does most of the work. I don’t know when that woman sleeps. Between you and me, she’s talking about expanding. She wants to dabble in football too, and, with the success of the Anacondas, she wants to bring more professional women’s sports to Philly. She’s looking into the costs of starting a basketball franchise.”

“Good for her. I think it’s great for our girls to see professional female athletes. They’re fantastic role models. Harper worships the ground Bailey walks on.”

He nods. “Andie likes her too.”

“Bailey is a good kid.”

He chuckles. “Kid? She’s no kid. There’s not a red-blooded man who wasn’t looking at her in the water earlier. Anything going between the two of you?”

“Of course not. She’s young. She’s got her whole life ahead of her.”

“You’re forty-three, not eighty-three. I didn’t even have Andie until I was your age, and now I’ve got another on the way.”

I shake my head. “I can’t imagine. Harper is it for me. Getting married again and having more kids isn’t in my future.”

He gives me a knowing smile. “Yep, I said the same thing, and look where I am now.”

Harper passes out after a long day of activities, including a cornhole tournament that we easily won thanks to Bailey. Harper was on cloud nine. It’s fun to watch her in her element with her classmates. I have a pang of sadness for Fallon that she’s missing it. I sent her a bunch of pictures of Harper having fun, hoping it sets her mind at ease.

I see Bailey in her sleeping bag reading on her Kindle. I whisper, “What are you reading?”

She whispers back, “I’m reading Gemma’s first book. Have you read it?”

I shake my head. “No. Is it any good?”

She clutches her heart. “It’s amazing. She’s so talented. Cheetah made it seem so lascivious, but—”

“It’s not?” That surprises me. I thought they were sex books.

“It has those parts too, but it’s actually a love story. Funny too, but ultimately a beautiful, complicated love story. She’s such a romantic.”

“I guess she married the right guy then. Trey lives for her. The story of how they got together would probably make a great romance novel.”

“What did he do?”

I smile at the four-year-old memory of how crazily Trey behaved when he was trying to get Gemma’s attention. “Let’s just say that it was love at first sight for him and he was more than determined to do whatever it took to win her heart. They had a few bumps in the road, but their love is the real deal. I’ve never known a couple like them who click so perfectly and are always in sync. It’s enviable.”

Harper stirs, and I glance down at her. She’s still asleep but I don’t want to wake her. I look back at Bailey. “Do you want to walk down to the lake? There’s a full moon tonight. It should be beautiful. And I brought whiskey. I thought I’d drink with Beckett, but he’s fawning all over Amanda, afraid to leave her for a second. Trevor and Cassandra are probably off having sex somewhere in the woods. They’re known for that.”

She silently laughs. “They’re an…interesting couple.”

“They sure are. What did she say to you earlier?”

Bailey gives a shy smile. “Let’s just say that she has no problem asking probing questions.”

I chuckle. “That’s for sure.”

She scrunches her face. “Are we okay to leave Harper alone? What if she wakes up and we’re gone?”

“There are thirty families around, and we’ll only be up the road.”

She bites her lip. “Okay. Let’s leave her a note just in case she wakes up. I don’t want her to be scared.”

I smile at her thoughtfulness. “That’s a good idea.”

We leave her my cell phone along with a note letting her know to call Bailey’s phone if she needs us.

As we exit the tent, I notice that the campsite is unusually quiet. I guess the parents are as exhausted as the kids.

With a blanket, two plastic cups, and a bottle of whiskey in tow, we silently walk through the trees until we reach the lake. Her eyes widen as we approach the glass-like still water sparkling in the bright light of the moon. “Wow. It’s beautiful out here. Is it safe?”

“Why wouldn’t it be safe?” I ask as I lay down the blanket right next to the shoreline.

“We could never do this on a lake in Florida at night. Too many gators.”

I let out a laugh. “No gators up here. You’re safe. I promise.”

I sit on the blanket, but she remains standing and picks up a few stones, expertly throwing them. They skip across the lake dozens of times, leaving a trail of ripples in their wake.

“Wow. You’re pretty good at that. ”

She smiles. “It’s basically throwing from the slot, right?”

I nod. “I suppose it is.”

“It’s how our dad taught us to throw from the slot. I was thinking about it when I was teaching Harper and Andie this week. He used to take Kam and me to a nearby lake. Only during the day though, and never too close to the water where a gator could pop out and surprise us.”

“It sounds like you’re close with your father.” Her affection for him is clear.

She smiles warmly. “Very. He’s the best.”

“Do you visit him in Florida much?”

She scrunches her face before blowing out a breath. “We don’t get home very often. Unfortunately, we don’t have a great relationship with our mother. We struggle to be around her. Kam hates her. I don’t hate her, but I understand Kam’s contempt. We’re both very close with our father and do our best to encourage his visits. I suppose I’d be willing to go home for holidays and the like, but Kam is very dependent on me. She doesn’t like to be apart, and she won’t go down there. We’ve never even flown separately. She’s a terrible flyer and I need to soothe her just so the plane can take off.”

“I guess that explains your maternal nature. Aren’t twins supposed to be close?”

“Yes, but she’s overboard. She wouldn’t accept college scholarships unless they gave me one too. That’s kind of how I ended up playing softball. I really did prefer basketball.”

I’m surprised to hear this. “You’re a phenomenal player. Just as good as her.”

“It’s nice of you to say. She’s the star though, and I’m okay with that. Honestly, I’m better now than I was then. I didn’t deserve the scholarship at the time I was given it, but I was determined to prove myself worthy and worked my ass off to get there. I just started much later than the rest. Softball is more important to my sister and friends than it is to me. I could leave the sport tomorrow and be fine. Kam, Arizona, and Ripley won’t accept anything less than making the Olympic team in four years.”

“You don’t want to be an Olympian?”

“If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep if my life took a different direction.”

She tosses me a stone that I easily catch. “Let’s see what you’ve got, old man.”

I love when she gets a little bratty with me. I smile. “I’d resent the title, except if I throw this without warming up, my whole arm will be sore in the morning.”

She giggles as she reaches for my arm and pulls me up. “You’re not that old.”

I lightly toss the stone into the lake. “I’m old enough to know warming up and stretching are mandatory.”

“One throw.” She hands me another stone.

Feeling my manhood challenged, I throw it and grimace. It does skip a few times, but it hurts.

Her mouth opens. “Did that one throw really bother you?”

I nod. “Did I tell you that I suffered an arm injury as a teen?”

She winces. “Ugh. Sorry. I didn’t know. Sit and I’ll show you an old trick my high school coach taught us.”

I sit on the blanket and she begins massaging my arm. My dick starts to harden. I look down at my gray sweatpants. Shit, I should have worn black. I have to pull my sweatshirt out a bit to cover the evidence of what she does to me. Little does she know, I’ve been jerking off to her pictures online every night since she started with us.

She sits next to me. I can smell her heavenly scent. She reaches for me. “Give me your hand.”

I do .

She pinches the fleshy skin between my thumb and forefinger. “It’s a nerve ending. If you pinch it hard, it helps with pain. Something about redirecting the stimulation.”

It definitely doesn’t redirect the stimulation I’ve got going on in my pants. It only adds to it.

I need distance. Pulling away, I mumble, “Feeling all better. Thanks.”

She smiles innocently. “Told ya so.”

“Any other pearls of medical wisdom from your high school coach?”

She giggles. “Just the one time Kam had a bloody nose. We didn’t have any gauze in the medical kit, and she refused to come out of the game. Our coach stuck a tampon up her nose.”

I let out a laugh. “A tampon?”

She nods with a huge grin on her gorgeous face. “Yep. She played an entire game with a tampon dangling from her nose. She truly doesn’t give a shitake.”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “Shitake?”

“I’m working on not cursing in front of Harper. I’m substituting all curse words, even when Harper isn’t around. I have to retrain my brain. My sister has a filthy mouth, and it rubs off on me.”

She’s so adorable.

I smile. “Good thinking. I might try that myself.”

I pour us two cups of whiskey. She appreciatively takes a cup from me. We each take a sip before I ask, “You mentioned before my stone-throwing old-man injury that Kam is dependent on you. Why is that?”

“I’m not a shrink, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because we weren’t mothered properly. Like it or not, I’ve become her mother. We’re very different. Kam is a true wild child. She’s always needed me to be the adult ,” she air-quotes adult, “in our relationship.”

“That’s a lot of pressure on you. ”

She shrugs. “I guess. It’s all I know. We bicker at times, but I love my sister more than anyone in the world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her, and I know she feels the same for me.”

I take another long sip. “If you don’t mind my asking, what made your mother so terrible?”

She twists her lips for a moment before admitting, “A lot of things, but mostly because she’s an alcoholic.”

I place my hand on hers. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Why would you? I don’t let it keep me down anymore. She wasn’t always that way, at least when we were little. She channeled her addictive personality differently. Back then she was obsessed, I mean obsessed , with us becoming models and actresses. She modeled when she was a teen and supposedly passed on several modeling opportunities so that she could stay with my father. They had us very young and it ended her career. Back then there weren’t many models who were moms. I think she decided to live vicariously through us. You’ve heard the term momager, right?”

I chuckle as I nod. “Of course.”

“That’s her. She made Kris Kardashian look laid back. She pushed and pushed. Kam and I would be in tears, begging to just be normal kids. We hated it so much. We didn’t want long days on sets being manipulated into every pose imaginable. We wanted to play with our friends and go to school like normal kids. Imagine two very obvious tomboys having to spend their days in hair and makeup, pretending to peddle products we knew nothing about. We were homeschooled until junior high so that we’d have time to model. We pleaded with her to let us go to regular school, but she never listened to a word we said. Kam started acting out. She’s stubborn as hell and was heading toward a bad place. Finally, when we were twelve and my sister had been busted shoplifting for the hundredth time, our father stepped in and pushed for us to go to a regular school. He’s a good man with a good heart, but he has no backbone and rarely stands up to our mother. Even if he was a little late, that was the one time he did. We’re thankful for that, but in the absence of momaging us, she turned to the bottle even harder than she had before. It was always there, but it hit a new level once she lost her purpose.”

“That’s a shame. It’s commendable how the two of you persevered.”

“It was really bad. She’d show up to school events trashed. She’d swerve into parking lots picking us up from places. Kam was arrested at thirteen for driving without a license. It was that or allow our barely conscious mother to drive us.” She lets out a small laugh. “Kam ended up driving all the time. That’s just the only time she got busted. She’d never let me do it, only her. She didn’t want me to get into trouble.”

“Wow. That’s hard to believe. I assume your parents are divorced now?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. I’ll never understand it, but no, they’re not. I think he feels guilty. They were high school sweethearts, and she followed him to college where he was a star basketball player. He was about to sign a contract to play overseas after graduation when she became pregnant with us. Kam and I have no doubt that she purposefully became pregnant to keep him around. It’s something she would do. She’s very manipulative. We honestly assumed he’d divorce her when we left for college, but he stayed. Kam and I have reacted differently to it. I want the exact opposite relationship of my parents, but I do want a relationship. Kam doesn’t ever want to get married.”

“Never?”

“That’s what she says. She hops around from bed to bed, both men and women, but she hasn’t had a serious relationship since high school, over ten years ago. ”

“Are you into both men and women too?”

She smiles and shakes her head. “People ask me that all the time because of Kam. Nope. Just men for me. And I’m not comfortable being as…casual as she is. She’s relationship phobic. I think seeing our parents’ shitty marriage made her afraid of something real.”

“That’s my fear with Harper. That our divorce will damage her future relationships. She won’t know what a healthy relationship looks like.”

Bailey tilts her head. “I completely disagree. She sees a healthy relationship every single day.”

“But we’re not—”

“Healthy doesn’t have to mean married parents. Families come in all shapes and sizes. You and Fallon both prioritize Harper’s needs. You very obviously care for and respect each other. Look at how you reacted when Fallon had to miss tonight. You defended her to Harper. My parents are married, and my mother would have blasted my father’s parenting skills if we encountered this situation. She would have shamed him into staying. Married doesn’t mean healthy. Maybe you two aren’t in love with each other anymore, but you love each other on some level. Harper picks up on that. Trust me. As a kid who saw nothing but games and manipulation growing up, your way is much better, and Harper will be more than fine. She’s an amazing kid. I’ve worked with a lot of children and have seen it all. She’s a wonderful, happy little girl.”

I sip my whiskey as I let her words sink in. Maybe she’s right. “You’re wise beyond your years, Bailey Hart.”

She lets out a laugh. “I’ve had to be the female adult in my house since I turned three.”

My brows furrow. “That’s not fair to you. I’m sure you need someone to take care of you sometimes.”

She gives me a bit of a mischievous smile. “Don’t worry. Kam takes care of me in her unique way.” She lets out a small giggle. “I had a messy breakup before we left Chicago. The man wasn’t who I thought he was.”

“In what way?”

She hesitates briefly before admitting, “Well, I thought we were exclusive, and it turns out, he had a fiancée. I was completely in the dark and a total mess when I found out. I immediately broke things off and told him I never wanted to see him again. That wasn’t good enough for Kam though. She wanted him to pay.”

I chuckle. “Oh boy. What did she do?”

“In simple terms, she blew up his shitake. Big time. Pretending to be me, she showed up at his fiancée’s apartment when she knew they’d both be there. How did she know they’d both be there? She hacked into his texts. Needless to say, they’re no longer engaged.” She scoffs. “You know what bothered me the most?”

“What?”

“He thought she was me the whole time she was there. We dated for months, and he couldn’t tell the difference between us? I know we’re identical, and it takes a lot of time for people to see the subtle differences, but anyone who knows us well can tell us apart. He was my boyfriend, had seen me in every way imaginable, and yet he still thought Kam was me. On some weird level, that hurt more than his lies.”

“I can certainly understand that. I’ve only known you for a week and I can’t imagine I wouldn’t know who was who.”

“It takes time. It took Arizona and Ripley a while before they could tell the difference.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “Maybe Kam and I will Parent Trap you one day and test that theory.”

I let out a laugh. “I’m guessing you two did that to a lot of people.”

She giggles. “All the freakin’ time. ”

“Did you take her tests for her in school?”

She shakes her head. “The opposite. Kam is freakishly smart. Off-the-charts, perfect SAT scores, never had to study, Mensa-level-IQ smart.”

“Really?”

“Yep. People underestimate her all the time because she’s silly and has a dirty sense of humor. People don’t see past her exterior. She’s the smart one, not me.”

“You seem smart to me.”

“Maybe I’m normal-smart. She’s special-smart. Trust me. She has a photographic memory. She could read one of your legal books and recite the laws word for word when she was done. All of them.”

“Wow. Does she enjoy working with kids too?”

She lets out a laugh. “Definitely not. She’s horrible with kids. Doesn’t know what to do with them. Treats them like adults. She’s happy to continue to do a little modeling though. Always on her terms, but she’ll do it. I have offers but I have no interest. Those scars still run deep for me.”

I truly don’t know why it makes me happy that millions of people won’t be objectifying her, but it does.

I begin to refill our glasses, which are already empty. She holds up her hand. “I’m such a lightweight. I shouldn’t. I usually nurse a beer or two, not whiskey.”

I fill her cup nonetheless. “You’ll need it to sleep out here. The crickets are like a frat house symphony.”

She nods as she takes another sip while looking up at the moon. It illuminates her face. She’s so breathtakingly beautiful.

She drops her chin back down and looks at me. “Do you mind me asking why you and Fallon got divorced? You get along so well.”

I lean back on one of my elbows, cross my legs in front of me, and blow out a long breath. “That’s a loaded question. Will this stay between us? I don’t like to speak ill of her to anyone. No matter what, she’s Harper’s mother and I’ll always be protective of her because of that.”

“Of course. I understand completely.”

I can’t believe I’m going to admit this to her. “Only my father knows this. Not even my closest friends know. Fallon was unfaithful to me. It was one night, and she wasn’t herself, but it happened.”

Bailey’s eyes widen. “She cheated on you ? Who the hell would ever cheat on a man who looks like you?”

She gasps and covers her mouth. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry.” She mumbles, “Damn whiskey. It’s like truth serum for me.”

I chuckle. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. My father faults Fallon for breaking up our marriage, but she cheated because I wasn’t a good husband. I don’t blame her in the slightest. She was lonely. I was more married to my job than I was to my wife. I neglected her and her needs. It took a little time and perspective for me, but I see that now.”

She pinches her eyebrows together. “But you’re always there for Harper. I can’t imagine you being neglectful.”

“I was a terrible father at the time too. For years I was building a reputation. Around the time Harper was born, I went out on my own. I worked hard to grow my business. I was never home. It sounds crazy, but the divorce made me a better father. I’m thankful to Fallon for forcing me to open my eyes. I would have ignorantly missed most of Harper’s childhood if Fallon hadn’t come home in tears telling me what had happened.”

“And you didn’t think about working things out after that?”

“Unfortunately, we were too far gone. Both of us. Neither of us was happy. We’re a better divorced couple than we were a married couple. I didn’t put up much of a fight when she requested to move Harper down to Philly from New York. While I was busy working, she was alone in New York for years and always missed her family. And she wanted Harper to have family around her. I didn’t want Harper to have to travel back and forth from Philly to New York. My company was in a good spot, so I decided to move our headquarters down here. I’m relatively happy in Philly. Harper is exceedingly happy in Philly. I’m okay with how everything went down. I needed it to get my head straight about what’s important. Harper is more important than anything to me. Sometimes good things come from bad situations.”

She lays down and looks up at the sky again. Her sweatshirt lifts a bit, revealing her belly. She’s so fucking sexy and so fucking unaware of it.

Sighing, she says, “That’s a good way to look at it. I think it’s sort of how Kam and I differ about motherhood. We had a selfish mother. I want to be the opposite kind of mother as her. I want a ton of kids, and I want to be there for them in all the ways she was never there for us. I will shower them with love. Kam, on the other hand, doesn’t want kids.”

Just then we hear moaning. It gets a little louder and we very clearly hear, “Ah, Trevor. Harder.”

We turn our heads and smile at each other. I scrunch my nose. “Maybe it’s time to go.”

She giggles. “I think you’re right.”

I stand first and offer her my hand to help her stand up. She does so but stumbles a bit and falls into me.

Our eyes meet as I catch her. Hers are a little glassy, and her breath smells like a mixture of sweetness and whiskey. I think she’s drunk.

Neither of us moves. We simply continue to stare. I want to run my finger over her soft face. I’ve never seen a woman with more perfect features and skin than Bailey Hart.

“Mr. Montgomery? ”

Hearing her call me that should douse my libido, but it only seems to make it burn deeper for her.

I tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear. “Hmm?”

She adorably hiccups. “I’m a little drunk.”

“I know.”

“Can you help me get back to the tent?”

I nod before helping her back to the tent and into her sleeping bag.