Page 25 of Hacking His Code

He does offer a striking visual.

Hunter

The table is setfor five, to include: me, Arinessa, my parents, and Chet, a family friend. Although we’re eating in the informal dining room, it will probably feel like a museum exhibit to Ari, who, from what I can tell, has never finely dined.

My father is dressed well, as he always is for family meals. Which is kind of adorable considering the reason.

Before my mother entered the picture, he never left his computer lab and rarely dressed in more than lounging clothes. It was the bane of my grandfather, who struggled to get him to put on a well-fitted suit.

Then he met Ernestine Whitmore, a girl of gold and glam that brought out a side of him no one knew existed. From that day forward, he dressed in a way he thought would be worthy of a woman like Ernestine.

And even now, after so much time has passed, every time she enters the room, his eyes sparkle.

It may seem with how I’ve spent my bachelordom that I’d never want that for myself. But the truth is, I want it desperately.

For as far back as I can remember, I’ve wanted what my father has: to be an utterly devoted husband to a wife who never fails to charm.

But the women I date, if you could even call it that, are less than inspiring. Sure, they’re beautiful, many coming from families ripe with old money, but nothing is ever real with them. I’m not even sure they’re capable of genuine warmth and love, but they certainly are very good at guessing the number of carats in a diamond.

When the connection isn’t there, and the only thing tying you together is money, trust never develops.

It’s not that I can put all of the blame on the women for the lack of trust, not when the first thing I tell them is a lie. And by that, I mean my name.

Arinessa is the first woman I’ve ever introduced myself to as Hunter Davies outside of my family’s circle. I’m not entirely sure why I revealed myself, but something about her spoke to me, and my name just popped out before I could give it thought. Perhaps it was because she was wild and helpless just a moment before, or maybe it was because of how guilty I felt over her kidnapping.

Something about Ari has me all kinds of crazy in a way I can’t afford to be. Not now, anyway.

“Father,” I say curtly.

He nods, trying to keep a smile from creeping onto his lips.

I feel like an asshole, giving him false hope. I tell myself it’s necessary, but the truth is, this was all set up on a whim, and I never had a chance to think it through.

Father cocks a brow. “Your lady friend?”

“Arinessa will be down shortly.”

“Have you been enjoying your time with her?” he asks, trying to sound innocuous.

“I actually had her treated to a shopping spree and a spa day up in my suite.”

“Good man.” Father casts me a wink. “That’s how you keep a woman.”

I chuckle. “Father, with our family name and bank account, it’s not going to be too hard for me to keep a woman. It’s finding the right one that proves to be a challenge.”

Chet walks in, brazen as he ever is. He was my mother’s friend from before she’d met my father. They acted in a few films together, and after Lucy disappeared, he proved to be a good man, caring for my mother when others abandoned or exploited her.

“Rand, Hunter, nice to see you both this evening.” He sets an intricately wrapped package on the table. “I brought some desserts from Italy that I think you’re all going to love.”

“I hope you’ve brought enough for five.” Father looks to me with a wide grin. “Hunter here has invited a lady friend to join us.”

Chet’s brow lifts in surprise. “Well, congratulations are in order. I can’t wait to meet the lucky lady.”

“Give it a minute, and you’ll get your wish,” I reply back.

“How is Ernestine today?” he asks, his voice ripe with concern.

Chet, of all people, would know how hard today is for my mother, which is why he came out to see us.