Page 175 of Headstrong Like Us

Sounds sincere, but my guards are still up. “Look,” I say. “I’m not one to really judge conflicts of interest, but I have to ask. When you took the job as Lo’s therapist, did you hesitate or think maybe it wasn’t a good idea?”

Kaden takes a casual bite of his gelato. “I assume you’re talking about the fact that I slept with Maximoff.”

Acid churns in my stomach. I’m typically not a petty person, but I’d love to throw his frozen dessert in the fountain behind him.

“Yeah, that’d be the conflict of interest.”

“As far as I know, Maximoff has had a lot of one-night stands,” Kaden says like we’re talking about the weather.

I’m not helping. I feel like I came in too casual, and I want to course correct. “As far as you know…” I repeat those words.

“From the online articles,” Kaden clarifies. “And what he told me that night. What I’m trying to say is that it’d be difficult to avoid running into one of Maximoff’s one-night stands. I don’t really see it as a conflict if it’s a common occurrence.”

My muscles flex, enraged. I want to lay him on the ground. Badly. But I have one more question.

“Do you remember your night with him?” I wonder.

Kaden blinks. “Why would you want to know that?” He looks towards Maximoff, and I step to the side, blocking his view.

“I just want to know if it was memorable for you.” My pulse thumps harder.

“I don’t want to make you feel bad…you’re engaged to him,” he says warily. “But it was a great night.”

He either doesn’t remember what happened, or he really believes that it was a good time. I don’t know which one is worse.

My ears ring. “You’re not serious.”

He winces. “Like I said, I didn’t want to make you feel bad.”

I swing.

My fist lands into his cheek, and the guy tumbles back, tripping on his feet and falling into the fountain with a loudsplash.He doesn’t drop his gelato.

“Farrow!” Maximoff is running towards me, his earlier promise pulsing in my head.If you start a fight, don’t be shocked if I jump in.

Luckily, his threat is basically nonexistent with our baby in his arms.

He slows to my side. “Are you alright, man?”

I open my mouth, but Lo storms over with heated amber eyes. “What the fuck is going on?” He looks from me to his therapist, who’s busy picking himself out of the fountain. A couple of cameramen help him and bombard the guy with a million questions.

“Lo,” I start, ready to placate him. But I can’t really say anything because I’m not going to lie, and I’m not about to divulge Maximoff’s sex life to his dad. Especially not without his consent.

“Dad,” Maximoff cuts in. “Can we talk to you in private?”

My head swings to him, my lips parting, and Maximoff meets my confusion.What is he doing?

41

MAXIMOFF HALE

My dad,Farrow, and I head to the back of the shoe shop, the smell of leather pungent and permeating around us. Ripley is content and comfortable in a gray sling across my chest.

Bodyguards are posted at the entrances of the shop. No one in or out, and we pay the store, in case we’re warding off potential customers. I’m not okay with a local business losing money.

I’m in the dark.

I havezeroidea what the fuck Kaden said to Farrow, but I know he’ll tell me later, if I ask.