Page 50 of Surrendering His Heart (Buena Hills #4)

Three days.

That was how long Hallie had lived with this nagging dread—the kind of dread that camps out in the bottom of her stomach, creating enough nausea to make her uncomfortable but not in any danger of throwing up.

Christian hadn’t called her once since she’d left his house on Tuesday. She missed him. But more than that, she worried about him. And them. She’d thought their talk at his mom’s house had transformed this relationship into something solid.

But now she wasn’t so sure.

And his comment about how she was already acting like a mom changed her perspective. As she’d spent the few weeks since that day with the girls, a miraculous thing had happened. She’d gone from deciding to be open about a more permanent place in their lives, to really wanting it.

So why, at the exact time she’d finally accepted the possibility of being their mom, did Sabrina have to return and seriously undermine that? What did the woman even want?

Hallie contemplated that for the millionth time as she sat at the breakfast table in Beej’s parents’ kitchen the morning after Thanksgiving.

Besides herself, her cousin, Elise, and Kendall, no one occupied the room, a rare feat due to the massive amount of family members attending the holiday get-together.

“Isn’t it so fun finally being under the same roof again?” Beej got up from the table to place her cereal bowl in the sink. “It’s just like old times.”

Elise tugged at the sleeves of her oversized pajama shirt and crossed her arms on the table. “Agreed. Yale is amazing and all, but I’ve really missed you girls. Too bad Zee’s not here.”

“We tried to get her to come with us but apparently spending Thanksgiving with Mitch’s family was more enticing to her,” Hallie said before biting off a piece of the roll she’d made for yesterday’s dinner.

“I don’t know why she’d think that,” Kendall scoffed in exaggerated disbelief. “We’re much cooler.”

Amused agreement rippled around the table, interrupted by Hallie’s phone buzzing in front of her. Heart jumping to her throat, she snatched it up. Had Christian finally reached out?

“You’re a little eager for that phone call.” Elise leaned over to catch a glimpse at the screen. “Is it Christian?”

Hallie frowned at the unfamiliar number. Setting the device back on the table, she slumped in her seat. “No, must be a telemarketer.”

“You’ve been awfully quiet about him since we’ve been here.” Her sister watched her carefully. “Everything okay between you two?”

Did she have the ability to read minds? How else would she ask the question right as Hallie’s worry for him plunged to new depths?

“I really don’t know,” she muttered.

“I thought things were developing between you two.” Kendall stood from her chair, walking her egg-smeared plate to the dishwasher.

Hallie washed her breakfast down with a glass of orange juice before responding. “So did I until his ex came back.”

Beej gasped. “You’ve been holding out on us. When did that happen?”

“Tuesday.”

Before she could add more, Brad shuffled into the kitchen, sleep lines creasing his cheeks.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Kendall crooned as she returned to the table.

He ran both hands down the blond stubble on his jaw. “What’s up, girlies?” he mumbled, plucking the tea kettle off the stove and heading for the sink .

“Hallie’s giving us the dirt about Christian.” Elise shot a sympathetic smile in her sister’s direction. “His ex is back.”

That revelation lit a fire under Brad’s half-comatose state. He jerked away from the sink, water sloshing from the top of the kettle. His eyes flashed. “What does she want?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Hallie admitted amid a fresh wave of worry. She launched into what she’d found when getting back to the house with the girls on Tuesday. “Then he asked me to leave, and I haven’t heard from him since.”

Why hadn’t he at least texted her? Was he having second thoughts? He couldn’t possibly have decided to reconcile with his ex.

He wouldn’t.

Right?

Brad set the kettle on the stove, turning on the burner before taking a seat at the bar near the table. “She better not weasel her way back into a relationship.”

The force of his animosity surprised Hallie. But then she remembered Christian mentioning how much her cousin disliked Sabrina.

Before she could respond, the back door opened, revealing the one person she’d rather not have this conversation with.

Tyler, bundled in a thick sweatshirt and joggers with a beanie covering his blond hair, stepped inside.

Bags circled underneath his eyes, making him look like he hadn’t slept for days.

Gemma, carrying Will, entered the house behind him, her dark curls framing her face in haphazardly beautiful waves.

“Whoa.” Brad chuckled. “Rough night?”

“Remind me again why we haven’t moved this shindig to a larger location?

” Tyler pulled a carton of baby yogurt from the fridge while his wife lowered Will into Elise’s outstretched arms before plucking a banana and apple from the fruit basket on one counter.

“Gem found some really nice vacation homes in the mountains that would fit the family better. Think of it. No one would have to sleep in tents in the backyard. Spending the night outside in fifty-degree weather might’ve been fun when I was younger, but not anymore. ”

Hallie wasn’t opposed to camping, but not in November. Which was why she was perfectly fine letting her brothers, and some cousins, have the backyard. She gladly claimed the floor of the living room every year.

Their Thanksgiving celebration had been a time-honored tradition ever since Dad and his siblings had moved away from home.

It was the one time of year that the whole family invaded the Lucas home, which was bigger than Grandma and Grandpa Abernathy’s a few miles away.

But although Hallie used to refer to it as a mansion, it was no hotel.

And now that the older grandkids were starting families, bringing in more people to their already overflowing group, the house became more crowded by the year. Perhaps Tyler was onto something. They should start considering a larger location.

“What’s the matter?” Brad asked, retrieving a mug from the overhead cabinet as the kettle whistled. “You can’t handle camping with a baby?”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “That’s some bold talk from someone about to have his own kid. You’re in for a rude awakening, pal.”

Brad just smirked and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just saying, for someone as supposedly outdoorsy as you claim to be, I’d think you’d be more up for the challenge. Beej, do you know where Mom put that tea she bought for Cassie?”

“Is it not with the rest of her flavors?” Beej rose from the table. “You’re looking in the wrong spot. It’s in the pantry.” She followed her brother into the walk-in space next to the fridge, her voice rising. “Can we get back to what we were talking about before?”

That would be a hard pass. “Not until Tyler leaves,” Hallie muttered.

“Why can’t I be here?”

She blew out a centering breath. He’d find out eventually, and it might as well be from her. “Because I don’t want to hear you say, ‘I told you so’ when I admit I’ve fallen for your best friend.”

Tyler blinked at her for a moment, his expression unchanging. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” Then why did her heart feel split in two ?

His blond brows furrowed as he lifted his son from Elise’s arms, sliding him into the highchair. “What happened?” His voice was strangely calm as he pulled up a chair beside Hallie.

Her chin wobbled, the three days of worry threatening to overflow. If she explained what happened now, she’d lose her composure completely. Seeing her struggle, Kendall caught Tyler up on the details he’d missed before entering the kitchen.

His concern over Sabrina’s return rivaled their cousin’s in intensity, though without as much hostility. He glanced at Hallie. “How’re you feeling about all this?”

She hugged her arms around herself. “I just want him to be okay.”

“Oh, Hal,” Elise squeezed her sister’s thigh. “You love him. I can see it.”

A desperate laugh puffed out of Hallie’s mouth. “A lot of good that’s doing me now. I should’ve listened to you, Ty.”

Tyler slid an arm around her shoulders, tugging her to his side. “I know I can be a bit overprotective sometimes.” He laughed when both Elise and Hallie tossed matching side eyes at him. “Okay, a lot protective. I just didn’t want you getting hurt.”

“I know you mean well.” Hallie tilted her head onto his shoulder. “You’ve always had my back, and I appreciate that. But I need to see this relationship through. Even though it’ll hurt if it doesn’t work out.”

Oh, please let it work out.

She didn’t miss the contemplative glance Tyler shared with Brad, but it was Beej who asked the question on all their minds.

“He’s not getting back together with her, is he?”

Hallie shook her head. “I don’t think he would after the way he’s talked about her.

And the hostile standoff I witnessed on Tuesday didn’t seem like a reconciliation.

But what if she wants a relationship with the girls.

I don’t know if I can handle being a mother figure to them if I’m always having to compete with the real mom. ”

A grunt from the stove drew her attention to Brad. “Some mom she turned out to be.”

“That’s really hard.” Gemma set a plate of bite-sized bananas and apples in front of her son.

Will started grabbing at the chunks with a pincer grasp.

“But every couple goes through challenges. Take Tyler, for example. I know he’d never say this, but it has to be annoying living with someone else’s grandma. ”

Tyler pulled his wife down onto his lap as she held out a spoonful of yogurt to their son. “And I’ll continue helping you care for her as long as I need to.” He kissed the inside of her wrist.

“And look at Brad over there.” Beej waved a hand at her brother. “I never thought I’d see the day he’d willingly dote on a woman twenty-four-seven just to make her comfortable. I mean, he’s making tea. Who knew he’d ever become the poster boy of wedded bliss?”

Brad rolled his eyes as he dunked a tea bag in and out of the steaming mug of water. “Thanks a lot, sis.”

“You already know all the bumps and bruises Rory and I’ve been through,” Elise added. “They haven’t magically gone away just because we’re getting married.”

Hallie didn’t believe that for a second. “You guys are perfect together though.”

A whimsical smile pulled at her sister’s mouth.

“While I don’t disagree with you, we were still raised in different countries.

We’ve had to adapt a lot to understand each other’s perspectives.

Besides, English might be his native language, but have you heard the guy talk when he’s excited about something? You can’t understand a word he says.”

The sliding glass door opened, cutting through the laughter echoing off the walls. Rory entered the kitchen, his usually neat dark hair ruffled from sleep. He stopped when he noticed everyone’s amused glances on him. “What’s so gas?”

“We were just talking about your funny accent.” Elise’s fond smile made it obvious she loved the way he talked.

Rory chuckled, bending to kiss the top of her head.

As she abandoned her chair to help him find some breakfast, Gemma slid into her spot. “Hal, you can’t expect your relationship to be without hardship. If it’s not the ex, it’ll be something else. That’s life. Only you can decide if your love for Christian is worth tackling this challenge.”

Elise poked her head out of the pantry. “She’s right. But maybe a few days away from Christian can help you figure out what’s best for you.”

“I just wish he’d tell me what’s going on.” Hallie picked up her phone again, willing a notification onto the screen. Nothing. “I hate all the unknowns. Are we still together? Is his ex staying at his house? Is he still expecting me to watch his kids on Monday?”

“Wait, you’re still babysitting his kids?” Tyler asked. “I thought that was a one-time thing.”

“She’s the nanny,” Kendall answered for her. Hallie didn’t miss the ironic humor in her tone.

Tyler’s eyes narrowed, though he seemed more confused than anything. “Since when?”

“It’s been about a month.” Beej looked to Hallie for confirmation.

“What?” Tyler scoffed. “Am I the only one who didn’t know?”

A chorus of “yes” came from everyone in the room and his head whipped toward his wife. “Even you?”

Gemma lifted her shoulders in apology. “Cassie told me. She made me promise to keep it to myself.”

Tyler pierced Brad with a serious look next. “I suppose your wife told you too?”

“Nope. I heard it directly from the horse’s mouth.

” Discarding the tea bag into the garbage under the sink, Brad picked up the mug in one hand, a bottle of honey in the other.

He raised them both in a wonky toast before heading for the door.

“Peace out, fools. I’m on my way to deliver my queen her morning sustenance. ”

“Wait up.” Tyler followed his cousin into the hall.

Before Hallie could wonder about all the significant glances the guys had given each other, Elise’s arms came around her shoulders from behind. “I wish I could tell you that everything will work out with Christian. But no matter what, I’m always here for you. You know that, right? ”

Her sister’s support pulled a smile onto Hallie’s face. “I do. It’s been really nice having you here again.”

“It has, hasn’t it?” Elise squeezed her tighter. “I miss working through all our problems together.”

Together.

Christian had used that word back in his mom’s kitchen. Did he still want that?

Or did Sabrina’s reappearance change everything?