Red Haught: Haught Brother's Book 4 Read online

  “I’m not sure if you want to or not but I’d like a hug.”

  There was no way he wasn’t going to give her that knowing the healing power those things possess and since he wasn’t a man who got many hugs he wanted to take and give as many as he could get. Moving back between her legs as she sat on the counter she wrapped her arms around his neck before he’d gotten really close. The sobbing wasn’t quiet or controlled now as she bawled like a baby. He held her tighter hoping she could get comfort for the little girl she felt no one wanted and the adult she thought had a permanent sin to atone for.

  “Gemmi…Red?” True called out as she opened the door and walked down the stairs.

  Rosy pushed him so hard he nearly fell before she jumped off the counter and met True on the stairs.

  “Is everything alright?” True looked at Rosy’s wet face as she tried to clean herself up and pull herself together and then looked back at Red.

  Red was on emotional overload and he wanted nothing more than to go home and go to bed but that wasn’t going to happen. He put his hand out and waved toward Rosy as he was unable to process the correct words that said don’t worry about me take care of Rosy. True looked back at her friend.

  “Let’s get you upstairs.” She looked back at Red with an expression that was the corner of appraisal and I hope I don’t have to kick your ass.

  Red took the glasses and the open bottles of wine upstairs. Maybe he was wrong about his lifelong goal of having a family, because he never felt this much when he was by himself. He’d come to town with high hopes he hoped he didn’t leave with crushed dreams.

  Chapter 9 - Rosy

  “Did he hurt you?” True was standing in front of her in the bathroom with Karessa and Gemmi behind her. They looked like pissed off angels and the fact they were this upset on her behalf made her feel a little special. Maybe True and Karessa did like her a little more than she thought.

  “No. I get claustrophobic when I know I can’t get out of places. I know I locked myself in the bathroom with Camden but I knew when we were going to get out.” Rosy said quickly.

  “I’m sure none of us were going to ask about that.” Gemmi said from her place behind True.

  “It doesn’t matter. I know that’s what was on your mind.”

  “You’re the one who runs that on a loop inside your head. All day…all night. You have to give yourself a break.”

  Rosy took a deep breath in and released it. “I’m great ladies. I promise.”

  Karessa and Gemmi left the bathroom and left True and Rosy in their together.

  “If you need to talk about something I’m always here.”

  Rosy rolled her eyes.

  “I’m serious Rosy. I’ve heard about your past from Gemmi and I can’t believe how much you’ve come through.”

  “Said the pot to the kettle.” Rosy smiled at True.

  “I’m not saying I didn’t come through a lot as well but I think you’re too hard on yourself. I’ll mind my business if you’d like but someone has to say something. You’re running yourself ragged and there is no need for it.”

  “Let’s not act like Alec and Beau are my biggest fans. Look. I don’t really want to talk about this right now. I just had a mini anxiety attack because I was locked in a basement.” Rosy was ready for this pity party to end. She did them every few nights but didn’t think there was a need for a group one. Looking weak wasn’t something Rosy enjoyed and she felt like she’d looked that way all night. It was time to locate her big girl panties and finish the set up of the rehearsal and go home. “How about we get finished so I can get home, pull myself together and start again tomorrow.”

  “You can go now. We’ll cover for you. You do most of the work on a daily basis anyway. We ladies need to pick up some of the slack.” True elbowed Rosy and a ghost of a laugh came out. It must be too soon to fake happy.

  “Alright then if you want to stay lets get this in high gear so we can go.” True walked out of the bathroom and Rosy followed along after her.

  Chapter 10 - Draven

  “What happened with Rosy?” Beau asked in one of the only things he’d said to Red since he found out they were related.

  “She had a panic attack down stairs because she had no control on when she was going to get out. It was pretty scary but she seems to be alright.” Red stood there looking at two men who didn’t look happy to see him but seemed to be working through their general distaste. They’d pulled him over to a piece of the room that was semi private.

  “I wanted to give these to you.” Alec held out an envelope.

  “Look if you don’t want me around that’s cool. You don’t have to pay me. I don’t want a piece of the restaurant. We’re good.” Red held his hands out in front of him hoping he was showing that he didn’t want anything from therm.

  “Shut up,” Alec said as he pushed large manilla envelope into Red’s stomach.

  Red looked at both of the brothers and opened the seal. There was a group of photographs and all of them had the same man who was the star of them. It was a man who looked a lot like him. “Is this Zachary?” He couldn’t look away from the face that he saw in the mirror most of the time.

  “Yes. That’s your father.” Alec grinned a little when Red looked up to see what expression covered his face.

  “Thanks man. I really appreciate it.” Red pulled him into a hug that was fierce and strong but he tapped out when the blurriness of his vision made him want to high tail it to the bathroom. “I’ll be back.” He made it and then kicked himself for running away from the first connection he’d had with the hostile Haught brothers. It didn’t take long to pull himself together and head back out.

  “You okay?” Rosy’s voice was like a balm to his soul and she wrapped her arms around him. It was like he was home when she touched him and he gathered her in his arms. Her fragrance was as comforting as her touch.

  “Yes. I think the guys are coming around,” Red confided in her. “They brought a few pictures of our dad for me to see.”

  Rosy backed away enough to look into his face. “That’s great,” she said, but her expression didn’t look like she meant what she’d said.

  “Rosy I like you. I really do and I think these people consider you their friends and family. You don’t have to be someone you’re not to please them.” Both of their heads turned toward the sound of someone walking down the hallway but it was Rosy who broke out of his arms.

  “That was close.” She had a smile on her face like they had gotten away with a crime.

  It’s funny how something hits one person one way and hits another entirely differently. “Your right. That was close.” Red walked back into the set up room to finish decorating and to talk to his brothers.

  Chapter 11 - Rosy

  Rosy knew the moment she’d lost Red. It was when she’d been happy they’d not been caught in the hallway by his brothers, but she’d told him how she’d felt and why. It was for both of their well being. Right? It had been almost a week since they’d set up for the reception someone had planned so they too could have a Haught wedding reception and she’d found it impossible to catch up with the newest Haught brother. Red had cancelled their coffee date but when she’d called to confirm his cuddle appointment he’d texted that he’d be there.

  The room was set up and there was the sound and the smell of the ocean even though sand was a hard no. She’d not understood how much attention Red gave her even when she’d ignored him because for the last week the shoe had been on the other foot and it hurt like hell. Not enough that she tried to talk to him with his brother’s around but she’d attempted contacting him several times only to be sent to voicemail and then followed up with a text message asking what she needed.

  The knock on the door startled her but she sat on the futon and tried to look alluring and comforting. “Come in.”

  The door opened and the man who’d been on her mind the whole week walked in.

  “Take off your jacket.”

>   He held up his hand. “No need. I just want to talk to you.”

  “I thought we were supposed to talk over coffee.” She knew she had no right to be bothered that he’d skipped out on their supposed date.

  Red took a deep breath and sat at the small table by the door. “All my life I’ve had to hide. I’ve been a secret. There were reasons I couldn’t tell people my name. I wasn’t allowed to even see pictures of my father.”

  “But—” Rosy wanted to explain again why her way was reasonable for both of them, but he held up his hand.

  “Hear me out. The last time I was with you in the hallway of The Haught Spot I was overwhelmed with so many things. Excitement, pride, acceptance. They ran through me and threatened to leave me damn near speechless. Then I saw you and I felt like you were an anchor. I held you and I felt good. I’m not sure if it was from the cuddling or if it was just you but in an instant you turned that time into every other time I was told to settle down, close my mouth and not tell my truth.

  Rosy stood up unable to sit while listening to this. It wasn’t like that was it? Moving closer to him he stood up too but he held his hands out like he didn’t want her to touch him.

  “In my head I thought I could do just about anything to try to work it out with you. Your past mistakes were just that…mistakes. The only person who has to get over that is you, but my heart is where I had the problem. I can’t be a secret for you. I’m enough and you are too, but if you can’t believe it then it will never work.”

  “So there’s nothing I can say?” Rosy’s heart ached for the man in front of her and for herself.

  “That night after I went back to finish helping you acted like I wasn’t even there. It wasn’t just the fact you didn’t want to show we were close you acted like I was invisible. I’m not mad at you, I even get why you do what you do. I don’t agree with it but I don’t have to. You have your reasons and I respect them.” Red pulled Rosy closer and kissed her cheek. “You deserve to be treated better than you treat yourself.”

  Rosy watched as he opened the door and walked out. She’d never heard anyone say the things he did about her. Did she deserve to be treated better? Was she the person handing down her own judgement?

  She lay on the futon and wrapped her arms around her middle. The tears she cried as a lonely child came back with a vengeance. Fuck…I thought that bitch was gone.

  Chapter 12 - Draven

  Red wasn’t in a good place but he should be. Slowly…slowly his brothers were opening up to him and he was accepted into the group that he’d wanted to be with for as long as he knew he had three brothers. The dinner was at True and Alec’s tonight and he’d actually brought something he thought everyone would like. Oyster Rockerfeller.

  The doors opened as he walked up the stairs and it was Rosy’s face that greeted him. “Can I help you with that?”

  “No I’ve got it. Thanks for opening the door.” He’d just given her his speech today after really thinking it through. It wasn’t what he wanted to do but he didn’t feel like he had a choice.

  She just moved out of his way. Rosy was probably meeting him out here so she can be her normal cute self when people are not around and act like his name is Casper the friendly ghost in social settings.

  He walked toward the kitchen and put his culinary masterpiece on the table. As it was going he and Alec were having an unofficial cook off and the winner was chosen by how much of the dish was gone. It started off when Alec had brought over pistachio salad. It was a hideous looking concoction that everyone else had tried but Red’s selection for the night was fresh strawberry shortcake. It looked like someone had practically licked the bowl clean. Alec picked up the bowl, brought it over to Red and gave him a subtle ‘Hmmm’ that was paired with a quirk of his brow. Red took that as a challenge and apparently so did Alec. The next week before the family gathering he’d gotten a text from Alec telling him where the dinner was located and the words ‘side dish’. Red had gone with bacon wrapped asparagus while Alec had brought Mexican corn. That one was actually a tie but Red had texted Alec after he was home.

  Red – Officially a tie but I’ve never tasted anything like that. I concede that point to you.

  So there they were standing at the buffet table with Alec waiting by his dish that he’d stated was appetizers. Alec was such an interesting man. Seemingly callous and cold but there was a fun side to him.

  “What did you bring?” Alec held his hand over the dome covered platter he’d brought.

  “Oyster Rockerfeller.” Red pulled off the aluminum foil to show the item that looked pretty spectacular and it should, he’d made that shit three times and watched numerous videos on the internet to get the presentation right. No one had to know that part. They also wouldn’t know that he’d not eat any of them because he was sick of them although they’d been one of his favorite appetizers. Who the hell would eat two trays of this stuff? He did. Waste not, want not was his mother’s favorite phrase.

  “Holy shit.” Alec boomed. He lifted the cover and showed off a very tangy smelling buffalo chicken dip. “Apparently I’ve engaged a masterchef when I’m a struggling sous chief.”

  Red smiled a that compliment. “Why do you always get to pick the what food we make?”

  Alec frowned and looked around for Beau and Camden who both shook their heads. “I would say because I’m the oldest but that’s rarely the reason. The real reason is because I typically start the game so I’m the only person who knows where it’s going, but feel free to throw down a challenge. It seems you are a worthy competitor. These other two have long since tired of me and my games.”

  Everyone made their plates and sat down at the table and the chatter from individual conversations carried throughout the room. He couldn’t believe how accustomed he’d gotten to living with this small tribe of people in such a short time.

  “Excuse me everyone.” Red said when there was a very brief lull in the conversations. “I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for including me in the family. It wasn’t how I planned it but then again that’s how life usually goes.”

  “Why does this sound like a goodbye?” Beau said from the other side of the table.

  “It’s not a goodbye but I was only going to be at the hospital for a limited amount of time. Twenty weeks to be exact and now my time is up. I won’t be far just a few towns away in the hometown I’ve been telling you about.”

  “You can’t do that. Just show up here, tell us you’re our brother and then move away.”

  “I actually wasn’t planning on telling you I was your brother but I can’t say I’m not happy that it happened.” Red watched Beau and the look on his face reminded him of the night he’d told them they were related. “There is actually a small chance that they’ll ask me to stay a bit longer but it’s a long shot. Either way your not getting rid of me. I’ll definitely come back see to all of you.”

  “I also have something to say.” Rosy stood up at her seat and the whole table went silent like that commercial about someone’s accountant talking and everyone listening to him.

  “We’re listening.” True spoke up and then everyone really did lend her their ears.

  “A good number of months ago I went to a bar and met a man. It was a little hole in the wall across the street from a hospital. It was dingy and dark but a guy approached me and we had a great night.”

  There were cat calls from the ladies as they attempted to support Rosy and her story.

  “Then a funny thing happened. The man walked into The Haught Spot but because of my past and all the pain I’d brought to my cousin Gemmi for all of you to see I pretended not to know him.” Rosy pushed her chair back and stood behind it. It was like she was working up her nerve to get closer to him. “When he told you he was related to you all I wanted to do was give him a hug because although I knew you all were shocked by what he told you but the three of you were a unit and he was all alone.”

  “So you’re telling us that you and Draven h
ave been dating this whole time?” Beau asked shaking his head.

  “I’m not sure that I’d call it dating but we’ve had a few conversations. The point is I’ve hurt a lot of you when I hurt Gemmi and I’ve tried to make up for it. When Red was found to be a Haught, I knew even thinking of trying to build anything with him would be a problem but Alec your words made me realize just how bad all of this would look. That I was chasing Red down because I’d wanted to be a part of the family group.” She moved from her chair and walked over to Red’s chair that was on the end of the table. “I’ve made him feel like a secret not worthy of sharing and I’m sorry. I understand being ashamed of who you are and your circumstance but hanging on to it doesn’t do anyone any good.”

  Red stood up and turned to Rosy. He knew this was tough for her and he could tell by the look in her eyes she thought she was going to be condemned because of this.

  “I’m sorry Red. I’m not sure what I thought was going to happen but what I do know is that I want to give us any chance you agree too. If I’ve blown it with the way I’ve treated you. I understand that too, but I wanted to put this out in the open, in front of all your family. You are way to awesome to be a secret.”

  Red could barely contain his smile. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted you to say. No matter what comes we know that we tested out whatever this wonderful feeling between us is.”

  Alec’s deep voice was low but distinctive. “Rosy I was an asshole for saying what I did about you scouting for another Haught. Unnecessarily rough and callous in light of us all knowing you were trying your best to redeem yourself. I’m sorry I said that to you.”

  Red looked at everyone in the room and they all seemed to share the expression of shock on their faces.

  “Thank you for that, Alec. Your opinion means a lot to me.” She clutched at Red’s hand that she was already holding and it made Red proud that his brother would have done something so selfless.