Just Like That (The Kings)

He was definitely the asshole.

I steadied my breathing. The last thing Teddy needed was me coming unglued and ruining his only shot at getting to know his father.

This was not at all how I’d planned for this reunion to go. Not that I was a planner, per se—more of a wing and a prayer type of girl—but whatever scenario that had played out in my mind definitely wasn’t this.

I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that JP was the same man I’d been ogling on the sidewalk. On the outside, he certainly appeared to be Olive’s typical type—rich, handsome, and a total dick.

What I didn’t expect was that up close, rugged manliness oozed from beneath that expensive tailored suit. He had tousled dark hair, crystal blue-green eyes beneath dark furrowed brows, broad shoulders, and a permanent scowl.

I lifted my chin, determined to be unfazed by his particular brand of handsome. “My name is Hazel. Olive Adams was my sister.”

A flicker of surprise crossed his face—if it was from my use of past tense or subtle confusion, I couldn’t tell. His steely gaze was back before I could decipher it.

“You may not remember her,” I continued, “but she certainly remembered you. You were listed as the father on Teddy’s birth certificate application.”

His intense gaze never left mine. It was as though he was running through every available scenario, but still coming up short.

“Hi. Sorry.” We turned to look as Sylvie threw both thumbs over her left shoulder. “I’m going to go. This really feels like a you-two-don’t-need-an-audience type of conversation.” She backed away with a nervous laugh. “Okay, bye.”

Without waiting for a response, Sylvie swiveled on her heels and started walking down the sidewalk in swift strides.

“Thank you,” I called to her back before sighing and turning toward JP, who had resumed scowling in my direction.

“You said was.” His voice was quiet and intense.

“What?” I asked.

His brows pinched. “She was your sister.”

I swallowed past the lump that expanded in my throat. Talking about Olive still stung, regret swimming at the edges of my memory. “She passed away. Four months ago.”

JP’s lips hardened into a grim line. “I’m sorry.”

A flicker of hope sparked in my chest. Perhaps he wasn’t a total douche after all and there was an actual human hiding beneath his frosty exterior.

“But the kid isn’t mine,” he continued before turning his back to me and starting to walk away. “There’s nothing I can do for you.”

Aaaaand the dick is back.

I followed behind him, my flip-flops slapping against the concrete as I struggled to keep up with his long, efficient strides. “You can at least hear me out. We came a long way, and I have proof.”

JP paused and I took the opportunity to dig into the bottom of my purse. I pushed aside a hairbrush, two wallets, empty gum wrappers, and something gross wadded into a tissue as I searched.

When my fingers found the neatly folded papers at the bottom, I held them up in triumph. “Aha!”

JP plucked the papers from my fingers and slowly opened them. My sister’s loopy handwriting came into view, and I quickly snatched the top page from him. “That’s private.”

I didn’t need JP reading my sister’s heart-wrenching goodbye or the fact that she wrote in circles about her life’s choices.

I flipped through the pages, taking out the last one and handing it to him. “You’ll see there you’re listed on the application.” He eyed the pages of my sister’s letter, but I shoved them back into the depths of my purse.

“You were also listed as a potential guardian in her will. She asked that I find you after . . .” I fought back tears but was proud my voice was steady after a good throat clearing. “After she passed. She wanted Teddy to have the opportunity to get to know you, though I’m not exactly sure why.”

He scoffed as he studied the paper. “Me neither.”

I detected a hint of self-deprecating pain hidden in his scoff. Something aching pinched in my chest as I watched him examine the sheet.

He sighed and handed it back to me. “Well, a paternity test will be required. Obviously.”

My lip curled. I hated how annoyed, yet efficient, he seemed. “Obviously,” I mocked.

I didn’t blame him for being skeptical—we had popped out of the woodwork without any notice, after all. But in my heart of hearts, I really thought he’d take one look at Teddy and just know.

I patted the outside of my purse, where my sister’s last words were safely tucked. “Olive asked that we find you.” I clasped my hands in front of me. “So here we are.”

He shook his head, and his intense gaze pinned me in place. “Here you are.”

The ferocity of his stare set off alarm bells. Heat pooled in my belly, and I shifted to rattle a bit of sense into myself.

The grump just stared. His intensity was unnerving. “My attorney will be in touch with you.” JP slipped his phone from his pocket and handed it to me. “Enter your contact information and a letter will be mailed when we have more information.”

I typed my phone number into his phone before handing it back to him with a scowl. “If you wanted my number, all you had to do was ask.”

He blinked twice. “I didn’t—I wasn’t⁠—”

Pink splotches erupted beneath the collar of his shirt and crept toward his cheeks. It was almost humorous, seeing someone so big and grumpy and used to being in control lose a bit of footing.

My laugh interrupted his obvious, internal meltdown. “Relax. It was a joke. Besides, we’re staying in town for a while.”

He spun on me, recovering from his sputtering. “In town?”

I looked around and shrugged as Teddy bounded from behind a fire truck. “Yeah, I mean, why not? Seems like as good a place as any.”

His arms folded across his broad chest. “Ah, I see.”

My eyes narrowed at him. “What do you see?”

JP’s hand flicked my way in a vague gesture. “You’re after money, then?” He shook his head as though he had us all figured out.

My temper flared, and I only briefly considered the ramifications of kicking him in the balls in front of Teddy. My finger jabbed in his direction instead. “Watch it.”

JP checked his watch as though finding out he had a kid was a mild inconvenience in the middle of his very important day. Anger, hot as a kettle, simmered through my blood.

“Then where are you staying? My attorney will need a way to contact you.” His eyes flicked down my front and then back up. When his gaze met mine, it was emotionless, as though he’d locked himself behind whatever cool, dismissive facade he had chosen for the day.

“We live in a bus!” Teddy’s enthusiastic shout floated across the parking lot as he walked toward us.

JP only tossed me a terse nod. “Of course you do.”

When he glanced down at Teddy, something shifted. The callous jerk who had just accused me of being a money-grubbing drifter evaporated, and in his place was someone with sad, kind eyes.

For a brief moment, my fury subsided.

“Did Whip show you around, big guy?” he asked, crouching in front of Teddy to look him in the eye.

Teddy nodded. “It was interesting, but dirty. I didn’t love it.”

JP laughed and grinned at my nephew, and the steel around my heart cracked a bit. When he looked at Teddy, there was kindness there.

It was unnerving. I knew what he had done to my sister. Her letter had told me everything I needed to know about JP King, and I wouldn’t let him fool me.

“It’s time for us to go, Teddy.” I shifted my bag and held out one hand for him.

With a pout, he reluctantly slipped his little hand into mine. His soft blue-green eyes lifted to JP’s. “Can you come see the bus?”

I stepped forward, hoping to lessen the blow of yet another rejection. “Maybe another day. I’m sure Mr. King is very busy and doesn’t have time to interrupt his important day for us.” I lifted my eyebrows in challenge.

“You know what?” JP leaned back on his heels. “I’d love to see it.”

After a short walk back to town, JP guided us to the parking lot near his downtown office, where his car was parked. It was a sleek black number whose rich leather interior still looked brand-new. When he opened the door, I was hit with the scent of new leather mingling with his clean, spicy cologne.

Teddy opened the door to the back seat and peered in with a scowl. “You don’t have a booster seat. That’s unsafe.”

JP’s eyes flicked to mine and I shrugged. “I don’t make the rules.”

“That would be the state of Michigan,” Teddy said. “They have ‘Buckle Up!’ laws. I looked.”

Teddy’s lips twisted as though he was waging some distraught internal battle over whether to ride in his dad’s car or defy the lawmakers of Michigan.

I patted his shoulder. “It’s not too far.” I gestured toward the lighthouse. “We parked in the marina parking lot. Plus, it’s a beautiful day. We can walk, right, pal?”

Teddy shrugged with a frown. “I guess.”

Figuring he was relieved to finally be rid of us, I turned my back to JP and started walking.

“I can take a walk.” His voice rumbled behind my back.

I slowly turned, shocked that he wanted to walk with us. When I saw Teddy’s face light up and JP returned his smile, I understood that he wasn’t doing it for me.

I nodded and we walked toward the lakeshore. Teddy prattled on about boats and sand dunes and changing weather patterns. I simply attempted to breathe without getting tiny, delicious hits of JP’s masculine scent.

When we reached the parking lot, I grinned. Teddy bounced as he waited for me to unlock the school bus that I had converted into a fully renovated tiny house on wheels.

“What the hell is that?” JP’s dark brows furrowed.

“It’s my car . . . and my house.” I grinned, suppressing a laugh. “It’s my car and my house. You’ve never seen a skoolie?”

“A what?” He leaned back to take in all thirty-five feet of gloriously renovated steel, painted in a crisp white.

I unlocked and opened the bifold door. Teddy bounded up the stairs. “Hazel turned a junky old school bus into this place! Mom said she’s super famous.” Teddy’s grin was proud and innocent.

I swallowed past the gravel in my throat. The way he spoke of Olive was as if she was in the next room, not gone forever. He never seemed burdened with the clawing, aching sadness that consumed my thoughts. Maybe it was just how kids dealt with grief. Maybe I was completely missing the signs. With Teddy, it was hard to tell.

I could feel JP’s eyes on me so I shook my head. “I’m not famous.”

“Don’t lie!” Teddy chided. “Your videos get, like, billions of views.”

Nerves skittered through me. “Not billions.”

“Videos?” JP asked.

I rolled my lips. “I got bored—started renovating an old school bus and posting about it online. At first I sucked, but I taught myself what I could and got help when I needed it. I documented my progress, and I guess people were excited to follow along. It kind of unexpectedly blew up.”

JP peered inside my skoolie. “And you live here?”

My forehead creased. The roof had been raised nearly eighteen inches, giving the interior plenty of headspace. With warm wood floors, white walls, gleaming cabinets, a functional sink, and even a wood-burning stove, my skoolie was a work of freaking art.

The benches had mismatched pillows in jade green, deep purple, and burgundy. A beaded curtain separated the driver seat from the main living area. Incense burned in the corner, and my prettiest tarot deck was prominently displayed on a handsewn mat. Woven throw blankets added the perfect cozy touch.

Fuck this guy if he couldn’t see how funky and cool it was.

Teddy plopped onto the plush sofa cushion before grabbing a comic book from the end table, and I couldn’t help but smile at how he was settling in.

I shrugged. “Home sweet home.”

“What is that?” JP pointed to the tarot deck and mat.

“Tarot.” I brightened. “Have you ever had a reading?”

His turquoise eyes turned to me with one dark eyebrow lifted. He looked so bitchy I almost laughed out loud, but instead I couldn’t stop staring. With his eyes trained on me with such intensity, even a corpse would feel palpitations.

He was intimidating, with a dangerous edge just peeking out from beneath his buttoned-up exterior.

His only response was a dismissive grunt.

The gruff noise vibrated beside me, and I was suddenly all too aware of our closeness. Our shoulders brushed as we both peered into the bus’s small entrance. On contact, his head snapped around as if my proximity was personally offensive.

With a step back, he smoothed a hand down his suit jacket. “Will you be here if the attorney needs to contact you?”

I swirled a hand in the air. “Around. I am still looking for a campground nearby that will accommodate the bus for prolonged overnight parking. But it’s touristy here, so I’ll find something.”

His hard stare felt like it lasted forever. When he broke eye contact, I could finally breathe. He pulled a card and pen from his jacket and scribbled something across it before handing the card to me.

I stared at his business card: JP King, King Equities. An address was written across it in blocky, precise handwriting.

“You can park there,” he offered.

I studied him. He was a walking contradiction of shitty digs and subtly kind gestures. Hard stares and soft smiles. I couldn’t quite figure him out, and that worried me.

With a nod, he turned his back without saying goodbye.