Page 75 of Summer Kisses

"Thank you, Brady."

He pulled up to his parents' house and put the truck in Park. "My brothers aren't here."

"Oh? I thought this was a family dinner."

"Maybe it's just for us."

I had a sense of foreboding as we got out of the truck and headed inside. Once Brady opened the door, we headed to the kitchen where his mom was checking whatever was cooking in the oven.

Jonathan approached us first.

"Now, Jon, you promised you wouldn't bombard them as soon as they walked into the house."

Jonathan addressed Brady. "I didn't know that you were going to put my name behind the library after-school program.

Interesting that he'd said Kingston was his name, as if it wasn't his family's name too, and I didn't like his tone when he mentioned the program.

Brady's forehead creased. "I didn't realize it would garner this much attention."

"It's going to get more attention when it gets out that you're funding your fiancée's causes."

Brady's frown deepened. "That's not what happened."

"You're supporting her program." Jonathan waved at me.

Brady tipped his head to the side. "Are you saying that I shouldn't have done it? I thought you wanted us to have causes to support. To do things that were important to us."

"You had to know how this was going to look," Jonathan scoffed.

"I've been friends with Hazel forever. I didn't think it would be a problem," Brady said.

"You can't give money to friends or family. It's a bad idea," Jonathan persisted.

This was a family conversation and incredibly uncomfortable. "I should go."

"I asked you not to bring this up," Joy grumbled to Jonathan and then to me. "Please stay."

"You wouldn't need to support the library going forward. I can talk to the board about the need for additional funding." That would mean that I might lose the program. It was incredibly disappointing. "I really think you two need to have this conversation without me. Thank you for your hospitality, Joy."

I turned and walked out of the house, needing fresh air.

The front door opened before I could step off the porch.

"Hazel—don't go," Brady said.

I turned to face him. "You need to have this conversation with your dad."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I don't like that you're leaving."

"This is a business conversation. I shouldn't be involved."

Brady sighed.

"I'll see you later," I said, having no desire to walk back into that house. I thought I'd be accepted as part of the Kingston family, but it was clear that was never going to happen.

"Why don't you take the truck?" Brady dug his keys out of his pocket and tried to hand them to me.

All I could think about was Jonathan saying that Brady shouldn't have given me money. That it looked bad. And now Brady was trying to let me drive the company truck.

---