Page 18 of Summer Heat
"I'm sorry. I'm not used to having any help." Her voice was softer now, contrite.
I shifted Maya in my arms. "Let me."
She nodded slowly, her expression softening. "Okay."
"Why don't you get some food too?" I nodded toward where Hudson was carrying the hamburger patties from the grill.
"I think I will."
I filled Maya's plate, successfully convincing her to wait on dessert for our next round. Then I set Maya's plate next to Kinsley at the girls' table and moved to sit at the guys' table.
Hudson sat next to me, inclining his head toward Kinsley and Maya. "You know what you're doing there?"
I sighed. "I'm really tired of everyone assuming I'm a screwup."
Hudson looked taken aback by my comment.
I shook my head. "Sorry. Dad already got to me. Warned me not to fuck things up with our trusted employee."
"It blurs the lines to invite an employee to live with you. What if the arrangement affects her job?" Hudson asked reasonably.
"If she doesn't have a safe place to live, that will affect her ability to show up for work, so I'm actually helping her," I said, more than a little annoyed that I had to keep justifying my actions. "I'm trying to be a nice guy here, and everyone assumes that I'm the villain."
"That's not what I'm doing," Hudson insisted.
I arched a brow. "Are you sure about that? You assume that I'm going to screw things up with Kinsley. That's not my intention."
"Just be careful, okay? She's a single mother. Not one of your usual conquests."
Irritation burned in my chest. "You assume I treat women a certain way, and I've let it go for years, but I'm a little tired of it. You don't know me, not really." I waved a hand at my brothers. "You're too busy with your own lives to know what's going on in mine."
Hudson considered me. "You're right. I'm making assumptions."
"I haven't dated anyone in a long time. I'm focused on renovating the house."
He raised a brow. "If that were true, wouldn't you be further along on the renovation?"
"I'm doing my best in my spare time. It isn't a full-time project. It can't be because I have a job, remember? Renovating other people's houses." I was done with this family get-together and unsure if I would return for another one.
"It would be nice if we could host family events there again. Take some of the pressure off Mom and Dad."
"I had the same idea." But it was a lot of people and required planning and organization. Not my strong suits.
"When do you think it will be done?" Cooper asked.
"Let me talk to Kinsley. She's my project manager."
"Is that right?" Hudson asked.
"She's going to get me on track and help me with the design," I said, happy to get the pressure off me. I wanted to please my family, but the thought of meeting a deadline freaked me out. I wasn't good at those unless someone else provided a project timeline, which Kinsley had been doing for me for years at work.
It was why I'd asked her to help with the house. She quietly stepped in to order supplies and keep me on track. I never mentioned it to my brothers. If they knew she was helping me, it would only feed their distrust.
I only admitted that she'd help me in this context because it would give him peace of mind and hopefully keep him off my back.
I wanted to go back to my sanctuary, my huge house on Captiva, and hide from my family. I didn't want or need their opinions on my life choices.
I had to grin and bear it for a few more hours. Then I could make my escape.
