Page 73 of Perfect Scandal
“Shit, I’m gonna be late.” Dean hurries out of bed and straight to the bathroom for a shower. “Can you grab me something decent to wear?”
“I gotcha,” I call back.And in more ways than one.
* * *
DEAN
“Everything all right?” I frown when Holden pulls up in front of the Bradford Bank. “You’re not in a bind with money, are you?”
“No. We’re good. But Grady was looking through old files and found some discrepancies in the deed. Nothing serious, just some demographic stuff that I thought you might be able to help with. Since we’re still financing part of the ranch, he thought Brayden should take a look, too. He helped Sandy with the finances when Hank died.”
“Ah. Shouldn’t Kaden be here then?” He’s been busier than hell since Carly had the baby, but this is probably one of those things he can’t push off.
“He’s coming, too. Camden had a check-up first thing this morning he didn’t want to miss.”
“Got it.”
“Looks like Grady’s already here, so let’s head inside and see if we can get this figured out.” Holden tips his head toward the building, and we hop out of the truck into the hot July morning.
“Gonna be a scorcher today,” I grumble, already sweating in this damn collared shirt. “Does the bank have a new dress code or something?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Holden frowns as he holds the door open.
“You’ve got me sweating my balls off.” I point to the shirt.
“Oh. Right. I just didn’t want you smelling like cow and horse shit in my truck.”
Okay.Like it doesn’t already smell like a barn.
“Hey, guys!” Hallie waves. “Brayden and Grady are in the big conference room. Head on back.”
“Thanks, Hal.” Holden gestures for me to lead the way—like this ismydeal instead of his—and my gut clenches.
Something is definitely going on, and I’m willing to bet it has nothing to do withdemographic information.
“Gentlemen,” Brayden greets us when we enter the room. “Have a seat. We’re just waiting on a couple more people.”
I glance from him to Holden to Grady and back again. “How about you tell me what’s really going on here?”
Holden lifts a hand. “I’d rather wait.”
“For what?”
“Your wife.”
“Mywife?” What in the ever-loving hell? “Sorry, man, but if you’re expecting Tessa, you’re gonna have to get her out of—”
“Sorry we’re late!” Her voice sounds behind me. “I had to pull Kaden from the barn. He forgot.”
The barn? What happened to the doctor appointment?
I turn to them, my confusion making my damn ears ring. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
Tessa clasps her hands together and presses up on her toes eagerly. She looks cute as hell in a yellow sundress, and somehow her hair is perfect despite the damage my hands did just an hour earlier.
“I have an anniversary present for you. For us, actually.”
The pieces of this crazy puzzle slowly snap together, and I have to sit before my knees give out beneath me and every person in this room sees me cry like a goddamn baby.
