Page 107 of Sins of the Father

When I get inside, Anna and Vivian are drinking coffee.

“You’re early,” Anna says.

“Sorry, too early?”

“No, just surprised since you think eight is, and it’s only seven thirty.”

“Steven gets up and goes to work at the ass crack of dawn, so...”

Vivian raises her eyebrows.

“What?”

“Are you going to fill me in on what’s happening between you two, or should I keep filling in the blanks myself?”

Anna sets a mug down for me and picks up Hope. I take a sip of coffee. “I’m not sure. He’s upset with me.”

“What did you do?” Anna accuses. “I thought I told you to be nice.”

“I was. It isn’t about that.”

“Then why is he upset?”

“Can you two stop talking in code?” Vivian asks.

Heat creeps into my face. Anna didn’t tell Vivian about my financial mess. I should have known she wouldn’t.

“It’s a long story. And Steven’s upset with me because I told him I probably need to suck it up and go back to my old firm in New York.”

“He doesn’t want you to move back?”

“No. He seems to be taking it personally, but I can’t live off nothing, and I’m not exactly marketable right now.”

“Does your brother and Quinn know you two hooked up?” Chase asks, walking into the room.

Great. This is all I need.

I spin. “Is it their business?”

Chase gives me his cocky expression.

“I kind of want to slap you hard right now.”

“Sounds like Steven might enjoy it more.”

I smack his arm with the back of my hand.

“Chase,” Vivian scolds.

His smile falls. “You know Steven is pretty uptight, right?”

“No, he’s not. He’s just very driven,” I blurt.

“That’s not what I meant. The dude is a workhorse, and I’d hire him in a heartbeat. I meant he takes life a little more seriously than most single guys.”

“Oh. You mean because he doesn’t have girls assigned to certain days of the week?”

Chase’s face turns red.

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