The Man Who Has No Heart - Victoria Quinn Page 0,86

We went to the aquarium, and I touched a starfish.”

“Wow, that’s really cool.”

“Uh, excuse me?” Tucker kneeled at my side. “What about me?”

“Uncle Tucker.” Derek moved into him next.

I stood up and watched them embrace.

Tucker rose to his full height. “That’s more like it.” He walked to the table and pulled out the chair next to Deacon, knowing I wouldn’t be able to stand sitting close to her. “Here, babe.”

“Thanks.” I sat down and let him push my chair in.

Then he moved to the seat beside Valerie. “Hey, how’s it going?” He couldn’t even pretend to like her, could barely make himself look at her. He grabbed the menu and stared at it. “Hmm…I might get the steak and fries.”

I wanted to turn to Deacon, look at him like I usually did, talk to him like I usually did, but I had to force myself to look at my menu like he didn’t exist, like he wasn’t the most important thing in the world to me. “How are you liking the city, Valerie?”

She’d been stirring her iced tea with her straw when I addressed her. “It’s nice. I’ve been here many times.” She didn’t seem combative like last time, either because she was trying to show better behavior or seeing me with Tucker chased away her fears. “But it’s weird to walk everywhere. Can’t wear my heels like usual.”

Well, I did it without a problem.

“What are you getting?” Tucker asked.

I scanned the menu. “Hmm…maybe the acai bowl. Or the coconut pancakes.”

“I’m getting the chocolate chip pancakes,” Derek said.

“No, you aren’t.” Deacon held up the menu. “You already had mac and cheese last night.”

“Oh, come on,” Derek said. “Grandma lets me order whatever I want. Mom does too.”

Of course she did.

“Well, I’m not either of those people. Pick something else, or I’ll pick for you.”

Derek sighed. “Whatever…”

Valerie watched the two of them interact, being quiet. She turned to me. “So, how long has this been going on?”

“Uh…a couple months,” Tucker said. “We met through Deacon.”

Tucker was the wrong man for me, and it felt odd to mention our relationship when Deacon and I were perfect together. Now I looked at him like a brother. “We have a lot in common, mainly our jobs.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Valerie said. “You’re both part of the help.”

It was an offensive thing to say, but I didn’t react.

But Tucker made a face, looking at Deacon with his eyebrow raised.

Deacon just shook his head.

This might be the worst lunch I’d ever had.

The waiter came over and we ordered, and Derek wisely picked the veggie bowl. Then Derek spoke to his father. “Are we going to the cabin tomorrow?”

“No.” Deacon rested his arms on the table, visibly more tense than usual because Valerie was there.

“Why not?” Valerie asked. “Derek talks about it so much that I looked forward to seeing it.”

I didn’t want her out there. It was our place.

Deacon was quiet for a while before he spoke. “It’s being fumigated. Can’t go for at least two weeks.”

That was a lie—and he pulled it off.

“Cool,” Derek said. “You think there are anthills inside?”

“Termites,” Deacon answered. “They’ll eat through the wood.”

“Didn’t you get an inspection when you bought the place?’ Valerie questioned, turning his response into an opportunity to interrogate him.

“Yes,” Deacon answered. “They weren’t there at the time.”

Tucker looked at me and mouthed. “Wow…super bitch.”

I had to keep a neutral face.

“Maybe next time,” Deacon answered. “Besides, I have a beach day planned tomorrow.”

“But I always go to the beach,” Derek said.

“The water here is warm,” Deacon said. “So, that’ll be a nice change.”

Derek shrugged.

It was amazing how different the dynamic was when Valerie was present, how much it affected the way we all interacted. Deacon was visibly miserable, the pain written all over his face. And the way he spoke to her, like he had to stop himself from seething. Tucker didn’t say much either, like she’d never been a sister-in-law to him.

I’d already known they had a bad relationship, but now I saw it in the flesh and realized that their dynamic was strained…even on their best day.

I didn’t see Deacon for the rest of the weekend.

He spent time with Valerie and Derek on his own.

But when he came home at night, he texted me. Hey.

Hey. How’d it go?

Fine. Even through text, his mood was obvious. Just trying to get through it.

Is Derek having fun?

Some. But he’s definitely different when he’s around both of us at the same time.

It’s almost over.

Yeah.

I stared at the phone and waited