AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sitting on our bed, eyes shut, head in hands, I clenched my teeth. Smashing his face in weighed heavy on my mind. It was like he was begging us to come clean. Vicky didn’t want to lose her brother. She didn’t have to worry about me. She knew I wasn’t going anywhere. Rather, Hayden knew the truth or not.
Vicky arrived early at my graduation so we could take pics together. I also arrived early both times she graduated. We didn’t want to lose those memories. Vicky graduated with her MBA a day after I received my undergraduate degree.
Hayden wouldn’t graduate for another year. Vicky and I would have time to settle into our life, now that we were back home.
Secretly, I’d worked with my father on a special architectural project. I bought land in Woodstock, GA. I designed this home for my future wife and kids. After I completed classes mid-week, I flew home, met with the building foreman, and my father. We’d monitor the home building process. I told Vicky I returned home to work under my dad on a special project to earn credits toward my Master’s degree. Luckily, once I attended graduate school, I’d have my internship credits complete. The gray stone home had six bedrooms, a four-car garage, and floor to ceiling windows. I designed the back of the house with a slight curve. Ultimately, I wanted to purchase land in Buckhead, so we could live close to our parents, but I also needed peace of mind. Didn’t want to worry about bumping into Hayden. And free to express my love for my woman in public.
I was antsy. Ready to leave. All I cared about was revealing our new home to Vicky.
After dinner, the family sat around the oversized Christmas tree, ready to watch a Hallmark movie.
Hayden and I drank spiced eggnog.
“Zander, can I speak to you for a moment?”
Harvey asked standing outside the family room.
“Sure.” I couldn’t make eye contact with Vicky as I exited the room.
Harvey and I entered his office. “Zander, have a seat.”
“I understand you and your brother will run your father’s architecture firm.”
“Yes, sir.”
He sat at the opposite end of the sofa.
“What happened to law school?”
“I plan to attend in a couple of years. Right now, I need to focus on my Master's degree in Architecture.”
My fingers traced along my red tie against the crisp white dress shirt under my navy suit jacket.
“I’ll cut right to it.”
My stomach dropped.
“How long do you plan to date my daughter in secret?”
My fingers threaded my medium length curly hair.
“Harvey, you remember how Hayden behaved in the hospital. He forbid me to see Vicky. We are trying to spare his feelings, but I assure you Harvey, I will not hide my relationship forever. We can’t get married and start a family like this. Harvey, I’ve been in love with your daughter since I could remember. I’d like to assure you nothing sexual ever happened between us under your roof.”
He sighed, rubbing his brow. “You mentioned marrying Victoria. Did you plan to ask for my daughter’s hand in marriage?”
“Yes. I did and I do. I wanted to wait until after we told Hayden.”
His heavy hand landed on my shoulder. “You might not want to wait on Hayden. You know he’s stubborn. He hates the idea of his best friend and his sister in a relationship. Not to mention he feels he’d lose his best friend. But the way my daughter looks at you when she doesn’t know she’s being watched, resembles love and adoration. Is it true you designed and built a house for my daughter?”
I dropped my head in my hands. “My father told you?”
“Yes, over our weekly golf game.”
“I had no idea you two were hanging out.”
“Yeah, ever since your accident occurred. We talked about you, Owen, and Laura a lot. Your father was married to his work for so long, it was nice to see he and Laura worked on their marriage.”
“Yeah, he became a better father after the accident too.” I smirked.
