All Chapters of Mr. Hayes’ Secret Heir: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

I rushed back to the living room and dropped onto the couch, pretending to be deep in the app, when Mason stormed past and went straight up to his office.My mind kept chewing on what Naomi said about the agreement. What it meant. What it had to do with Mason. I thought about calling Chase, asking what he knew about her, then stopped myself. None of it was my business.Still, it bothered me.The truth was I still had feelings for Mason. Those last few days in Chicago, before we moved, it had felt like something was shifting between us, like he might finally close the distance.I had my fingers crossed that he'd close the gap soon. But now Naomi had shown up, and from the look of things, there was already something there. So I decided to let the hope dim. To take myself out of the equation. Not that I was ever really in it.After Ruben, I swore one thing to myself. I would never be the reason another woman hurt. With all those women he brought home, I used to think, this already cuts,

Dressed and ready, I stood in front of the mirror one last time.The plum dress Mason had chosen for me. Hair pinned, makeup done. I breathed slow and tried to settle the nerves. I was only meeting his parents. It wasn't as though I had to impress anyone. This was about Lior. What I should care about was them taking to him, accepting him.But if I was being honest, somewhere underneath, a part of me wanted them to like me too."You've got this," I muttered, and went to join Mason and Lior in the car."You look beautiful, Mommy," Lior said as I slid in next to him."So do you, my handsome little prince." He really did, in the black suit Mason had put him in."I'm the prince! And Daddy's the king, and you're the queen!"Mason, who'd been watching me since I got in without a word, reached over and rubbed Lior's hair. "That's right."The driver pulled off.When we slowed in front of his parents' house, my nerves tripled. The place was even bigger than Mason's, and Mason's was already huge

I followed Mason inside and up the stairs to his room. He pushed the door open and stood back to let me in.At the threshold I hesitated. Something about crossing it felt like agreeing to more than a conversation. He waited, one hand on the door, watching me, until I made my feet move and stepped past him. The door clicked shut behind me.He sat on the edge of the bed. I sat beside him, careful to leave space between us.He was quiet a long while before he let out a breath. "Why are you avoiding me?""I'm not.""I saw you this morning. Tiptoeing out of the house like a thief.""I was being careful not to wake Lior. It was early.""And coming back past midnight? How do you explain that one?""Nicholas and I lost track of time. That's all."A muscle ticked in his cheek. "Is he going to be a problem for us?""I don't understand the question. There's no us."He dragged a hand down his face. "Let me start with Naomi. There's nothing between us. She isn't my girlfriend, never was, never wil

"Where?" I asked, keeping my voice as low as his.Nicholas tipped his head at a table across the room.I waited a beat before I looked. Mason, Chase, and Bryan, sitting together, deep in talk. But Mason wasn't looking our way, not like Nicholas said. He was staring down into the liquid in his glass while Chase talked and Bryan wore that bored, faraway look.Then Mason lifted his eyes from the glass, and I pulled mine away before they could meet his."You're seeing things," I told Nicholas. "He's not looking over here."He shrugged. "If you say so."A little while later he got to his feet, saying he had an errand to run for his mother and that he'd leave Hannah and me to catch up. "Don't be a stranger," he told her, and then he was gone.His seat had barely gone cold before I turned to Hannah, a grin tugging at my mouth. "So. Tell me everything. How did it feel when Chase handed back the phone you forgot?"She groaned into her hands. "The most awkward moment of my entire life. But he's

When we walked into the hall, Nicholas told me the event was a fundraiser for children with illnesses whose families couldn't cover the cost of care.Hearing that, I was glad I'd come. The cause hit closer to home than he could have known.The first stretch of the night was all moving through the room, greeting guests. I smiled so many polite smiles my cheeks started to ache. Then we ran into Nicholas's mother, who was there too, and my nerves shot straight up.She surprised me, her smile warm as she greeted me. "How are you finding the project?"I walked her through where things stood."I hope Nicholas is teaching you something worth knowing?""She's a natural, Mom," Nicholas said before I could answer.I blinked at him, not expecting that.She looked me over, then her mouth curved. "With Mr. Hayes behind you and Nicholas singing your praises, you won't have any trouble finding your footing here."She touched my arm. "Enjoy the rest of your night. I need to go say hello to someone."