by Casey Hagen
"Thank God you're here." He recognized Corrine's sister Hannah from the pictures of her around Corrine's condo. The baby bump was new. From the looks, she was in her final month of pregnancy. "I didn't know how much longer I could keep my mouth shut. She's buzzing around in there happy as a clam. I don't get it."
"Our mother is happy? Who drugged her?"
Hannah let out a ringing laugh much like Corrine's. "So, introduce me to your new guy!"
"Hannah, this is Everett Harden. Everett, this is my sister Hannah."
Everett reached out a hand and shook hers. "It's great to finally meet you. When are you due?"
"God willing, in two weeks. I'm ready for this to be over."
"My sister was the same way with each one. She hated when she couldn't see her feet. She wasn't the most graceful person to begin with, but toward the end, it was all we could do to keep her from moving around too much. She tripped over everything."
"I know the feeling well. Come on in."
Everett took his cues from Corrine. After entering, she interlocked her fingers with his. He took it as a positive sign. She had been so keyed up about her parents’ reactions to them. Understandably so. She went from engaged, almost married, to being seriously involved with him only two weeks later. It was a lot for any parent to take on. His own parents might have been skeptical if it had been him breaking an engagement and meeting someone new in such a short span of time.
The inside of the house left much to be desired. Ivory paint, ivory furnishings, no personal pictures anywhere so far. Artwork, in thick frames, hung heavy in the center of the larger walls. A wide, curving staircase reached up at least fifteen feet to the second floor. The hallway held a smattering of small tables with intricately designed vases. How did they grow up here? Kids ran, they yelled, they screamed with energy, from the time their little eyes opened in the morning until they collapsed exhausted into bed each night.
They passed a sitting room, an office, and a library, none of which held a single family photo he could see. French doors in the back of the house stood open to a large veranda. A tall woman, in a tailored ivory suit, poured drinks over ice-filled glasses. Spotting them, she paused. He noticed the narrowing of her eyes on him.
This must be the infamous Lanelle. With a quick look, she appeared to be in her forties, but he knew from what Corrine told him she was closer to sixty. A light breeze fluttered through the potted flowers decorating the space, but Lanelle's hair didn't move.
As they stepped onto the veranda, two men stood to greet them.
"Corrine, you look well."
"Thank you, Daddy." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, when he gave her an impersonal hug.
"Great to see you, Corrine!" Hannah's husband said. Everett recognized him from the wedding photo on her end table. He pulled Corrine in for a tight hug, something his family would have done. He liked Josh immediately.
"Daddy, Josh, this is Everett Harden. Everett, my dad Martin and Hannah's adorable husband, Josh."
He shook hands with each of them. "Nice to meet you both."
She turned to her mother. "And this is my mother, Lanelle. Mom, this is Everett Harden."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Anderson."
"And you, Mr. Harden."
"Please, call me Everett."
"Everett."
He took her hand. Her floral scent shrouded him, reminding him of his deceased grandmother. He loved the woman, but he’d steered clear of her overpowering scent.
"Please, have a seat."
He waited for the ladies to sit and took the offered drink. Corrine's usual vibrancy and enthusiasm had disappeared the moment they stepped into the house. He held out hope this was just first-meeting awkwardness, but an uncomfortable tension seemed to settle over the group.
"So, Everett, what do you do for a living?"
"I work in finance."
"Oh? Who do you work for?"
"Right now, I'm an independent contractor. I'm considering a position with a company, but I'm not convinced it's the right move."
"Seems as though it could be more lucrative, with chances for advancement and benefits," Lanelle offered.
He noticed how Corrine stiffened up with Lanelle’s commentary on his career choice. In an effort to put Corrine at ease, he smiled. "It seems that way, but I assure you, I do very well working for myself, so the money and benefits aren't my primary concerns."
"So why are you considering the switch?" Martin asked as he took a seat and swirled his drink.
"My work is demanding. I have to travel a lot. I'm constantly fielding issues at all hours of the day. If I'm ever going to have a personal life, a family of my own, I need to have the time to invest."
Martin nodded. "Ahh, that's the wonderful thing about Lanelle here." He patted Lanelle's shoulder and smiled. "She runs this family like a well-oiled machine."
She ran it too well, if you asked Everett. So well that her kids had missed out on the fun of being kids. They’d missed their absentee father. Everett was starting to understand why Lanelle was so stiff and judgmental. She had dedicated her life to doing what was expected of her. Did Lanelle ever get to go after a single one of her dreams? Did she even realize she still could?
Martin seemed oblivious to the grimace on Lanelle's face. Hannah's eyes volleyed between her parents. She sat on the edge of her seat, seeming to anticipate something. Josh quietly watched as he massaged Hannah’s back. Corrine stared off at the lush rose garden spilling over the back corner of the property. Everett didn't know what the hell was going on with this family, but he couldn't wait to get Corrine out of there.
27 The Distance
Corrine had grown more quiet and distant with each step they took into Lanelle's world. She shut down, leaving him there to field the questions while trying to figure out the family dynamic. He thought he finally had it. Martin was oblivious to the demands he put on his family, being a world-renowned cardiologist. Hannah lay in wait to see if someone, anyone, in this family would just speak up. She still seemed to believe there was hope. Lanelle retreated into herself, and over the years, she had grown bitter and resentful that she’d dedicated her life to serving her husband.
In the twenty minutes since they had arrived, Corrine had retreated into herself much like Everett imagined Lanelle had years ago with Martin. The thought left him cold and pissed off. Was this what they would turn into? Corrine already showed all the signs. She tempered her personality to suit her parents. She worried about how others viewed her appearance. She stayed quiet and pretended none of this was even happening.
Well, that wouldn't work for him. "With all due respect, Martin, I'm in love with your daughter. If I have my way, we'll spend our lives together. I plan to do my part. I expect Corrine to do the same, which means she needs to launch this jewelry line. She needs to sink every bit of money and time she can into it. Hopefully, if I'm lucky, she'll want me right there, by her side."
Corrine's mouth hung open. Lanelle almost spilled the refill she’d started pouring for her husband. Hannah clasped her husband's hand, and they both watched him, grinning. Martin's eyes narrowed, as he weighed the sincerity of Everett's words.
The doorbell sounded. "I'll just go and get that." Lanelle hurried into the house.
"You're leaving Ross and Dunham?" Martin asked.
"I am, Daddy. I'm sorry, I know you must be disappointed—"
"Disappointed? It's about damn time. You think I don't understand what it's like to want something? I didn't make it through medical school on a whim. I didn't give up time with my family lightly. When you have a calling, you have a calling."
Finding a whole new level of respect for Martin, Everett put his arm around Corrine. "You need to believe in yourself, Angel."
"Well, would you look who dropped by," Lanelle announced.
They all turned. Hannah choked on her drink, spraying her mouthful all over the veranda. Martin frowned. Josh narrowed his eyes. The blood drained from Corrine's beautifu
l face. Everett wondered how the hell they all knew his prospective new boss.
"Jordan. What are you doing here?" Corrine demanded.
"Lanelle mentioned you would be coming for dinner and thought it might be a good time for us to talk."
"I have nothing to say."
"Well, I have a few things to say, if you'll hear me out."
"It won't matter. I'm not changing my mind." Corrine laid her hand over Everett’s arm.
Finally, Jordan seemed to notice he was there. "Everett Harden. Small world. Good to see you."
Everett shook his hand. Had she been engaged to Jordan Hunt of Hunt Industries? Was this really freaking happening right now?
"Likewise."
"Any chance you've made a decision about my offer?"
Corrine's eyes snapped to his. He had seen that look. Shit.
"I'll call you tomorrow to discuss it. I don't think this is the time or place."
"I'll look forward to your call."
"Let's get this over with," Corrine said, and headed into the house.
She was gone for a good ten minutes. Everett engaged in conversation with Hannah and Josh about their jobs and tried not to worry. Lanelle cast frequent glances into the house, leaning toward the door, no doubt hoping to overhear bits of Corrine and Jordan's conversation.
When Corrine finally came out, her skin was pale, her expression drawn. "I don't feel much like dinner. Everett, could you please take me home?"
When she wouldn't look at him, his stomach sank. "Whatever you want."
"You can't leave. I have a whole meal for seven waiting," Lanelle said.
"You invited Jordan for dinner?" Hannah asked incredulously.
"Of course. Corrine ended things so abruptly and then took off with, with—"
"Everett," Everett said.
"This is all happening so fast. What if she realized her mistake and didn't feel she could reach out to make it right?"
"It isn't up to you! Why don't you understand that? Please, let's go, Everett."
He stood and shook each of their hands and offered a smile he didn't feel. Corrine walked ahead of him, leading them out of the house. By the time she hit the front walk, she practically ran. In the car, she leaned against the door, staring out the window. Her body turned away from him. With each mile, her silence grew deafening.
At her condo, she unlocked her door and turned to him. She wouldn't meet his eyes. "I'm tired. Can we call it a night?"
Hell no! They weren't going out like that. No way, no how.
She should have known Everett wouldn't leave quietly. Before Jordan arrived, the stilted visit had caused an awkwardness between them. Unsure of how much was on her and how much was on him, she’d let it go. Then Jordan arrived. She thought she would never have to see him again. Her meddlesome mother had outdone herself tonight by inviting him. Then to find out he not only knew Everett, but had also offered him a job.
She couldn't do it. The idea of ending things with Everett gutted her in ways ending things with Jordan never did. What choice did she have? He’d mentioned the job offer he was considering. He’d told her dad he needed to make changes in order to have the family he wanted. The idea of him working for Hunt Industries turned her stomach. How long before he grew bored with her and took part in the games Jordan and his bigwigs preferred? Getting further involved with Everett would post the same risk as if she gave Jordan a second chance.
"You want to tell me what the hell happened back there?" He paced her living room, his hands clenched.
"I'm sorry. I told you, my mother—"
"Enough!" He stopped before her, his mouth hard, eyes flashing.
Corrine reared back. "I'm not sure what you expect from me."
"I expect to talk to the woman I fell in love with. Not whatever version that was of her tonight. You think you can do that, Corrine?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh no? I think you do. For someone so angry with her mother, you sure do act a lot like her."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You sat there quiet, withdrawn, almost catatonic, while we all talked. What the hell was that?"
"You don't understand."
"You're goddamned right I don't! Everyone is rooting for you except your mother, yet her opinion is the only one you care about. Why? Did it ever occur to you she's hard on you because she's jealous? What did she give up so your dad could have his career? Did you ever ask her?"
She hadn't. She hadn't even thought about it. What did that say about her, that she never once thought about what her mother gave up to make way for her father's success?
"Fair enough. I haven't asked her, and I guess I should. Since you're so big on questions…are you considering working for Jordan?"
"I've thought about it."
The image of him in the conference room, among the other men, doing what they were doing, flashed in her head. What if it was him? She thought it hurt when Jordan betrayed her. Everett's betrayal would kill her. "This isn't going to work. I can't do this. I can't be with someone working in a corporation like his." She moved to open the door, to show him out.
He slapped his hand against the door over her head, holding it shut. "Don't do this." The feel of his cheek brushing against hers made hot tears rush to her eyes. "I love you. I know you love me. Don't let something like this get between us. Please."
She wanted to curl into him, to take comfort in him. She wanted him to surround her with his love, but she was too damn scared. If she got too attached, she could lose everything. She couldn't risk it.
She turned away. "Just go. Please." With the absence of his warmth, the tears fell. With one hand grasping the door, he stepped out, but turned back. "I'm not giving up on us, even if you do." With those final words, he pulled the door closed with a resounding thud.
The silence echoed. Through her tears, Corrine stumbled into her room. Hugging her pillow, she cried until she had nothing left and fell into a fitful sleep.
28 Determination
Unable to sleep more than a couple hours at a time, Corrine threw herself into her Fiji line. She found the stones in the quantities necessary to put together twenty pieces. She created four delicate rings—two in sterling silver, one in gold, and one in platinum. For each ring she created a matching set of earrings. Matching necklaces and earrings were the standard, but Corrine didn’t want to do the standard. She wanted to make her own mark.
After creating the sets, she focused on bracelet and necklace combos. The pieces were bolder, heavier, and bursting with vibrant shades of blue and ivory. All but the last set. The last set was inspired by the two nights she and Everett enjoyed the sunset. The first, the night they argued. The second, the night she invited him to her bed and changed the course of her life forever. She would never look at love the same again. She knew to her very core what true love felt like and she doubted she could ever feel it for another man.
She cried through the creation of the necklace she chose as the centerpiece of the collection. Every time she set a stone, a flash of memory would steal her breath and leave her shaken. She hoped with time her sadness would ease, but if anything, it only increased. Corrine struggled to eat and only slept when exhaustion took over. She awoke to an overwhelming despair crushing her chest at what she’d had and lost.
Alexa called her daily and stopped by every evening. She’d begun bringing Corrine protein shakes from the smoothie bar around the corner. “To keep you from withering away,” she’d said. Corrine consumed the shakes without tasting them.
The night before her meeting, she completed her twenty pieces and went through her sketchbook to perfect each of the remaining thirty sketches for her Fiji line. Her shattered heart beat painfully in her chest through the entire process.
Monday afternoon, she packed up the samples and readied herself for dinner with Dustin at Quince. She took a long bath to soak stiff muscles from hours spent hunched over her worktable. She shaved, somethi
ng she hadn’t bothered with since the morning of the day she’d taken Everett to dinner with her parents. She wouldn’t even have bothered, but she’d chosen a deep red sleeveless dress with a high neck. She went for classy and hoped she had some sort of miracle makeup in her bag that could cover up how misery had ravaged her face.
At the sound of the doorbell, she moved to answer the door, wary, since she wasn’t expecting anyone. She checked the peephole and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Alexa on the other side.
“Tell me you have a miracle in that bag,” Corrine said as she stepped aside to let in her longtime friend.
“What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t step up to fix”—she turned to Corrine and winced—“that?”
“It’s that bad?”
“Honey, I haven’t seen dark circles like that since our college days.”
“Oh, God.”
“Never fear. Let’s get to work. We don’t want you to be late.”
Corrine dropped into one of her dining room chairs at Alexa’s insistence—meaning her shove.
“You know, hon, I’ve been careful with you all week, but enough is enough.”
Corrine closed her eyes as Alexa smoothed on eye shadow base. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“You’re hiding. That’s what you’re doing. I don’t know what to make of it. You have a man that loves you more than anything. You took a freaking phenomenal vacation that I’ll forever be jealous of. And you’re making your dreams come true.”
“He hasn’t even called me.”
“Can you blame him? Really, Corrine? He’s laid it all on the line for you, and you pushed him away.”
Corrine grabbed Alexa’s arm and pulled it away from her face. “How can you say that to me?”
“You’re my best friend—how can I not say it to you? You’ve let Jordan and your mother scare you into pulling back from the best thing that ever happened to you.”
“I—”
“You’ve let them! You have your whole life ahead of you, and you could be doing all of this with a man who would do anything to make you happy. Instead, you’re making yourself miserable and sick, denying yourself a loving man who wants a life with you.”