Mr Justice

by Piper Sullivan

  “You’re lucky I’m here at all, or did you forget that you didn’t actually ask me to this thing?” I wasn’t even upset about it anymore because I understood it was just who he was. People bent over backwards to help him in any way they could so Walker couldn’t imagine a world where I, the girl who’d been in love with him forever, wouldn’t want to attend a dance with him. “Look, we’re here and we both look good. Let’s have a good time and leave everything else out there. Okay?”

  It was up to Walker how this night went. We could have a good time, one last date filled with laughter and smiles, or we could have a long drawn out and tense goodbye. If he opted for the later, I was headed home to check my email after submitting my graphic novel to at least two dozen different agents over the past couple weeks. His gaze studied me for a long time before he nodded, a slow smile spreading across his handsome freshly-shaved jaw. “Okay.” His fingers wove around mine and he pulled me into the hall.

  My shoulders relaxed at his easy agreement and my own smile felt a bit more genuine as we came to a stop in front of Mayor Ashford and his wife. “Walker. Audrey. You two make a lovely couple!” The mayor’s eyes darted between eyes, a matchmaking sparkle that was hard to miss while his wife simply looked delighted. As always.

  I opened my mouth to tell him we were just friend but Walker pulled me into his side and looked down on me like I was his. Really and truly his, with a big smile and a dark gleam in his eyes. “Thank you kindly, Mrs. Ashford, or do we call you Mrs. Mayor.”

  She tittered prettily and put a hand to her chest. “Some days it feels like that should be my title. Especially with all the Hometown Hero business lately.” She cast a look to the mayor that was loving and affectionate. “You boys have really fired up my Leland. And the publicity has some new businesses interested in our little town.”

  “That’s great to hear,” Walker said with an effortless smile that would do well on the campaign trail. “Happy to do my part.”

  I could see it all so clearly now, the way the future would unfold. Walker and his perfectly sophisticated bride-to-be on the campaign trail wearing matching perfect smiles and eventually, there would be a perfect baby to help him get to the next level. I would be there, far in the background, secretly wishing it was me.

  That’s when I decided to forget about the future we couldn’t have and the baby I would have to tell him about. Eventually. Maybe tonight. Until then I one objective for the evening, enjoy every last second of being with Walker before it all fell apart. I smiled up at him as the mayor led his wife to the dance floor. “Dance?”

  “We don’t have to, Audrey.”

  “I know. I want to.” This would be my last chance to feel his arms around me and to pretend he loved me too. After I told him about the baby and that I planned to raise it without him, he would hate me. Worse, he would go back to ignoring me.

  He tugged me close until his warmth surrounded me and we began to sway to the music, a slow song about a love that almost was had started just as our feet hit the dance floor. I closed my eyes and listened to the lyrics, to the steady beat of Walker’s heart. Inhaled his expensive masculine scent and committed it to memory.

  I don’t know how many songs, fast and slow, we stayed like that but it was nice. So damn nice. “I’m thirsty.” His gaze also said he was hungry but I pushed aside my own hunger and grabbed his hand, tugging him off the dance floor.

  “Let’s get you hydrated old man.” He glared and I laughed as we saddled up to the drinks table where Hope stood beside my brother, looking like she’d just come from some glamorous party in Houston. “A punch and a water, barkeep.”

  Hope wore a pinched expression as she looked at Will but it slowly lit with excitement as she took in my hand clasped in Walker’s. “Hey guys, looking good.”

  “Hope you look beautiful,” Walker told her simply because it was true and I had to suppress a laugh and how pleased she was.

  “Thanks Walker. The black suit was an excellent choice.” A small moment of unspoken communication passed between them and though I wondered what it was, I didn’t bother to ask. Hope wanted things to be more than they were between us, I did too if I was being honest, but it just wasn’t there.

  Walker didn’t want it.

  The song changed from a slow romantic ballad to an upbeat dance song and I tugged on his arm. “Come on, let’s dance.” He wore a confused frown but didn’t fight me as I tugged him away from my brother’s curious stare and back to the dance floor.

  “What’s going on, Audrey?”

  “Nothing,” I said with an innocent shrug. “I’m trying to have a good time.”

  He frowned. “Why?”

  “Why not, Walker? You want me to be sad and moping instead?” There would be plenty of time for that later, thanks to morning sickness if not heartsickness. Probably both.

  “No, I don’t. It’s just…dammit, Audrey. I don’t know how to do this and now I’ve got my best friend staring daggers at me.”

  Nothing else could have served as a more glaring reminder and I took a step back as the song ended. “Excuse me.” Thinking about the baby he didn’t know about and the ongoing relationship my brother didn’t know about had made my stomach a cauldron of acid and mixed emotions. Guilt and anger and sadness bubbled up and if I didn’t find a bathroom fast, it would end up all over his expensive designer shoes.

  “Audrey, wait!”

  I couldn’t wait, not even for Walker, so I ran to the bathroom and emptied the pitiful contents of my stomach until nothing but bile passed my lips. This was the part of being pregnant no one ever told you about, they always talked about tender boobs and nonstop bathroom breaks but no one ever said that morning sickness lasted all day, every day. If they did, the human race would probably die out.

  With my stomach sufficiently empty, I rinsed my mouth, popped a mint and stared long and hard at my reflection. The woman at the dance tonight, in the beautiful dress and makeup with her hair all done, she wasn’t me. She could make it in Walker’s world, but I could not. “Better to rip the bandage off now,” I said to my reflection and went in search of Walker.

  It was time to reveal my secret.

  Our secret.

  The secret.

  The hall outside the bathrooms was thankfully empty, giving me time to gather my thoughts and settle my stomach. There was no way this conversation could go any other way than disastrous. Walker would be furious and he would probably blame me, if not outright accuse me of orchestrating it. I steeled myself for the worst as I moved closer to the music, stopping when I heard my brother’s voice. “What the hell is going on between you and my sister?”

  “What do you mean,” Walker asked, doing his best to sound surprised and a little disgusted by the idea. I tried not to be offended. It didn’t work.

  “What I mean is that you two have been all over each other all night. Dancing slow and close even during fast songs. Those heated glares that threatened to singe all the fucking streamers in the whole damn room! What’s going on and don’t lie to me.”

  Walker laughed. It was brittle and bitter and just a little mortified. “Come on, Will, you know Audrey isn’t my type. We’re friends, nothing more. She’s not even my type,” he scoffed and even though I knew it was for the benefit of my brother, it still hurt and I knew why. Because it was true. I wasn’t Walker’s type, he’d made it abundantly clear time and time again.

  “She sure as hell looks like your type tonight,” Will growled, angrily and unwilling to hear reason.

  He laughed again and even though I couldn’t see him, I knew he was wearing that condescending look he’d given me thousands of times when I followed him and Will around nonstop. “Yeah tonight but every other day she’s dressed like a kid. Let’s not forget her job is basically a hobby, she’s too damn young for me and I’m not interested. Not in the least.”

  I didn’t wait for Will’s response because I didn’t need to. Walker had told him the truth, how he really and truly fe
lt about me because it was what Will needed to hear. But as I made my way out of the community center and into the starry night, I knew that I needed to hear it too. Needed to know that Walker really didn’t feel anything for me, at least nothing beyond desire and the kind of familial affection that came from knowing a person practically your whole life.

  It was just the reminder I needed before I did something truly stupid, like telling Walker about the baby. I knew there was no way to hide it permanently, but by the time I began to show he would probably be in the middle of a campaign and as heartless as it was, I knew what choice he would make if it came down to his dreams or a child with the wrong woman.

  The campaign would win every single time and now that I knew what he thought about me, it was an even easier decision to make. I mourned the decision as I made my way home, my feet screaming that though the drive to the community center had been short, the walk back home would be a tad longer. I kicked off my shoes and held them in one hand, purse tucked under my arm, and let the tears fall as I made my way home.

  Things with Walker had been like a dream come true and a nightmare come to life at the same time. I should have known better, hell I did know better, but being with him was too tempting to pass up so I’d gone in. All in, truthfully, and now I was suffering the consequences.

  On my own.

  By the time I closed and locked the door behind me, enough tears had fallen. My heart was broken but it wasn’t the end of the world. I had a future to build. A child to prepare for.

  I had to be strong.

  And I would be.

  Tomorrow.

  Walker

  Where in the hell was she? After abruptly leaving me alone on the dance floor, Audrey seemed to have disappeared from the dance altogether. I’d gone after her and got waylaid by my nosy best friend, determined to figure out what the hell was going on between me and his sister. Hell if I knew, I just hoped he bought the line of crap I’d shoveled at him for no other reason than to soothe my own guilt. Not for wanting Audrey, but for lying about it.

  That was a price I’d have to pay later. Now, I needed to find Audrey. Hope still stood behind the drinks table, looking beautiful and desperate for some attention but none other than Will’s had been forthcoming. “Hey Hope.”

  “Walker, hi. Having a good time?”

  “I would be, if I could find my date. Have you seen her?”

  She shook her head, the red jeweled barrette in her hair winking under the lights. “I saw her a few minutes ago. She came from the same direction as you and Will.”

  A sinking feeling settled deep in my gut. “How long did you say?”

  “I don’t know, a few minutes. Maybe longer. Time goes very slowly back here, ya know.”

  My lips twitched in amusement even though I was eager to end the conversation and get to Audrey. “You could leave the table, ask someone to dance. Jealousy has a way of making a man admit what he really wants.”

  She snorted, a sound in deep contrast to her appearance. “If I have to play games to get him, I don’t want him. I want a man who knows that I’m what he wants. Period.” Her eyes scanned the room and lit up, but I didn’t care enough to see if the target was Will or someone else. “Good luck, Walker.”

  “Yeah, thanks,” I grumbled and headed for the door, angry that Audrey would up and leave the dance like that.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Janey and Nina appeared out of nowhere, arms crossed and wearing identical expressions of dismay on their faces.

  “I need to find Audrey.”

  “Later,” Janey insisted and grabbed one arm while Nina grabbed the other. “It’s time to crown the Spring Fling Prince and Princess and unfortunately for you, we don’t need Audrey for that. Just you.” She flashed a placating smile that made me want to howl at the delay but I had obligations tonight which meant Audrey would have to wait.

  Which she well knew, damn her. I let Janey pull me across the decorated hall, paying no attention to the grumbled words coming out of her mouth because I was too busy wondering what Audrey heard me say to her brother. More importantly I was wondering if she’d heard the part I most feared she’d heard.

  “But every other day she’s dressed like a kid. Let’s not forget her job is basically a hobby, she’s too damn young for me and I’m not interested. Not in the least.”

  If she heard that I might as well forget any delusions I had about us being together because Audrey would never, ever forgive me. And it was all my own damn fault for not realizing how I felt sooner, for pretending that this was the same casual affair it’d been more than a year ago in that hotel in New York. Hell, it was my fault for lying to my best friend about how I felt about her.

  Now I would have to pay the price, however steep it was. My thoughts wouldn’t stop swirling and I barely remembered placing the crowns on the teen’s heads or leading the Princess to the dance floor, but it had all happened. Somehow.

  “This is kinda dumb, huh?” The young feminine voice drew me from obsessing over my own thoughts and I looked down into pretty blue eyes with a lot of makeup.

  “Dumb? Hell no, this is great. Especially for the Princess. Why is it dumb?”

  She did that half shoulder shrug thing that teenagers thought passed for actual communication. “I dunno, you don’t even want to be here.”

  Dammit, she was right. “Maybe but that’s because the girl I’m interested in isn’t here. But you look beautiful, you’ve been voted Spring Fling Princess and the Prince can’t take his eyes off you. Why is any of that dumb?” Her cheeks pinkened adorably, reminding me of another girl who had no idea just how beautiful she was.

  “You don’t have to…say that.”

  “I’m not,” I told her honestly. “You’re young as hell but you’re beautiful and there are plenty of guys your own age who see it.” I nodded around the room and her gaze followed, a smile spreading as she noticed more than a few boys sizing her up.

  “Wow.”

  “Just take it easy on them. Boys are more sensitive than they let on.”

  She rolled her eyes and took a step back. “Yeah right, but thanks Mr. Spring Fling.” Her laugh drew a few stares and I gave her a mock glare.

  “That’s Your Highness to you, Princess.”

  The song ended and she stepped back with a wide smile. “Thanks, Your Highness. Good luck with your girl.”

  “Thanks. Enjoy your reign.” She giggled and walked away, joining a group of squealing girls all dolled up and hoping to get noticed by the right person.

  With my royal obligations for the evening complete, except for the leading the last dance with my own lady, I was free to mix and mingle for the rest of the night. Except there was just one woman, one person I wanted to mingle with and she’d left me high and dry.

  And it was my own damn fault. That thought played in my mind as I said my goodbyes to almost everyone in attendance and made my way out of the community center, tie half undone and shirtsleeves rolled up my forearms, eager to get to Audrey. Desperate to see her, to hold her while I cleared the air between us.

  If the air could be cleaned, which I still wasn’t convinced of, but I was a determined man. The son of famous scientists, I knew more than a little about being stubborn and insistent, almost overbearing. And I would be because this mattered, because she mattered.

  All the lights were off when I cut the engine in her driveway, staring up at the second floor windows for any sign that the darkness was an effort to hide from me, rather than the other thought, that she was alone in the dark hurt and crying because of me, which gutted me. I don’t know how long I sat there, waiting, hoping she would somehow feel my presence and come to the door with that knowing look, half annoyed and half pleased, to see me.

  I loved those looks.

  Finally I found my courage and stepped from the car, making my way up the stairs in slow, deliberate steps until her blue door stared at me, illuminated by the yellowish motion light Will had installed for her. Suckin
g a deep breath, I let it out with the knock and waited.

  And waited.

  And waited some more. Audrey never opened the door and no sounds came from the other side of the door, which worried me and pissed me off. Maybe the words I said to Will weren’t all that wrong if her first instinct was to run. Again.

  After a night of pretending to sleep, I woke up at the crack of dawn exhausted and in a bad mood. Those stupid words to Will had played in my mind on a loop, my own stupid smug words lashing me like a whip with every syllable. Audrey wasn’t a kid, she was a grown woman who had built up her own business that gave her the freedom to live in a small town like Tulip while also being happy.

  She was beautiful without a doubt, even in her constant uniform of jeans and a graphic t-shirt, which weren’t sophisticated but they suited her and I couldn’t image her without them. Well, I could, but that was a different context altogether. In the bedroom or against the wall, we were explosive together. Audrey was a sensual delight, willing to try new things as long as the end goal was achieved. Pleasure.

  She wasn’t outgoing but that was okay, wasn’t it? Lissa had been outgoing and it hadn’t helped our marriage from failing. Audrey was open and honest with those she trusted and kind to strangers, did it matter if she could charm future voters and politician’s wives?

  Hell no.

  She had her own money even if she wasn’t rolling in cash, and when it came to Audrey I realized I would be more than happy to take care of her in anyway that would make her smile at me the way she used to.

  “Shit.” My legs were unsteady and I took my mug of coffee to the kitchen table as the truth sank in. I loved Audrey. I was in love with Audrey, my best friend’s little sister and worse?

  She fit all my criteria. Well almost all, the age thing couldn’t be changed and it didn’t matter to me where she was concerned. I wanted her, needed her in my life and at my side.

  Now I just had to prove it to her.

  Audrey

  “Mom…I need you.” The words came out on a harsh, shaky whisper because I was scared. I was terrified. After spending an hour, closer to two, crying about anything and everything I could think of, from being pregnant by a man I’ve loved forever an learning that he thought I was nothing more than an aimless kid, to how I would be able to build a business strong enough to support me and a child, I fell into a fitful sleep. Needless to say my thoughts swirled and swirled for I don’t know how long before sleep finally claimed me.