Deceived by You

by Marilyn Williams

  “I wanted us to talk and try to reach a mutual resolution.”

  He grimaced as he stroked his beard. “How did he end up here?”

  “He began a tirade about I’m not good enough for you, I lacked class, and I’m riding your coattail. Anyway, I told him he needs to get used to me being around because I’m not going anywhere.” She blew her nose and continued. “That’s when he collapsed. He just hit the floor in front of me. I didn’t know what to do, so I yelled for James and called 911.”

  He took her hand and stroked it. He knew she blamed herself. “This is not your fault. Although I don’t like that you saw him without telling me, but I’m glad you were there. If not, we might have dealt with a different situation.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “He might not appreciate your actions, but I do. Did you call my mother?”

  “I did. She said to keep her updated, and she’ll come if you need her.”

  The door swung open, and a short man with salt and pepper hair entered. “Hi, I’m Dr. Tiller.” He stepped forward with his hand extended.

  He stood and shook the doctor’s hand. “I’m Justin Harrington, and this is Ava Sinclair.”

  He promptly shook Ava’s hand. “And you are Mr. Harrington’s son, correct?”

  “Yes. Can you explain why my father collapsed?”

  His eyes darted towards Ava.

  “She’s family, so please tell me what you can.”

  “It appears your father suffered a stroke. Right now, we’re conducting a CT scan to determine if there is a blood clot or bleeding of the brain.”

  “And if there is?”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s best to wait for the results instead of speculating. You should pat yourself on the back for your fast response. Mr. Harrington arrived within the window of time to receive the best treatment.”

  “That’s all on Ava. She was with him when it happened.”

  The doctor turned towards her and smiled. “You should be proud of yourself. Most people ignore the early signs of a stroke, and by the time they arrive at the ER, it’s too late.”

  Justin’s eyes formed slits as he glared at the doctor. His words sounded more like a PSA instead of specifics concerning his father’s condition. “Will he be up for a visit when he returns?”

  “Sure. It shouldn’t be no more than another twenty-minutes, and I’ll circle back to speak with you guys.”

  “How are you feeling?” Ava asked, after the doctor left the room.

  “I haven’t thought once about the animosity between us. I just want him to be okay.” Justin then remembered he was supposed to be on a plane to Atlanta. “Give me a sec. I have to call Becky.” He made a quick call and asked Becky to push back the meeting a few days. He needed to make sure his father was okay before he could think about business. After he hung up, he suggested he and Ava grabbed a quick bite to eat in the cafeteria. He ate half his salad, and Ava picked at her chicken sandwich. She can never eat when she’s stressed. Justin made a mental note to take her on a well needed vacation once the stress in their lives diminished.

  When they returned to his father’s room, he found him lying with his eyes closed, hooked to an IV. Justin sat in the chair beside the bed, while Ava stepped outside, insisting on giving him privacy. He stared at the man who had caused immense havoc in his life in recent months. Justin wanted nothing more for him wake up and be the person he remembered. His best friend, his mentor, and accepting of all decisions he’d made in his life.

  He moved the chair closer to the bed and placed his hand on his father’s shoulder. “Dad, I know we’ve been at each other’s throats, and we’ve said hurtful and cruel things to one another. If you’re willing, we can get past it and be who we used to be.”

  His father’s eyes fluttered and then open wide. His eyes shifted left to right like he was trying to determine where he was. “Dad, it’s okay, you’re in the hospital.” Justin stood and pressed the button for the nurse. Chris didn’t speak as he seemed more confused. Within seconds, a nurse entered the room. “Did you call for a nurse?” she asked, looking right at Justin.

  “Yes, my father is awake, and he seems confused and disoriented.”

  “Don’t be alarmed, that’s very common.” She viewed the monitor that displayed his blood pressure and heart rate. “I’ll notify Dr. Tiller.”

  She exited, and within minutes the doctor entered. He stated Chris suffered an ischemic stroke caused by a blood clot. They started an intravenous medication to break up the clot and they’ll admit him for a few days for observation. During that time, the doctor will assess his father’s motor skills and determine if he needed any rehabilitation.

  Once the doctor left, Justin texted his mother with an update. He then turned his attention to his father. “Did you hear the doctor, dad? You’ll be just fine.” Chris looked at him, still unable to speak. He moved his hand over Justin’s and did a gentle squeeze. Justin smiled. Just maybe he’ll get his father back. “We’ll get through this and start over. Okay?”

  Chris nodded his head.

  Justin turned his head towards the door as it slowly crept opened. Ava peeked her head in. “Is it okay if I come in?” she asked.

  “Sure. The doctor said he has to stay for observation but remained optimistic about his recovery.”

  “That’s good.” She moved closer to the bed and placed her hand on Chris’ arm. “I’m glad you’ll be okay, Mr. Harrington.”

  He couldn’t speak, but the reaction to her touch spoke volumes. He repelled her touch with a jerk of his arm, and his gaze was like razor-sharp daggers.

  Justin shook his head and expelled a heavy sigh. Nothing has changed.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Six months have passed. It’s now Fall, and the holidays were fast approaching. She and Justin were unpacking boxes in their new beach home. The picturesque home sat right on La Jolla beach, with the shoreline only steps away. Two months ago, they began their search. She scoured the internet for the perfect house. After narrowing it down to five homes, this one captured her heart the moment she exited the car. She didn’t have to go inside to know it was the one. The three-story home has an outdoor gate that leads to the white sandy beach. A black, wrought-iron stair rail and black-trimmed windows provide the perfect accent to the white walls and white marble floors. The pocket doors in the living room lead to the outdoor living space that included an outdoor kitchen and a fire pit. She and Justin didn’t have to negotiate the price because the seller was eager to sell and accepted an offer below listing.

  The past months had been one trying time after another. The hospital discharged Justin’s father, and he received rehabilitation to learn to walk and speak again. He now gets around with the aid of a cane, and his speech has improved enough to form full sentences. Ava hasn’t seen him since he left the hospital, but Justin has kept her up to speed with his progress.

  Chris needed full-time care, and Justin stepped up to provide it. It’s more of a testament to his willingness to forgive. He’d said his father’s health was more important than anything he’s done in the past. She doesn’t know how much of that reasoning he believed or was wishful thinking, because when he’s with his father, he doesn’t speak her name. Justin claimed it was best if she kept her distance until Chris was better. Ava told him he’s delaying the inevitable by not forcing his dad to accept their relationship. Because once he’s completely healed, he’ll revert to form and try to break them up. Justin doesn’t believe it. He believes time will heal what was broken, and once Chris is back to being himself, he’ll let his vendetta go. But she knew better.

  “Can you believe this day has finally arrived?” asked Ava, as she carried a box into the master bedroom.

  “After all, we’ve gone through, we deserved peace and quiet in our own little paradise.” Justin removed the box from her arms. “Here, let me help you with that.”

  “I clearly wrote master bedroom on the box, but the movers placed it in the ki
tchen.”

  “Considering the home is unfurnished, they probably didn’t know which room to place it in. If it was up to me, I would’ve waited until we had a designer fully furnish the place.”

  Ava rolled her eyes. Rich people. “Why pay someone when I can decorate and choose my own furniture?”

  Justin placed the box on the floor and turned towards her. “Sweetheart, the whole point is for you to work with the designer.”

  “Do you realize the length of time it takes to furnish each room in a house of this size? Besides, your mother was ecstatic when you decided not to sell your house and allowed her to stay there as long as she wanted.”

  “Yeah, and I’m thankful she insisted we take our bed and couch with us. At least we’ll have a place to sleep and sit.”

  “Now who’s being melodramatic? Besides our bedroom, we furnished most of the main floor. But, to appease you, I’ll begin furniture shopping right away for the rest of the home, and if I need help, I’ll hire someone. With Thanksgiving weeks away, I would love for us to entertain here.”

  He placed his hand around her wrist and pulled her close. “Can we take a break unpacking? I want to take you somewhere.”

  “Now? We still have plenty to do.”

  “It’s not far and won’t take long.” He reached for his keys in his khaki shorts and dangled them in the air. “Let’s go.”

  They drove less than two miles to his office building. That’s one of the other reasons he was eager to move. He no longer had to fight morning traffic to get to work. As they trekked up the walkway, she assumed they were there because he needed to do something quick for work. He held on to her hand with a devilish grin in the elevator. What is he up to? When they exited the twelfth floor, instead of turning left towards his office, he led her to the right.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  He remained silent as he placed a key in the door at the end of the hall.

  “I thought this was Rebecca’s office?”

  “Not any longer.” He opened the door.

  “What do you mean?”

  He ushered her inside. The office was just as large as his, surrounded with ceiling to floor windows. It was furnished with a glass and chrome desk with a white leather chair. A white leather couch sat near a window, and a rose gold rug accented the white tile floor. She turned and faced Justin. “Explain, please.”

  “As you know, I couldn’t handle the disaster at the lakeside hotel because of my father’s stroke. Therefore, Becky took charge and impressed the hell out of me. That’s why I promoted her to Regional Director and decided to keep the Atlanta office. I’m expanding to the East Coast, and Atlanta will now be our secondary headquarters.”

  “Are you searching for someone to fill the vacancy she left behind?”

  Justin closed the office door. “Not exactly.”

  “Justin!” She placed her hand on her hip and eyed him sternly. “I know there’s a reason we’re in this office, so what is it?”

  “I’ve reorganized certain divisions, and that left an opening I would love to offer to you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you. There’s an opening on my executive team and with your background, you’ll be the perfect fit.”

  She moved closer and faced him. “That’s sweet, but you know what my goals are.”

  “Let’s sit.” He reached for her hand and led her to the couch. “If you recall, I wanted to discuss your career goals months ago.”

  “Yes, that was before everything around us had become crazy.”

  “You desired to have your own company, but that’ll take time to build. I believe I have a mutually beneficial offer.”

  “A charity position working for you is not what I consider to be mutually beneficial.”

  “Ava, I want you as my Chief Financial Officer of JTH Properties. You will develop our financial strategies, work directly with our investors, and banking partners. With your background and education in finance, it’s a natural fit.”

  “What about your current CFO?”

  “He’s moving his family to Virginia. His mom is sick, and there isn’t any other family nearby. I have until the end of the month to find a replacement.”

  She drifted her eyes as she thought about his offer. As attractive as it was, it still felt like he was swooping in to save her.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “If you accept, you’ll feel as if you’re working for me.”

  “That’s the problem, Justin. You’ll be my boyfriend and boss. The two shouldn’t mix.”

  “What if I offer you equity shares?”

  She narrowed her eyes, causing her brows to knit together. “Equity shares? Without investing a dime into your company. Why?”

  “I know you’ll work hard to add to the success of the company, and I value what you bring to the table. We can discuss percentages later, but the figure I had in mind was twenty percent.”

  “We would be together here and at home. Some couples can’t handle that much togetherness.”

  “We’re not like other couples. I wouldn’t mind seeing you all day, every day.” He scooted closer to her and kissed her neck. “Just think. We can take tension release breaks together.”

  “What exactly is a tension release break?” She laughed as he nuzzled her neck with his nose.

  “We can do this and other x-rated things.” He pulled her into a kiss, pressing her body against his.

  “You’re making it hard to turn you down.”

  “That’s the idea.” He leaned back, pulling her on top of him.

  Ava continued to kiss Justin, pulling away briefly. “You know, the CEO fraternizing with an employee is considered unprofessional.”

  His hand brushed away the hair that fell over her eye. “You would be my partner, not an employee.”

  “Justin, we’re not married. Are you sure you want to give away a percentage of your company?”

  “I’ve considered all the pros and cons and have no qualms about it.”

  “You have given me so many blessings. I can never repay you.”

  “You already have by being in my life.”

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Two weeks ago, Justin not only finalized the purchase of a home for himself and Ava, but she also agreed to come work with him at JTH Properties. He didn’t expect her to say yes right away, because he had assumed it would’ve been a tougher sell. Nevertheless, he’s overjoyed they’ll soon work together.

  “You offered her twenty percent?” asked Chase.

  He and Justin were at a Mexican restaurant for lunch. It’s been months since they’ve last seen each other.

  “It seems like plenty, but it isn’t.” Justin placed a spoonful of tortilla soup in his mouth. “I want Ava to know I value her and see her as an equal. Her income and any profit earned is going into the same financial pot.”

  “Until it isn’t. You don’t know what will happen in the future. You might end up giving away your company.”

  Justin wiped his mouth and laughed. "Because you’re divorced, I can see why you feel that way. Ava and I are different.”

  Chase frowned. “All bitter women are the same. They aren’t satisfied until they’ve taken everything you have. Their goal is to leave you broke and alone.”

  He didn’t agree with his friend’s grim outlook. “You weren’t smart enough to protect yourself. If you had Trista sign a prenup, she wouldn’t have walked away with half of your fortune.”

  Chase bit into his burrito and stared at his friend.

  “What’s that look for?” asked Justin. “I’m just telling the truth.”

  “You know she refused to sign a prenup and threatened to break off the engagement.”

  “That was your red flag.” Justin finished the last of his soup and chased it down with water. He’d become annoyed with everyone’s negative advice and comments about his relationship with Ava.

  “Hey man, I’m sorry. After everything yo
u guys have gone through, you don’t need another naysayer.”

  “Let’s just change the subject. What’s happening with you and Meg?”

  Chase shrugged as the corner of his mouth turned downward. “I’m clearly interested. I’ve had several layovers in Atlanta and asked if I could see her. I don’t think she wants anything more than friendship.”

  “Did she say that?”

  “Not in so many words.”

  “She’ll be in town this weekend.”

  “Really?” His brows perked up.

  “Yes, I’m surprising Ava. She misses her friends, so I’m flying them down.”

  “Maybe, I’ll stop by. I haven’t seen your new digs yet.”

  “I’ll text you with the best time to come over.”

  He and Chase finished catching up about business and just when they were about to leave an unexpected visitor approached the table. “Well, hello, fellas.”

  Justin lifted his eyes upward and eyed the person who knifed him in the back. “Nina. What are you doing here?”

  “Grabbing lunch before I meet with a client.”

  He eyed her suspiciously. “Your office is nowhere near this side of town.”

  She twisted her lips. “Okay, you got me. Paige said you were having lunch with Chase.”

  “I must talk to her about revealing my whereabouts.” He and Chase stood.

  Nina grabbed Justin’s arm. “Can we talk?”

  He checked his watch. “I can spare ten minutes.”

  “There’s an appointment I need to get to,” said Chase. “Nina, it’s good seeing you.”

  Nina waved goodbye to Chase before taking his seat at the table.

  “I’ll call you about this weekend,” said Justin. He sat and stared at Nina. “Do you care to explain why you hunted me down?”

  “I miss my friend.”

  “Now, we’re friends,” he scoffed.

  “Justin, come on. You tied my hands. What did you expect me to do?”

  “I expected you to stand up for what’s right.”

  She rested her back onto the chair and crossed her arms. “I know you and Chris are on better terms. Why can’t we allow bygones to be bygones?”