by Lacey Black
“I’m Annabelle Elliott, Kathryn’s mother,” Mother replies formally. She walks over, extending her hand rigidly.
“Oh, well, good to meet you, dear. I’m Emma, Jensen’s aunt, and this hunk of burning love is my Orval.”
“Pleasure,” Mother replies, though I can hear the disdain dripping in her words.
“Well, we better get on to bed and leave you two to catch up,” Orval replies, taking his wife by the hand and gently leading her to the staircase.
I watch as the man escorts his wife carefully up the stairs and then disappears around the corner. “I can’t believe you’re taking in people like that, Kathryn. Haven’t I taught you anything? People like that could rob you blind and you wouldn’t even notice.”
“Emma and Orval? Rob me? They’re in their eighties, Mother. What do you think they’re going to do, load up their Buick with the good china?”
“Well, you never know, darling.”
Rolling my eyes dramatically, I head for one of her bags. “Come on, let’s get you settled in one of the rooms.”
“The master suite, I’m assuming? Can you pull my car into the garage?” Mother asks, not even bothering to stop and grab one of the two remaining bags left in the entryway.
“Fine,” I grumble, hating I’ve giving in to her so easily. But if it’s one thing I’ve learned about Annabelle, its that it’s always better to just agree.
Except where Charles is concerned.
There’s no way I’ll agree with her on that.
When her sports car is secured into one of the garage bays and I have the third bag carried up to my bedroom, Mother comes out of the bathroom dressed formally in her nightgown. I grab a sleep shirt from my drawer and retreat from the room, hating how she’s just taken over my personal space. In the small bathroom off of my old childhood bedroom, I wash my face and get ready for bed. However, it’s not the bed that calls to me.
It’s the painting.
Instead of crawling under the covers, I slip down the hallway and descend the stairs. I silently close the door and flip the switch, bathing the library in soft light. My painting sits perched upon the easel as I make my way toward it. I grab a clean brush and squirt a glob of paint on the palette, diving right into the breathtaking scene before me.
I work into the night, not stopping to take a break, until it’s done. My eyes fill with tears as I gaze at the image of Jensen and myself, a younger version of love and adoration so very evident in the work. I set it aside to finish drying and grab a clean canvas. My brush dips into new color and my hand starts to move, spreading the paint and bringing the image to life. It isn’t until the sun starts to peek over the ocean that my eyelids start to droop. As wired as I was to create this piece, now that it’s also complete, the exhaustion of working through the night settles in. I feel the fatigue clear down to my bones.
I drop my brushes in the solution and turn off the small light I used to help keep the space illuminated during the dark of night. My legs are heavy as I move through the room. Instead of carrying me up the stairs, I find myself heading to the couch in the entertainment room. A tired smile crests my face as I gaze up at the handmade painting adorning my wall. The ball field with purple and yellow flowers.
Max’s painting.
It’s the last image I see before exhaustion carries me off to sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jensen
My lips press against her forehead, rousing Sleeping Beauty from a deep, heavy sleep. When her eyes crack open, I can’t help smile down at her tired, yet stunning face. “Hey,” she whispers, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“Why are you in here? Did you sleep here?” I ask, my voice carrying the slight concern I felt the moment I saw her lying on the old, leather couch.
“Yeah, I did. I was painting until the sun came up and this is where I fell when the exhaustion settled in. What time is it?”
“Almost noon,” I answer, running a large, calloused thumb along her jawline.
“Shit, I should get up. Emma and Orval,” she starts, but I stop her in my tracks.
“They just left. They wanted me to thank you for the hospitality. Emma says she left you a housewarming gift on the guest bed, but I have to be honest, I’ve heard about some of her gifts, and I don’t think we want to know what it is.”
I can’t help smile at her giggle, thinking about my elderly aunt and the naughty little gifts she likes to give her granddaughters. “I’m sure it’s completely inappropriate,” she replies, smiling widely.
“I see you finished my painting,” I say, nodding my head toward where the finished pieces were set to dry.
“And I did another. I want to put it in the master bedroom, above the bed,” she tells me, glancing to where the beautiful bird spreading its wings flies free. It’s soaring high above the ocean.
“It’s stunning. I can’t wait to see it there. Do you want me to go hang it now? I have a little time while the sprinklers are running.”
“Oh, uh, no. Someone is in there.” My heart taps violently in my chest at her words.
“You have someone in your bedroom?” I quip, but I’m sure she can see the question evident in my baby blues.
“Well, not someone. It’s… Mother.”
I blink several times in disbelief before finally opening my mouth. “Your mother is here? In Rockland Falls.”
“Well, it’s good to see you too, Jensen,” my mother says at the library doorway.
“Surprise,” she whispers, trying to give me a reassuring smile, but knowing that it falls short.
“Mrs. Elliott, so lovely to see you again.” I’m polite, sure, but she can tell my words are clipped and body tense.
“Yes, you too,” Annabelle replies with the flippant wave of her manicured hand. “I’m going shopping. I’ll be back later.”
Suddenly, she’s gone, the scent of her familiar perfume left floating in the air. Kate sighs, closes her eyes, and flops back down on the couch. “How long is she here?” I ask.
“Who knows. She didn’t even tell me she was coming. She just showed up with my final divorce papers in hand.”
“Really?” I ask, a smile playing on my lips.
“Yeah, but only because she wanted me to reconsider, not because she was being polite and delivering them.”
“Fuck,” I grumble. “So we get rid of one set of houseguests and replace with another? Am I ever going to get you alone again?” Bending down, I run my lips along her smooth, soft cheek.
“Yes, definitely. I was thinking…tonight,” she says, gripping the back of my shirt and pulling me the rest of the way down to her lips. She’s hesitant, probably because she’s just waking up, but I don’t care. I just want to feel her against me any way I can, morning breath be damned.
“I’m almost finished here and then I have to run to check out a new job. I’ll be back after six with dinner,” I tell her, hating I have to go.
“Okay,” she replies, stretching and yawning once more.
“Go shower, grab something to eat, and maybe take another nap. After our talk, I plan to keep you up half the night.” I throw a wink her way and then kiss her forehead before forcing myself to exit the room. Having her mom underfoot doesn’t exactly bode well with my plans for later, but maybe having her here to answer any questions Kate may have will be beneficial.
And I’m sure Kate is going to have a lot of questions.
* * *
Typing the code into the security gate, I make my way up the familiar drive, the scent of Chinese food filling my truck cab. A fancy silver BMW is parked in front of the house, which tells me Kate’s houseguest still isn’t gone. I don’t like her being here, not when she has a habit of making Kate feel inadequate at times, but what can I say? She’s not my mother and this isn’t my house. All I can do is be there for Kate when everything explodes and the dust starts to settle.
And something tells me it’ll definitely explode.
But not us.
&nbs
p; We’re stronger than that.
I’m not letting go this time without a damn good fight.
With food bags in my hand and a duffel flung over my shoulder, I head for the front door. I’m just about to ring the bell when I hear the arguing. Kate is clearly upset. It’s evident by the muffled sobs. Without giving it a second thought, I throw open the door and come face to face with Kate and her mother. The look on Kate’s face guts me. Tears stream down her stunning, makeup-less face, a look of pure anguish marring her soft features.
“What the hell?” I ask, dropping my duffel on the floor and setting the food on the entry table.
“Jensen, this doesn’t concern you. Why don’t you head home and Kathryn can call you tomorrow,” Annabelle demands, not even bothering to glance my way.
“Uh, actually, I think I’ll be staying right here,” I reply to her without so much as a look her way. My eyes are glued to the woman I love. “Kate, what’s wrong? Why are you upset?”
“She just learned the hard truth about her father, Jensen. She needs time to accept the fact he wasn’t who she thought he was,” Annabelle states on Kate’s behalf.
“I’m talking to Kate,” I snarl, placing my hands on her shoulders and gently turning her to face me. “Hi,” I whisper when her eyes connect with mine. They’re full of sadness, and fuck, if I don’t want to kill whoever put it there.
But something tells me it was her mother, and killing her mother probably isn’t the best course of action right now.
“Talk to me,” I say softly, watching helplessly as the light dims from her hazel eyes.
“His affairs.” She whimpers softly in the Kleenex crumpled in her hand.
My blood starts to pump. I’m going to put an end to this right now. “He wasn’t having any affairs, Kate. Your mother was.”
A gasp is heard behind me, but I keep my eyes focused on the one I love. “Excuse me, young man, how dare you!”
“Don’t listen to your mother, Kate. Those letters you found weren’t from a mysterious lover to your father. They were to your mother,” I state.
“What? How do you know?” she asks, her eyes pleading for some ounce of the truth.
“Because the letters were from my dad.” I hate saying the words aloud, admitting my father played such a huge part in Kate’s departure from town.
“That’s a lie!” Annabelle insists behind me. “Kathryn, don’t you listen to a word of filth this man is spewing! I would never—”
Kate’s eyes are wide with shock. “She did. I went and talked to my dad, Butterfly. I recognized the nicknames. I overheard my dad on the phone once and he kept calling the person he was speaking to Pookie. Since I’m pretty sure my dad and your dad weren’t having the affair, I deduced it had to have been your mom.”
Kate looks past me toward her mother. When I turn, I see the defiance mixed with her guilt. “Mother?”
Annabelle is silent for several long seconds, and I start to think she’s not going to say anything. But eventually, she does. “Fine. It was me.” She shrugs her shoulder as if it was no big deal.
“What? Why?” Kate gasps, wiping away the remnants of tears on her cheeks.
“Why? Your father was always working or spending time with you. I came in third in my own marriage.”
“But… Daddy was always trying to get you to go away with him. I heard him ask you.”
“To the mountains? On some fishing expedition in Canada? What kind of trips are those? I wanted Tahiti or Bali. Paris for a month, not just a week here and there.”
“Do you even hear yourself right now?” Kate gasps, looking at her mother as if she doesn’t even know her.
Annabelle rolls her eyes. “Stop acting so high and mighty.”
“You had an affair…and blamed it on him! You were the reason I was whisked away in the middle of the night and kept away from Jensen. You, not him!” Kate bellows, the tears streaming down her face once more.
“Affairs are a part of marriage, Kathryn. The sooner you realize that the better. Did you think Charles was faithful to you the entire time? With your forlorn eyes and your solitary disposition?” She laughs humorlessly. “He was probably screwing his secretary before the ink was even dry on the prenup.”
“It wasn’t Daddy who forced me to work for him, it was you.” It wasn’t a question. She already knew the answer.
“Of course, I did. You needed something to do besides sit around and cry over the boy you left behind. Real estate gave you something to focus on until you were a wife. Then you could sit at home and spend Charles’ money,” Annabelle says, matter-of-factly.
“I didn’t want to be a housewife,” Kate insists.
Again, Annabelle rolls her eyes. “This I know. You always wanted to mess around with that art stuff that was never going to take you anywhere. Marrying Charles was the only way for you to make something of your life.”
Now I’ve had enough.
“That’s where you’re wrong. Kate has always been the most beautiful, most courageous, most fascinating girl I’ve ever known. Even with paint speckles on her skin, there was a light in her eyes that shone brighter than the sun. You dimmed that light by denying her the chance to live her life as she saw fit. All I’ve ever wanted to do was bring out the sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her face,” I say to Annabelle, but turn to face Kate. “She’s amazing, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. You can’t provide her with any sort of life.”
“I can provide her with everything,” I state, holding her gaze. “Because I love her.”
Kate smiles the warmest smile I’ve ever seen. “I love you too.”
Then she’s in my arms and her lips are pressed to mine. It’s a kiss that begins the rest of our lives, one that bridges the gap between our past and our future. This kiss is everything, because she is everything.
“Fuck, I can’t believe you’re really mine,” I tell her, tracing her lips with my own.
“As long as you want me,” she answers, a smile on her delectable lips.
“Well, that works out pretty fucking great for me, considering I’m thinking forever.”
Her eyes light up like fireworks in July. “Forever it is.”
My lips descend once more, my tongue sliding easily against hers. She’s pressed against my body, which is already very well aware of the fact I can feel every dip and every curve. My cock is hard, aching with need, and ready to show her just how much I fucking love her.
“You two are actually perfect for each other. You’re both dreamers.” Annabelle’s words pull us out of the happy little bubble we’ve found ourselves in.
Kate stands up straight and turns. “Mother, I think it’s time for you to leave.”
“You’re kicking me out?” she bawls, dramatically. Her eyes fill with tears and her hands cover her mouth.
And the Oscar goes to…
Before I can give her a piece of my mind, Kate says, “Yes, I am. If you can’t support me and the decisions I’m making with my life, then I think it’s time you went back to New York. Besides, you’ve been lying to me about Daddy, and I’m not ready to move past that yet.”
As if flipping a switch, the tears dry up and her hands rest on her hips. “Fine, Kathryn, have it your way. Don’t call me, crying, when you realize you’ve made a mistake.”
“The only mistake I’ve made is letting you control my life for as long as you have. That stops now. I’m where I want to be, with those I want to be with. Those who love me.”
“Love is a mirage, Kathryn. You’ll learn that sooner or later,” she says, glancing up at the second floor. “My bags are upstairs.”
“I’ll get them,” I answer, practically sprinting up the stairs two at a time. The moment I step inside the room, I can feel the change. Annabelle’s things are strewn all over the place, taking over as if she were moving back in.
Ain’t happening.
I grab the three pieces of luggage that probably
cost more than my truck and toss them onto the bed. I start shoving clothes, personal toiletries, and whatever else I see that doesn’t belong to Kate in the bag, not even caring they’ll wrinkle. I hit the bathroom and closet, making sure I have everything that looks out of place. Once I’ve completed my task, I head back downstairs, a bag in each hand.
“That was fast,” Kate quips, a secret smile on her face.
“Just doing my duty and helping,” I reply, throwing her a wink before flying back up the stairs for the third and final bag.
When I reach the entryway, I find the front door open and Kate already loading the first bag in the fancy trunk. Grabbing the last bag on my way by, I take the final two pieces of luggage and toss them in the back. “There.”
“I’m going to head back upstairs and make sure you got everything,” Annabelle announces from the doorway.
“No need. We’ll ship you anything I may have overlooked,” I state, offering a friendly smile.
She just glares back at me. “Fine. I suppose I’ll be heading out now.” She stops as if waiting for one of us to object, which of course, we don’t. I’d rather have monkeys fly out of my ass than spend another minute in her presence. She sighs and slowly heads toward the driver’s side. “I suppose I could find a hotel or something this evening, though it seems a little extreme.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine, Mother. Finding expensive hotels with spas seems to be one of your many talents,” Kate retorts, coming over to stand beside me. I throw my arm around her waist and pull her comfortably into my side. She fits like a puzzle piece.
“I wish I could say it was a pleasant visit, but that would be a lie,” Annabelle bites, always having to get in the last word.
“Well, you do know all about lying, don’t you?” Kate says, making me beam with pride.
“Goodbye, Kathryn. I’m sure I’ll be hearing from you soon,” Kate’s mom says as she climbs behind the wheel of her car and shuts the door.
“I’m pretty sure you won’t,” Kate replies, snuggling deeper into my chest.
After the car exits the drive and the gate closes, I turn her so she’s against my chest. “You might want to update the code.”