Simple Perfection

by Abbi Glines

  “Oh,” she said simply.

  I smiled and stood up and kissed her. “Yeah. Oh.”

  “I should have asked you about it. I was . . . I didn’t want to hear the truth. I was scared of it.”

  “Never be scared to hear the truth from me,” I told her.

  She nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you about it.”

  “I’m sorry you thought we were talking about you.”

  She sat there and studied her hands a moment, then looked up at me. “I want to be on your board.”

  “Good. I can’t do this without you.”

  She went back to eating and I had to force myself to eat, too, and not watch her. I just wanted to watch her do everything. Letting her out of my sight today was going to be hard.

  I stepped off the elevator and Vince looked up to greet me. He started to speak and stopped. I watched him as he observed me.

  “Miss Della is home, then,” Vince said.

  “Yes she is. How did you know?”

  Vince let out a low laugh. “I’m old, Woods, not blind. It’s all over your face, boy.”

  The grin that broke out across my face stayed while I went through my morning notes and made scheduled phone calls.

  Right before lunch, Della stepped into my office with a sexy little smile on her face that was going to get her fucked up against my desk if she wasn’t careful.

  “I missed you,” she said.

  “I missed you more. Come here,” I told her, holding out my hand for her to come to me. She walked over to my side of the desk and I pulled her down to my lap. “Have you had a good morning?”

  “Yes. Have you?”

  “It could have been better,” I replied, slipping my hand up her skirt. She wiggled in my lap and slapped my hand away.

  “Stop that. We have work to talk about,” she said playfully, and then tried to stand up. I held her to my lap.

  “Go ahead and wiggle, baby. It feels real good.”

  “You are so bad,” she said, stopping me from slipping my hand between her thighs.

  “I’m playing catch-up. I have three weeks’ worth,” I told her.

  “Mr. Kerrington, Mr. Rush Finlay is here to see you,” Vince announced over the intercom.

  “Damn, Rush. Forgot he was coming by.”

  Della jumped up out of my lap and straightened her skirt.

  “Send him in,” I said as I watched her fix herself. I was going to mess it up as soon as Rush brought me the info on Nate’s trust fund that he’d set up for Dean.

  Rush walked into the room with Nate in his arms and a baby bag over his shoulder. That was funny shit. Rush Finlay, badass rock star’s son, had a baby bag and a baby in his arms.

  “Oh, you brought Nate!” Della’s excitement interested me.

  I watched her walk over to Rush and take Nate from him. She walked over to the sofa with him, cooing and making him laugh.

  Rush’s chuckle reminded me he was there. I shifted my attention back to him.

  “She likes babies,” Rush said with a smirk.

  I hadn’t known she liked babies. I liked watching her with Nate. Rush was going to be hard to concentrate on. “Yeah, she does.”

  “When did she come back? Or did you chase her down?”

  “Last night. She came back to me,” I told him.

  “Told you that hand wasn’t over,” Rush said, then took a seat across from my desk. “Stop mentally fucking her while she’s holding my kid.”

  I shot him an annoyed glare that just amused him. “Here’s the paperwork for Nate’s trust. Do the same with my paycheck from here.”

  “Done. I’ll get the direct deposits set up today.”

  Rush let out a sigh. “I might just sit here a minute and take a break. Della looks like she’s having fun and I’m beat. Grant was at my house late last night and we had to deal with some shit.”

  “Is Nan back?”

  Rush let out a weary sigh and rubbed his forehead. “Yeah. She’s back.”

  “Damn,” I said, more for Rush’s sake than anything.

  “Yeah,” Rush agreed.

  Della

  Nile was coming to Rosemary today with his family. They were staying in one of the condos on the club property. He had insisted on paying but Woods had gotten him to accept the free condo. I wasn’t sure what he’d said but he had talked him into it.

  I was excited about introducing Woods to him. I wanted to know what Woods thought about him. Deep down, I also wanted to show Woods that the blood in my veins came from normal people. I often forgot that myself.

  “You look beautiful. Stop fidgeting. Nothing you do can make you any more beautiful than you are,” Woods said as he reached over and took both my hands in his to keep me from pulling down the mirror and checking my face one more time.

  “I know I’m being silly. I’m sorry. I just . . . I’ve not met Nile’s family yet. His daughters . . . they’re my sisters.”

  “And they’re about to find out that they have the most beautiful, talented, sweet, brilliant older sister in the world. So stop it. Take a deep breath and know that you’re amazing and they’re lucky to get to sit in the same room with you.”

  Woods could say some of the sweetest things in the world.

  “I really want to kiss you right now but it will mess us up.”

  He laughed and pulled the car into the valet parking line at the club. We were meeting Nile and his family there for dinner. “I’ll get messed up any time you want to put those plump lips of yours on me.”

  “Save it for later, sexy,” I said just as my door was opened by Bradley. I was glad to see he was still working out. I had hired him a month ago.

  “Good evening, Miss Sloane. You’re looking lovely,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “She’s always lovely; hands off,” Woods told him, taking my hand and tucking it in his arm.

  “You scared that poor valet to death,” I said, scolding him.

  “Good.”

  I didn’t argue. I followed him inside the club, trying not to smile like an idiot.

  “Mr. Kerrington, right this way, sir. Your party has already arrived,” Jimmy announced when we stepped into the dining room.

  Jimmy shot me a wink before leading us over to the formal dining area reserved for special guests and parties. Woods had requested it so that we’d have privacy.

  Nile stood up when we walked in. Woods squeezed my hand to reassure me.

  “Hello, Nile,” I said in greeting, then turned to Woods. “Woods, this is Nile Andrews. Nile, this is Woods Kerrington.”

  Woods and Nile shook hands and I heard Nile thanking him for the accommodations, which I had no doubt were extremely impressive, knowing Woods. I looked over at the three girls sitting at the table, studying me. Each one had a different expression. They ranged from nervous to curious.

  “Della, I’d like you to meet, Jillian, my wife.”

  Jillian was tall and slender with long, dark red hair. Her skin was a creamy ivory color and her eyes were hazel. “It’s so nice to meet you, Della. Nile has told me all about your visit. I’m anxious to talk to you myself, as are the girls.” She had kind eyes. The high cheekbones and excellent bone structure made me think of an uppity elitist woman but Jillian was very nice and down-to-earth. She was what I would have expected Nile to be married to. I couldn’t picture him with Glenda. They were nothing alike.

  “I’m glad y’all could come visit,” I said, glancing down at the girls again. All three of them had their mother’s hair color and eyes.

  “Della, this is Jasmine, Jocelyn, and July. Girls, this is your sister Della,” Nile said, standing to my left. I hadn’t expected him to call me their sister. That was surprising. I also wasn’t sure how I felt about that yet.

  “It’s nice to meet the three of you,” I said.

  “I love your dress. Is it a Marc Jacobs? I swear, I saw one in the new Marc Jacobs line just like it.”

  “You have Daddy’s eyes. I’ve always wante
d Daddy’s eyes.”

  “Do you live on this beach?”

  All three of them began talking at once. I was a little overwhelmed but I liked that they wanted to talk to me. I started with Jasmine. “I have no idea who Marc Jacobs is. I bought this dress on a shopping spree with my best friend at a thrift store in Atlanta.” I could see the fascination in her face at the idea that I’d shopped in a thrift store.

  “I do have your dad’s eyes. It was a pleasant surprise but yours are equally beautiful. You have your mother’s fantastic hair.” Jocelyn blushed prettily and I wondered if she was the shy one.

  “And yes, I do live on this beach. It’s a wonderful place to live,” I told July.

  “Do you always shop in thrift stores? I’ve always wondered what they were like inside.”

  “I can play the piano. Do you play the piano?”

  “Do you know how to surf? I’ve always wanted to surf.”

  Again all three of them asked me a question at once.

  “Girls, let Della sit down and breathe. You will have plenty of time to drill her with questions, but don’t scare her away just yet,” Jillian said before I could start answering their questions again.

  Woods pulled out my chair and I took a seat. He then took the one next to me. I was seated across from Jillian and he had taken the seat across from Nile. July sat to my right. Jimmy came up and put my napkin in my lap.

  “Sweet tea, Miss Sloane,” he said as he set the glass down in front of me. I could see the impressed gleam in Nile’s eyes as he watched Jimmy deliver our drinks and appetizers without our having ordered.

  “Thank you, Jimmy,” I said, smiling up at him.

  He shot me a quick grin before leaving the room.

  “He is swoony. I saw him when we came in and he winked at me,” Jasmine said from across the table.

  I bit back a smile. Jimmy was beautiful and he knew how to make women of all ages drool over him. And while they were checking him out, he was checking out their men. I’d caught him appreciating Woods’s backside on more than one occasion.

  “Jasmine, please,” Nile said, frowning down at her.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  “July just kicked me. I was just asking her to pass the bread and she kicked me,” Jocelyn said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “All right, girls. That’s enough,” Jillian said, then looked over at me apologetically. “They were in the car all day and now they’re overly excited about being here and meeting you.”

  “I’m fascinated. I’ve never been around little girls like this. Or sisters. It’s very entertaining.”

  Jillian’s laugh reminded me of tinkling bells. “You may not feel that way anymore before the meal is over.”

  Woods’s hand slid over my leg and rested on my upper thigh. I had faced Nile the first time alone but it was nice to have Woods beside me now.

  “I invited Nile to play a round tomorrow morning with me, if that’s okay with you,” Woods said, leaning closer to me as he spoke.

  I liked the idea of his getting to know Nile. “Of course. That’s fine,” I assured him, and smiled over at Nile.

  “Are you married?” one of the girls asked. I glanced back at them and saw Jocelyn elbow July.

  “She’s not wearing a ring. Don’t ask that,” Jocelyn hissed.

  “No, we’re not. But it’s okay for her to ask,” I replied, unable to keep from smiling at them. Their constant fighting made me wish I’d had a sister.

  “Why not? You live with him, don’t you?” July asked.

  “July.” Jillian was the one to scold her this time.

  “It’s okay, really. I want them to ask me questions,” I assured her. Then I looked back at July. “I do live with him. He’s my boyfriend.”

  “Mommy and Daddy lived together for two years before they got married,” Jasmine announced from across the table.

  I saw red splotches appear on Jillian’s face but she just laughed and shook her head. “You need to stop listening to adult conversations. I swear, you know more than you’re supposed to,” Jillian said as she tried to cover her amusement.

  “Does that mean you will be getting married, too?” July asked.

  They really weren’t going to let the marriage thing go.

  “Maybe I will get married one day. I don’t know that right now.”

  “Let’s ask Della questions that don’t pertain to her personal relationships. Okay, girls?” Nile said with a stern voice. I watched as all three nodded with a look of defeat.

  “I have a boyfriend. Can we talk about him?” July asked.

  “I would love to hear about him,” I assured her. She beamed.

  I heard Jasmine sigh from across the table. “Great, here we go,” she muttered.

  Woods

  Della had opened up more than I expected to Nile and his family. Mostly it had just been to Nile’s daughters. They had been drawn to her, too. Watching it had been heartbreaking and amazing all at the same time. Della could have had a normal life. Her father was a good man.

  I had also watched Nile most of the night. He had watched Della and his girls, too. The pleased look on his face was hard to miss. He might never be someone that Della considered a father but I had hopes that she would form a relationship of some kind with him and his family. I thought she needed it.

  “Tell me what you thought of Nile and his family,” Della said as we walked into the house. She had been quiet on the ride back and I had left her alone with her thoughts. It was a lot to process without my trying to pull things out of her.

  “I think he’s a good man and he’s a good father. The girls are well-adjusted and they are fascinated with you.”

  Della grinned as she slipped off her heels. “I liked the girls. Each one was so different. It was like they made this one complete person. I wonder what it must be like to know you have someone on your side all the time, knowing you can make snide comments and even push and shove but they’ll love you when the rest of the world is against you.”

  I walked over and wrapped my arms around her from behind. “I’m always on your side. You can push and shove—hell, you can even slap me—but I will still be right here, ready to face the world with you.”

  Della leaned back against me and wrapped her arms around mine. “I know that. I meant growing up. Having a sibling to stand in your corner.”

  I understood what she meant and it broke my heart to think about the little girl who was so alone in dealing with a mother who wasn’t there mentally. “You did find Braden.”

  “Braden found me. And you’re right. She was always in my corner.”

  “I like knowing you have her. She loves you almost as much as I do.”

  Della laughed. “Don’t let her hear you say that. She’ll fight you for that title.”

  I wondered what Braden would do when I asked Della to marry me. Would she grill me? Make sure my intention was to treat her like a princess? I had no doubt I’d hear from her when the time came. I just wasn’t sure about the right time.

  I loved Della and I knew no one would ever take her place in my heart. She was the one. But marriage also meant a commitment that scared me. I’d been ready to ask her before she left me. Now I knew how quickly she could rip my world out from under me. Could I handle that kind of pain if she were my wife? It was making me even more vulnerable. I needed time to adjust to having her back. Having a Della who didn’t wake up screaming and one I didn’t worry about all the time.

  “I love you,” she said as we stood there together.

  “I love you more,” I replied. And I meant it. That was what kept me from asking her to marry me. That was my roadblock. I loved her more.

  A knock on the door broke into my thoughts and Della stepped out of my arms to look back at me. “Who could that be?”

  “Not sure. I’ll get it.”

  Jace was pacing back and forth on my front porch when I opened the door. His head snapped up when he saw me. He shook his head and went
back to pacing. This was woman trouble. I looked back at Della, who stood watching me from the other end of the hallway.

  “Looks like Jace needs to talk. We’ll be out here if you need me,” I told her.

  A worried frown pinched her forehead but she nodded. “Okay.”

  I closed the door behind me and watched as Jace continued to pace.

  “What’s wrong with Bethy?” I asked. I knew that was the only thing that could get him to pace like a madman.

  He stopped his constant moving and shoved his hands in his pockets. “She’s . . . She wanted to get married. I mentioned it to her and she wanted to. But she’s started to act different lately. So I dropped the marriage thing. I thought that was what made her go crazy. But she’s just getting worse. Hell, what was I supposed to do? I can’t get married if she’s not ready. I sure as hell can’t ask her. I don’t know what I was thinking. Just because Rush and Blaire are playing house doesn’t mean the rest of us are ready.”

  I was going to be here a while. I could tell by the frantic tone in Jace’s voice. I sat down in the swing. “So you’ve changed your mind on the marriage thing? Sounds like it scared Bethy anyway. Maybe you two need more time just being a couple.”

  Jace let out a hard laugh. “Yeah, I thought that, too. But she’s just . . . reverted.”

  “Reverted?” I asked, trying to figure out what in the hell he was talking about.

  “You know, reverted to the way she was before. She’s drinking and wanting to go out partying all the time. She rarely sees Blaire anymore because she said it makes her sad. She wants what Blaire has but she says it’s rare. We can’t measure ourselves against that. But that makes no damn sense. I’ve been in two bar fights in the past week. Two fucking bar fights. Me. I don’t fight, dammit. But she’s forcing me to go save her drunk ass from men who want to touch her.”

  I thought about Della playing with Nate the other day and how sweet she was. But not once had she asked for the same thing. She never pressured me for more. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if she did. I would probably give it to her.

  “Do you want Bethy? Forever? Is she who you see yourself spending your life with?”