Peyton glanced around the lower level, her heart aching. Between Dylan's betrayal and Michael's issues, she was giving up on men. Clearly she didn’t know how to pick one. What she wasn’t giving up on was having a family. She didn't need a man for that and had looked into adopting.
Michael's intense eyes sparked inside her mind. No, she didn't need a man, but there was one she really wanted.
Peyton swiped at the tears rolling down her face, surprised there were any left. She didn’t know which was worse, being lonely or being broken hearted. Heck at the moment she was both.
“Stop. It’s over. Move on,” she said again just as Nick bounded down the stairs carrying a box. He slowed and looked at her, a frown on his face.
“Dang, Peyton, it’s been over a month. Are you sure you don’t want me and the boys to go to New York and kick his ass?”
He said it with a straight face which made Peyton chuckle. “No. Craig, Zack, Jerry, Ben Junior, and your twin already offered. Even Luke is willing.” Luke seemed to take the break up just as hard as she had, saying he thought for sure Michael had finally chosen love over fear. He didn’t know how to help his friend get over the anxiety of possibly being an abuser. Luke had told her that Michael did agree to see a counselor and felt it was helping, but he also said that whenever he mentioned Peyton’s name, Michael shut him down.
“Are you sure?” Nick persisted. “Because if you’re going to keep the waterworks going like you’ve been, we have to do something.”
Peyton shook her head wondering why she was even listening to this nonsense. “I’m sure.” She was probably saving all of them a butt whooping. Michael would pummel them. Some of her cousins might have been bigger and in some cases taller, but Michael was strong, arrogant, and had a serious chip on his shoulder. Despite those faults, she still believed he was perfect for her.
“This is why I will never fall in love,” Nick said and set the box down near the front door. “It’s not worth the stress.”
“Yeah, you say that now. Trust me, when the right woman comes along, you won’t know what hit you. All your stupid talk about being a bachelor until the day you die will fly right out the door. I can’t wait to say I told you so.”
“Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I think we have everything loaded in my truck. The guys are almost done unloading the stuff they took to your storage unit.”
“That’s good. Thanks. Oh and next weekend I'm heading to Vegas. Can you be the contact person for my realtor if needed?” Peyton had decided to continue her leave of absence from work. She figured she might as well do the traveling she had put off before Michael came along.
“Come on, Peyton. Can’t you get someone else? I'll probably be putting in long hours at work, especially since you've abandoned us. Get someone else to babysit your real—”
“Hello?” A voice sang out with two quick knocks on the door.
“In here, Sumeera,” Peyton said, recognizing the voice of one of her best friends who happened to be her realtor.
Peyton almost burst out laughing at the look on Nick’s face when Sumeera stepped into the living room. Wearing a tight red blouse with a low neckline and jeans that fit like a second skin, accented with high heels the color of her shirt, she looked as if she had just stepped off the cover of Vogue.
Nick’s mouth hung open, but he quickly closed it. In his defense, Sumeera was a beautiful woman who had the same effect on every man she met.
“Hey, PJ.” Sumeera hugged her tight. “It looks like you’re really serious about selling.” She gazed around the mostly empty room. “I’ll take some pictures and then list your house in the morning. I think the place is going to sell quickly.”
Nick cleared his throat, wiping his hands on his jeans. Peyton started to ignore him, but with the pitiful facial expression he was sporting, she figured she’d put him out of his misery.
“I’m sorry, Sumeera, this is my cousin, Nick. Nick, this is my friend and realtor.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said shaking Sumeera's hand.
“Sumee, I was going to have Nick be your contact person, but he—”
“Is happy to be at your service,” Nick jumped in.
Peyton rolled her eyes.
“Let me show you around. Nick held his bent arm to Sumeera, and of course, she accepted his offer, a sweet smile on her face. Little did Nick know that she probably knew the house better than him. She had stayed there for months while her house was being renovated a couple of years ago.
Not known for being with one woman for too long, Nick had a good heart and could use a woman like Sumeera to show him what he was missing by not committing.
A shiver ran through Peyton at her last thought.
He’s nothing like Michael. Michael could commit if he just gave himself permission and quit being afraid of something that would never happen.
*
“You are not your father, Michael! How many times do I have to tell you that? You are not Lewis!” his mother yelled from the other side of the kitchen counter. She’d been drilling those words into him since he’d been old enough to date. “If anything, you’re more like Carlton than anyone. You’re a wonderful man and a loving father.”
“I might not be my father, but—”
“But nothing. You have to believe that you’re a good, loving man. Carlton and I saw to that. I believe in generational curses, but in this case, that curse has been broken starting with you! None of my boys are abusers, and none of you ever will be!” She slapped her hand on the marbled counter top.
Michael stood and strolled over to her, not wanting her to break down into tears the way she had the night he was arrested. Carlton had already warned him that if he made her cry again, he was going to kick his ass. And Michael believed him.
“Calm down, Mom.” He said wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
She shook out of his hold. “I will not calm down until you start hearing me!” She busied herself at the stove. “I want you to have a good woman who will love you unconditionally, and I think you had that with Peyton. Yes, you have a short fuse when you think the women in your life are in danger, but who wouldn’t? No real man would stand by and watch a woman get mistreated by another man.”
That might be true, but Michael didn’t want a repeat of the night Peyton ended up with a broken hand. He didn’t know if she was still in a cast, but some nights when he closed his eyes, the day at the M&M’s store looped through his mind. When Peyton cried out in pain, his heart lurched. And the fact that he couldn’t get to her tore him up inside.
Michael leaned against the counter and reached for his coffee. He’d worked hard to put that night behind him, to move on from Peyton. Neither was easy to do. A day hadn’t gone by that he didn’t think of her, or yearn for her. And even though he’d been tempted to call Peyton every morning and night, he reframed. Thinking about her was hard enough, he couldn’t handle hearing her voice.
Michael watched in silence as his mother whipped up a batch of cupcakes for him and Michaela. His daughter hadn’t taken the news of Peyton leaving well, but cupcakes and keeping her busy were a good distraction. M&M’s used to work, but lately, she hadn’t wanted the sweet treats not that Michael was surprised. The snack was her and Peyton’s thing.
Michael sipped his black coffee. The day Peyton left, he contacted a therapist that Luke had recommended. Swallowing his pride, he’d been meeting with the woman twice a week. Though doubts popped into his head periodically about his progress, he was finally winning against his inner demons.
“Peyton is the best thing that ever happened to you, and I can’t believe you still haven’t gone after her.”
He couldn’t believe it either.
“Michael, you have to go and get her. You can’t let a woman like that walk out of your life. True love only comes around once.”
“Even if I thought she would give me another chance, Peyton is way out of my league.” It was a wonder she’d given him the time of day in the first place.
His mother waved him off. “Don’t give me that. Go and find her before it’s too late. Find her before someone else comes along and claims what was meant for you. If you still love her, go and get her.”
*
Peyton handed Jada the rest of the dishes. She thought for sure she would get out of cleanup duty after Sunday brunch since she still had a cast on her hand, but no such luck. It had been six weeks, and she was finally getting the cast off the next morning.
Peyton dried a glass bowl, awkwardly balancing the dish against her good hand to place it in the cabinet with the other serving dishes. This was the last Sunday brunch before her trip to Vegas and then on to Los Angeles. She considered canceling the trip again, but if she ever wanted to get her life back on track, she had to move on.
“These are the last two platters.” Jada set the dishes into the soapy water. “We need to find an industrial size dishwasher for this house because doing all of these dishes is getting old.”
“What we need to do is start rotating the guys into the clean-up schedule. They all know how to cook. Now they need to practice cleaning.” Peyton dried another bowl, careful not to get her cast wet.
“That’s perfect. I’ll work on Gramma to get that going while you’re out of town.” Jada rinsed the platter. “I’ve been thinking about something else,” she said, her voice low as if ready to share a secret.
“What?”
“You’re a take-charge person.” Jada placed her hands on her hips, her mouth twisted with disdain. “Why aren’t you taking charge of your personal life? You’re like taking a backseat, waiting for something to happen.”
“What are you talking about?” Peyton frowned, her hand hovering near the open cabinet door.
“I can’t take any more of your moping around. Maybe this trip will help you get your head together, but I don’t think so. If you know Mike’s the man for you, why have you given up on him?”
Peyton patted her hands on a dry towel, giving Jada her full attention. Since marrying Zack, Jada had changed. She was still selfish at times, but she had grown more considerate over the past year and a half.
“Hear me out before you tell me to shut up and quit being nosy.”
Peyton laughed. Normally she would say something like that, but right now, Peyton wanted to hear any ideas Jada had that might help her, and Michael find their way back to each other.
“When it comes to the family business, you’re the master at making deals happen. We have watched you convince clients that Jenkins & Sons is their best choice, and you guarantee them a hundred percent satisfaction. Why not use your negotiating skills with Michael? Why not convince him that he is never going to find another woman as great as you?”
Peyton’s brows shot up and she leaned back. A tug of emotion pulled at her heartstrings.
Jada placed a glass bowl in the dishwater. “Don’t act so surprised. You know you’re the total package. Michael knows it too. He’s just too…too stupid to admit to himself that he’s never going to be happy without you.”
Peyton leaned her hip against the kitchen counter, tossing Jada’s words around in her mind. Peyton always went after what she wanted, but it had never crossed her mind to pursue Michael. Bidding on construction projects was different than forcing someone to want to be with her.
“I can’t, Jada.” Peyton took a breath. She’d been doing good keeping Michael out of her thoughts, but now that ache in her heart returned. “My Mom once told me that if a man loved me enough, he would pursue me. She said I’m the prize. I truly believe that. Michael has to deal with his issues and then if he and I are meant to be together, he has to come to me. Not the other way around.”
A slow smile spread across Jada’s lips. “Well alright now. You go Ms. Thang.”
Martina strolled into the kitchen carrying Janay. “PJ, we’re getting ready to head out. Do you want to say bye to your goddaughter?”
“You know I do.” She reached for the baby and that tightness she always felt around her heart whenever she held Janay, returned. “Hey, my little sweetie-pie,” she said in baby talk, kissing Janay’s chubby cheeks. The baby gave a quick smile and wiggled in Peyton’s arms. She couldn’t believe how fast her little goddaughter was growing.
“You girls forgot a few dishes,” Katherine Jenkins said. Toni followed behind her carrying plates.
Jada huffed. “Where did that stuff come from? I checked the dining room and downstairs for dirty dishes.”
“Grampa and Uncle Thomas ate in the study. They’re still talking and hadn’t thought to bring the dishes in here,” Toni said, placing the small pile on the counter.
“At this rate we’re never going to get out of here,” Jada mumbled, trying to wedge more dishes into the dishwasher. “Gramma, it’s time for the guys to start helping clean up. We should establish a new rule. You eat. You clean.”
“That’s a good idea, Jada.” Their grandmother poured herself a glass of ice tea. “You can help me come up with a new schedule.”
Jada gave Peyton the side eye, and Peyton smirked, nuzzling the baby’s neck to keep from laughing out loud.
“Peyton, someone’s here to see you.” Peyton turned at the sound of her mother’s voice, and her heart stuttered. She nearly dropped to her knees, her emotions strangled her vocal cords.
“Hello, Peyton.”
The women in her family dropped back and parted like the Red Sea when Michael walked into the kitchen.
“Close your mouth girl and give me my baby before you drop her.” Martina lifted Janay from Peyton’s arms.
“Alright girls, let’s give them some privacy.” Their grandmother hustled everyone out of the kitchen.
Martina nudged Michael on her way out. “It’s about damn time you found your way back to her. I was about ready to hunt you down myself.”
Peyton’s heart cracked a little when Michael flashed that crooked grin that she’d missed and shook his head at Martina.
“Well, well, well,” Jada said from behind Peyton. “If it isn’t the—”
“Let’s go, Jada. Now,” her grandmother said from the doorway.
“Dang,” she grumbled and tossed the dishtowel on the kitchen island before leaving.
Now it was just the two of them. Peyton had no clue what to say. She still found it hard to believe that he was standing in her grandparent’s kitchen. How many times had she dreamt about this moment? About what it would be like if she ever saw him again. Touched him again.
“I should have called first, but I thought you wouldn’t take my call.”
Michael’s intense brown-eyed gaze pierced her heart, making every part of her quiver. He moved closer and a whimper crawled up her throat. Her hands eased to her mouth as a burst of emotions came rushing back. Tears clouded her eyes.
“I’m sorry. Baby, I’m so sorry.” Michael stopped a foot in front of her and reached out, but dropped his arm before making contact. “There hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought of you.”
He blew out a ragged breath and ran a hand over his head and down the back of his neck. Peyton swiped at her tears, watching him pace in front of her. She wanted so bad to reach out and hold him, assure him that they were going to be okay, but she didn’t. He needed to tell her what was in his heart, and she needed to hear it.
“My mother has told me more times than I can count that I am not my father or my grandfather.” Michael kept moving, looking away from Peyton. “Even though deep in my heart, I knew this was true, I carried their sins right here.” He stopped and pointed to his chest when his gaze met hers.
“Oh, Michael,” Peyton sobbed unable to stop herself as she felt his pain deep inside.
He stepped closer. “My mother also reminded me that not only am I nothing like them, and I am also capable of love. I am worthy of love. She told me that I am worthy of you. That was something I struggled with since meeting you.”
“You are.” Peyton took a step toward him, and he closed the distance, pulling her
into his arms, holding her tight. “You are worthy,” she said against his neck, soaking up his warmth and strength. The familiar scent of his cologne wrapped around her, bringing her a level of peace she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“I love you,” he mumbled against her hair, holding her tighter. “I love you so damn much. I don’t want to live without you. Baby, I can’t live without you.”
“I love you too, and I’ve missed you.”
Michael leaned back and framed her face within his large hands, wiping her tears away with the pad of his thumbs.
“For over a month, I’ve been in family counseling. It’s helped a lot. So much so that I reclaim my life, a life I want to share with you. Peyton, I will never touch you in anger. I’m working on my overprotectiveness. And I promise to ask questions before I react to any situation. Can you forgive me for the way I’ve handled our relationship? Give me another chance? I will change to be the man you want.”
Peyton fisted her hands in the front of his shirt. “Michael, I don’t want you to change. You are the man I want. I love you. I love you just the way you are. I’ve always known you would never hurt me. I’m relieved you finally know that for yourself.”
He lowered his mouth to hers. The gentleness of his kiss made Peyton weak in the knees. She kissed him back, deeply, hoping he could feel how much she loved and cherished him. Her whole body responded when he deepened the kiss, squeezing her against him as if planning never to let go. Peyton dreamt of this moment. The moment when she and Michael were back together, and all felt right in her world.
“There’s one other thing,” Michael mumbled against her lips before stepping back. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a black velvet pouch. “I want us to make this official.” He bent to one knee, and Peyton’s breath caught, her hand resting against her pounding heart. “I’m not good with fancy words, but I can tell you what I feel. I love you, Peyton. It wasn’t until you were gone did I realize how embedded you are in my heart. These last few weeks without you have been the hardest. I can’t go another day without knowing if you’ll be my wife.”
Seducing the Boss Lady Page 19