“She’s trying to help. She has been helping.”
“Don’t let your perception blind you to the reality. Just think about what I said.” Gavin started to turn.
“I will,” Ethan said. “And before you go, I want you to consider who truly deserves your distrust and judgment: a woman who’s just doing her job or our brother who left the company in shambles and ran off.”
Gavin glanced at Ethan over a shoulder. “I don’t trust either of them,” he said, then slipped inside.
Chapter Twenty-One
After Ethan dragged Gavin away, Kerri stood in a corner and nibbled on a piece of brie. The rich texture melted on her tongue and she almost wept. High cholesterol or not, she deserved this much after what she’d dealt with so far.
Those two better not be fighting. She didn’t want to be responsible for a rift between the two brothers, especially when she was a temporary fixture in Ethan’s life. And it seemed doubly wrong to come to Stella’s party under false pretenses and then cause trouble for two of her sons on top of it.
Kerri looked around and saw a trio of young boys who seemed to be about ten fooling with a golf club in the backyard. They made a big deal of teeing up precisely and taking a wide-footed stance, shifting their hips back and forth like the pros and trying to look cool, but everything about the way they held the club and their swing was wrong, and none of their balls went very far or in the right direction.
“Give me the club, Eric,” one of the boys said. “You’re totally doing everything wrong.”
“Like you know how to do it. My coach said you have to rotate your shoulders like this.” The other boy got into position and swung. The ball careened off to the left, and his friends laughed and pointed.
Kerri winced. Whoever his parents were, they should have demanded a refund. The kid was awful.
Eric turned bright red, and his mouth thinned as he glared at the others. He was dressed just as expensively as the other two, but something seemed a bit off about the way he was interacting with them. The other two were clearly just as ignorant about golf as he was, but they had an abundance of self-confidence while Eric looked uncertain and a little humiliated.
Look away, Kerri. It’s none of your business. Let one of the family deal with it.
Kerri swallowed the last bit of cheese, pushed away from the wall and went out to join them. The boys looked at her questioningly.
“You guys are all doing it wrong,” she said baldly.
“No way,” the biggest boy said, as full of confidence as he was ignorant of proper technique.
“In fact, way. I’ve studied with the top coaches in the country.” During her childhood, when she’d done her best to be the grandson she’d thought her grandfather wanted. And as an adult her golf skills came in handy here and there. They hadn’t earned her grandfather’s love, but they gave her an opportunity to schmooze with clients who seemed to spend all their free time on the green. They’d admired her long drives and ability to hold her liquor. “Trust me, you’re doing it wrong.” She extended her open hand, palm up. “Lemme see that.” The boy gave her the club.
She got into position. “This”—she swung—“is how you do it.”
The boys just stared with their mouths open as the small white ball made a clean arc.
“See?” She gestured at Eric. “Come here. I’ll correct your form.”
He turned even redder, but he came forward and let her teach him. He was a quick study, even though it was obvious he’d never had any proper instruction. When he finally hit the ball cleanly, she clapped him on the shoulder. “There you go.”
“You should be in there enjoying the party instead of dealing with these troublemakers,” came a low voice.
She turned and saw Meredith with a glass of white wine in her hand. “Actually, I am enjoying myself.” And to her surprise, she really was.
“I’m going to steal her away, boys. You all behave,” she said.
Kerri followed Meredith amid a chorus of “Thanks!” from the kids.
“Thank you for being so nice,” Meredith said. “Especially to Eric. He’s my son.”
Kerri blinked. The other woman seemed too young to have a boy his age unless he was much bigger than his peers.
“I don’t let him play, though he wants to because he wants to do everything his uncles do. But I’m so… Well, I’m clueless about sports” —Meredith wrinkled her nose— “and I haven’t bothered to arrange for lessons.”
Ethan, a golfer? It wasn’t a combination you saw much with bodybuilding. Or maybe it was Gavin who was the golfer.
“So, did Gavin act like a total jackass?” Meredith asked.
“Ah, well…”
“Don’t worry; I saw him talking to you and then get dragged outside by Ethan. For such a smart guy, Gavin can be a little obtuse at times. And blunt.” Meredith rolled her eyes. “Don’t let him get to you. Otherwise he’ll spoil all your fun.”
“Okay…thanks.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad Ethan’s watching out for you. He’s always out there, trying to protect and provide for everyone, which is great for us, but can be tiring for him.” Meredith looked at her family and relatives. “What you did for TLD… Well, nobody welcomed the news, of course, but we’re all grateful you discovered the truth before things got any worse.”
This was different. Not everyone liked it when she did her job a little too well.
“I don’t want you to think that we’re upset or we blame you for the situation. That’s all on Jacob.” Meredith sighed, then her eyes grew hard. “A lot of us depend on the company.”
“So I’ve heard. But Ethan and Gavin are wealthy, and they can provide for the family until the company gets straightened out.”
“But it’s not their job. Dad and Grandpa started the company to make sure everyone would be provided for, no matter what. For that legacy to be in danger like this is difficult for all of us to accept. Frankly, it’s humiliating, which is why some of us are harping on the toys we’ll have to give up.” Meredith shook her head and smiled crookedly. “It sounds so awful to talk about yachts as though they’re necessities.”
“No, I understand. It’s not like you can sell a yacht or a private jet quickly. And every month they’re burning cash, what with all the maintenance and so on.” And that would hurt—having to spend the enormous amount of cash. From what Kerri had seen, Stella didn’t have a spending problem, but some of the others definitely did. She’d caught some whispers about new toys many had bought recently, counting on the dividends from the company. Their banks would work with them, of course, but bankers were patient only when they were certain you could pay them. She’d seen how one of her distant cousins had gone bankrupt and been ruined when Barron had cut her off for having married a man he despised. Financial hardship wasn’t such a big deal to her, but the humiliation had been tough.
“What Jacob did was irresponsible,” Meredith said.
“I’m sure he’ll be back to make things right.”
Meredith snorted. “I don’t know if I’d trust him to do it when we have you. If you hadn’t taken a look at the books…” She shuddered. “You have to be one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. I don’t know anybody who could’ve untangled everything so fast. Ethan and Gavin are capable, but they’re so busy with their own things, you know?”
“I imagine so.”
“I wish I was more like them so I could do my share to help.” Meredith sighed then smiled wistfully. “I never thought I’d have to be more than a socialite, going to parties and sponsoring charities and stuff with the money from the company.”
Kerri chose her words carefully. “Helping the less fortunate is just as important as running a company, if not more so.”
Meredith laughed. “Diplomatic, aren’t you?” Her gaze focused on the French doors. “There’s Ethan heading straight for us. Or more precisely you.” She gave Kerri a quick grin. “I gotta go get my son. Talk to you later.”
; She disappeared by the time Ethan reached Kerri. “What were you guys talking about?” he asked.
“A secret plot to take over the world.”
The rest of the party went relatively smoothly. Ethan stayed by her side the entire time, while Gavin stayed away, ignoring both of them. The others in the family seemed to like her, or maybe it was due to Stella’s unspoken order. She oozed graciousness, and treated Kerri as if she were family.
At some point Kerri decided just not to worry about being among the Lloyds. It was only one afternoon, and she would smile and chat with everyone for Ethan, who obviously adored his mother.
When they had some relative privacy, Ethan presented Stella with a certificate for a two-week long, all-expense paid trip to Italy he’d arranged for her. His mother glowed at the gift. “Oh, Ethan. I haven’t been there in years!”
“I know. Thought it’d be good for you to get away and enjoy yourself for a while. Things have been stressful recently.” He hugged her, and Stella smiled fondly even as she was being crushed in his embrace.
“You’re the best son a mother could ask for.”
He chuckled. “You only say that because you get my jet for two weeks.”
A vise tightened around Kerri’s chest. How would things have turned out if her family had been the teeniest bit like this one? What if her father and brothers hadn’t died in the crash? If her mother had been able to overcome her grief for her loss? Would Kerri have grown up in a loving home? Would she still have left, turned her back on her family because she couldn’t bear the pain any longer?
For the first time in years, Kerri began to consciously resent the circumstances of her birth. That damned drunk driver! And her family’s attitude! As the Lloyds laughed and chatted, she felt like she was looking at them through an enormously thick window, always outside, always cold and hungry and alone. Ethan seemed so right in the midst of the group, while she stood apart, a dandelion that had somehow sprung up in one lonely corner of a garden full of roses.
I want this. No, I deserve this.
Somebody in my family should’ve been strong for me. For the helpless little girl who had no idea why her mother couldn’t love her the way she wanted to be loved.
Sudden loud knocks at the door announced another arrival. One of the cousins went out. The door opened and there was moment or two of murmured conversation. Then everyone heard a loud, “Let me in! I’m entitled to be here!”
Ethan tensed immediately. A few people stared at the entryway, their mouths slightly parted. Stella’s face lost all its warmth.
A tall man with dirty brown hair walked in. On his arm was a voluptuous blonde in hooker heels. At least she was decently covered in a pink sleeveless tunic and teal mini skirt. He’d left his shirt unbuttoned all the way to mid-chest, and his dark jeans were stained with something that looked suspiciously like mustard. Despite his unkempt appearance, he was handsome, his features finely carved. The woman with him raised a hand slightly in a tentative wave.
“Jacob, I do not remember inviting you,” Stella said, her voice cold.
So this was the infamous Jacob. Kerri stared at the man. The image she’d had was of someone a little more put-together—and much more contrite. But no. This man was all rebellion and bravado, a brash sneer on his lips.
“Guess my wife—or whatever she is—forgot to tell you I called,” he said. “She canceled all my credit cards.”
“A prudent move, I’m sure,” Stella said. “Thank you for informing everyone. Now you may leave.”
“Why? I’m the head of the family.”
“You’re hardly that. Not since you abdicated your duties to the family and ran off with that” —Stella’s gaze flicked over his companion— “female.”
“She’s a showgirl, Ma, not a stripper. And unlike dear, dear Catherine, she never took a penny from the company.”
Now this was interesting. Was he claiming that Catherine had embezzled money? Kerri made a mental note to check further into it.
Stella didn’t acknowledge his correction. “You’ve been irresponsible with the company that’s been entrusted to you. This is neither the place nor the time to discuss the matter.”
“I didn’t do sh—anything to mess it up.” He pointed his finger at Ethan. “It’s him and that Wilson heiress.”
Kerri’s stomach coiled, all the food she’d sampled earlier churning violently. She put a hand over her belly.
Ethan strode forward. “That’s enough.”
“I know what she is.”
Someone said, “What heiress?”
“Wilson. Sterling & frickin’ Wilson!”
Ethan crossed the room and started to pull Jacob away. The older Lloyd struggled, determined to stay and say his piece.
To Kerri’s surprise, Gavin joined Ethan. He unhooked Jacob’s other arm from the woman and helped Ethan drag their derelict brother back through the front door.
Kerri’s fingers shook. She clasped her hands together. How in the world had Jacob found out? She’d been so careful not to speak of her family, to avoid events where she might be photographed or where guests might recognize her. And if Jacob knew, did that mean her grandfather had found her too? She remembered the PIs Justin had hired. They’d said Barron wanted to talk to her, and if she didn’t agree, things would become more difficult for her.
Barron used to gaze at her so dispassionately, like she was a stranger on the street he happened to notice. At times he looked through her, an invisible presence he couldn’t bother with. Kerri couldn’t remember a single time he had smiled at her or hugged her. He’d been warmer and more cordial with colleagues and subordinates.
As she grew older, she told herself it didn’t matter how he treated her. But this sudden interest was alarming. It couldn’t have come out of affection or concern. The last time he’d been this intent on somebody, that person had ended up ruined.
Kerri realized that Stella was standing next to her. “Please accept my apologies. I’m embarrassed for the family and for Jacob. He had no right to speak to you so.”
“It’s all right.” Kerri tucked a curl behind her ear with an unsteady hand. “I know things haven’t been easy for anybody in the family.”
“No, it’s not all right. Don’t ever excuse other people’s obnoxiousness. They are adults. As such, they have the ability to control themselves and behave with dignity and decency.”
Kerri nodded, unwilling to contradict the woman. She felt awful that Stella’s party was ruined because of Jacob. And what if someone took Jacob’s accusation about who she was seriously?
She desperately wanted to leave, but couldn’t until the party was officially over. Ethan wouldn’t want to go until he knew his mother was okay and it was polite to do so.
Meredith came over and offered a drink, which Kerri turned down. The younger woman cringed. “I’m so sorry about that. Jacob’s not the brightest guy in the first place, and when he gets drunk… I can only imagine what you must think of us.”
Kerri forced a smile. Meredith has no idea what kind of fraud I am. She should probably tell everyone the truth, but she couldn’t bear to see their faces close off, the finality as they cut her from their midst. She’d experienced that with her own family, and couldn’t bear to repeat it with Ethan’s. “I think you guys are just going through some tough times. Don’t worry about me.”
***
Ethan and Gavin dragged Jacob out of the house. The woman followed them out when the other Lloyds created a hard-faced phalanx around Stella.
Once outside, Ethan pushed Jacob away. His older brother stumbled a couple of paces, regained his balance, then faced Ethan, running a hand through his unkempt hair. “What the fuck, bro? I have every right to be in there. I’m a member of this family too.”
“I’m going to leave you two alone,” Gavin said, taking Jacob’s stripper—or showgirl, whatever—by the arm. “Come on, honey, let’s take a walk.” The woman went with him willingly enough, although she cast a couple of glan
ces back over her shoulder as Gavin led her away.
“What you are is a disgrace,” Ethan bit out. “Haven’t you done enough?”
“What? What did I do?”
“Don’t you know the kind of shape TLD is in? Christ, no wonder you didn’t want us to look at it very closely.”
“Ah, piss off. I provided for the family, while you and Gav went out and did your own thing.”
Ethan could barely control his fury, but he did so for the sake of his family inside. They didn’t need a brawl on top of everything else. “You told us not to interfere with the business, that you had it under control. None of us had any reason to doubt you when you said business was booming and kept depositing money into everyone’s account.”
“So what’s the problem? I worked my ass off to make the payments.”
“No, you worked your ass off to cover up how bad things were. You fucking borrowed money to pay dividends! Who the hell runs a company like that? Why didn’t you say something?”
“And what? Not pay? How would the family have afforded its caviar?” Jacob sneered.
Ethan ground his teeth. “I didn’t need the money. Neither did Gavin. Neither did several others who had their own means.”
“People always need money,” Jacob said stubbornly.
Ethan swore and turned away in disgust. Jacob hadn’t asked for help, not because he thought he was doing well, but because he couldn’t stand the idea of admitting a screw-up. Never mind who got hurt so long as his pride remained intact.
“I’ll tell you something, little brother,” Jacob said to Ethan’s back. “You don’t know jack. You always had it easy. Had things handed to you all your life. Women. Academics. Sports. Now your business success.”
Ethan spun around. “Success is never easy, you idiot! If I make it look easy to you, it’s because I don’t whine every time I have a setback the way you do. And I don’t have to have my name on every project, I don’t need to have a fancy title to make sure everyone knows how special I am. Those are things you need. You have to make sure everyone knows how hard you’ve worked, how important and awesome you are every damn second of the day. If you spent even a fraction of that energy on the legacy our father left for you to continue, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now!”
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