by Mia Ford
“What’s mine is yours, Wifey,” he said, winking at me from across the table. “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Well, after breakfast, we have to run inland and meet Maria and the photographer to go over the shots from yesterday,” I explained. “And then, I thought maybe we could go to one of those super touristy luaus they have on the island.”
“Okay,” he said, chuckling. “Whatever you want is yours.”
“Why thank you,” I said, pursing my lips.
We sat talking on the deck for only a few more minutes before going inside and grabbing our things to meet Maria. I pulled my wavy hair up in a messy bun and looked at my even tanner skin than normal. You could really see my Mexican descent in the contrast between my brown skin and dark features. I actually thought it suited me quite well.
The resort provided transportation to the small café in town, and I stepped out of the car with my arms wide, hugging Maria as she giggled, walking forward with a croissant hanging out of her mouth. I swear the girl was always eating but always in amazing shape. It would take me three weeks at the gym after this vacation to even get close to where I was before we left. But I didn’t want to harp on that because I was on my honeymoon, and that meant I could let loose and be free.
We all sat down around the computer as Philandro, the photographer, flipped through the photographs he had picked out as the best. I was shocked at how absolutely amazing they came out, and though I tended to be a bit self-conscious, I was completely comfortable with every single photo. As he rounded out to the end, both Maria and I were in awe of the photo of her and me standing arm in arm, smiling big as the waves splashed around us. It was the perfect picture for the wall in the shop, and when I said wall, I meant it was going to be seven feet high and five feet wide.
“So,” Philandro said, leaning back in his chair. “Are we doing any editing or touch-ups here? These photos are already edited for optimal colors and brightness, but I did not touch your bodies.”
“Good,” Maria said, shaking her head. “And we want to leave it that way.”
“Yeah,” I explained. “We want women to see us as regular women. We want to show that our skin bulges when we jump in the air, too. We want them to know that curvy, busty women with big butts can look just as sexy in our bikinis as the others.”
“If not more,” Maria added.
“I absolutely love it,” Philandro said. “Then, ladies, my work here is done. I will get all of these sent over to your marketing manager, and I will get the one for your shop blown up for the wall.”
I looked at Nathan as he leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“I worship those curves,” he whispered, kissing me on the cheek.
I could feel my cheeks burning red, and I smiled big as Philandro leaned down and hugged me goodbye. All the crew except Maria would be leaving tomorrow, going back to San Diego to get things going. When we returned, we would put the final touches on before we had our big release. I leaned back in the chair and smiled at Maria as she took my hand and Nathan’s.
“We are really doing this,” she said, laughing. “This is all so amazing.”
It was more amazing than I ever could have imagined.
Chapter Twenty Five
Nathan
I pulled the cotton t-shirt with company logo over my head and slipped on sandals, getting ready for dinner. Ronni had the bright idea that it would be a good experience to have dinner at one of the touristy luaus on the beach. I had never been to something like that, and my comfort level was at about a two. But this was what she wanted, and I was going to smile through it.
Who knew? She had managed to get me out of my stuffed shirt mode and into a more relaxed atmosphere. Maybe I would actually enjoy watching dancing Hawaiians in grass skirts and fire juggling natives, though I really had my reservations. But still, looking back at the man I was when Ronni came back into my life, I felt proud of how far I had come. I still wasn’t at a place where I felt completely comfortable with all of the free time this new life change had brought me, but I was working on it slowly.
Every day I could feel myself taking life a little less seriously, relaxing my shoulders just a tiny bit more, and allowing Ronni to convince me to step out of my comfort zone. It wasn’t like it was that hard, after all. Between Ronni’s amazing personality and her killer smile, I was pretty sure she could talk me into moving into an igloo at the South Pole. Hell, if it meant I could keep myself warm by snuggling up to her naked body, I might be down for it.
I turned and looked at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing the man standing in front of me. I think I had actually worn a t-shirt about ten times in my life, and they were all before the age of six. We had packed a bunch of the new outer wear to strut around town in, hoping to build a little brand awareness far from home. But still, it felt weird not buttoning up my dress shirt, tying my tie, and polishing my shoes. Life at the Landers’s business was anything but relaxed, and I had come to terms long ago that I would probably live the rest of my life in either a suit and tie or a polo. My father still dressed in a suit and tie, and he barely ever left the house anymore. At least in retirement, you would think the old man would loosen up and put on a pullover or something, but unless he was headed to the golf course with his buddies, he was ready to go for meetings that would never come. After waking up every day for so many years and doing the same thing over and over again, he must have gotten used to it and didn’t want to change.
Speaking of change, I was right in the midst of it. It had been a huge change leaving the company and parting ways with my family. But I had new goals and new things to look forward to, and I was more than happy to be taking on those responsibilities. I was building an empire with my wife and planning a future for our own family, one that was less rigid and more loving than how I grew up. I could barely remember Ronni’s parents, but it was always amazing to me as a child how different they were. They really acted like they loved each other, and I found myself slightly jealous of Ronni as a kid. But now, here I was, building this empire, making waves, embracing change, and hoping that I got used to the more quiet hustle and bustle of our business than I experienced with the real estate company.
I was drawn from my thoughts as the phone buzzed on the nightstand. I thought it was strange, since everyone I talked to was here on the island with me. I walked over and looked down at the name, shaking my head in disbelief. It was like the old man could sense I was thinking about him, and I tried to decide whether or not to answer my father’s phone call. I sighed and pressed the button, bringing the phone to my ear.
“Father,” I said without emotion. “How can I help you?”
“Nathan, I’m glad I caught you,” he said in a more than tired voice. “Look, I need to see you as soon as possible. It’s urgent. You know I wouldn’t call if it weren’t.”
“Well,” I said, trying to keep my irritation of his summoning to a minimum. “I’m on my honeymoon. Nick is in control of everything now. Have him get you whatever you need. He is more than capable of following strict and specific instructions.”
My father breathed heavily into the phone, and I couldn’t help but notice that his voice was ragged and tired, moreso than usual. I sat patiently waiting for his response, slightly curious as to why he would call me in the first place. I did understand that he had no idea I was on my honeymoon, but I could have been in his front yard and still wouldn’t have come running when he beckoned. I was no longer under his control, nor did I need to drop everything and come running when he thought it was important. Nick wanted to be the big man in charge so he needed to step up and do his job.
“Nick can’t help,” he said with a deep cough.
“Are you sick?”
“I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Like I said, Nick can’t help. He’ll only hinder this cause. In fact, he is the main reason for this call.”
I sat there silently, waiting patiently for my father to ease up and actually ask me for my he
lp. He seemed to still be under the impression that I was at his beck and call. I was no longer a child, vying for my father’s attention, learning the ropes of the company, and hoping to be part of it one day. I had been part of it. In fact, it was my entire life, but my life had changed, and I didn’t feel as if I needed to ask “how high” whenever my father told me to jump. I had broken those chains months ago, and I was just starting to let drift away into memory.
“You need to return home now,” he said angrily and sick. “There is no time to lose in these matters. You’ll understand when you get here.”
“Will I?” I said with attitude. “Because it has been thirty-three years, and I still don’t understand you. I don’t understand where you develop the kind of audacity that you do. I don’t understand how you think you can call me like this and expect me to drop everything going on, which is my celebration of marriage by the way, and come running to you. I told you Ronni was the most important thing in my life now, not you, not Nick, and definitely not the company.”
“Why are you being so difficult? Can we just skip the games this time? I need you here and it is your responsibility—”
“Responsibility?” I scoffed. “Need I remind you that you not only erased my name from your will and took my job, but you blatantly disrespected a woman who loved you like a father figure. A woman who I am now married to. So, why in the fuck do you think I would drop everything and just run home? I am at no one's back and call anymore.”
With those words, I hung up the phone, trying to control my anger and not bash my phone against the wall. I turned and found Ronni standing in the doorway, looking at me with confusion. I didn’t want her to hear that, but I just got so angry, I couldn’t control the level of my own voice. I hadn’t been this angry since Nick threw Ronni on the floor. Only this time, I had nowhere to go with my anger. Ronni stepped forward and rubbed my shoulder, looking deep into my angry eyes.
“I heard the shouting from the other room,” she said. “What is going on? Who was that on the phone?”
“It was my father,” I said, sighing and sitting down on the bed. “He told me he needs me to come home. I told him to get his boy Nick to do whatever he needed, but he said he couldn’t because it was about Nick. Well, partially at least. He didn’t tell me more than that, but he had the audacity to summon me like one of his servants. He didn’t ask me. He told me, and I don’t owe him a damn thing. Even after telling him twice that I was on my honeymoon, he didn’t offer any congratulations at all. It was like he wasn’t hearing what I was saying. Same old situation.”
Ronni bit her lip and looked down at the floor. I could tell she was thinking about how to say what she wanted to say. From the look on her face, she was being careful because she knew I wouldn’t like whatever advice she was going to give me. But every time she gave me advice, no matter how painful, it always turned out to be the right thing to do. She took a deep breath and sat down beside me, taking my hands in her lap.
“Look, I know you don’t like how he treats you, and neither do I, but you have to admit it’s strange that he would call you,” she said. “You know your father, and you know how long he can hold a grudge. Whatever is going on has to be major enough for him to put aside his pride and dial your number. For that fact alone, it concerns me that he is calling. What if someone is hurt or ill? What if something has happened to Nick? I know what regret feels like, Nathan, and it’s not something I ever want you to feel.”
“What about him?” I said angrily. “Why can’t he step forward and say he’s wrong? Why do I always have to be the responsible one out of the three of them?”
“Because it is who you are,” she said, smiling. “You don’t do it because you feel they deserve it or require it. You show respect and strength because of who you are on the inside. I think we should return home.”
“But it’s our honeymoon,” I protested.
“Yes,” she said, running her hand over my cheek. “And in case you’ve forgotten, you are extremely rich. We can come back here, literally anytime that we want to.”
“Fine,” I grumped.
I changed my clothes back into a polo and slacks and went to work packing up our things. I called the hotel and let them know we would be leaving early but to keep the entire amount I paid them plus add a thirty percent gratuity for all the shifts the workers would miss when we left. They were very thankful, but I couldn’t kick the bitterness I felt on the inside. I had finally gotten the life that I wanted, and I had finally settled into it. Then out of nowhere, my father calls and turns my whole world upside down. Just from the sound of his voice, I could feel the calm and serenity I had been collecting slip right down the drain.
The staff came to help take our bags to the car, and I sighed as I closed the villa behind us. We were on our way to the airport and back to reality. This time, though, it was a reality that I had no interest in being a part of.
Chapter Twenty Six
Ronni
As the plane flew over the islands, I gazed out the window at the same bonfires I had seen the night before. I was really disappointed that our honeymoon was over, but at the same time, I was insanely worried about Nathan’s family. One thing I think Nathan forgot was that I’ve known him since he was a young boy, and I can read him better than anyone. Sure, on the outside he acted like he was completely at peace, and even relieved, to have separated himself from his family and company. But on the inside, I knew he wasn’t happy with how he left things. Who could be? Nathan’s father was a hard ass, and he had become a bitter and grumpy old man, but he hadn’t always been that way.
I could remember a time where he would pick Nathan up and toss him in the air, laughing at his stories about school. I could still see the man that coddled me in his arms after my parents died, letting me cry it out, wishing he could take the pain that I was feeling. That man, regardless of the last few years, would always hold a special place in my heart. Somewhere in my gut, I had a feeling that something serious was going on. It was my duty as Nathan’s wife to push him to do the hard things that I knew were best for him.
I was orphaned so young, and although the Landers family provided me with a home and an education, they were never truly my family. I knew what it felt like to be all alone in the world and not be able to change that. Until Nathan came back in my life, that feeling still ran rampant in my chest. I would do anything I could to have my family back, even for just a little while, and I knew that if something happened to Nathan’s family, he would have some really deep regrets.
There was nothing worse than regret, and I knew that first hand. Everything in me wanted to protect Nathan the same way he went out of his way to protect me. Though I wasn’t the root of the falling out between them, I was definitely one of the causes, and I felt it necessary to make sure I helped bring them back together, at least from the sidelines. The way I saw it, by going home and facing his father, Nathan had nothing to lose. If he didn’t and we stayed behind in Hawaii, not only would it be constantly on his mind, but he might never have the chance to even know what his father needed. Sure, Nick was a definite sore spot for him and his dad, but now his dad needed help, and he couldn’t turn to Nick. Big surprise. Nathan didn’t owe them anything, but I knew with the type of man Nathan was, he would want to help in one form or another.
The plane ride home was silent, and I looked over at Nathan as we rode along. He sat quietly with his hands in his lap, staring out the window into the darkness of the night. When we got back, we went to my house since we still hadn’t figured out living arrangements, and Nathan didn’t seem comfortable at his apartment. I was pretty sure it was because it reminded him of his past life, one that he was desperately trying to forget. By the time we got back to San Diego, the sun was starting to peek out so we grabbed some coffee and headed over to the house. We unpacked our luggage and changed our clothes, all in silence. I knew Nathan needed to think so I let him be.
“I want you to come with me,” he said, looking u
p at me as I filled the laundry basket.
“Are you sure?”
“You are my wife, and I have no secrets from you,” he said. “I could really use your strength and light in that dim, dark office.”
“Of course,” I said, walking over and kissing his cheek.
I changed my clothes quickly, and we headed out to the Landers Estate. As we pulled through the gates, I thought about the last time I was there. When I left, I thought I would never come back here. We pulled up out front and were greeted by the service staff. I smiled kindly at the women from the kitchen who were always so kind to me when I came to visit. I looked around at all the faces, realizing there seemed to be quite a few more service staff than normal. I wondered what one man could possibly need this many staff for but shrugged my shoulders, figuring it was his normal excess and attempt to make the house not seem so quiet and empty.
As we walked into the giant foyer, I looked up at the beautiful marble arches, remembering feeling so overwhelmed by them as a child. I had come from a two-bedroom home on a farm in Mexico and ended up in a seventeen-bedroom home in the hills of San Diego. It was a bit of a change for a little girl. Now, though, the surroundings seemed hollow and almost sad, the shadows darker than before, and the faces in the crowd quiet and somber.
I was nervous as to how Noah was going to accept my presence, especially after the way he treated me last time I was in front of him, or behind him for that matter. I was pretty sure he never found out that I had come over there that day to confront him, but now, seeing how things turned out, I was glad I never made it in front of his desk. I took a deep breath as I followed behind Nathan and entered Noah’s office. I was surprised to find a different man sitting in the chair behind the desk. Where once sat an angry, but healthy man, now sat a thin and frail person. His skin was more wrinkled, his eyes had dulled to a gray, and the color in his cheeks had faded away. The look on his face was somber, not angry, and he looked less vital than he did the many times I had seen before. I glanced up at Nathan’s face, and I could tell he was hiding his shock at what his father looked like. His face was straight and stern as he approached Noah’s desk.