by Virna DePaul
For a moment, she allowed her eyes to flutter closed. To lean her cheek into his palm. Then she opened her eyes, pulled away, and focused on a lamp in the corner of the room. She shook her head, giving him a sad smile. “Thanks for that vote of confidence, but there are those who don’t agree with you.”
“Right,” he said, remembering more of the conversation he’d overheard. “Mason’s family is contesting it?”
She nodded.
“Why?” he asked. “It’s what their son and daughter-in-law wanted.”
She toyed with a wrinkle on the duvet. “That still surprises me. A lot. And given the fact my father has my cell phone number and didn’t call me after the lawyer spoke with him, I won’t be surprised if my own parents contest Gail’s decisions, as well.”
Silence followed, then a quiet, “The reason you’re estranged from them…It’s about more than you not wanting to conform to their expectations, isn’t it?”
She nodded.
“Tell me.”
“I was the black sheep and I could never do anything right. Our family was new to the world of wealth. We weren’t like you Whitcombs, with generations and generations of money and power and prestige behind you. Nope, my dad made a fortune early on selling stocks, and made sure everyone knew we had money. And that everyone knew we had a ‘place’ in society. Even if we didn’t.”
“Sounds like your dad has issues.”
“Yeah, that about sums it up. But Gail and I had to be ambassadors for our family. We had to play the part. Act the role. Be ladies. Gail got an A+. I failed. But it wasn’t just Dad who was disappointed in me.”
When she hesitated going further, Jamie caught her hand, which was still playing with the fold in the duvet, and entwined his fingers with hers.
“I used to date Mason.”
“Wait…your brother-in-law?”
She nodded. “He was the first guy I slept with. I thought we were going to get married. But then I overheard our dads talking to him, encouraging him to break up with me. Encouraging him to date Gail, who’d be better suited for him. When he broke up with me, he said I didn’t fit the image of someone he’d need by his side when he took the political world by storm. He said—he said I embarrassed him. Just like I embarrassed my dad.”
Her voice quavered and Jamie mentally cursed, knowing how difficult it was for her to admit this all to him. Damn her father and ex-boyfriend for making her doubt her own worth.
Jamie took a deep breath and chose his words carefully. “I hate to speak ill of the dead, but he didn’t deserve you, Luce.”
“I know that, but I loved him. I thought he accepted me, and to know my own father and my sister thought so little of me…Cared so little of my feelings…Well, obviously fifteen years later I still wasn’t over it. With Gail gone, it seems so stupid now. I know that. But I can’t change the past.”
“So…is that how you think of me? That just because I have money, I’d do something like that…think something like that?”
She shook her head. “You’re not like that, Jamie. But the fact remains, you come from a world that expects certain things from people. Old money. Big business. Corporate America. I don’t want to have to change who I am to fit in.”
She looked at him, as if waiting for him to say she didn’t need to change to be with him, but he hesitated. When her expression closed up, he cupped her face in his hands.
“I wish I could say that you should never be anything but yourself and fuck the rest of the world, but that would be naïve. People make concessions all the time. Should you let others demean you? Make you feel bad about who you are? Absolutely not. Is it selling out to refrain from calling someone an asshole, even if he is an asshole, to maintain a business relationship? Maybe. Maybe not. But bottom line, each individual has to decide. Each has to commit, whether it’s to living in a certain place or living with a certain person, and damn those who’ll try to make you feel out of place. I couldn’t be in a relationship with someone who isn’t willing to do that. With someone who’ll walk away when things get tough.”
“Like I did from my parents, you mean?”
She pulled away until his hands dropped.
“I understand Mason hurt you,” he said quietly. “That what your sister and your father did hurt you most of all. But that could have happened in any family, rich or poor. You’ve focused your hurt on the fact that you and Mason came from money. You wanted out of that world so much that you didn’t see your sister for fifteen years. By the time you did…”
“By the time I did, it was too late.” She smiled bitterly. “So what now? Our one night and the morning after are just about over, and you told me you didn’t want to be my friend, remember?”
“And at the time I was practically green with jealousy. We are friends, Lucy. You don’t have to tackle this alone. I’ll help you in any way I can. As for the rest of today, I know you’ve gotten a shock about Milly. You need time to process that—”
“Thank you, but please don’t tell me what I need.” She smiled brightly. “Obviously Mason’s sister isn’t going to let me have contact with Milly. The lawyer will be emailing the paperwork I need to review, and I’ll get on that first thing in the morning. But right now, we only have a few hours before I head back to California and you…?”
“I’ll be heading back to California, as well. For my sister’s wedding on Coronado Island.”
She nodded. “Right. Well, before we go, I’d just as soon focus on something other than what a terrible mother Mason’s family thinks I’d be.” She smoothed her hand over his chest, then slid a palm down to squeeze the hardening bulge between his legs. “Why not focus on one of my favorite things?”
He knew what she was doing, using sex to once again deflect emotion. But he’d take it. Because when they’d made love, she’d lowered her guards and given him her. And his time to enjoy that again was running out. “By all means, let’s take advantage of those hours.”
CHAPTER SIX
Almost two hours later, Lucy showered once again, wincing slightly at the aches in her body even as she smiled at how those aches had come to be.
There was no doubt in her mind now that she’d been right all those months ago. Jamie Whitcomb had been the best lover she’d ever had. The question was how she was going to live without his particular brand of lovin’ from here on out.
Because playtime in Vegas was over. It was time for her to return to northern California and deal with the matter of gaining guardianship of her niece. And as much as she appreciated his offer to help her, it was time for Jamie to finish up his vacation time at his sister’s wedding before fully taking his place at the helm of his family’s billion-dollar corporation.
With a sigh, Lucy turned off the water and quickly dressed back into the shirt, capris, and flip-flops Jamie had bought her. When she entered the bedroom, he was finishing buttoning his shirt. He immediately walked up to her, placed his hands on either side of her waist, and leaned down to kiss her.
When he pulled back, he smiled down at her. “I got a text from Rhys, and I’m betting you have a similar one on your phone from Melina. They’re looking for us. They want to see us before we leave.”
“What about your other friends? The ones here for the bachelor party?”
“I checked in with them earlier. We’re flying back to California together for the wedding. I have several hours until I have to meet them at the airport if you want to go to Rhys and Melina’s…”
Lucy crinkled her face and shook her head.
“Or not,” Jamie said.
“It’s just…Grace and Melina still have hope for something serious between us, and I don’t want to confuse them by showing up together.” As she said the words, she had to force herself not to look away from him.
Be strong, Lucy. You knew this was just temporary. Nothing’s changed.
Nothing.
So why does my heart feel differently?
“Right,” he said. “Well, why don’
t you stop by first. I’ll tell them I can’t make it until later. If you happen to still be there, great. If not…” He shrugged.
“Right,” she echoed.
He caressed her cheek with his fingers, then said, “I wish…” He shook his head. “No. Not going to go there. You agreed to one night and that’s what we had. And it was fabulous.” He lowered his head, gave her a kiss, and said, “Stay as long as you want. I’ll catch you later, Lucy.”
With that he turned and walked out of the suite, closing the door softly behind him.
* * *
An hour later, Lucy, Melina, and Grace were sipping coffee on the patio of Melina’s house. Rhys and Max had just left for work, and as soon as they left, Lucy turned to Grace. “I was blown away by Max’s proposal last night. I couldn’t stop crying!”
Grace’s smile was brighter than the Vegas strip at night. “Me, too. When he asked me to help him with his opening night trick, I thought it was sweet of him to include me. I honestly didn’t suspect a thing. I mean, we’d talked about getting married but he hadn’t let on that he was thinking about proposing so soon.”
“It was beautiful,” Melina agreed.
“I guess even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then,” Grace said. “I’m just so glad Max and I found each other.”
For the next few minutes, they oohed-and-awed over Grace’s ring…as well as Grace’s Rated PG account of what had happened after Max had carried her off stage. Although Lucy was very tempted to share the fact she and Jamie had finally had sex, she didn’t want to take away from Grace’s moment; she also didn’t want to deal with all the questions that would follow. She did, however, need her friends’ support about Milly.
“So,” she said, “in the continuing dramatic saga that is my life, I was informed today that my sister and Mason left custody of Milly to me.”
“What?” Melina said, her eyes wide. “Why are you just now hearing about it?”
“Apparently it took a while before the lawyer knew Gail and Mason had died, and he went to my parents and Mason’s parents first. Mason’s family is contesting me being named Milly’s guardian. They don’t think I’m mother material.”
“That’s nonsense,” Grace said.
When Lucy didn’t respond, Melina asked, “You do know that’s nonsense, right?”
Lucy shrugged. “Is it?” she asked quietly. “I mean, I want her. She’s my last link to my sister and the fact that Gail wanted me to have her…” Lucy shook her head. “I’m not saying I’m a bad person, but being a good person isn’t the same as being a good mother.”
“Lucy,” Melina said, “No one knows they’ll be a good mother until it happens. It all starts with common sense and love and lots of support. I know for a fact you have a great heart, a logical, intelligent mind, and so much to give. I think you’ll make a great mom.”
“I second that,” Grace said. “You’ll also be a ‘cool’ mom. One who knows all about empowering a woman to stand tall and go after what she wants.”
“I don’t know. I mean, that’s what Jamie said, too, but…” Immediately, Lucy wanted to kick herself.
“Whoa,” Grace drawled. “You and me are gonna have to mend fences. You talked to Jamie about this? Before you talked to us? How? When? You said you just found out today.”
Melina sucked in a breath. “Wait a minute. After the show, you both disappeared and… Did you sleep together?”
The high-pitched tone Melina used to say the word “sleep” made Lucy wince. Then she squeezed her eyes shut tight and nodded.
“Oh my God!” Melina said.
Grace—sweet, genteel southern magnolia Grace—actually squealed and clapped her hands. She stood and jumped up and down. “It’s because of the way Max proposed. It was so romantic, it finally made you both admit how you feel about each other.”
Lucy shook her head. “No, no,” she said. “No.”
Both her friends immediately stilled and grew quiet.
“No?” Grace asked.
“No,” Lucy repeated. “Nothing’s changed. We—we were just horny and Jamie offered to give me what he hadn’t been willing to give me before and I accepted. It was…great. But now it’s over. We’re friends. Just friends. And I really need you both to accept that. Please. I need your support with Milly.”
Melina and Grace looked at each other. Then they each walked up to her and gave her a hug. “You have it.”
“I know. I love you two. I don’t say that enough. I am so damned lucky to have you both.” She wrapped an arm around each of them and they had a group hug, just before the babies announced over the monitor that they were awake.
“Speaking of lucky…” Melina said with a smile. “Once you get custody of Milly, our kids can play together.”
If she got custody of Milly, Lucy thought, but since there was no point in speculating on what was going to happen, she simply smiled and went along with her. “That would be awesome. I can call you at three in the morning when she won’t stop crying and ask you what I should do.”
“That’s fine. Rhys usually answers the phone in the middle of the night anyway,” Melina said with a laugh.
She got up and Lucy said, “Can I get them?”
“Sure, but they’ll need to be changed. Are you sure you don’t want me to help?”
“You just gave that speech about what a fabulous mother I’m going to be, Melina. Let’s see if you still trust me after I diaper your children.”
Lucy went to the nursery and found the babies each in their own cribs, staring at each other through the bars.
“Hi there, guys. How was your nap? Aunt Lucy’s going to change you, okay? Then I’ll take you out to see Mama.”
She started with Tabby, laying her on the changing table where Melina had stored everything she would need. The baby looked at her curiously and Lucy said, “I’m funny looking, I know. You, on the other hand, are gorgeous. You look just like your mama.” Tabby squealed. “I know, that’s a good thing. Your mama is so pretty.”
Behind her, Charlie babbled and Lucy turned to look at him. “Be patient, little man. You’re next. You’re gorgeous, too, by the way. You look just like your handsome daddy.”
She played with them and tickled them and got them all clean and changed. Then she took them out to Melina.
“Special delivery,” she said. “They said they’d rather go back to northern California with Aunt Lucy but I told them you’d miss them too much.”
“Thanks, Lucy.” They chatted for about thirty more minutes. Then, after Lucy called a cab to take her back to her hotel, she looked at her watch and said, “It’s time. The cab will be here any minute.”
“I’m going to miss you,” Melina said, grabbing her in a hug.
“I want some of that,” Grace said, hugging her next. “You take care of yourself, okay? If you need any help with this ridiculous custody battle, you call me. Max knows a lot of attorneys and we’d be thrilled to be character references for you.”
“Us, too,” Melina said.
“Thanks, guys. I love you all so much. Tell Max and Rhys I adore them, too.” She kissed her friends and then the babies before letting herself out the front door. She’d been expecting the cab to be waiting for her.
To her surprise, Jamie stood outside, leaning against the huge tree in Melina’s front yard. He waved. “Hey.”
“Why didn’t you come in?” she asked. She searched the road for the cab.
“I sent the cab away. And I didn’t come in because I needed to talk to you. In private. Would you take a walk with me?”
* * *
“You want me to take a walk with you,” Lucy repeated. She looked at Jamie as if he’d lost his mind, and maybe he had, but he had to act cool, calm, and confident if he was going to get her to agree to his plan.
“That’s right.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” He held out a hand for her. “I’ve just been thinking about something and I want to talk it over with
you.”
Lucy took Jamie’s hand and they began walking. They’d only gone about a block when she suddenly stopped and turned to him. “Jamie, if this is about last night—or this morning, for that matter—we both agreed nothing’s changed…”
Everything had changed, he thought. At least for him. But even if things hadn’t changed for her, he was determined to help her. “This isn’t about me wanting to start a relationship with you again, Lucy. At least, not the way you think. This is about me helping you get custody of Milly so the two of you can start being a little family or…” He held up a hand to forestall her saying she wasn’t sure keeping the baby would be the best thing for her. “Or you can make arrangements for her to go to caregivers you’re comfortable with. Although I just want to say again, I think any child would be lucky to have you as a mother.”
“Go on,” she said.
He took her hand and they started walking again. As they did, they passed charming houses, some with tricycles and swings in the front yard. To anyone looking at them, they’d appear to be just another couple taking a stroll. “I talked to my lawyer, and from everything I’ve told him, he says you’ve got a long, ugly battle ahead of you. If there was a way to get Mason’s family to drop their opposition to custody, that would be the best option.”
“Of course it would, but they’re not just going to do that.”
“Maybe they would if they realized you wouldn’t try to keep Milly from them. I’m betting, given your estrangement with your family, that’s really what this is about.”
“Oh. Well, I never considered that.”
Of course she hadn’t, Jamie thought. She was determined to believe the worst of people, and Mason’s family had certainly given her reason to, but Jamie was still hoping they could be reasoned with. “Milly needs to know her aunt and grandparents, no matter what’s happened in the past, don’t you agree?”