A Woman In Love: Book Four (The Woman I Love Series 4)

by G S Binkley

  Late Friday afternoon, the Ballant clan arrived at Mark and Julie’s home on Long Island. Mark planned a barbeque for his old friend and had invited Mitchell Stone and his wife, Bev, along. He was surprised when Jett, Beverly’s son accompanied them. Julie Grant was less surprised informing Mark that she suspected Jett liked Jessie.

  “But she’s got a boyfriend.” Mark said of his wife’s daughter.

  Julie cupped his face with her hand. “Darling, sometimes things like that just don’t matter.”

  He noticed Jett make a beeline for Jessie’s room telling everyone that he wanted to say ‘hi’. If it was up to Mark, he wouldn’t allow Jessie to date until she was twenty-five. When he had shared that with Julie, she laughed. “I can’t believe how parental you can be.” Julie kissed him soundly in appreciation of how much Mark had come to love her children.

  Mark wrapped his arm around Julie as he introduced his guests to each other. “Lacy, Gage, you already know Mitch and this is his wife, Beverly.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Bev smiled at Gage. I wonder if I should be jealous. She chanced a glance at her husband before turning to Lacy. “And I feel like I already know you from your show.”

  Lacy extended her hand, smiling. “Don’t believe everything you see. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Holding Hayley, Gage introduced the rest of their family to Mitch and his wife. “This is Stella, my mom.”

  “Hello.” Stella smiled.

  Nodding, Gage continued the introductions. “Our children Dani and Derek…” The blonde searched a moment then saw her youngest son. “Sammy, come here.”

  The small boy peeked out from behind his mother. He shot his small hand up for a quick wave before taking refuge behind Lacy again.

  “That’s Sammy and this…” Gage propped Hayley up a little higher. “…is our littlest, Hayley.”

  With a generous smile, Mitch beamed at seeing Gage with her child. It warmed his heart to see such love between parent and child. She deserves it.

  Gage turned slightly. “Hayley, you remember Julie and Mark.”

  Julie took a step forward and took hold of her tiny hand. “Hello, Hayley.” The child giggled. “Mark, look how she’s grown.”

  Proudly, Mark said. “And she’s so pretty. Just like her mother.”

  “Then you mean beautiful.” Gage corrected her friend. “Cause Lacy’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  “Yes, she is.” Mark agreed then astutely pointed out. “Right behind Julie here.”

  Lacy laughed. “Good save there, Mark.”

  Julie nudged her husband. “Yeah, ya big lug.”

  “Mark?” Gage moved closer. “Why don’t you hold her?”

  Panic held court briefly in his blue eyes. “I… I don’t…”

  “Here.” Gage slipped Hayley into her biological father’s arms.

  Nervous, Mark marveled at the tiny girl he was holding. This wasn’t the first time he had held Hayley or had spent time with her but it never ceased to amaze him that he was part of her creation. Instinctively, Mark bounced Hayley in his arms.

  “Hayley, say hi to Mark.” Gage prompted her daughter.

  “Hi.” Her eyes studied the man holding her for a moment before she reached up and tugged on his nose.

  When Gage laughed, so did Hayley. “Do you think that’s funny, Hayley?”

  “Hi.” The little girl agreed with Gage and did it again. This time when Mark offered a slight frown in response the small child said. “Uh oh.”

  “Uh ohs right.” Mark smiled. “Why don’t you pull her nose?” Mark leaned Hayley toward Gage. “Go ahead. Get her. Get Gage.”

  Hayley reached forward and said quite clearly. “Gay.”

  That word coming from the little girl’s mouth shocked the room in complete silence. Only Derek uttered a soft. “Uh oh.” Then promptly hid behind his mother right alongside Sammy.

  Silence reigned until Gage spoke. “Great. My own daughter outs me in front of my family and friends.”

  Nearly everyone else joined Gage’s laughter except for the two conspirators still hiding behind Lacy.

  “Come here.” After Mark returned Hayley to Gage, the blonde asked. “Now just where… who taught you that?”

  Sensing that Gage was not the happiest camper in the world, Hayley popped her small hand over her mouth and said. “Uh oh.”

  Dani was getting rather bored with all of the introductions so she asked. “Where’s Jessie?”

  Julie stepped through the crowd toward the young girl. “She’s up in her room. Come on, I’ll show you where it is.” Over her shoulder, the hostess called to Mark. “Why don’t you get our guests something to drink?”

  ************************

  After Jessie yelled for Dani to come in, the young girl opened the bedroom door and was completely surprised. “What are you doing here?”

  “I live here.” Jessie shot back teasingly.

  “No. Him.” Dani pointed to the tall boy sitting on the edge of Jessie’s bed.

  “Dani, this is Jett. Bev’s son, Mitch’s….” The nineteen-year-old girl started to explain.

  “You’re Jett? But…”

  When the tall boy saw that both girls were confused, he explained to Jessie. “I saw Dani at the toy store yesterday.”

  “You’re the one that came up the ladder to get Derek.”

  “What?” Jessie was thoroughly confused now.

  After Jett explained the whole situation, Jessie heard her mother calling them to come down and join the rest of the group. “We’ll be down in a minute.” She looked at Jett. “We need to freshen up, would you mind?”

  “That’s my clue.” Jett straightened up. “Later.”

  When he was gone, Jessie asked Dani. “Well, what you do you think?”

  “He’s gorgeous.” Dani gushed.

  Jessie smiled. “I think so, too.”

  ***********************

  The lanky teen ambled down the long staircase glad he rode his motorcycle here. He only came to see Jessie and when he found out that she had a date later, he figured he would stay and check out her boyfriend. Competition. The smug adolescent reasoned that he would bide his time. The light haired girl with chocolate brown eyes was the first girl Jett was really smitten with. He wasn’t paying much attention when he bumped into the kid at the bottom of the stairs. “Hey!”

  Mesmerized by the teen’s appearance in a black leather vest, black jeans with several chains hanging from the loops, the young child just stood there.

  “Oh, it’s you.” Jett gave the little guy a crooked smile then mussed his short hair. “Haven’t been hanging around again, have ya?”

  Derek shook his head and finally found his voice. “What’s that on your arm?”

  Jett swung his shoulder around. “This? It’s a snake eye. See it? Right there in the middle.”

  “What’s it for?” Derek stared at the colorful tattoo.

  “Nothing you need to know about.” Jett glanced around the huge hall. “Hey, where’s your mom? She was kinda cute.”

  Pointing to a sliding door that led to the outside courtyard, Derek continued his questioning. “Where’d ya get it?”

  Jett strutted toward the door. “Little shop in the village.”

  “Oh.” Derek followed him not having a clue as to what village he was referring to. “Do you have anymore?”

  The tall teen swung around and stooped down. “Yep.” He winked at Derek before saying. “But none that I can show ya.”

  “Oh.” Derek wasn’t sure what that meant but he also wasn’t going to let on.

  Jett stood at the doorway, whipped out a cigarette from his vest and lit it. He inhaled a couple of times. Glancing at Derek, he shoved the lit cigarette toward the young boy. “Wanna drag?”

  Quickly, Derek shook his head. But secretly he couldn’t help but think how cool Jett looked and wondered what it would taste like.

  Sucking on the death stick again, Jett mumbled. “Ah, hell.�
�� Impatient, he looked at Derek. “Should I wait? See what this jokers got to offer.”

  Clueless, Derek nodded but only because he didn’t want Jett to leave yet. “You wanna go outside?”

  Jett dropped down next to Derek. “First rule… when they…” Jett pointed to the group of adults outside. “…are outside, you stay inside. When they come in, you go out. Saves you lots of hassles in the long run.”

  “Right.” The impressionable nine-year-old eagerly agreed.

  ***********************

  Jett along with Derek finally did make their presence known among the adults when Jessie and Dani showed up outside. Both Lacy and Gage heralded their appreciation to him and his parents about what he done the day before. Derek was a quick study on how cool Jett was and began to idolize him even more after all the praise and thanks Lacy and Gage showered on the young man.

  Bev wrapped her arm around his lean waist. “I’m proud of him.”

  Mitch inserted his feelings. “We both are.” The strain between Mitch and the teen had lessened but there was still a long way to go. While his mother’s idealist view of her son was blurry, Mitch had a clearer picture of exactly what Jett was still into these days.

  After everyone ate, Jett lingered for a while talking with Jessie and Dani with Derek close by. The young boy didn’t say much but hung on Jett’s every word. When Sammy and his younger sister wanted him to play for a while, Derek turned them down flat. He was much too interested in what Jett had to say.

  “Come on, Jessie. Forget about him.” Jett referred to her boyfriend. “I’ll take you for a ride on my bike.”

  “I’ll go for a ride.” Derek popped up.

  Mussing the young boy’s hair, Jett dismissed him. “Later.”

  Secretly, Dani was hoping for a ride on his bike.

  “Come on.” Jett glanced over toward the group of adults in the distance. “Just a quick ride up and down the street.” When Jessie shook her head, he turned to Dani. “You wanna ride, don’t ya?”

  “Yes.” Dani about jumped out her shoes when he asked.

  “No.” Jessie countered. “She’s too young. Besides, I don’t think her mom would let her.”

  Before Dani could speak for herself, Jett spat. “Oh, fuck this. I’m outta here.” Jett made a half-hearted wave toward his mother before he took his leave.

  Frowning at Jessie, Derek walked away. The young boy was convinced that Jett would take him for a ride later like he promised.

  “You wanna go back up to my room before my date comes?” Jessie asked Dani.

  “Sure.” But only after a few steps, Dani pulled at the older girl’s arm. “Jessie? Why didn’t you want me to ride with him? Is it because you like him?”

  Jessie motioned for her young friend to sit on the short stonewall leading back up to the house. “Yeah, I like him okay but that’s not it. Dani…” Jessie took a minute to formulate her thoughts. “I think deep down Jett’s got a lot of good in him but it’s like he’s got a chip on his shoulder. I think it has something to do with his parents divorcing but I’m not sure.”

  Dani nodded. She understood about parents divorcing.

  “And he’s been into some things like drugs… I know he used to belong to a gang but in all fairness he says he’s not into that anymore. I don’t know.” Jessie took a deep and thoughtful breath. “I think one day he’ll get it all together but right now… he’s confused and… dangerous.” When she saw Dani’s blue eyes widen upon hearing that word, Jessie modified her statement. “I don’t mean it that way. More like out of control. He’s unpredictable.”

  Tentatively, Dani asked. “What if he wasn’t? Would you go out with him?”

  “Well, you know I have a boyfriend.” Dani nodded. “But… maybe. He’s so cute.”

  They both smiled.

  ***********************

  Mark and Gage waited until Mitch and his wife left before sitting down to talk business about their production company. “I slave hours over getting my screenplay finished and you don’t even ask about it.”

  “Hand it over.” Mark took the script. “I’m sure Lacy’s correct in her assessment of it.”

  “Mmmmm… hmmm… I think she’s a little biased.”

  Mark smiled, knowing he held a certain bias when it came to his best friend.

  “By the way, Mitch and I talked briefly about his ideas for the TV network you’ve acquired. He’s got some great ideas.” Gage watched Mark flip through her script. “I’m not sure I can add much to it.”

  Mark tossed the script to the side. “Nonsense. There’s always something percolating up there in that noggin of yours. I’m glad you and Lacy could come and visit. With all the negotiations going on here, I’ve not been able to get away.”

  “You mean forced. You forced me to come here setting up that book signing.” Gage kidded her partner and friend.

  “I had to get you here some way.” Then Mark asked seriously. ”You and Lacy okay?”

  “Yeah.” Gage dismissed the worried look in his blue eyes. “You know how it is… life, the kids. Things like that.”

  Smiling, Mark turned reflective thinking about the tiny blonde girl. “She looks just like you.”

  “Actually, I think she looks more like Lacy and you. Except for the blonde hair.” Gage sat up in her chair. “Mark, I want her to know you… and not just as a friend to the family.”

  Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, Mark advised Gage. “I told you that’s up to you and Lacy. I don’t want to intrude.”

  “Intrude? Without you, Lacy and I wouldn’t have her. No. Lacy and I’ve talked about it. I don’t know when exactly but one day, she will know you’re her father. And I want you to think about something.”

  His dark eyebrow rose in question.

  “What if she started calling you… ‘daddy’?” Gage offered a smile to her friend.

  “Spoken from someone whose daughter calls her ‘gay’.”

  “Hey, I don’t know where she came up with that. I have my suspicions about that one though.” Gage said then the blonde rolled her eyes and admitted. “She calls me ‘Mimi’. It all started with Sammy.”

  “Lacy told me or rather Julie then it finally got to me.” Mark folded his hands together. “Why not ‘mom’?”

  “That’s what she calls Lacy.” When he remained silent, obviously not satisfied with her answer, Gage continued. “Come on, Mark, do I look like a mom?”

  Smiling, Mark got up. “You look fine to me. Come on, let’s go back outside before they miss us and…” Mark’s blue eyes gazed at Gage. “I’ll think about the daddy thing. I just don’t want to confuse her.”

  “Oh, trust me you won’t. That little kid is so smart. Nothing gets past her.” Gage pulled him closer. “She’ll probably figure out you’re her father long before we tell her. Matter fact, I bet she already knows.”

  Chapter Nine

  Nervously, Gage stood at the back door of the New York bookstore. She held Lacy’s hand tightly. “You’re coming with me, right?” When Lacy didn’t answer, Gage turned around. Lacy was still on her cell phone with Stella. I’m so keyed up I didn’t hear the phone ring.

  “Stella, tell him we’ll talk about it later. But between you and me the answer is a definitive no!” Frustrated, Lacy blew a puff of air up that caused her bangs to fly.

  Looking back at the crowd gathering in the store, Gage asked. “No what?”

  Lacy ended her call and announced. “He wants a tattoo.”

  Distracted for a moment, Lacy’s words finally penetrated the blonde’s mind. “He wants a what?”

  “You heard me. A tattoo. Like Jett’s.”

  A deep shudder vibrated through the blonde’s whole body.

  Lacy wrapped her arm around Gage when she felt the nervousness in her partner. “Sweetheart, I’ll be right there by your side the whole time. Okay?”

  Gage turned to meet her partner’s concerned blue eyes. “Lacy?” She hesitated before she proposed. “Maybe we should
think about it.”

  Confused, Lacy asked. “You don’t want me with you?”

  “No!” Trying to find a way to express her concerns regarding Derek, Gage closed her eyes for a brief moment. “Derek… maybe we should think about, you know, a tattoo for him.” When the blonde saw her partner begin to protest, Gage rushed her next words. “Nothing big… a little tiny one.”

  “Gage?” The bookstore owner interrupted the couple. “It’s time.”

  Baffled blue stared into anxious green eyes for a moment in time before, they both shook off their concerns and walked hand in hand out to the waiting crowd.

  ***********************

  The afternoon went well and true to her word Lacy stayed nearby the whole time. Gage took every chance she could to make sure the people crowded around were well aware of Lacy’s art design on the cover of her book. As usual Lacy dismissed her contribution but received the praise with elegant grace, making all those gathered feel special. When the last few autograph seekers had dwindled down, Lacy asked Gage if she wanted something to drink.

  The blonde smiled then nodded to Lacy as she signed one more book for one of the store’s patrons. “I hope you enjoy it.” Before the customer left, Gage glanced around quickly to look for her partner.

  That was when it happened.

  “Hello Gage.”

  When the siren voice from the past entered Gage’s consciousness, the blonde looked back around and standing before her was the woman that changed her life dramatically. Swallowing hard, Gage croaked. “Gail?”

  Warm green eyes greeted her old friend as Gail Randall walked around the podium and hugged Gage. “Oh, it’s so nice to see you again.” The slightly shorter woman lingered in her hold on the writer. It was as if she was trying to reclaim the past and perhaps even Gage’s heart. “I’ve missed you.” Gail pulled Gage’s chin down and placed a sweet kiss on the still stunned writer’s lips.

  From a distance, Lacy stood in shock as a dark haired woman stroked her partner’s face.

  Gage was so stunned she didn’t realize that Gail still held her close and was taking liberties that in the past had been welcomed. And we’re in public, too.