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

by G S Binkley

  Gage protested. “We’re her parents. We can make her stay here till she’s seventeen… maybe even eighteen. I should check the law on that.”

  “Gage, sweetheart…” Lacy caught her lover’s chin, pulling it back around to meet her eyes. “Do we have to talk about it right now? We have a few years.” Although even Lacy wasn’t convinced of that statement.

  “Fine.” Gage plopped back down on the bed. “What are you going to do today with the kids?”

  Sensing her partner’s jealous tone, Lacy asked. “Is there something wrong?”

  “No.” Then Gage mumbled. “Just don’t have any time for me lately.”

  “What?” Lacy turned on her side, facing her partner.

  “I said ‘when will I get my time alone with you’?” The blonde wore a definite pout.

  “Oh…” The dark haired woman crawled on top of her partner. “Am I neglecting you?”

  With a bottom lip pushed out, Gage shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “We can’t have that now, can we?” Lacy dropped her head lower, pressing her lips against that of her lover. She fell into the softness, allowing the passion inside to rise unheeded. “Mmmm…. I’ve missed you.”

  “Me, too.” Gage ran the edge of her tongue along her lover’s lips requesting entrance and soon found their tongues waging a war of dominance.

  Four hands covered every inch of naked skin that could be found as the two lovers engaged in some passionate early morning lovemaking. It seemed like forever since they’d made love and determinedly decided to make up for it.

  But when the telephone rang, Gage reluctantly answered it. The news she and Lacy heard quickly fizzled the rising fire of passion inside each overheated body.

  “Okay, Mark. We’ll get the next plane out.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  On the long ride to Stonewood Manor, Lacy voiced her opinion once again. “I still think we should have brought the kids with us.”

  “Lacy, if Samuel gets through this then we’ll fly the kids over but if he doesn’t… I don’t want them to see him die.” Suddenly, a dark memory conjured up in her mind about the time another person was bleeding to death in her arms.

  ************************

  Since Samuel Calico refused to remain in the hospital, Mark enlisted a private doctor and full time nurse to be on hand. “Grandfather, Gage should be here anytime now.”

  Julie held onto Mark’s left hand for support while her husband desperately held on to his grandfather’s hand.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t die till she gets here.” The ninety-five year old man still full of humor winked at his only grandson.

  “I wish you wouldn’t say that.”

  “Why? It’s true.” Caring blue eyes connected with his grandson’s blue eyes, mirrored back at him. “A person has to know when it’s time and accept it gracefully. Your grandmother did. Besides, Mark, I want to see her again. And that goes for your mom and dad.”

  Tears filled Mark’s eyes at the mention of his grandmother and parents. Julie scooted closer, wrapping her arm around her husband.

  “And I’ll say hi to Sharon and that you still love her. If you want.” Samuel asked his son’s permission.

  “I’d appreciate that.” Mark and his grandfather hadn’t spoken of Mark’s first wife for years and it still conjured up a bevy of emotions inside to hear her name again.

  Sparing a look at Julie before glancing back at his grandson, Samuel said. “I’ll tell her how happy you are with your new wife. She’d approve wholeheartedly.” Samuel reached his other hand out toward Julie. “Sharon would want him to be as happy as you’ve made my grandson. And I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Thank you, Samuel.”

  The old man made a face. “Gull darn it. Is she always that stubborn? I’ve yet to get her to call me grandfather.”

  Julie stood up and leaned over the prone man. “I love you, too, grandfather.” Then she kissed him.

  Smiling, Samuel said. “Been trying to get her to do that all along. Better watch it, Mark. I may just decide to hang around and give you a run for your money with that one. She kisses good.”

  “First you’re after Lacy and now you’re going after Julie. What’s wrong grandfather one woman not enough for you?” Gage walked around the bed leading Lacy. “Hmmm?”

  “Come here you.” When Gage leaned down, he kissed her. He waited patiently to receive a kiss from Lacy before he spoke again. “Now your grandmother… that was some woman.” He wiggled his bushy eyebrows.

  “What’s this I hear about you pretending to be sick just to get us here?” Gage teased her grandfather.

  “I do what I have to.” He winked at her. Then he turned to the matter at hand that he knew both of his grandchildren would balk at. “I want to talk to you about the estate.”

  “Maybe we should leave.” Julie considerately said.

  “No…no. It involves all of you. You’re all family.” Samuel assured them. “By the way, how’s those grandkids of mine? Ornery as ever?”

  “Ornery? Sometimes, I guess. Mostly sweet.” Gage grinned.

  With an impish twinkle in his eyes, he smiled. “They get that from me.”

  “They sure do.” Gage admitted.

  “Now about the estate.”

  *************************

  The next few days were a blur as Samuel gave a general overview of his estate regarding his wishes for Gage and Mark’s families. Resigned to their grandfather’s stubborn insistence that it was time for him to go, the two took refuge in their partner’s support.

  As the four gathered around Samuel, tears waxed and waned the night their grandfather smiled for the last time.

  Gage was glad Mark took care of the funeral arrangements while he was grateful for the blonde who offered endless support in his decisions. Actually, there were very few decisions to be made since Samuel had planned everything out to the last detail. It was just a matter of notification.

  Once again, Lacy and Gage discussed bringing the children over from the States and once again Gage opposed the idea. Ultimately, Lacy caved still fearing that their children and Gage would regret that decision.

  Gage, for her part, wanted their children to remember their grandfather as they had last seen him, full of vibrant life. A picture of a dead person lying in a casket haunted her to this day. That vivid image was not one she wished to carry with her the rest of her life but she had and Gage had hoped to spare her children from that same burden.

  There were times during that week that it seemed as if everything was in slow motion. Samuel wanted a private ceremony and his grandchildren held true to his wishes.

  Several lawyers met with Mark and Gage regarding the estate and unless it was something that needed immediate attention, the two decided that they needed time to get over the loss of their grandfather and put those issues on hold.

  Mark and Julie left first for the States while Lacy longed for a few days alone with Gage. She was anxious to return home to their children but felt they needed some time alone to reconnect. Lying in each other’s arms, Lacy relaxed as they fell blissfully into the quiet tranquility that both of them desperately needed.

  However, it was another phone call that disturbed their peace.

  This time Lacy answered it and said. “Okay, Stella. We’ll get the next plane out.”

  A hiked eyebrow posed the unspoken question to her partner.

  Lacy sighed. “David showed up at home.”

  ************************

  After a long and tiring flight, Gage and Lacy walked in their home to meet a syrupy smile from a very relaxed David. “Welcome home, Lacy.” He leaned in, kissing his ex-wife on the cheek before turning toward Gage. “You, too.” He spat sarcastically.

  “David.” Gage offered him her best scowl as her jealous green eyes tracked his hand brushing along Lacy’s arm. The blonde deliberately stepped between them. With a counterfeit smile, she said. “Can’t say it’s nice to see you again.”
>
  Lacy rubbed the small of Gage’s back, comforting her partner. “Gage.”

  David looked past the blonde to Lacy. “You feel the same… about my presence?”

  “The jury’s still out on that one.” Lacy sighed, moving closer to the blonde. “Seriously, why are you here?”

  David’s hazy gray eyes bounced off of Gage before he answered. “Maybe we could talk alone.”

  Leading the pack, Hayley wobbled into the large open entrance with Dani right behind. “Momma?”

  On a direct path to his mother, Derek whipped past his younger brother, bumping Sammy out of the way. “Mom? You bring me anything?”

  With a steadying hand, Dani prevented Sammy from losing his balance. “He’s gonna get it.” The little boy huffed.

  His older sister paused long enough to assure Sammy. “Yes, he will but don’t you want to say hello to mom and Gage first?”

  That statement brightened Sammy’s blue eyes. Nodding, Sammy smiled before resuming his trek to his mom.

  After a quick kiss and a long hug, Lacy passed Hayley to Gage. She leaned down and hugged Derek, which was interrupted by Sammy’s arrival. “Move.” Sammy shoved at Derek.

  “Hey now.” Lacy picked up her youngest son.

  Sammy rubbed his eye and frowned. “He started it.” The angry look on his face turned into a bright smile when his mother kissed him.

  “You shouldn’t have got in my way.” Derek announced smugly.

  Before Lacy could respond, David stepped up, placing his hands on Derek’s shoulders. “I’ll talk to the boy.”

  “Hi, mom.” Dani welcomed her mother before she shot off her all-important question. “Katie invited me to a sleep over this Friday. Can I go?”

  It took the tall dark headed mother a moment to process everything that had transpired in the midst of her arrival back home. David’s showing up expectantly and Lacy could tell he had been drinking. Gage’s jealousy when David got a little too friendly. The mother also sensed the conflict between her sons and now Dani was asking permission to go to a sleep over at her friend’s house. The same friend that was seeing an older boy. Needing time to address all the issues at hand, Lacy put her daughter off. “We’ll talk about that later.”

  Sammy turned to Gage, pulling at her shirt. “What did you get me? Dani said you got all of us something.”

  Gage winked at the youngster and nodded toward the nearby bag on the floor. She hoped the presents would off-set the news of their grandfather’s death.

  Sammy wiggled free from his mother’s arms, trying to get to the bag before Derek did. He was too late but his sister decided to help him. Dani grabbed the bag from Derek. “Over here.” They followed obediently.

  David laughed with a smirk as he shifted his accusing eyes toward Gage. “Buying their loyalty?”

  The blonde rolled her eyes and moved away before she lost control of her emotions and hauled off and hit him. Lacy provided a safe barrier between them.

  David leaned in closer to Lacy and whispered. “Now that the kids are busy why don’t we talk?”

  The astute two year old couldn’t hear what the tall stranger said to her mother but she didn’t like his closeness to Lacy. Reaching for her mom, she called. “Momma?”

  As Lacy pulled Hayley into her arms again, the small girl grilled David with a searing glare of her green eyes. She only wanted Gage or one of her siblings to get close to her mother, not some stranger that had recently showed up and acted like he owned the place. Hayley leaned her head up against Lacy’s neck. “Love you.”

  “Oh, honey, I love you, too.” Lacy brushed her lips against her daughter’s blonde hair.

  David couldn’t resist. “It wasn’t too long ago you said the same thing to me.”

  Great! I don’t need this. Lacy hoped Gage wouldn’t fall into David’s trap and respond. Her world was spinning out of control and more than anything she needed the support of her partner.

  Sucking in a very deep breath, Gage stifled the several smart retorts that came instantly to mind. She took her daughter from Lacy. “Come on, Hayley. I’ve got something for you, too.” Gage kissed a very relieved Lacy before the blonde whispered. “Go ahead, talk to him. The sooner you do the sooner he’ll leave.”

  Lacy welcomed her lover’s kiss. Nodding toward the study door, Lacy commanded David to follow. “You coming?”

  David caught Gage’s warning glare so he stifled the sexual comment that danced on the tip of his tongue, not entirely sure why.

  ************************

  “Want me to get you a drink?” David placed his hand on Lacy’s shoulder. “You look like you could use it.” He walked to the sparsely stocked bar that housed only a few bottles of wine and one bottle of bourbon.

  “What I need you can’t provide.” Lacy quipped smartly. Upon hearing her own words, she let out a deep sigh. “David, no games please.” Lacy moved away from her ex-husband, taking a seat behind Gage’s desk. “Well? What’s on your mind?”

  Rebuffed by the beautiful woman that he had once held in his arms, David walked toward the large window. Taking a long sip from his glass of bourbon, he attempted to buy himself a few more seconds before he laid out his plans.

  ************************

  “You didn’t forget me?” Stella lifted her green eyes, trying to see if there were other presents in the bag.

  Sitting on the floor in the middle of four happy kids, Gage chuckled. “Me forget? Are you kidding?”

  Stella accepted a small package from her daughter. “Lacy remembered right?”

  “Oh ye of little faith.” Gage smiled, remembering their hurried gift buying at the airport while they waited for their plane. “Okay she picked it out.”

  Stella stooped down to give her daughter a hug. “Thank you and don’t worry. She loves you very much.”

  The blonde smiled, knowing that her mother was referring to Lacy and to the fact that she shouldn’t be upset that Lacy was in the other room alone talking with her ex-husband with whom she had had three children. Feeling reassured at least for the moment, Gage jumped up and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. “I’m hungry. You kids hungry?”

  Grabbing their gifts, the three youngest children followed Gage to the kitchen, leaving Stella and Dani behind. “Okay, I’ll fix you all something but Derek no more cookies for you.”

  Without turning around, Derek mumbled. “Damn it that sucks.”

  Surprised, Gage paused but decided to remain silent. She didn’t want a confrontation with the young boy after just getting back and having to give him bad news about their grandfather.

  Dani gently touched Stella’s arm. “Don’t worry about him. He’s just in a mood.”

  “Oh, I know.” Stella wrapped her arm around Dani. “You want something to eat?”

  Dani hesitated. “I don’t… I think I’ll wait to talk with mom about this weekend.”

  “Honey.” Stella offered her grandchild some sage advice. “Lacy just got back and she’s got a lot on her mind right now. You’ve got plenty of time to ask her…. when she’s in a better mood.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Dani looked over her shoulder at the closed study door. “Somehow I don’t think dad has good news.”

  ************************

  David swallowed the last of his drink before slowly moving over next to Lacy. Still standing, he shrugged and said off-handedly. “I talked with Ted Connolly. He’s got a wonderful script. Should make a great movie.”

  Lacy leaned back in her partner’s chair. Rubbing her forehead, once again she pondered several looming predicaments. She dreaded dealing with David right now. Running through her mind was the debate… well argument… she had with Gage on the plane ride home. After Samuel died, Lacy wanted to tell their children over the telephone about his death since they had originally planned to stay on for a few more days. Gage argued against it saying they should wait till they got home. Her partner didn’t offer any reason for the delay. However, Lacy suspe
cted Gage was trying to avoid it completely. Something was bothering the blonde and that weighed heavily on her mind.

  “Lacy? Did you hear me?”

  “Is that why you’re here?” Lacy straightened, sparks flying from her ice blue eyes. “Because David if that is the only reason I cut short our…” Calming herself, she continued. “That could have waited or a phone call would have sufficed.” The frustrated brunette redirected the conversation. “Just tell me why you’re here.”

  The tone in Lacy’s voice forced David to reconsider his original approach. He slumped down in the chair in front of the desk and sighed, barely in a whisper. “I think Hayston’s leaving me.”

  “What?” Lacy stood, walking around the desk. As she sat on the edge of the desk, Lacy grinned. “She finally wised up, huh?”

  The beaten man shot her a disgruntled hateful and somewhat hurtful glare.

  “Sorry David. I couldn’t help it.” Lacy crossed her arms, having seen David look this way only a few times in her life. “I’m sorry about you and Hayston and I’m sure you’ll work it out but what’s that got to do with me?”

  Angrily, David shouted. “We did have a life together once. I thought you’d care.” He grunted. “You’re so wrapped up in that… blonde bitch…”

  Springing off the edge of the desk, Lacy leaned down with deadly blue eyes glaring at him. “Stop right there. You so much as utter one more even slightly bad word about Gage and you will never be welcome in our home again. I mean it, David.”

  On the few occasions Lacy had issued an ultimatum to him during their marriage, David easily recognized the strength of her warning. “Fine.” He was antsy inside and needed to move.

  Lacy watched David come up out of the chair and pace around the room. David desperately wanted another drink to steady his nerves but refused to face Lacy’s disapproving look. He had seen it several times before during the last year. It was a look that grated against his fragile ego’s foundation, one that he had cultivated for many years at the expense of others. He realized, far too much to his own dissatisfaction that Lacy’s approval meant a great deal to him.