Joni’s face turned bright red.
“I told you I heard it all.” True put her sunglasses on and tried to find the peace she’d had before this woman showed up but it didn’t work. “You’ve got some nerve showing up here. I’m glad that I’ve thrown away my prior instincts because I don’t want to have to spend the night in jail for fucking up a tourist.”
“I know what you think you heard and I have to tell you that there has been a misunderstanding.” Joni said quietly. “Alec took me to lunch last week because he’d been feeling guilty about the way we split all those years ago.”
True didn’t want to listen to even a word of this but she was riveted by the thought of actually hearing what happened. “What made your split so bad?”
Jodi’s eyes went wide. “Can I have a drink first?”
True pushed the button that brought over the man in the cute swim trunks that took orders and they both waited until the man came back with the drink Jodi had requested. The woman drank down most of the rum and soda in a few gulps. “Did you need that to tell the story?”
“I didn’t need it but it helps. You’re not the only one who’s had deep feelings for Alec Haught.” Joni put the drink down and let out a deep sigh. “Okay where were we?”
True didn’t think the question was for her but more of a where to start question for herself so she remained quiet.
“The weekend Alec was sick, something that hadn’t ever happened before that I knew of, I was away. I called and told him I’d come back but he’d told me not to worry about it so I didn’t.” She moved in her chair so she was facing True. “I didn’t think we were that strong of a couple but when I returned he proposed to me. It wasn’t a big grand to do but it was enough that he’d asked and I was so happy.”
True was fighting to keep from rolling her eyes. As much as it hurt her to hear it this is what she’d asked for so she was going to listen.
“This would be hard for me to hear if I were you. Are you sure you want me to go on?” Joni waited for True to nod, took another sip of her drink and carried on. “Okay. We didn’t get along very well and it felt like he was hiding me. I didn’t go to any of the family gatherings, I’d only met his brothers a few times and although I’d talked about your art and told him how much I wanted to meet you it never happened.”
Joni looked out to the water. “One day I broke it off with him. I wanted him to fight for me. I wanted him to tell me we could work it out but he just nodded and told me I could keep the ring.” Joni laughed a little.
“Then what happened?”
“I wanted him back. I figured that having the bit of his time was better than nothing. He is funny when you figure out his humor and he’s a protector of his family. I’ve seen that.” Joni’s voice lowered. “He’s a protector of you.”
“I’m not sure how you’re coming up with that, but I’m not going to argue with a woman who can track people to the ends of the earth.” True was glad to see the woman smile a bit. She understood heartbreak and she looked like she’d had her share of it.
“Well, when I decided I wanted to come back Alec was a different person. It was like he was totally turned off from me. The only thing that got him to talk was saying something about you.” Joni looked over at her. “I didn’t mean a word of it.”
“I have no idea what you said and since we all can say things we don’t mean when we are mad I totally forgive you.” True raised one eyebrow. “But I don’t want to hear the shit you were saying about me, so skip that part.”
Joni threw her head back and laughed. “I told him we would get along well, but after what he told me at lunch I can understand why he didn’t want us to meet.”
“What did he tell you at lunch?”
“I don’t mind telling you a little about what happened with me and Alec but there are somethings that need to come from him.”
“I don’t know if I want to talk, Joni. We’ve been going around this mulberry bush for a good long while and I don’t know if I can trust him. I’m sure you know how much he puts into trust.” True looked into her glass.
Joni drained her glass and placed it on the little table. “I can’t tell you what to do but I will say that I’ve never seen Alec act the way he’s acting and he has tried to put something together to show you how much he knows you.”
“You think it’s worth talking to him about?”
“It’s mind blowing and although I won’t be there with you, know I’m excited for you when you hear it.” Joni got out of the seat. “I’m not going to tell him anything but that I found you. The rest is up to you.”
True had more questions for Joni but it looked like the woman had decided their time was up. “You said you tried to get him back. What made you stop trying or have you stopped?”
“Soon after I began my campaign to win him back you called him about something. That man is a standard ring tone type of man but he has a special one for you.”
True remembered talking to Alec about how he knew it was her but he wouldn’t tell her what her ring tone was. She stopped trying to think about that conversation because she had a woman breaking her own heart right in front of her, hoping she’d give the man she cares for so much another chance.
“That’s what made me let go. He didn’t say anything more about it and neither did I. I’ve not talked to him much since that day until the day he picked up the phone and called me…for you.” Joni gave her a watery smile.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do Joni but I thank you for taking the time to find me and for spreading a little light. It’s just got to come from him.”
“I get it and like I said it’s totally up to you, but I’m sure he’d tell you the same or more if you’d answer your phone.” Joni put on her glasses and walked out of the cabana. “Whatever happens you’re still one of my favorite artists and I’m glad I got to meet you.”
True didn’t know what to say to that but it didn’t matter because the woman left the way she came and then True was alone again, but now she was thinking about all the things Joni had said. She was curious about what had been going on back home and she missed everyone but most of all she wanted to hear that ring tone.
Picking up her phone she made a phone call that was going to get her back to the real world and away from paradise. “Rosy? I’m going to be coming back to town in a few days and I was hoping you could do me a favor.”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“The plane gets back in the morning and I hate taking a taxi, but I know if I ask anyone but you they will send Alec and I’m not ready to see him yet.” True hated to admit that to anyone but she really did feel comfortable with Rosy. The woman had stepped up into Gemmi’s place as her assistant and done a fabulous job. Hence the fact that she was calling her for help to get home instead of someone else.
“Ummm…okay.” Rosy said quietly like she was trying to talk under her breath.
“Are you alone?” True could hear the sound of a chair moving across the floor.
“No. I’m not. Hey?” Rosy sounded indignant as her voice faded into the background.
“True is that you? Where are you? When are you coming home?” Karessa must have snatched the phone.
“I’m not telling anyone but Rosy. I want her to come pick me up and I don’t want any of the Haught brothers to come. I’ll see them later.”
“Does that mean Gemmi and I can’t come?” Karessa sounded so sad.
“I guess you can come.”
“Great. Thanks, True.” Karessa was smiling so hard it was actually evident in her voice.
“No problem. Tell Rosy I’ll give her my flight information later today.”
“I can’t wait to see you.” Karessa said before disconnecting.
True sat back and looked at the beach. Before her visitor she didn’t know what she wanted to do and afterwards she was still unsure. This rollercoaster she’d been on with Alec was tiring and painful. Sometimes you didn’t get what you wanted…shit
that was the story of her life so why did this seem so much more painful than other things that didn’t go her way. She’d been left as a child and had been chasing family her whole life, but it had always been borrowed and faintly insecure. It had to be time for her to do something different. Instead of waiting for Alec to come to his senses she needed to come to her own.
True stood up and walked to the water. So much beauty surrounded her and all she could think about was how much she wanted Alec to be here to see this too. It was time to put on her big girl pants on and go home. She would deal with her future after she figured out what was going on with her past.
Chapter 18
Karessa and Rosy were standing near the airport exit with Karessa waving and Rosy with a guarded smile. What the fuck was this about?
“Are you ready?” Karessa said as she neared the couple.
It was probably an innocent question but Karessa was acting strangely. “Did you bring Alec with you?”
“What? Noooo.” Karessa said with a laugh as she looped her arm through True’s.
True couldn’t believe how much she missed the two ladies who’d come to get her from the airport. “What did I miss? Is Gemmi okay? Has she gotten bigger?” She looked at Rosy. “Is that even possible?”
“Girl you’ve been gone for 5 days. The only thing that’s changed is the way Alec is acting and how he got his brothers to grill Gemmi and I about where you are.” Karessa’s grin was so big it was hard not to smile back.
They got to the car and Rosy held up a cup of Jasmine tea from Coffee Smoffee. “For you.”
“I may need to jet off more often. You ladies are making me feel like a returning queen.” True took the cup and sipped it a few times before putting it down in the cup holder. The ladies were talking about the plan for when Gemmi delivered… who was to call who. It was some sort of chain and True was glad she wasn’t in it. When she heard Gemmi was in labor she was going to the hospital and that was that.
She was tired and thought to just close her eyes for a few minutes. It wouldn’t take long to get home and then she could get settled in.
“Wake up, True.” Karessa’s voice woke her and she felt refreshed. How that happened with a fifteen minute nap she didn’t know.
Opening her eyes she looked out the front window and saw nothing but sunflowers. She blinked a few times. “What in the world is going on?”
“You said you were relaxing and someone told us your favorite flower was a sunflower.” Karessa opened up the car door and hopped out.
“So you brought me to a field of sunflowers?” True looked back at Rosy who also got out of the car and walked toward the field after she shrugged and followed Karessa.
True got out of the car and planned to follow her friends but it seemed they had disappeared into the flowers. Was this a crazy ass dream? “Did you drug my tea?” True screamed.
“No,” Karessa answered but she sounded far away.
“Where the hell are you guys?” True yelled at the field of sunflowers.
“Find the way into the maze, True. It’s so fun.”
She was in no mood for this shit but she wanted to be a good sport. No way in hell was she going to run through here though. Walking into the maze where it said start she took deep breaths of the fragrant sunflower air and she rounded the first corner only to see a large glass container filled with different colored candy on a table. That was a weird thing to see in a maze. When she approached the table she saw her name on a card taped to the container.
True – You think I don’t notice you but here is your favorite candy.
She looked closer at the container and saw the conversation hearts with only her favorite colors inside. Pink, purple and light blue. True shook her head and picked up the container before she followed the maze in the direction that was indicated on the table. She turned the corner and found a wagon with a note.
True – I knew you’d want to take your candy with you.
True did chuckle then as she put the glass jar in the wagon and walked on. At the next table there was a small house she recalled from her childhood.
True – I remember when Beau broke your baby doll house and you came to me to fix it. I tried but it didn’t work, but you told me it was perfect.
She took the house and placed it in her wagon. True loved that Alec had gone through all this trouble but she was beginning to think about how long this would go on. Pulling her wagon around the next corner she saw a chair with note attached to it. She sat down and read the note.
True – I feel like crap for the way I’ve treated you and I’d love to tell you about it and share something I’ve been working on for a while. Stand up and face the chair. If you go to your right I’ll be waiting for you but I’ll understand if you go to your left and walk out of this maze with you wagon full of treats. You know I’m not this cutesy so I hope if you left you appreciate my willingness to be silly for you.
She sat looking at the note. Knowing that everyone would know she was way to nosy not to go to her left plus she really wanted to see what he was going to say.
The walk to the corner of the hedges had her filled with anticipation. Was he going to say things she’d always dreamed he’d say or was this just him letting her know that he knows her. This was a man who could barely resist a challenge but she was one to talk. He’d said she’d never be able to fix up his brothers and she took that as well as a red flag waving in front of her face.
There was a cabana like structure when she turned the corner and there was the man who made her heart beat like a fierce rainstorm on the ocean.
“Thanks for taking a chance on me.” He offered her a seat and then sat down next to her. She just nodded because for whatever reason she was all choked up and just wanted to hear what he had to say. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. Alec wasn’t really kissing it he was just talking against it. There was something really endearing about it though. Maybe because he wasn’t usually this touchy feely.
“I’ve loved you since the very first time you kissed my scar. I told you that I’m the most like my father but what I didn’t tell you is that I thought if I loved a woman like my father loved my mother I’d die of a broken heart just like he did.” He’d looked away from her for a few seconds in the middle of his explanation but his gaze was clear when he got to the end. It was as if he thought she was going to mock him or something.
“Do you think you love me that much?” True almost didn’t want to ask that question but if she was going to base her future on this she needed to know all the information.
“I know I do. It’s the reason I’m going all out right now. When you went away I thought about how I didn’t answer your question of how I felt about you.”
“You don’t have to do that now.”
“I know I don’t, but I want to. You are good on the fly just like Beau. Someone asks you something and you open your mouth and your smooth answer rolls over your tongue but people like me need a minute.” He took a deep breath and she cocked her head to the side.
“Take all the time you need.”
“I love how you make me smile even when I don’t really want too, even if it doesn’t show on my face. I love the way you kiss my scar. I love that even though you know so much about me but you still look at me like I’m and angel. I love that you’re dependable and how you always make sure you have everybody’s favorite food or drink on hand just in case we stop over. I love your voice and the smart ass things you say when I test your nerves.”
True couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up to sit on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“But most of all I love knowing that if my life ended today I’d consider myself lucky because I’ve found my soul’s mate.”
She kissed him because the words he was giving her were almost too much. “Do you really mean all that?”
“Yes I do. I had a plan for telling you all this. It involved a restaurant and comfort but you ran away and I wanted
to tell you everything as soon as I could.”
“Is this what you were going to tell me at the comfortable restaurant?” She enjoyed watching his face this close up. He looked relaxed and…happy?
“When you said I didn’t know you. It stung a little. I know all about you True.” He pulled back a little from her and she thought he just wanted to tell her about what he and Joni were working on.
“Really?”
“Yes really. I know how much family means to you. Just like I know you think our family is borrowed and you get insecure about it sometimes.” He stared into her eyes and she couldn’t imagine where he was going with this.
“It is important to me, but as you know I am the product of a prostitute and a john. I’ve aged out of the foster system and although family means a lot to me I’m good with the temporary family I’ve found with the Haught’s.” Even talking about her lack of family made True a bit sad.
“I know. I wanted to do something big and I pulled Joni in this with me because she is one of the best private investigators ever.” He had his hands on her shoulders and he looked into her eyes. “I wasn’t with her. We had lunch so I could apologize for the way we broke up. The reason is I couldn’t stand to see the way you looked at me, but I didn’t need to dump her with practically no explanation.”
“She found me on a beach so I’m not doubting her skills.”
“Joni found your sister. Her name is Heaven Lee and she lives about 25 miles from here.”
True sat in Alec’s lap frozen. It was like the words he’d put together didn’t make any sense. “What do you mean she found my sister?”
“I’ve been looking for a bit just checking here and there but I turned up the heat when you threw down your challenge.”
The sobs and tears came from nowhere and there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop them. She sat there wrapped in Alec’s arms, surrounded by his love and her heart full. When her tears subsided and she could hear the words he murmured in her ear she sat up and looked at him.
“Did Karessa and you set me up?” She knew she sounded indignant but she didn’t get set up she set up people.
Haught & Bothered Page 14