“Okay, you guys. Nobody is getting replaced,” Kendra says, trying to smooth things over. “Let’s adjourn this meeting and regroup tomorrow at nine at the hotel. Paul, I think you’re making too much out of this. Thad was just taking a friend to his brother’s house for dinner. Thad, you’ll be leaving in a week and you may not want to start something you can’t finish. Please, let’s all sleep on this.”
“Fine.” Paul flashes me a mutinous stare before he gets up in a huff and lets himself out.
“Thad,” Kendra says, pulling me aside before leaving herself. “Mallory is absolutely lovely. I see the way you look at her. I know you have a lot of history together. But you’d better be sure this is what you want. You can’t take a girl like that down this path unless you truly mean it.”
“I’m sure, Kendra,” I say without so much as a hint of doubt. “I’ve been sure since I was seven years old.”
Chapter Ten
Mallory
Teaching is hard today. I can’t keep my mind focused and away from last night. The way he looked at me. The way he touched me. It was almost like fifteen-year-old Mallory hanging out with sixteen-year-old Chad, but with serious sexual tension. Then there are the texts he’s sent today. He hasn’t asked to see me again; they’ve just been funny and casual. Letting me know he had a good time last night; he and his one testicle. Telling me he hopes I’m having a good day.
I find myself disappointed come the end of the school day that he hasn’t asked me out, and I wonder what that means. Do I want him to ask me out because I want to be with him? Or just because I want to feel like I’m worthy of the superstar he has become?
I lost a lot of sleep last night wondering if I can even blame him for everything he did when he was under the influence of drugs. I mean, yes, I blame him for getting involved with drugs, but once someone is physically addicted, do they have control over their actions? And is what he did to me really that bad in the overall scheme of things? It’s not unusual for friends to move away and lose touch.
Maybe I’m just making excuses so it’s easier for me to justify seeing him again.
Then a sick feeling washes over me. The person who killed my mom was drunk. He ran her off the road and right into a telephone pole, killing her instantly on the way home from her overnight nursing shift. He was held responsible for his actions. He was an alcoholic who went to jail for three years—not nearly long enough to make up for the time we’ll never have with her. Damn right he should be held responsible. Nobody forced the guy to drink. Just like nobody forced Chad to use cocaine.
I decide to visit my mom’s grave in the cemetery on the way home. Ask her what she thinks about all this. She loved Chad like a son. She loved all the Stone boys, but she had a sweet spot for Chad. Everybody did.
When I arrive home, there’s another strange car in the driveway and my heartbeat quickens. I want it to be him. I want it to be him more than I’ve ever wanted anything. But in some strange way, at the same time, I don’t. But there’s no Cole standing next to the car. I peek in the car windows before closing the garage, just to see if I can get a clue as to who is visiting. But when I go in the house, I can hear exactly who it is.
I walk into the living room. “Hi, Kendra. Nice to see you again.”
“You too, Mallory. I was just telling your dad that you have a lovely home.”
“Thank you. Did you come to see where Chad grew up?” I motion to the front door. “I’m sure the neighbors won’t mind if you want to see his old house.”
“I came to see you, Mallory.”
“Me?”
She nods. “Is it okay if we sit for a while?”
“Uh, yeah.” I look at my dad and he shrugs, giving me no indication of why she’s here. “Can I get you a drink first? Water, coffee?”
“Thanks, your dad already offered. I don’t want to take up much of your time.” She nods to the couch. “Is here okay?”
I walk over and sit down.
“Nice to meet you, Kendra,” my dad says. “I’m going to start dinner, Mallory. Take your time.”
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Richard.” She sits next to me. “Your dad seems great. And he’s a doctor. Impressive.”
“Yeah, he’s pretty great,” I agree.
She points to a family picture on the mantle. “And your mom, what does she do?”
“My mom died seven years ago,” I tell her. “It’s just us now.”
Kendra’s face falls into a frown. “I’m so sorry. I lost my mom at a young age as well. I know how hard it must be for you.”
“Thanks. Sorry you lost yours,” I say.
“We have a lot in common,” she says, followed by a deep sigh. “I have a feeling one of those things is loving Thad . . . uh, Chad.”
Two things happen at once. My jaw drops. And my heart breaks. She loves him? Of course she does. She’s here to shoo me away. But it doesn’t make any sense, given what she said to me last night.
Kendra starts laughing at my reaction. She scoots closer and puts her hand on my arm. “Oh, gosh, that obviously came out the wrong way. No, no, I love him, but I don’t love him. I’m married.” She shows me her ring and then studies me for a second. “But if your face is any indication, I believe I’ve hit the nail on the head.”
“Huh?” I ask, still fazed.
“You care for him, don’t you?” she says with a motherly smile.
“We grew up together. We went through a lot back then. So, yeah, I guess I do. But I don’t know him anymore. Things are different.”
“I don’t disagree that people change, Mallory. And I won’t try to defend his past actions. I’ve only known him for three months myself, and of course, I didn’t know him back when you did. But I can tell you this—if I had a daughter, there isn’t anyone I’d rather see her with than that man.” She shakes her head laughing. “Let me clarify. Not that I’d necessarily want my daughter dating a star, but the man he is inside—the huge heart he has—that’s the kind of guy I would wish for her.”
“Back when we were kids, he was like that,” I tell her. “He was always protecting me. Helping me. Helping our friend Julian or his brothers. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Well, unless you were hurting someone he loved. Then, all bets were off.”
“Sounds like the same guy I’ve come to know and love,” she says. “I get that you see him as the star he is today. The bad-boy persona that is plastered all over the news. Maybe that was him for a few years when he lost his way, but not anymore. It’s the press who keep trying to make him fit that same mold, twisting everything you see and read to make it look like that is still who he is. But I’m here to tell you it’s not. Don’t believe everything you hear. That’s rule number one of Hollywood, listen with deaf ears.”
“What about Courtney?” I ask.
“What about her?”
“Well, aren’t they sort of dating . . . or whatever?” Probably a lot of whatever.
“Is that what you think?” She shakes her head vehemently. “I told you, Mallory, don’t believe everything you hear. Pairing them as a couple is good for the box office. He’s told not to deny it.”
I look up at her, surprised. “What?”
She nods. “It’s all part of the game,” she says. “You really should be asking Chad about this. However, I will tell you that they did date briefly around the time of filming, but it didn’t work out. There were a lot of pictures taken of them during that time. They keep resurfacing. And if you ask me, Courtney likes it that way.”
I pick at a spot on the couch. “So they’re not . . .”
“Not for a long time,” she says.
I feel a huge sense of relief; like I’d been holding my breath since he walked into my life, but now I can come up for air. “What you whispered to me last night, about me being the one, what does that mean?”
“You must see the way he looks at you, Mallory. It’s the same way my husband looks at me. The man is completely smitten. I haven’t seen him so
much as look at another woman since he saw you outside the club on Saturday.”
“But there are so many of them. Why me?”
She gives me a scolding look. “Why not you, Mallory? You are nice. You’re beautiful. You have a history together that nobody can even come close to.”
I eye her skeptically. “Did Chad send you here to get me to go out with him?”
She guffaws. “Lord no. And to be honest, Mallory, I’m not sure if I’m here to encourage you to date him or to warn you away.”
“Warn me?”
“Yes. Listen, I love Chad to death, but you need to know that dating a celebrity comes at a hefty price. You’ll lose your anonymity. Some of your freedom. As soon as the press finds out about you, every facet of your relationship will be plastered across tabloids, internet and entertainment TV. You may develop a fan base of your own. You may even get hate mail.”
I take in a sharp breath. “Hate mail?”
She nods reassuringly. “You have what others want.”
“I don’t have anything,” I tell her.
“Oh, but you do. You have that man’s heart.”
I find myself tearing up at her words. I wanted him for so many years. I think I fell in love with him when I was six, the minute he stood up to those bullies for me. Every boy in my life—every man—has been compared to him—the younger version of him—and none have measured up. I tried like hell to erase him from my life back then. I did stupid, destructive things. But no one has ever been able to take his place. Strings of failed relationships plagued me until I just gave up and stopped dating. I thought the problem was me, but maybe it was Chad all along—or the fact that he’d had my heart, making me unable to truly give it to anyone else.
Kendra takes my hand. “I know this is a lot to take in. And it’s unfair to you. You shouldn’t have to deal with all the crap that comes along with him. New relationships can be hard enough as it is. But it’s a package deal if you want to be with him. And it’s already started, you know. There is a picture of you out there.”
I’m completely caught off guard. “A picture of me?”
She nods reluctantly. “From the night of the premiere. It’s only your profile. You can’t even tell it’s you. But after Chad’s reaction to seeing you that night, some photographer took your picture and it ended up on the morning show Chad did yesterday. I’m assuming he didn’t tell you about it because he didn’t want to alarm you. And it’s not a big deal. Not yet anyway. But it will be. With him going to your school and then you showing up together at his brother’s residence—it won’t take long before the press put it all together.”
I sink back into the couch cushion trying to figure out how I feel about all of this.
“I’m not telling you this to scare you away,” she says. “But I do want you to think long and hard about it. If you don’t think you can handle it, please don’t get his hopes up any more than they already are. I don’t want to see him get hurt, Mallory. And I think you may be one of the only things in this world that can truly hurt him.”
I take in a shaky breath, still trying to hold back my tears. “It—it’s a lot to think about.”
She pulls a business card out of her purse and hands it to me. “I’m his publicist. It’s my job to know everything that’s going on with him so I can put out fires and get as much good press out there as I can. If you ever have any questions about what you see or hear, call me. Don’t jump to conclusions. Nine times out of ten what you see is not true, or at least it’s a twisted version of it. But woman-to-woman and not publicist-to-girlfriend, you can trust me to be straight with you.”
Girlfriend? My head is spinning.
“I like you a lot, Mallory. I think you’d be great for him. And to be honest, I think you’d be great for his career. People seeing him with someone who’s not an actor might be a benefit. Tone down that bad-boy persona and all.”
I fold my restless hands together in my lap. “That’s not what his manager thinks.”
“Who, Paul?” she scoffs with a rebellious look. “Don’t pay any attention to that stick in the mud.”
“But he’s not the only one who would disapprove,” I say. “His fans. Courtney Benson. God knows who else wouldn’t want him with me. I feel it would be an uphill battle.”
She nods. “It may well be. And you need to figure out if it’s worth it. If he’s worth it.”
My eyes snap to hers as I absorb the words she’s said. She gives me a sympathetic look as she stands up and slings her purse over her shoulder. “You do have a lot to think about. But remember this, just because he’s a celebrity does not mean his heart can’t break just like everyone else’s.”
After she leaves, I head into the kitchen and sit at the table, eyeing the spaghetti dinner my dad has prepared for us. I try to get myself to eat, but find I’m mostly pushing food around on my plate.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Dad says.
I nod. “Sorry.”
“Did Mom ever tell you the story of how she and I got together?” he asks.
“You were a resident and she was a new nurse, right?”
“That’s right,” he says. “Residency is just this side of being in hell. Your life does not belong to you, it belongs to the hospital. You have no time to date. No time to do anything but learn. Your fellow residents become your family. They are who you spend all your time with. It’s no joke what you see on TV about residents sleeping together in on-call rooms. It happens. It happens because there’s just no time to do it anywhere else.”
“Then how did you have time for Mom?” I ask.
“I didn’t, that was the problem.” He gets up to put his plate in the sink, coming back with a bottle of beer for each of us.
I smile when he puts mine on the table in front of me. When I was younger, he’d set out milk and cookies when he wanted to have a talk. How times have changed.
“I was a new resident and your mom had recently started her nursing career. Neither of us knew what we were doing and both of us were trying to impress our supervisors. But as doctors, we’re supposed to know more than nurses. Especially new nurses.”
He settles into his seat and takes a sip of beer. “One day, a man was brought to the hospital for a supposed panic attack and none of the residents could figure out what was going on with him. Your mom was standing in the corner of the room and made a comment under her breath. Our attending physician heard her and made her repeat what she said. Her face turned red. Her hands were shaking. But she stepped forward and told us that maybe we should check his thyroid levels because based on his symptoms it sounded like he could be in hyperthyroid crisis.” He laughs, shaking his head at the memory. “Turns out she was right. This young, wet-behind-the-ears nurse put four residents to shame by diagnosing our patient. And she taught us all a lesson, one that our attending never failed to keep reminding us of—to think outside the box. Men rarely present with thyroid disorders. Especially younger men as that one was.”
I smile, proud of the mother I only got to know for seventeen years. “Is that why you started dating her?”
“Oh, no. I think we all hated her for embarrassing us in front of our boss. But she did earn my respect. And I can tell you, from that day on, I looked at nurses differently. It wasn’t until a year later that I’d really noticed her. I was leaning towards orthopedics as my specialty and she happened to have transferred to that department so we kept crossing paths. My schedule was still hectic. I knew I wouldn’t get to see her much if we dated, but I took a chance and asked her out anyway. She turned me down for months.”
I look up at him, surprised. “She did?”
“Yes. She knew my schedule. She knew how second-years were tied to the hospital. She also knew I’d had a reputation for hanging out in the on-call rooms.”
“Dad, really?” I ask, my mouth hanging open.
He nods bashfully. “Sorry, did I just ruin my chances for Father of the Year?”
I laugh. “Of course not,
that was before you dated her.” Oh, God, at least I hope so. “It was before you dated her, right?”
He pats my hand reassuringly. “From the moment I asked her out, I never even looked at another woman.”
I smile, thinking of how Kendra said the same thing about Chad. “So how did you get her to go out with you?”
“It wasn’t easy,” he says. “I basically stalked her at the hospital. I’d show up in the cafeteria when she was eating lunch. I made friends with the nurse manager who would put your mom on some of my cases. I’d leave funny notes in patient charts knowing she’d see them.”
“So you finally wore her down,” I say, amused to be hearing the story of my parents’ courtship. Especially since we rarely talk about my mom. It causes him too much pain.
“I did, but it didn’t come without challenges. She had a lot to overcome. My schedule. The demands of my job. My past indiscretions.” He finishes his beer and takes my plate over to the sink.
“So why do you think she did it?” I ask. “Why did she put up with all of that?”
He turns around and leans against the sink. He looks me square in the eye. “I guess she thought I was worth it.”
My eyes become misty for the second time tonight. “You were listening?”
He pulls on his earlobe. “Ears of a dog,” he says.
I get up from the table and walk over to hug him. How does he always manage to do that—give me advice without it being so obvious? As I hug him, I smile. I smile because I realize he’s just had the most wonderful conversation with me about my mother and it didn’t make him sad. In fact, from the look on his face, he enjoyed those memories. Maybe he’s finally healing. “Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”
He hugs me tightly, kissing the top of my head. “I love you too, pumpkin.”
Chapter Eleven
Chad
Mallory has turned me down twice since last night. Making excuses about being busy and how I’m only in town for a few more days. I don’t care if I’m leaving in two days or two years, I want to take her out on a proper date. I’ve always wanted to do that, ever since I was little. I’m just not going to beg.
The Stone Brothers: A Complete Romance Series (3-Book Box Set) Page 39