Everyone appeared to be listening to their conversation, which made Reese feel self-conscious. Focusing on Kayla, she tried to ignore the rest of the group—especially Grace.
“Some,” Kayla said. “But I was so busy working I didn’t have a lot of time to sightsee.”
Reese couldn’t imagine not sightseeing. “That’s too bad.”
Kayla shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll be back there again soon enough.”
A thread of jealousy slipped through Reese at the easy way Kayla spoke of traveling the world, something she hadn’t ever dreamed of doing. Her dream had been to visit Yellowstone. And I did it, too. With Brody. Despite that, she knew it would not impress this group.
Conversation started up around her, and Reese noticed that Grace seemed perfectly comfortable with Logan’s girlfriend. I guess Grace approves of Jessica’s background.
Feeling completely out of place among Brody’s family and friends, Reese wondered what she was even doing there.
I knew from the start we weren’t right for each, so why did I let myself fall for him? Why did I keep seeing him when I knew it was a mistake? Did I really think love could overcome the stark differences in our backgrounds? Get real, you freaking idiot. You can’t change who you are or where you came from. And wouldn’t you know it? Grace recognized that the moment she met you.
Misery and despair settled over her at the reality of her situation.
I’m deeply in love with a man who’s all wrong for me. Well, it’s really the other way around. I’m all wrong for him.
“Is there something the matter with your food, Reese?” Grace asked, and Reese realized she was staring at her plate with her forearms resting on the edge of the table.
Pushing a smile onto her mouth, she looked up and saw that Grace’s comment had drawn everyone’s attention to her. “Oh, no. It’s perfect.” With a glance at Brody, who gave her a quick smile, Reese picked up her utensils and sliced off a piece of steak before placing it in her mouth.
The conversation around her resumed, and though her appetite was gone, she forced herself to slowly eat what she could as she warred with herself over the question of moving on as Grace had suggested.
Twenty
After everyone had finished eating, Reese helped Avery carry the dishes into the kitchen.
“Thanks for your help,” Avery said as they stacked the last of the plates on the counter beside the sink.
“No problem,” Reese said, then she glanced outside and saw Brody talking to the other men. “Where’s the bathroom?”
Avery told her where to go, and after locking herself inside the beautifully appointed room, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. I may not be as drop-dead gorgeous as Kayla, but I’m pretty. More importantly, Brody loves me. And he doesn’t care about my background. He didn’t even care that I’d been married before, so why do I let Grace’s opinions get to me?
With a sigh, she freshened up, and then she left the bathroom. As she stepped into the hallway, she heard voices coming from a room farther down the hall, and immediately recognized Grace and Lisa’s voices.
“Thank you for inviting us,” Lisa said. “I know Kayla was really looking forward to seeing Brody.”
Reese froze as she strained to pick up every word.
“I know,” Grace said. “That’s why I wanted to include you.”
“What’s the story with this girl he’s seeing?”
Reese’s brows furrowed in irritation at the tone Lisa used—like she was a nuisance to be gotten rid of. My name’s Reese. And Brody and I are together.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about her,” Grace said. “She’s just a little fling he’s having. However, he does seems to be getting over Megan, thankfully. So she’s been good for that, at least.”
Fury at Grace’s casual dismissal of her relationship with Brody swept over her. Just a fling? I’m much more than that! Then she recognized the scrap of praise coming from Grace—that she had helped Brody get over the loss of Megan. That’s because he loves me.
“Well,” Lisa said, her tone showing impatience. “Now that Kayla’s back, I hope Brody will see how right they are for each other. You know she worships the ground he walks on. She has since Brody was a high school senior and she was in eighth grade. I guess the age difference was too much back then, but things are different now. Megan is gone, and Kayla is all grown up.”
Grace chuckled. “I know, Lisa. And you know I want to see them get together as much as you do, but there are…obstacles we have to overcome.”
Reese fumed. Yeah, like me! And I’m not going to get out of the way so easily.
“Believe me,” Lisa said, “I can see that. But what are we going to do about it?”
“I’m working on it, but these things take time.”
Lisa laughed. “If there’s anyone I can count on, Grace, it’s you.”
“Just be patient. We’ll get there.” Grace paused. “We should probably get back, but try not to worry, okay? If Brody and Kayla are meant to be together—and you have to know how much I hope they are—we’ll make it happen.”
Reese heard a slight rustle, and she quickly backed into the bathroom and softly closed the door. She went straight to the mirror and stared at herself and saw how bright her eyes looked. That’s because they’re burning with rage. Brody and Kayla? I don’t think so. She’s not going to just step in and push me aside. I’m here to stay. Despite what Grace wants.
She wondered what Brody would think if he knew what his and Kayla’s mother were trying to make happen.
Then a new thought came to mind.
They made it sound like Brody hadn’t seen Kayla since she was younger. What if now that he’s seen her, he does want to be with her? What if I really am just a fling? Someone to help him get over Megan? And what if Brody turns out to be just like Josh? Someone who will dump me when another woman—a better woman—comes along?
Torn to shreds by the idea, tears flooded her eyes. Scrubbing her face with her hands, she gazed at herself in the mirror.
I can’t keep riding this emotional roller-coaster. One of these times when I’m racing downhill it’s going to throw me right off, and that just might kill me.
“How’s life on the beach?” Kayla asked Brody as they stood in the shade of a large tree.
He smiled at her. He had never spent much time with her—she was five years younger than him, and by the time she had graduated from high school, he had been off to college. But he knew his mother had wanted him to get to know her better—at least before he had found Reese.
“I love it,” he said. “The sound of the ocean, the smell of the salty sea air, and best of all, I can go body surfing whenever I want.”
“Nice. I used to body surf quite a bit in high school.” One of Kayla’s perfectly groomed eyebrows arched. “And I was pretty dang good, if I don’t say so myself.”
Impressed, Brody tilted his head. “Is that right?”
“Yes it is. Maybe we can go sometime and I can show you just how good I am.”
For a moment he wanted to say yes—having someone besides his brother to body surf with would be a blast—but then he thought about Reese and knew that wouldn’t fly. Not wanting to be rude, he said, “Maybe.”
They moved on to the topic of her recent trip to Europe and discussed places she had visited that he had seen when he had been there. Unbidden, the thought came to him that he wished he and Reese had as much in common as he and Kayla did.
Instantly, he felt as if he had betrayed Reese. She can’t help it that she hasn’t done the same things I have, or that the ocean scares her, or that we come from such different backgrounds. What do those things matter, anyway? All that matters is that we love each other, right?
With her emotions finally under control, Reese was ready to rejoin the party in the backyard. After a final check of her face, she left the bathroom, walked down the hall, then crossed through the kitchen on her way to the French doors that led out back.
Taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it, she paused on the threshold to the backyard, her gaze sweeping the area as she looked for her safety net—for Brody. Then she saw him. But he wasn’t alone.
Standing about three feet away from him stood Kayla. Reese could tell how much distance separated them because they were standing sideways to her. She could see their profiles, and they seemed to be having a lively conversation.
“Feeling like an outsider?” Grace said.
Reese’s head jerked towards the family room where she saw Grace sitting alone on a couch. Though there was no way she would admit it out loud, in her mind Reese shouted Yes!
Grace patted the cushion beside her. “Let’s talk.”
Oh crap. What’s she going to do now?
Twenty-One
Wanting to know what Grace had to say, Reese walked over to her and sat a few feet away. Then, not wanting to make this any easier for the woman who had become her nemesis, Reese stayed silent and waited for Grace to start the conversation.
At least I have the advantage of knowing her plan—to get rid of me so that Brody will get together with Kayla.
Waiting for Grace to speak, Reese let her gaze fall to her lap as she smoothed her dress over her legs, then she forced her eyes to meet Grace’s.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Grace said, her voice calm. “Are you feeling out of place here? Among the people who are important to Brody.”
Even though the answer was a resounding yes, Reese refused to admit it. “I think your family is lovely, Grace. And the Haworths are nice too.”
“Hmm.” Grace crossed one leg over the other.
Wondering if Grace would admit her ulterior motives, Reese said, “You mentioned Kayla at our lunch the other day. Obviously you were talking about your friend’s daughter.”
“Yes. I also mentioned Megan.” One eyebrow cocked in question.
Glad she was no longer in the dark about Megan, Reese said, “I know who she is. Brody told me all about her.”
With a nod, Grace asked, “What about Kayla? What did he say about her?”
Reese considered lying and telling her that Brody had said Kayla was some girl his mother wanted him to hook up with, but that he had zero interest. But if she asks Brody if he’s talked to me about Kayla, Grace will know I lied. That will make me look weak—like I had to lie to protect myself. Reese decided to tell the truth. “Talking about Megan seemed really hard for him, so I decided not to ask him about Kayla.”
A look of surprise flitted across Grace’s face. “That showed restraint.”
What? She thinks I’m so desperate to know everything about Brody that I would disregard his feelings to satisfy my own curiosity?
Reese’s lips flattened, then she decided to make a point. “As far as I can tell, Kayla doesn’t mean anything to Brody. He’s with me now, and that’s all I care about.”
Grace smiled tightly. “For now, yes.”
Though she knew Grace’s ultimate goal, Reese asked, “What do you mean?”
“Like I told you at our lunch—and what you probably understand even more now that you know about Megan…” She leaned forward and rested an elbow on her knee. “Brody was heartbroken, absolutely crushed, when his beloved Megan died.”
Hearing how much he loved Megan—and Reese had seen for herself the pain in Brody’s eyes when he had talked about her—made Reese question how much Brody loved her. Her eyebrows pulled together as an uncomfortable thought filled her mind. Is it possible for him to ever love me as much as he loved Megan?
“You’ve been good for him,” Grace said, taking Reese by surprise. “I’ll give you that.” She straightened, then shifted in her seat so that she faced Reese. “You pulled him out of his funk and helped him to realize that life goes on.” Her lips pressed into a straight line before turning up in a tight smile. “I thank you for that.”
Stunned that Grace would admit that to her, Reese only nodded.
“However…”
Of course. There had to be a ‘but’.
“Surely you recognize that you and Brody come from vastly different worlds. I saw the discomfort on your face today, Reese.” Grace’s head tilted to one side. “Do you deny that?”
This is like Josh all over again. I’m not good enough and I never will be. Holding back the tears that began pushing against the backs of her eyes, she stared at Grace, but wasn’t about to admit her inadequacies. There is one important difference between this conversation and the one I had with Josh, though. Brody’s not the one saying the words. Grace is. And I know her motive has nothing to do with me and everything to do with getting Brody and Kayla together.
Knowing Grace’s reason for saying such hurtful things was critical to Reese gaining the upper hand, and she was beyond grateful that she had overheard Grace and Lisa’s conversation. If she hadn’t, she could only imagine how devastated she would be feeling at that moment.
Blinking several times to force the tears into submission, Reese spoke in a soft voice. “What are you suggesting?”
Grace sighed. “I think you know what I’m suggesting. I made it abundantly clear at our lunch the other day.”
Reese frowned. “You want me to disappear.” She pictured herself becoming invisible to everyone around her, able to see what everyone else was doing, but not able to interact or make her presence known. Worst of all, in this imaginary scenario, no one noticed that she had gone missing.
Sorrow flooded her soul, and she wondered if Brody would miss her if she left. Or if Kayla would soothe him and help him get over her disappearance.
Grace chuckled. “Don’t be so dramatic, Reese.”
Reese’s eyebrows drew together at Grace’s cavalier attitude toward the heartbreak she was advocating. Dramatic? Is she insane? She wants me to leave the man of my dreams forever, which would crush my heart, and she thinks I’m being dramatic? Rage, hot and swift, ignited within her, and in that moment she wanted to wrap her hands around Grace’s throat and squeeze.
Hands curling into fists on her lap, she tried to talk herself off the ledge. Take a breath, Reese. Don’t do something you can’t undo.
Inhaling deeply through her mouth, then slowly exhaling through her nose, she forced calmness to replace the fury.
“I can see I’ve upset you,” Grace said. “What I meant was, I don’t want you to disappear from Brody’s life without an explanation. That would only hurt him, and I certainly don’t want that.”
Reese’s nostrils flared. “Then what the…” She clamped her mouth shut against the foul words she wanted to speak, and after she gathered herself, she said, “What, exactly, are you proposing?” Not that I have ANY intention of doing it.
Twenty-Two
“I wonder where Reese is,” Brody said to Logan, who reclined on a lounge chair near him. Avery and Jessica had pulled Kayla away earlier, so the brothers were alone.
“I saw her talking to Mom in the house,” Logan said before taking a swig from his beer.
Pleased to hear that Reese and his mother were getting to know each other, Brody smiled. “Great.”
“So, bro,” Logan said with a grin, “how serious is this thing with Reese? I mean, you’ve been with her twenty-four/seven for nearly three weeks now.”
Brody glanced toward the house where Reese was, although he couldn’t see her, then he looked at Logan. “I love her, you know?”
Logan nodded, then laughed. “I hope Mom’s not too disappointed. I know how much she wanted you to hook up with Kayla.”
Shaking his head, Brody said, “She knows that’s not going to happen now.”
“Uh-huh.” Logan tipped his beer into his mouth.
Brody frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know our mother. She doesn’t give up easily.”
“She’s going to have to this time. Reese isn’t going anywhere.”
Logan sat up, swung his legs off the side of the lounge chair, and perched on the edge of the seat. �
��Brody,” he said, his voice low. “Mom didn’t give me any details, but she implied that Reese has some skeletons in her closet.”
Brody thought about Reese’s parents and her former marriage and wondered if there was anything else she hadn’t told him. He didn’t move from his prone position, and he didn’t open his eyes. “Mom’s exaggerating.” But it still bugged him that Reese’s issues kept coming up.
Tilting his head, Logan said, “So you know about these skeletons?”
Annoyed to have to continually explain, Brody ignored his brother’s question. It’s none of your damn business.
Logan was quiet, and after a moment Brody heard him sigh before lying back on his lounge chair.
Reese watched as Grace reached for something beside her, out of Reese’s view, then held it out to her. Her gaze slid to the thick envelope held in Grace’s hands, but she didn’t touch it. Meeting Grace’s eyes, she asked, “What’s that?”
Grace set the envelope beside Reese, then folded her hands in her lap. “I think the wisest course of action would be for you to let Brody down easily before you leave.” Grace tapped the envelope with a manicured nail. “There’s twenty thousand dollars in there, which should help you make a fresh start.” She smiled. “You had a difficult upbringing, and I know the things your parents did have nothing to do with you. But that doesn’t change anything, does it?”
Trying to digest what had just happened—did she just try to buy me off for twenty thousand dollars? Which is more money than I’ve ever had, by the way—Reese looked at the envelope again before looking at Grace. This has nothing to do with me. If Brody was with some other girl, Grace would do the same thing to her. It’s only because she wants him to be with Kayla.
Though intellectually she knew that was true, it didn’t help with the self-doubt she was constantly battling.
Searching for Love: The Complete Story Page 26