Believe Me (Hearts for Ransom Book 3)

by Evans, Georgia A

  She sadly shook her head. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. They didn’t do this. You did.” Claire turned and placed her ring on the end table closest to her. “You can see Spence or Zoey whenever you want. Just call first so I know to be gone when you get there. I won’t embarrass you anymore.”

  Mason tried once more to pull her into his arms. “You’ve never embarrassed me. I’ve never felt prouder than when you’re on my arm. I love you more than you can imagine.”

  She pushed her way around him and walked to the door. Right before she opened it, she turned back to face him. “That might be a problem, Mason, because right now I can’t imagine very much at all.” She opened the door and walked out.

  Mason felt like he had been run over by a bulldozer. What had just happened? He sank into the nearest chair and put his head in his hands. The woman he loved more than life itself thought he hadn’t told her about his money because he was ashamed of her. She thought he was just “playing house” until his inheritance came through. Wait a minute! His parents didn’t have any say in his trust fund. Just what had his parents told her?

  He hadn’t felt such despair since right after his accident. The memory of his tests and long hospital stay caused him to remember how close to death he came. He hadn’t been saved for nothing. His life had meaning! And the woman who just left was the biggest part of it. No. He wasn’t going to sit and feel sorry for himself, or go out and get wasted, like the old Mason Wright.

  He messed up big time by not telling her. She was right. He did this. But his parents…He sat and thought for a while until he had a plan of action. Then he put it into play immediately. He called Brody.

  Claire waited on Spencer to come home from school. She left Zoey with Louise so she could talk to her son. This was going to hurt him, and she needed to be able to give him her undivided attention.

  She had gone over and over it in her mind since returning home from Mason’s. What would she tell Spencer? Then she realized what it had to be. He deserved nothing less than the truth. Yes, it was going to be painful for him to hear, but he was strong.

  “Mom?’ He stood in the doorway. “What’s wrong?” She knew when he saw her sitting at the kitchen table, he would realize something was up.

  “Sit down,” she softly told him.

  He pulled off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair before he sat down. His eyes searched hers.

  “I have something to tell you. I need you to listen to everything I have to say before you ask me anything. Then, I promise I’ll answer any questions you have for me. Okay?”

  He wordlessly nodded.

  “I found out today that Mason has been…fooling…me. There is something about him I didn’t know. And I believe he didn’t tell me because he’s ashamed of me, or I embarrass him.” She looked at her son and saw how much he wanted to object. “You see, Spence, Mason has a lot of money. If he really loved me, he would have told me about it. Instead, he’s hidden it all this time. I can’t be with somebody who doesn’t love me enough to tell me the truth, no matter how much I love him. I don’t have much, Spencer, but I have self-respect. Please understand I’m trying to keep it.”

  “Can I ask questions now?”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “Yes.”

  “Are you going to marry Mason?”

  She shook her head. “I can’t. I told you, he’s a wealthy man who wants his wife to be dressed up and wearing fancy things, not a woman who shops at a second-hand store.” She decided he may as well know it all. “He even arranged for me to think I was getting a discount at Rivets, so I could buy some new clothes he wouldn’t be embarrassed to take me out in.”

  A flush spread up Spencer’s neck and onto his face. “Nobody could ever be embarrassed by you, Mom. You’re beautiful.”

  She felt the pressure of tears behind her eyes, but she was determined to be strong for her son. “Thank you, Spence, but that’s just not the way it works sometimes.” She waited, but he didn’t ask any more questions. He stared at the wall, his face full of anger.

  “Spencer,” she gently said. “This doesn’t change anything between Mason and you or Zoey, except I can’t give you his last name like you wanted.”

  He stood up so abruptly his chair fell over. “I wouldn’t take his name if I needed it to save my life! And I don’t want my sister around him, either! She doesn’t wear fancy clothes any more than you do. Zoey might embarrass the jerk!”

  Claire stood up and put her hand on Spencer’s arm. “Please calm down.” She hadn’t expected this reaction. She planned on tears and sadness. “Mason is Zoey’s father, and we can’t change that. His name will be on her birth certificate in a couple of weeks, and I couldn’t stop it now if I wanted to.”

  “So we have to let him see Zoey?”

  “Yes,” she answered, “and he’ll want to see you, too.”

  He leaned down and picked up his chair. “If I see him, Mom, he’s going to have another black eye,” Spencer stated as a simple fact.

  “Please don’t hit him again,” Claire requested. “Let’s just learn to live with him in Zoey’s life…and yours, if you decide you want to after you’ve calmed down.”

  “Not gonna happen,” he assured her. “What about you?”

  She smiled sadly. “I’ve told him to call before he comes over so I can be away. You’ll have to at least see him long enough for him to pick Zoey up or drop her off. Can you do that for me? At least until I’m a little…stronger?”

  He suddenly pulled her into his arms. “I’d do anything for you, Mom.” He awkwardly kissed her cheek. “I just hope he waits a while before he decides to come over, or I can’t promise you I won’t slug the worthless pile.”

  She didn’t say anything because she was too busy trying not to cry. And she didn’t know what to say because she didn’t know how long it would be before she would be able to see Mason without feeling like her heart was being torn to shreds. If she ever could.

  “I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t go in there.”

  “Watch me,” Mason told his father’s secretary as he stormed past her. He turned the knob and pushed the door open so hard it smacked the wall. “Hi, Dad! I’m home!” he announced to his shocked parent, looking up from his desk.

  As usual, the man’s polished persona fell right into place. “Mason, it’s nice to see you’ve finally come to your senses.”

  “Oh, I’ve come to my senses, all right.” Mason mimicked his father’s haughty tone of voice. “It’s taken me a long time, but I have everything figured out now. I know what’s vital and what isn’t worth a millisecond of my life.”

  His father stood up. “Good. I knew you’d see it our way once…well, once your path was clear.” The man actually smiled. “I’ll have an office ready for you, so you can start as early as next Monday.”

  “But, Dad,” Mason said in a calm voice, “I want to start right now.”

  For the first time, his unflappable parent looked unsure of himself. “I suppose we could set you up in an empty office just for the rest of this week, until I can get yours prepared.” His smile was back. “In fact, that’s a good idea. You can have some input on the décor of your office.”

  For the first time in his life, Mason produced a real smile for his parent. “The only input I want is to put something large and uncomfortable in your butt and kick it as hard as I can. And the only office I’m going to have is the one inside a site supervisor’s trailer when I become partners with my boss.” He spoke as calmly as if he spoke about the weather. “You and Mother went too far when you tried to buy off the woman I love. She’s too good for that. She’s not for sale. Whatever crazy story you put together didn’t work on her either, in case you’d like to know. I guess poor people aren’t all as stupid as you’d like to think, huh?”

  Vince Wright had most definitely been caught off guard by his son’s words. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m not even going there with
you.” Mason pulled a paper out of his folder and placed it on his father’s desk. “This is a document I had my attorney draw up yesterday. You and Cassandra are no longer my parents. I have legally severed all ties with you and this corporation. If you’re foolish enough to leave it to me, it will automatically be divided into shares and distributed among your employees, the very people who actually deserve credit for everything this company stands for. And since my trust is from my grandfather, and not you sad excuse for a sperm donor, I will still receive it when I’m thirty, and there is nothing you or my incubator can do about it. It’s a done deal. Remember, I told you--I have an excellent attorney.”

  The man who called himself a father for over twenty-eight years picked up the paper and looked at it, his expression of disbelief slowly turning to one of shock. He looked up from the form. “You can’t mean this.”

  “I only meant one other thing I’ve done more than I mean this. I asked the most compassionate, loving, beautiful, generous, good woman to marry me.” Mason held the other man’s now wavering gaze. “I almost forgot this one.” He pulled another paper out of the folder and set it in front of his father. “You can look at it and have it verified, but it is a sworn affidavit stating if you or your wife approach my family or me, we will bring a lawsuit for harassment against you so quickly you won’t have time to think about it. And believe me, it will make the front page of the newspapers when all this comes out. I’ll make sure it does. Won’t it impress your friends to know the child your wife gave birth to has severed all ties and wants nothing more to do with you?”

  Before the wide-eyed man behind the desk could respond, Mason turned and walked out of the office. As he left the building a few minutes later, he felt like a new man. He was finally free of Vincent and Cassandra Wright, once and for all. Now he just had to convince the woman he loved to forgive him—again—and give him one last chance.

  This was turning out to be the longest day of Claire’s life. Tomorrow she should be marrying the man she loved. Instead, she volunteered for overtime at Butlers. It would be better to stay busy than sit at home and cry, which she knew was exactly what would happen.

  She should have picked Zoey up on her way home from work, but she just wanted to take a hot bath and lie down for a little while before she took care of her daughter. Louise told her to take as long as she needed. Claire called the school and left the message for Spencer to go there instead of home, too. She wanted a little time alone.

  The drugstore was on her way home, so she stopped and splurged a little bit, justifying it by thinking it was to help soothe her aching heart. She bought a bottle of bath oil with the barest scent of roses, and a small box of chocolate candy. She knew sitting in a tub eating candy would do nothing to ease her pain, but maybe she could at least relax a little.

  Just as she was about to walk into the living room, somebody knocked on her door. Claire decided it didn’t matter who it was; she would send them packing. This was her “alone” time, and she wasn’t going to give it up.

  She was surprised when she opened the door and saw Judy. At least they were good enough friends that Judy would understand why Claire was asking her to leave.

  “I know you already have your own plans,” Judy told her, “but I really need a friend right now.”

  Claire inwardly sighed. Judy sat and held her as she cried her heart out all evening on Wednesday while Spencer was at scholar bowl practice and Zoey was down for a nap. If Judy had a problem, Claire owed it to her to listen and help if she could.

  “Come on in and sit down,” she invited her friend.

  “Actually, I need a little retail therapy,” Judy said. “Would you come shopping with me? Mom knows, and she said not to worry about Zoey. Spencer will be fine since he’ll get to drive you home when you pick them up.” Claire had been letting him drive all she could, since Spencer still refused to have anything to do with Mason. He even said he didn’t care if he wasn’t able to get his license on his birthday. He’d rather walk than have to accept any help from Mason.

  “Will you come with me?” Judy looked worriedly at her.

  Something about Judy’s request didn’t make sense. “Why do you need me to come along if you’re going to use retail therapy to help you with your problem?”

  “We can talk while we shop.” Judy’s eyes beseeched her. “Please, Claire. I don’t ask you for much, do I?”

  That was very true. Claire shook her head. “Let me change clothes. I’m not going shopping in my uniform.” She would just use the bath oil later, and Spence would have the chocolates gone in two seconds flat.

  A few minutes later, Claire rejoined Judy. She followed her friend’s lead and wore a pair of jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt. It looked like they were going to Seasons and Such. They weren’t dressed to go window shopping like they sometimes did.

  “How are you doing?” Judy asked once she was behind the wheel, and they were on their way. “I mean with tomorrow being—”

  “Can we not talk about it, please?” If Judy didn’t want a blubbering fool on her hands, she better start talking about her own problems. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off. I just can’t handle it right now.”

  Judy glanced at her. “I understand.”

  “Did your mom say whether Zoey has been in a good mood today?” Maybe Claire should have just gone and picked up her children, and tried to have a plain weekday evening.

  Judy smiled. “She was sitting in the high chair throwing her toys all over the kitchen while I was there changing my clothes. It’s so funny to hear her say ‘Dada’.” One hand flew to cover her mouth. “I’m sorry, Claire. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Of course her daughter’s first word would be “dada.” Claire knew Zoey was just making noise and didn’t know what it meant, but it was still hard to hear. It was only enhanced by the irony that Zoey said it for the first time on the very next day after Claire returned Mason’s ring. Oh, well. He would hear her when he visited her. If he ever visited her. He had yet to call and make arrangements to see his daughter.

  The two women rode in silence for a while. Claire noticed they weren’t in the right neighborhood for Seasons and Such.

  “Where are we shopping?” As far as she knew, there weren’t any stores in this part of town. Unless somebody opened a new consignment store.

  Judy had an apologetic look on her face. “I just need to stop by the church. I left something there when I was getting things ready—I’m sorry.” Her gaze shifted back and forth between the road and Claire. “If it’s too much, I’ll come back later.”

  The church was the last place Claire needed to be, but she didn’t want to add to Judy’s problem, whatever it was. “I’ll be okay.”

  “Thank you.” Judy sigh was audible.

  When they pulled up next to the back door of the church, Judy shut off the car and turned to Claire. “I know it’s hard, but could you please help me carry stuff? It’ll only take one trip that way. Otherwise, we’ll have to be here longer.”

  Claire did not want to go into the church she was supposed to be getting married in the next day, nor did she wish to wait beside it for any length of time. “We have to hurry.” She took a bolstering breath and opened her door.

  “I promise it’ll only take me a minute to do this,” Judy spoke lowly as they walked to the church.

  Claire took another deep breath. She refused to let herself shed even one single tear. Judy pulled out a key out and unlocked the door.

  “It’s all in the back room.” Judy’s voice didn’t sound right, but Claire could only focus on getting whatever they were after and back out of this church.

  “Watch your step.” Judy glanced over her shoulder. “The light switch is at the other end of this hall, so we have to walk in the dark.”

  Maybe that wasn’t so bad. Claire could pretend she was somewhere else.

  “In here.”

  Claire followed her friend’s voice through a doorway into an even darker s
pace. “Judy, will you turn on the lights? I can’t see a thing.”

  Instead of hearing Judy’s voice answer, Claire heard the distinct sound of the door closing behind her.

  “What’s going on?” She tried to find her way to the wall, searching for a light switch.

  The sound of the exterior door shutting was her only answer.

  “Hadn’t we better get your stuff so we can leave? I think somebody else just got here.”

  The sound of an engine starting surprised Claire. If she didn’t know better, she’d think her best friend had dumped her in a pitch black room and left. So, what was this? A joke?

  “Judy, I don’t know what’s going on, but will you please turn the lights on?” She was becoming angry, whether her friend had a problem or not.

  The lights suddenly came on, blinding Claire for a moment. When she was finally able to focus, it wasn’t Judy standing there. It was Mason.

  “Judy, I need to leave.” She looked around the room but didn’t see her friend.

  “She’s gone.” Mason wanted more than anything to hold her. “We’re alone.”

  “Then I’ll go call a taxi,” Claire responded. “I’m not staying here with you.” She started out of the room. If she remembered correctly, there was a phone in the office.

  “How are you going to pay for a cab?” Mason asked. “I don’t see your purse.”

  He was right. She left her purse in Judy’s car.

  “I’ll call Louise. She’ll come and get me.” She headed for the door once more. Maybe just this once Louise could get out of the house long enough to come and pick her up.

  Mason stepped in front of her, effectively blocking her path.

  “Nobody will come and get you, Claire, because everybody else has listened to me and knows the truth. You’re the only one who won’t give me a chance, and you’re the only one who really matters to me.” He had to make her believe him.