And Playing the Role of Herself...

by K E Lane

  "You're welcome." I slipped my hands into my pockets and leaned back against the door frame, waiting for her to get to the point of this little chat.

  "I asked security to let me know when you showed up - I'm supposed to let Robyn know, too, but I wanted a chance to talk to you first." She put the papers down and circled around behind the desk, straightening random things as she went. Finally she stopped tidying and looked up at me. "It seems I owe you an apology. My mother, my sister, Josh…they all tell me I'm wrong about you."

  If that was an apology, it was definitely one of the least enthusiastic I'd ever received, and I nearly laughed. "Your sincerity is touching," I said dryly and cocked my head. "But why don't you tell me what you think? That's really the issue here, isn't it?"

  "What I think." She let her eyes wander over me briefly before meeting my gaze again. "I think mamá is easily swayed by good manners, Josh is a pushover for a pretty face and a pretty smile, and Robyn…" She shrugged. "I haven't quite figured out why she's so taken with you, but then again, she always was a little too trusting."

  I held in the burst of anger her words caused, and instead raised a slightly quizzical eyebrow. "Not giving them much credit, are you? Your mother is an intelligent woman and seems quite capable of making the distinction between good manners and good deeds, and far prettier faces than mine have tried to sway Josh, I'm sure, and have not been successful. And Robyn…you don't know your sister very well if you think she trusts easily." I shook my head and tsked softly. "It sounds like you don't know any of them very well."

  I was cranky and had added that last bit just to piss her off - it worked nicely. She leaned both hands on the desk and dropped the polite act, staring at me with obvious hostility. "I think I know them a hell of a lot better than you do, Caidence." She practically spit the name out. "I promised I would be nice to you, so I will be, but if they're wrong, and you end up hurting them…"

  This was being nice?

  I'd hate to see her on a bitchy day.

  I didn't know exactly what I'd done to earn her suspicion, but I was starting to think it had more to do with the possibility of me stealing her family away from her than me stealing Josh away from Robyn. Whatever the reason for her attitude, it wasn't endearing her to me at all, and my patience was running low.

  "Or what?" I threw up my hands in exasperation. "Is this where you warn me to stay away from Josh again? Or better yet…" Anger I didn't realize I'd been harboring bubbled to the surface and I pushed off the wall and stalked to the desk. I grabbed the handset of the desk's phone and thrust it at her. "Here. Is there someone you need to call with the press? To let them know that I'm here, about to steal Josh away from poor, trusting Robyn?"

  Trish was taken aback by my outburst, opening and closing her mouth a few times like a fish, but not saying anything.

  The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I dropped the phone back in the cradle and stepped back from the desk, crossing my arms. "You have no frigging idea the amount of trouble you caused that night, do you? And not just for me, but for Josh, and Robyn too. Your own damn sister, for god's sakes! Did you think about maybe asking her if she needed to be protected from me before passing judgment and telling the whole goddamn world something that was completely untrue? Did you think about her at all before you made that call? Think about the crap she'd have to put up with?" My voice had risen steadily and I took a deep breath to calm down before continuing in a quieter, but still intense, voice. "Do you realize," I turned my head slightly and pointed at my face, "that this could easily have happened to Robyn, instead of me?"

  She visibly paled, and I realized that maybe that had been unfair. She hadn't caused Todd Massey's attack, ultimately no one but Todd Massey was responsible for that. I couldn't bring myself to feel sorry for saying it, though. Her actions had set in motion a chain of events that certainly had contributed to his state of mind on that day, and it could have easily been her sister, and not me, who suffered for it.

  "Do you want to tell me what the hell she's talking about, Trish?" Robyn's raspy, deceptively mild voice came from over my shoulder, causing us both to start. She stepped into the office and flashed a smile that nearly melted me on the spot.

  "Hi." She stepped up and put her hand on my back, brushing her lips across my cheek. "Mamá said you were here - that some security person had whisked you away…" She gave Trish a hard look. "What's going on? I thought I asked you to let me know when she got here."

  Trish looked uncomfortable, but stood up to her sister's glare. "I wanted to talk to her first."

  "About what? And what exactly was Caid talking about before?" Robyn crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in question.

  "I…"

  A thunderous crash from the kitchen, followed by a voice yelling curses in Spanish and an answering voice yelling in English, saved her from having to respond.

  "Damnit." Trish was by us in the blink of an eye, pushing past me none too gently and striding down the hall, hollering for someone named Julian.

  When she was gone, Robyn asked, "What's going on, Caid? What did Trish want? If she's being a shit to you…"

  I shook my head. "I think she was trying to apologize, actually, but things got a little off track. It's ok, Rob. It's just going to take a little while for me and your sister to get along." She frowned and I rubbed her back soothingly. "Don't worry about it, really. Now," She watched as I pushed the door shut with one foot, "do you think I could at least get a hug?"

  "I think I could do that." She smiled and tugged me forward into her arms, her sister forgotten for the moment. She sighed. "I'm so glad you came," she murmured into my hair as we stood holding each other. She pulled back with a shy smile and grabbed my hand, reaching for the door. "Come on, I'd like to introduce you to a few people. Oh, and Josh is here, too."

  "Yes, I saw," I said dryly, with more bite than I'd intended.

  So much for reining in my possessiveness.

  Her hand slowly dropped from the doorknob and she turned back to me, one delicate eyebrow arched in surprise. "You're angry."

  I blew out a breath and shook my head. "No, I'm being an ass. Forget it."

  "Caid," she took my other hand in hers and watched me closely. "Something ticked you off…talk to me, please?"

  Way to go, Caid. Now you have to tell her what a jealous twit you are.

  I sighed resignedly. "Keep in mind that I'm tired, and I'm in kind of a pissy mood, okay?"

  "Okay," she said and nodded, frowning slightly.

  "When I walked into the party, the first thing I saw was Josh with his arm around you." I squeezed her hands to stop her when she seemed about to interrupt. "I know you're not…dating him anymore, or whatever. I know that, you know that, Josh knows that, but no one else knows that, because the two of you still act like you are. Plain and simple?" I shrugged. "I was jealous."

  She blinked. "You were jealous? Of Josh?"

  "Yeah." I pulled my hands from hers and stepped back with another shrug. "I was jealous of Josh. Silly, huh? Well, not of Josh, really," I clarified, "but of what he's able to do that I can't. Like stand around in a crowded party with his arm around you…touch you…be with you, and not have to worry about what people might think…" I trailed off and ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

  She didn't respond for a moment, then stepped forward and took my hands in hers again, her impossibly dark eyes watching me intently. "Is that what you want, Caid?" she asked slowly, stroking her thumbs gently across the backs of my hands. "To be public? About us?"

  "I…" I shook my head and let out a frustrated breath, looking down at our hands. This was probably not the time or place to have this conversation, but now that I'd gotten the ball rolling, I'd better just get on with it. After a deep breath, I met her gaze again, hoping what Josh had said about not losing her was true. "To be able to be with you publicly, without concerns…yes, someday I want that. I want that very much. But right now? Right now, we still have some things to
work out, and I don't want the attention that kind of declaration would create while we're in the middle of trying to figure out how to be together. Because in the end, that's what is most important to me. To be together, with you." I brought her hands to my chest and covered them with mine. "I hope that's what you want, too, Robyn. If it's not," I shook my head and looked at her searchingly, "then I don't know what we're doing."

  Please, please, please be what you want…

  "Oh, baby…" She freed her hands from my grasp and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. "I can't believe you're worried about that," she murmured into my ear, rubbing my back gently before pulling back a little and cupping my cheek with one hand. "Of course that's what I want." She kissed me softly. "I love you, and I told you before that if you wanted me, you had me. I wasn't talking about a few days, I was talking long-term. As in a life together. I don't want to scare you, baby, but I've got plans for the future, and they all include you. Every last one."

  I blinked. "You don't want to scare me," I repeated slowly, and almost laughed. She didn't want to scare me, I didn't want to scare her…we should have done this talking thing a long damn time ago. Would have saved me a lot of anxiety.

  She frowned slightly, looking perplexed at my reaction. "I didn't want to push you into something you weren't ready for, no matter how much I wanted us to…mmph…"

  I stopped her explanation with a kiss and after a moment of surprise, she responded wholeheartedly. When we broke apart, her hands were tangled in my hair and mine were wound tightly around her body.

  "What was that for?" She asked, looking slightly dazed. "Not that I'm complaining…"

  "Because I love you, and there is nothing you could do that would scare me away."

  She smiled slowly and leaned in again, her grip tightening in my hair.

  Our lips had just met when the door swung open. We moved apart but not very quickly and not nearly in time.

  'Oh. My. God."

  I looked over Robyn's shoulder to see Trish staring at the two of us, her eyes wide with shock.

  Shit. I sighed and started to move away from Robyn, but she turned to face Trish and put her arm around my waist, holding me where I was.

  "Stay," she said quietly. "Please."

  I glanced at her quickly in surprise but stayed where I was.

  "Robyn, what the hell?" Trish looked at Robyn, then at me, and back to Robyn. "Are you…" she sputtered, and looked between us again.

  I felt Robyn take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes, Trish, I am. And yes, we are." I could feel the tension in her body, but there was no evidence of it in her outward demeanor as she gave Trish a lopsided smile. "So…now you know. Sorry, I didn't really mean for you to find out this way…that's one of the reasons I wanted to meet for coffee on Monday, to tell you about us…"

  Her voice trailed off when she saw that her sister wasn't listening - Trish was too busy glaring at me in naked dislike. "I knew you were trouble. I knew it."

  Robyn stiffened at the words and tone, and I rubbed her back soothingly. I bit back the 'told you she didn't like me' that was on the tip of my tongue.

  "This has nothing to do with Caid, Trish," Robyn said flatly. "I've been into women long before I met her."

  "This has everything to do with her!" Trish exploded, moving into the room and waving an accusatory finger at me. "She's using you, Robyn. Using your celebrity, your money…"

  "Patricia, there you are!" We all jumped as Sophie came steaming through the door, her agitation at her eldest daughter very plain. "People are asking for you…" She stopped abruptly when she saw that both Robyn and I were also in the room and looked at the three of us curiously. "I am interrupting?"

  Robyn's hand left my hip for a moment, and then settled back more firmly than before, as though she were anchoring herself. I felt her take another deep breath, but Trish spoke before she could.

  "Oh no, Mamá, you're just in time. Robby was just explaining her…relationship…with Caidence."

  "Trish, don't." Robyn said quietly, the warning in her voice clear.

  Sophie looked from a scowling Robyn to a smug Trish, and frowned deeply. She settled her gaze on her eldest daughter and placed her hands on her hips in the universal mother-scolding-her-offspring posture.

  "Patricia Elizabeth, why can you not be happy for your sister?"

  Trish blinked and did her fish impression again. "Mamá, I…"

  "No." Sophie shook her head. "Do not mamá me. Sabina has embraced your Enrique with open arms…why can you not do the same? Your sister has found someone who makes her happy, and you do everything you can to spoil it. This behavior you have towards Caidence, it is unacceptable. Your father and I, we did not raised you to be this way."

  Sophie could not have shocked her daughters more if she told them she was an alien raised by dingoes in the Australian outback. If the situation hadn't been so tense, it would have been funny.

  Hell, it was funny anyway, but I managed to stifle inopportune laughter. My sense of humor has always been a tad off.

  "You…you knew?" Robyn said faintly, her hand tightening reflexively on my hip.

  I leaned into her and put my arm around her waist in support. Sophie glanced at me with a nearly imperceptible smile as she moved forward and reached up to cup Robyn's cheek, giving her a look of fond irritation. "Querida, I may not be young anymore, but I am not blind. Of course I knew. I am your mother," she said simply, as though that explained it all. "I am sorry you could not tell me."

  "I…" Robyn blinked, her face still slack with astonishment. She covered Sophie's hand with her own, holding it to her cheek. "I'm sorry, Mamá. I…" she shrugged helplessly.

  Sophie patted her cheek and withdrew her hand. "I know, cariño." She glanced over at me and smiled. "I am very fond of your Caidence. She is good for you."

  Robyn looked between the two of us in surprise before smiling and saying quietly, "I am very fond of my Caidence as well." Her arm tightened on my waist briefly and I squeezed back.

  "I know that too, cariño." She smiled at both of us and then turned her attention back to Trish, who had been watching the scene unfold in stunned silence. "And now, Patricia, you know this too. And you will treat Caidence as someone your sister cares about deeply. Yes?"

  Sophie's hands were back on her hips again and her tone brooked no argument. I had to fight the urge to straighten and say "yes, ma'am!"

  Trish looked down at the desk uncomfortably. "Yes, Mamá." She looked up again and her expression held a hint of what could have been genuine apology when her glance touched Robyn.

  "Good." Sophie nodded decisively and moved towards the door. "Now, Patricia, you must get back to the party - there were many people asking for you, and Julian and Mark, they are fighting again. You know they do not listen to me."

  "Yes, Mamá," Trish said again obediently, casting a quick glance at Robyn and I. "Rob…"

  Robyn held up a hand and shook her head. "Later."

  Trish nodded, and with one last look at the two of us, left the office. Sophie eyed Robyn sternly. "Elora and Will are wondering where you are - they need to leave soon and get home to the little ones. They are out on the patio now. You will bring Caidence there, yes?"

  Robyn flicked a questioning glance at me, and I realized she was asking what I wanted to do. I nodded slightly and she looked back at Sophie. "Yes, Mamá."

  Sophie's dark eyes watched the interaction with interest and after a moment, she nodded briskly. "I should go see how Patricia is faring with Julian…he is such a big bebé, I don't know why she puts up with him."

  We both watched the door for several seconds after she left, neither of us speaking.

  "Hell of a party, huh?" Robyn said finally and pulled me against her, smiling wryly and dropping a light kiss on my temple. "I'm sorry about all this, Caid…I was planning on telling my family, but that wasn't quite how I'd planned it."

  "No worries." I turned fully into her embrace and gave her a quick kiss
. "Never a dull moment around you, that's for sure."

  She smiled slightly. "I wouldn't want you to get bored with me."

  "Not much chance of that." I grinned. "You're more entertaining than a six pack of Huber and bucket full of Legos."

  Her mouth twitched and an eyebrow crept up her forehead. "Am I."

  "Oh yeah." I gave her another quick kiss. "That's good stuff where I come from, baby."

  She smiled fully and shook her head. "Damn I love you."

  We smiled at each other and then she stepped back after a final squeeze. "Come on, sweet thing, let's go meet the family." She snagged my hand, talking over her shoulder as she pulled me towards the door. "Now don't believe anything they say about me thinking I was Wonder Woman for a summer, sticking peanuts up my nose, or eating mud pies. It's all a lie…"

  I laughed and followed her out the door.