Hope
I watched as Mr. and Mrs. King walked down the front porch steps. “Trent, let’s go. You’ll fire that bastard, Trent, that is all there is to it. End of story. He was the one who signed the contract.”
Trent stayed behind, not saying anything to his father as he continued to bark all the way to the car. Trent walked over to me. “Shhhh. Don’t cry. I’ve settled everything. It’s done, Hope.” I looked up into Trent’s brown eyes.
“You did?” I whispered.
“When you came out here to get some air, I told them. Your father is pissed; my father is pissed.”
“What was that about Daddy’s job?”
“No need to worry about it. I’ve already taken over King Enterprises. Your father’s job is safe.”
“Yeah, but what contract did my father sign?”
“I have no idea, but I promise you his job is safe.” He placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “I promise.”
“Thank you.” I smiled through my tears.
“Go message your man. If you need anything, just text.”
I ran into the house and poked my head into my father’s study. He was gone, so I went to grab my phone from the drawer. On the desk sat a mess of papers, and the only thing that caught my eyes was the King Enterprises logo. I picked up the sheets of paper and read over the words: Purchase Agreement. I browsed through it, not really understanding what I was reading until I came to a clause that made my skin crawl. “Upon the marriage of my son, Trent King, to your daughter, Hope Heathcote, a single check in the amount of 2.5 million dollars will be cut to Brian Heathcote for the purchase of your business, Heathcote Incorporated.” I felt the blood drain from my face. It looked like my father had sold me. The rage I felt got stronger when I heard my father start yelling at my mother in the kitchen. I took the contract into the kitchen with me and stood in the doorway, watching both my parents argue. “Hope?” my mother asked. “What is it?”
“Did you know about this?” I asked, holding up the document in front of her.
“What is that?”
“It’s nothing!” my father shouted.
“It’s nothing? Mom, maybe you’d care to read it, especially clause thirteen. It’s an agreement between Dad and Mr. King.”
My father walked over, ripping it from my hands. “Brian, let me see that.” My mother reached for the paper, but he tore it away from her.
“Actually, I can tell you what it says. Father made an agreement that upon my marriage to Trent, Mr. King would pay Dad for his business.”
My mother turned, glaring at him. “Brian, please tell me that isn’t true.”
With both our eyes on his, he suddenly didn’t seem like that powerful man that he had always seemed to be in my eyes. He looked little and pale and weak.
“I...I didn’t want to agree. It was business. I needed the money; my company is bankrupt. I had a good deal set up. Malone Law was the client’s lawyer, but something happened and that fell through, and then King showed up. It was more money than the other company had offered, and I got to keep my job.” My father broke out in a sweat. “I’m sorry. You need to believe me, I’m sorry.”
“How could you?!” I screamed. “Is that what I am worth to you? You would rather see me miserable, so you can have your precious money? I hate you.”
“Hope, please, it wasn’t like that.” My father started breathing heavily, clutching at his chest, and just before he got the next words out, he collapsed on the kitchen floor, right before our eyes.
“BRIAN!” my mother screamed and ran to him. “Hope, call 911 now.”
34
Hope – Twelve Years Earlier
Carter had sent my things back to my parents’ house with Hunter. Carter refused to talk to me except to tell me that we were over. At this news I threw myself into things at home, never looking back, just concentrating on getting Dad healthy.
I had spent the last four months at home helping my mother after almost losing my father. Throughout that process, I finally found it in me to forgive him. He had been so desperate to keep our household and lives afloat from debt collectors, he saw it as the only way. He never thought that Mr. King would actually force him to make the deal. After Dad had gotten out of the hospital, I called Trent and explained everything. He assured me that everything would be taken care of and my father would be paid what was owed to him.
I had finally moved into the apartment in the city. I couldn’t stay at home, even though I had forgiven my father, so I enrolled in school for business and was starting back at Joe’s for my first night shift. Mike and the girls had helped me move into the apartment, and due to the circumstances, Mike had held my full-time position until I returned. I had been back in the city a week and wanted badly to drop by and see Carter—to explain everything to him—but decided it was best just to let him go. I knew it would only be a matter of time before I saw him again anyway. I glanced at the date on my phone. He would be taking the BAR exam tomorrow. Hunter had told me that after everything had happened, Carter had postponed taking it until now. For a brief moment I thought about texting him to wish him good luck, but I was already running behind, and I couldn’t be late tonight of all nights. I grabbed a muffin from the pack on the counter and a bottle of water from the fridge and headed out the door.
By six the place was packed and the music was blaring. Once I got going, I had forgotten all about everything that had been plaguing me for weeks. It was good to be back at work with everyone. I had just gotten off break and was about to stock some of the coolers before heading back out to the bar when Mike came into the back.
“Hope, I need you to take over Mary’s section. She had to leave; her daughter is ill. I’ll have one of the guys back here fill the coolers.”
“No problem.” I walked around to the end of the bar and out to the section I had been assigned and stopped dead in my tracks. The first table in my section had to be a joke. I looked over my shoulder and saw Christie. Grabbing her arm just as she passed me, I asked, “Where was Mary working again?”
“Section #1. Are you looking after her tables?”
I nodded, glancing back at table #3.
“Great, table #1 wants two waters with ice, table #6 wants two white wines, and table #3 wants a rye and ginger...”
“...and a Scotch on the rocks,” I answered and finished taking in the man before me.
“How did you know that?” she asked, smiling.
I shrugged. “He looks like a Scotch drinker.” I waited at the bar to order the drinks. As I stood there, I kept glancing back over to the table. Felice sat there playing with her curly brown hair that fell softly over her shoulders, perfectly framing the open neck of her shirt that was showing off way more than it should have been. She kept smiling and laughing and reaching across the table to touch Carter’s arm. I could feel the jealousy building in my gut, and the more she touched him, the more I wanted to spit in her drink.
“Here you go, Hope,” Mike said, sliding the tray of drinks over to me.
“Thanks.”
I picked up the tray and delivered the waters first. Then I went over and dropped off the two glasses of wine, getting an earful about how late their food was. After I asked them to let me check on their order, I started to make my way over to the last table—a table I really didn’t want to serve. I glanced over and once again saw Felice running her hand down Carter’s arm as she excused herself to head to the washroom. I let out the breath I was holding and made my way over to the table after she had already left.
I said nothing, just set the rye and ginger where Felice had been sitting and the Scotch down in front of Carter. He didn’t look up. He kept his face buried in his cell phone, perhaps writing an email. “Can I get you anything else?” At the sound of my voice, he stopped and slowly lifted his head from his phone.
“Hope. What are you doing here?” he asked, a look of shock coming over his face.
“Working. I wasn’t supp
osed to be in this section, but Mary had to go home.”
“No, I just mean here in general. I figured that being back with Trent, he would take care of everything, and you wouldn’t have to work anymore.”
I was just about to start explaining when I heard her dreaded voice behind me. “Well, well, well. Look what trash the cat dragged in.”
“I could say the same thing about you.” I smirked.
She picked up her drink and took a sip. “This is not what I ordered. I want a new waitress. Carter, get Mike to get us a new waitress.”
Carter looked at Felice and then back to me, rolling his eyes. “There is no need to get a new waitress. Mike makes all the drinks.” He reached across and picked up the glass and took a sip. “It’s exactly what you ordered.”
“No, it’s not.” She turned toward the bar and waved at Mike. Carter shrugged his shoulders and mouthed an apology.
“Is there a problem here?” Mike asked, coming up behind me.
“No...” Carter tried to speak, but Felice spoke over him.
“Mike, we have a slight problem. We need a new waitress, and this drink isn’t what I ordered.”
“It’s a rye and ginger. I poured it myself, and that is what you always drink, Felice.”
“Nope, you’ve made a mistake then. And, please, get us a new waitress.”
Mike nodded and looked at Carter who looked annoyed and totally pissed off. “Okay, no problem.”
As Mike walked away, I stood there, my eyes locked with Carter. I just wanted to tell him everything, but Felice wouldn’t have it. “Run away, little one. Leave me to my date.”
I could feel the tears burn my eyes. As the words fell from her lips, he looked away from me. I slowly backed away from the table and went over to where Mike was standing at the end of the bar. “Mike, can I go back to what I was doing tonight? Give the girls the three tables I had, please.”
I couldn’t deal with this tonight; there was no way. Mike took one look at my tear-filled eyes and nodded. “Sure thing, Hope. Go on.”
Carter
Dropping Felice off at her apartment door had been the best part of this whole date. I watched her as she slid the key into the lock and turned it slowly, then she turned and leaned seductively against the door frame. Like maybe if she fucked me with her eyes I would come in.
“You want to come in for a little nightcap?” She winked, running her hand down my cheek.
“No, I really need to get studying. You know I take my exam tomorrow.”
“Well, it may do you good to get your mind on something else for a little while,” she said, running her finger along the collar of my shirt.
“I don’t think it will. Good night, Felice.” I stepped across the hall and opened my apartment door. Not looking back, I shut the door, leaving her in the hallway.
I sat down and tried to study, but all I could think about was Hope. She had looked so beautiful, and I wanted so badly to be able to talk to her. I pulled out my phone and scrolled to her name. I’d deleted every text she had ever sent me after reading the first two words of her last text: “I’m sorry.” That was all I had needed to see to know that it was over between us, and so I had sent her a goodbye text and sent her things with Hunter.
Finally throwing my phone down, I went into my bedroom and quickly changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. I continued to try to focus on studying. I had less than twelve hours. In more ways than one, I felt like I was drowning. Once I got into the material, three hours had seemed to fly by, but I realized I hadn’t even made it halfway through the the first section of my notes. Hope just kept invading my thoughts.
I leaned back, closing my eyes. “Don’t do this to yourself, Carter. You can’t do this,” I murmured aloud to myself. I tried again to bury myself in my studies, but there was no way I could get into it. I glanced at the clock. If I hurried, I could make it to the bar before Mike locked up for the night.
I got up and ran to the door, quickly throwing my running shoes on, grabbed my keys, locked up, and ran to the elevator.
In my rush to get there, I almost ran right past the bar. I ran down the steps to the entrance and went to pull the door open, but the lock stopped me. I put my face to the window. A couple girls were sweeping up the floor. I knocked, but they just ignored me just as they had been taught to do. I thought for a second and then I pulled my phone out of my pocket and messaged Mike. Soon he appeared and opened the door. “Sorry, man, the girls have been told not to answer the door after it’s been locked. New policy.”
“I understand. Is she still here?”
Mike nodded. “Go on, have a seat. She’s cleaning the floor tonight.”
I took a seat at the bar. No sooner had Mike disappeared than she walked out dragging a garbage bin behind her and a couple beer cases to put empties in. She stopped at the first table and began clearing it. She looked a little thin to me. As she leaned over, I couldn’t help but check her out. I longed to feel her tight ass pushed up against me in bed while I pulled her into me. I watched as she walked back to the bar and turned on the music. Nick Santino’s “I Just Wanted You to Know” filled the bar. The only song in the world at this time that made me think of her. I watched as she swayed to the music, mouthing along with the words. I watched her for as long as I could and then I stood and walked up behind her.
“Hope,” I said as softly as my deep voice would allow.
She turned abruptly. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her eyes all watery.
“I came for you.”
“What about Felice?” she asked, wiping at her cheeks, freeing them of tears with the palm of her hand.
“What about her?” I asked.
She looked at me, almost as if she wasn’t sure what to think. Was I with her or wasn’t I?
“Hope, just listen.”
“I’m sorry, Carter. I’m sorry I didn’t meet you that night.”
“I get it. You may be with him, but if I don’t say exactly what I came here to say, then I’m going to lose the last shot I may have to be with you—forever this time. I owe it to myself to tell you even if I’m not the one who ends up walking away with you. I’m not about to carry around the regret of ‘what if’ with me for the rest of my life, never knowing what could have been.”
She stood there looking at me, giving me time to put the words together. I couldn’t help it; I was nervous. There had been nothing in my life up to this point that made me as nervous as this moment. I gripped her by the waist, pulling her into me. She came willingly, pressing her little body up against mine, where she fit perfectly.
“These eyes, those lips, and this body...I want you forever. It’s taken me a long time to figure it out, but I don’t think I can live my life without you. You’re the one meant for me, Hope. I know I have only ever said it once, but I’m in love with you. I can’t fight it any longer. I know you are with Trent, and I want you to be happy, but I can’t...”
“I love you too.” Her soft voice rang out.
I stopped and looked at her, tears in the corner of her eyes. “What?”
“I love you too. I’m not with Trent. That was what I was trying to tell you months ago. All of this is my father’s fault. When he sold his business, he agreed that I would marry Trent and that was when he would be paid for his company.”
I looked down into those beautiful eyes. She looked heartbroken. “Seriously?”
“Yes, I found the contract. He almost died, Carter, and for the four months that I spent by his side, helping my mother, I fought with myself. It took me a long time, but I have forgiven him. He didn’t do it to be mean; he did it to save us. I guess he was in a lot of financial trouble, and he doesn’t actually hate you.”
I didn’t give her another chance to say anything more. My lips just crashed down on hers, my tongue sweeping through her mouth.
35
Hope — Present Day
“I honestly don’t think you have anything to worry about, Hope. These boys a
re a different breed. Carter loves you so,” Autumn said, shoving a couple more pieces of popcorn into her mouth.
“Deep down I know that, but I also know just how persuasive Felice can be.”
“Seriously, I don’t think you need to worry about her. So, whatever happened to Trent?” Autumn asked, drinking down the last of her tea.
“He ended up marrying my friend Carly, and five years later, they were divorced. He turned out to be quite the player,” I laughed. “However, now he is going to prison.”
“Did Carter ever speak with him again? You did say they had been best friends.”
“Yeah, one night we ran into him at Joe’s place. I guess Trent had always been jealous of Carter. He had seen how happy we were together when he had come home at the end of the summer, and so he demanded his father add that into the contract when they purchased my father’s business.”
“Wow. Just wow.”
“Yep, that ended in a fight.”
We both got quiet for a minute. “So, Felice can’t be the only reason you are upset, Hope. I think you know he would never cheat on you. So, what is it?”
I looked down to where my hands rested on my belly. “About two months ago we had been talking about having another baby, or I had been talking about it. Carter told me he was happy with how things are, and he just wanted to put his focus into the firm. So, we agreed no more kids. Four weeks ago, I found out I am pregnant.”
The Malone Brothers Boxed Set Page 31