He walked to his pantry, disappeared and appeared a second later with a bag of marshmallow cookies in his hand. Her favorite.
“Trying to bribe me into shutting up?” She meant it as a joke, but seriousness leaked through. “Beck, I’m serious. Give the girl another chance. She’s also one of those special people who make us better.”
He slid open the bag and she snatched one up before he pulled a fast one and tugged it away. “All right, fine. I’ll make you a deal,” he said. “You talk to Sean, tell him everything you just told me, and I’ll attempt to be friends again with Caroline.”
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes and then toasted his cookie with hers. “But you’re asking me to go on a suicide mission.”
Beck chuckled. “Right back at ya.”
Chapter 35
One lousy place in his world was supposed to remain free of her, and now even this sanctuary was tarnished too. April stood across the football field in cut off shorts, a tight t-shirt, and her hair down in a wave of glory.
Sean slowed when he reached the curve of the track, his body hardly sweating since he’d only been out there fifteen minutes. “What do you want?”
“To talk,” she said plainly enough to annoy him.
“We’ve already done that.”
She inhaled deeply. “Yeah, but this is outside, on your turf. I thought maybe you might be willing to do it again.”
He was tempted to ask what Aiden thought of her being there, but stopped himself. He couldn’t give a rat’s behind what that man thought or wanted, so instead he asked, “Has anything changed?” In other words, was she still playing puppet to her parents.
“Uncle Bradley’s home.”
“Good.” And that was all he was going to say. They would never agree on the events that took place before his arrest. He realized that now, so there was no point in rehashing the argument.
She glanced up at him and stepped from the grass sidelines to red-painted asphalt. “Turns out, he had a few secrets of his own.”
“I can imagine.” Sean walked toward his towel and Gatorade on the bench. Somehow April’s presence made this huge stadium feel very small. “Still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here. Or how you even knew where I’d be.”
“Journey said you’ve been working a lot. I asked security to let me know when you left the condos.”
Her tracking him. That was a change. Their relationship had always been a game of cat and mouse, with him doing all the chasing, all the pushing. April would come along, but never without hesitation or a battle. He’d accepted that a life with her would always be that way, assuming she just needed to learn how to love, but now he knew better. She hesitated because never once did she fully surrender to her feelings. And that was something he couldn’t live with.
“I really don’t feel like doing this right now.” He rolled his shoulders. He had no interest in giving April the chance to rip him into pieces. Not when he’d finally become somewhat functional again.
“Why?” She spread her arms out and glanced around at the empty stadium. “Because you’re so incredibly busy?”
“No, because I don’t want to talk to you.” She’d made her choice twice. Neither time had she chosen him. No amount of talking would change that fact.
“Dad offered me a job at his company. Great pay. In-house counsel, and the only string is that I have to move to Houston in two weeks.”
Anger shot through him and the control he’d held onto since seeing her snapped. “Are you here for a congratulations? Because I think you submitting yourself to them is the stupidest move you’ve made yet. And there’s been some doozies.” Screw it. She was never going to change. Snatching his keys from the ground, Sean stormed toward the exit gate. The same one April had left open minutes before.
“I turned it down.” The words were timid and weak and he barely heard them over his adrenaline.
Slowly, he turned back around. “What?”
“You were right about everything. About my family manipulating me, about Aiden.”
“I don’t care about any of them.”
“Okay then, you were right about me. I am afraid. I am stubborn and bull-headed and not always a very nice person. I hate vulnerability and I hate that without you my life is empty.”
A continual pressure built with each shocking word out of her mouth. This woman in front of him was not April Duncan. At least not any version he’d ever seen.
“…I thought I could have both, and then when that didn’t work, I picked what was easy. What I knew and could control. But that didn’t work either because what I’d failed to see was that you’d already made me different from them.”
She came closer, each word a plea, and the pressure rose to a level of explosion. Despite years of pushing his body to the limit, he had no defense against this confession he’d always dreamed he’d one day hear.
“…You changed me, and I resented you for it. But now. Now I see that every time you pushed me, it was because you saw who I was meant to be, and you knew it was more than this empty shell of a person.”
On instinct, he stepped forward, half expecting her to retreat like she always did. But this time she closed the rest of the space.
“I never gave you ‘all’,” she said. “I thought I did, but there was always a piece of me I held back. There was always an escape plan.”
Keeping her eyes locked with his, he slowly reached out and cradled the tender curve of her jaw. Her eyes closed as she leaned into his touch. Craving the need to kiss her and to make the entire last year disappear, he stepped closer, letting his body slide against hers.
Beneath his fingertips, her pulse beat wildly. “I know it was selfish of me to come here. To ask you to forgive me after what I put you through. You deserve so much more than I’ve ever given you.”
His body trembled with emotion, with the realization that after fourteen years, the girl he’d loved with every ounce of his heart, might just be willing to love him back the same way. “What are you saying to me?”
April inched closer, her warm, smooth fingers caressing his cheek. Sharp green eyes met his and they weren’t cold or hollow. In them, he felt the promise even before she said, “Teach me how to love you the way I should.”
Her honesty made his mouth quirk up. That statement may be odd for some couples, but for her, it meant she could finally see the difference between the empty, rule-based love of her parents and what he’d always given her—love without condition. “You gonna let me this time?”
She nodded and those same eyes became a sea of moisture.
He leaned down and kissed her, the moment sweeping away all others in their shared history.
This wasn’t the awkward kiss he gave at thirteen, or the demanding one that forced an ultimatum, and it certainly wasn’t the regretful, heartbreaking touch they’d shared a few weeks ago. This was heart and soul and emotion and promise.
His hand melted into the curve of her waist and soon she was airborne, her legs wrapping around his waist. Chest against chest, he fisted her hair, wanting closer, deeper. He wanted the world to disappear around them.
But the rest of the world continued, proof being the slamming of a car door he could hear in the distance. “I think someone’s coming,” he whispered, still a little euphoric.
April jerked away so fast, he nearly dropped her. “You were meeting someone and didn’t mention it?”
“No, I’m not expecting anyone. But I thought I heard something.” He chuckled at her quickness, the Duncan armor nearly intact. While some things would be different, he knew this side of April would always be a part of her.
She brushed the hair from her face, and straightened her clothes, getting very well near perfection before a man appeared outside of the fence. His stride was tight, deliberate, and not without confidence. Sean had a sinking suspicion that Zane had finally confronted his dad.
“You may want to go. This is probably going to be ugly.”
April scoote
d in closer and slid her hand in his. “Who is that?”
“Zane’s dad.” He squeezed, the responding ache in his chest a welcome reminder that they were a team once again. “Let’s just say my ability to tick off parents extends well past yours.”
Not being one to let the battle come to him, he strolled toward Zane’s dad just as ready and confident.
“Mr. Worbishaw. What can I do for you?”
“You can explain to me why you moved my son from starting Quarterback to a position that will undoubtedly get him hurt.” The man was shaking in his fury, but Sean had to hand it to him. His face remained calm, his voice unwavering.
“Well sir, your son was not going to be the starting quarterback this year. He would have been the backup and gotten very little playing time. Zane’s an outstanding athlete and I want to get him on the field as much as possible.”
“Since when is that your call to make?”
“Since I was hired as the new offensive coordinator. But, if you would give me a minute to walk my girlfriend to her car, I’ll be happy to sit down and discuss it with you.”
His eyes flickered to April as if he was only just noticing her and then stepped out of their way.
Sean tugged on April’s hand, pulling her forward. “I’ll be right back.”
“You’re nervous,” she said once they cleared the field and were halfway to her car. “He’s the money you were talking about a few weeks ago.”
Sean only nodded, his muscles tight. “Who knows, this might be the shortest job I’ve ever had.”
She turned, letting go of his hand. “When I saw the trend in coach turnover, I did some research on unlawful termination. You have rights and a contract, Sean. They can’t fire you simply because a parent doesn’t like your coaching style.”
“I know.” He rolled his shoulders and opened her door. “I’m more worried about Coach Kent and Journey. I don’t want this coming down on either of them.”
She rose on her tiptoes and surprised him with a kiss.
“What was that for?”
“For being the kind of guy who worries about other people more than yourself. It’s a truly admirable quality.”
He grinned, forgetting for a second that he had a fight waiting for him, and slipped his hand around her neck, pulling her closer. “You didn’t flinch when I called you my girlfriend. Does that mean you agree?”
“I agree.”
“Good, because I have terms this time.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but he kissed her before she had a chance.
“One fight at a time, Jelly Bean. I’ll come find you when I’m done.”
She slipped into her car and Sean shut the door behind her.
Ty’s advice finally made sense. It wasn’t just that they had to find a new way individually, but things had to look different this time… together. He knew what he wanted, what he’d always wanted.
This confrontation with Zane’s dad was nothing compared to what he’d get from April the minute he told her his plans. There’d be no year-long engagement. He wanted them official.
Husband and wife. Committed for a lifetime. And he wanted it right now.
Chapter 36
As she leaned against her car in front of Riverside condos, April couldn’t help but touch her fingers to her lips. She’d only left here thirty minutes ago and never imagined she’d be returning with forgiveness.
Her eyes drifted to her left hand, to the ring finger that had sat bare for almost a year. She touched her skin, a giddy smile appearing that would embarrass her if she cared at all about other people at the moment. But she didn’t care. Not about her pride or her silly need to stay so guarded. She only cared that Sean was hers again and the life she thought was lost was only on pause.
Sliding her phone out of her pocket, April pushed off the driver side door and attempted to text and walk at the same time. They’d made a deal, and it was Beck’s turn to pony up.
April: Your turn.
Beck: What happened?
April: Well, you’re stuck with me since it looks like I’m back in Sean’s life.
Beck: Congratulations
April: Thanks, but don’t think that gets you out of your promise. Call Caroline.
Beck: It’s Saturday. I’ll talk to her Monday.
April: No deal. Today, before you chicken out.
Beck: I won’t chicken out.
She sent a chicken emoji and laughed. It was so stupid, but she felt as if she were floating toward her building on light, fluffy clouds. A couple she recognized from the third floor exited right as she went for the handle.
“Oh hey guys.” She smiled at them both and ignored the flash of surprise when she spoke.
The guy was nice enough to hold the door for her and the girl equally gracious enough to smile back though they both looked as if she’d come from the phantom zone. Okay, so yeah, so she wasn’t the friendliest person in the condo, but there was no need for shock.
“Thanks,” she said, catching the door as it closed. Nothing was going to spoil her mood this morning.
She froze two steps into the lobby. Maybe there was something.
Her mom sat on the sofa, poised as if she were having tea at a social club. Dress pants. Thin cashmere cardigan. Pearls. Absolutely polished.
Fury combined with adrenaline inside her, but even April’s shock wasn’t enough to let her mother see that kind of weakness on her face. Not on her turf. Her keys dug into her hand as she tried to get her anger in check, taking one step closer while her mother patiently stared from the other side of the room.
She folded her hands in her lap when April approached, her gaze trailing down and landing on her cut off shorts. “Is it too much to ask that you fix yourself up in the mornings? You do still represent the family name.”
“Not by choice,” April said, wishing immediately that she hadn’t given into the bait.
“You’ve always been a foolish girl.”
Foolish was taking up with Aiden in the first place, but she didn’t say that. Instead she pulled her shoulders back and prepared for battle. “I no longer share your opinion.”
Her mom glanced upward, her face flawless and cold. “I am not here to argue about your ill-fated choices.” She patted the cushion next to her. “Nor do I intend to shout across the room to you.”
April wasn’t across the room. She was only three feet away, but standing gave her the high ground and her mother wasn’t accustomed to being looked down upon. But as usual, the dutiful daughter triumphed and she eased onto the couch exactly where her mother wanted her.
“Bradley was gone when I went to visit him this morning.” Her hand played with the pearls around her neck. “And after your abominable behavior last night, one can only assume you had something to do with his leaving.”
“Are you serious?” April heard herself laugh before she even realized that she was doing it. “You’re really going to lecture me about my behavior when you not only knew about and covered up Bradley’s addiction, but also used his arrest to manipulate me?”
“Keep your voice down.” Anger blazed from her eyes. “What has been done cannot be changed. That is mine to live with. Right now my concern is finding out where Bradley went to so I can bring him home. He needs me.”
April jerked her head to the side and her eyes narrowed. “Needs you? You’re the one who put him in this position. You chose protecting your image over truly getting him help.”
“And you, my judgmental daughter, have once again chosen fleeting emotion over family.” She shook her head as if April were a petulant teenager.
“What family, Mom? Andrew isn’t speaking to you. Uncle Bradley left, knowing the only way he’d stay clean was to get away from that world. I’ve tried for twenty-six years to be who you wanted me to be, and now you’ve lost me, too.”
For a moment, April thought her mother might show a hint of emotion, but no, she simply watched her with hollow eyes. “I would not call your behavior effo
rt. You have never lived up to who I wanted you to be.”
The whip stung, but not like it used to. “You’re right.” She shrugged, truly liberated from that expectation. “If I really wanted to, I could be you. I could marry Aiden, a man who mirrors Dad in almost every way. I could let go of my heart and feelings and be your carbon copy. I choose not to.”
“Once again, we offered you the world and you threw it in our faces.”
“I never wanted the world. I just wanted you to love me. Unconditionally, the way parents are supposed to love their children.” She took her mother’s cold hand, squeezing tighter when she tried to pull away. “The three of us, we aren’t gone.” Their eyes met, crystalized amber to fiery Duncan green, and to her shock, her mother’s watered ever so slightly. “When you are ready to let go of the manipulations and demands, we will be here. But as us, not the image you have in your head.
“Andrew is going to stay a fireman; he loves it. Uncle Bradley is soft and vulnerable and needs to be surrounded by people who appreciate those qualities, not those who try and annihilate them. And I’m going to be with Sean, so he’s part of the package as well. My preference is to have you in my life, but not at the risk of who I am, not anymore.”
“And if I can’t accept those things?”
“Then our family will remain as fractured as it is now.”
Her mother eased her hand away and took a deep breath. “I will take your offer into consideration. That’s the best I can do.” She stood and April rose to her feet as well.
Then she did something she hadn’t done in fifteen years; she wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her, deeply. A boa constrictor hug that Sean would be ridiculously proud of. “I love you, Mom. Dad too. I’m here when you’re ready.”
The Truth Between Us (Bentwood Book 2) Page 25