by SJ McCoy
~ ~ ~
Mason sat on the sofa with his arm around Gina. She looked exhausted, lying there with her head on his lap.
She smiled up at him. “You okay?”
“I’m good, babe. I’m worried about you. You look tired.”
“That’s because I am tired. I think it goes with the territory. I’m pregnant, I’m planning a wedding, and Cassidy and I are working our asses off.
“I know, you’ve been working too hard if you ask me.”
“And that’s why I don’t ask you.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “I know you care, I know you’re only trying to look after me, but come on, Mase. We lost so much in the fire. We’re going to be okay, but we’ve got an awful lot of catching up to do.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just worry about you.”
“There’s no need. I’m tough.”
“You are that.” He smiled down at her. “You’re strong and you’re beautiful.” He hesitated, wondering if he should say it. “You know, when April left here, she told me you were exactly what I needed; that I needed a strong woman who would stand by my side.”
“She was right. Even though the big-man part of you would sometimes prefer a needy woman who looks up to you for everything.”
He shook his head at her with a rueful smile. “I don’t ever want that. I want you.”
“Well, you’ve got me.”
“Finally. It’s been a long road to get this, huh, babe?”
“It sure has, but nothing can stop us now.”
An involuntary shiver ran down Mason’s back. Nothing could stop them, but he’d be a whole lot happier about it if Guy were already behind bars.
Gina read his mind. “They’ll catch him soon. They have to. Do you know what April plans to do?”
He shrugged. “She reckons she can draw him out. I think she’s taking a huge risk even being here, but it’s not my place to tell her what to do.”
Gina nodded. “She’s got to do what’s right for her.”
“Yeah, you taught me that. Anyway,” he looked around at all their belongings packed in boxes around the room. “Are you sure that moving into the big house is what’s right for you?”
“I think so. I’ve gotten used to the idea. I think. It still seems weird that we’ll be up there and your mom and dad will be down here.”
“I know. It won’t be so strange when they leave for Arizona.”
“I wish they’d wanted to stay at the big house till they go.”
“Me too, but I think I understand. Dad said Mom wants to get settled in here first so that when they come back in the spring they’ll already feel used to this place.”
“I can see that.” Gina looked at the boxes. “And we can get it all moved.”
“No. You’re not going to move one single box. Chance said the hands are going to move everything. They want us to consider it a wedding gift. All you have to do is label the boxes for which room you want them in.”
Gina laughed. “I have to?”
“Okay, we do.”
“That’s better.”
He rested a hand on her stomach. “It’s a new beginning, G. The beginning of our family.”
She rested her hand on top of his. “Finally.”
Chapter Twenty
April looked over her shoulder as she walked up to the house. For weeks she’d known she needed to do this, but now she was here she was shaking. In her hand she held a large manila envelope which contained the terms of divorce she’d decided with her lawyer. Both he and Luke had told her that the agreement Guy had had her sign—agreeing to his terms—would count for nothing in court. It was time for her to make her own demands.
It felt so strange to be walking up to the house again. This place had felt like her prison for so many years. Now it seemed innocent enough. The house itself hadn’t been her oppressor; it was the man who lived here. She had no idea what she would do if he showed himself. Luke had told her that he’d checked the place out just twenty minutes ago. He’d been doing that every morning for the last week.
She walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Nothing. She’d wanted to go inside, to leave her envelope in Guy’s study, just like he’d had someone do to her—except they’d broken into her house to do it. Eddie and Luke had made her promise that she wouldn’t set foot inside. She stood there for a few moments, forcing herself to breathe deeply and be still, rather than turn around and run. As the moments drew on she started to relax. He wasn’t here. He wasn’t going to appear out of the shadows. She knew it. She opened the screen door and taped the envelope to the front door, then turned and walked back down the steps and back to the car.
“Are you okay?” asked Eddie.
She nodded. “I’m all shaky, but I’m okay. I did it.”
“Can we go now?” asked Marcus from the back seat.
“Yeah.” Eddie started the car up.
She was grateful that he’d insisted he should drive. As they drove back down the long driveway, she spotted Luke’s patrol car parked in the drainage ditch. If she could see him, Guy no doubt would too. Still, brave as she’d felt when she set out this morning, she was glad Luke had ignored her pleas to stay away.
“What happens now?” asked Marcus.
“I don’t know.” It was a half-truth. She didn’t know, but she fully expected that she’d be hearing from Guy very soon.
“Can we go home?”
Eddie shot her a quick look. She knew he, too, would like for them to get out of here and back to Summer Lake just as soon as they could. “We’re going to the weddings on Saturday. Then we’ll see.” She didn’t want to leave until Guy was locked up, but she couldn’t keep the two of them away from their lives for too long either.
~ ~ ~
Cassidy hung up the phone and smiled at Gina. “That, my friend, is us shut down for two weeks.” She’d been talking with the Home Décor people who were interested in buying the rights to their wildlife line. The deal would be very lucrative for them if it went through, and she had the feeling it would. The timing couldn’t have worked out better. The Home Décor executives would now take a couple of weeks to reach their final decision and to come back with an offer. That left Cassidy and Gina two weeks to get married, do whatever they were going to in terms of a honeymoon or a little break, and then get back to work. It also gave them a couple of weeks to decide whether they wanted to reopen the gallery and have a location that was open to the public, or whether they should continue to work down here.
Cassidy was torn. She knew it would suit Gina better not to have to drive up to town, especially with the baby coming. It would suit her in some ways, too. It’d be nice not to make that drive up to town every day in the winter. On the other hand, she didn’t like the idea of her world shrinking so much. If she didn’t have to go to the gallery, she didn’t have anywhere to go. She knew she couldn’t be a happy little homebody. It seemed to suit Summer, but Cassidy would go bat-shit crazy in no time. Plus, she loved the social interaction. What would happen to her classes? She couldn’t expect her seniors to drive all the way down the valley every week, especially in the winter.
Gina was watching her. “You look heartbroken. Surely you’ll survive without work for a couple of weeks?”
Cassidy laughed. “It’s not that. I’m just wondering what we’ll do. What work is going to look like when we do start back up.”
“Do you think the Home Décor deal will go through?”
“Yeah, I’m ninety percent certain it will. Which means we really don’t need a gallery if we don’t want one.”
“But we do, don’t we?”
Cassidy shrugged. “Want, yeah. How practical and realistic is it though? Is it more of a self-indulgence than a smart business move?”
Gina pondered that for a little while. Then she smiled. “I seem to remember someone telling me that how we feel reflects in our work. If we’re happy and relaxed and we have what we want, then it shows through—in your paintings and my photos.”
Cassidy nodded. “Yeah, I told you that when you were worried about money, and it’s true.”
“And it’s true for you, too, now you’re concerned whether having a gallery is a self-indulgence. If this deal goes through, money isn’t going to be too much of an issue. So why shouldn’t you indulge yourself. If having a gallery in town makes you happy, then have one. We can hire someone to be there—create a job for someone up in town. We can spend as much or as little time there as we want. It’d be a choice at that point, not an obligation. You’ll have a place to hold your classes, a place where you can talk to art lovers who wander in off the street.”
Cassidy grinned. “And it’ll help at tax time because we’ll be able to deduct whatever we pay in rent.”
Gina laughed. “Yeah, tax benefits are not my forte, but I believe you, and it sounds good.”
“It is good.” Cassidy did feel more relaxed. Gina had given her a solution she could live with. “Thanks, partner.”
“Sure thing. And speaking of galleries, are you going over to see Ian today?”
“No.” Cassidy made a face. “I’d love to, but considering he’s staying at Chico with Liam and Kaitlyn, and my dad and number four are staying there as well…”
“You’re not going to see Ian because you don’t want to see any of them?”
Cassidy shrugged. She didn’t like it; she’d been so excited to catch up with Ian, but she just couldn’t face spending time with the rest of them.
Gina shook her head. “You are such a brat at times.”
That made her laugh. “I am not! I just know what I want—and what I don’t want—and I make choices accordingly.”
Gina laughed. “Brat!”
Cassidy shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
“Well, I want to go over there and see them. Do you want to come with? I can sideline Liam and Kaitlyn and you can have Ian to yourself for a while.”
Cassidy thought about it. She’d like that, but she didn’t want to risk running into her dad and number four.
“Last chance.” Gina stood up and jingled her car keys. “I said I’d have lunch with them.”
“Okay, but I’m not having lunch with Liam and Kaitlyn, and if we see my dad, I’m going to run and hide.”
Gina nodded. “Whatever you need to do.”
~ ~ ~
Summer brought the car to a stop in front of the house and looked around. “Wow!” she muttered to herself. “Don’t spare any expense, huh, Clay?”
She smiled when she saw the massive front door swing open and Clay came outside to greet her.
He held his arms wide open and she ran straight to him. “There’s my little girl.” He wrapped her in a bear hug. “How you doing?”
She clung to him, her heart overflowing with love for this man who’d been so much more of a father to her and Autumn in the last few years, than their real father had in their whole lives. “I’m wonderful, Clay, and even better now you’re here. I’ve missed you.”
He tightened his arms around her. “I’ve missed you, too, little girl. Nashville’s not the same without you. I hope you’re happy? I hope Carter is taking damned good care of you?”
“I am happy, and you know he is. He’s a good man, Clay.”
“I do know. I couldn’t have left you here with him if I didn’t. In fact, I don’t think I could have left you here with any other man on earth. You found yourself a good ’un.”
“The best.”
Autumn appeared in the doorway behind Clay. “You sneaky…” She came out and pushed Clay aside so she could hug Summer herself.
Clay laughed. “I had to get a minute with her before you both start up with girl talk. I won’t get a look in otherwise.”
“I’ll let you have her for a little while when the press arrives.” Autumn stood back and held Summer at arm’s length. “You look great. You’re eating and you’re happy, aren’t you?”
Summer smiled. “I’ve never been happier.”
“Good; I’ve had my doubts on and off. I know Carter’s a good guy, but it’s still hard for me to have you living up here a million miles away.”
“It’s not that far, it’s only a few hours’ plane ride away.”
Autumn raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, a few hours’ plane ride that you haven’t managed to make yet.”
“And neither have you!”
Clay laughed. “Don’t start bickering already. We’re here now, that’s what matters.”
“It is,” said Summer. She looked up at the house, it was more of a mansion than a house. “And you’re staying in style by the looks of it. Are you going to invite me in or am I not grand enough these days?”
“You know I don’t like to slum it anymore,” said Clay with a grin. “Come on in, Matt’s been dying to see you.”
Summer followed Autumn into the grand entrance hall. “My goodness, you should shoot a video while you’re here. This place is amazing.”
“Summer!” Matt appeared at the top of the sweeping staircase. “Great minds think alike, that’s exactly what I said.”
Summer laughed as he climbed onto the bannister and slid all the way down, landing just a few feet away from them with a “Yee-haw!”
Autumn shook her head. “When are you going to grow up?”
“When are you going to loosen up?” Matt shrugged at her as he came to hug Summer. “How’ve you been sweet Summer Breese? How’s your love life?”
“Great, thanks. How about you? How’s the tour going? How’s…” Summer faltered. She’d been about to ask how his love life was. It’d been a standing joke between them for years. They’d toured together once when Matt was just starting out and he’d opened for her. She’d been totally amazed at the way he worked his way through the groupies, and he’d been equally amazed that she hadn’t had time for any romantic—or even just sexual—involvements during the whole six-month tour.
Matt shrugged. “How’s my love life?” He gave Autumn a dark look. “I’m working on it.”
Autumn shook her head. “What he’s working on is damage control with the media after his latest disaster.”
Matt smiled at Summer. “Something like that. You know I’m in good hands, though. Autumn’s got me covered.”
Summer nodded. She didn’t know what to make of the strange undercurrent between the two of them.
Clay checked his watch. “Hadn’t you better make sure you’re ready for this interview? They’re going to be here soon.”
Autumn nodded and hugged Summer. “Sorry, sis. This won’t take too long.”
“I don’t mind, do what you need to. Clay and I can catch up.”
Matt grinned at her. “Thanks, Summer. You always were the understanding sister.”
Autumn scowled at him. “It’s a lot easier to be understanding when you’re not the one who has to run interference and clean up your PR disasters.”
Matt turned his best smile on her. “Aww. I’m sorry, baby girl. You know you love me really. And you know I love you more.”
Autumn stalked out of the room and Matt gave them a mischievous grin before trotting after her. “She does. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
Summer looked at Clay. He shook his head. “I don’t know which of them has their hands fuller. You know what’s going to happen though, don’t you?”
“I think so. I’ve seen it coming for a while.”
Clay nodded. “Me too. It worries me. I have high hopes for them, but if they can’t handle each other, I’m going to have one hell of a mess on my hands.”
Summer could see that. Autumn ran Clay’s label McAdam Records, and Matt was one of his biggest stars these days. If the two of them were to get together and then have a messy breakup… “They’re both professionals,” she said hopefully.
Clay laughed his low, deep, rumbling laugh. “They’re both firecrackers is what they are. However it works out, it’s going to be interesting to watch.”
Summer nodded her agreement.
“Anyway,
come sit with me while they do their thing. I said we’d keep to the back of the house, so she can manage Matt and his interview out front without disturbing us. I wanted to talk to you about how we manage our friends in the press on Saturday. They all know that if any of them oversteps the mark, McAdam Records is going to be a closed book to them in future.”
“Aww, Clay, you don’t have to…”
He nodded firmly. “I do. For your sake, I hate having them here. I’m letting the benefit to business override my better judgment.” He gave her a rueful smile. “If the truth be told, I’m letting your sister override my better judgment. She has convinced me that she won’t let the press overstep its boundaries. That she will limit its involvement to just Matt.” His smile faded. “And I’m backing that up with a few threats of my own.”
“Thanks, Clay. I’m sure it’ll all be fine. I’m not worried.” That wasn’t quite true, but Summer just had to hope that between Clay’s threats and Autumn’s ability to manage them, the press would be respectful of the Remingtons and the weddings.
~ ~ ~
Al stood at the bottom of the steps leading up to the main lodge at the guest ranch. He snatched his hat off his head and stood there a few more moments, clinging on to it for dear life. Was he really going to do this? He drew in a deep breath. No. He wasn’t. He crammed his hat back on and turned around and started walking back to the cabin where he was staying. It wasn’t right. No matter what Gina might say.
He stomped inside and sat down heavily on the bed. It just wouldn’t be right. Ellie had been gone a lot of years, but still. He shouldn’t be standing beside another woman on their daughter’s wedding day.
He picked up Ellie’s photo from the nightstand and blinked away the tears. She smiled up at him from the frame. “Why can’t you be here, love?” His voice cracked, as he asked her the question.
His mind took him back to her last few days. Days that hurt so much that he didn’t let himself think about them too often. Days in the hospital, watching her slowly, but surely slip away from him. They’d talked when she could. She’d given him so many instructions when she’d first accepted that she wasn’t going to get better. He’d kept telling her at first that he wasn’t going to do as she said. Kept reassuring her she was going to make it, she was going to get better. If she wanted things done her way then she’d just have to come home and make sure they got done. In the end, though, he’d accepted it, too. By those last few days she’d been the one reassuring him that he was going to make it, that he’d get better with time.