by Douglas, Michelle; Gordon, Lucy; Pembroke, Sophie; Hardy, Kate
‘You want closure?’ she said.
‘Yes.’
He wasn’t looking at her—was choosing to stare out at the bright flowers swaying in the breeze instead. Somehow that made it all a little easier.
‘Fine. What do you need to know to move on?’
Now he turned, his smile too knowing. ‘I need to know that you’ve moved on. That you’re not still making the same bad choices you made then for the same bad reasons.’
‘I made the right choice,’ Thea said, quietly. ‘I chose to stay for a reason.’
‘For Helena. For your father.’
‘Yes.’
‘You were living your life for other people to avoid upsetting your family, just like you are now.’
‘No. I’m living my life for me.’ And making the right decisions for the future she wanted. She had to hang on to that.
‘Really? Whose idea was it for you to marry Flynn?’
‘What difference does it make? I’m the one who chose to do it.’
‘It makes a difference,’ Zeke pressed.
Did the man not know how to just let go of something? Just once in his intense life? Was it too much to ask?
‘Fine. It was your father’s idea,’ Thea said, bracing herself for the inevitable smugness. Lord, Zeke did love being right.
‘Of course it was.’ But he didn’t sound smug. Didn’t sound vindicated. If anything, he sounded a little sad.
Thea turned to look at him. ‘Why did you ask if you already knew?’
‘Because I need you to see it. I need you to see what you’re doing.’
His words were intense, but his eyes were worse. They pressed her, demanded that she look the truth in the face, that she open herself up to every single possibility and weigh them all.
Thea looked away, letting her hair fall in front of her face. ‘I know what I’m doing.’
Zeke shook his head. ‘No, Thea. I don’t think you do. So, tell me. Why did you stay when I left?’
‘Why do you think? We were too young, Zeke. And besides, my family needed me. Helena needed me.’ More than ever right then.
‘Why?’
‘Oh, I don’t know, Zeke. Why do you think? Why would a motherless teenage girl possibly need her big sister around to look out for her?’ That wasn’t the whole reason, of course, but the rest of it was Helena’s secret to tell.
‘She had your father. And my mother.’
A bitter laugh bubbled up in her throat. ‘As much as she might pretend otherwise, your mother is not actually our mother.’
‘Just as well, really,’ Zeke said, his voice low, and she knew without asking that he wasn’t thinking about her marrying Flynn. He was thinking about all the things they’d done in dark corners at parties, about his twenty-first birthday, about every single time his skin had been pressed against hers.
And, curse him, so was she.
‘I had to stay, Zeke,’ she said.
‘Give me one true reason.’
Thea clenched her hand against her thigh. Did the man simply not listen? Or just not hear anything he didn’t like? ‘I’ve given you plenty.’
‘Those weren’t reasons—they were excuses.’
‘Excuses? My family, my future—they’re excuses?’ Thea glared at him. ‘Nice to know you hold my existence in such high esteem.’
‘That’s not what this is about.’
‘Then what is it about, Zeke?’ Thea asked, exasperated. ‘If you don’t believe me—fine. Tell me why you think I stayed.’
‘Because you were scared,’ he said, without missing a beat.
‘Ha!’
‘You stayed because other people told you it was the right thing to do. Because you knew it was what your father would want and you’ve always, always done what he wanted. Because you’ve never been able to say no to Helena ever since your mother died.’ He took a breath. ‘But mostly you stayed because you were too scared to trust your own desires. To trust what was between us. To trust me.’
The air whooshed out of Thea’s lungs. ‘That’s what you believe?’
‘That’s what I know.’
When had he got so close? The warm metal of the car at her back had nothing on the heat of his body beside her.
‘You’re wrong,’ she said, shifting slightly away from him.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Am I?’ Angling his body towards her, Zeke placed one hand on her hip, bringing him closer than they’d been in eight long years. ‘Prove it.’
‘How?’ Thea asked, mentally chastising her body for reacting to him. This was over!
‘Tell me you don’t still think about us. Miss us being together. Tell me you don’t still want this.’
Thea started to shake her head, to try and deny it, but Zeke lowered his mouth to hers and suddenly all she could feel was the tide of relief swelling inside her. His kiss, still so familiar after so long, consumed her, and she wondered how she’d even pretended she didn’t remember how it felt to be the centre of Zeke Ashton’s world.
Except she wasn’t any more. This wasn’t about her—not really. This was Zeke proving a point, showing himself and her that he could still have her if he wanted. And he’d made it very clear that he didn’t—not for anything more than showing his father and his brother who had the power here. She was just another way for him to get one over on the family business.
And she had a little bit more self-respect than that, thank you.
‘Thea,’ Zeke murmured between kisses, his arm slipping further around her waist to haul her closer.
‘No.’ The word came out muffled against his mouth, so she put her hands against his chest and pushed. Hard.
Zeke stumbled back against the car, his hands abandoning her body to stop himself falling. ‘What—?’ He stopped, gave her one of those ironic, mocking looks she hated.
‘I said no.’ Thea sucked in a breath and lied. ‘I don’t still think about us. I don’t miss what we had. It was a childish relationship that ran its course. I was ready for my own life, not just to hang on to the edges of yours. That’s why I didn’t come with you.’ She swallowed. ‘And I certainly don’t want that. Especially not when I’m marrying your brother tomorrow.’
For once in his life Zeke was blessedly silent. Thea took advantage of the miracle by turning and getting back into the car. She focussed on her breathing...in and out, even and slow. Strapped herself in, started the engine. Familiar, easy, well-known actions.
And then she said, ‘Goodbye, Zeke,’ and gave him three seconds to clear the car before she screeched off back to the villa.
CHAPTER SEVEN
ZEKE STARED AFTER the cherry-red sports car kicking up dust as it sped away from him. Thea’s dark hair blew behind her in the breeze, and he could still smell her shampoo, still feel her body in his arms.
He was an idiot. An idiot who was now stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Pushing his fingers through his hair, Zeke started the long trudge up the path towards the villa. At least Thea had driven him most of the way home before kicking him out.
Not that he could really blame her. He knew better than to ambush her like that. He’d just been so desperate to hear her admit it, to hear her say that she’d made a mistake not going with him that night.
That she still thought about him sometimes.
But clearly she didn’t. She stood by her decision. And he had to live with that. At least for the next couple of days. Then he’d be gone, ready to start his own life for once, without the memories and the baggage of trying to prove his family wrong.
He’d told Thea he wanted closure, and she’d given it to him. In spades.
It was a long, hot, depressing walk back to the villa. By the time he got there, dusty and sweaty, the only thing he wanted
in the world was a shower. It was nice, in a way, to have his desires pared down to the basics. Simpler, anyway.
Of course just because he only wanted one thing, it didn’t mean he was going to get it. Really, he should have known that by now.
‘Zeke!’ Helena jumped up from her seat in the entrance hall, blonde waves bouncing. ‘You’re back! Great. I wanted to— What happened to you?’
‘Your sister,’ Zeke said, not slowing his stride as he headed straight for the stairs. ‘She’s trying to destroy my life, I think.’
‘Oh,’ Helena said, closer than he’d thought. Was she going to follow him all the way to his room?
‘Don’t worry,’ Zeke told her. ‘I know how to thwart her.’ All he had to do was not sell his company to Morrison-Ashton—which he had no intention of doing regardless—and let her marry Flynn—which he appeared to have no choice in anyway.
Even if both things still made him want to punch some poor defenceless wall.
‘Right...’
Helena sounded confused, but she was still following him. Clearly he needed to address whatever her problem was if he were to have any hope of getting his shower before the rehearsal dinner.
Sighing, Zeke stopped at the top of the stairs and leant against the cool, stone wall for a moment. ‘You wanted to...?’
Helena blinked. ‘Sorry?’
‘You said you wanted to...’
‘Talk to you!’ Helena flashed him a smile. ‘Yes. I did. I mean, I do.’
‘Can it wait until after I’ve had a shower?’
She glanced down at the elegant gold watch on her slender wrist. ‘Um...no. Not really.’
‘Then I hope you can talk louder than the water pressure in this place.’ Zeke pushed off the wall and continued towards his room. ‘So, what’s up, kid?’
‘I’m hardly a kid any more, Zeke,’ Helena said.
‘I suppose not.’ She had been when he’d left. Barely sixteen, and all big blue eyes and blonde curls. Actually, she was still the last two, but there was something in those big eyes. Little Helena had grown up, and he wondered how much he’d missed while he’d been gone. What had growing up in this family, this business, done to her? Because he already knew what it had done to Thea, and he wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
‘In fact I’m the maid of honour tomorrow. And you’re the best man.’
Zeke froze outside his bedroom door. What on earth was she suggesting?
Helena’s tinkling laugh echoed off the painted stone of the hallway. ‘Zeke, you should see your face! Don’t worry—I’m not propositioning you or anything.’
Letting his breath out slowly, so she wouldn’t suspect he’d been holding it, Zeke turned the door handle. ‘Never thought you were.’
‘Yes, you did,’ Helena said, brimming with confidence. It was nice to see, in a way. At least that hadn’t been drummed out of her, the way it had Thea.
‘So, what are you saying?’ Zeke kicked his shoes to the corner of the room, where they landed in a puff of road dust.
‘We have responsibilities. We should co-ordinate them.’ Letting the door swing shut behind her, Helena dropped down to sit on the edge of his bed, folding her legs up under her.
‘As far as I can tell, other than an amusing yet inoffensive speech, I’m mostly superfluous to the proceedings.’ Not that he cared. He knew his role here—show up and prove a point on behalf of the family that he was still a part of Morrison-Ashton. And he’d give them that for Flynn and Thea’s wedding day. Not least because he knew it would be the last thing he ever had to give them. After tomorrow he’d be free.
‘You’re the best man, Zeke. It takes a little more than that.’
‘Like dancing with you at the reception?’ Stripping off his socks, Zeke padded barefoot into the bathroom to set the shower running. It took time to warm up, and maybe Helena would take the hint by the time it was at the right temperature.
‘Like making sure the groom shows up.’
Zeke stopped. ‘Why wouldn’t he?’ Did Helena know something he didn’t? That Thea didn’t?
‘Because... Well...’ Helena gave a dramatic sigh and fell back to lean against the headboard. ‘Oh, I don’t know. Because this isn’t exactly a normal wedding, is it?’
That’s what he’d been saying. Not that anyone—or at least not Thea—was listening. ‘I’m given to understand that this is something they both want,’ he said, as neutrally as he could.
Helena gave him a lopsided smile. ‘She’s been giving you the same line, huh? I thought maybe she’d admit the truth to you, at least.’
‘The truth?’ Zeke asked, when really what he wanted to say was, Why me, ‘at least’?
‘I know she thinks this is what she should do,’ Helena said slowly. ‘That it’s the right thing for the company and our families. She wouldn’t want to let anyone down—least of all Isabella or Dad.’
‘But...?’
Tipping her head back against the headboard, Helena was silent for a long moment. Then she said, ‘But...I think she’s hoping this wedding will give her something it can’t. And I don’t think it’s the right thing for her, even if she won’t admit it.’
A warm burst of vindication bloomed in Zeke’s chest. It wasn’t just him. Her own sister, the one she’d stayed for eight years ago, could see the mistake Thea was making. But his triumph was short-lived. There was still nothing he could do to change her decision.
Zeke sank down onto the edge of the bed. ‘If you want to ask me to talk to her about it...you’re about two hours too late. And, as you can see, it didn’t go particularly well.’ He waved a hand up and down to indicate the state of him after his long, hot, cross walk home.
Helena winced. ‘What did she do? Leave you on the side of the road somewhere?’
‘Pretty much.’
‘Dammit. I really thought...’
‘What?’ Suddenly, and maybe for the first time ever, he really wanted to know what Helena thought. Just in case there was a sliver of a chance of it making a difference to how tomorrow went.
Helena gave a little one-shouldered shrug. ‘I don’t know. I guess I thought that maybe she’d talk to you. Open up. There was always something between you two, wasn’t there? I mean, she never talked about it, but it was kind of obvious. So I thought...well, I hoped... But she’s so scared of giving Dad and Isabella something else to use against her, to push her out...’
‘That’s what I told her,’ Zeke said, but then something in Helena’s words registered. ‘What do you mean, push her out? And what was the first thing they used against her?’
She stared at him as if it wasn’t possible he didn’t already know. But then she blinked. ‘Of course,’ she murmured. ‘It was the night you left. I told her... I told her right before her eighteenth birthday party—talk about insensitive. But I guess she never told you...’
Zeke was losing patience now. He felt as if there was a bell clanging in his head, telling him to pay attention, that this was important, but Helena kept prattling on and he needed to know.
‘What, Helena? What did you tell her?’ And, for the love of God, could this finally be the explanation he’d waited eight years for, only to have Thea deny him?
Helena gave him a long look. ‘I’ll tell you,’ she said, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips. ‘But it’s kind of a long story. A long, painful story. So you go and have that shower, and I’ll go and fetch some wine to make it slightly more bearable. I’ll meet you back here in a little bit, yeah?’
Zeke wanted to argue—wanted to demand that she just tell him, already—but Helena had already slipped off the bed towards the door, and it looked as if once again he wasn’t being given an option by a Morrison woman.
‘Fine,’ he said with a sigh, and headed for the shower.
At least he
wouldn’t stink of sweat and sun and roads when he finally got his closure.
* * *
She had her wedding rehearsal dinner in two hours. She should be soaking in the bath with a glass of something bubbly, mentally preparing herself for the next thirty-six hours or so. She needed to touch up a chip in her manicure, straighten her hair, check that her dress for the evening had been pressed. There were wedding presents to open, lists of thank-you notes to make, a fiancé to check in with, since she hadn’t seen him all day... And at some point she should probably check with Housekeeping that Zeke had made it home alive—if only so she could slap him again later, or something.
But Thea wasn’t doing any of those things. Instead she sat in Ezekiel Ashton’s office, waiting for him to get off the phone with London. Just as she had been for the last forty minutes.
‘Well, that’s one way of looking at it, I suppose,’ Ezekiel said into the receiver, and Thea barely contained her frustrated sigh.
Dragging a folder out of her bag she flipped through the contents, wishing she could pretend even to herself that they were in any way urgent or important. At least then she wouldn’t feel as if she was wasting her time so utterly.
‘The thing is, Quentin...’
Thea closed the folder. He could have asked her to come back later. He could have cut short his call. He could have looked in some way apologetic. But all Ezekiel had done was wave her into the visitor’s chair and cover the receiver long enough to tell her he’d be with her shortly. Which had been a blatant lie.
She’d leave, just to prove a point, except he was almost her father-in-law and he already wasn’t going to like the news she was bringing.
She sighed again, not bothering to hide it this time, and realised she was tapping her pen against the side of the folder. Glancing up at the desk, she saw Ezekiel raising his eyebrows at her.
Oops. Busted.
‘I think I’m going to have to get back to you on that, Quentin,’ he said, in his usual calm, smooth voice. The one that let everyone else know that as far as he was concerned he was the only person in the room that mattered. Zeke had always called it his father’s ‘Zeus the All-Powerful’ voice. ‘It seems that something urgent has come up at this end.’