“Stop defending that woman, Ben. I know you love her, and yes, I know she doesn’t do these things maliciously, but how many times have you told her to stop? How many times has she crossed the line?”
“Tell me something I don’t know, Lyric,” I barked, more aggravated and frustrated than I was before. “I told her that if she does it one more time, that’s it. I’m done.”
Lyric’s voice came out kind and gentle. “You say that every time, Ben.”
“I’m serious this time, Lyric. After the stunt Dad pulled in London, I’m done. Done. I can’t believe she sent the Jeep after that.”
My blood boiled every time I thought about what happened in London.
I was out of my mind with worry for almost twenty-four hours, not able to find my son anywhere. All the while, Lincoln was on a private jet chartered by my asshole of a father to bring him back to Portland. My mother called to tell me how excited she was that I agreed to allow Lincoln to live with her, which was the only reason I found out when I did. If she hadn’t, there would have been police involvement and so on and so forth.
The reason I didn’t call Samantha like I promised was because I was on a plane to get Lincoln. Since my sole focus was on getting my son back, it wasn’t until I was in the air that I remembered her. By the time I landed in New York to catch my connecting flight to Portland, Samantha had checked out of her hotel and disappeared to God knows where.
I could only imagine what she thought. Her believing she’d been used left me ill. I was holding out hope that I’d find her, though. She deserved to know why I didn’t live up to my word, even if I already ruined any and all chances with her.
“The lady has a few screws loose,” Lyric commented, redirecting my thoughts.
“That’s been established, Lyric.”
“I’ve been thinking about this, Ben. Hell, I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I’ve even talked to Paul and Maggie to see what they thought. I’m not a parent, and I tend to be a little shortsighted at times-”
“Spit it out.”
“I think you should tell Linc everything.”
She wanted me to do what?!
“Before you go off the deep end, hear me out,” she pleaded.
“Go on,” I drawled hesitantly.
“Paul and Maggie agree. We think it might be best that Linc knows everything. You two might be able to bridge this gap Gwen and your parents have forced between you two.”
“If I tell him…”
“He’ll hate them,” she finished, knowing my thoughts. “Or he might understand you better, Ben.”
“I don’t know if I can do that to him, Lyric. I’d rather be the bad guy and save him from the pain of knowing the truth.”
“He’s sixteen now, Ben. He’s a good kid with a good head on his shoulders. He’s not stupid. Yeah, he’s making dumb decisions, but that’s because he doesn’t know the truth. Do you think he would’ve hopped on that plane if he knew?”
Fuck.
Me.
A knock sounded on my door. “Come in,” I hollered and then said to Lyric, “Listen, I’m at the clinic. I’ll call you this weekend, and we’ll talk about this more.” Lily walked in, so I held up a finger. “Tell Mags and Paul I said hi and I miss them.”
“Sure thing,” she whispered. “We miss you, too. It was good seeing you. I’m sorry you had to cut your trip short.”
“Me too,” I replied and hung up. I threw my phone back down and turned my attention to Lily.
She’d been working at this clinic since I was a kid and had been my right-hand lady since Monday. I would have drowned without her. I could see why Pops had kept her around so long – she was the glue that held this place together.
Lily had been a true beauty when I was a kid. I had a huge crush on her when I visited. Being just over fifty now, she’d rounded out over the years, but it worked well for her. She had mousy brown hair that was always worn in a ponytail at the base of her neck and pretty olive eyes.
Those eyes appeared worried, though.
“What can I do for you, Lily?” I questioned, concerned.
“Sorry to bother you, but Mr. Raiden is here to see you,” she replied.
“Mr. Raiden?” I questioned again, unsure as to why she was giving the man special treatment. She should have taken him into an exam room.
“He said it’s about your son,” she revealed.
What now?
I ran a hand down my face, utterly spent. “Bring him back.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
“Stop calling me that, Lily. It’s Ben. You’ve known me since I was a kid – there’s no need for formalities.”
She cracked a smile. “Sorry. Habit…Ben.”
She left and came back a minute later with a large, burly man. He was tall and wide, with brown and silver hair, a thick beard, and somewhat familiar eyes. I wondered if he was a friend of Pops I’d met at one point in time.
I stood and walked around my desk, holding out a hand in welcome. “Hello, Mr. Raiden. I’m Dr. Rhodes.”
The man took my hand and gave it a mean shake. “Wish I could say it was good to see you, Dr. Rhodes.”
Lily gave us both a brief nod and scurried out of my office, leaving us alone.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Raiden?” I questioned and motioned toward a chair. “Lily said it regarded my son.”
“There’s no need for all that. And it’s Brad,” Brad rumbled, his voice deep and rich. We continued to stand as he went on. “Apparently, your son got it in his head that it would be fun to do donuts in the middle of my lawn in that flashy new Jeep of his.”
The only response I had was to gape at him.
Lincoln did what?!
“My son, Grey, is keepin’ an eye on him at the house. Out of respect for your grandfather, I didn’t call the cops, but I figured you’d want to see.”
“I have no idea what to say to that,” I whispered and dropped into one of the chairs, my strength gone. “I’m sorry, Brad. I wish I had an excuse or…something.”
The man let out a loud chuckle. “Benjamin, teenagers do crazy shit all the time. Who knows why or what they’re thinkin’.”
I looked at him sharply, shocked that he used my full name and that he was laughing about this. “Have we met before? You look vaguely familiar.”
“Not since you were a kid,” Brad enlightened me, grinning. “Your mother and my wife, Emma, were best friends before Victoria left for college. You were in diapers the first time we met you. Victoria brought you every summer and holiday until you were, I don’t know, five or six I think. My son, Grey, used to follow you everywhere. You two were as thick as thieves when you were here.”
I recognized the name as belonging to Clara’s fiancé.
Small world.
I smiled, shaking my head in amazement. “I don’t remember any of that.”
“You were too young.” Brad scratched his thick beard. “Anyway, when your mom stopped comin’ around, I only saw you briefly when you were with your grandfather…usually here.” He motioned at the office.
“That, I remember,” I replied with a laugh and stood.
When I came to visit Pops, I spent the entire time I was here at the clinic, Pops cabin, or on the lake fishing. Because I was only here for short amounts of time, I relished every second with Pops and never let him out of my sight. You could have placed the biggest, shiniest new toy next to me and I would have never noticed. Well, that was how it went until Dad wouldn’t let me visit anymore.
“Dr. Melbourne kept us up to date on all of your accomplishments,” Brad continued. “Emma, especially, was curious. She was heartbroken when your mother stopped comin’ to town.”
I suppressed a curse and stated, “I’m sorry.”
That made me wonder about what my mother was like before my father sunk his claws into her and she became his perfect puppet. Pops had told me stories, but it was hard to associate the woman she used to be to the one she was now.
&nb
sp; “Don’t be,” Brad rejoined. “It is what it is. She’ll be ecstatic to see you no matter what – been lookin’ forward to it since Dr. Melbourne told us. We weren’t expectin’ you for a few more weeks, though. Shocked the hell out of me when Lincoln told me who his father was.”
“She probably won’t be all that excited when she hears what Linc did,” I muttered, exhaling loudly.
Brad let out another boisterous laugh and gripped my shoulder. “Are you kiddin’ me? We lived through two teenagers, especially my daughter. That one was a spitfire since the day she was born – gave me a heart attack a hundred times over. Emma will understand, trust me.”
“If you say so,” I commented dryly.
“Well, let’s get to it. Wanna follow me to my place?” Brad questioned, already heading for the door.
“Give me a minute,” I told him. “I need to call Pops to see if he can come in to cover the patients.”
Brad laughed again. “Won’t have to twist his arm, I bet. He’s been grumblin’ about retirin’ for the last year. He’s probably goin’ out of his mind.”
Brad had that right.
∞
I stared at the lawn, my mind all over the place. I was pissed – thoroughly pissed – but I was more disappointed than anything.
Why, Linc?
Brad and Emma’s house was a modest single-story home, with a large porch and a garden that would make the people at Better Home and Garden Magazine speechless. It was the kind that you spent hours on, one that was meticulously tended. Even their lawn – what was left of it – was maintained flawlessly. It was green and lush and beautiful.
And my son ruined it.
Lincoln was sitting on the front step with his head in his hands while another man stood behind him. Even though Brad and I were standing on the street, the large lawn separating us, I could already tell that the man was Grey, Brad’s son. Their builds were identical.
“I cannot believe this,” I muttered to myself.
“Don’t be too hard on him,” Brad stated next to me.
“Do you not see this?” I gestured at his yard. “It’s a wreck.”
Brad sighed regretfully and rocked on his heels. “Yep, it is. Still, if he did somethin’ like this, it means he has somethin’ goin’ on inside of him.”
I let out a harsh bark of laughter. “That’s putting it mildly.”
Brad glanced at me sharply. “Is that right?”
“His mother is an addict and a liar,” I explained, deciding to give him the short version. If anyone needed an explanation, it was this man. “I filed for divorce last year. It’s been hard on Linc.”
“Damn,” Brad murmured.
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pass on this knowledge. It’s one of the many reasons we moved. For him to start over, he needs to be far away from all of those memories.”
“You have my word,” Brad agreed quietly.
“I was in college and med school throughout his childhood, so I wasn’t around as much as I should’ve been. I didn’t know until it was too late how badly my ex-wife had fallen. She did a number on his head. He’s a good kid, Brad – a really good kid. He’s just a little lost right now.”
“I understand,” Brad stated, eyeing Lincoln thoughtfully. “Bliss is a good place to be. It’s got a way of easin’ the soul. I’m sure this town will do him some good.”
“I hope so.”
Brad breathed in deep and then exhaled through his nose roughly. “Well, ready to deliver an ass chewin’?”
“Not really, but it has to be done,” I answered, really liking this man.
Brad and I walked across the mangled yard and approached the porch. Grey had his arms crossed over his chest, watching me closely. If I would guess, I believed he was sizing me up, trying to figure me out. I didn’t blame him – my son had just disseminated his parents’ yard.
I gave him a nod, saying, “Sorry about all this.”
His only response was a chin lift.
I looked down at my son and mirrored Grey’s stance, crossing my arms over my chest, my feet shoulder-width apart. “So,” I began, “do you have anything to say for yourself, Linc?”
He grumbled something unintelligible.
“Look at me and speak clearly,” I ordered.
Slowly, he uncovered his face and met my gaze, his jaw set in defiance.
“Well,” I prompted.
“I was just having a bit of fun,” he replied, his tone obstinate.
“Tearing up someone’s yard is a bit of fun? You barely know how to drive, Linc. You could have lost control and ran into their house, killing one of them. Have you thought of that?”
By his sudden jolt, I could tell he hadn’t.
“You did this so that I would send you back to Portland, didn’t you?” I probed, watching him closely.
“It’s not like you want me,” he snapped.
“And who told you that? Those words have never passed my lips.”
Bitterness contorted his face. “You don’t have to.”
“Bullshit.” I glared at him, not buying that response. “This isn’t you, Linc. You don’t do stuff like this.”
“And you would know, how?”
“Enough,” I clipped, leveling him with my best dad face. “We will discuss this later this evening. However, before we do that, you and I are going to find a place where we can buy enough sod to repair Mr. Raiden’s yard. Tomorrow morning, you will come back and lay that sod. Once that is done, as your punishment, you will be at the Raiden’s beck and call for the remainder of the summer.”
Lincoln’s jaw dropped and his eyes bulged. “Dad-”
“It’s not up for discussion, Linc. The rest of the summer, no matter what they need help with, day or night, you will help without arguing. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir,” he seethed.
I glanced between Grey and Brad. Grey was now grinning, and Brad was running a hand down his beard, reflective.
“Is that fair to you?” I questioned them.
“I think that about covers it,” Brad agreed, then observed Lincoln. “You know how to lay sod, son?”
Lincoln turned his head, not able to meet the older man’s eyes. He may not want to admit it, but deep down, he knew what he did was wrong and was ashamed.
“No, sir,” Lincoln responded, his voice barely a whisper.
“Then I’ll show you since your father has a job to do.”
“And once that’s done,” I added, “we’ll discuss whether or not you’ll be able to keep your Jeep.”
That got a reaction out of him.
Lincoln shot to his feet, his eyes wild. “Dad-”
“I didn’t agree with you having it in the first place, Lincoln. You’re too young. If your grandmother hadn’t bought that…” My words trailed off – he knew where I stood. “You don’t have a license. You could have gotten in big trouble today if Mr. Raiden called the cops. On top of that, I told you not to drive it. You deliberately disobeyed everything I’ve said the last few days.”
“But, Dad-”
“We will discuss it after the summer is over and you’ve lived up to the deal. In the meantime, you will finish your classes to get your license, but you will not be allowed to drive unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“Yes, sir,” he mumbled.
“What’s that? I didn’t hear you,” I corrected him.
“Yes, sir,” he snapped, his gaze shooting daggers at me.
“Say you’re sorry to Mr. Raiden and then get into the Bronco,” I ordered. “I’ll be there in a second.”
Lincoln did as he was told and then slowly slunk away, his head hanging. Once he was in my old Bronco, Grey burst out laughing. I raised a brow at him in silent question, wondering what he thought was amusing about this.
“You are not what I was expectin’,” he informed me. “When I saw that Jeep of his, I thought you’d be some pompous asshole.”
“I can imagine,” I commented. “That was not my doing
. I’m Ben, by the way. I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself with all this.” I gestured toward the lawn.
“Grey,” he replied, grinning.
“I met your fiancé and her daughter this morning. Congrats.”
Grey’s grin spread into a wide smile. “Thanks. And I know. I talked to her afterward to check on Bella. She liked you.”
“Good. It’s nice to know that I gave someone a good first impression.” I glanced at Brad, asking, “You sure you’re okay with showing him how to lay the sod? I’m sure I can get Pops to cover for me tomorrow.”
“It’s fine,” Brad assured me.
“I appreciate it.”
Brad patted my back, almost knocking me forward. “No skin off my nose. A little hard work might help sort out the boy’s head.” He turned to Grey. “Looks like we’ve got a helper this summer. Think you can put him to work?”
Grey laughed again. “Oh, yeah. There’s always somethin’ needin’ to be done.”
“That’s settled then. I’ll have the sod delivered first thing. I’ll drop Linc off at 7:30. That’s not too early, is it?”
“Nah, we’re up at dawn ’round here,” Brad replied.
“Good. I’ll bring Pops with me and have him drive the Jeep home.”
“Sounds good. It’ll be fine here ’til then.”
“Perfect. Even though all this is going on,” I gestured at the lawn again, “it was nice to meet you guys.”
“Same here,” Grey replied, giving me another chin lift.
With one last wave, I walked to my Bronco. I climbed in and stared at my son, having no idea what to do with him. Shaking my head, I muttered, “You are in so much trouble.”
Chapter11
Samantha
The sunshine on my face was one of my favorite things in the world, but feeling it at home for the first time after being gone for so long was even sweeter.
Home.
God, it felt good to be back.
Being able to see Mom, Clara, and Bella – especially Bella – knowing I was almost to Bliss, eased the rawness in my chest from Ben’s sudden disappearance.
I was able to move on and experience England like Adam recommended. I saw everything there was to see, from the Roman Baths, Stonehenge, Canterbury Cathedral, Shakespeare’s hometown, Warwick Castle, Lake District National Park, Westminster Abbey, Hadrian’s Wall, York Minster…the list was long. My time in England was unforgettable, probably the most amazing experience of my life. However, it was my time with Ben that I cherished the most.
Fated Bliss (The Bliss Series Book 2) Page 11