by Rina Gray
“I want to see your father.”
“And people in hell want ice water.” His tone was rough and dry. After countless hours of sleep deprivation and stress, vending machine snacks and coffee, he didn’t have the patience to deal with Renita’s toxic behavior. Five days after Pops’s heart attack, Nathan could breathe a little easier. His father was on the road to recovery but it would be a rocky one.
“Always the protector.” She twisted her lips. “Your ‘Pops,’ as you call him, isn’t as saintly as you think he is. He doesn’t deserve your hero worship.”
Nathan’s hands shook with rage. He hadn’t been able to defend himself properly when he was an innocent child who wanted his mother’s love. No kisses on his forehead or hugs or soft words. She was always too busy for kisses, or he was too dirty for hugs. And she never uttered a soft word in her entire existence. Even when he graduated as valedictorian in high school and won all-state for track. She would turn away and say something about work or the things she’d accomplished by his age.
“If he was such a great father, why did I have custody over you when you were younger? They didn’t have custody until after you were brainwashed to choose your father over me. So tell me,” she leaned closer, “why didn’t he fight harder for you?”
He flinched at her knife-sharp words.
Her eyes flared, knowing she’d had a direct hit. “You don’t have to answer. I’ll tell you why. Because he was too busy playing house with that woman and tried to build another family. A perfect family with a wife who ironed his underwear and a son who wasn’t whiny and needy. But that didn’t happen; she couldn’t give him what I could. He deserved—”
Grabbing the crook of her arm, Nathan steered her away from the middle of the walkway to an empty corner. Then he stepped back and folded his arms over his chest. Damn if he wasn’t disappointed in himself. Disappointed at the power that woman and her hateful words still had over him.
“Don’t you finish your statement,” he warned in a low voice. “My father does not want to see you, and I don’t want to see you. I don’t know how you found out about the heart attack, but if you come here again, I will place a restraining order on you. Not only that, I’ll spread the news far and wide. You won’t be able to go to another charity function or social outing at your fancy-ass country club without someone whispering behind their hands. Whispering the God’s honest truth that Renita Everest,” he stressed her maiden name, “has an unhealthy obsession with her ex-husband. How she’s so desperate to get his attention that she tried to force herself into his hospital room.”
Now her eyes flared. Score for me.
“By the time I’m finished airing all your dirty laundry to your so-called friends and gossip society rags, you’ll be a social pariah. Do you understand me?”
“Why are you being this way? I just want to see how he’s doing,” she said in a smooth, cool voice.
“No, you want his money, and you aren’t getting another red penny. You already gouged him for child support and have enough money from your own inheritance. You don’t need his hard-earned money.”
She tossed her artfully framed coif over her shoulder. “He owes me alimony. He owes me the time I spent carrying you for nine months, and he owes me for breaking his vows and leaving me!”
His mother rarely lost her cool composure. But Nathan didn’t care. She wouldn’t waste another second of his time, and she damn sure wasn’t going to bother Pops or Martha. “You don’t seem to understand that this isn’t up for discussion. It’s a yes or no answer. Leave quietly, or I’ll have the hospital’s chief of security escort you. Your choice.”
“Nathan?” a soft voice whispered behind him. His hot skin cooled. Damn, he couldn’t handle another surprise visitor.
He turned around. “Hey.”
Tiana had her hands clasped behind her back, pushing out her chest. Her eyes sparked as she volleyed her attention between him and the dragon lady.
Renita raised her eyebrows. “And you are?”
“None of your damn business,” he answered for Tiana.
“Tiana Holliday.” She cocked her head. “And you are?”
“Renita Lawson. Nathaniel’s mother. She smiled slowly. “Oh, I know who you are. You’re that woman Nathaniel works with.” She tapped her chin and tilted it toward the ceiling. “You both were up for a promotion, right?” She turned to him, and her eyes held a secret glimmer. “Say, Nathaniel. Who’s holding down the fort while you play doctor?”
Nathan narrowed his gaze at Tiana. She looked startled. Surprised. Guilty? His mother had found his insecurity and aired it out for Tiana to see.
Oh, Tiana could and would play innocent, but she still hadn’t mentioned in her barrage of texts that she’d taken over his account.
Tiana’s wide and surprised eyes drifted toward Renita. Tiana hadn’t been exposed to Renita’s maliciousness, but he had and he damn sure wasn’t shocked that she knew the details of his life.
The woman was a snake and a sneak, and she made it her business to know the steps of her associates and her enemies. He knew in this case, he was the enemy and she was poised to strike.
“Nathan’s job is safe with me, Renita,” Tiana’s icy voice answered.
Is it? Nathan refrained from voicing his doubts in front of Renita, and he refused to give her more ammunition.
Renita tilted her head with a doubtful look on her face. “If you say so, dear.” She shrugged. “It’s a tough world out there for women in corporate America. Sometimes, one must do what one must do.”
He remembered the huge scandal when Renita had ousted her boss Sven, and taken over his position as editor-in-chief. Rumors had run amuck, some being that she’d set up her former coworker to fail.
Done with the conversation, Nathan pulled out his phone and pressed the quick key he’d set up for the hospital’s number. The phone rang in his ear. “Yes, can you please have someone in security come to room two-twenty-four. We have an unwanted visitor that has threatened to disturb my dad, who is recovering from a heart attack.”
His mother’s eyes widened, and she took a step back. “Why, Nathaniel, you’ve changed.”
“I’ve grown up. The problem is you haven’t.” He pointed to the elevators. “Go. Now. Security is on the way, and I honestly don’t care how you leave.”
His mother huffed, clutched her purse to her side, and turned to leave. She stopped abruptly. “You be careful with that one.” She jerked her head toward Tiana and focused her attention back to him. “You never know what ambition and the right amount of money will do to people.”
Tiana gasped, but it was too late. Renita had struck, just as he suspected.
Nathan turned his attention to Tiana. Her eyes glowed with sympathy. He didn’t need or want it. He needed sleep and time alone with Pops. No, he needed his dad to miraculously get out of the bed, fully recovered. What he didn’t need was hashing out whatever this was with Tiana. “You’re here.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I’ve been blowing up your phone, trying to get in touch with you and all you can do is send me back a few one-worded text messages? What’s up with that?”
Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his beard. “I’m kinda busy at the moment. Martha mentioned she’s been giving you updates and I figured if you wanted to see me and Pops, you’d come by.” And not almost a week later.
“Nathan, I’ve been swamped at work, trying to keep up your accounts. We have some new developments with Fiete, really it’s exciting, but we’ll talk about it later. And another reason why I couldn’t come sooner is Mr. Goldberg. He doesn’t know we’re together, and I couldn’t very well leave without telling him about us.” She paced the floor. “If I did that we could lose our jobs.” She stopped pacing. “Otherwise,” her eyes pleaded for understanding, “you know I would’ve been here.”
Work, work, work. The same excuses his mother had used when she couldn’t come to important milestones in Nathan’s life. And what’s worse, Tiana
was so stuck on keeping them a secret that she hid behind her job instead of standing beside her man.
Tiana sighed and reached for his arm. “Look, I know we had a bad argument before … before Garrett. And I know you’re hurting and confused, and we don’t have to talk about it now. I’m here to see your father, and I’m here for you. I … I love you.” Her beautiful eyes implored him to believe her words.
He looked away from her intense gaze. He couldn’t listen. He couldn’t believe. Not with the poison from his mother’s words still coursing through his veins. And he couldn’t trust her. Tiana had betrayed him before with the internship, claiming that she’d given up the job opportunity. Had they even offered her the job? Did she really tell them the truth? Hell, Regos never contacted me.
People like her and Renita were the perfect examples of the song “Cat’s in the Cradle.” They prioritized work, and years later realized they had no friends and family around because life had passed them by. He wouldn’t let Tiana or anyone else make him feel second place again and he damn sure wouldn’t let his children grow up with the same issues.
“I need to stretch my legs a bit. Go in without me. He’ll be happy to see you.”
Tiana nodded, her lip trembling. She lowered her eyes. “Not a problem. I’m sure things have been stressful for you.”
“Thanks. I’ll be back in a few. See you around.”
• • •
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Tiana turned toward Garrett’s room. It stung that he hadn’t returned the sentiment back. Bad timing. She’d talk to Nathan again once he’d cooled off from the confrontation with his mother. Damn, Nathan’s mom was a stone-cold woman. She couldn’t believe his mother, no, Renita had insinuated that Tiana was out to steal his job.
She lightly rapped on the door.
“Come on in,” a deep, shaky voice called from the other side.
“Garrett.” Tiana smiled and closed the door behind her. Over the months she and Nathan had been together, his father had finally convinced her to address him by his first name.
Usually larger than life, he now looked smaller, weaker in the hospital bed. Nathan had made the right call in not allowing his rabid mother to see this.
Tears welled in her eyes. “You gave me a scare.”
“I’ll try my best not to do that again, sweetheart. Martha told me she’s been speaking to you the past few days. She also told me that you’ve been keeping tabs while holding down Nate’s job. Mighty nice of you.”
Frowning, she looked down at her laced fingers. Tell that to your son who hasn’t been answering my calls.
Garrett clucked his tongue. “Oh, now, don’t worry about Nate. He’s just scared for his old man.”
“I know I … I just wish he would talk to me. I’d give anything to have you back at full health and Nathan back at his job.”
Well, the second part was a lie. A white lie. She’d give anything to have things go back to the way they were before the promotion.
“Come here, Tiana.” Garrett patted to his hospital bed.
She shook her head. “Now, I don’t think I should be getting my big butt on your small hospital bed.”
He waved his hands. “I’m losing my voice talking to you way over there. Just come sit closer.”
She pulled a chair close to his bed. “Yes?”
Garrett licked his lips. “You have to understand something about my son. He’s used to putting people in a box. People who deliver on their promises and people who disappoint him. Although he loves you, you haven’t had a chance, in his eyes, to prove one way or another.”
“That’s preposterous. I’d never disappoint him. He knows about my past and knows all I’ve endured from people who don’t keep their promises.”
Garrett nodded. “I’m not saying that it’s right, but that’s what he’s thinking. I’ll always appreciate Renita for giving birth to my son, but the woman is pure poison. She tried to keep me from him, filling his head with lies. When I didn’t come to an event, it was because she’d purposely given me the wrong time or date. Then she’d tell my boy that I didn’t care. That all I’d do was disappoint him.”
Tiana shook her head, disliking Nathan’s mother more and more.
“Now my Nate was always sharp. Figured out pretty early that his mom was lying. Still, I had to prove myself to him. Took a little while, but I did it.” Garrett reached for her hand and squeezed. “Don’t give up on my boy. Prove him wrong by showing him your staying power. If you stick by him, you’ll never regret it. You’ll have his love, devotion, and loyalty.”
His wise words were just the encouragement she needed. I can do this. “Okay. I’ll try.”
He shook his salt-and-peppered head. “Not good enough, young lady. You love my son, so don’t try. Do it.”
Before she could argue, the room door opened.
“Pops, I hope you’re resting.” Nathan’s dark eyes drifted to Tiana.
“Can’t do nothing but rest in this damn bed,” Garrett grumbled. He looked at her and sighed. “Excuse my language. Martha would have my head speaking like that in front of a lady.”
Tiana smiled. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“And so is yours.” He winked.
Lord, save me from well-meaning fathers. “I’ve taken up enough of your time, Garrett.” Leaning over, she kissed his warm cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
“Later. You be safe on the trip back. Son, escort your lady out of the hospital.”
“I’m on it, Pops.” Nathan opened the door. “After you.” He gestured with his hands.
He broke the silence on their way to the elevator. “Look, Tiana. I apologize for what I said earlier. Things are just crazy and busy right now. Once I’m settled, I’ll give you a call.”
His words were nice and polite, but there was no feeling or emotion behind them. As if he was just going through the motions. Pressing the down button to the elevator, he then folded his arms across his chest. They were drifting apart, and not just because of his father’s illness. The elevator dinged.
Give him time. He’s afraid for his dad.
Nathan nodded and backed away. No hug. No kiss. No nothing. She stepped into the elevator, blinking away tears. The lump lodged in her tight throat prevented her from saying something. She could only blink and wave.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Nathan pushed down the guilty feelings that had attacked him over the past month. He’d seen a lot of emotions flash in Tiana’s striking eyes the day she visited Pops, and he hadn’t liked any one of them. Especially the last one. Heartbreak. He didn’t want to be like that asshole Greg.
His life was spinning out of control, and the man who’d made him a man had nearly died.
He was pushing her away, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t bring himself to fully trust her. Dammit, I miss her. He didn’t know what to do, but he knew that he missed her.
He gathered his composure before opening his father’s bedroom door. Pops had been home for a few days and, although still weak, was recovering at a steady pace.
Glancing from the television, Pops shook his head. “Son, you’re killing me.”
Nathan sat on the sofa, near the bed. “I told you I’m not sneaking pork chops into the house. You need to stick to the recommended diet.”
“I’m not talking about the food, son. I’m talking about something much more important.” He tapped the remote against his leg. “Your lady.”
Nathan shook his head and sighed. He’d tried to avoid this conversation by pulling out all the stops. At first, he was concerned that Pops would work himself up while he was in the hospital. Then, after they’d returned him home, Pops had increased the pressure and steered the conversation toward Tiana every chance he could. Nathan would either leave or pretend to run an errand. Pops didn’t have a lot of patience, and Nathan knew his time had run out.
“Look, old man, you don’t need to add any stress to your life right now. Let me worry about my relationsh
ip.”
Pops harrumphed. “You’re not going to have a relationship to worry about if you keep going at the rate that you’re going. Tiana is as skittish as a newborn calf. You have to take care with her. I can tell she’s been through some things.”
“I got this.”
“No, you don’t. If you don’t want me to stress, then listen.”
Blowing out a slow breath, Nathan grabbed the remote and muted the television. “There. You’ve got my full attention.”
Pops pressed the button to raise the bed. “Good. Now, I know I raised a smart man, but right now you aren’t acting like it.”
“How so?”
“Martha told me about the conversation with Renita and Tiana. And look, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands. Time to think. I know you, and well … ”
“What’s the diagnosis, Pops?” Nathan asked with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
Pops lifted his eyebrows. “Watch your tone, son.” He waited a beat and cleared his throat. “As I was saying, I’ve had time to think and I know you’ve been stewing over Tiana helping you with your job. And you’re probably thinking she’s going to betray you like your mother did to that Sven guy.”
Nathan shrugged. “It might’ve crossed my mind.”
“And I disagree with you. I just don’t see it happening, son. Did you know that Tiana calls Martha and me every day? Yesterday we talked on the phone for nearly an hour.”
His back stiffened and he leaned forward. He had no idea she’d been calling.
“Where was I?”
“Off running errands for Martha. I usually talk to her when you’re gone. I don’t want to see that scowl on your face.”
“I don’t scowl.” He hated the word scowl. It made him feel like a reject pirate.
“Oh, you scowl, Nathan. Not often—you usually reserve those looks for your mother.” Pops shook his head. “Like I said, she calls me every day, she mailed me a care package, all healthy crap of course, and a gift card for a couples massage for me and Martha. I just don’t see a backstabber doing all that. Do you?”