by M. Malone
Bernie had worked for TI for years and seemed to live and breathe business just like his father did. It was surprising that he’d sent the proposal to Trent at all. Everyone knew he was only acting CEO while his father was on leave. He dialed his direct office number. After several rings, he answered.
“Bernie. It’s Trent. I’m looking over the proposal you sent now.”
After a moment of startled silence, the other man stammered out a greeting. “Yes, sir. I wasn’t expecting to get a call back so soon. I was so sorry to hear about your father. How is he doing?”
“He’s still recovering,” Trent stated succinctly. He definitely didn’t want to get into a conversation about his father. “I won’t be back in the office for a few weeks but I’m still working remotely. Tell me about your proposal.”
“Well, it’s a response to our latest employee satisfaction survey. Exit interviews show that quality of life concerns are the number one reason some of our best employees have left. They’ve taken jobs that are closer to home so they can spend more time with family. If we had a daycare on site, that would be a substantial perk.”
Trent stood and massaged his temples. Before he’d left home, he’d had no idea just how sheltered he really was. He’d learned more living on his own than he ever did at his father’s side. He’d learned about compassion and that the people they employed were so much more than just cogs in the machinery of their empire. The people were what made the company run.
He listened as Bernie rattled off numbers and construction estimates. Finally the other man stopped talking long enough for him to get a word in edgewise.
“Do it. If you get started immediately then it’ll be done before the summer.”
“Really?” Bernie’s shock was palpable even across the phone lines.
“Absolutely. I think it sounds great.”
“Yes. It is, of course,” he stammered. “It’s just that I presented this proposal to your father last year and he denied it.”
Trent grimaced. “Well, I think we’ve already established that I am not my father.”
After several other updates, Bernie finally hung up. Trent composed an email to his assistant with the summary of what they’d decided so that if Bernie needed assistance, she’d know what was authorized.
He was sure that his father wouldn’t be pleased when he found out how much the new daycare would cost and the thought of his imminent displeasure made it all the sweeter. Knowing his father, he wondered how long before he’d hear about it.
The phone rang twenty minutes later and Trent laughed out loud. Predictable.
“Good evening, Father.”
“Why did Bernie just send a request to legal regarding some daycare permits? I already vetoed that.”
“And I just approved it.”
“Waste of time, money and resources. That space could have been used–“
The sound of the front door opening galvanized Trent into action. Mara was home and he definitely didn’t have time to spend arguing with his father.
“You wanted me to come back. I did what you asked. Don’t find fault with every decision I make.”
He could almost hear his father’s rage simmering from hundreds of miles away.
“It would only take one phone call to topple the little world you’ve built over there. One phone call. How long do you think they’ll stick by you then?”
Trent closed his eyes. He would love to deny it or tell his father that he was wrong. His friends loved him but he’d learned over and over again that love could only cover so much. And money had a way of tainting everything. Even friendship.
Especially friendship.
“I don’t know. But I’ve already proven to you once that I don’t respond well to threats. Last time I left home and didn’t come back. Try me again and see what happens.”
Chapter Two
LATER THAT EVENING, Mara crushed another clove of garlic and then tipped the mortar to release the fragrant herbs into a mixture of rosemary and thyme she'd already prepared. Then using a small brush, she painted the mixture over the lamb chops she'd arranged carefully in a baking dish.
Family dinner night was something she looked forward to every week.
It was a tradition that she'd started with her brother after he'd mentioned how much Penny missed her family. They had dinner with the Alexanders regularly which was how Mara had gotten the idea to do their own family dinner night. Even if their parents weren't local, there wasn't anything to stop her from hosting a small dinner of her own each week. Plus, it gave her the opportunity to do something she loved more than almost anything else.
Cook.
"Hey, do you need any help?" Trent poked his head around the door to the kitchen. His blond hair was sticking up on top. He must be having a hard time with whatever he was working on. He always yanked at the top lock of his hair when he was frustrated. Mara thought it was adorable.
"No, I've got it. Finish your work."
"Okay. Thanks. I'll be done in just a few. Then we can talk wedding dates and stuff. Did you ever decide about who you're going to ask to be your maid of honor?"
Her good mood fell slightly. "Nope. I'm going to have to make a decision soon though. If we're serious about doing this within the next year,"
"And we are," Trent interrupted with a dark look that thrilled her. It was an unbelievable comfort to be marrying a man who wasn't running from commitment but instead seemed to embrace it.
"Then I need to make sure that my whole wedding party has the date and is available for it. You have to do the same thing."
He shrugged. "I already know my wedding party. Matt will be my best man. Jackson, Nick and my older brother James will be groomsmen. Easy." At her scowl, he wisely retreated back down the hallway to finish his work.
She hummed as she finished basting the lamb chops all over and placed the heavy dish in the oven. The entire kitchen was filled with the fragrant smell of the rice pilaf simmering on the stove. She lifted the lid and stirred it, noting the consistency.
Trent's casual mention of his brother had her thinking about his family. Trent had both a brother and a sister, she knew. It had seemed odd to her that they didn't have more contact at the beginning of their relationship but over time she'd accepted that Trent simply wasn't that close to his family.
Her relationship with Matt was different than most other siblings. It wasn't often that she went long without talking to her brother. And now that Penny was a part of his life, it was like she'd gained a sister. They were constantly on the phone talking and laughing and making plans for the weekend.
Trent seemed to only talk to his family on holidays. She wasn't trying to judge but their relationship seemed so cold.
A staccato knock on the front door pulled her from her thoughts. After checking her pilaf one last time she put the lid on the pan and ran to open the door.
"You're here!" She hugged Penny and held the door open so that they could come in. Matt shrugged out of his coat and handed her one of the long baguette loaves that she loved so much.
"It was the last one they had. You're lucky I got it."
"I am lucky." She hugged him, perhaps a bit longer than usual, because he immediately pulled back and stared at her with eyes that saw too much.
"Are you okay, sis?"
She pulled the bread tighter against her chest inhaling the soft, doughy smell. "Of course I am. Just hungry."
They followed her back to the kitchen.
"What can I do to help?" Penny asked. "I'm no gourmand like you, but I can make a mean salad. Just ask your brother." She gave Matt a look that Mara was sure she wasn't meant to see.
"Okay, okay, you two keep the lovey-dovey to a PG level, please?" Trent teased.
"Hey man, what's going on?" Matt stood and extended a hand. They clasped hands in the strange and complicated blend of handshake, fist bump and side-hug that men seemed to do so seamlessly. Penny was greeted with a kiss on the cheek.
"Not much. The
usual work crap. What about you? Any interesting cases lately?"
Her brother had been working for Eli Alexander for quite a while now and always had entertaining stories. He guarded everyone from entertainers to politicians even a local chef who'd gotten threats while competing on a national television show. Mara had begged endlessly for him to introduce her to the handsome chef. Not that she'd do anything, of course, but the man was just dreamy. And his pumpkin risotto recipe had made her a fan for life.
"Not much. I'm probably going to be traveling more lately which is kind of a bummer."
"Which is a total bummer," Penny interjected. "But we've got our routine down now. We do video chats and text when we can." She turned to Trent. "You travel a lot for work too, right?"
Mara's hand paused on the handle of the pan of rice, desperately interested in Trent's answer. It was one thing to read stuff into their interactions when they were alone but she was pretty good at deciphering body language in other people's conversations.
Matt leaned over, breaking her concentration. "Hey sis, give me a knife and I'll start slicing this bread."
Absently, she withdrew one of the knives from the butcher block, but her attention was on Trent and Penny across the room.
"I have been traveling a lot more lately," Trent was saying. "It's definitely not fun. All the packing and unpacking is what really gets you. And all the time spent in transit. I've spent more time in cars and on planes lately than I have at home."
"What are you working on now? New clients?" Penny leaned forward in interest. Mara leaned forward too.
"Mara? Mara!"
Startled, Mara pulled back and turned to face her brother. He jumped back and she dropped the knife she'd forgotten she was holding. As it fell, out of sheer instinct she grabbed at it. The pain as it sliced over the soft flesh of her palm was like a lick of fire.
"Ouch!" She yanked her hand back, too late. The knife clattered to the floor at her feet.
Trent and Penny stood at the commotion. Matt put his arms around her shoulders and gently drew her back away from the stove area. Mara still had her hand curled into a fist protectively against her chest. When she unfurled her fingers, the amount of bright red blood on her hand scared her so badly she actually felt lightheaded.
"My hand," she said weakly.
Trent took one look at her hand and paled. He barreled past Penny, and grabbed her by the arm. "What did you do? What the hell did you do?" He pulled her against him and when he did, she could feel that he was trembling.
Stunned at his response, Mara just stared at him, the pain in her hand forgotten. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to…"
“Just hold on. We'll get you to the hospital. It'll be fine. Just hold on.“ He looked around at the others. Matt stared at him, obviously as stunned as Mara felt.
"We need to get pressure on it." Penny took over, with the comfortable assurance only someone with medical training could have in the midst of crisis. She grabbed a dishtowel as she passed the oven and wrapped it gently around Mara's hand.
"She should go to the hospital. We don't know how deep it is," Trent insisted.
"No! I don't want to sit in a hospital waiting room for an hour so they can tell me that I need to keep it clean and dry. I don't think it's that bad,” Mara said.
Penny gave her a look. "If it looks deep, then I'm going to browbeat you until you go."
"Fair enough."
She slowly opened her hand. Now that the bleeding was under control, it didn't look so scary. Penny must have thought so too because she no longer looked as worried. She tugged Mara over to the sink and gently used a damp paper towel to clean some of the blood off her hand. Just the soft press of the towel on her palm made her wince but Mara got her face under control before Penny noticed. Or Trent.
She glanced over at him. He stood back a few feet but watched them intently. When their eyes met, he moved forward and put his arm around her, his eyes searching her face as if he wasn't convinced she was really okay.
"Well, it doesn't appear to be that deep," Penny announced. "It appears to be just a surface slice but I still think you should see someone, okay? Make an appointment with your general physician to make sure this doesn't get infected."
"Yes, mother. I will," she teased.
"I just found these bandages in the hall bathroom. There are still some of the extra-large ones left." Matt held out the box to Penny along with some antibacterial spray.
Penny shook the container. "This is probably going to hurt worse than the slice."
Mara turned her head and buried her face in Trent's shirt. "Go ahead," she said, her voice muffled.
As Penny sprayed the cut, she gritted her teeth against the burn. The pain was the least she deserved since the whole thing had happened because she was letting her imagination get away from her. All because she was turning into a typical jealous shrew and thinking that her man was cheating just because he wasn’t home with her every second of his spare time.
Pathetic.
At her shiver, Trent held her closer. She glanced up at him and when he noticed her looking, he kissed her forehead. Mara was glad that the cut wasn't very deep not just for her own sake but also because she didn't think Trent was up to a visit to the emergency room. He looked like he was on the verge of falling apart as it was. Although it scared her to see him so emotional, at the same time she was truly moved by his concern for her. Any doubts she'd ever had about his feelings vanished. No one could fake that kind of reaction.
He loved her.
In that moment, she made a decision to stop worrying so much and just live in the moment. She had a man who adored her and was actually excited about their wedding. Yes, he had some weird family issues and spent a little too much time at work but for once, she wasn’t going to overanalyze and nitpick things to death. It was time to let it go and just be thankful.
Her life was as close to perfect as it could get.
* * * * *
ONCE PENNY FINISHED coating Mara's hand with antibacterial spray, she bandaged the cut. Mara made faces and squirmed throughout the entire process and Trent held her close, allowing her to burrow into his shirt. Part of him wanted to scoop her up and force her into his car so he could take her to the hospital. But a tiny rational part of his brain agreed that sitting in a waiting room for a scratch on the hand made no sense.
But then she picked up the bloody towel that had fallen to the floor and he knew he was seconds away from losing it.
He grabbed the box of bandages. "I'll go put these away," he muttered before escaping the kitchen. He barely made it to the hallway before his breath started coming fast and hard, choking him. Images of Mara, bloody and pale, swam before his eyes. The box of bandages fell from his fingers and hit the floor as he leaned against the wall.
Nothing could happen to her. Not again.
Slowly, the sounds of laughter and conversation infiltrated his jumbled thoughts. His breathing slowed down and his memories both past and present converged. Instead of white tile beneath his feet, it was the tan carpeting that Mara had decided was most practical. The wall next to his cheek was a soft butter cream instead of blue.
He was at home with his friends.
Mara was fine. He would take care of her the way he'd been doing for years. And nothing would take her away from him. As his heart rate settled, he leaned down to pick up the box of bandages that he'd dropped. When he straightened, Matt stood in front of him watching him.
"You okay, man?"
Trent nodded, swallowing hard over a throat that felt like it had been coated with sandpaper. He held up the bandages. "I just dropped these."
"Yeah, I see that." Matt continued watching him as he walked down the hall, ducking into the bathroom to put the box away.
While he was there he splashed his face with water, allowing the cool water to rinse away the sheen of sweat that made his skin feel clammy to the touch. As he dried his face with a hand towel, he looked up, his eyes meeting his own ref
lection.
Blond hair sticking up in the middle. Blue eyes. Pale skin. The face that stared back at him could have been a mirror image of how he'd looked years ago, on the day his world had stopped spinning. Except everything was different now and he couldn't allow any of the ugliness of his before to taint his now.
"She's fine. And she's going to stay that way," he stated aloud.
He would make sure of it.
* * * * *
OVER THE NEXT few weeks, Trent was moody, distracted and always too tired for sex. Although she’d initially thought he’d been hiding job troubles, his behavior over the last few weeks told her what was really going on. There was only one condition that produced these symptoms in a healthy twenty-something male.
Another woman.
Tears welled in her eyes and she hastily wiped them away with the back of her hand. It was devastating to even think of Trent leaving her to be with someone else but there was no other explanation. And since he’d left a few days ago on “business” with another pitiful explanation, it was time to face a harsh reality. There was something going on. There had to be.
Obviously he wasn’t going to be honest about it. And she had to know. Had to. It pained her to admit it but she couldn’t walk away without ironclad proof of his wrongdoing. The part of her that had loved him since college wouldn’t allow it.
It was time to get some outside help.
She parked in front of her friend Ridley’s sprawling white colonial home. There were already a bunch of cars out front so she must be one of the last to arrive. Girl’s night out was always the first Friday of the month. Mara’s usual circle of troublemakers included her brother’s girlfriend, Penny, and the Alexander twins, Ridley and Raina.
Despite being aware of the standing date, the men in their lives always found some way to invite themselves along or otherwise sabotage their attempts to go out. Although it was funny to watch her friends from college and her brother acting so jealous over the women in their lives, their co-opting of Girl’s Night usually bugged her.