by M. Malone
“Oh Trent, what did you do?” she said out loud.
She hit the button to drill down into her individual accounts and her mouth fell open. Two hundred fifty thousand dollars had been deposited into her savings account that morning. Fuming, she stared at the numbers on the screen until her eyes swam. This explained why Trent had been so worried before he left. He knew his money made her uncomfortable. Especially the idea that people would think she was with him so he could take care of her. This was really pushing her boundaries which was why he hadn’t told her he was going to do it beforehand.
Go with it, indeed.
Determined not to start her day on a bad note, Mara got up to explore her new surroundings. So far the only things she'd seen were the kitchen, that amazing closet and the bedroom. The living room connected to a hallway on the other side. She pushed open the first door and was immediately hit in the face with the scent of leather and chalk. She flipped on the light. One wall was dominated by a massive flat-screen television. A pool table took up the center of the room.
Matt would love to play a game before he left town.
She closed the door behind her and poked her head, briefly into the other rooms. Trent's home office was outfitted with the usual equipment and looked professionally decorated just like the rest of the house. It was all beautiful but cold. Unlived in.
With a sudden rush of clarity, she realized it was unlived in. Because Trent had been living with her.
Relief flowed through her, sweet blessed relief. This entire time she'd been terrified that she'd explore and come across more things about Trent that she didn't know. That this was his "real life" and the time he'd spent with her was the sham.
She heard the elevator open again and then the sound of footsteps. With an exasperated sigh, she turned and left the home theater.
"Trent, I told you that I don't need a babysitter." She stopped short when she saw the petite brunette stand up straight from where she'd been rooting around in the couch cushions. Mara recognized her instantly from the pictures Matt had shown her. She'd spent hours staring at this woman's face, wondering what she had that Mara didn't. Wondering what it was about her that made Trent leave at the drop of a hat and lie to his fiancée.
Mara looked her over, noticing with no small amount of jealousy the designer jeans that fit her slim hips perfectly and the way her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in subtle layers. Everything about her was perfectly styled and Mara suddenly wished desperately that she'd gotten dressed and done her hair before exploring the house.
Trent could protest all he wanted that Avery was just a childhood friend but Mara didn't believe there were too many women who could look at Trent platonically. And the fact that she could come and go in Trent's house whenever she wanted and Mara hadn't even known this place existed until recently just rubbed salt in the still fresh wound of betrayal.
"You must be Avery," she said finally.
To her surprise, the other woman just stared at her. After an uncomfortable minute of silence, Mara finally spoke up. "Um, Trent isn't here. He's at work."
That seemed to snap Avery out of her fog. "Right. Of course. I figured he wouldn't be here." She gestured over her shoulder toward the couch. "I can't find Travis' other inhaler. I figured I must have left it here somewhere."
She got quiet and when Mara looked at her again, Avery laughed. "Sorry, I'm being so weird. You just remind me of someone. That's all."
"Oh?" Mara wasn't sure what to say to that so she just sat in one of the overstuffed chairs facing the windows, tucking her bare legs beneath her.
"Trent told me that he was bringing you home but things have been so crazy lately. Travis hasn't been feeling well." She knelt on the floor and peered beneath the couch, thrusting her hand beneath it and sweeping it back and forth. When she sat back up, she turned in Mara's direction.
"So have you met them yet?"
Completely distracted by how animated, and, well, beautiful she was, Mara could barely keep the thread of the conversation. "Have I met who?"
"The Townsends. Trent's parents."
"Oh yes. They stopped by the first day we got here." She must have made an involuntary face because Avery grinned.
"Don't worry, they don't like me either. I'm just the slut who drove their son out of town."
It was a strange thing to bond over but it made Mara feel a little bit better that even Avery, who had been raised in their social circle, hadn't had an easy time fitting in either.
"Well, I haven't met him yet. James. Or Sophia. Trent said that I'll probably meet them at his parent's house later this week."
Avery snorted. "Don't rush on that score. There's plenty of time for you to make Her Majesty's acquaintance." At Mara's wrinkled brow, Avery waved her off. "That's just what I call her. Sophia was born to rule some small principality. I think fate was just screwing with the rest of us by putting her here."
"I guess you don't get along with Trent's sister then?"
"Sophia is used to being the queen bee. As long as you let her, you'll get along fine." Avery glanced down at the watch on her slim wrist. "Well, I've got to go. Travis is with my mother today. I need to get back. It was so good to finally meet you."
Avery waved goodbye and walked back to the elevators. Once she heard the doors close, Mara hopped up and trotted back to the bedroom. In her closet, she stripped quickly and then walked into the bathroom. This room was just as stunning as the rest of the penthouse, boasting marble floors, honey oak cabinets and more showerheads than she knew what to do with. As she stepped under multiple streams of water, she mentally berated herself for not talking to Avery more, pumping her for information. Even though she didn't really feel comfortable with a girl that beautiful being secret friends with her man, Avery was undoubtedly a good source of information about Trent. She should have at least asked about what he'd been doing all these months when he was visiting.
Although it was amazing to come here and see where Trent came from, it was so easy to get caught up in the way he made her feel. If she wasn't careful she'd spend the entire time the way she had last night, immersed in him and dazed by passion.
Not that she was complaining. Waking up that morning had been a sensual experience. And not just because she'd been all over Trent. The sheets had been so soft against her skin and that bed was just made for snuggling.
And other things.
She blushed remembering how Trent had looked at her. If she'd given him the signal, any signal at all, he'd likely have given her an entirely different kind of wakeup call. But she wasn't sure she was ready for that. Things had been so raw last night. She wasn't sure what had made him go off like that but he'd seemed so frantic, like he was scared to let her out of his arms. They hadn't even made it to the bed.
Normally that kind of urgency would have made her feel special but there was something disturbing about the way Trent had reacted. She'd come here to get closer to him but so far she wasn't any closer to that goal. Instead, the real Trent seemed like even more of a puzzle.
And she was terrified that when she finally put all the pieces together, the picture would be something she didn't want to see.
* * * * *
HIS YOUNGER SISTER had always been nosy so Trent wasn’t surprised the next day when he received a text message from her inviting them to lunch. After he showed it to Mara, she said only “Well, at least she didn’t just show up here unannounced.”
Trent didn’t bother telling her that if she’d known they were in town, she probably would have.
When he'd gotten home last night, Mara had been in a strange mood. He'd wanted to take her out, show her the city but she had wanted to stay in. They'd spend their second evening in town cuddled on the couch watching old movies. Now he sat on the bed and watched as Mara changed clothes for the third time. She yanked a blouse over her head and then stared at her reflection critically before making a disgusted sound and pulling it over her head again.
“You look
beautiful. This lunch is no big deal. It’s just my sister.” Trent had enough experience to know that nothing he said would make a difference since women tended to see a whole host of things that men were blind to. All the outfits she’d tried on so far had looked great in his opinion.
She rolled her eyes and looked at him in exasperation. “It’s your sister and everyone else at whatever expensive place she’s picked out. I can already see how this entire trip is going to go. I’ll be constantly surrounded by people who look at me like I’m an insult to fashion. Did you see your Mom’s shoes yesterday?”
She disappeared into the walk-in closet so her voice was muffled but Trent could guess what she was saying. Not that he knew much about women’s fashion other than it seemed to matter to a lot of people.
“If you want shoes, I’ll buy you shoes.” As he’d thought, that made her come out of the closet with a scowl on her face.
“Buying me stuff is not what this is about. But oh, you’d better be glad I’m not a different person because you don’t know the things I’d do for those shoes.”
He leaned across the bed, snagging her wrist. “Tell me.”
The first tinge of a blush appeared in her cheeks. “Come on. We’re going to be late.”
She smoothed her hands up and down her outfit and then grabbed her handbag. Trent followed, trying in vain to look at anything other than how damn curvy she was.
They arrived at the restaurant to find that Sophia was already there. To his surprise, his heart gave a little pang to see her. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him, a huge smile stretching across her face. She shook her head softly as she rose to greet him.
“Hey big brother.” She raised her arms for a hug and that’s when Trent noticed what had been hidden by the table. The round swell of her belly was unmistakable beneath her fitted jacket.
“You’re expecting?”
She laughed prettily and allowed him to kiss her cheek. “I am. You’re going to be an uncle again. This time we’re hoping for a girl. There’s more than enough Townsend testosterone in this family.”
Her smile fell slightly when she looked at Mara but unlike his mother, she at least extended her hand in greeting. “Hello, I’m Sophia.”
After they were all seated, Mara asked, “So, this is your second baby?”
Sophia glanced at him in surprise before answering. “No, this is our third. Trent has two nephews that he spoils outrageously already.”
The waiter interrupted to bring their water and take their orders. Once he left, Trent picked up Mara’s hand and held it on his knee.
“I don’t spoil them,” he responded to her earlier comment, happy that the conversation seemed to be on neutral terms. “I just encourage them in their natural desire to create chaos.”
Sophia took a delicate sip from her water goblet. “You give them all the toys parents hate. Basically everything that makes noise or squirts water or leaves permanent stains.”
“That’s what being a kid should be about.”
At that statement, Sophia’s eyes softened. She knew how he felt about their upbringing and on this one matter, they agreed. Children should be children. Not little robots. Or pawns.
“Well, I’ll have ample opportunity to pay you back when you have kids of your own.” She looked at Mara, finally.
It wasn't the friendliest look and Trent shifted in his seat, hoping to bring his sister's attention back to him. Sophia wasn't vicious like their mother but she could be disturbingly blunt. "We definitely want children but we have to get through the wedding first."
She turned back to him. "I hope you're back for good. Running away from your problems doesn't solve anything."
"Sophia," he warned. She glared at him, her eyes warning him that she knew things about him. Things he didn't want to be public knowledge. Sophia loved him, he didn't doubt it, but she could be incredibly pushy when she thought she was doing something for his own good.
"Not to worry, big brother. I'm just glad you're back."
There was something calculating in her eyes but before he could dwell on it too long, the waiter stepped between them to put their food down. After he left, Sophia started chatting with Mara about the new charity she was working with and didn't look his way again.
* * * * *
MARA WASN’T SURE what Trent was hoping to accomplish by sending her out shopping with his sister. There were some people who would simply never be friends and after Sophia’s polite but disinterested treatment of her during lunch, she figured that was their destiny and was surprisingly fine with it.
After she'd come back from the bathroom halfway through the meal, she'd noticed the siblings arguing from across the room. But by the time she slid into her seat, they were both focused on their food. Sophia had made a minimal effort to engage her in conversation but Mara didn't foresee them being best buddies anytime soon.
She thought then of Penny, with her warm demeanor and penchant for telling inappropriate jokes. Even though it was partially because they’d known each other since she was a child, there was also a comfort factor there that came simply because Penny didn't view her as a rival.
She didn’t get the sense that Sophia shared much of anything well, much less her brother’s time and affection.
The doorbell chime rang, startling her. With a curse, she shoved her feet into a pair of strappy black sandals and grabbed a light cardigan. Sophia had told them she'd meet them at the penthouse since she needed to check on her kids first. Mara had spent the time going back and forth over whether or not she should change. A dress was fine for lunch but if she was going to be traipsing around a bunch of stores, it was probably better to keep things somewhat casual. Her jeans and fitted blouse probably wouldn't win her any style points with Sophia but she was doubtful that anything she did would meet with Sophia's approval anyway. So if that was the case, she might as well be comfortable.
Trent appeared in the doorway to her closet sipping from a cup of coffee. “Are you ready? I just told the front desk to allow Sophia to come up.”
Curious, Mara asked, "Would they really keep her away if you told them she wasn't allowed up here? I mean, what would they do, tackle her?"
Trent threw his head back and laughed, a deep full-bodied sound that echoed throughout the room. "I adore you, you know that?"
His eyes held hers and she warmed from the inside out. The awkwardness between them was starting to thaw and it was good, very good, to see the old Trent that she knew and loved back again.
"I was just wondering." She smiled sweetly. Although she had to admit that the mental image of the ever-helpful Walter tackling a wayward visitor was extremely amusing.
"Well, so far none of my family members have been brave enough to test the limits of my security. That's a good thing because I believe Walter probably would tackle someone if he had to. He's very dedicated."
"I noticed. All of your … people, or whatever you want to call them, seem very loyal to you. I got an email from Gina. Apparently she'll be handling my calendar as well. She seems really happy to have you here."
Trent was watching her closely. She should have known that her confusion wouldn't escape his notice.
"You didn't like that, did you? Having someone taking over your personal stuff?"
"Um, not really," she admitted. "I'm sorry. I feel like I'm being so ungrateful but it feels weird to have someone telling me when I'll be going here and there."
"I know it seems strange and invasive but she's truly just there to make sure that you don't get over-scheduled. In the future we'll have dinners and charity events to attend. It helps to have someone keeping track of all those details and making sure that you have a dress for each event. She handles car service so I don't have to think about it."
"I guess. It's definitely going to take some getting used to. Anyway, I probably won’t be gone long. I'm sure your sister was just being polite when she invited me to come along.”
Trent paused, the cup halfway to h
is mouth. “Um, I have to warn you that knowing Sophia, you’ll be gone until this evening. Her shoe fetish rivals yours.” He put his mug down on top of her dressing table and pulled out his wallet. “Oh yeah, you’ll need this.”
A small twinge of unease hit as she accepted the card he held out. It was a black American Express Card. In her name.
“This is mine?”
He shrugged absently. “I had you added to my account as soon as you agreed to come.”
It was such a small thing to cause these insidious feelings of shame. She’d never been the kept woman type and despite knowing that her relationship with Trent wasn’t that way, had never been that way, it still made her uncomfortable to have him giving her what was essentially a direct line to his bank account.
“I thought these were an urban legend. I didn’t think anybody actually had these.”
It was a stupid thing to say but she felt like she had to say something. He was still watching her so she slipped the card into her wallet.
“It’ll get easier,” he promised quietly.
They both turned at the sound of heels echoing from the living room. Mara stood uncertainly and slipped her arms into the cardigan she'd selected. She stood on tiptoe and kissed Trent’s cheek. “Well, I guess I'd better go. I don't want to keep Sophia waiting. Have a good day, honey.”
He grinned at her syrupy-sweet endearment. “You too, dear.”
She walked out to meet Sophia who stood in the living room, tapping the toe of her Jimmy Choo pump against the hardwood.
"I'm ready," she said.
Or not.