"And then I ran into him during finals, and he looked like someone had died. That other girl—"
"Kyra?"
"Yeah." Miranda looked up and laughed. "Am I going to be sorry I asked?"
"No!" Michael said in exasperation. "Would you believe that even I liked a little more of a challenge? And I was sort of friends with the guy she was dating. I think his name was Todd."
"I’m thinking something right now about honor among thieves—"
"Can you just finish your story?"
She kissed him, and continued. "So Mitch was all miserable because Kyra had made a fool of him—and I think he really screwed up one of his finals to boot—and he seemed to agree that now he should fix his mistake. And I really thought he was going to—"
"Of course not," Michael said, kissing her again. "You need to hit rock bottom before you admit you’re wrong."
"Maybe. I guess he did in Ireland, but she still didn't want to talk to him."
"So how did you fix that?"
Miranda giggled. "I convinced Emily to have a dinner party and brought Mitch. I thought Emily was going to kill me, but she was..." Miranda smiled, "she was happy to see him. Of course, then she was all over Martin, and Mitch flew into a jealous rage the next week—"
"Emily and Martin?" Michael gasped. "I thought Richard was going to be the first on her list."
"No and no!" Miranda laughed, throwing her head back. "She just wanted to see if he would work for Jessie."
"Wasn’t Jessie fifteen?"
"Yeah, but Emily..." Her face clouded and she rested on his chest again. "She’s made some good calls."
She whimpered some more, and he rubbed her back until she was done. She looked up at one point. He pushed her hair out of her face. "I don’t think I should go back to work tomorrow."
"Are you serious?"
"I think it’s just going to be too weird."
"Fine, I’m quitting too."
"You can’t. Richard needs you, and you have to watch that substantial investment of yours."
"Our investment." He pulled her up to him. "I used the Abbot money."
"Honey, that money meant so much to you—"
"You mean more. And after you used it to get me to leave—"
"I didn’t want it, and it was so important to you."
"Did you think I’d let you buy me like that?"
"No—but I thought you’d understand. And maybe it would finally make up for everything."
"Blood money, just like you said. Do you think I wanted to have anything to do with it after I found out where it came from?"
"Thank you," she whispered before she kissed him.
He smiled a moment later. "What was that for?"
"For my mother. Because I think if she had ever met Richard, she would have loved him just like we do. And I think she would have thought investing in his company was a very good use of that money."
"I’m glad you think so," he said sincerely. "What do you think she would have thought about me?"
"I think she would have thought that you were a very handsome and sweet little boy, and a good son." She kissed his shoulder. "But I don’t think your mother would have liked me at all. I don’t think she would have thought I was good enough for your family."
"Mom could be a little snobby," Michael admitted, "but she would have come around. Because I would have insisted on seeing you every chance I got, and you would have met Richard, and then Jessie, and we would have outnumbered her. And I think my Dad would have wanted to see you too."
"One big happy family."
Michael rolled his eyes. "Even Uncle Alex."
"Alex would have been happy with my mother," she said quietly.
"But I still would have loved you," he said after a moment, answering her unspoken question. "I don’t know what the parents would have thought, but I wouldn’t have been able to help it." He touched her leg, and her toes curled. "Would you have loved me?"
She imagined growing up with a Michael who was happy. She remembered him when he was younger, and saw now how handsome he had been. "I think I would have been the one chasing you. I think you and your parents or you and Richard would have come to the house in Magnolia, and I would have finally gotten you alone on that beach. Maybe I’d be just out of high school, and you’d be some way too cool athlete in college who could have had anyone he wanted. But I’d have been brave. I’d have had to have tricked you to be alone with me, because I would have been so in love with you from the time I met you that you wouldn’t have dared to be alone with me otherwise. And then I would have told you that I loved you more than anything, and that you were the person I dreamed about every night before I went to sleep. You would have told me that it was wrong, that our parents would never approve. But you wouldn’t have been able to leave, because you’d have loved me in secret too. And you would have realized that you couldn’t live without me again."
He rolled her onto her back. "How," he whispered, stroking her hair, "could I have been so close to you and not told you how much I wanted you years before? I don’t think either of us would have made it out of high school."
"And we’d be married again," she whispered as he kissed her skin.
"With a whole house full of kids," he sighed as she touched him.
She wiped away his tears. "I think we’ve wasted enough time," she said as she kissed his face gently.
"I promised," he said fiercely. "I promised, and you’re not a game."
"I really do love you."
"You can’t leave," he whispered as he touched her. "I gave Richard the money to help him. I wanted the job so I could be with you."
"He needs you there."
"He needs you too."
"Emily can do what I do."
He wanted to shout because it was so unfair. "If I have to go to work and know that you’re not there because of her—"
She kissed his chest. "You’ll do nothing, because she’s got it all wrong."
"You shouldn’t have to be unhappy."
"It’s like Richard said when we were kids. Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have." She kissed him as if she was trying to take him in. "And I hope you know I’m not unhappy right now."
CHAPTER 23
Zainab knocked on Richard’s door. She hadn’t meant to come to his house. She’d been walking since her encounter with Robert that afternoon and had found herself on Richard’s street a few hours later. She didn’t expect him to be home. He’d be at the new office, planning his trip, or putting the finishing touches on the design with Jordan or Vijay. And no one else was home anymore—Jessie would be with Martin, and Miranda was either at Emily’s or with Michael. No one was home, of course—
"Zainab!" Richard smiled as soon as he opened the door. "I wasn’t expecting you tonight." He didn’t blink for fear that she would be gone when he opened his eyes. "But I’m glad you’re here."
"I’m sorry, I must be interrupting something."
"Not really," Richard said, leaning a little bit on his hand in the doorway. Zainab looked at his long, thin hands that she’d always thought were so handsome and elegant, just like the rest of him. "I was just about to order the tickets, but I can do that tomorrow."
"The price might change."
"It won’t be a problem." Zainab noted the genuine lack of concern in his voice. "I’d love it if you’d come in."
"That would be very nice," she said as she stepped in.
"Can I take your coat?"
"No," Zainab said as she walked over to the couch, trying not to fall into it. "I don’t think I can stay long."
"Oh."
She folded her hands in her lap and looked into his eyes. "Richard, I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you."
"I see. You want to be with Teague."
"No, I do not want to be with Teague, but I will."
Richard walked over and sat next to her. "What are you talking about?"
"I’ve made a terrible mistake. I thought I was finally
being a grown-up woman of the world. No strings, no attachments, just being in the moment. What good does it do anyone when you plan or hope for more than that? And that was what I enjoyed—maybe even loved—so much about Robert. He took me as I was, he didn’t seem to expect anything either. And maybe I thought, I don’t know, that he wasn’t entitled to after everything he’d done. That made it easier."
"Zainab, what happened?"
"Why didn’t you tell me about your uncle?"
"Which part?"
"About his lawyer."
"Of course he has a lawyer—"
"Someone who feels confident about at least getting his money for him."
"Jessie and I talked about it. She doesn’t care about one cent of it. She’d sign everything over right now if it would keep him locked up."
"You’re both much stupider than I ever thought then. He’s going to get out."
"What the Hell did Teague tell you? Tom’s DNA matches what they found at his wife’s murder scene—a year after he faked his death. More importantly, we can prove who he really is because it’s so close to Jessie’s, mine, my mother’s—Hell, Mom even talked about exhuming her father—"
"Stop!" Zainab said, covering her ears. "You don’t understand. A good lawyer will be able to rip all of you to shreds. Jessie had a breakdown. You, who had a thing for your aunt—"
"No I didn’t!"
"—But it can look that way! Michael—God, I think the list of witnesses against him could go on and on, but they’ll probably open with Alex Sheldon. And then Miranda, whom they’ll probably make out to be some impressionable girl with an abandonment complex." She shook her head. "And Robert will not help at all, and after everything he did, he’s going to have a good reason not to, won’t he?"
Richard started to smile. "Zainab, my mother did a very good job shepherding Jessie’s inheritance, but trust me, she did a better job with her own money. If Tom gets a good lawyer, she can get an even better one."
"What about your mother?" Zainab asked, standing up. "And Joanna Hazlett? After everything they went through, should they have to be dragged out in public like that? All the years they lied to people, including you? Is anyone going to care what Alex Sheldon did? And what if that comes out, and what your other grandfather did? God, that seems a little worse than exhuming his body, doesn’t it?"
Richard slowly stood up. He looked down on Zainab. "I just want to understand something. If you stay with Teague, he’s going to fix all of this, so Tom stays in jail, and all of our dirty little secrets stay just that?"
"Yes."
"And you’re willing to do that?"
"Richard, what are you—? You guys are like—all of you—my family. I’m not going to let anyone else hurt you if I can stop them."
"I have been such an idiot," Richard whispered as he leaned down and kissed her.
Zainab kissed him back, but then pushed him away. "I think you need to get your hearing checked."
"After everything that happened—after taking you for granted for as long as I did—you’d be with Teague just to protect me?"
"And Jessie, and Miranda."
"I see," he said, kissing her again. "And you think Jessie, Miranda and my mother would let you do that?"
"How many times do I need to tell you that I make my own decisions?"
"You might get past me, but you know you won’t get past them."
"Then I’ll just have to trust that you’ll respect my privacy and not say anything until the key to your uncle’s cell is thrown away."
"No, I’m not going to do that. I’m going to tell everyone what you’re willing to do, even Michael—"
"Don’t be reckless now."
"And Teague won’t stand a chance."
"It isn’t worth it."
"It’s worth everything, and we all know it. Are you kidding me? If all he’s got is that he’s going to air our dirty laundry in public, I’ll have my mother call a press conference first thing tomorrow morning. Do you think we should go in chronological order or work our way up to the worst parts?"
"This is not a joke, you dope. What about your company? What about that partnership Emily and Miranda have been working so hard on?"
"I’ll tell Ari, and if he doesn’t like it, he and his money can screw themselves."
"What about everyone who works for you?"
Richard shrugged. "I’ll give them the best recommendations that I can write and help them find other jobs."
"This has been your dream since before I met you."
"It’s true, and I’m finally on the verge of making it work. But it’s not worth being without you."
"You don’t know the lengths he’s willing to go to."
"I did get some idea, actually."
"He got Joe Welles arrested in Virginia, and I think the son of a bitch was innocent this time!"
That was all he needed. He was never going to leave her again. "I’m not afraid of him. The only thing that I couldn’t live with is not being able to be with you."
He kissed her, and she felt like she was coming home again—to a place she wanted to be.
"You’re very stupid, you know."
"Not anymore."
CHAPTER 24
Michael’s phone rang at six-thirty the next morning. Miranda stirred but didn’t wake up. He answered it in the next room.
"Do you have any idea why Emily called me ten minutes ago to tell me that she was quitting, effective immediately?" Richard asked tersely.
"Sorry—I hope that didn’t disturb Zainab too much."
"Would you not change the subject please?"
"I’m not answering your question until you answer mine."
"You didn’t ask one."
"Richard, did Zainab spend the night at your place last night?"
"Yes. Now answer mine."
"It’s because she’s an imperious control freak. That, and she doesn’t realize that Miranda’s gave me her resignation last night."
Richard waited a moment. "Michael, pretend I’m still in business by the end of the week. I need them. Both. Particularly in light of this development with Ari."
"What do you mean, 'pretend'?"
"I have a small problem I need to take care of."
"You’re going to tell me what that is, or I quit too."
"I’ll tell you this afternoon. In the meantime, they can’t resign."
"What do you want me to do about it?"
"Do these resignations have anything to do with you?"
"They sort of do, but if you knew all the details, I think you’d agree that I’m not at fault."
"I don’t care who is at fault. I need this fixed."
Michael thought for a moment. "Call Emily back and tell her that if she wants her last paycheck she has to meet me at the library for lunch at twelve."
"What?"
"She’ll know the place, trust me."
"I do trust you, Michael. Fix this, please."
"Fine, but then you’re meeting me at two so you can tell me what’s going on."
Michael got back into bed with Miranda. "Who was that?" she mumbled as she put her arms around him.
He gently kissed her. "Richard. And he’s not accepting your resignation, by the way."
"Michael," she murmured, wrapping her leg around him. "You have to explain—"
"Don’t worry about anything, alright? Consider this a one-day vacation while I fix everything."
"On one condition."
"And that would be?"
She reached for him. "You kept your promise last night, but now it's morning."
He pulled away. "No, not just yet."
"Since when are you a tease?"
"I’m just full of surprises—never underestimate me." He kissed her for a few minutes. "Go take a shower. Go get your stuff, and then come home."
"Home," she said, kissing him again. "I like that."
~~~
Zainab came into Emily’s house at eight-thirty. She nearly jumped when she saw
Emily on the couch, watching TV.
"Hi," Zainab laughed. "What are you doing here?"
"I do live here, believe it or not. I might—sort of—ask you the same thing, but I don’t think I want to hear the answer."
Zainab rolled her eyes. "I was with Richard."
Emily sat up. "Are you serious?"
"Yes." Zainab laughed as Emily hugged her. "It’s on. Again."
Emily stood back and smiled. "And you’re sure this is what you want? Because while you know I’d rather have you take up with anyone but Teague, you don’t have to be with Richard—"
"Emily, I want to be with Richard."
Emily beamed. "Good, because I want you to be with Richard too."
Zainab giggled. "Yeah, I gave him a talking to about harassing you and Miranda at work."
Emily’s face darkened. "That won’t be an issue anymore."
"Excuse me?" Richard hadn’t told Zainab about his calls that morning.
"I quit."
"Are you crazy?"
"No but I was. It was crazy to think that I could work with Michael, but no crazier than everyone else to think that he’d changed."
Zainab held her breath. "What did he do?"
"He was with Hellie on Saturday when I was out with Mitch."
"And?"
"And Miranda didn’t tell me that she was planning on seeing Michael when she was with my daughter. Because then I wouldn’t have gone anywhere without her."
"What did Michael do?"
"Are you kidding me? Do you want the full list, with Sophie, with Jessie, with me, with one or two car accidents—"
"What did he do to Hellie?"
"What he could have done is bad enough!"
"Emily, I don’t think Michael ever—"
"Wasn’t Jessie fifteen?"
"Yeah, but that’s not two. And Miranda—she’d never let him or anyone else hurt Hellie."
Let's Move On (The New Pioneers Book 4) Page 16