All We Knew

by Jamie Beck

  “Yoo-hoo . . .” Lisa snapped her fingers in front of Sara’s face. “Where’d you go?”

  “Nowhere.” She shook her head to clear the fog. “Let’s get back to you. How can you be lonely with Mom, Dad, Mimi, and her kids nearby? Daisy and Betsy are the most adorable things ever.”

  “Mom and Dad lecture—you know, they talk about something like they’re having a discussion, but really it’s all about trying to make a point. Usually a point about something I’m doing wrong.” Lisa pulled a lemon face. “I thought living at Mimi’s would be fun, but she’s never up for anything, always complaining about money or tied up with the kids.”

  Sara swiveled her stool and shot her sister a wry look. “Maybe you shouldn’t complain about Mimi while you’re parked on her property.”

  “I’m not freeloading. I babysit for her sometimes, and I’ve bought the girls some stuff, too. I’m just as hard up for money as she is, though, but I have a better attitude.” She then waved Sara off. “You can’t relate because you’re rolling in money.”

  “Not really.” Sara would trade that wealth for a family in a heartbeat. “Hunter’s the one with money.”

  “You don’t have a prenup. You could walk away with half of everything. How awesome is that? You’d be a super-rich divorcee.”

  Blood money. She had no interest in making off with the profits from the very entity that had caused so many fights with her husband. “No. I’d just take my own 401(k).”

  Lisa’s jaw dropped. “That’s ridiculous. You were with the guy for fourteen years. You moved away from home, took care of him and his family, waited to have kids, et cetera, all because of him. He owes you.”

  “He doesn’t owe me. We made those choices together. We were young and wanted to enjoy our marriage before bringing kids into it. We didn’t know we’d miss our chance. Trust me, I wanted to marry him. I loved him, and I’m not out to hurt him.”

  “And to think you were always the genius of the family,” Lisa teased. She slurped the bottom of her smoothie cup. “You know, if you ditch him, you’ll be better off. I never liked him.”

  “What?” Sara’s brows pinched.

  Lisa held up her hands. “Okay, okay. That’s a bit overstated. I thought he was bossy and arrogant.”

  “He’s not bossy.” She pushed her half-empty cup away. “He’s assertive and confident.”

  “A know-it-all.” Lisa shrugged one shoulder.

  “Informed,” Sara insisted.

  “A geek with those retro specs.” Lisa put her thumbs and index fingers together and peered through the circles like they were eyeglasses.

  “He’s gorgeous, and he rocks those vintage glasses.” No one—no one—would look at Hunter and see anything less than sheer beauty. Was her sister blind?

  “Huh.” Lisa licked her straw to get the last drop of smoothie. “Well, if he’s so great, then what the hell are you doing here?”

  Sara met Lisa’s wry gaze before glancing at the ground. “I’m not sure.”

  Lisa tossed her cup in the trash and gestured toward the door. On their way to the car, she said, “Before you go starting a new life thinking it’s going to be so much better, maybe you ought to make sure you’re really done with the one you’re leaving behind. If you’re gung ho about going back to the nine-to-five life, why not work for Cabot Tea? At least that way you’d see Hunter more and be helping him build the legacy.”

  Sara hadn’t considered working at CTC since college. When Hunter had convinced her to move to Portland after graduation, his family had offered her a job. She’d turned it down because, although she’d been qualified, it felt like nepotism. She’d needed to prove—to herself and them—that she could get a great job without the Cabots’ help.

  As the years had worn on, she’d been thankful for that decision. Had she worked in marketing for Jenna, she’d have been in the middle of turf battles between her boss and her husband.

  Now her marriage hung in the balance, and if working at CTC might help her and Hunter reconnect, maybe it was worth consideration—assuming Hunter was able to stop the sale, of course. And assuming that he’d welcome her back.

  Did she want to go back?

  When they got in the car, Sara pulled her phone out of the glove box and noticed a missed call. Hunter. He hadn’t left a message. Still, he’d called. Her leg bounced nervously the whole drive home. When Lisa dropped her off, she ran into the house, grateful that her parents were still at work.

  She went to her room and sat, cross-legged, on the rosebud quilt and stared at the phone. Two yoga breaths later, she dialed her husband.

  “Is everything all right?” His familiar husky voice sounded so wonderful that her eyes started to sting.

  “Yes. I just . . . I saw that you called.”

  “Oh, that.” There was some kind of shuffling on the other end of the line. “It’s nothing.”

  “A pocket dial?” Her shoulders slumped and she frowned.

  “No. I just, well . . . I did it. CTC won’t be sold, and I have a great plan for expansion.”

  She smiled, surprised by her own elation. As much as she’d resented his obsession with it all, she was glad he hadn’t failed. “Congratulations. I’m not completely surprised. There’s never been any goal you’ve set that you haven’t achieved.”

  He didn’t respond immediately, then said, “We both know that’s not true.”

  She supposed he meant the marriage, or possibly the adoption, but was too afraid to ask. She wished she could see his face. “Well, I know you might not believe this, but I’m glad for you. How will you celebrate?”

  No doubt Bethany would be full of praise and eager to “celebrate.” Would he turn to her, now that Sara had gone? The thought wrought another frown.

  “Funny thing about that. I don’t feel much like celebrating by myself. Besides, I had to make a deal with the devil, so it’s not all cupcakes and confetti.”

  “Oh? What did you promise Jenna?”

  “Not Jenna.” He cleared his throat. “Her spawn.”

  “Your sister?”

  “Yes, my sister, who surprised everyone by negotiating her vote in exchange for a PR job.”

  “Wow!” Sara wondered if her plea had swayed Gentry’s vote. She hoped so. She’d like to think that, in some way, she’d ultimately supported Hunter even though he might never know it.

  “Even Jenna was speechless.” He chuckled. “That was priceless.”

  “How’s your dad? I heard you removed him as CEO.”

  “Temporarily.” She heard the defensiveness in his voice. “I stepped up while he’s unable to do his job.”

  “I can’t imagine he sees it that way.”

  “Listen, let’s not bicker about the company.” He paused. “Can we talk about us?”

  “Of course.”

  He cleared his throat, then fell silent. “Actually, it’s been a week. I’d rather talk in person. I know you’re hurt and angry, and I get that you needed space, but let’s not end everything with a quick note and a long-distance phone call. Let’s really talk. Can you come home?”

  Home. Hearing that word roll off his tongue sent longing tumbling through her. She fingered the pendant around her neck, the engraved coordinates beneath her thumb beckoning.

  “Sara?”

  If she wanted to end the marriage, she should stay put and send for her things. “I’m here.”

  “Is that a no?”

  Would he be open to counseling? Might working together help? “I’ll come home . . . to talk.”

  “Great. That’s great. I’ll get you a plane ticket so you don’t have to drive.”

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll drive.” She’d need her car to gather her things in the event she ended up leaving for good. She didn’t say that, though. Maybe it wouldn’t come to that, after all. Maybe this time apart had hit a reset button.

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow’s a weekday. You have to work.”

  “It’s a long driv
e. I’ll be home before you get there, I promise.”

  She smiled. “Okay. I’ll leave around eight, so I’ll be there around five or so.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Hunter knocked on Ross Hardy’s door around eleven thirty. “Hey, Ross. Just checking to make sure things went smoothly this morning with Jenna and my sister.”

  “So far, so good. Jenna just took Gentry to get her set up at a workstation.” Ross stood and extended his hand. “I meant to stop by yesterday to congratulate you. Great job. I’m glad we won’t be absorbed by Pure. Let me know when you want to talk about hiring needs if this thing with King Cola happens.”

  “It might be good to get together sooner than later. The head of KC’s business development is coming here next week to negotiate preliminary terms and partnership ideas for the venture. I’m guessing they’d handle all the manufacturing and distribution, but we’d need to staff the executives, especially marketing and brand-development folks. Why don’t you and Bethany get together with Haru and block out some time on my calendar on Monday?”

  “Will do.”

  Hunter nodded and then left, pausing at the stairwell between their offices that led downstairs to where the marketing team worked. He knew, for the sake of his family, he’d have to find a way to get over his bitterness toward Gentry.

  She’d meant well when she’d proposed the adoption. She hadn’t set out to devastate him and Sara. It was her baby, and he’d always known she might change her mind. It had to have been painful for her to wrestle with her doubts. To face him and Sara and rob them of the hope she’d initially given them. Logically he knew this, but his heart couldn’t quite catch up to his brain.

  He needed to stop viewing her as a mini Jenna. To see her as his sister, just as much as Colby, and to build a relationship with her that counted.

  He trotted down the stairs and found her seated at a workstation near Jenna’s office, slurping a large glass of OJ. “Hey.”

  Gentry looked up from the paperwork she was filling out. He saw his own discomfort reflected in her face. “Am I in trouble already?”

  “No.” He glanced around, all too aware of others’ eyes and ears. “Walk with me for a second.”

  “You’re the boss.” She stood. In heels, she was only a couple of inches shorter than he was. He wondered if she’d be able to stroll around in that kind of footwear once her belly started getting big.

  If Sara did come back to stay, it would be hard for her to watch. His heart ached for his wife every time he acknowledged that she’d never experience pregnancy. And he wondered how he’d feel when his niece or nephew was born, knowing that it might’ve become his son or daughter.

  Shaking off those thoughts, he led Gentry to a small conference room and then sat back against the table and crossed his arms and legs. “I want to thank you again for voting with me. I also want to warn you that you’ll have a hard time winning over your coworkers. Given your lack of degree and experience, many will resent you. Even if you had those things, some would still say you only got this job because of your last name.”

  “Gee, great pep talk, bro.” She gave him a little “Go get ’em” punch.

  “I’m being serious, Gentry. I’m trying to help you, so drop the act and listen. If you want to succeed, make friends, and win respect, you’ll have to come in early, stay late, and solve your problems without leaning on your mom. I’d suggest you try to get Becky Miller to mentor you. She’s got a few years’ experience on you, so it’d be a good fit. If you can find ways to make her job easier for her, you’ll become invaluable. Understand?”

  “Are you sure you’re trying to help me?” She crossed her arms. “’Cause it sounds like you’re trying to scare me into quitting.”

  “I’m being as helpful and honest and brotherly as I know how. You’re going to have to work twice as hard to prove yourself. I know, because I’ve been in your shoes. I worked my ass off, and it still took time before people believed I’d earned those promotions.”

  “Okay. I’ll prove myself to everyone, including you. I know you don’t trust me much, and I guess I can’t blame you.” She met his gaze, which had to be hard.

  He gripped the table at his hips. “Let’s not talk about the adoption. It is what it is, and I’ll eventually be happy for you and your baby. I just need more time.”

  “I am sorry that I hurt you and Sara and caused her to take off.”

  “Much as I’d love to blame you, I can’t. Sara and I have stuff to work out that has nothing to do with you.” Having said more about his marriage than he’d intended, he pushed away from the table and dismissed his sister. “Now get on back and finish up whatever I interrupted.”

  She turned to go, then whirled around and hugged him—a quick, silent hug, except for the jangling from her multitude of bangle bracelets. After flashing a lopsided grin, she ducked out of the conference room.

  Extending an olive branch of sorts hadn’t been as hard as he’d thought. It had been the right thing to do . . .

  In fact, for his dad’s sake, he needed to go one step further. Inhaling, he girded himself before going to Jenna’s office.

  “What?” She glanced up from her computer screen.

  He closed the door and took a seat. “We need a truce.”

  She blinked. “How generous, now that you’ve won.”

  “I’m serious, Jenna. We don’t have to pretend to understand or even like each other, but we have to stop picking fights. For Dad and for Gentry.”

  Jenna sat back, her gaze glued to his. “Why now?”

  “Dad’s sick. Gentry’s pregnant. I’m tired.” He leaned forward. “Aren’t you tired?”

  “You’ve been at me for at least a decade. Sorry if I have a hard time trusting this about-face.”

  “Jenna, let’s be completely honest. I’ll admit that I’ve been a bastard at times, but you admit you haven’t been the warmest stepmom. When Colby and I were children, you never even embraced us for Gentry’s sake. I’ve always assumed you just wanted my dad for yourself. Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong, but it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is, like it or not, we’re a family . . . a screwed-up one, but still a family. It’s done neither or us, nor the people we love, any good to be at each other’s throats, so let’s lay down our swords.”

  Jenna stared at him for a minute. “I’ll make an effort if you do.”

  “Okay. I’ll let you give my dad the good news.” He almost made a quip about her probably taking credit for the détente, but then reminded himself of the promise he’d just made.

  “Thank you.” She stood when he did.

  He saw no reason to hug. Maybe one day this truce would lead to actual warmth, but he couldn’t fake something he didn’t feel. He simply nodded and headed back toward his office.

  He planned to work through lunch today so that he could leave early, pick up flowers and dinner, and be home before Sara arrived.

  On his way back up to his office, he considered the compromises he could offer Sara to convince her to give them another chance. The King Cola deal would be critical to his success, and starting up a new venture meant a lot of work. Right now he was juggling the CEO and CFO jobs. If his dad couldn’t come back soon, Hunter would need Ross to search for a new CFO. In the interim, he’d have to delegate more to Bethany and Jenna, God help him.

  But he would do all that and make better use of his time at home. Maybe Sara would bike with him and Alec. He’d ban working on Sundays as much as possible and let her set the agenda. He’d even squeeze in time at the Angel House with her once a month, if possible.

  He’d go back to the beginning and woo her all over again.

  He was passing Haru on his way into his office when she stopped him. “I have someone from Trident Realty on hold.”

  It took him a minute to recall that name. The apartment he’d rented for Pam and Ty. This couldn’t be good news. “I’ll take it.”

  He went to
his desk and picked up the line. “Hello, this is Hunter Cabot.”

  “Mr. Cabot, this is Bill Hitson, the building manager at Bridgetown Gardens. I’m sorry to call, but your name is on the lease for unit one seventeen, and your business card was also on the refrigerator.”

  “Is there a problem?” Of all days to be thrown a curveball by Pam, for Pete’s sake.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this, but your friend is dead, and your son is here alone.” The man’s accusatorial tone galled Hunter.

  “He’s not my son. They were just people we were helping.” He waited for an apology that never came.

  “Well, I’ve called the coroner.” Skepticism lingered in his voice. “Based on the paraphernalia, it looks like a possible overdose. I need to know what to do with the boy. The cops will probably have questions about the drugs, too.”

  Holy hell. He racked his mind for any information Sara had given about Ty and Pam but came up empty. He’d have to contact the Angel House. “I’m not familiar with her family situation or her drug dealer, but perhaps someone at the shelter where she’d been staying previously would know. Any idea how long she’s been dead?”

  “Can’t be sure. It probably happened through the night. I let myself in because the neighbors were complaining about the kid crying all morning.”

  Sara would be beside herself when she learned of Ty’s trauma. “I’ll be right there. Don’t let them take the child.”

  “I can’t make promises.”

  “Understood.” Hunter hung up and headed out the door. “Haru, I won’t be back today. Cancel all my calls and meetings. Make my apologies. There’s an emergency I need to take care of. I’ll call later.”

  His mind and heart were speeding at a hundred miles per hour, thinking about the child who’d been sitting alone with his dead mother, confused and afraid. About how life could cruelly change without warning. How, despite Sara’s urging, he’d been more or less blind to the hopelessness—the powerlessness—that people like Pam must feel to do drugs, or those like his brother-in-law had when taking their lives.