by Taylor Lee
Glancing around the impressive bedroom, featuring a wall of windows facing the Lake Superior side of the house, Mac once again was struck by Jorden’s beautiful home. The lodge truly was an architectural masterpiece. The bedroom was no exception. An enormous four-poster bed occupied one wall. Across from it was a stone fireplace that mimicked the structures in the great room. Beautiful area rugs—works of art in themselves—complimented the natural wood floors. Sliding glass doors opened to yet another expansive deck. The house was perched on the side of what was more a cliff than a hill. It made the bedroom, like the great room, feel like it was projected in space. It was as though in this house there was no end to the natural beauty surrounding them. Rather, it indicated that the world in all its splendorous glory was accessible for them to revel in.
Mac’s appreciative eye caught the candles strategically placed around the room and on the deck. A glance at the intriguing box on the floor beside the fireplace, confirmed that Jorden had indeed been planning a seduction worthy of the imaginative lover that he was. Peeking in the box, Mac saw an impressive array of erotic toys, some she recognized, but most she did not. Wrist and ankle cuffs, a blindfold, and decorative clamps were but one layer of the titillating box. Seeing the handle of what looked like a flogger, Mac quickly closed the box.
Mac choked back a laugh. It was bad enough that her wayward body was still humming from their glorious rendezvous on the floor of the deck. Just the sight of the devices Jorden planned to use with her sent a cascade of electric shocks across her over stimulated nerve endings. She shook her head. Good God, now she was supposed to make small talk with Jorden’s attorney colleague and his ten-year-old daughter? Knowing she had no choice, Mac squared her shoulders and pasted a smile on her face. She shrugged, knowing there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about her flushed cheeks and shining eyes. She just had to hope that Paul was discreet.
“Ah, there you are, Mac.” Jorden reached for her hand and drew her next to him. As though her presence was not unexpected or unusual at ten-thirty at night, he nodded to Paul. “You know Coach Durant, Paul.” Smiling at Mac, he added, “And of course you know this guy who is almost as lucky as I am. His two daughters Marcia and Sophia are the second most talented girls on their respective teams.”
Mac nodded at the man whose eyes had widened dramatically at the sight of her. He coughed slightly, then returned her nod and said gruffly, “Good evening, Coach Durant. It’s…uh, good to see you.”
Never losing his composure, Jorden continued to hold Mac’s hand as he reached for Emma who was standing on his other side. He hugged the shaky girl closer to him. “I have a treat for you, Emma. I’m glad you decided to come home. Now you get to visit with Coach Durant.”
Mac shook her head with a slight frown and tried to pull away. “No, Jorden, I really need to be going.”
“Absolutely not, Mac. It’s not every night that Emma gets to have a personal visit with her famous basketball coach.” He added with a meaningful glance at Mac and Paul, “The coach who also happens to be the school psychologist. At the very least we need to have a bowl of Hazed and Confused ice cream out on the deck.” He chucked Emma under her chin. “What do you say, half pint? Think we should introduce Mac to the most addicting ice cream she’ll ever eat?”
Mac laughed. “Well, lots of times I feel out of it, but I can tell you I’ve never had ice cream that admits to being confused.”
At Emma’s teary nod, Paul shot Mac and Jorden a quick glance then moved toward the door, indicating that he appreciated the complicated scene. “I definitely need to be going. Emma, next weekend you and Sophie can have another sleepover.”
Jorden interjected, “Maybe we’ll have a party here. Sophie and Marcia can come along with Chloe and you girls can have one of your all-night bashes.”
Emma looked down, then shook her head sadly. “No, Daddy, that won’t work. Chloe thinks I’m a baby. She doesn’t want to do anything with me. She says I embarrass her. Besides, I know she’ll want to go to Mom’s. She likes it better there.”
Exchanging a concerned glance with Paul and Mac, Jorden said smoothly, “We’ll see about that, Emma. But right now, thank Mr. Ojakangas for bringing you home and then let’s you and I go find that sinful ice cream and introduce it to Mac.”
Jorden was grateful when Mac said to Emma, “Tell me that your Hazed and Confused has chocolate in it, and I’m sure I’ll like it.”
Emma said with a shy smile, “It does, but Daddy and I like to add hot fudge and make it even chocolatier.”
Mac laughed and put her arm around the teary-eyed girl and said, “Wow, you two sound as bad as me. While your dad is saying good night to Mr. Ojakangas, shall we go to the kitchen and get the ice cream?”
Nodding to the two serious men over her shoulder, Mac followed Emma down the hallway to the kitchen. Like the rest of the house, it was spectacular, a true cook’s dream. Gleaming stainless steel appliances and endless countertops looked out on the Lake Superior side of the house. Lights from the myriad boats in the Marina competed with the stars in the dark moonlit night, adding to the mysterious beauty of the harbor.
Mac shook her head. “My goodness, Emma, I couldn’t get any cooking done in this beautiful kitchen. I think I would spend all my time looking out the windows.” Glancing at the sliding glass doors that led to the deck surrounding the spacious room, she added, “Do you have a deck off every room?”
Emma seemed to relax. “Yes, even in my bedroom. Would you like to see it?”
“Maybe, later, Emma. Right now I’d like to try some of that addictive ice cream that you and your father told me about. Shall we get it ready for your dad?”
Jorden came from around the corner. “How about I help? Emma, will you please get the bowls, and I’ll get the ice cream and the scoop.” He turned to Mac. “In case you’re wondering, the ‘hazed’ refers to the hazelnut fudge core. Don’t know how you could get any more sinful than that! And heck, any time I can pay homage to Zeppelin, why wouldn’t I?”
Mac watched Jorden and Emma work together to prepare the luscious concoction. Without being asked, Emma put the bowls on a tray then added spoons and napkins, making it clear that this was a treat and a time together that the two of them often shared. The young girl set the tray on the counter next to Jorden and sidled up to him as he scooped the ice cream into the bowls. He put a miniscule amount of the gooey frozen treat in one bowl. “Is this enough for you, squirt?”
Emma rolled her eyes and said, “Get real, Daddy.”
They continued what was clearly a ritual of silliness until Emma’s bowl was filled almost to the top. The easy camaraderie between the father and daughter was heartening to Mac. As a psychologist it was useful to see prospective clients in unguarded moments, particularly young people and their parents. It was obvious that Jorden and Emma were very close and had a strong bond. Knowing that they had a difficult conversation ahead of them, Mac was grateful. She also was glad that she had a solitary moment to quiet her raging emotions. It was hard to believe that the devastatingly handsome man who was teasing his pre-teen daughter with quirky ice cream was the same man who had taken roughly on the deck floor scant minutes before. And had planned to seduce her with candles and a very intriguing box of “toys”.
Mac gave an ironic sniff. Multidimensional didn’t begin to describe the tall man at the counter playing soda jerk. Good grief, not only was Jorden a national leader in judicial circles, the imposing Assistant US Attorney was also a loving, devoted father. And as Mac knew, the distinguished man was a commanding and inventive lover who had spun her world on its axis. Shoving at the erotic memories that hovered just below the surface of her thoughts, Mac acknowledged that if she was brave enough she might give in and agree with Jorden. Perhaps “love” was the best word to describe the tumultuous feelings he evoked in her. As long as she added descriptors like passionate, lusty, commanding, and sexy beyond words.
After appropriately oohing and aahing over the sinful
ly rich ice cream, Mac met Jorden’s gaze and silently agreed with his unspoken question. Even without words, she knew that he wanted her to participate in the upcoming discussion. She decided to break the ice.
“I never had an older sister, Emma, or even a sister. In my family, I was the oldest and have two younger brothers. I love my brothers, but I always wished I had a sister so that we could do ‘girly’ things together.”
Emma looked down at her empty ice cream dish with a frown. After a moment’s hesitation, she responded. “Chloe and I used to do lots of things together, but we don’t anymore.”
“Hmm, why is that?”
Emma glanced at Mac then said with a sigh, “Chloe thinks I’m too young. That I don’t want to do fun things with her. She thinks I’m boring. She calls me goody-two-shoes and daddy’s girl. It hurt my feelings at first. But I don’t feel so bad now because she doesn’t think Marcia is fun either, and Marcia is her age and used to be her best friend.”
Mac let that bombshell settle for a minute. She didn’t have to look at Jorden to know he was shocked. Glad that Emma had opened the door for her, she agreed. “Yes, I noticed that Chloe and Marcia weren’t together the way that they used to be. These days, I see Chloe most often with Maggie Staples and Christy Carter. I don’t know Maggie and Christy well because they aren’t on the basketball team.”
When Emma made a face and nodded in agreement, Mac added carefully for Jorden’s benefit, “I’ve had several conversations with the girls. Their parents came to me because they weren’t happy with the parties at your mother’s house.”
She ignored Jorden’s shocked start at her unexpected revelation. Instead, she waited to see if Emma would open up, but when the young girl just stared at her hands, Mac asked, “What don’t you like about the parties, Emma? What are the fun things that Chloe likes but you don’t?”
Emma looked to her father with a questioning frown. “I don’t know if I should say. Chloe told me that she would never speak to me again if I told you, Daddy.” She hesitated then added, “Mom and Bart also told me that I couldn’t come over there if I ‘tattled’ to you.” Her frown deepened. “But I don’t want to go there anymore, anyway.”
When she stopped without further explanation, Jorden pressed his lips together and blew out a hard sigh. “Honey, both Mac and I know that Chloe is doing things that we don’t approve of. But you need to understand, if you don’t like what happens at your mother’s place, it’s important that you tell me about them.”
Emma shook her head fiercely and unbidden tears welled in her eyes. “No, Daddy, you don’t understand. Chloe was very specific. She said that you’re looking for bad things so you can keep us from seeing Mom. But…I don’t want to see her anyhow.”
Mac intervened. “Why, Emma?”
“I don’t like her. I mean, I like her okay. I just don’t like all the people that are there. They’re too old and rowdy.”
“Hmm, are there other young girls there?”
When Emma just shrugged, Mac pressed, “As young as Chloe? Besides Maggie and Christie?”
“No, all of the other girls are a lot older. Some are even as old as my mom. But I don’t know any of them. And all of the boys and men are a lot older.”
“Are the men as old as Bart?”
“Mm-hmm. And some are even older. Chloe thinks that okay. She says she’s sick of boys her age. They’re ‘so immature’.”
Jorden asked quietly, “Do you know any of the boys, Emma? Are any of them from St. Christopher’s?” He explained to Mac, “St. Christopher’s is the all-boys school that often pairs with Wildwood. Chloe and her friends know a lot of the guys there.”
Emma shook her head. “No, Daddy, I don’t know any of the boys at Mom’s. They’re a lot older. Like in college or…older.” She shook her head as if puzzled. “They don’t talk about sports and stuff like we do. They just like to drink and—” Emma stopped in mid-sentence clamping her lips closed. When neither Mac nor Jorden responded, she added lamely, “The parties aren’t fun. Chloe and Mom and Bart and all those other men think they are, but I don’t.”
Mac leaned forward and shook her head in agreement. “I know what you mean, Emma. It’s hard when you’re the only one who doesn’t like it or think it’s fun.”
Emma denied that fiercely. “But I’m not, Coach Durant. Marcia doesn’t like them either. Sophia told me that their mom and dad said Marcia can’t go to Mom’s condo anymore. But that’s okay. Marcia doesn’t want to go. Now Chloe is mad at her too. She said Marcia is as big a baby as I am.”
Glancing at Jorden, Emma took a deep breath. “Daddy, I was wondering…” She hesitated as if she wanted to say something, then looked down at her hands with a troubled sigh.
Jorden’s effort to speak calmly was obvious. “What is it, honey? You know you can tell me tell me anything, and ask me anything.”
Emma’s frown deepened. “Well, okay. If…if Mom does get custody of us, would I have to go and live with her?”
Jorden’s face blanched and his jaw tightened dangerously. He reached for his daughter’s hands and pulled her up close to him. His voice was strained.
“To begin with, Emma, the only thing the court has said is that your mother can have occasional unsupervised visits with you and Chloe. That’s only if you wish to do that. As for custody, it’s impossible that your mother will ever get custody of you girls.”
Emma pressed her lips together and shook her head with a sad frown. “That’s not what Chloe said.”
Chapter 19
“Please come in, Chloe. You may sit there. It’s more comfortable than my desk chairs.”
Mac pointed to the sofa against the wall. When Chloe sunk onto the sofa with an annoyed sigh, Mac moved to sit in the armchair across from her. “Thank you for coming to see me. I appreciate it.”
Chloe sniffed. “It’s not like I had a choice or anything.”
Studying the sullen young woman, Mac narrowed her gaze. “You always have a choice, Chloe. We all do. But there are repercussions to the choices we make. It’s about some of the choices you have been making that I want to talk to you about.”
Chloe lounged back against the sofa with an aggrieved expression. “I know, I know, Coach. I missed practice. I had…to study for my English Lit test. It was a big one and I wanted to do well.”
“Hmm, I wasn’t aware that you had a test in your English Literature class. All the teachers make a point of informing the coaches when exams are scheduled. Ms. Edwards didn’t notify me that you had a test coming up.”
Chloe’s reddening cheeks confirmed what Mac already knew. Before the flustered young woman could further compound her lie, Mac put up her hand. “Please don’t, Chloe. Lying isn’t necessary or useful. It’s insulting to us both. Instead, let’s talk about the reason that I asked you to come today. As we both know, you have missed two practices, last Saturday and again on Monday. You also know that we have a big game against the Maplewood Scorpions on Saturday. As much as I want and need you to play, if you miss another practice you won’t be able to play. You’ll need to sit on the bench.”
Chloe jerked to attention. “That’s not fair, Coach. I had to miss practice last Saturday because my Mom had a party. And there’s another party this Friday night. Besides, we shouldn’t have practices on the weekend. Those aren’t school days.”
“You know that we have at least one practice on either Friday or Saturday—often both days if we have an important game coming up. Remember, Chloe, this is varsity, not club ball. Coach Reynolds often schedules varsity practices on Sunday as well as Friday and Saturday.”
“That’s not right, Coach. It’s not like we’re college players or something. We’re high school students and we should be able to do more than play basketball.”
“You can, Chloe. Playing varsity basketball is a choice and a privilege. It is your choice whether or not you try out for the team. If you do and you’re chosen, it’s because the coaches believe that you have the talent and c
ommitment to the game that will make you a valued member of the team. But when you accept the invitation, the team is counting on you to practice and to play.”
Mac let the silence stand, giving Chloe the opportunity to agree or disagree if she chose. Chloe’s flushed cheeks and brooding expression didn’t bode well for a participatory discussion and Mac decided to up the ante. “Do you regret your choice to try out for the varsity team, Chloe?”
Chloe shrugged dismissively. “It wasn’t my choice as much as my dad’s.”
“Hmm, I wasn’t aware of that. I remember how excited you were when Coach Reynolds and I told you that you had made the team. That you and Marcia were the only sophomores to make the team.”
Chloe conceded, “Yeah, I guess I was excited. But I tried out mostly because my dad wanted me too. He was a big shot basketball player in high school and college and wants Emma and me to remind everyone how great he is.” She gave a dismissive snort. “Emma, that little daddy’s girl, is the one who’s really excited. But then, she does everything that Dad wants her to.”
Mac eyed her narrowly for a moment, then decided to confront the underlying issues that they were facing. She knew she needed to tread lightly. Chloe was clearly on the defensive and Mac wanted to do her best to keep their lines of communication open. She knew she was treading on dangerous ground, but she had to confront Chloe on her behavior, not only her absences on the basketball court. “I talked to Emma yesterday, Chloe. She came to me because she was worried about you, and—”
Chloe broke in angrily. “I know she did, Coach. Dad told me Emma was upset and thinks that I don’t want to be around her. Gawd, can you believe that? That is sooo Emma. The minute something doesn’t go her way, she runs to Dad. And of course he takes her side. And why would I want to be around her? She’s such a goody-two-shoes. She never wants to do anything fun. And she hates Mom.” Chloe whirled on Mac. “Do you know that that little tattle-tale did? She told Dad that Mom and her friends drink and do bad stuff when we’re there.” She sniffed. “Like Dad and all my dumb uncles don’t drink all the time.”