“I don’t know what it got,” Trey said truthfully. “All I know is that I can’t stop thinking about her. She’s in New York for a few days and all I can think about is jumping on the next flight to see her.”
“Yep, that’s definitely more than personal,” J.T. said.
They talked a while longer then made a plan to get together when J.T. got back to the States. Trey hung up just as troubled as before. The clarity he hoped to find didn’t materialize. What he wanted from J.T. was an affirmation that this was nothing serious. That what he was feeling would pass. That’s not what he got. Exasperated, he grabbed the paperwork on his desk and forced himself to focus.
Thankfully, a few minutes later Johanna came charging into his office. She ran over to him and he lifted her up immediately. She laughed brightly as she laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her hands around his neck. Trey smiled in amusement—if only the other woman in his life was just as accommodating.
Moments later Johanna reached to his desk and grabbed the cell phone. “Oh, no, you don’t,” Trey said, taking it from her. She immediately wiggled down and ran out of the office. Trey sat holding the phone. He’d forgotten all about it. He turned it over and flipped it open but closed it when his phone rang.
Kenya unpacked slowly then sat on the side of her bed. She looked back at the fluffed pillows and smiled. It wasn’t surprising that her thoughts shifted to Trey. They usually did lately. The last three days in New York gave her time to think. Unfortunately, though she expected her thoughts to be clearer, they were just as muddled.
She lay back and closed her eyes, remembering Trey lying there beside her. The feel of his body pressed to hers was heavenly. And unfortunately for her, the memories just wouldn’t subside. Shelly was right, all this was wrong, she had fallen into a trap of her own making. She had fallen for Trey.
She reached over and grabbed her sketch pad. After flipping a few pages she was surprised to find the unexpected: a drawing by Trey. It was her. It was rudimentary, but still a really good likeness. She lay asleep, her hair tossed back and a simple smile on her face. She had no idea when he drew it, but the thought that he’d done it for her was touching. She laughed out loud then tears dampened her face. Why did he have to be so perfect?
After wiping her tears away, she flipped and found what she was looking for—her sketch of Trey. She touched the drawing gently. She still couldn’t believe he’d let her sketch him. Although she’d only sketched his portrait, the fact that he was willing to completely give to her had touched her. That was seriously an act of trust. Trust. The word hung in the air heavily like the sword of Damocles above her head.
Her phone rang—it was Shelly. They talked briefly about an idea she had, then went on to discuss plans for the next day. After they hung up, she noticed a text message from Asia. She’d gotten the soap opera and had to end her engagement with the play. Kenya smiled and made a mental note to send her congratulatory flowers. She’d also gotten a missed call from her mother. She called her back and left a message.
She thought about the photos she’d taken with her cell phone, the ones she didn’t have anymore. Maybe it was fate that made her lose them. Suddenly a cold chill shot through her. She sat straight up. She’d lost her phone right after she took the pictures. The possibility that she’d accidently dropped it at Trey’s house suddenly occurred to her. What if…?
“Oh, no,” she muttered. Trey was meticulous. He had to have found it by now. As soon as he opened it he’d see what she’d done. He would be devastated that she’d used him. Sure, she’d warned him that she was after him and even promised that bringing him down was a possibility, but that was before.
Maybe he hadn’t found it. She glanced across the room at the toys she’d picked up for the twins. If she dropped them off she could possibly check and see. She was just about to call Trey when her cell rang. “Hello?”
“Kenya.”
“Hey, Mom, how are you? How was the safari?”
“Oh, it was wonderful, absolutely wonderful, I had an incredible time. Touring the backcountry, meeting the people and seeing the animals truly left me with a real appreciation for life.”
“I’m glad.”
“The scenery was breathtaking and the people were delightful. The adventure really gave me a sense of family and sharing.”
“But you always had that, Mom.”
“I know, but now even more so. I just wish your father had enjoyed it more.”
“Why didn’t he enjoy it?”
“Oh, I guess he enjoyed it well enough. But you know your father, his thoughts were miles away.”
“Is Dad there now?”
“He’s asleep. Did you need to speak with him?”
“No, actually, Mom, I wanted to talk to you.”
“Sure, what about? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything is fine. You know Trey Evans, right?”
“Yes, of course. Has he called?”
“No, actually I contacted him. I didn’t want you and Dad to come home to the mess you left. I went to his house to get the money back.”
“Kenya—”
“I know, Dad wanted me to wait. But I couldn’t.”
“So impatient, just like your father,” she said warmly. “Did you speak with him?”
“He told me that if I wanted to know what happened I should speak to you and Dad. Dad told me his part, now I need to know the rest. It’s important.”
Lynette signed heavily. “First of all, your father is a wonderful man and he’s always provided for this family and always will. But that’s the caring side of him. He wants the best for you and your sisters. When he won the lottery, there were two winning tickets, not one.”
“But I thought—”
“It’s not always publicized. I won the other half of the jackpot.”
“Are you serious?” Kenya asked in amazement.
“Yes, very. Of course your father knew, but we thought it would be best if you girls found out after the dust had settled. Your father was the face of the winner and that’s what mattered. He took the one lump sum and I went with the yearly annuity.”
“I can’t believe this. You won, too.”
“Only one other person knew, other than your father, a friend, a woman whom I’ve gotten quite close to over the years. She suggested that I get help from a friend of hers. I did.”
“Trey?” Kenya questioned.
“Yes. Your father took his half of the winnings and invested in his dreams.”
“But you gave your portion to Trey.”
“Yes.”
“So when Dad lost everything,” Kenya began, “that’s why you weren’t all that upset about what Dad said after the picnic. Dad’s a gambler. You knew this was going to happen.”
“No, of course I didn’t. Your father, you, your sisters…everyone needs the freedom to spread their wings. The winnings allowed him that opportunity. Sometimes we win, and sometimes we don’t. But there’s always something put away for a rainy day.”
“So that DR fund that Dad told me about. That’s what it was for, the rainy days.”
“Yes.”
“Mom, I thought you didn’t know anything about business. You don’t even have a checking account. How did you do all this? Dad takes care of everything.”
“Does he?”
“But I thought—”
“Kenya, just because I don’t work outside of the home, doesn’t make me naive when it comes to business or thinking for myself. I’m no fool. I have the good sense God gave me and your grandmother taught me to always be able to take care of myself.”
“But I thought that when you and Grandmom chose to be housewives you let Dad and Granddad take over everything. I thought you surrendered yourself.”
“Where would you get an idea like that? Honey, never stop thinking for yourself, you hear me. Being in love and being married isn’t about turning yourself off. It’s about going full volume,” Lynette said.
“When Craig wanted me to stay at home, I stopped working and stopped thinking. I totally surrendered.”
“I know, but your good sense kicked in, and all that foolishness is behind you now.”
Kenya felt a deep appreciation for her mother. The woman whom she always thought cared more about her flowers than her finances had apparently always taken care of the family. “I went to the bank the other day. The manager told me that the account was closed and that the money was transferred by a third party. I think it was Trey.”
“It was. I asked him to.”
“When Dad bought the business and didn’t have enough, he didn’t borrow it from a bank or Trey, did he?”
“No, he borrowed from the DR account.”
“But Trey still deceived Dad about investing.”
“No, I asked Trey to help him with the business. That’s why he invested with your father and Cal. Unfortunately, I had no idea that it would make your father so angry to try to get back at him.”
“That’s when Dad went after Trey.”
“And Trey protected himself.”
“What a mess,” Kenya said. “Does Dad know all this?”
“He does now.”
“So Trey didn’t take the money or the company.”
“No. The company is still there, Trey has a larger share, but then so do I.”
“I wish I knew this before I butted my nose in.”
“You were always an inquisitive child.”
“This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s not your fault. Your father and I forget that you and your sisters are grown women now. We still want to protect you, even from ourselves. You girls have grown up. I guess it’s hard to accept that sometimes.”
“Mom, I need to tell you something, but I don’t want you to get upset.”
“Tell me what?” she asked.
“It’s about Trey.”
“What about him?”
“After you and Dad left, I went to the house and checked out some of Dad’s paperwork. I had to do something to help. You and Dad have always been there for me and I needed to do this for you.”
“Kenya—”
“Wait, there’s more. When I went to Trey I intended to force him to give me Dad’s company back. But I soon realized it wasn’t going to work. So I had this plan to get something on him, some kind of damaging proof to give to the SEC. I wanted to ruin him and take everything he had.”
“Kenya—” Lynette began, sounding more astonished.
“It was stupid, I know. He wouldn’t budge and he wouldn’t tell me what happened. So I assumed that it was what Dad said. I knew he wasn’t telling me something. I didn’t know he was protecting your confidence.
“We didn’t argue or fight or anything like that. It was more like a battle of wills. But in all that, we started having a relationship. It started by accident. I don’t think either one of us planned for it to happen.”
“What kind of relationship?”
“A physical one, a personal one,” Kenya said, pausing, waiting for a response. There was no response. But she could sense her mother’s surprise. “It got emotional.” And I know what you’re gonna say, it’s only been a week. But, Mom, this so much more. It’s like I’ve known him and I’d been waiting for him all my life. I think about him constantly and I want to be with him all the time. It’s crazy, I know. This is the man that hurt Dad. But my heart won’t listen to my head. I love him.”
“Kenya, I fell in love with your father the moment I saw him. A week sounds like forever to me now.”
“I never knew that.”
“I don’t think we ever talked about it before. And as far as Trey being the man who ruined your father, I wouldn’t give him that much credit. Your father is a grown man responsible for his own choices. You can’t blame others for his actions. So tell me more about you and Trey.”
“I’m in love with him. It sounds so odd saying that. I never thought it was possible that I could feel this way. After everything, I wasn’t sure I was even worthy. But he fills me up inside. No matter what, he seems to make everything all right. I feel safe and trusted and loved. He’s exactly the man I always wanted.”
Lynette sighed sweetly. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so happy for you,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion. Kenya told her mother about their first date, minus certain particulars. They talked about things they’d never talked about before. She hung up a few minutes later feeling a lot better about things. Without thinking about it, she grabbed her cell and called Trey. He answered on the second ring. “Hello.”
“Hi,” she said cautiously.
“Hey, are you back in town?” he asked happily. The subdued tone of his voice hummed strong through the receiver.
Kenya relaxed. His voice was even and encouraging. Maybe she still had a chance. “Yes. We just got back an hour ago. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
“I think you know me better than that by now,” he said.
“Yeah, I guess I do.” She relaxed. He didn’t sound any different. “It’s good to hear your voice. I missed you.”
He chuckled. “Is that right? Well, I missed you, too.”
“So what are you doing this evening?” she asked.
“Nothing much. Mrs. Thatcher and the twins hung out at the park all day, so it’s an early night for them. Why?”
“I was hoping we could talk.”
“Negotiate?” he questioned.
“No, talk,” she corrected.
“Sure, I can come over—”
“No, I’ll come over there, if that’s okay. I’ll be over in about twenty minutes.”
“Perfect, see you then.” After hanging up, he smiled. He couldn’t wait to see Kenya. He pressed the on button of the cell phone. The screen instantly lit up. He froze.
Chapter 18
Kenya was thrilled. She’d have a chance to talk to Trey and hopefully put all this behind them. She was sure they could work out a solution with her father. She drove over, parked, got out of the car and rang the doorbell. Trey answered almost immediately. She smiled happily. “Hi.”
“Good evening, Kenya. Come in.”
“Thanks,” she said as she walked in and headed to the living room. One quick look around told her that everything was exactly the same. She glanced at the sofa, hoping that the phone had fallen between the cushions.
“What’s in the shopping bag?” Trey asked, seeing two colorfully wrapped presents in the clear bag.
“I picked up something for the twins while I was in New York. I know they’ll be leaving soon so I wanted to get it to them before they went back home.”
“That was really nice of you,” he said calmly.
“Actually it was the perfect excuse to walk through the toy store.” She sat down in the same spot where she might have dropped her phone. “There’s something about toy stores that brings out the kid in me. I think that happens to everyone. What do you think?” She paused a moment when he didn’t respond, then continued. “Are you okay? You seem different, distracted.”
“Business. It was a long day,” he said as he sat across from her.
“Really, is everything okay?” she said.
“An unexpected situation has developed needing my immediate attention. I initially hoped to avoid it or at best resolve it much later. But it seems that I have no choice but to deal with it now.”
“That doesn’t sound like it’s a good thing.”
“It’s an unfortunate inconvenience. But it’s nothing I can’t handle. How was the meeting in New York?” he asked.
“Great, they loved us. I think we’re gonna hear from them soon.” She paused a few seconds then continued. “This is such a major step in my career and a very exciting business opportunity. But to tell you the truth I’m a bit apprehensive.”
“Why is that? It’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“You should always get what you want,” Trey said, remembering the cell-phone photos. They
ranged from family photos to sketches and garments to business documents from his personal folder.
“I don’t know about that,” she said solemnly. “I think sometimes what I want isn’t what I need, or what’s right for me at the time.”
“Really? Tell me, what do you need, Kenya?”
“Enlightenment, forgiveness,” she whispered in the next heartbeat.
Trey paused a second, looking into her guarded eyes. “Why do you need enlightenment?” he asked.
“I think things aren’t always what they seem. It’s hard to know what’s right, who to trust, who to believe in.”
“You believe in yourself,” he said simply enough.
“I do, but that’s not enough. Family and friends can change all that. Doing the right thing, or what you think is the right thing, may not really be the right thing after all. Enlightenment would help that process.”
“You sound confused, almost like you’re confessing.”
“I guess I am in a way, and therein lies my dilemma.”
“And what about forgiveness?” he asked.
“I think we could all do a bit of that, don’t you?”
“You’re probably right,” he said.
“Sometimes I don’t know what to think anymore. I guess it’s like you said, I’m just confused. What I know and what I feel don’t coincide anymore. It used to be so simple.”
“What changed all that?”
“You,” she said softly.
“Me?”
“That’s right. What I hear, what I see, what we do, what I know in my heart—it’s all different now. You changed that.”
“What do you know in your heart, Kenya?”
“I’m not the woman I was a week ago. Strange, huh? When I met you I had purpose and focus. I knew exactly what I was doing and why I was doing it. Now I feel so different. What used to be all business isn’t anymore. All I want to do is be with you. What about you, what do you know in your heart?”
“I know that it’s hard not to think about you when you’re not around. This, you and I, we went too far, too fast.”
She nodded. “Yeah, it makes me wonder, this thing we have, is it real or is it just something we made up to make the game more interesting? Is it just about the physical? ’Cause if it is then I think we’ve—”
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