by TC Rybicki
I nibbled closer to her earlobe. “Yes, God yes, you always smell so fucking nice.”
Sydney giggled and wiggled her bottom on my lap.
“Breakfast, silly. I made a big breakfast and you’re still working.”
Her mention of work brought me back to reality. I had to call Dad before he showed up here. I also needed to call the damn traitor that was supposed to keep quiet about the deal I was working on. Jeff, the office manager, blabbed. He was a nervous little twerp that couldn’t decide who made him more nervous, the elder or younger Ellsworth. After I finished with him, he’d never forget who to fear again.
I kissed Sydney, “Oh. That too. I’m starving, but I’m stuck calling Dad. Five more minutes.”
“Five?”
“Ten tops. Eat, don’t wait for me.”
I caught Dad with his keys in his hands according to him. The first thing that came to mind was to tell him I was sick. Dad hated to be sick, so he changed his mind about coming over. “You can work. It was your bright idea to keep a home office to stay organized.”
“I’m working.” More lies and a fake cough.
“Fine. We’ll talk soon. Your mother says come over Sunday for lunch, but only if you’re not contagious.”
I told him I would. That meant I had a day to come up with one more excuse why I wasn’t pushing Josie Littlefield as I had in the beginning. I needed to tell Sydney what I knew. One deep dark secret was enough. That reveal was on the horizon as well, but right now things between us were too good. We both knew what we wanted, but it was still early in our relationship. One challenge at a time was all I intended to attempt.
Sydney came out of the bathroom towel drying her hair. I held up the phone. “Here she is. Remember Josie. You promised. Go easy on her.”
For a second, I thought we were going to fight. Sydney stomped her foot and made her angry face. She whispered, “You called her without me?”
I didn’t mean to blindside her, but Josie called Sydney while she was in the shower and I didn’t want her to worry.
Sydney’s Gram spoke with authority, “Put her on.”
I handed the phone to Sydney and listened to the one-sided conversation knowing full well the things Josie was saying. She wasn’t shy and had said most things to me already.
“I’m sorry, Gram. Please forgive me for my lies.” I studied her expressions. I’m sure Josie was giving her an earful. She honestly wasn’t mad about her staying with me. It was the unknown from the day before. Neither of us told her we made it to Austin okay and she didn’t know we’d been traveling late at night. The good thing was Josie was glad Sydney told Grant. She liked me, and I wanted to be liked by her since she was so important to Syd.
“Yes, Ma’am. I won’t. I’m not. I swear. Gram. Please. That’s embarrassing. For the last time, I’m not getting pregnant. I’ll be home in time to ride to church with you.”
I winked at her. Josie was giving her the same safe sex talk she gave me.
“No, I’m not moving in either. Are you serious? You’d fire me if I moved in? That’s cold, but I’m not. I realize my life doesn’t revolve around a man. Oh my God! Yes, I know what Granddad did. Dane’s not like that. You love Dane. Fine. You like him more than most. Is there anything else? Ugh. Seriously? No, there won’t be anything else to repent tomorrow except for the white lies. Fine. There’s no such thing as white lies, a lie is a lie but that’s it. Dane and I won’t be doing anymore sinning. We’ll probably watch movies. Do you want me to come home tonight?” Long pause. “Thanks. I love you too, Gram.”
Sydney dropped the phone and fell face first on the mattress.
“Sorry, princess. At least all the unpleasantries are out of the way for both of us.” I rolled her over. She was fresh out of my shower smelling of her soap this time. “You might have misspoken about no more sinning if this is the way you’re going to look the rest of the day.”
Sydney slapped my knee. “That was torture and I had no prep time.”
I apologized again. She agreed it was bad to ignore the call or her Gram would worry unnecessarily. “The questions and opinions were brutal. She has no filter.”
“I know. I got ’em too, but she’s happy for us, Syd. I can tell.”
“She is. Dane, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Who were you yelling at before breakfast?”
“Our office manager. He claims he inadvertently showed Dad some contracts I didn’t want him to see just yet.”
“Is it about Gram’s place?”
“Yes, it’s one of the many properties I’m acquiring instead, but it’s only a dent in my new proposal and not going to impress him. I wanted to keep quiet until I have something that does.”
Sydney could read me well enough. “Tell me what has you looking stressed. Is it because we’ll have to sneak, or your parents won’t approve of me?”
“They will. It’s just complicated, but only for a little while longer. I don’t want you to feel like a dirty secret. I hate that we have to be cautious because I’m so proud to be with you.”
“I know, but honestly, what could Paul do if he found out I’m Sydney Hagel and we’re together?”
“I’m not sure, but are you positive your record is clean? I don’t want to trash Matthew. Sometimes, these schemes are multi-faceted. He could have hidden accounts or assets under your name.”
“He didn’t.”
“Are you sure?”
“The feds would have found it. They confiscated everything. He didn’t. I know my father and he wouldn’t attach dirty money to me.”
I took her hands and faced her head on. “Okay. Calm down. I wasn’t accusing.”
“Yes, you were and don’t ever tell me to calm down again. That shit is patronizing.”
“My bad. Sorry. Your dad had an associate though, the one that testified against him. He cut a deal. Maybe he did something you don’t know about. Here’s my fear. Dad might find something questionable and then hold it over your head. Josie would do anything to protect you.”
“He’d blackmail her?”
“I think so. I hope I’m wrong. I’ve been wrong about my father before. He’s a confusing man.”
“So, we stay secret. I’m okay with it for now, but not forever.”
I’d never ask her to be a secret forever. I had a feeling my mother would adore Sydney. I knew my sister Pamela would if she visited more than once a year. It was going to be weird with Dad when he found out because of Marlene even if we weren’t in the middle of this project and his rift with Josie.
Sydney was worth it. I would keep saying that.
“I need to tell you something.”
She looked down. “Don’t say it. It’s bad. Are we moving too fast?”
“What? No. Of course not. I found something literally two days before I met you. I had a book overnighted to The Card Catalog Cafe. I had to study the law before I turned over the information to my father. I wanted to be right when I made my case to him, but life threw me a curveball. Josie’s father owned the land first. I think the deed went way back. I’m not sure how many generations.”
“Four. Gram’s the fourth.”
“Yeah, sounds about right, but she was married to Roy when her father signed everything over. He didn’t wait until his death. He gave them everything several years before his passing.”
“Okay. That makes sense. He was old and knew Gram would take good care of it.”
“But it was the 1960s. I don’t know the circumstances, but he signed it over to Roy not Josie. He gave The Groves to her husband.”
“That’s a technicality. They were married. It was hers all along. Roy left them. He never cared about the B&B or growing the business. That was strictly Gram’s dream.”
“Honey, I know, but what I’m saying is I couldn’t find anything that proves she’s the rightful owner, sole owner. Of course, Texas is a community property state, but Roy owns The Groves.”
“He’s dead, so that sol
ves that.”
“No, he’s not. Your grandfather’s still alive. I found him. He’s at an assisted living place in San Antonio. I checked on the hunch one of my trips. I’ve visited a few times. I’m afraid for Josie. I honestly can’t believe Dad hasn’t figured this out for himself. The only reason he hasn’t is because he gave me this project. He expected results by now and if I don’t get them, he’ll take over.”
Sydney was trembling. “You knew this whole time. I can’t believe you Dane. Wait. You said you wanted to be right. You were going to betray Gram! But you said that first night you didn’t want to take her land that you had the other idea. Liar!”
“I did have the other stuff in motion. I’ve never lied about my other plans. I wanted to go that route, but I was also willing to share the truth to impress my father at the right time. I was weighing my decisions.”
“When’s the right time?”
“Never.”
“You sure about that?”
“Damn certain. The second Cora said who you were my mind changed.”
“You didn’t know me. I was rude to you. There’s no logical reason to believe you allowed this complete stranger to come before your own father.”
Emotions rose to the surface. I was expecting to shake Sydney up, but I felt shaky instead. I touched her chin and rubbed her lips with my thumb. Those lips had been denied me far too long and I wasn’t about to go without them ever again.
“You’re right. It wasn’t logic. Something bigger was at play. I swear that’s exactly how my mind was made up. I need to get Josie a lawyer, so we can fix it before Dad finds out, but not around here. He’s buddies with all the local attorneys.”
“Grant’s father does this kind of law, contracts. Grant’s mentioned it many times, how boring it sounds.”
“Ha!” I thought she was kidding. She wasn’t.
“I could call him. From what you said, he wanted it to be amicable and he cared about me. I think you liked him.”
She was stretching the truth. Like was a strong word. “I can look elsewhere.”
“But Mr. Minsky knows me. He wouldn’t steer us wrong. I’m going to call.”
“Okay, Sydney. Call, but we need to tell Josie first. Ultimately, it’s her choice.”
“Yes. That’s true.”
“I love you and I’m sorry I waited to tell you.”
“I love you too, but all this instant life-changing rhetoric is a little weird. I wasn’t the greatest that day.”
“No but admit it; I got under your skin from the get-go. You wrote a poem about me.”
“Ugh, that old thing. I never said that was about you.”
“But it was. Don’t lie.”
Sydney huffed, “Fine. Blame it on your eyes. I do.”
“And for me, it was your everything. Also, I’m still waiting for my thank you.”
“Thank you? For what? Creeping on me all day? Making me fall off a ladder? Spitting on me?”
I reminded her, “You spit first.”
“Trying to kiss me when I was clearly taken?”
“You leaned in and I had no idea you were taken. Could’ve fooled me the way you stared at my body in the river.”
Sydney pushed, and I fell back, but she was coming with me. I wouldn’t release her. She squirmed and told me I was delusional. “Admit everything or else.”
“I admit nothing. You were a weirdo. I could’ve filed charges on you at least five times that first day.”
“But you didn’t,” I was cocky.
Sydney stopped resisting. She touched my eyelids, one at a time, leaned in and placed a wet kiss on my left cheek, “You’re right. I didn’t and now I know why.”
The next few weeks were eventful for Gram and me. She and I had a come to Jesus meeting with Dane about the deed to The Groves. Not the first time she blew my mind, but she knew. Gram knew everything; even that Granddad was alive. I was taken aback by that fact. I was certain my mother thought he was dead. She never thought it would come up until Dane’s father got it in his mind to take her property. That’s when she secretly worried Paul would find out. Grant’s father was working on things. We didn’t want to involve Roy. He lived a crazy life and couldn’t be trusted with anything of value, but the latest shock from Gram was she had a mind to visit him in that old folk’s singles spot. I insisted assisted living was not known for frisky singles.
Poor Gram. Something happened with her normal stern exterior when she spoke of Roy, my grandfather. I used to think it was pure hatred, but it wasn’t. She still loved him. That sucked, and she’d never admitted those feelings, but I could tell. He broke her heart and she refused to acknowledge the heartbreak after all these years. One thing for certain was my great-grandfather gave them a modest plot of land, but it was worth so much more in the present. Roy left his wife and young children for greed and the desire of making it rich. He certainly wasn’t expecting the deed bearing his name meant much or he would’ve fought Gram for it. The ironic thing was if he’d stayed with Gram, he’d be successful. Roy and Paul would be a horrible combination. I was as determined as Dane to prevent that meeting from ever happening.
Daddy wrote three letters. They came one after the next. He said he got mine. I was excited to hear from him even if they reminded me how much I missed him. Mom’s letters got better, but Daddy’s were the best. I was almost tempted to write my mother about Dane but changed my mind. I started that letter but never sent it.
Work was fun most days. We were ready for the fall and cooler days. Dane was the best boyfriend in history. I was blissfully happy and writing a ton of sappy love poems in my free time. We continued our relationship much like the bulk of the summer except we made out every chance we got now.
“Hey, your Royal Highness, those crates aren’t going to unpack themselves and I thought we were getting out of here early today.”
“We are. I don’t need an entire afternoon to do my job, unlike some slowpokes. I’m starting right now, shrew.”
Nina tossed her empty water bottle at me. “Watch it. Are you trying to give me a contusion? Dane and I have a date tonight.”
My work companion and unlikely confidant plopped down next to me. “Oh please, I didn’t even come close to your perfect face. Date, huh? I thought you two dated every damn day.”
“Maybe, but tonight’s special.”
Nina opened her lunch and offered me half her turkey wrap. This newfound friendship was nuts. She and I were getting closer every day, almost like real buds. “How special?”
“Special. That’s all.”
“You’re giving it up, aren’t you?”
“Shh, lower your voice. I told you that in the utmost confidence and I’m still not over the awkwardness of it. I haven’t made up my mind for sure, but I’m leaning a certain way.”
Nina gave good advice when I worried about Dane losing patience with me. The conversation was only weird the first five minutes since Nina was his ex in a roundabout way. First, she said no way did she believe I was virginal and then she said she was jealous because she had too many regrets. By the end of our frank conversation, Nina believed Dane would wait a decade for me and not care. That’s how in love he was with me. I wasn’t planning on that length of time by any means or I might wither away and die.
“So, don’t leave me hanging. Where’s the date?”
“Back of the ranch, stargazing with a night picnic.”
“Oh. Return to the scene of the crime. Whose idea was that?”
“Dane’s.”
“Okay. Maybe the man is getting antsy. He knows your weakness.”
“He knows everything, but I don’t think it’s a setup. He figured I’d be too tired from the kiddos to get dressed up and go out.”
“Yeah. They wear me out and certainly don’t put me in the mood for knocking boots. That bunch is as good of birth control as my injections.”
“You’re crazy. I love being around Frisco’s kids.”
“They’re good kids and
they adore you, especially that little one.”
“I know. She’s so cuddly and sweet.”
We had the bunch over several times now for riding and swimming. It gave Frisco’s wife a break. I was surprised I enjoyed spending afternoons with a bunch of energetic children, but they were pure joy. I wasn’t sure all kids were that great. Nina said no way that Frisco was blessed. Dane admitted he got a twinge watching me with Hannah. She couldn’t do all the things her brothers and sister were doing while her leg healed, so I ended up finding activities she and I could enjoy like cupcake decorating and fingernail painting.
Dane and I were far away from marriage and kids, but at least these afternoon experiments babysitting gave me a glimpse what our future might hold. That brought another thought to my mind. I was comfortable here. I lived hours from a mall and what I used to call civilization, but it didn’t matter. Daddy’s screwup was the worst event in my existence. I thought I lost everything and now almost a year later after his conviction, I felt like I had my entire heart’s desire. Did Dane know that’s how I felt? I think he did, but tonight I was telling him in great detail how thankful I was for him. Maybe I’d show him instead of using words. He said I talked too much most days, anyway.
I wiped the napkin over my lips, “Dane, this meal was too much.”
“I’m the winner. I knew it. I’m the better cook.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I thought we agreed we tied.”
“Umm, nope. I’m too competitive to be in a tie.”
I shoved him back. “No, you’re just a sore loser and I was being generous with my compliments since it’s a special night.”
Dane leaned back in with a kiss in mind. I stopped right before our lips touched. “So, chocolate cake, huh?”
“Yes, we’re both fond of chocolate.”
“And starry nights in the back of Stud. This is feeling a little like a re-creation of my birthday.”
“Well, last time we were alone, you hinted…” his voice trailed off.
“I know.”
“It’s not a setup.”
“S-e-n-s-i-t-i-v-e. I don’t care if you’re setting us up.”
“I’m not rushing you.”