Struck from the Record

by K. A. Linde

  He nodded. Completely there with her.

  She stripped him out of his remaining sodden clothing, and then he helped her take off the soaked dress. It made a squelching noise at it hit the ground. She would have to care about that later but not right now. She left the expensive garments hastily discarded on the floor, and they both fell into the king-size bed they’d had sex on countless times over the years.

  Clay fiddled with her white lace thong that read Mrs. in Swarovski crystals when they heard footsteps on the stairs. Heavy footsteps. Lots of them.

  “I guess we’re not the only ones who wanted to change,” Andrea said with a giggle.

  He buried his face in her chest and brought her nipple into his mouth. “I guess not.”

  “Oh, that’s not fair.”

  “Fair?”

  He swirled his tongue around the erect nipple and then sucked it into his mouth again. She groaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, dragging him closer.

  “Fuck,” he grumbled against her body.

  Her entire body was aflame, and he was stoking the fire. She couldn’t wait. She couldn’t drag this out. She just wanted and needed him in that moment.

  “Clay, please,” she pleaded.

  He didn’t argue. She was sure he could hear the need in her voice. He removed the last scrap of fabric covering her body. Then, he steadied himself over her and slid inside her.

  She moaned and threw her head back. “Oh my God, you’ve never felt better.”

  “You like when your husband fucks you?”

  She nearly purred. “Oh, yes.”

  And he did. He started up a fierce rhythm. One that said he’d been thinking about fucking her all day, wanting to do nothing more than take her to the next height again and again.

  She threaded her fingers through his short blond hair, pulling harshly. Her lips found his ear, neck, shoulder. She nipped at him, trying to get him closer and closer. Fuck, she loved this man with all of her being.

  She had always known. She had been a goner from day one when he kissed her on that beach all those years ago. Been bold enough to take their relationship a step forward. She had loved him even more in college and still more in law school. When it’d felt like everything else around them had fallen apart, they’d still remained strong.

  After loving him so completely and feeling ready to move forward, only to be rebutted over and over again, she’d thought they could never fix what was broken between them…but then he’d come back. He’d changed…yet stayed her Clay Maxwell. And this was the man that she was making passionate love to. Not the boy she had needed, but the man that she wanted…the one who had shown her the true meaning of love.

  As they came together for the first time as husband and wife, sealing their lives together, she knew that she would never be the same. And she was perfectly happy about that.

  She had a new family. He was her family. He was her life.

  “I love you so much,” Clay said into her shoulder, breathing heavily.

  “Oh, Clay, I have always loved you.” Then, she kissed him.

  They took their time with cleaning up and coming down from the high of the day…and their afternoon delight.

  They changed into fresh clothes. Clay into a pair of khaki shorts and a button-up. She had set a shorter all lace dress aside for tomorrow, but it would do now.

  When she had finally gotten the dress on, Clay took her hand, and they walked back downstairs. Most of the other guests were back out on the deck, clearing off some of the debris from the rain and wiping down the benches so that they could sit down.

  The wait staff had brought out dinner as well as an assortment of Parisian macaroons, all in blush pink, pearly white, and dusty blue. Her favorite. The cake was three-tiered even though there were so few guests, but she had insisted. It looked as if it were made of pearls with an artful mosaic of their wedding colors running like a river down one side.

  Once everything was cleared off, they sat around the pool, eating and mingling with all their friends. Music played through the poolside surround sound stereo on the deck. She had actually allowed that since it made little sense to have a band for fifteen people. It was one of her few compromises on the wedding.

  As “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne filtered in through the speakers, Clay wrapped Andrea up in his arms for their first dance.

  After their first dance, Savannah cut in to dance with Clay, and Brady offered to dance with Andrea. Clay twirled his little sister around the dance floor like he had done when they were kids. Savannah was laughing exuberantly.

  Brady was an excellent dancer. He practically swept Andrea off her feet. She understood why Liz had fallen for his dancing.

  “I’m really happy for you two,” Brady said with his charming smile.

  “Me, too.”

  “No, really. You’ve done wonders for Clay. I never knew if he’d come around.”

  “Well, all I did was leave,” she said with a shrug.

  “I’m sure that had to be hard.”

  She frowned and then remembered it was her wedding day. Life had given her lemons, and she had actually made a kick-ass Arnold Palmer. “It was hard, but it worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

  “Absolutely. I couldn’t have asked for a better sister. You really bring out the best in him.”

  She chuckled softly. “Thank you, Brady. I’m really happy for you and Liz, too. I know you went through a lot to get to where you are. Way more than Clay and I did.”

  He shrugged. “It’s all on a scale of terrible, I suppose. The important thing is, we each found our way to the people we love.”

  “Well, I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for telling me about how Clay was doing while I was away…even when I didn’t think I wanted to hear it.”

  “Always looking out for him, you know. Old habits die hard. And, anyway…we’re here today, Mrs. Maxwell.”

  “Oh, that’s the best,” she said with a giggle.

  After the dancing, Clay and Andrea cut the cake, while champagne was passed around. Brady clinked his fork against his glass to get everyone’s attention.

  “Since all of you happened to be at my wedding earlier this year, you might remember a certain toast from the groom over there,” Brady said.

  “Oh no,” Clay mumbled.

  “Oh, yes,” Andrea said with glee.

  “And so you all know he had this coming.”

  Their friends and family laughed.

  “Just keep it under an hour!” Clay yelled back.

  Brady laughed and nodded. “Fair.” He cleared his throat. “Obviously, I’ve known Clay his entire life. He’s my younger brother. For a long time, he was just that annoying kid, following me around. Then, he was that annoying kid who got into Yale. Then, the Supreme Court. Then, Cooper and Nielson. I’d like to say he outgrew the annoying part, but we all know him better than that.”

  Everyone laughed good-naturedly, and Clay just shook his head.

  “That is, until this year. I remember a time during my senior year of college, when I was playing ball at UNC, and Clay came to visit. That was rare. We didn’t get along like that back then. I tried to show him a good time. Sorry, Mom and Dad.”

  Their dad laughed, and their mother just covered her ears, like she hadn’t heard what he just said.

  “We had a great time that weekend, as brothers. But, even then, I knew something was different about him. I knew Andrea, of course. They’ve really been together since they were kids even though they didn’t officially start dating until college. But it wasn’t until that weekend when I realized that Clay really loved her. Call me crazy. Back then, I wasn’t exactly a romantic.”

  Liz nudged him in the side. “Well, thank God I changed that.”

  “Agreed, baby,” he said with a laugh. “The thing is…I don’t think Clay knew how much he was head over heels for this girl.”

  Andrea beamed, and tears glistened in her eyes. When Brady had first told
her this story, she had broken down into wretched sobs on the spot. But, now, she could remember it with fondness…knowing Clay had always loved her. And would always love her.

  “With anything that’s truly great, it takes time, sacrifice, and devotion to maintain. You two have put in the years. You’ve put in the time. Lord knows, we all saw the sacrifice and devotion over the last year.”

  Clay smiled back at his brother, who held his glass high.

  “I couldn’t have asked for anyone better for my brother, anyone who just understood him and loved him for who he was. And, in return, I’m ecstatic to call you my sister. To Clay and Andrea.”

  Everyone toasted and drank their champagne.

  Brady finished his off and then grinned. “And, apparently…to great sex!”

  Andrea buried her face in Clay’s shoulder.

  He just laughed. “Got that covered, man.”

  “After that horribly embarrassing moment,” Andrea said with a laugh, “I want to throw my bouquet!”

  Of course, the only unmarried women in the bunch were Savannah, Gigi, and Chris’s sixteen-year-old sister, Alice Atwood. Clay groaned as they lined up to try to catch the bouquet. Andrea was sure that he was hoping no one would catch it. He was super protective of the women in his life but especially his little sister.

  Andrea tossed the bouquet over her head. It flew in the air, and all three girls reached up to catch the gorgeous peonies. Then, it landed softly into Savannah’s hands.

  She squealed and jumped up and down. “Mine!” she cried.

  Andrea laughed and gave her a hug.

  Brady and Clay both held their hands up.

  “Now, wait one minute.”

  “Savi…I don’t think…”

  “You’re too young for any of that.”

  “Andrea, maybe try one more time.”

  “Hey!” Savannah snapped. “It’s mine! And I’m next anyway, right? We’re going in order.”

  Brady shook his head. “I think I see some serious conversations with this boyfriend of yours in the future.”

  Savannah rolled her eyes. “What. Ever.”

  “We should probably cover Tweedledum, too, just as a precaution,” Clay teased.

  “Whoa now!” Andrea said, breaking them up. “Leave poor Savannah alone. She can be up next without you two interfering in her love life!”

  “Thank you, Andrea,” Savannah said. “So, butt out, jerks!”

  Brady grabbed Savannah around the shoulders, and they were jabbing at each other in good nature.

  Andrea shook her head and turned back to Clay just as Gigi walked up. She gave Andrea a huge hug and then one for Clay.

  “Congratulations! Both of you! I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks, Gigi,” Andrea said.

  “I’m so glad you could make it,” Clay added.

  “Me, too. It’s been fun…erm…awkward but fun.”

  “Awkward?” Andrea asked.

  Gigi’s eyes darted to Chris’s and then back to her in a second.

  “Oh, because you slept together?” Clay said.

  “Clay!” Gigi snapped. “Will you give it a rest?”

  “Well, did you?” Clay asked.

  Andrea put her hand to her head. Tactless.

  “For your information, we didn’t. I don’t think he’s interested in me like that. So, if you could stop the interrogation about it, it might be less awkward…since I guess I’ll probably have to be around him a lot more.”

  Clay held up his hands. “All right, all right.”

  “But, for the record,” Andrea said, taking Gigi’s hand, “Chris would be crazy not to be interested in you like that.” Sometimes Andrea still have trouble being around Gigi, but the more she interacted with her, the more she realized how misguided she had been. Clay and Gigi were very similar people, and they really were just friends.

  “Thanks,” she said softly. With a small frown, she cut her eyes back over to Chris.

  The night wore on. Soon, people were retiring to their respective hotel rooms, and Andrea knew that she and Clay should head back to their own hotel room. But she just wanted to waste the night away here with Clay forever.

  Clay’s father approached with a tin of cigars.

  Clay’s eyebrows rose. “For me?”

  “Of course for you!” Jeff said with a smile. “Andrea?”

  “No, thank you. I’ll stick to my champagne.”

  “Good choice.”

  The guys lit their cigars, and Andrea watched them—father and son—having their moment. She had always wanted a better relationship for Clay with his father. Since she had sworn off her family, she had taken up the Maxwells as her own. She hated that Clay had never been able to talk to his dad the way she knew he wanted to. He had been intimidated and put off and afraid for so long, thinking Brady was the favorite. But she knew that his father was just reticent with affection. As they stood together, she could see the bond forging now.

  “I wanted to give you two this before your mother and I headed to bed for the night,” Jeff said, passing over an envelope to Clay and Andrea.

  Clay opened the envelope, and when Andrea saw what was inside, her eyes widened as big as saucers. Inside was the deed to Andrea’s parents’ beach house. How the hell did he get that?

  “This is too much,” Clay said at once.

  “No, it’s not. I know you two already bought a house together, but I thought this would be a good addition.”

  “How?” Andrea asked.

  “I bought it years ago,” he admitted. “Your mother didn’t want to keep it, but…you were family, Andrea, even then. I couldn’t let you lose that home, too. I always figured, one day, I would give it to the two of you. And today is that day.”

  Tears came to her eyes, fresh and hot. She walked forward and hugged Jeff tightly. “Thank you so much. It means more than you’ll ever know.”

  He patted her on the back. “I know, honey. Thank you for making my son so happy.”

  Clay laughed, as if he were trying to reel in all of his emotions. Andrea leaned back against the railing on the deck and stared at her husband and the father she never had.

  “I guess, now, all I have to do is become attorney general to keep you proud of me,” Clay said with a false laugh.

  “What do you mean?” Jeff asked, taking another deep pull on his cigar.

  “You remember,” Clay said like he was desperate for his dad to remember…to know what always ate at him.

  Oh, how she hurt for him then because it was clear on his father’s face that he didn’t remember.

  “You were right here, in this house, and you said Brady was good enough to become president and that I’d be an attorney general…because it worked for the Kennedys.”

  Jeff scratched the back of his head. A habit that both of his sons had acquired from him. “I honestly don’t remember that, son. You should know…I’m proud of you, and I always have been. I hope you never thought that you couldn’t be whatever you wanted to be. If attorney general is your dream, then you’re doing a fine job at getting there. If it’s not, then being the best lawyer in D.C. is pretty damn good, too.”

  Clay opened and closed his mouth. In the matter of one conversation, his father had just shattered every preconceived notion Clay had had about him.

  “I thought you preferred Brady,” Clay muttered, as if he’d been holding the words in for too long.

  “How could a father choose one child over another? I think Brady and I just had more similar interests. You always took after your mother, and I respected that. And, since you always did your own thing, I just felt like you needed my guidance less. Maybe I was wrong for thinking that,” Jeff said. He looked down and then back up at his son, as if struggling for the right words. That didn’t happen often to a politician. “Clay, I’m sorry if you ever thought that I wasn’t proud of you. I’ve always been proud of you.”

  “I love you, Dad.”

  “I love you, too, son.”


  They clasped hands, and then Jeff went to talk to his wife.

  “Are you okay?” she asked carefully.

  “Walk with me?”

  Andrea nodded and followed him out to the beach. They walked in silence in the star-filled night until they reached their spot, the spot of their first kiss.

  After a minute, Clay spoke, “I always thought that my dad really wanted me to be the attorney general. To follow behind Brady. I’ve been holding on to this dream, and my dad didn’t even remember saying it.”

  “So then, let it go,” she said. “Do you want to be the attorney general one day?”

  “I don’t know,” he answered honestly.

  “And that’s okay,” she said, slipping into his arms. “You have me. Let the rest of the world figure itself out as we go. I never knew I’d open an art gallery, and here I am. You can do anything, baby. I know it.”

  Clay kissed her under the moonlight in the exact place where they had first shared a kiss. “How did I get so lucky?”

  “We made our own luck.”

  “That we did, my love. That we did.”

  Epilogue

  FIVE YEARS LATER

  “Zoooom!”

  Clay laughed and chased after his daughter, Cassidy. She was two going on three, and her little legs were racing ahead of him as she tried to escape the dreaded torture of putting on shoes.

  “Daddy, flying!”

  “All right, baby girl.” He scooped her up in his arms and flew her around the room, like an airplane.

  She squealed and giggled until he flopped them both down onto her small bed. He scooted her so that she was on his knee, and he started bouncing her up and down.

  “Again. Again!”

  “No more airplane for now,” he said. “First, shoes.”

  “No shoes. Airplanes, Daddy. Airplanes.”

  “You sound just like your Uncle Brady,” he said with a laugh as he scooped up her hot-pink sparkle shoes off the ground and started fitting them to her feet.

  He and Andrea had adopted Cassidy just over a year ago. Andrea had said she wanted to start to have kids right away after the wedding, and Clay had been surprised to find that he did, too. But, after almost three years without any luck, Andrea had come to him to ask about adopting.