Chain of Title

by Robyn Roze

  She stalled while focusing on the poignant memories. “My dad and brother’s really liked him. His name was Wesley Edwards. We both wanted to be civil engineers and join the Peace Corps. Have adventures.” She stared off into the distance, allowing the past to seize her. Then she closed her eyes, sighing at the acute disappointment and heartbreaking loss.

  “What happened? Why didn’t you stay married to him?” Sean asked in a pinched whisper.

  Shayna inhaled deeply and then opened her pained, gray eyes.

  “Because he died.”

  Sean inhaled sharply. Before he had a chance to ask, Shayna answered his next question. “It was a car accident. He’d gone home to see his parents for the weekend. I was supposed to have gone, too, but I came down with strep throat a few days before, and was just too sick. Wes wanted to stay home with me and go a different weekend when I was feeling better, but I insisted he go. His mother was terminal with breast cancer. I didn’t want him to miss any final ‘good’ moments with her before the drugs and pain took them all away. He loved her so much, and I know he felt torn about what to do. I kept insisting that he needed to go, not wait, if he waited he could end up regretting it for the rest of his life. I didn’t want that on my conscience or his. So, very reluctantly, he went.”

  The old guilt seeped back in and she became unusually quiet, seeming to have drifted off, no longer present. Sean squeezed her gently to bring her back to him. Shayna breathed in sharply.

  “Did he get to see his mother?” Sean asked with a hint of anguish in his voice.

  At that exact moment, Shayna knew she had fallen in love with Sean Parker. Of course, he would ask that question. The same horrible fate had befallen Concetta Parker. Sean knew. He understood.

  “Yes, he did. The accident happened on his way back to school. A truck crossed the median. Hit him head on. He never had a chance.”

  “Did the other driver fall asleep or something?”

  “No. He was drunk—and driving a beer truck. Ironic, huh? Or maybe not so much,” Shayna said bitterly.

  Sean gently brushed away a lone tear from her cheek. “That’s why you don’t drink, isn’t it?”

  She nodded numbly. He enfolded her with his body. “Christ, Shay, I’m so sorry.”

  She shook her head. “It happened a long time ago. But it’s still impossible for Wes to ever be knocked off the pedestal I put him on. He didn’t live long enough to make any mistakes.”

  She choked back an unexpected sob, and more tears fell. It had been so long since she had talked about her first love, so long since she had felt his presence, but she did tonight. At that moment, she could’ve sworn she even smelled his scent.

  Sean held her closer and gave her time to regain her composure.

  “There must’ve been a wrongful death suit? Surely someone had to have paid for what happened?” Sean asked, with a mixture of anger and worry.

  Shayna let loose a soft, mirthless laugh. “Oh, you can’t even imagine how quickly that company wanted the image of their truck and logo pulled off of every news station. The bad publicity was stunning in its scope. They wanted to settle quickly and at almost any price, just to make it go away, so that they could start their new spin cycle. You know, about all of the good that came out of Wes’s death,” she quipped sarcastically. “So they implemented and funded various programs about responsible drinking, school campaigns, television advertising and blah, blah, blah.”

  Shayna shook her head, exhaled loudly, and sat forward, stretching her back and rolling her shoulders in an attempt to relieve some of the mounting tension. Then she felt Sean’s hands massaging her tight muscles, and she could feel the bruising emotions begin to melt away with each squeeze and tug.

  “Wes’s father and I had to sign nondisclosure agreements of course—never discuss the amount or details of the settlement. She snorted in disgust. “I was independently wealthy before I even turned twenty-one. Blood money,” she spat out angrily.

  Sighing loudly, Shayna stood, feeling Sean’s hands slide down her back and reluctantly release her as she made her way across the deck. Leaning against the railing, arms crossed, her eyes skipped across the lazy waves speckled in starlight.

  “I would’ve traded it all to have him back, to have gone with him that day, or to have let him stay with me like he wanted.” Inhaling deeply and releasing a shuddering exhale, she shook her head clear of the old anguish and guilt. “Since that was never going to happen, I decided to help my family. My dad had always worked so hard for my brothers and me; I didn’t want him to worry about money anymore. I paid off his house and truck. Set up an account for him with ‘funny money’ to use anyway he wanted. I wanted him to move out of Aurora—get away from that town and that damn house with its memories, but he refused.”

  Suddenly, strong warm hands glided smoothly down her bare arms, encircling her and wrapping her in soothing warmth.

  “Did it have something to do with your mother?”

  Exhaling resignedly, Shayna soberly replied, “Yes. He kept waiting for her to come back. I don’t know why he believed that she would, why he would want her back, why he couldn’t just let her go and move on with his life. He deserved so much more, so much better than her.” Pulling Sean’s arms tighter around her, she glanced up to the stars and intentionally shifted from the topic of Abigail Montgomery. “I paid off my brothers’ college debts and car loans, too. Scott was single and bouncing all around trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, but Jackson was married, with his first baby on the way. So, I bought him and Emily a nice house so that she could stay home with their baby, the way they both wanted.” She paused, reflecting, and reliving a moment in the past. “And then, in time, I gave the rest to Frank, to start the business.”

  Sean stiffened against her.

  “He took your money?” he said with obvious distaste.

  “We were married, Sean. I looked at it as our money and our new business. We were a team. And it turned out to be a pretty good investment, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I know, but...” he snorted softly and trailed off. “He was already forty when you married him—didn’t he have his own money by then?”

  Shayna understood that no matter what, Sean would always dislike Frank. Nothing could ever change that.

  “Like it or not, Frank helped me through one of the worst times of my life, Sean. I know our marriage didn’t have a happy ending, but it did have a happy beginning.” She could feel the tension begin to ease in Sean’s body.

  He shifted his weight around her, turning her to face him, and he spoke with a thick timbre, “I know I shouldn’t feel this way, let alone say it, but I’m glad you didn’t have a happy ending with him.” He nuzzled against her ear and his hot breath heated her skin. “Because you deserve better. You deserve a happy ending.” He kissed her cheek and squeezed her even closer to him. The meaning in his words clear, her heart fluttered against her chest. “Maybe third time’s the charm, Shay,” he rumbled seductively, next to her ear.

  He pulled back slightly and tilted her chin up to look at him, his eyes full of promises, lust, and love. He couldn’t hide it—didn’t appear to even be trying.

  “You know I’m not superstitious,” she teased softly. The corners of his eyes creased with the hint of a smile. “But sometimes,” she pushed up on her tiptoes bringing her lips just a breath away from his, “I make an exception.”

  CHAPTER 12

  Shayna still couldn’t believe that Danielle wanted to meet at Kincaid’s, a well known and longtime local steakhouse. It didn’t seem like the kind of place a twenty-something would want to dine with her mother—more like a place you would take a date, or business clients you wanted to impress. The atmosphere was thick with masculine accents: leather, dark wood finishes, and an expansive, glass-enclosed, ambient lit, and temperature-controlled wine room with a tasting lounge. There was also a cigar club adjacent to the bar, nearer to the main entry, that drew many executives and their associate
s on a regular basis.

  Oh, well, she didn’t intend to say a word to her daughter. Didn’t want to seem like she was nitpicking, didn’t want to start a fight or put Danielle on the defense. She was just relieved that Dani wanted to see her at all after their altercation. Before that day, Shayna had never found it necessary to lay a hand on Dani. The swiftness with which Shayna had slapped her daughter’s face, had shaken both of them.

  As Shayna drank her sparkling water, she scanned the menu and revisited the past weekend in her head. A warm smile inched up one side of her face. Sean Parker was proving to be quite addicting. She felt like a kid again around him, and the weekend they had just recently spent together only solidified her growing attachment.

  Inhaling deeply, she recalled the day and night spent on his boat, then closed her eyes and shook her head faintly, remembering their steamy encounter on the aft deck under the stars. Their passion had led to the galley, upper and lower salons, and ultimately the master stateroom.

  Shayna crossed her legs even tighter at the erotic memories.

  Sean Parker had been a man on a mission that night, seemingly wanting to christen every square inch of the year-old Tuscan Dream. She giggled inwardly. Thank the stars she had been there to help him pop the cork.

  Releasing a contented sigh, she placed the heavy, leather-bound menu on the cloth-draped table just as Danielle approached the arced booth.

  “Hi, Mom. I hope you don’t mind that Harper tagged along with me,” she said sweetly, sliding in and giving Shayna a quick peck on the cheek.

  Shayna’s heart did drop a little, just a little. She liked Danielle’s boyfriend, but had hoped it would just be the two of them tonight. Another time, she thought, smiling at her daughter’s handsome boyfriend.

  “Nice to see you, Harper. It’s been awhile. How are things going out in San Diego?” Shayna asked with genuine interest.

  “Oh, the job’s great and I love the area. The weather is fantastic, just like everybody says.” He paused for a moment. “There’s only one thing missing,” he said with a sly smile and quick sideways glance at Danielle, who blushed, giggled, and swayed gently into him.

  Shayna watched the two lovebirds. She was certain that Harper Stevens would be proposing to Danielle in the near future.

  “When did you get back into town, Harper?” Shayna asked.

  “Yesterday. I’m only here for a few days and then I’ve got to head back.”

  “Well, thanks for sharing Dani with me tonight. I appreciate it,” Shayna said, smiling, before smoothly tipping her water back for another drink. Just as she placed the glass goblet back on the table, Harper stood and extended his hand.

  “Hello, sir,” Harper said in a serious tone.

  “Harper.”

  Shayna’s head snapped up at the sound of Frank’s booming voice. She literally stopped breathing and then quickly glanced at Danielle who sheepishly looked down at her fidgeting hands in her lap.

  A set-up! They had planned it from the beginning.

  Shayna’s jaw clenched and her stomach tightened. Frank and Danielle knew that she wouldn’t do anything to embarrass Dani in front of Harper or make him uncomfortable in any way. She released the buildup of hot air through the tight slit between her lips.

  Frank leaned in and gave Danielle a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, sweetheart,” he said, stealing a brief glance at the stony expression on Shayna’s face.

  “Hi, Daddy. I’m glad you could make it. It’s nice when we can all be together...like before,” Danielle said meekly, refusing to look at Shayna who exhaled loudly.

  “I agree, sweetheart,” Frank rumbled as he gently squeezed her shoulder and softly brushed his thumb against her cheek.

  Frank looked as if he had come directly from the office in his impeccable black Armani suit. He removed his suit jacket, hanging it on the hook just outside the booth, before sliding in and acknowledging Shayna.

  “How are you, Shay,” he asked, with a mixture of trepidation and superiority.

  She slowly pulled her stare from the distance to lock her icy gray eyes onto his glimmering sapphire eyes, a soft smile curving at one side of her lips.

  “I couldn’t be better, Frank. The single life agrees with me. How about you?” she asked coolly, as her eyes narrowed slightly.

  Dani inhaled sharply, then coughed to cover it. Frank bit down on his lip and then wet it. His chest expanded, then he exhaled resignedly.

  “I’m good. I could be better, but I’m good,” he said tightly. Disappointment shaded his face, and he chewed at the inside of his lip in apparent aggravation, never taking his eyes off hers.

  The remnant of her smile now faded, Shayna motioned to the server and then glanced back to her menu. “Glad to hear it. Now let’s order. I have some place to be.”

  ****

  Shayna spent most of the meal listening remotely. Danielle’s discomfort eventually dissipated and she and Harper eased into one another as they brought Frank and Shayna up to date on the current events in their lives. At times Shayna felt like she was watching someone else’s life unfold, helpless to change its direction. All the while, she knew she was only temporarily visiting a parallel universe, where her life could have been like this—she and her husband of twenty-five years sharing a warm, friendly dinner with their daughter and future son-in-law.

  Before Harper and Dani left for the evening, Danielle kissed Shayna’s cheek and thanked her for coming. Then she had whispered with desperation, “Please stay a little longer and just talk to him. Please, Mom,” she begged, pleading with her beautiful blue eyes, that were capable of thawing the coldest of hearts.

  The rumble of Frank’s voice interrupted Shayna’s musings. “I’m glad that we could all sit and enjoy a meal together, like a family. That’s something we’ll always be, whether you like it or not, Shay. Even you can’t will it out of existence.”

  He watched her cautiously as he took a drink of his neat scotch, watching her jaw tense and release.

  She continued staring blankly at him.

  Frank leaned back against the tall leather booth. “Jackson’s worried about you. You know that, don’t you?” Her eyes widened and her lips thinned, nostrils flaring slightly. “We’re both worried about you.” Shayna snorted subtly and shook her head in annoyance, looking away. “Why do you push away the people that love you? We’re all human, Shay. We all mess up, make mistakes.”

  “Some more than others,” she calmly reminded him, tapping her fingers calmly on the tabletop while scrutinizing her ex. “Tell me who exactly I’ve pushed away, Frank, other than you and my pathetic excuse for a mother.” He bristled from the chill in her tone. “There’s no pattern here, Frank. No matter how hard you try to create one out of thin air. I haven’t pushed Jackson away. I’m giving him and Scotty the space they want, so they can get to know Abigail. I don’t need to know any more about her than I already do, so I choose not to be a part of it.” She was seething on the inside. How dare he contact Jack about any of this!

  She noticed he hadn’t mentioned Scotty. Not surprising. Scotty never liked Frank and never made much effort to pretend otherwise. Jackson had been lukewarm toward Frank in the beginning, too. Then, when Frank helped get Jackson’s construction business off the ground, everything changed. Understandably so, she figured. Now Jackson made no bones about the fact that he thought she was nuts not to take Frank back. Scott, on the other hand, hadn’t said a whole lot other than “About damn time.”

  “Well, we’re two pretty important people in your life, Shay.” Frank remarked indignantly, attempting to keep his voice down.

  She eyed him carefully and exhaled softly. “You’re right,” she acquiesced softly. Frank’s expression softened at her unexpected words. “You were both very important to me. The problem is I wasn’t nearly as important to either of you,” she said without emotion. “So spare me your flowery words of love, devotion and making amends. I don’t owe either of you anything. This is one situation you can’t buy yo
ur way out of, Frank. Even you can’t have everything you want.”

  Frank’s broad shoulders slackened, and regret colored his face.

  She leaned casually back against the soft leather booth and gauged him. He looked defeated, but she wasn’t fooled. Shayna knew Frank Chastain didn’t give up when he wanted something. He would bully, bribe, and manipulate to get his way. She had learned that about him after many years of marriage, recognizing he had done the same thing to her since they had first met more than twenty-seven ago, only his approach with her in the beginning had been so much more subtle. Not to mention she had been young, naïve, and grieving. She hadn’t stood a chance against what he wanted back then, but she had wanted him, too. They had loved each other. He had been good to her for so many years. It was hard to remember that, sometimes, because it hurt to remember it.

  In a beaten voice, he asked, “What do I need to do Shay, to make things right, to prove to you that I’m serious. Crawl? Because I’ll do it. I know I’m responsible for our family being torn apart, but now you’re keeping it apart. Let me put it back together, Shay. Just tell me how. Talk to me. Get the anger and hurt I’ve caused you out of your system so that we can move forward together. If you need to use me as a punching bag to do that, then do it. Hell, I don’t care. I’ll do anything, Shayna. Anything.”

  Oh, he was a persuasive, handsome man. Shayna couldn’t believe that thought had even crossed her mind, but it did. He still looked so virile and strong, exuding self-confidence and command. How could she not have known he was cheating on her? Not have at least considered the possibility? She shook her head faintly. Women must throw themselves at Frank Chastain on a daily basis. Wealthy and handsome. Quite often, the two didn’t pair up. Shayna closed her eyes and inhaled slowly before opening them.

  “How long, Frank?” she asked simply.

  His brow quirked in question. “What? How long, what?” He shrugged with a quizzical expression.