Forever Mine (Paradise Place Book 9)

by Natalie Ann

  He shut the vacuum off. “Hey. What are you doing here?”

  Watching a man clean the house shouldn’t be sexy. It shouldn’t make her heart swell either.

  But there he was in jeans and a cotton shirt pushed up to his elbows, the house smelling like lemons, a five o’clock shadow on his cheeks. He had to work tonight and would shower and shave before he left. She knew his routine.

  “I wanted to talk. Is now a good time?”

  “Sure,” he said. He put the vacuum in the corner. “Have a seat.”

  He was calm like he normally was. Not a ton ruffled his feathers and she always liked that about him. “So I just got an interesting phone call.” She decided to be honest. “I was ready to come over here all in a cloud of fury that I didn’t know what was going on, but my father talked me off the ledge.”

  “A cloud of fury?” he asked. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you like that though I’m positive you can be, knowing what I do about your ex.”

  She thought of Kevin in her house a few weeks ago and pushed it aside. She should say something to Trey about that but didn’t think it was the same. Kevin was starting trouble in ways to make sure she was miserable the rest of her life.

  Her ex wanted her relationship to end with Trey. He didn’t want her, but didn’t want her to have anyone else. She’d felt like such a failure for years with her marriage and the way her life turned out and finding this with Trey made it all better.

  She wanted to be able to handle Kevin on her own and prove she could again. That Kevin didn’t have the power to end what she found.

  Trey’s ex was out for money and she knew it. Kathy wouldn’t care if Trey and Whitney’s relationship ended. Someone that didn’t care enough about their child wouldn’t about their ex either. In her mind these were completely different instances with their exes.

  Was it irrational? Most likely, but she didn’t want to lose what she had because her ex was going to make up lies.

  And the comment about a cloud of fury. That wasn’t anything like the screaming matches she and Kevin had toward the end. When she kicked him out, there was no screaming. There were tears and a calm voice when he walked in the door and she had his clothes packed up and said, “You’re not staying here. I don’t care where you go, but it’s not here. You aren’t welcome in this house again.”

  “Let’s not go there,” she said. “But speaking of exes. I just heard from yours.”

  24

  Wrong Once Again

  Did he think he didn’t have to worry about his ex coming back in his life after that call a few weeks ago? Guess he was wrong once again.

  And the fact that Whitney was ready to come here in a mood told him he wasn’t going to like what was said. Add in that her father calmed her down, which meant her family knew. Just more things stacked against him, it seemed.

  “So, what did Kathy want?”

  “Maybe it’s another ex that called me,” she said. “Did you think of that?”

  “No. I don’t have another one that would.”

  “Okay then. So, first off, she said that she wanted to see Ben.”

  “Not happening,” he said back fast. “She has no legal right to him and she knows it.”

  “Second she said that she wanted you back.”

  “Sure the hell not happening. What she and I had lasted a month or so. It wasn’t more than sex to start and when it turned into a baby and her reaction to it, I felt nothing more for her than repulsion and the need to get her through the pregnancy so I could have my son.”

  “But she lived here with you,” she said.

  “Part of the agreement,” he said. “She got to live for free. I paid all her expenses and then paid her for my son. Not to mention the legal fees. You know all of that.”

  “Which brings something else up,” she said.

  “What’s that?” he asked, crossing his arms.

  “That if she wanted to fight you, you’d have to come up with more money and maybe you’re tapped out. She wanted to know if I cared enough to help you out.”

  “Fuck no,” he said, standing up and pacing. “First off—no, I’m not tapped out. I took a loan out to pay her and I’ll be paying it down for years. I don’t care. I consider it like a car loan for something that I get to love every day of my life. And if I had to do it again, I would. I’d sell my house before I’d let her see my son.”

  Whitney got tears in her eyes. “I called her bluff. I told her I was calling her bluff. That I didn’t think she had the money or the willingness to fight for Ben. But that she wanted the money.”

  “That’s right,” he said. “She does. When she called she even told me that she knew who I was dating and there was no reason I couldn’t get it from you. I don’t need anything from you or anyone else. I’m fully capable of taking care of my son and holding onto him.”

  “So she did call you and you didn’t tell me?” she asked.

  “She did. I didn’t tell you because, one, it didn’t concern you. It didn’t concern us. I don’t need anything from you, least of all money and I don’t need anyone to think that either.”

  “So that is it. You’d risk your pride rather than getting anything from me.”

  He stopped pacing to stare at her. “I can’t win with you, can I? I’ve told you time and again I’m not with you for money. I felt that way years ago. I feel it now. I know your ex did a number on you and money played a part in it. I’m trying to prove I’m not that way. And now you’re throwing it in my face that maybe I can’t take care of my kid.”

  “No,” she said, standing up and going to him. “I’m not saying that. I’m saying that I know you don’t want anything from me. But I’m telling you right now—I love you and Ben enough that I don’t give a shit about your pride. If she wants to start trouble and disrupt your life, Ben’s life, my life with you two…then I’m damn well getting involved. She knew that. She was playing that.”

  “She was. She’s good at that,” he said, pulling her into his arms. He couldn’t be mad at her for saying this. Her vulnerable side came out at times, but the loyal one always won. “I love you, Whitney. Not your money or your name. I loved what we had years ago and I threw it away.”

  “Because you were scared,” she said. “I know. I’m not blameless to that. I get the feeling you’re scared again.”

  “On a different level,” he admitted.

  “What level is that?”

  “That what I feel for you is so much stronger. It’s not just me this time around. It’s Ben. He loves you too. But those insecurities of not being enough or people watching us or waiting to see if I’m going to break your heart again is getting to me.”

  “Why haven’t you said anything?”

  “Because it’s my burden to carry and work out.”

  “We don’t have burdens apart. We’re adults now. We should be more mature. My family loved you years ago. They love you more now.”

  He snorted. “They love you. They want you happy. If I’m doing that, they like me. If I’m not, they don’t.”

  “You’ll be the same way with Ben in the future and you know it. But the fact my family is all about my role causing you to break up with me back then that should tell you something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That they’ve always loved you. They were sorry for what happened, but if they were truly upset with you over it, they wouldn’t have accepted you back again like they have.”

  He’d expected her brother and father, even other men in the family to have words with him in the beginning. But it wasn’t anything major. Nothing that pissed him off.

  Since then everyone was friendly to him. Accepting was the word. Not just him, but Ben.

  They’d all given Ben Christmas gifts. He shouldn’t have been surprised over it but was. After all the presents were open at Whitney’s they’d gone to her parents and Ryan and her family were there along with more gifts for his son. Even a few restaurant gift cards for him and Whitney
as a couple.

  “Things are complicated and they shouldn’t be,” he said.

  “I think we are making them that way,” she said. “But we aren’t carefree teens anymore. We don’t have our parents taking care of us. We are adults with responsibilities of our own.”

  “Some more than others,” he said.

  “So you thought you could handle this by yourself?” she asked. “Or were you worried I wasn’t strong enough to deal with this?”

  “The first,” he said. “Not the second. I think you’re stronger than anyone ever gave you credit for.”

  “Thank you for that,” she said, kissing him. “I am. I didn’t always think I was. I’ve made a ton of mistakes in my life and I’d like to think I’m learning from them. That I’m a better person for them too.”

  “You’re a great person,” he said. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

  “Same to you. You’re a wonderful father. A terrific boyfriend. Hell, you even clean the house.”

  He laughed. “If I don’t it doesn’t get done.”

  “Can I tell you how sexy I find it that you do that?”

  “You find it sexy I’m pushing a vacuum back and forth.”

  “And that the house smells like lemons. The toys are picked up in the corner. You load the dishwasher at my house and wipe down the sink. You make sure your whiskers aren’t floating anywhere when you shave.”

  “I guess I never realized what turned a woman on,” he said, swinging her into his arms and laying her on the couch.

  “Now you know. And now I want you to do something about it. Just like you did years ago when I turned you on. Times might have changed for a lot of reasons, but the results are the same. You’ve always been mine,” she said. “And I want you always to be.” He stopped and stared at her. “And here I am running my mouth and putting the pressure on you. It’s just words.”

  “Words that I need to hear,” he said. “We are both overreacting to too many things.”

  “No more,” she said. “Let’s talk and work it out.”

  “You mean working it out like this,” he said as his mouth covered hers, his hands going under her shirt.

  “Exactly like that.”

  He undid her jeans and pulled them down to her ankles, then picked her trapped feet up and put them behind his head, his mouth going right to her heat. “Remember this?”

  “How could I not?”

  He started to attack her swollen bud like he used to do when they were on a time crunch and maybe hiding in a closet or the backseat of a car.

  He was fast and urgent and his fingers were thrusting in with the same speed as his tongue stabbing at her until she started to buck up and come, her legs tightening on his shoulders.

  When she was done, she lifted her legs up, fixed her jeans and said, “Switch. My turn.”

  He laughed. “You don’t have to.”

  “See? Sexy. Ladies first. But hey, time crunch. Someone might be up from his nap soon. The urgency is a turn on.”

  He laughed and shifted, her hands going to the buttons on his jeans and freeing him. When she lowered her head he realized that she was worried she was rushing, but found it was him that was ready to move forward.

  25

  Look At Him Go

  Trey heard the footsteps on the stairs outside his apartment while he was watching Ben eat breakfast. He looked at the clock and noticed it was earlier than normal for Gillian to be leaving for work.

  He had a packed day working with his father. When he heard his front door rattle he moved to unlock it, but Gillian had her key in and opened the door. “Hey,” she said. “Your truck is leaning funny.”

  “What?” he asked.

  “I went out the door and your truck is leaning to one side. My guess is you’ve got a flat tire, but I didn’t go look, just wanted to tell you quickly.”

  “Shit,” he said.

  “I’ll watch Ben if you want to go check it out.”

  “Thanks.”

  He put his jacket and boots on, went outside stepping around the snow that he shoveled last night. Just a few inches and not bad, but it was going to be a pain in the ass to change a tire on the cold driveway.

  When he walked around to the other side he noticed it wasn’t just one flat but both on the right side. Completely flat, like on the rim.

  He looked closer but didn’t see a slash in the tires so it was more like someone probably let the air out. He was thinking of his ex as this smacked of her.

  Especially since he called her two days ago when Whitney was at the house and gave her shit. Told her that her games weren’t happening and no one was playing but her. She probably didn’t think he and Whitney would talk about it and confront her, but they did and to prove to Whitney he wasn’t hiding anything he’d placed the call with her there.

  He went to the one-stall garage at the end of the driveway that held all his tools and dug out the compressor and wheeled it close to fill the air on his tires.

  But the minute he put the nozzle on the stem he realized the air wasn’t going in. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the stem had been damaged, almost pulled away, meaning the tires could not be repaired.

  He shoved the compressor back in the garage and went into the house, the urge to put his fist through the wall massive. Kathy was going to continue to be a thorn in his side draining him of money. “I need to call a tow truck,” he said.

  “What?” Gillian asked. “Why?”

  “Because the stems are damaged and the air can’t get in.”

  “Damaged?” she asked, wiping Ben’s mouth and hands. At least his son was on track with his day. “Like someone did that?”

  “Yep. If it was one tire I might think I hit a pothole or something, but two? No way. That’s tampering.”

  “Who would do that?” she asked.

  “My guess is Kathy.”

  “Ben’s mom?” she asked.

  “Kathy isn’t a mother and never will be. She’s a cold-hearted bitch that got money and now wants more.”

  “What?” Gillian asked. “What is going on?”

  He didn’t want to tell her and should have kept his mouth shut. “Don’t worry about it. I’m handling it. I’ve got to call a tow truck because I’ve only got one spare so I can’t even get my truck to the shop.”

  “Does Dad have a spare you could use since you’ve got the same truck?”

  He hadn’t thought of that. “Probably. I need to call him to tell him I’m late.”

  “I’ll get Ben ready.”

  “Don’t you have to go to work? You’re leaving earlier than normal.”

  “I’ve got a meeting. It’s fine. I’ve got ten minutes before I’ve got to leave. Make your call and let me get Ben ready for you.”

  Just another reason to be thankful for having that extra set of hands. Did he hate that it felt like he was taking advantage of his family at times? Yeah, he did. And though he didn’t want Whitney to think he was using her, it was nice that she was willing to take Ben too.

  He hung up with his father when Gillian came out with Ben dressed and his bag ready. “Is Dad coming?”

  “Yeah. He’s on the way and I’ll get the spares on and get to the shop for two new tires.”

  “I’d take Ben to the sitters for you, but I really need to go.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll just let Barb know I’ll be late.”

  “Why not call Whitney?” Gillian said. “She said she’d take him anytime you were in a bind.”

  “She’s working too.”

  “Her family owns the place. I’m sure she can go in late,” Gillian said.

  “True. I don’t know. It’s bad enough Kathy was trying to start shit and I thought I put an end to it and now this.”

  “What’s she starting?” Gillian asked as she packed Ben’s other bag.

  He started to text Whitney. He didn’t want to, but his father was slammed today and they needed to get to the customers. “She’s back i
n the area and trying to cause trouble. The end game is money like it always is. She called Whitney thinking I wouldn’t find out.”

  “You’d never keep something like that from Whitney or her from you,” his sister said.

  “I didn’t tell Whitney Kathy was calling me. But Whitney did tell me Kathy contacted her a few days ago.”

  “Good for Whitney and bad on you,” Gillian said. “You two need to communicate better.”

  Here they go again. Everyone giving them advice. “We’ve got it covered. And Whitney is on her way to get Ben too, so you can go. Thanks for packing his stuff up.”

  “Anytime. Tell Whitney I said hi.”

  His sister left and he went to give Ben a toy to keep him in place, but it wasn’t happening. His son was on his feet and holding onto everything he could to get moving. He knew those first steps were coming soon and he was just praying he got to see them.

  Fifteen minutes later, Whitney was walking in the front door. “They look bad out there. What happened?”

  He hadn’t told her his suspicions. It was too much to text. “My guess is Kathy.”

  “Guess we are both plagued with crappy exes.”

  He laughed. It was all he could do.

  “Hey, Ben,” Whitney said, squatting down. Ben let go of the couch and took one step, then another, wobbled a little, took a third and then went down on his butt. “Did you see that?” she asked all excited. “He walked to me.”

  “Yeah, I saw it,” he said.

  “Let’s see if he’ll walk to you,” she said, moving toward Ben and standing him up and then letting him hold her fingers. He went a few feet away and when Ben started to get some motion, Whitney slipped her fingers out of Ben’s grasp and he took four steps, then went on his butt.

  “Look at him go,” he said. “Damn.”

  “It’s a good thing you were here to see this today.”

  “The only good thing of the day.”