Mistletoe Magic (Paradise Place Book 6)

by Natalie Ann

  “You know that never stopped me before.”

  “What is it you want?” They hadn’t talked since the divorce was final back in the spring. A fast divorce at that. Money talks when you want things done.

  “I just felt like I needed to talk to you. It’s been a year.”

  This time she paused. It was a year today. She’d completely forgotten. She never thought she’d forget that day yet realized when you found what you were looking for that maybe you didn’t hold onto the past as much as you thought you would.

  “Yes. A full year since my eyes were opened.”

  A sight she would never be able to undo. All she could be thankful for was she wasn’t seeing it when she shut her eyes anymore.

  That she never wondered what she was missing or lacking. It was pretty obvious what it was and that she’d never be right for Alex.

  The bigger question was how she couldn’t or didn’t see it before now.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “You know that. I never wanted you to know.”

  “I was your wife,” she said. “There shouldn’t be any secrets in a marriage. Ever. This was a massive one.”

  “I heard you were moving on and dating someone new.”

  So this was what it was about. “Why do you care? We aren’t married anymore.”

  “I loved you.”

  “Don’t even go there, Alex. Everything was fake or false and you know it. I was a means to get your parents off your back.”

  “What I felt for you wasn’t.”

  “It wasn’t enough and it never would be.”

  More silence from him. “You know why.”

  “You should have told me.”

  “I couldn’t.”

  “It’s not my problem you can’t stand up to your parents. That’s your life and not mine.”

  “They control everything.”

  He’d always made his parents out to be these horrible people. He was a victim, he’d say. She never found that. She never realized anything other than they were a little old fashioned in their ways and thoughts. They had an image and they wanted it upheld.

  Sure, it probably hurt Alex the most in life, but it hurt everyone around him too because he couldn’t be honest.

  “Are you still working for them?”

  “Of course I am,” he said.

  “Do you still talk to them?” she asked.

  “Where are you going with this?”

  “The fact that the truth is out and yet they didn’t disown you. They didn’t kick you out of their lives.”

  “I will never be good enough in my father’s eyes,” he argued.

  “Again, not my problem. It doesn’t change the fact that you lied and cheated on me. You broke vows we had. I feel like a fool.”

  “How do you think I feel right now? You’re dating your divorce lawyer,” he said, almost snarling it at her.

  Obviously his parents told him that. “You and I aren’t together anymore. No one is privy to what happened in our marriage and I want to keep it that way.”

  “Brian is,” Alex said. “He knows everything and he knows what your settlement was.”

  “And he’d never say a word about any of it,” she said back. “That’s confidential. Just because we are dating means nothing.”

  “I’m sure he thought you were just prime pickings when he realized how much you were worth.”

  “Alex. I don’t have time for this. You have your life and I have mine. We’ve got nothing more to say to each other.”

  “Maybe you want to know more about your boyfriend.”

  She didn’t know where this was going but told herself to get off the phone now. Anything Alex said was going to just cause her more heartache.

  She knew what she needed to know about Brian and that was enough. “I know that I love him and he’s a man that treats me well. That’s enough for me.”

  She hung up the phone and took a few deep breaths hoping to stop the shaking. It didn’t help when her stomach started to churn and she found herself gagging.

  She put her hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom but thankfully managed to keep her breakfast down.

  Here she thought she’d done so well by moving on with her life. That her ex’s infidelity and lies didn’t upset her anymore. That she could stop doubting herself and her choice yet he put that little bug back in her belly to upset her anyway.

  She found a man that would treat her well and loved her.

  Not someone that would lie to her. Cheat on her. Make her feel bad about herself.

  Why Alex thought he had to come into her life again was beyond her, but she was stronger now and wasn’t going to deal with it.

  He didn’t want her yet he felt that someone else shouldn’t have her either? Is that what he thought?

  Then his crock of poo that he loved her. He probably did in his own way. The only way he was able to.

  It was not what she needed or wanted though.

  She needed to talk to someone but knew Brian wasn’t that person.

  She sent a text to Rick knowing he was sleeping but hoping they could talk tonight.

  When her phone went off a minute later that he was up, she called him.

  “Hey, baby sis. What’s going on?”

  “Why are you up?” she asked.

  “Because I’m back to work.”

  “It’s five there.”

  “Yeah. I’ve been up for about thirty minutes. I’m just getting coffee. Traffic is a bitch and I start around seven in the office.”

  She suspected he wasn’t being honest with her and had been up earlier, but he was a big boy and could take care of himself. “Alex just called me,” she said and burst into tears.

  “I’m going to wipe the floor with his ass. What the hell did he want?”

  “It was a year today that I caught him. I didn’t even realize it. I don’t know why he thought he had to remind me.”

  “Asshole,” Rick said.

  “I think he wanted to call because he found out I was dating Brian. He thinks Brian is only with me because of the money.”

  “First off, it’s none of his damn business who you date or what reasons anyone has. And if I thought Brian was with you for that reason I would tell you.”

  “You thought it at first though too,” she said.

  “That was before I met him. I don’t think it now. If I did, you’d be the first to know it.”

  She trusted her brother more than anyone else in the world. Brian was damn close, but she did only know him a few months.

  “I just needed someone else to say that to me.”

  “Don’t start doubting yourself or Brian. My guess is Alex is more worried that if you start to date someone and they find out who you were married to, they might want to know what happened.”

  “I wouldn’t tell anyone. I’m not stupid enough to think it will never come out. Too many people know. Not just me and Brian and his family, but the people that Alex has been with. For all I know he bought them all off too. That’s not my problem.”

  “That’s right, it’s not. And if it gets out, then it does. You did nothing wrong. Remember that.”

  “I know. I know.”

  “Are you going to tell Brian Alex called you?”

  “I don’t think so. Do you think I should?”

  “I’m not going to tell you how to handle your relationship.”

  “Which isn’t helping me,” she said.

  “Robin, you have to figure that part out on your own. I’m here to tell you not to listen to Alex. He’s nothing but a jerk that used you for his own image.”

  “He said he loved me. Like he meant it as he might still.”

  Rick laughed on the other line. “Don’t go there. Don’t let him in your head.”

  “I know it’s just lip service. He might have lov—”

  “Stop it,” he interrupted. “I don’t want to hear another word about him or his feelings or any excuses he might have. Don’t let him bring you down. D
o you hear me?”

  “Loud and clear.”

  “Promise me, Robin. Alex is in your past. You deserve so much better. So much more in life than him.”

  “I know I do,” she said. “I feel like I finally found it.”

  “Then focus on that and nothing else.”

  “I will. I need to leave for work,” she said, looking at the clock on the microwave. “I don’t want to be late.”

  “If you’re still upset later and need to talk, call me. I’m here and you know it.”

  “Thanks, Rick. I owe you again. I feel like I’m always saying that to you. Maybe one of these days I can give you some advice.”

  He laughed. “You like to mother me. That’s fine. You do a good job of that too.”

  She hung up the phone, put the dogs in the crate and then dashed out the door, hoping to put this morning behind her.

  25

  Cause Trouble

  “Brian,” his accountant said, “your client is here.”

  He looked up at the clock on the wall. The guy was early. Since it was so miserable outside and the snow was still falling on this lovely end of January day, he’d hoped the guy would have canceled or at least want to do a phone call instead. Nope, Matt Gunner wanted to meet.

  Even his secretary was home today and his accountant was going upfront when she heard the bell go off.

  He’d told Molly to stay home too. She had no one to meet and the snow was just going to continue to fall. He was glad that Robin was off today and decided not to go into the shelter to volunteer.

  “I’ll be right up,” he said. Hopefully it was a fast meeting and then he could lock the office up for the day and send everyone home. He’d get more done there anyway. If Robin didn’t have to go to work tomorrow, he’d consider going there, but there was no reason to go to her house to just sit at the table and work. He’d be more comfortable in his own office at home.

  When he got to the front the last person he expected to see was Robin’s ex standing there.

  “Alex,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

  “We’ve got a meeting.”

  “Matt Gunner?” he asked and tried not to laugh. The guy was a total dick and a coward on top of it. If he had something to say he could have called or made an appointment under his own damn name.

  “Yes. I felt it was best to do it that way.”

  “Best for who?” he asked. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

  “Is that a dig at me?” Alex asked.

  “Take it any way you want.”

  “Can we go into your office?”

  “Be my guest. The clock is running.” He had every intention of billing the asshole on top of it.

  He wasn’t sure what Robin saw in Alex, but he supposed from a woman’s point of view the man was good looking. He didn’t have a hair out of place and probably used more product in it than his sister, Meena, did hers. He was wearing black pants, a white shirt and a red and black tie. Why the hell would he be wearing a tie on a day like this? He even had shoes on in the snow rather than boots.

  “Figures you’d be out for money.”

  “A dig at me?” Brian asked, laughing. “You’re the one who set up this appointment rather than just calling and asking to talk man to man.”

  “Like you’d take my call,” Alex said once they were in his office.

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Because you’re dating my wife.”

  “Ex-wife that you didn’t even want.”

  “I loved her. I still do.”

  Those words just drove a knife in his heart. Not from jealousy but rage. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Brian couldn’t believe they were even having this conversation. “What is the purpose of this visit? To warn me off? Not happening.”

  “I know all about you,” Alex said.

  “And what’s that?” Brian asked, crossing his arms. He may be on the thin side but so was Alex and Alex was at least five inches shorter than him. Besides, Brian had always been told he was scrappy in a fight if it came down to it. Just because Troy was the muscle in their friendship, Brian the mouth, didn’t mean he couldn’t stand up for himself or didn’t have a temper when pushed.

  Matter of fact the temper he had he held in because too many times in his life he spoke without thought and put his foot in his mouth.

  “You’ve got a history of dating your clients.”

  “Is that so?” he asked. Sure, he’d dated a few over the years but again, they came onto him. The same as Robin did. He never made the first step.

  Bringing wine and chocolates with a plant to Robin’s wasn’t the first step in his mind. That was more like testing the waters. Robin was the one who made the first move. She had no problem reminding him of that too.

  Even when it came time for sex, he wanted to hold off until she was positive. She was the one who told him point blank he was what she wanted.

  When it came down to it, she did make a lot more steps toward him than he did in the beginning.

  Kind of like the past ex clients he dated. Nope, not going there.

  “Easy pickings,” Alex said. “I tried to tell Robin that, but she didn’t want to believe me.”

  “You spoke with Robin?” he asked, wondering why she never said a word to him.

  “I did. A few weeks ago. I guess you two don’t talk as much as you let on. Maybe you aren’t as close as I thought you were. I could have saved myself this trip.”

  He laughed. “You are so full of yourself. What I want to know is the real reason you’re here. I think it doesn’t have anything to do with Robin being in love with me.” Alex’s face paled and he knew he hit a nerve. “Or the fact that you think I’m after what she calls her blood money. Nope, it has to do with the fact that I saw that video of you.”

  “She had no right to film me.”

  “It was her house too. You were in bed with someone else. Let’s not beat around the bush here, Alex. You want to know if I’m pulling your leg or not and bluffing. I’m not. You were in bed with a man. Your wife came home to change her clothes and found you having sex in bed with another man.”

  Alex’s face started to turn red. “You’ve got no right to talk about this.”

  “You started this. I’ve never said a word. We are in my office behind closed doors. And just so you know I’m not lying and I did see the video. It wasn’t sex that Robin caught on video. She walked in and saw you kissing someone. She assumed it was a woman since you were on top. That’s when she moved out of the way and started to film without watching. Did you know that?”

  “Shut the hell up.”

  “I guess you didn’t. But I’ll fill you in. Your wife was so upset that you were cheating on her and instead of confronting you had enough smarts to document it. She couldn’t watch it though. She hid behind the doorframe and pointed her phone at the bed and closed her eyes. But she had to listen to it all. After a minute she couldn’t take it and ran out of the house. It wasn’t until she played it back that she realized you stopped kissing and started to give him a blow job. That’s when she realized it was a man and not a woman. Talk about a major betrayal. She’s doubted everything about herself since. Why you wanted her to begin with, what you ever felt for her. If she’s enough for anyone in the future and I’m doing my damnedest to let her know she is worth everything and didn’t deserve what you did to her.”

  “You don’t know what it’s like to hide this from everyone. Talk about doubting yourself. You’ve got no idea.”

  “No. I don’t. But what I know is that she loved you and you used her to show the world you weren’t who you are. That’s your problem. Not hers. You’re not the only gay man in this world. You’re not even the only one who married a woman because he didn’t want to come out. But have the balls to be honest with the woman you said you loved. To tell her why you did it and talk to her openly and honestly about it. Don’t place the blame on anyone else�
�s shoulders or say no one understands you. You’re an adult and accountable for your own choices in life.”

  “It was right in front of her face to see and she didn’t,” Alex said.

  “No, I don’t think it was,” he said. “And you want to know the sick truth of all of this? If Robin hadn’t caught you in the act, I bet she’d still be married to you right now wondering why you weren’t paying attention to her. Doubting why she wasn’t enough for you and wanting to make the marriage work. She’d be asking you for a child too. Oh wait, she already wanted one and you didn’t.”

  “I thought she was perfect,” Alex said. “Naive enough to wonder what she was doing wrong. Wanting the lifestyle I could give her and being thankful for it. It’s the only reason I threw the prenup away thinking that was what was holding her up. She kept saying she was old fashioned and didn’t believe in them. If people were in love they didn’t need it. I just figured she’d never leave me. That she’d loved me too much.”

  “But she wasn’t naive, was she?” he said. “That was another thing that ate at you. She could have cared less about your money. That’s why she didn’t want the prenup. She didn’t want the payoff either when many would have nailed your balls to the wall. It was your mother that insisted on it. Did you know your mother said it was ‘compensation for the heartache my son caused you’? Did your mother say those words to you?”

  “My parents are never going to let me live this down. They know what I am. Who I am. They’ve always known deep down, but my father didn’t want to believe it. When I married Robin they thought I settled down and got it out of my system. I’ve heard it enough from my father how disappointed he was in my life. And yes, I knew my mother said those words.”

  “And you thought you could come here? For what? Do you think Robin wants anyone to know about you? Do you think she is going to spread the word? She’s not. And if you knew her like you should have, you’d know she just wants to move on with her life.”

  “She wants a child,” Alex said. “She’ll do anything to get a child. You don’t know that, do you?”

  “I think we’re done here.”

  “Don’t say you weren’t warned,” Alex said, turning to leave.