by Donna Hill
She was led down a long, carpeted corridor, whose walls were dotted with large framed photographs of the learned and somber faces of past college presidents and chairmen. It was a bit intimidating, but Bailey took it in stride. She deserved to be here.
The assistant opened a heavy mahogany door and stepped aside so that Bailey could enter.
“Dean Withers, this is Ms. Sinclair.”
Coleman Withers removed his half-frame glasses and smiled up at Bailey. He rose from his seat and came around his desk. “Ms. Sinclair.” He extended his hand, which she shook. “Thank you for coming.”
“I should be thanking you.”
“Please have a seat. Can I get you anything?”
“Water would be fine.”
He looked to his assistant. “Would you bring us some water, Diane?”
“Right away.”
“Have any trouble finding us?” he mildly joked.
Bailey smiled. “No, not at all. Parking is a bit of a maze.”
He chuckled. “Yes, it’s been the battle cry for years, but—” he gave a slight shrug “—we’ve accepted it as part of the LSU charm.”
Whatever anxiety that Bailey had been feeling peeled away. Dean Withers made her feel totally comfortable and relaxed.
His assistant returned with a glass pitcher of water and glasses on a tray. She set them on the table. “Will you be needing anything else?”
“No. Thank you, Diane.
“So, tell me about yourself and why you want to come to LSU.”
Bailey had gone over this part of what she was going to say at least a dozen times. The words flowed easy as the Mississippi.
“You are exactly the kind of candidate that we want in our law department here at LSU,” he said once she’d finished. “And I can guarantee that the program and the sense of family here at the university will make your time with us years that you will cherish.”
Bailey listened and felt like she was on cloud nine. Yes, she had Harvard on a lock, but LSU offered her everything she wanted, as well, and she could stay in Baton Rouge and with Justin.
“It isn’t often that we give full-ride scholarships. But with your grades, your statement of purpose essay and of course meeting you...I have no doubt that we made the right decision.” He smiled broadly. “And of course any friend of the Lawson family is a friend of ours. One of our biggest benefactors.”
Bailey’s heart seemed to stop then banged in her chest. “Lawson?”
His face turned almost crimson. He cleared his throat. “Wonderful family,” he stuttered.
Bailey felt sick. Justin did this. He arranged for the entire thing. Was her scholarship a real one, or was he paying for that, as well? Her temples began to pound. She pushed up from her seat and extended her hand. “Thank you for your time, Dean Withers.”
Before he had the chance to react to his faux pas, Bailey was out the door and practically running down the hallway. How could he do this to her? Manipulate her life? Where would it all end?
Bailey could barely see through the cloud of tears that continued to fill her eyes and the wall of fury that boiled and bubbled up from her stomach. She was giving him back his damned car, his freaking keys and the fairy-tale life that he thought he was going to shove down her throat. She’d called Addison and told her to meet her at Justin’s house. Even as Addy pressed, Bailey wouldn’t get into details on the phone because she knew that Addy would try to talk her out of it.
Addison had actually beat her there and was parked on the road leading to the entry gate of the house. Bailey slowed and pulled up alongside Addison.
“I’ll be right back.” She screeched onto Justin’s driveway, before Addison could blink, spitting up dirt and dust and came to a halt right at the front step. She snatched her belongings from the passenger seat, got out and stomped up to the front door. She didn’t bother to use her key or ring the bell; instead she left the house keys on the mat along with the keys to the Benz. She drew in a shuddering breath, spun away and hurried down the winding walkway and out to the road where Addison was parked.
Bailey tugged the door open and flung herself into the seat. She jammed the seat belt buckle in the slot and folded her arms defiantly in front of her.
Addison knew that when Bailey took that stance and that hot look burned in her eyes, that it was best to keep distant until she was ready to talk. Otherwise one risked getting their head bitten off. She pulled out and got back on the main throughway that led back to their part of town. Periodically, Addison stole furtive glances in Bailey’s direction. Her stoic countenance never changed. The suspense was killing her.
“I guess you must know that it’s over,” Bailey finally said, her voice raw and hoarse.
“I figured as much. But why, B? You were head over heels happy.”
“Just proves what I’ve been saying all along about relationships—” her voice cracked “—and men wanting to control your life.”
“You really sure this is how you want to deal with this?”
“The whole meeting at LSU was manipulated by Justin!” she blurted out, hurtling the conversation in a different direction. “The scholarship, admittance, everything. He used his family name to get me in and pulled the strings to get the full-ride scholarship.”
Addison frowned. “And you’re pissed...why? Girl, do you have any idea what a lucky damned woman you are?”
“You don’t understand, Addy.” She folded her arms tighter as images of the trail of uncles drifted across her line of vision, the tears, the breakups, the highs and lows that her mother endured, just to have a man take care of her. No, she would never go down that road, not even for Justin Lawson.
“You’re right. I don’t understand. The man loves you. You love him. Maybe he shouldn’t have pulled strings without telling you, but damn, girl, I know how you are, and I’m sure he does, too. Did it ever occur to you that he did it because he would be crazy lonely without you?”
Bailey pressed her lips together. “Doesn’t excuse what he did. And what next? This is my time, my life, my dream, and I’m not going to have anyone twist it to suit themselves. I’ve held off on doing me for a long time, Addy. This is me time, on my terms, not the me that he wants me to be.”
Addison blew out a breath and slowly shook her head. “I still think you’re making a big mistake.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
They spent the balance of the drive to Bailey’s apartment in silence. Addison pulled up in front of Bailey’s building. “Want me to come up?”
“No.” She unfastened her seat belt. “I need some time.”
“If you want to talk...”
Bailey turned toward her friend and managed a pained smile. “I know. Thanks for coming.” She leaned over and kissed Addison’s cheek, then got out of the car.
“Call me!”
Bailey raised her hand in acknowledgment, mounted the three stairs to the front door of her building and went inside. The moment she was safely on the other side of her door and looked around at her life stacked in boxes, the well of tears that she’d held in abeyance, broke loose. She slid down to the floor until she came to rest on her haunches, covered her face with her hands and wept.
Chapter 25
Justin pulled into his driveway and was thrilled but surprised to see the Benz parked right in front of the house. Bailey must have decided to come straight to him after her interview. As he got out of the Lexus, the feelings of happy anticipation began to dissipate. The angle of the car was all wrong, as if it had been thrown to a stop. He walked past the car and up the steps to the front door and saw the house key and the keys to the car tossed on the welcome mat.
Slowly he bent down and picked them up. He turned back to look at the car. Whatever idea he may have had about Bailey being home to gree
t him was wishful thinking. This was bad, very bad.
Justin put the key in the door and then shut it behind him. The multi-bedroom, two-story mansion echoed with emptiness. The weight of the silence pressed down on him in a way that it had never done before. The enormity of his aloneness bounced off the walls and settled around him.
He pulled off his jacket and tossed it on the chair. He dug his cell phone from his pants pocket and held it in front of him. No matter when he placed the call it wouldn’t be good. He pressed number one on the keypad to speed-dial Bailey, and paced the room while he listened to the phone ring until her voice mail came on.
“Bailey, it’s me. We need to talk. Call me.” He started to hang up. “Please.” He disconnected the call then tapped in Carl’s number.
“Damn, man. Sounds like you really ticked her off,” Carl was saying after hearing what Justin had found when he got home.
“That’s an understatement. I had doubts about interfering...”
“But you stopped thinking with your head,” Carl said.
“Man, don’t go there. It’s more than that.”
“I know. I know. So what are you going to do?”
“I can’t do much of anything until I get to talk to her.”
“Maybe you should just go over there. Plead your case, counselor.”
“No. If I know Bailey she won’t listen. She probably wouldn’t let me in.” He exhaled.
“Hopefully, she’ll call and you two can work it out.”
“Yeah,” Justin groused, not feeling at all confident.
* * *
Justin called Bailey three different times throughout the evening. Each time his call went to voice mail. He could sit in front of her house. She had to come out sometime. Then what? He wouldn’t get into a personal squabble on the street. All he could do was wait.
At some point he’d drifted off. Sunrise was making its way above the horizon. He groaned. He’d fallen asleep in the armchair. His muscles were in knots. Then the events of the previous night came flooding back. He snatched up his cell phone that had fallen onto his lap and stared at the face for a list of missed calls. There were no calls, and there were no texts from Bailey. He tossed the phone across the room and ran his hand across his stubbled chin then pushed up from the chair with a mild groan.
Shower and coffee, then he’d figure out what to do next.
* * *
“How many times did he call?” Addison asked.
“All together, six.”
“B, you need to talk to him.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, and I’m not going to give him the opportunity to sweet-talk me into believing that his going behind my back was for my own good.”
“Fine. Don’t call.”
“That’s it? You aren’t going to badger me to death about calling him?”
“Nope. I’m out of it. This is your decision. You need me to come over and help with anything?”
Bailey sighed. “Everything is done. I called a moving company. They are going to pick up my boxes this afternoon.”
“This afternoon!”
“Yes. I decided that I may as well go up there a little earlier and...get settled.”
“You really mean get away from Justin and this asshole decision you’ve made.”
“I thought you didn’t have anything else to say about it.”
“I lied.”
“It’s part of it,” she finally admitted.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Yeah, I do. I already called and confirmed the off-campus apartment and paid my deposit over the phone—thanks to the money I got from being fired.” The money that Justin had gotten for her. She shook away the thought. “I’m leaving this weekend.”
“Bailey! That doesn’t give me any time.”
“For what?”
“To plan a going-away party or something. You can’t just leave like this.”
“No fanfare. Just us girls. Promise.”
“Okay, my place. Thursday night.”
“Sounds fine. I’ll be there. I’ll call my sisters.”
“Love you.”
“You, too.”
Bailey held the phone to her chest and closed her eyes. She missed him. Deep down to the soles of her feet, she missed him. But she was so angry and disillusioned and betrayed. What he’d done scared her. She knew it was a ridiculous emotion, but she couldn’t help it. The idea that Justin had the power to mold the direction of her life, strip her of her independence so that she relied on only him, terrified her.
Getting away was what she had to do. Justin. Justin. Justin.
* * *
Justin called her at least three times a day for the next four days. He’d sent flowers, cards, text messages. All he wanted to do was talk to her, he’d said. It was most difficult at night when she was alone staring at the crack that ran across her ceiling. She wanted to call him, hear his voice; she wanted to feel his touch, taste him. She wanted to wrap her legs around his broad back and feel him fill her to her throat. Instead, she stared at the crack in the ceiling.
* * *
Her apartment was empty of the boxes and clothes that she’d had shipped to her new apartment. Tory got a new job that would pay her a decent salary and pay for her to return to school. Apryl swore that she was going to work on herself before she got involved in another relationship. All things considered, Bailey felt comfortable leaving her siblings. It really seemed like they were going to be able to stand on their own two feet. Of course, she was only a phone call away. It was definitely ladies’ night, and Addison was in her element from the spread of food, wine and great music. The girls laughed and shared stories of all of their crazy antics growing up, all the secrets they’d shared, the losses and heartaches.
This was good. This is what she needed, to be reminded that all she’d sacrificed over the years was worth it. Her sisters were going to be fine, and so was she.
The ringing doorbell snapped through the laughter and music.
“The strippers are here!” Tory screeched in delight and gave a high five to Apryl.
Addison left her living room to go to the door. Moments later she returned, and Justin walked in behind her.
Addison, Apryl and Tory all shared a knowing look, offered their greetings and eased out of the room and out to the back deck.
“Hey,” Justin said softly. He stuck his hands in his pockets and kept his distance.
Bailey’s heart was pounding so loud and so fast, she didn’t respond. Justin took a step toward her. “Addison told me that you were leaving tomorrow.”
Bailey swallowed and nodded her head.
“You weren’t going to say goodbye?”
“Thought I did that already.”
The muscles in his face jerked. “I wasn’t trying to run your life, Bailey.”
“Really? What do you call it when you manipulate and maneuver a situation for your benefit without regard to anyone else?”
“I did it for you, Bailey. And yes, I had selfish reasons.” He took a step closer. She curled tighter in her seat. “I didn’t want you to leave. I didn’t want to risk what we were starting to build. I was wrong.” He lowered his head, shaking it slowly. “It was your decision, and I took it away from you.” He looked directly into her eyes. “I did it because I love you, and I didn’t want to lose you.”
Bailey pushed herself up from her seat and walked over to him. “You can’t run my life in the name of love, Justin. It will never work between us if you do. I know you have connections and power and money and stuff that I can only imagine, but when we are together it’s got to be about us, the decisions made about our relationship have to be made by both of us.”
“Whatever you want.” He reached out and clasped
her shoulders.
His touch thrilled her to the marrow of her bones. Inwardly, she sighed.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He stroked her cheek with his finger. “I need you to forgive me. Can you do that? Can you forgive me?” He lifted her chin so that she had to look in his eyes.
“I’ll think about it,” she taunted.
“It’s a start.” He slowly lowered his head until his lips touched hers, and the contact shot through him with such force that it pushed his groan of want up from the center of his being and across his lips.
Bailey inhaled his need that fed her own. She sank into his body, and the security of his arms wrapped around her, holding her, assuring her that whatever it would take, he would do.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you,” he murmured against her mouth before tasting the sweetness of the wine on her tongue. “You leave in the morning...” He caressed her waist.
“Yes,” she managed as he trailed kisses along her neck.
“Then we don’t have much time. Come home with me.”
“What about...” She jerked her head toward the back deck.
“Believe me, they’ll understand. Get your things.”
It was clear that it wasn’t a question. It was a statement. But this time she didn’t care that he wasn’t asking what she wanted, but telling her what she needed—a night with the man that she loved.
Chapter 26
“If it’s okay with you, I’ll fly you up in the morning.”
Bailey sighed and stretched her limbs that had gotten a serious workout from the moment they’d crossed the threshold of his home. She smiled in the darkness. “I’d like that.”
“So glad that you approve, Ms. Sinclair.” He chuckled and caressed her bare hip, and the simple action had him growing hard again. “Hmm. Turn on your stomach,” he said deep in her ear.
Bailey glanced at him then turned onto her stomach.
