by M. Skye
“You’ve been saying that a lot lately. It’s starting to lose its effect.”
With that, she hung up, and Tyree felt an emptiness inside. He didn’t know why he let Jake rattle him so much, but he knew he had to get over it. Ever since he showed his face again, his marriage hadn’t been the same. This time, he could only blame himself for letting it become a problem. The suspicions he had were driving him insane, and he knew that to move past it, he needed to answer whatever questions he had left.
Placing his phone down on her desk, he sank into her chair. How he had allowed his temper to flare again where she was concerned was baffling to him. They had been wonderful since reconciling, and he couldn’t have been happier. He knew he needed her. Maybe that was driving him to be such an ass. The person he should have been mad at was here in town, so why was he using his wife as target practice?
He sat in her chair with his eyes closed for over thirty minutes and felt himself drifting into a nap when he felt hands on his shoulders. His mood drastically improved as he felt the small hands moving back and forth, giving him a light massage. He allowed himself to enjoy the peaceful movements for a few minutes and then reached to pull her into his lap. After the most recent argument, he needed her to know how important she was to him.
Once the small woman was in his lap, he jumped in shock to see that it was Whitney and not Mia. Ushering her out of his lap, he stood, not really knowing what to do next. “I’m sorry. I thought you were your aunt. We just had a moment, and I thought she was coming to make up.”
Whitney blushed and let out a soft giggle. “It’s okay, Uncle Ty. I came looking for her and saw you here. You looked stressed, and I wanted to help. I should have announced myself.”
Tyree took note of the nervous look on her face and ran his hand down her cheek. “It was an honest mistake, honey. It wasn’t like you did anything wrong. I was just caught off guard a little because I was expecting to see her. It’s no big deal. But anyways, what are you doing? You fitting into the office okay?”
He saw her bright smile bursting through and found himself smiling as well. “Yeah. Everyone here is nice to me.”
“That’s one of the perks when your family owns the company.” He chuckled, but he could see she was less than amused. Seeing her smile falter, he pulled her into an empty chair and took the one beside it. “Hey, what’s wrong?” She was shaking her head telling him nothing, but the look in her eyes said otherwise. Tyree felt bad, like maybe he had said the wrong thing. He was pissing off all the women in his life on the same day. “Come on, Whit, talk.”
“Sometimes I wonder if the only reason people are nice to me is because of you guys or because they think Grandpa is going to kill them. I just feel like no matter how hard I work to prove myself, none of it matters. Being in this family dictates the way people treat me, no matter what.”
Tyree knew she always felt like she was in the shadows of everyone else, but he also knew how smart she was. “Baby girl, you know I understand better than anyone what it’s like to prove yourself in a family like ours. It’s hard. Before my dad was outed as what he was, he was a big deal, and it was tough getting people to see me as an equal.”
“How did you do it?”
“I worked hard. I put in late hours, I gained the trust of the major players, and I proved I wasn’t just another handsome face. You’re smart, and you’re capable. Just find your voice in this company and use it. They won’t ignore you. Your brain will be your biggest asset. I’ve seen what you can do. Just show them.”
“I will never be as good as Aunt Mia. She came into this, and they loved her without any doubts. She always wins people over the first time they meet her. She’s perfect.”
Tyree never noticed it before now. He always thought Whitney was in awe of Mia. Now, he saw she was intimidated. “She’s just outgoing. She takes risks, and most of the time she is right. People love her because they see her. She makes herself seen. I’m sure once you get comfortable, they will love you too. You have so much of her and Cassie in you.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. I know you’ve always felt like you weren’t as much a part of the family as her, but she loves you and would do anything to see you succeed. If you need help or pointers, she’s the one who can help.”
“Really? She isn’t too busy?”
“For you, never. Mia will make the time.”
When she leaned over to hug him, he felt her relax and knew he had gotten through. He was all set to get up and go back to his office when she tugged at his shirt. “Okay, now that we have my episode out of the way, let’s talk about what has you upset.”
“I’m fine,” he lied.
“I remember you saying you guys had a fight. What was it about?”
“Nothing major. You know us. We’ll be fine by the end of the night.”
“Don’t tell me you’re fighting about Jake being here. You know she’s done with him, right?”
“You’re too smart. In my head, I know this, but I guess I get antsy when he’s around. She left me before, and he was the one she ran to. I just don’t want it to happen again.”
Whitney sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I don’t trust him.”
“But you trust her, right?”
He was silent, and for the first time he admitted it out loud. “I don’t know. I want to believe her, because me saying that I don’t means I think she will leave again, but damn, I never thought she would leave the first time. Is that bad or what?”
“It’s okay to have doubts, but it’s not right to keep telling her it’s fine when it isn’t. If you feel like it’s going to be a problem, you should say something.”
“I love her.”
“I know.”
“Her laugh, it makes me crazy. The way she smiles when she talks to Kyan is amazing, and the way she throws herself into my arms when she’s excited just makes me melt. I don’t want to lose any of that.”
“Just talk to her. Tell her what you’re feeling.”
“I feel like we’ve had this conversation too many times before. I should be over it. She has been back for over three years, but—”
“Uncle Ty, before Jake came back here, did you have any doubts?”
“None,” he answered quickly.
“Then it’s not her. It’s him. Your problem is with him, and until you confront it, you’re going to doubt her.”
Tyree raised his hands, conceding, and he nodded at her. “You know, to be so young, you’re very insightful.”
“I’ve been told I’m smart beyond my years.” She smirked, and he draped his arm over her shoulder.
“You know, kid, I don’t know what I would do without you. I’m glad you’re staying in town. You keep me sane.”
She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek. “I don’t know what I would do either. I love you, Uncle Ty.”
“I love you too, baby girl. You free for lunch? It’s on me.”
“Sure, and I know just the place. Just let me text Jude and let him know where I’ll be.”
Tyree stepped out of the office, pulling her out by her arm. He loved the time they spent together. Besides the conversations with Mia, some of the best he had were with Whitney. Whitney always knew what to say to him, and she valued his opinion so much. He wasn’t lying when he said she reminded him of Mia. Even if she didn’t know it yet, he was aware that she possessed the same special something Mia did that captivated a room. She just had to unlock her potential.
They got into his car, and he smiled, watching her. How the little girl he once comforted when she cried about having to go back to her boarding school had transformed into the beautiful young woman before him was baffling. He always knew she would be special and that she would change some young man’s world. He was just grateful that the young man who stole her heart was as deserving as Jude. He knew Jude would be the perfect addition to their family, and he couldn’t wait to make it official.
After pulling up to the restaurant, Tyree got out and walked over to open the door for Whitney before letting the valet park his car. He reached for her hand and helped her out as she leaned into his shoulder. He had always been close to his niece, but he never knew how much he had missed her until she was home for good. Now, he was excited. He felt like he could really be a part of her life. He wanted to watch her get married and start a family of her own that he could love as much as he had loved her. To him, as long as he settled things with Mia once and for all, things would be perfect.
Tyree completely spaced out, allowing his thoughts to envelop him. He hadn’t registered anything around him until he looked up and they were being seated at a table. He looked over to his niece and felt himself being transported back into the present. He could tell she was excited, and in a way it made him feel guilty. He hadn’t realized how much he had been neglecting her since she had been back. True, they were all busy, but that was no excuse. Here she was taking time out of her day to have lunch with him, and he was sure she had other things she could be doing. After all, she was newly engaged, and he knew exactly what that entailed: spontaneous lovemaking for no reason at all. He and Mia were there once, so many years ago.
Once they took their seats, he reached across the table and pulled her hand to his. “Thanks, kid. This is exactly what I needed.”
“What, Uncle Ty, lunch?” she chuckled.
“No, a day to spend with you. It’s been so long since we did this. I miss it.”
“I miss it too.”
He cleared his throat. “So, how is everything going? How is the wedding planning?”
“Great.”
He loved the smile that graced her face, and he waved the waiter over for their drinks. The timid boy came over to take their order and stood shuffling in his apron. He seemed nervous to be serving them, but there was something more to his behavior. The way he was looking across the room gave Tyree pause. Just as Tyree began to scan the room, the skinny boy disappeared to the back, and Whitney looked confused.
“What’s up?” she asked. “Why are you looking like you just saw a ghost?”
“Did you see that? That boy, the way he ran off . . . And who the hell was he staring at?”
“People act like this when they’re around you. You make them nervous.”
“Me?” he laughed. “Why?”
“You’re Tyree Johnston, one of the richest men in town, and they know about Grandpa and Uncle John.”
“I’m not them.”
“People who don’t know you think you’re always so serious. They don’t know the man we do, the crazy, fun uncle who loves his family to no end.”
“How’d you get so smart, kid? I swear you put everything in perspective for your old uncle.”
“You’re not that old, and I’m not that smart.”
“You’re brilliant, and Jude is a lucky guy.”
“You keep saying that, but I don’t know, maybe I’m the lucky one. Having someone accept me the way he does is more than I could ask for. He’s the only one who . . . He just knows stuff.”
He saw a tear roll down her cheek and was confused. “Whit, what’s going on? You can tell me.”
“It’s nothing,” she rushed to answer, and he felt his suspicions grow. “I don’t want to ruin our lunch with my melodrama. What we need to be thinking about is how you’re going to get back in Aunt Mia’s good graces.”
Ignoring the noticeable change of subject, Tyree questioned her further. “Did something happen to you?”
He could tell she wished he would just drop it, and when the waiter appeared again with their drinks and appetizers, she was able to evade his questions. She chewed her food nervously and sipped her drink in silence. He was watching her intently, waiting for her to give him a response, but she just kept on eating.
They sat quietly enjoying the drinks and appetizers until the main entrees arrived. When Whitney bit into her food, her eyes lit up, and she flung her fork across the table right into Tyree’s face. “You have to try this, Uncle Ty. It’s magnificent.”
He smiled his first real smile since the uncomfortable moment, and he allowed her to share the dish with him. Surprisingly, he loved it, and the awkward moment was gone. The rest of the lunch went by as if nothing had happened, and they fell back into the fun banter they were accustomed to. They just enjoyed each other and spent time catching up, never once noticing the person watching them from across the room.
Chapter Eleven
Stripping her shoes off, she heard a sweet little voice and smiled. “Mommy, wur you been? I miss you.”
Asha bent down, scooped her sweet little boy up in her arms, and littered his cheek with kisses. “I missed you too, sweetie. Mommy was at work, but I’m home now.”
“Gud. Daddy cook.”
She loved how his eyes lit up at the mention of his dad and food. She only assumed Terence had let him help out in the kitchen and he was aching to show her what they had pulled off. She loved coming home to this, her husband and children all home and waiting for her. It made her feel special.
Walking into the kitchen, she found Meelah sitting on a stool and Terence behind the counter. He was listening to a story she was telling about school, and she watched how he paid close attention to each detail she relayed. He was oblivious to her in the room, and she just watched them for a minute until Jonathan announced their presence. “Daddy, Mommy here.”
Terence looked up, and she felt her skin tingle as his eyes roamed her body. “That she is. Hey, Mommy.” He smirked.
Jonathan looked at him in confusion and then back at Asha. “She not yer mommy, she mine and Meeha’s.”
Terence chuckled, and Asha giggled, kissing his chubby cheek. “Thank you for correcting him, baby. Your daddy is just silly sometimes.”
“Wat silly?”
She looked to Terence for help, and he turned out his hands and shrugged, telling her she was on her own. When she turned back to find her inquisitive little boy waiting for an answer, she bounced him on her hip and ran her hand over his cheek. “Silly is a little thing your daddy does that makes us laugh.” She tickled his little stomach, and he started to giggle.
“That’s the best you got, Mommy?” Terence laughed, and Jonathan stopped what they were doing and begged to be put down.
Jonathan walked over to Terence, tugged at his pants leg, and with the most serious expression he crossed his arms over his chest. “She not yer mommy, Daddy. She mine, silly.”
Terence picked him up and looked over at Asha. “Now you got the boy calling me silly. Is it ever gonna end?”
“Nope. They all think you’re silly, and quite frankly, so do I.” The kids’ heads flew to the door, and in an instant, they were running toward the source of the comment.
“Uncle Miguel!” Meelah yelled and threw her arms around his legs. Jonathan was still making his way over when Miguel scooped Meelah up, kissing her cheek.
When Jonathan finally reached him, he tugged at his pants, throwing his hands up. “Uncle Gel, me up too.”
“You got it, little man.” He bent down and swung Jonathan up, making him squeal. “How’re Uncle’s babies?”
“I not a baby. I two. I big boy,” Jonathan pouted.
“You sure are, and you’re already taller than your daddy.”
They all laughed, and Miguel played with the kids until their attention was stolen away by the second person walking through the door. Jonathan’s loud shriek alerted them that he was there. “Kyem! You came to pay wift me!”
They watched Jonathan jump down and run over to Kyan with open arms. Kyan picked him up, and Jonathan wanted his airplane as soon as he was settled in Kyan’s arms. Terence told the boys to take it in the living room, and Meelah followed them, offering her uncle a kiss on the cheek on the way out.
“So,” Terence said, catching Miguel’s attention, “what brings you and Kyan over? It’s been a while since we’ve seen you out and in this type of mood. What gives?”
“Rocky? What happened?”
“Let’s just say Jake being back in town is putting a strain on things. Mia was over earlier, and they got into a heated discussion over the phone. From what I heard, this isn’t the first argument they’ve had since he’s been back.”
“I would assume not,” Asha piped in. “I think we all know what happened the other night after Ty punched him.”
“Whoa, Ty did what?” Miguel asked in amazement. “Why haven’t I heard any of this? What the hell has been going on?”
Asha walked over and placed her hand on his. “Look, I’m sorry we didn’t tell you, but honestly, you had your own things going on. We didn’t want you to worry when you were already dealing with something.”
Miguel developed a look, and Asha could tell he felt guilty. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been there for any of you lately, and the fact that you felt like you couldn’t come to me sucks. I know I was in a bad way, but I’m always here. That’s another reason why I came tonight. I need your help, but I also wanted to apologize for how I’ve been. Mia made me realize how my actions were affecting all of you.”
“It’s okay. We’ve had to deal with more over the past few years than most people face in a lifetime. You’re entitled to go off the grid for a little while.”
“What about you, sis? You never unravel, and you’ve been through just as much.”
“I would love to unravel, and I’ve had my moments, but unlike you, I have three people who need me at my best. As much as it all hurts, they need me, and it makes me stronger than I could have ever been otherwise.”
Miguel nodded, and Terence stepped in, offering his support. “What was it you needed help with?”
“I need to know why Jake is here and what he wants. I told Mia I would stay out of it, but I need to know if he is just here to stir up trouble for Ty.”
“I’m already ahead of you. I have eyes on him, and I’m looking into the last three years. Soon, I should know everything he has been up to and everyone he has been in contact with.”
