Summer Heat (The Storm Inside #5)

by Alexis Anne

  I was too hurt, too stunned to say anything.

  “It goes both ways,” Roman said.

  “Excuse me?” Dad’s expression turned glacial as he glared at Roman.

  “It goes both ways,” he repeated. “You talk about loyalty to family. Where’s your loyalty to her? You’re not listening to anything she’s saying. You’re ignoring her needs. It’s like she doesn’t even matter to you.”

  “You’ve been in our life for five seconds. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I think I do,” Roman continued. “Nothing’s changed in five years. You ignored her then and you’re ignoring her now. I didn’t have the experience to know what to do with that five years ago, but you better believe that won’t be the same now. You may not like my name and you are more than welcome to hate my father. You can join the club. I know you like to think you’re the president but I’d like to remind you that I’m the founding member. My dad is an asshole. I’m not my dad. If you value family as much as you say you do, then you need to follow your own damn rules and listen to what your very smart, wonderful, amazing daughter has to say.”

  “Joe,” Mom stood up. “Don’t say anything else. Go lie down and think before you speak.” She practically shoved him out of the room, then turned back to us. “Don’t go anywhere. I have something I need to say to you both.”

  Jake and Greg waited until my parents were out of earshot, then golf-clapped. “Welcome to the family, Roman. That was a pretty decent speech. We’re proud of you.”

  I think I was in shock. So much was happening in such a short time and it was too much to take in all at once. I couldn’t even guess at what my mom might want to say. Luckily she didn’t make us wait long.

  After settling my dad in the guest room, she returned. “Eve, if you don’t mind, this is a conversation I’d like to have alone with June and Roman.”

  My mom was a tough mom. She was never my friend even though she was sweet and understanding. She doled out punishment and tough love like a pro. We’d never been super close but she was my mom. I called her once a week to check in and looked forward to family dinners.

  She sat quietly for a long time, staring at the wall. I knew she was collecting her thoughts but the silence was deafening.

  “I think this all my fault,” she finally said. “I’ve been so angry for so long . . . I never thought all these years later my anger would lead to this.” She finally turned away from the wall and smiled at us. “I have a confession to make, if you’ll let me.”

  This was so unlike her it made the hair on my arm stand up. “Of course, Mom. What’s wrong?”

  “Well, everything. My youngest daughter fell in love and she didn’t tell me. She didn’t even invite me to the wedding.” Her eyes fell on my ring again. “When you two were born Cecil and I were so happy. A boy and a girl. You played together when you were babies, did you know that?”

  I did not. But I wondered what a baby version of Roman was like. I bet he was a flirt, making all the ladies smile.

  “I don’t know if you’ve heard the stories,” she sighed. “This goes so far back. Your mother and I were good friends.”

  “I know,” he said quietly.

  She smiled sadly. “I thought as much. Baseball wives stick together. Our husbands were on rival teams but that didn’t affect us all that much. We spent Februaries together while the teams trained. We took the kids to the beaches and Disney. It was fun.”

  I’d played with Roman at the beach? “I had no idea.” I thought their friendship was more cocktails and tea parties, not kids on the beach in spring.

  “No one talks about that. Not anymore.” She cleared her throat. “I taught Cecil how to paint. She wanted to have a hobby and maybe make something for the house. I gave her several lessons. She was pretty good. I didn’t think anything of it. Not until my gallery did a show of her work. Several of her pieces were copies of the same pieces I’d been working on for my next show. I found out she’d talked the gallery into showcasing her work after flirting with the manager.” She cleared her throat and looked away, clearly embarrassed to say that in front of Roman.

  “It’s okay. My mom does enjoy flirting. I’m not surprised.”

  She gave him another small smile and continued. “I was devastated. I felt betrayed and used. I didn’t understand. And then she explained.” Mom twisted her hands in her lap. “She said that it didn’t look that hard and she figured if I could do it, she could do it. When I got angry she lashed out at me. Told me that I should be grateful she’d become my friend. That without her, I’d just be a lonely old stay at home mom with no friends. It shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did, but she cut right into my insecurities.”

  “Mom,” I reached out, “that would hurt anyone.”

  “I’m getting all jumbled up here. What I’m trying to say is that I had some pretty deep self-doubt and when Cecil so casually stabbed at them, those cuts went deep. It sent me into a spiral. I don’t think she meant to hurt me like that. I’m just a different person and what was supposed to be a slap on the wrist was more like a knife to the heart. I didn’t handle it well. I fell into a depression and when I came out, she was the one I blamed. I lost months with you, June. Months I should have been busy being your mom instead of in bed.”

  “You were healing.” Those memories were sad but they weren’t terrible. All I remembered was wishing I could do something to make her “Mom” again.

  “The problem wasn’t that Cecil and I had a falling out. It was that when I got back on my feet I was still angry. Our fight turned into a feud and that feud became the end of our husband’s careers. The problem is that I let my anger seethe for so long that I let it control my life. And the biggest problem of all is that my anger is keeping my daughter from being happy.”

  27

  “A re you sure?” Roman asked for the fourth or fifth time. I’d lost track.

  “Yes. Go.”

  He crushed me to his chest. “This feels wrong.”

  “No, this is what happens when you run off to Vegas to get married at the last minute. No honeymoon for us, I’m afraid.” He had a football player who needed bail and a suitcase to pack at his condo. I didn’t want him to leave but he really needed to.

  “I’ll be late. Don’t wait up.”

  “I’ll text you when I go to bed.”

  He probably wouldn’t be able to answer if I called.

  He took my hand and played with my new rings. “Think about me. Call me if you need me. I’ll always answer.”

  If he kept saying sweet things like that I was going to take him to bed and neither of us would have jobs in the morning. “Go. I have to check in at work before the end of the day, too. The faster you leave the faster we can get back here.”

  I closed the door behind him and leaned against it, savoring the silence. What a day. Mom and Dad hadn’t emerged from their room since Mom dropped her big confession on us. They were working through some really old wounds and now that it was just me in the house I felt like I was intruding.

  So I took the opportunity to escape. Everyone at work congratulated me. The news of our wedding had spread fast and was now the top trending entertainment story. Apparently the “it” couple of the moment eloping was even more romantic than the story of us falling in love.

  “According to sources the bride wore blue,” Bryan, our center fielder quoted from the article on his phone as he waited for his turn on the leg press. “And had a smile radiant enough to light the Las Vegas Strip.”

  “Wow. Who’s writing these pieces?” If I had to have my relationship in the headlines at least it was written to flatter.

  “I don’t know but I’m hurt I wasn’t invited.”

  “Aw, don’t be sad, Bryan. No one was invited.”

  He frowned. “The two of you really just . . . eloped? Out of the blue? Like in the movies?”

  “Well . . . yeah.”

  “That’s hot.”

  I laughed. “Hot?�
�

  “Heck yeah. Decisiveness is hot. A woman who wants you enough to hop a plane and marry you on the spot? Hot.”

  So we were talking caveman stuff again. “Can I ask you a question?”

  Bryan lit up like a Christmas tree. “Of course! Ask me anything.”

  “If your dad was one of those ‘I’m better than everyone’ kind of guy’s guys, how would you handle him?” I was so out of my depth when it came to George. I had no idea how he was going to approach me.

  “Well that’s easy,” Bryan laughed. “You don’t handle them. They live in their own little bubble where they’re the king of everything. You let them think they’re getting their way and avoid them as much as possible.”

  Exactly what Roman was already doing. My new husband was smart. “Thanks Bryan. I’ll see you later.”

  After that I went to my cubicle to finish up paperwork and answer emails. It only took a couple of hours to get back up to speed and everyone was understanding when I ducked out the minute I was finished.

  I headed to Carrie’s condo after that. She lived down the street from Roman in a very swanky building on the beach. She called it “resort-style living” and she loved it. Her tenth floor, beachside condo had a spectacular view of the Gulf and she usually enjoyed the sunset on her balcony, which is where we sat with a glass of wine as the sun began to sink into the sea.

  “You’re going to have problems at work,” she said. “I’m sure it will amount to nothing and blow over, but I figured I should give you a heads up.”

  “Problems?”

  “Roman reps ballplayers, you work for the team. There are potential ethics problems.”

  “But I don’t have anything to do with recruiting.”

  She shrugged. “Eve is an executive. Roman is her new brother-in-law. There is a web they’ll have to untangle.”

  I hadn’t even thought of that. “Wes’s trade?”

  She shrugged again. “I have no idea, but yes, it’s a situation like that where things could get murky.”

  “There’s so much we didn’t consider before we eloped,” I groaned.

  “It’ll all work out.”

  “And what about you? What happened with Wes?”

  She took a deep breath and stared out at the sunset before answering. “Nothing. He was hot, we had fun, it’s over. Just the way I like it.”

  Except that she was sad. Or maybe not sad . . . it was more like wistful. “Is it?”

  She shot me a glare. “Is it what?”

  “Over.”

  “Yes. I said I was done, he agreed that it was time, we went our separate ways.”

  “Did you sleep with him in Vegas?”

  That earned me another glare. “That’s your move, not mine.”

  And yet she was angry. Irritated that I was pushing. “You see, if there was really nothing going on between you two then you would have totally had sex in Vegas because of convenience. But you didn’t and you’re about ready to throw me off this balcony for asking about it so . . . I say it’s not done.”

  “He’s a player and I don’t do feelings. People like us don’t elope and live happily ever after.”

  Feelings. Since I wasn’t getting anywhere I decided to change tactics. “I didn’t think I needed a husband or a man of any kind. I was happy, but these last few weeks have taught me something.”

  She arched an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes. “Why do I get the sneaking suspicion you’re Jedi-mind-tricking me?”

  I ignored her. “I like fucking the same guy every day. He knows what I like and he spends time thinking of new ways to please me. It’s the best sex ever. And he kisses me when I’m worked up so that I calm down. I have a feeling I’m just beginning to know all the ways he’ll change my life for the better. I thought it would be hard but it’s not. It was very easy to let Roman slip into my life and now it’s richer. Deeper.”

  “I don’t want richer or deeper, but I’m very happy for you, June. Can we talk about something else?”

  “No. I have more crap to deal with so I need to go. Thank you for the wine and the company.”

  “Anytime. My door is always open for you.”

  She walked me to the door and gave me a hug.

  “That works both ways, you know? When you’re ready to talk, I’m here.”

  Carrie didn’t say anything after that and I headed straight home, going to Eve’s house first. Zoe was taking care of the girls and making dinner with Cassandra.

  “You’re married!” she squealed the moment she saw me.

  “Hello to you too, stranger.” Since Cassandra lived in Boston I saw her a lot less than I’d like.

  “I know, I just couldn’t deal with Mom and Dad. I’m sorry. I’m a terrible sister.” Her curly brown hair bounced with each word.

  “No. You’re here and that’s enough.”

  “Auntie June, can you braid my hair the way you braid it?” Sam asked, a very worn teddy bear tucked firmly under her arm.

  “Of course.”

  She handed me a comb and promptly climbed onto the kitchen stool. “I need it out of my eyes so I can spend the afternoon in my fort.”

  “Ah.” I started combing.

  Cassandra kept smiling. “Sometimes I’m sad that my kids won’t ever know this.”

  “Having Auntie June next door?” I asked.

  “It’s the best,” Sam said matter-of-factly. “She can’t ever move. Not even with Uncle Roman.”

  Uncle Roman? That happened fast. And was a huge sign that Eve and Jake were both on board. “We’re not moving. Uncle Roman is moving into my house so he can be close to you. He’s very excited to be an uncle now.”

  Sam beamed. “Good.”

  Max wandered in, her long hair almost down to her waist now. “Do you want me to braid your hair, too?” I asked.

  She scowled at me. “No. I like it like this.” She ran her hand down the waves. “I look like a princess.”

  “Ew,” Sam gagged. “Princesses are dumb.”

  “No they’re not!” Max stamped her foot. “They have the best dresses and the prettiest weapons!”

  I held in a giggle and shot Cassandra a wink. “Princesses these days are pretty cool. How about we agree to be a princess if we want to be?”

  “I love princesses,” Zoe chimed in from the stove. “I have two in my books. Princess Penelope—she becomes a queen—and Princess Gracie.”

  “Were you a princess at your wedding to Uncle Roman?” Max looked up at me with wide eyes.

  This was probably the only part that made me sad. The girls would have been so much fun at a wedding. They could have been my flower girls or even tiny bridesmaids.

  “Let me show you.” I finished the braid and tied it off at the end, then pulled out my phone. “This is right after we got married.” It was a picture of us with the minister at the chapel just before we left.

  “You don’t have on a white dress,” Max frowned. “But you are very pretty.”

  “Why didn’t you wear a white dress?” Sam asked, clearly more curious than she was upset.

  “Well, for one I didn’t have time to buy a white dress, and for two, I didn’t really care what dress I wore.”

  “But why?” Max was obviously put out that anyone would choose a regular blue dress when there was the option for a white princess dress.

  “Well,” I put my phone away, “the most important part of a wedding is that you are promising to love someone no matter what. That you’ll take care of them and let them take care of you, for the rest of your lives. The dress is just something nice to make it special.”

  She considered this for a moment. “You love me no matter what.”

  “I do.”

  “So the wedding was to make Uncle Roman part of the family? So that we’ll all love each other no matter what?”

  There was movement outside the kitchen doorway. Dad had been standing there all this time, listening to everything. My breath caught in my throat.

  “Yes. That’
s it exactly,” I said. “He loves you no matter what, just like I do.”

  “Okay. Can I have a snack?”

  “No!” Zoe yelled. “Dinner will be ready in five minutes.”

  Cassandra smiled and tilted her head toward the hallway. “You should talk to him.”

  “I will.” I gave her arm a squeeze as I left the room.

  Dad stood waiting. There was absolutely no expression on his blank face. “Hello June.”

  “Hi Dad. Do you want to talk?”

  He nodded once and turned, going into the living room, then spun around to face me. “Do you really believe that?”

  I didn’t play dumb. I knew exactly what he meant. “Yes. Roman is a lot of things, but one of the things I love most about him is his sense of family. He even loves asshole King George despite everything.”

  “King George?” Dad laughed. “I like that.” Then he grew serious. “It hurts like hell that you married a St. James but it hurts even more to realize you’ve been hiding so much of your life from us. I may not like the idea, but I will get to know Roman and give him a chance.”

  I blinked back a few tears. Mom must have really gotten to him. “Thank you, Dad.”

  “But not George. That man can rot in hell.”

  “I would never ask you to. And I’ll never ask you to be in the same room with him.”

  His shoulders relaxed. “I really don’t want you to be in a room with him, either.”

  “I don’t know how this is going to work yet.”

  He nodded. “That’s fair.”

  I couldn’t make him any promises but I appreciated that he was making an effort.

  “Dinner’s ready if you are,” Cassandra said from the doorway.

  I glanced at Dad. “Family dinner?”

  He took my hand. “Family dinner.”

  Everyone settled in at the table: Mom and Dad, Eve and Jake, Greg and Marie, Cassandra, Max, and Sam. There was even an empty seat for Roman.

  “Where is the man of the hour?” Dad asked.