Lucy knew Roberta wouldn’t have been Patrick’s first choice to see them like this. Now she knew firsthand why, as Roberta frowned.
“Now doesn’t this look cozy.”
* * * *
Hands on her hips, Roberta skewered Patrick with her gaze. “You’re lucky I had Patrick Junior wait in the truck so he didn’t see this. You mind telling me what the hell is going on?”
Once upon a time, Roberta’s accusatory tone would’ve sent him scurrying. When he was seven and she was eighteen.
Pointing at the key she still held in her hand, Patrick returned her glower and said, “That is for emergencies only and you know it.”
Roberta pocketed the key ring quickly and her jaw jutted out. “I tried to call you.”
“You should have knocked!”
“When I saw the other cars I should’ve known something like this was going on.” Her blatantly disgusted tone was both insulting and infuriating. In his peripheral vision, he noted the way Lucy’s shoulders slumped.
“What’s going on is none of your concern.”
“We’ll see,” she muttered as she turned back to the front door. “I’m getting your son from the truck. That should give you time to get decent.” She flicked her gaze at Lucy, wrinkled her nose, and then she was gone.
The three of them grabbed their clothes and dressed in record time.
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Lucy couldn’t seem to help the mantra.
Patrick reached out to her to comfort her. He was angered by the distraught look in her eyes. She had no reason to feel that way and Roberta had no call to treat her like a tramp. “Stop, Luce. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I didn’t? She knows everyone at the hospital…professionals who might refer business to me. I’ll be ruined before I’ve even gotten started. Holy hell, what was I thinking?” Her panicked tone told him as much as her words but he could already hear Roberta escorting his son inside.
The happy four-year-old tornado burst into the house and found them in the hallway leading from the bedroom. “Hey, Dad! Lucy! Beck! You’re here!” Patrick had to smile when Patrick Junior launched himself at Lucy and hugged her legs. She looked down at his son as she caressed his cheek and the deep affection she felt for him was in her eyes. She glanced between Patrick and his sister and then to the little boy as she said, “You eat breakfast yet?”
“Nuh-uh!”
“Come on, sweetie. I’ll get you set up with some cereal.”
As Lucy ushered his son into the kitchen, Roberta rounded on Patrick. He didn’t particularly want Beck there for the conversation but he seemed disinclined to absent himself and Patrick really didn’t care what he heard.
“You want to tell me what’s going on here?” Roberta hissed.
“It’s none of your business, sis. I’m a legal adult and not required to explain anything, not even to my big sister.”
Her eyes shot sparks as she glowered at him. “Yes, you’re an adult with a very impressionable child. Wait until Dad hears about this. What is this town coming to? It’s just like Tabitha said.”
“What?” Patrick asked, regretting that he couldn’t keep his voice down. Patrick Junior leaned away from the table so he could look down the hall.
“Tabitha told me she saw you”—she pointed at Beck and then at the kitchen—“necking with her downtown last week, right out in the open. Like everyone would want to see your public display of affection. She wanted me to keep an eye on you, Patrick, because she knew you were close with him.” She pointed at Beck again as though he was the one to blame. “You can’t do this.”
Patrick had heard just about enough. “Can’t do what?”
Roberta’s eyes bulged. “It’s unholy!”
So it starts. He’d hoped to have time to settle in a bit, formulate a strategy, and figure out how to tell his family to butt out of his personal life. “What’s unholy?”
Roberta waved her hand between the two of them and the kitchen, a look of pure disgust on her face. “You weren’t raised to be this way. It’s unnatural. It’s bad enough that the two of you hang out all the time, encouraging rumors, but now you’ve added her?”
Patrick held up a hand. “Whoa? Back up.”
Roberta rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid, Patrick. I get it. You’re gay. Just stay in the closet, for crying out loud. This is a small town. But that?” She pointed again at the kitchen, her voice a strained whisper. “That’s unacceptable. You can’t give in.” Patrick thought Beck did an admirable job of hiding his surprise at the revelation that he was gay.
“Give in to what? And I’m really curious why you think I’m gay.”
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? And now you’ve added another and made it a ménage.” She shuddered in disgust. “It’s wrong. And you better cut it out before it gets around town.”
Patrick held out his hand palm up.
“What?” she asked in confusion.
“My key. Right now.”
Roberta scoffed as she removed the key from the ring. “You know you’re going to need me again, Patrick. Who helped after your marriage failed? Who was there for you? This is childish.”
“No, you threatening to tattle to Dad about something that’s none of his business—or yours—is childish.”
He took the key from her after she removed it from the ring. “And you babysat for me once while I was in court, two years ago. Maizy is the one who’s helped me. I don’t owe you any explanation but I’m going to tell you this once. I’m not gay. Beck’s not gay. We both want Lucy in our lives.” He leaned closer so they were practically nose to nose. “But if we were gay, it still wouldn’t be any of your damned business. And you can tell that self-righteous bitch, Tabitha Lester, that she can kiss my ass.”
Beck made a tsking sound. “You might also mention to your friend that it’s impolite to spy on people. We were inside a business, after hours, and your friend was peeping in on us. You should give your brother more credit, Roberta.”
Roberta stood to her full height and looked down her nose at Beck which was comical since he was at least a head taller than her. “Don’t you presume to tell me what I should do, Beck O’Malley. Tabitha is a very well thought of in certain circles of this community.”
“Oh, yeah? Same circles as Elizabeth, I’ll bet. You need to find better friends, Roberta. I would think you’d be pleased to see your brother happy.”
Her lips twisted into an unattractive moue before she said, “Not at the expense of his son.”
Patrick could hear his son chattering away to Lucy and her soft reply to him. He resented his sister’s insinuation. “I put the needs of my son above any other personal needs, Roberta. No one can doubt that.” But I have a right to some happiness, too, don’t I?
Roberta smirked. “I guess you’ll know soon enough when word gets out.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No. It’s a reality. I talked to Rhonda last night and could tell something was off when she mentioned rather cryptically that you were at O’Reilley’s having dinner with ‘two others.’”
Patrick scoffed. “Did it occur to you that she didn’t give you any other details for a reason, Roberta? You always believe the worst of people. Thank you very much for watching my son last night. I won’t bother you again.”
Roberta’s rigid posture relaxed and there was a hint of remorse in her tone. “I don’t mind watching him. You know I love him just as much as Maizy. Just…Just please don’t take him around any of those…”
Patrick’s hackles started to rise. “Those what?”
“Those other ménages. Word will get out and you’ll be shunned in the family, or worse, your business ruined.”
“The only thing you’re really concerned about is how you’ll be perceived.”
“Damn right I am. I’ve worked hard to become a respected member of this community. Patrick, please. Just forget about this. Come back to church. They miss you there. Tabitha asks about you all the time.”<
br />
Patrick fought a shudder. “Sorry. If I ever go back to church, it won’t be to the church of the Frozen Chosen. I’ll find another church.” He hadn’t darkened the door of Elizabeth’s old church since before he’d found out about her deception. “And I thought I made it clear to you over a year ago that I have no interest in that bitter, judgmental viper you call a friend. Quit trying to get us together.”
“Patrick needs a church home, and for his father to be a good leader.”
“I am a good leader and father, Roberta. You go too far.”
Roberta raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Fine. I’ve said my piece and you’ve said yours.” The look in her eyes told him that she regretted pushing him but she was still resolved. “Don’t cry when the bottom falls out of your business and there’s no one there to help you.”
Patrick’s laughter felt harsh in his chest. “I’ve done just fine since I went out on my own, sis. And if I lose any business because you choose to spread gossip, then so be it. I wouldn’t want that business anyway.”
“You say that now but you may change your tune. And me gossip? Are you kidding me? I don’t want for this to get out any more than you do!”
“You’re mistaken. I don’t care who knows.”
Roberta let out a hard breath through her nose and jangled her key ring in her hand. “Fine. I can see you’re proud of your perversion. Just…Damn it. This affects Patrick Junior, too. People can be so mean and kids can be downright cruel. His classmates…You don’t understand yet.”
Her principles and her opinions didn’t matter a hill of beans to him, but Patrick knew that his son was her main concern, although her own reputation was still very high on her priority list. “It’s my concern, Roberta. I’d appreciate it if you would just go.” She nodded and turned, her body language sagging a little. Reaching out to stop her for a second, he added, “And Roberta, you’ve really misjudged Beck. And Lucy. You don’t know them well enough to treat them the way you have this morning.” He knew he would be asking too much to expect her to apologize.
She shrugged and walked out the door.
Am I being selfish for wanting this? Is Lucy right and we don’t know what we’re doing?
He looked at Beck. The night before, and earlier that morning, he’d spent time with Beck naked and in an aroused state and it hadn’t bothered him.
Beck let out a sigh and put a heavy hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “I can guess what you’re thinking, man. I don’t judge either, but this is about Lucy being in the middle. I don’t care if Roberta ever believes there’s nothing between you and me. And it’s not a gang bang either. This is all…what does Ethan call it?”
Patrick thought back to a conversation they’d had with Ethan recently at the Dancing Pony. “Safe, sane, and consensual.”
Patrick smiled at Beck, appreciating the reminder. He knew who he and Beck needed to talk to.
Beck chuckled as he let out a full body shudder and whispered, “You never told me Roberta tried to get you and Tabitha Lester together.”
“Because I shut her down the first time she offered to set us up. Can you imagine me with that hateful woman? No way in hell. Not if she was the last woman on Earth.”
He didn’t want to think about that asinine suggestion anymore. It just went to show how little Roberta knew of him. For the moment, they walked down the hall and to the kitchen to see to Lucy and Patrick Junior.
Chapter Ten
“This is perfect,” Lucy said with a happy-sounding sigh as Beck helped Patrick carry in the last of the pieces of furniture she’d purchased for A Divine Retreat. A week had gone by since he’d witnessed the ugly confrontation with Patrick’s sister, Roberta, and the days that came after had been challenging.
Beck’s Internet orders had increased slightly, to his relief, but his local orders had dropped some, even though he was coming into his busy season. Lucy had a few clients cancel and never reschedule. The kicker had been finding out that Patrick had lost a job to design blueprints for an office complex in Divine. No one had specified a reason for the cancellations but Beck had a feeling that the Frozen Chosen of Divine were making their dissatisfaction known with their pocketbooks.
Seeing Lucy happy and all perky, the way she was right then, made the rest not matter as much. He just wished she’d decide once and for all where she wanted that damned buffet moved to. He didn’t see what difference a few inches one way or the other made.
“Put it right there,” she directed as they carried the antique buffet into the back room and placed it under the tall windows, which were shaded by huge oaks behind the old building.
He liked where she’d located her new business, safe in the heart of the downtown district of their little community. Out the front door was Main Street and on either side were numerous shops—including her brother’s tattoo studio, a couple of cafes and eateries, a bakery, and a print shop. Across Main was their little Central Park area, ringed with two-hundred-year-old oak trees, a fountain, and a small memorial to the settlers of the area. Out her back door, beyond the tidy alley and a few parking places, was the World War II Memorial Rose Garden which bloomed every spring, thanks to its diligent gardeners.
Lucy stood by the door, peering at the bulky piece of furniture and shook her head. “No. Move it to the left about seven inches.”
“Lucy, this thing is heavy,” Beck said with a grunt. “Why do you need a buffet in a massage room? Isn’t this a piece for a dining room?”
“Originally, yes, but it’s going to hold all my supplies and look pretty. With candles lined up on it, it’ll add to the atmosphere in here.”
“I thought the other piece was just fine. Why move everything around?” he growled, enjoying picking at her just a little.
Lucy whapped him on the butt as she walked past and replied, “The other piece needed to go in the smaller room. This one balances the room out.” She scooted the massage tables back into position, parallel with the buffet and he hurried to help her.
She squinted at the heavy piece of furniture from across the room and bid them to scoot it over another few inches…and then put it back where it had been.
“Perfect.”
Patrick Junior trotted into the room and said, “Hey, how come it’s so dark in here?” He hopped onto the massage table and Beck hefted him off of it a second later before he got scuff marks from his sneakers on Lucy’s pretty linens.
Lucy said, “That’s because these windows have room darkening shades on them. It helps my clients to relax.”
“Oh, yeah? While they get their massoogey?” the boy asked with a snicker.
Showing that he trusted Beck completely, Patrick Junior threw his arms over his head and leaned backward as Beck airplane-d him around the room. The kid was almost too big to do that now but Beck indulged him anyway. His dad chuckled at them as he plugged one of the little lamps into an outlet and put it on the buffet.
“Massage,” Lucy corrected with a giggle.
The four of them had hopped into Patrick’s truck early that morning and made the trip to a neighboring community that was famous for its weekend craft fairs and antiquing. While Patrick and Lucy had scoured the antique shops and vintage furniture barns, Beck had taken Patrick Junior with him and they’d wandered around the craft fair downtown. It was a win-win situation from Beck’s point of view.
It got Beck thinking about his booth at the Divine Trade Day and Craft Fair which was happening at the beginning of May. Besides that, he would’ve been bored to death walking through antique shops all day and much preferred to entertain the little man. He was easy to make happy.
Splitting into pairs also kept Patrick Junior out of shops that were full of vintage and antique china, crystal and glass, and other stuff that was ridiculously expensive and fragile. Patrick Junior was as rambunctious as any other four-year-old boy and it just seemed like a bad idea to test those stores’ “you break it you buy it” policies.
So they’d spent their
time wandering, eating popcorn, and Beck had talked to a number of vendors. He’d gotten some great ideas from them about displaying his products and he planned to expand what he brought to that year’s fair.
The year before, he’d kept it simple and brought only honey to sell from his booth. His heart just hadn’t been in it. But this year was going to be different, not only because he planned to include beeswax and pollen products but also because Lucy would be helping him, since her shop would be closed that day. Patrick and the kid planned to be there as well. If he was being fanciful, he’d almost think of it as a family endeavor. Lucy’s brother, Seth, and Beck had rented large booth spaces right next to each other.
Seth had taken Beck aside earlier in the week and asked him straight out, as was his way, if he was serious. Beck smiled, remembering the conversation. Seth had a habit of using words sparingly and Beck had to ask him what he meant. Seth had summed up his feelings and in the process had used more words than Beck was accustomed to hearing from him in one encounter.
“Are you serious about being there for my sister? Because if you’re not, you’d better either get serious or level with her. If you think that because she likes to laugh and have fun that she’s easy, you’d be wrong. If you hurt her, I’ll have the guys tie you down, knock you out, and then I will tattoo you a new nickname on your forehead. That’s my sister. Clear enough?”
If Beck had been a player, he would’ve hightailed it right then. But he’d quietly told Lucy’s brother what he needed to hear so he wouldn’t worry anymore.
“I know I’m rough around the edges at times, but I care very much about Lucy. I’ve stopped running and you don’t have to worry about me. I’d hate myself if I hurt her.”
Seth had nodded and brandished his tattoo machine with an evil gleam in his eyes and the hint of a smile on his face. Beck shivered again, wondering if Seth had been serious. The guy was so stoic at times it was hard to tell.
Lucy's Revenge [Divine Creek Ranch 15] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 16
