More pictures entail Kyle hugging me when I arrived at JFK and him escorting me home to pack my things and go to his place. So now I’m mending my broken heart by sleeping with Thad Stone’s younger brother. Do people really believe this crap?
And since Chad and Courtney are still wrapping up last-minute filming, they are being rumored to have reconciled. Paul must be salivating over that story.
The hate mail has subsided since I moved in with Kyle last week. I suspect either people have moved on, or Kyle and my dad are running interference for me.
I try not to think about the tabloids as I lie on my bed and put together my first week’s lesson plans. I’m excited to meet my new students on Monday. I think fourth grade is the best grade to teach. For the most part they sit still when you tell them to, and they haven’t yet developed attitudes.
I had a hard time putting my classroom together last week with the constant interruptions. A lot happened over the summer and I swear each of the fifty-five teachers at my school plus all the staff had to come and grill me about it. I think I should have just held a school press conference to get it all over with at once.
My phone rings and I look at it to see Chad’s handsome face on my screen. My heart skips a beat. I think it has done that ever since I was a kid. Every time I look at him it happens. It’s like he has this invisible tether to my heart and when I see him, or even think about him, he pulls the strings like I’m a puppet under his control. I never understood what ‘pulling heartstrings’ meant until Chad. Now he is the very definition of them.
“Hi!” I answer excitedly.
“Hey, you,” he says, the low timbre of his voice resonating through my entire body. “What’s up with you today?”
“Just making my lesson plans. You?”
“Enjoying the day off,” he says. “If I’d known we were going to get the whole weekend off, I’d have flown out.”
“It’s fine,” I tell him. “I’ve been super busy getting ready for school. I’ll still see you next weekend, right?”
“Yes. And I think I’m about to make it even better.” I can hear the smile in his voice and it makes me sit up on the bed in anticipation.
I’m afraid to even hope what he means by making it better. I know what I want it to mean. I know what I need it to mean. And I want so badly for him to say it. “Really? Why?”
“David thinks we’ll be pretty much done by Thursday. So, although I might have to fly back to L.A. a few times in September, I’m pretty much good to go.”
“Oh, my gosh! Really? Did you sell the house?”
He laughs. “No. It’s only been on the market for ten days, Mal. But I don’t care if I sell it or not, I’m moving to New York. And now comes the even better news. At least I hope you think so.”
“What could possibly be better than you moving out here next weekend?”
“God, I love you,” he says. “Do you know how much you pump up my ego?”
“Chaaaaaad,” I whine. “Tell me the better news.”
He chuckles into the phone. “I know we were going to go apartment hunting together, and if you don’t like it, I’ll just forfeit the deposit. But a place came available in Ethan’s building, and since they sell like hotcakes there, I went ahead and put money on it this morning.”
“That’s a nice building. Of course I don’t mind. But, uh, Ethan owns the only penthouse. And while I in no way think we need something that big, won’t your sibling rivalry get in the way?”
“In Ethan’s mind, he’ll always be older, richer and better looking than me. It wouldn’t matter if we owned the fucking Freedom Tower.”
“As long as you’re fine with it, I’m fine with it,” I say.
“I looked at the apartment online. I’ll send you a link to it as soon as we hang up. Charlie said she would go down and walk through it with you today if you have time. The best part is that it’s a quick sale. The owner doesn’t even live there and wanted to unload it fast. We can even keep whatever furniture you want and replace the rest. He said we could move in right away and close at the end of the month.”
I smile from ear to ear. I know the apartment will be great, but I couldn’t care less what it looks like. I could live in a cardboard box with this man if it meant we’d be together. “We can move in next weekend?”
“I’ll fly in Friday. How does Friday night sound?”
Being without him is like missing a part of myself. I haven’t felt quite right. I feel like I’m a clock that has a broken second hand, and it just keeps ticking away in the same spot over and over. Nothing is the same when he’s not with me. I look down at the ring on my finger. The ring that says he’s mine. “I think Friday just might be my favorite day ever,” I say.
“I think we’re going to make so many favorite days you won’t be able to pick just one.”
God, this man.
“I love you, Chad Christopher.”
“I love you, Mallory Kate.”
~ ~ ~
I stand in the foyer and look around at the open-floorplan apartment. If I could put two words together, I might be able to thank Charlie for meeting me here. But I can’t. I thought Chad might feel inferior to his brother not being in the penthouse like Ethan is. But I can already see, the penthouse has nothing on this place.
“There are two bedrooms and an office down that hall,” says the manager who let us in. Then he points to another hallway off the living room. “The master suite is over there.” He hands me two Post-It note pads, one green and one red. “Put the green stickers on the furniture you want to keep and the red tags on the furniture you want gone. You can return the key to the concierge desk when you’re finished.”
I still can’t speak. I’m too busy taking in the twelve-foot ceilings, the quartz countertops, the incredible view.
“Thank you,” Charlie says to the manager before he closes the door behind us. She walks around in front of me, laughing. “Would it surprise you to know I had the same reaction when I first saw Ethan’s place? I believe I called him Richie Rich.”
I finally put my eyes back into my head and stare at her in confusion. “But you grew up with a famous mom, didn’t you live in places like this?”
She shakes her head sadly. “Besides her Oscars, my mother won the award for crappiest mom to ever live. And she pretty much snorted most of her earnings up her nose. So, no, I never knew what it was like to live like this. It’s one of the reasons I was eager to help out over at Hope.”
“Thank you for that,” I say. “I’m so relieved they didn’t have to find a replacement for me over the summer.”
“I’ll be happy to do it anytime. In fact, Piper and I liked it so much, we’re going to keep volunteering. And she’s been in contact with Mason’s people over at the Giants organization to see if they’ll sponsor a fundraiser.”
“Why would she do that for me? We don’t even know each other all that well.”
“She’s not doing it for you, Mallory.”
The way Charlie looks at me makes me understand that maybe Piper has some deep dark secrets in her past, too. I’m beginning to think one way or another, we all do.
Charlie spends the next three hours going through all the rooms with me. I end up keeping most of the furniture with the exception of the master bedroom. I want our bed to be ours and only ours. The people who lived here have good taste. Modern-contemporary. I think it suits us.
“I can’t believe we’ll be neighbors,” I tell Charlie. “You know, I’ll babysit whenever you and Ethan need a break. I love kids. And Eli is adorable.”
“Thanks,” she says. “I might just take you up on that. Have you and Chad talked about kids yet?”
I shake my head, not wanting to reveal we’d talked about my teen pregnancy. “Not really. But I know he loves kids. He’s always holding babies of people he works with, and he can’t say enough about his nephew.”
“What about you?” Charlie asks. “Do you want them?”
I think about he
r question. “Oh, yes,” I say. “But until earlier this year, I never thought I’d have to even consider that possibility. I’d sworn off men.” I look down at my ring and twist it around on my finger. “And now here I am, engaged and moving in with Chad. I’m twenty-four years old, so I have plenty of time. But I guess when I really think about it, I would like to be a young mom like you. Maybe it’s because I lost my mother when I was seventeen and I would just want as much time with my kids as possible. So the earlier I have them . . . But I think Chad will probably want to wait because of his hectic schedule.”
“I think you will make a great mom, Mallory. No matter when you decide to have kids.”
“Thank you. I certainly have you as a role model.”
Charlie hugs me before we part ways. Then she goes back up to the penthouse, and I go down to return the key before going home to Kyle’s.
The walk back is about four blocks. Along the way, I realize that despite my earlier concerns, living in the city may just be the best place for us. New York is crowded and busy. People are always in a hurry and they rarely look at you much less make eye contact. It really is the best place to be anonymous, and that’s exactly what Chad needs.
As I wait for the elevator in Kyle’s building, a lady from the front desk walks over to me with a package. “You’re Kyle Stone’s houseguest, yes?”
“That’s right,” I tell her.
“Would you be so kind as to take this up? It’s marked perishable and I’d hate for it to go bad.”
“Of course.” I take the package from her noticing it’s been addressed to: The Stone Residence.
I text Kyle along the way.
Me: You got a package marked perishable. Do I need to just put it in the refrigerator, or is there anything else you need me to do?
He texts me back a few minutes later.
Kyle: I didn’t order anything, but my mom is always sending me stuff. Go ahead and open it and do what you need to with it.
I get a knife and work my way through the heavy packing tape that surrounds all the edges of the package. Geesh, she must have used a whole roll of tape. As I slice through one side, a sickening smell escapes the box and I frown thinking whatever’s inside has long since spoiled. But when I open the top, I cringe at what I see.
There’s dried blood everywhere, and I’m not sure what kind of rodent is inside, but it might be a rat. Sadly, though, that’s not the most disturbing part. It’s the torn-up pictures of me scattered around the deceased creature that makes me gasp.
I check the label of the box and see it was mailed locally. Then I close it up tightly and try to decide what to do.
A half hour later, Ethan is examining the contents. After all, he’s a private investigator, so who better to call? “Jesus, there are some sickos in this world,” he says, using a pen to rifle through the package. “What did Chad say about this? Does he have any known stalkers?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t told him yet,” I admit.
He raises his eyebrows, giving me a stern look.
“I will,” I say. “But he has a lot going on this week. They have several days of re-shoots at the L.A. set. He needs his focus to be on that, not this. If he knew about this, I don’t know what he’d do.”
“He’d lose his shit, Mallory. That’s what.”
“Can I count on you to keep this quiet until he gets here on Friday?” I ask.
He looks down at the box and runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t like it. But I get why you don’t want to tell him.” He uses latex gloves to close the box and put it in a large plastic bag. “We’ll still have to get the police involved. Chad told me you had a similar delivery at the house last week. They could be related. And he’d have my head on a fucking stick if I didn’t make sure you were safe this week, so I won’t tell him—on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You don’t leave this apartment without someone with you. Me, Kyle, Julian, your dad. And if we’re not available, I’ll get someone from my agency to escort you.”
I shake my head. “I start work tomorrow, Ethan. I can’t miss the first week.”
“What time do you need to leave in the mornings?” he asks.
“Seven.”
“I’ll be here at six forty-five,” he says. “I like my coffee black. And if one of us can’t be there to get you home safely after, I’ll send someone from the office. You’ve met Levi, right?”
I nod. “Thank you, Ethan.”
I’m relieved he’s willing to keep a lid on this even though it means lying to his brother. I hate lying to Chad. It will mean no video chats with him this week. He’d be able to tell just by looking at me that I’m not telling him something.
Instead of dwelling on negative things for the rest of the day, I decide to use my pent-up energy for a better purpose. I start planning a party. A welcome home party, so to speak. I call Kendra to ask her if she can get me some phone numbers. Then I get started on the guest list. I’m amazed at how many people are willing to fly across the country just for a party.
Against my better judgment, I even invite his manager. I think it would be good for Paul to see that Chad and I are moving forward with our relationship. He’s an integral part of Chad’s career which means he’ll be in his life for a long time. I’m determined to win the guy over come hell or high water.
I send an email to Skylar to see if Mitchell’s can cater on short notice. I call the manager of our new building to see if he’ll allow me to have new bedroom furniture delivered on Thursday, the day before we move in. Then I text Mel and ask if she’s up for a shopping trip to West End this week. Fully chaperoned by Julian, of course. I laugh to myself thinking of how he’ll love that—furniture shopping with the girls.
By the time I go to bed, I’ve put the wheels in motion for the surprise party, excited to be doing something nice for him for a change. And I fall asleep wondering—desecrated rodents notwithstanding—how my life could possibly get any better.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chad
It’s been two weeks since I’ve held her. One since I’ve seen her gorgeous face. She didn’t want to video chat this week. She said it would make it all that much better when we saw each other today. And damn, my proverbial balls are bluer than a whale in the pacific. I can’t wait to get her alone.
She’s spent a better part of this week making all the arrangements at our new place. I was happy to have her make the choices as far as decorating. It’s the least I could do after not consulting with her about the quick purchase. But I couldn’t care less how it looks; the only room I want to see is the bedroom.
I look at my watch. Four o’clock. I stare through the tinted windows of the back seat, eagerly waiting for her to emerge from the school. Every time the front door opens and someone walks out who isn’t her, I pout.
Cole laughs quietly in the front seat, amused by my childlike impatience. I’m glad he decided to come to New York with me. I know it’s not permanent; he’s a certified west-coaster. But he said he’d stay on until I could find a replacement. I’m hoping I won’t necessarily need one. Mallory got me thinking on our talks this week. She said it’s refreshing being somewhere she doesn’t get recognized. When she was in L.A. with me, she couldn’t even go into a grocery store without someone taking her picture. It’s different here, she said; everyone is anonymous. I intend to test that theory before I go hiring anyone new.
Five minutes go by and then I see her. She exits the school with Melissa and another teacher, and then I notice a familiar guy walking up to the three of them. I could swear he works for Ethan.
More teachers are spilling out of the building behind them, so to prevent causing a scene I ask Cole to fetch Mallory for me. I watch her eyes when she sees him. Her face lights up with excitement and her eyes scan the cars lining the curb in front of the school. I crack the window so she can see me. She squeals and runs to the car. I open the door for her and she pile-drives me into the back
seat, planting a long-awaited kiss on me.
I laugh. “Are you going to greet me like this every time I pick you up?”
She pushes up on her elbows. “Will that be a problem, Mr. Stone?”
“I’m gonna go with no.” I bring her lips down on mine and kiss her once more.
She giggles. “I thought we were meeting at Kyle’s.”
“Couldn’t wait,” I mumble between kisses. When I come up for air, I ask, “Was that one of Ethan’s employees out there? Is he dating one of your co-workers or something?”
She shrugs, pulling me back to her. “Less talking. More kissing.”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice. Cole gives us another minute before getting back in the car. When he opens the door, Mallory quickly extricates herself from on top of me and sits over on her side of the back seat. I ask Cole to take us to our new place.
“Actually, Cole,” Mal says, “can you swing by Kyle’s first? I’d like to pick up my things.”
“Sure thing,” he says.
Damn. I’m going to have to wait that much longer to get her alone. On the way to Kyle’s place, Mallory sends a few quick texts and then relaxes back into her seat. Except she’s not exactly relaxed. I study her for a minute. Her body language is all wrong.
“What?” she asks, turning to look at me.
I look into her eyes. “Something’s not right.”
She shifts uncomfortably. “What do you mean?”
“You.” I motion my hand up and down her body. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” she says, trying to make her face look all innocent.
I give her my best you’re-full-of-shit stare.
“What? Nothing,” she insists.
“Mallory, how long have I known you?”
She shrugs. “Eighteen years, on and off.”
“I’ve been able to read you since we were kids. Now spill.”
The Stone Brothers: A Complete Romance Series (3-Book Box Set) Page 58
