Love So Tempting

by Marquita Valentine

  “That’s wonderful to hear.”

  Her mother cleared her throat. “Lemon, darling, are you planning on coming in?”

  Cheeks heating, she rushed inside. “Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt.” She kissed her mother’s cheek. On impulse, she did the same to her mother-in-law.

  “You are positively glowing, Lemon,” Dinah said. Her eyes twinkled.

  Viola nodded. “McCoy women are even more beautiful when they’re pregnant.”

  Lemon choked on air. “Excuse me? Oh, I’m not—”

  “You’ve been under the weather for almost three months. You’re exhausted all the time and emotional,” her mother said, ticking off the symptoms of pregnancy. “You cried when the tea shop ran out of chocolate-covered strawberries.”

  “I didn’t think you saw that.” Lemon pressed her hands against her cheeks. “You didn’t say a word to me.”

  “It wasn’t my news to give, but I’m a tickled pink. Have you thought about a name?”

  “Oh Lord,” Lemon croaked. “There’s not...I’m not sure—”

  “Don’t try to deny it, sugar.” Dinah laughed. “My son doesn’t know women very well if he thought I wouldn’t notice his baby blanket missing.”

  “Poor, misguided creature,” Viola agreed. “Why don’t you sit, Lemon Anne? You’re positively pale.”

  Wincing a little, Lemon sat down at the table. “It was a present to the baby, not me.”

  Dinah reached across the table and patted Lemon’s arm. “I’m not mad. I’m thrilled. This will make grandbaby number three.”

  “Grandbaby number one for me.”

  “You are going to love it, Viola. My Leo is the smartest little thing, and that baby of Sydney and Brody’s, he’s a charmer,” Dinah gushed. “You just wait.”

  “You’re not upset with me?” This she said to her mother.

  “No, but Dinah and I are concerned for you, though.”

  “Don’t worry. Tristan is very serious about our marriage. I am, too. He takes really good care... of...” The twin looks of isn’t-she-cute made her words trail off.

  “Actually, we were more concerned about all of your obligations and wondered how we could help take those off your plate,” Dinah said.

  “You were? You do?” Lemon felt tears welling. She gave them a watery smile. “Thank you. You don’t know how much it means to me.”

  Her mother hugged her. “We are here for you, baby girl.”

  After a few minutes, Lemon felt like she could talk without crying. “Tristan and I would like to have a party here, with just family, to celebrate our marriage as well as tell everyone about the baby. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

  “You can surprise everyone else.”

  “Skylar knows. Mason, too.”

  “Everyone else but them will be surprised, then.”

  “If you say so.” Lemon poured herself a glass of iced tea. “When can we have it?”

  “I was thinking next month. Austin will be home by then, and four weeks will give everyone enough time to clear their schedule.”

  Viola nodded. “Even Apple can tear herself away from the paper to support her baby sister. Cherry and Kyle will drive down from Raleigh—I’ve already talked with her about it. They’ll be staying with your father and me.”

  As the ladies made plans, Lemon drank her tea and listened. They sounded happy, giddy, even. Would the rest of their families react the same way? What would Apple and Cherry say? Would they be disappointed in her?

  Lemon shook her head. It didn’t matter if they were disappointed with her. She wanted their love and support.

  They weren’t just sisters; they were best friends.

  “Are you seriously here again?” Mason grumbled as Tristan joined him on the boat dock.

  “Brought you a present.” He handed his brother a six-pack of Fat Tire.

  “Good to see you, brother.”

  Tristan sat down next to him. His brother broke out the bottle opener and passed a bottle to him.

  “I’ve been thinking.”

  “Here we go,” Mason said.

  “About my issues from serving.”

  “And?”

  “I’d like to talk to your therapist.”

  “What brought this on?” his twin asked.

  The wind blew through the trees, making the water ripple. A fish jumped, landing in the dark water with a splash. It was calm here. He could see why his brother wanted to keep everyone but Skylar out.

  This was his sanctuary.

  “Can’t go at it alone anymore.” Tristan took another pull of his beer. “Lemon and the baby deserve better than that.”

  “What about you?” Mason asked.

  For a minute, Tristan didn’t answer him. “Yeah, I deserve better too.”

  Mason nodded. “That’s the important thing. You can’t want to get better solely for her and the baby. You have to want to get better for you too. Doesn’t work any other way. Damn good incentive though—a wife and baby.”

  “You want kids with Skylar?”

  Mason rolled his shoulders. “Skylar wants kids.”

  “And what Skylar wants—”

  “Skylar’s going to get,” Mason finished. He tilted his head to one side. “Eventually.”

  Tristan elbowed his brother. “When the time comes, you’re going to be a great dad.”

  “No shit, genius.”

  “Seriously. I mean it. You really are.”

  “Thanks.”

  They drank in comfortable silence as the sun went down behind them. “Got any other secret projects going?”

  “No.”

  “Want one?”

  “No.”

  “It’s for Clarence.”

  Mason didn’t miss a beat as he said, “I’m there.”

  *

  Tristan stood stock-still at the sight of Lemon’s dream home. He shook his head. Not Lemon’s home. The white cottage with its blue door belonged to none other than Clarence.

  “Good to see you, boys,” Clarence said as he hobbled outside.

  “What can we do first?” Mason asked, shaking the older man’s hand. Tristan did the same.

  “Your brother has to power wash the house,” Clarence said.

  Mason elbowed Tristan. “You’re such a loser.”

  “And you have to weed my flowerbeds.”

  Tristan barked out a laugh. “Have fun, Mary Contrary.”

  As Mason walked away, slightly favoring one leg, Tristan turned to Clarence. “Mind showing me where the water hose is?”

  “Over by the well, then there’s another hookup on the west side of the house—that’s the—”

  “I haven’t been out of the service that long.”

  Clarence grinned, his paper-thin skin pulling. “Wasn’t sure if they were still teaching you boys real skills or not.”

  “Not,” Mason called out.

  “Anyway, you ever considered selling this place?” Tristan began filling up a bucket with a mixture of bleach, soap, and water.

  “Yep.”

  Tristan waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t say another word about it.

  “Y’all won’t have much sunlight to work by.”

  “We’ll get it done.”

  “Even if we have to come back tomorrow,” Mason added.

  Clarence nodded. “Come back tomorrow, and I’ll have beer and brats.”

  Tristan screwed on the nozzle of the power washer. “We’ll come back tomorrow, even if we’re done.”

  For once, Mason didn’t contradict him or make a smartass comment.

  “Okay, then. I’ll see you boys tomorrow. Dinnertime.”

  Tristan flashed a smile and began to spray the house, making sure to blast his brother at least once.

  “I’m going to kick your ass if you keep that up,” Mason threatened.

  “Promises, promises,” Tristan taunted.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lemon had finally had enough.

  Everyone but
Apple had agreed to come to the family celebration. In fact, she hadn’t said a word.

  “You can try to ignore me, but I know where you live,” Lemon muttered as she walked up the three flights of stairs that led to her sister’s studio apartment.

  By the time she got to the top, she was breathing hard and bent over. “Good Lord.”

  “The elevator’s working now, remember?” Apple said, walking to her.

  “Since when?”

  “Since we talked last.”

  For the life of her, she couldn’t remember a conversation about a new elevator, but then again, her mind hadn’t been on Apple’s currently working or not working elevator.

  “Oh yeah.” She stood, brushing a stray curl out of her face. “Thought it would be good exercise to take the stairs.” Lemon gave her an I-dare-you-to-call-me-a-liar look.

  Apple’s blue gaze flicked over her. “Why don’t you come inside and freshen your makeup?”

  “Love to.” Lemon sailed past her sister and stepped inside the apartment.

  Built in the early 1800s, the former hotel had been reimagined as mixed-use property. The Jessamine Gazette was housed on the second floor, while a mixture of restaurants and quaint shops filled the ground floor.

  Apple not only owned the entire building, but she also lived in one of the two penthouse suites on the top floor. The second one had recently been vacated by the manager of The Gazette due to her marriage to an on-staff reporter.

  “I suppose you came by to get my answer,” Apple said as she joined her. “Water or tea?”

  “Water,” Lemon said, then made a little face. That was strange. Usually, her sister offered wine as well.

  “Are you busy that day?” Lemon asked as Apple fixed a glass of water and brought it to her.

  “No.”

  Her heart sank. “Then help me understand why you wouldn’t be there.”

  Apple tossed her blonde hair. “I can’t support a marriage built on lies.”

  “Just because we ran off and got married—”

  “Not talking about that,” Apple said with a wave her of hand. “I’m speaking of your lying, cheating, no-good husband.”

  “Tristan?” Lemon blinked at her, then fury filled her veins. “You better have more than just words to back you up.”

  An obstinate expression covered Apple’s face. “I had him followed.”

  Lemon’s jaw dropped all the way to the floor. “I know I had to have misunderstood you. Did you say you had him followed?”

  Apple nodded. “I won’t apologize either.”

  “No, you’ll just continue to drive a wedge between us.”

  “Don’t you want to see the evidence?”

  Though her heart pinched and fluttered in her chest, she refused to believe the worst about Tristan. “No.”

  “I guess you don’t mind him spending time with Harper Bell, then.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “He’s been seen with her. They’ve had dinners together, and my source saw him kiss her at Clarence Taylor’s house.”

  “You are a piece of work, you know that? Harper Bell is our real estate agent, or did you forget that she sold houses for extra money? She’s helping us find a house to buy. Those dinners are ones that I knew about and had to miss because I was puking my—I was unwell.”

  “What about the kiss?”

  “I don’t care if he kissed the entire county during the Fourth of July Parade, he’s still not cheating on me. He wouldn’t cheat on me.” Lemon meant it. There was a reasonable explanation for that kiss, if he truly kissed Harper. Besides, if Tristan Lawson hadn’t wanted to be with her, only God Himself could have forced him to marry her.

  The thought shook her to her core.

  “We are married, and he didn’t just marry me because of the baby. He married me because he wanted to.”

  “What baby?” Apple asked with false innocence.

  Lemon’s cheeks heated as she glanced at her water. “You know what baby.”

  “Doesn’t change anything. Those Lawsons are bad news.” But Apple didn’t sound so sure of herself now. “Every last one of them.”

  “They’re good enough to sleep with but nothing more than that?” she asked. “Is that why you never said a word against Brody?”

  “Cherry wasn’t interested in him like that.”

  “She’s interested in Kyle like that,” Lemon pointed out.

  “I like Kyle.”

  “Fair enough, but I have to have a reason for your dislike of Tristan. Maybe it’s simply a misunderstanding that y’all can resolve. I mean, if the two of us can find a way to get along, then surely you can figure something out.”

  Apple smashed her lips together and shook her head.

  “You owe me, Apple. You want to try to tear my marriage apart, unsuccessfully, I might add, so you owe me,” Lemon said, her voice gathering strength. “I’ve looked up to you for as long as I can remember and took your advice when you said to date Mark. To get engaged to Mark. But I can’t listen to you anymore, not when I know you’re wrong.”

  “I loved him,” Apple cried, then slapped a hand over her mouth.

  Lemon jerked back. “You loved Tristan?”

  “Not him. Caleb.” Apple let out a shuddering breath. “I loved Caleb and he...led me on. He said he loved me, didn’t care about my reputation...but then things changed, he met Iris for the first time. I regret that I ever introduced them. She was from Holland Springs and didn’t go to the same school as us.

  “And because of that, when Iris died, I still hated her. I still hated them both, and then I hated myself for hating them. She was my best friend, and I would never get to see her again. Never get to apologize. And it’s all Caleb’s fault.

  “I couldn’t let that happen to you. I knew how you felt about Tristan and how he felt about you. Any fool with eyes could read between the lines of the letters he’d written to you. That man loved you, but I couldn’t allow it. I couldn’t. A Lawson’s love isn’t permanent when it comes to a McCoy.

  “He didn’t even fight for you when I sent him away. He should have, but he believed the worst about you, tucked tail, and ran.”

  Lemon stared at her in shock as she tried processing all that Apple had confessed. “You sent him away? He came for me? What did you say to him?”

  Apple nodded, shame written all over her face.

  “Please understand me, Lemonade, I was only looking out for you. You were never like me and Cherry.” Huge tears began to fall from Apple’s eyes. “Actually, you are exactly how I used to be. I believed in love and marriage... and that Caleb Lawson loved me. God, I was a stupid girl.”

  Lemon couldn’t stop the tears that fell from her own eyes. Yes, she hurt for her sister, but she hurt over the years she could have had with Tristan even more. “I don’t know what to say to you. “ She blew out a breath. “I love you, Apple. I truly do, and I believe that you were trying to look out for me, but Tristan and I are not you and Caleb. I’m sorry he hurt you, but Tristan can’t be held responsible for his brother’s actions.”

  Nodding, Apple bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”

  Her sister had never apologized in her life, but that still didn’t make up for what she’d done.

  “Thank you for that, but I can’t forgive you right now.” Lemon set the glass of water on a table and ran out of the room, this time using the elevator.

  Tristan had just stepped out of the shower when Lemon came flying into the room. Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were red-rimmed.

  “My sister lied about you, about everything, because she was in love with Caleb and he broke her heart,” she said in a rush, stopping just shy of him.

  Wrapping the towel around his waist, he took her hands in his. “Start over, baby. I just got home from Clarence Taylor’s house, and I’m sore as hell.”

  “She said you were cheating on me because you kissed Harper Bell at Clarence’s house.”

  Oh shit. He had kissed Harper,
but it was on the cheek and it was because she’d talked Clarence into selling his house to him. The fact that Clarence had a girlfriend in an assisted living community two towns over and wanted to move closer to her hadn’t hurt either.

  “I swear, Lemon. It is not what you think. Harper found a house for us, and I got excited,” he said, not wanting to ruin the surprise.

  “I figured as much. I never doubted you.”

  “You didn’t?” Yes, he’d never be unfaithful, but her trust in him was an amazing gift.

  She shook her head. “No. But that’s not all...Apple admitted she sent you away, that you believed the worst about me.” Her eyes grew huge. “Is that why you asked me if I gave you a pity kiss?”

  “Yeah.” He leaned against the counter, bringing her closer. Letting go of her hands, he framed her face. “I should have never allowed her to get to me. I should have fought for you, but my pride wouldn’t let me. It was easier to walk away, especially when I thought you’d only written to me out of obligation and pity.”

  “She told me you were just using me, because you were bored and Whitney wasn’t bothering to write you.”

  “And you believed that?” He wasn’t mad at Lemon for believing what her sister told her. After all, older sisters were meant to protect, but he was pissed as hell at Apple. She knew better.

  “Not entirely. That’s why—”

  “You came to see me.” He let his head drop back with a groan. “I was such a dumbass.”

  “Now you’re my dumbass,” she said, and he looked at her.

  He laughed. “Mason would agree with you, except he called me a jackass.”

  “A part of me wants to stay mad at Apple, but another part of me feels sorry for her. I truly believe she loved your bother, and that she felt betrayed by him when he broke up with her for Iris.”

  “I’m not saying you can’t forgive her, but I refuse to let her punish me, and ultimately you, by spreading lies. Sister or no sister,” he said. “You are my number-one concern, and no one will come between us.”

  “We lost so many years,” she said tearfully. “Who knows what would have happened had we been given more time.”