Mr. All Wrong

by R. C. Stephens

  I shot Al a text.

  Thanks a lot, dickwad.

  It’s a Sunday morning I planned on spending it in bed with Evie. I sure didn’t plan on cutting this trip short.

  Come on. This is exciting. Don’t be a party pooper.

  He responds followed by, Be at your place in twenty. Your dad is meeting us there.

  What the fuck?

  I’m in Evanston. Asshole…

  I know your father told me. We’re heading up in the copter.

  Fucking hell my blood turns to a boil. I pick up a vase on the dresser but stop myself from throwing it across the room. I place it back down on the dresser and tug at my hair with both my hands. I’m so angry, so fucking mad and I can’t vent with Evie sleeping. My father has gone too far this time. He must have found out that I brought Evie here last night. I pace the room watching a peaceful Evie sleep in the large bed, and my anger morphs into dread. She looks like my very own princess. Her dark red curls sprawled on the pillow as she breathes softly.

  I don’t want her to meet my father. I never know what he has up his sleeve. Not that I don’t think she can handle him because I’m sure she can. I just don’t want him playing his dirty games where she’s concerned. My need to protect her burns fiercely inside me. The only way I can protect her is by coming clean. My father is only minutes away, and I haven’t told her about my decision to run. I do the responsible relationship thing and nudge her awake.

  Her blue eyes slowly open. She has a lazy, confused look on her face, probably wondering why I’m in a pair of boxers kneeling on the floor on her side of the bed and not beside her under the covers where I should be. It’s nine thirty in the morning, but the blackout shades drown the room in darkness. I turn on the lamp next to the side of the bed she’s sleeping on.

  “Good morning,” she says, and her body curls beneath the sheets. If it weren’t for the damn meeting, I would have liked to enjoy the morning warmth of her body.

  I sign, ‘good morning’ to her and her smile grows wider. “I have to tell you something,” I say, and her smile fades as she juts out her lower lip. I hate to spring this on her first thing in the morning. Especially after the night we had, she must be exhausted. I know I am. I also don’t need her going all redhead feisty on me when my father and Al arrive, and she hears what’s on the table.

  “Okay.” She pushes herself up to a seated position and leans back on the headboard.

  My eyes drop to her pert nipples standing to my attention. They look so lonely. “You can’t expect me to focus when you’re lying here half naked do you?” I ask, my lip quirking up on one side.

  She rolls her eyes and pulls the sheet up over her chest. “I was hoping to grab your attention.”

  “You’ve got my attention. Trust me,” I chortle. Then bow my head for a moment to brace myself, hoping this isn’t the end between us. I look back up to her. “I need to tell you something…it’s important.”

  “Okay.” She nods, and her eyes drop to my lips. I know it’s her way of ensuring she sees exactly what I’m saying. I pick her free hand up and close it in between my hands. “I need you to keep an open mind. Please promise me.”

  “Colton, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?” A crevice forms on her forehead as she shifts on the bed.

  I exhale. “There are rumors flying around about me announcing my candidacy for the presidency.” I pause.

  “Yes,” she confirms. I know she knows this because she mentioned it the first night I officially met her at the Veterans gala.

  “Okay…well…they won’t be rumors soon because I’ve decided to run,” I say quickly and her eyes narrow.

  She pulls her hand out of mine and throws the sheet off her naked body and begins to pace in the room like I had done only moments before when she was still asleep. Then she stops and looks right at me. “I understood you, right?” she asks, needing confirmation. I know she understood.

  I nod and walk up to her placing my hands softly on her bare shoulders. “Evie, I refuse to lose you over this. I can’t and I won’t. My feelings for you are real. I’ve never felt this way before and I know we need time to explore things. We can keep our relationship secret. No one will have to know. Let’s focus on us,” I say, but who the hell am I kidding? If I enter the race, I will be on the road traveling for months at a time. I close my eyes and try to gather my thoughts. If there is one thing I am good at it is making an argument. I just need to convince her. Only when I open my eyes, she isn’t standing in front of me anymore. She has stalked off to the bathroom and closed the door. I can’t speak to her through the door so in other words, it means conversation over. I walk over to the bathroom door and knock knowing it’s useless. With my back pressed against the door, I slide onto the floor. Five minutes pass and nothing. That’s when I get an idea. I walk over to my nightstand where I have a notepad and pen. I scribble a short note.

  Don’t block me out. I know this isn’t what you were expecting when we got into a relationship, but I think we can make things work. Maybe you and Carter can fly out to see me when I’m on the road? We can figure something out, just don’t walk away because I’m falling in love with you. I wasn’t looking for you, but now that I found you I know you’ve been what was missing in my life.

  I slide the note under the door and wait anxiously. I know what I’ve just admitted to in my state of panic, and it’s true every damn word. Maybe I needed my back to a wall to realize what was happening between Evie and me. She’s everything right for me.

  I hear the latch on the door slowly unlock and then the door opens. I feel like I’m holding my breath as I take in her features. Being with her has taught me to look at so much more than a person’s words when communicating and the tears rolling down her cheeks speak volumes. Her tears burst into full out crying as her arms fly around my neck. I’m winded, still holding my breath, wondering what this means. I hate being the cause of her tears. My arms wrap around her naked body as I press her as close to me as possible. One arm draped over her back and behind another holding her at her head. I don’t know what her tears mean. I just know I can’t lose her or talk to her and understand what’s in her head from this angle. I need to pull away from her a little so that she can see my lips.

  “Evie, talk to me,” I say urgently as my heart palpitates in my chest and a foreign feeling washes over me. It takes me a moment to realize how much I fear losing her in my life. I’ve grown attached to her. The realization makes my head spin, but I try to stay focused on my task at hand. Evie.

  “I don’t know what to say,” she says shaking her head. She’s crying hard. It’s freaking me out because Al and my dad are going to be here any minute. Which means I don’t have a heck of a lot of time to fix us.

  I use the pads of my thumbs to wipe her tears as I bend my knees to her eye level. “You asked me to trust you. That’s what I’m doing. I’m sharing my life with you. I’m sharing what’s on my mind with you, but you need to do the same,” I urge because she can close down and I know all about shutting people out.

  “I know…I know…” She shakes her head and sniffles. “I don’t want to. I’m just so…” she holds her breath like saying her next word is poison. Then she finally says, “Scared.”

  “Scared?” I repeat like a moron.

  “Yes, scared. Is it so bad to admit I’m scared? I like to think I have my shit together. My life was comfortable. I lived in a bubble, and it worked for Carter and me. Then I met you and…” She seems to hold her breath again, and I fear what her next words will be. “How do you think the media will take you dating a deaf woman? And not only that, a single mother…I live a modest life. I’m not some glamorous woman. I can’t do the things you will need me to do,” she says, and my heart suddenly aches as I realize the pressure I’ve put on her. The role I’ve somehow asked her to take on without thoroughly thinking this whole situation over.

  “Shit, Evie. I’m sorry. I didn’t think this through. I have my dad on my case…” I hat
e those fucking words even more now.

  She cuts me off. “I know. And I don’t want to walk away from you, Colton. I truly don’t. I just don’t think I’m the right woman to go on this journey with you,” she says, and my panic rises. My heart picks up speed as fear erupts in my chest.

  “Okay, I’ve heard you out, and I understand everything you’ve said, but you are assuming I would win the office. I don’t think I will. I’m just announcing and traveling a little to secure votes. That’s all.” I suddenly realize how moronic this sounds. The lengths I’m willing to go to appease my father. I’m weak and broken. My insecurities become magnified.

  She bursts into laughter and places her palm on my cheek. “You’re a good man. Don’t ever forget that. This country should be grateful to have a leader like you, don’t ever sell yourself short.” She presses a kiss to my cheek then walks over to my dresser where her clothes are strewn over the top and begins to dress.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, even though it’s obvious. My earlier fear turns into full-blown panic.

  “I’m getting dressed. I want to go home,” she says, and I wonder if she’s forgotten that we flew here. She can’t leave. No. She can’t leave me.

  “We are scheduled to fly out at two pm today,” I say trying to keep my voice steady while I realize I’m trying to keep her here against her will. There is also the small fact that we will have company very soon.

  The loud sound of a helicopter landing nearby makes my eyes turn wide until I remember she can’t hear it. I swipe a hand over my face and walk over to her very slowly remembering our relationship at the beginning, skittish cat.

  “Evie, my father and Al are here to discuss the upcoming press conference. I’m so sorry. I didn’t invite them here. I don’t even know how my father found out we were here,” I say, pleading. Hoping the look in my eyes will convey how truly sorry I am.

  “Your father is here,” she repeats and wraps her arms around her center. She shivers. I want to make her feel better. I want all this baggage I carry to just blow out the damn window but time isn’t my friend right now.

  “This is how my father likes to sabotage my life. This is what I put up with,” I say, blowing out a harsh breath. Will she understand me? Will she think I’m weak and walk away?

  “Colton,” her hands caress my cheeks, “you don’t have to do what your father wants all the time. He has to stop controlling you,” she says. Fuck don’t I know it, I think to myself before the familiar guilt creeps back in.

  “You wouldn’t understand. He’s sacrificed so much for me. It’s hard for me to say no to him,” I say, resigned. I feel like the weight of the world has decided at this moment to fall upon my shoulders in one large humph.

  She looks at me and tears swell in her eyes. “Colton, I will stay up here for that meeting. I just don’t want to see your father,” she says, and I don’t blame her.

  I nod. “I will ask Rosita to bring breakfast upstairs. You must be famished after last night.”

  “Thank you,” she says, and I can tell she’s shut down on me. Her disappointment oozes from her pores. I’m used to her fighting me on things only now she isn’t her feisty self, and it eats away at me because of my unwillingness to stand up to my father. I failed her, is all I can think.

  I press a kiss to her lips. She kisses me back and it gives me hope that she isn’t completely locked down, but it also makes my stomach twist because I see pity in her eyes and I hate that more than anything.

  ***

  I walk into the dining room where Rosita has set up a lavish breakfast as I asked her to. It is apparent to me now that my father’s intentions were to sabotage my relationship with Evie. My earlier sense of defeat has bubbled into pure anger as I open the door. I never did give my father an extra key to this place. Not that he needs to come here. He has a much larger house that he likes to brag about on Lake Geneva. He always goes off about how Hugh Hefner set up his first playboy club not far from my father’s mansion. Money. Money. Money. Power. Competition. I want to vomit. My father’s twisted grin greets me along with Al who has a sorrowful look on his face.

  “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” My father claps me on the shoulder and looks around the house as if he’s expecting to see someone. Yeah, you asshole you’ve messed things up. Congratufuckinglations! I don’t say anything though because I sure don’t want to give him the satisfaction. He doesn’t deserve it.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Evie

  Colton dropped me off yesterday afternoon. His revelation virtually put an end to our mini vacation. That and the fact that his father purposely ruined our trip. At least something positive came out of it because Colton isn’t completely blind where his father is concerned. I felt so sorry for him as he processed the effects of his father’s actions not only on our relationship but his life. If only Colton knew the secrets I carried which made the flight back yesterday all the more difficult. The secret was on the tip of my tongue for most of the flight. Only I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I reminded myself that it wasn’t my secret to tell. Even though in my heart of hearts, I knew Colton wouldn’t see it that way.

  He’s sent me numerous text messages since he dropped me off yesterday afternoon. I told him to give me space to think. His response was time and space aren’t on our side and that he needs me. ‘Need,’ that word resonated in my mind all night. He needs me, and his note said he was falling in love with me. I didn’t realize how much I was craving the love of a man until I met him. Until our lips touched and I felt that unique electricity.

  “Earth to Evie,” Jake signs. It’s a beautiful spring afternoon. So when Jake texted earlier about meeting at the Navy Pier, I thought it was the perfect thing to do, spend time with family to gain perspective. It wasn’t helping because I had a one-track mind. All my thoughts were consumed by Colton.

  I blinked twice as Jake tried to snap me out of my daze. “Sorry,” I apologize to Jake. I’ve been reticent and anti-social.

  “Are you upset about him? You know you can talk to me if you are. I would never betray your confidence, and you’re still my best friend.” His lips are pursed together, and I sense his disappointment that I felt the need to pull away from him after everything we have been through together. It reminds me of the time I had my first kiss with Matthew Smart in ninth-grade. Jake and I had gone to a house party. Matthew’s house was a mansion, and his parents weren’t home. I’d been crushing on Matthew for a while, so when he invited me up to his room to see his telescope, I didn’t hesitate. We spent some time star gazing. I was pretty stargazed myself because Matthew was a sophomore. He was built and good-looking, and he was interested in me. We french kissed in his room that night, and when I returned to the party, I couldn’t wipe the stupid smile off my face. I bumped into Jake, and he said those same words to me. You know you can talk to me. I would never betray your confidence. Good old Jake also let me cry on his shoulder a week later when I found out that Matthew kissed Kayla Cummings at a party at his friend Derek’s house the following week.

  I sign to him that I know and my gaze warms as I stare back at him. Always loyal Jake. “He wants to run for president. I can’t be by his side when he does; I don’t want the attention or that lifestyle. I’m happy the way my life is, I like my job. I worry about how that kind of attention will affect Carter. It scares me to think what would happen to my life if people knew I was the woman in Colton Mathis’s life.” Emotions pour out of me in a cleansing way.

  “That’s not easy,” he signs. “I’m sorry you’re torn up.” His smile is consoling.

  “Thanks.” I force a grin. This is Jake, and I should be comfortable discussing relationship stuff with him, but not when the other man is his brother. I don’t know that Jake would be supportive right now if he knew that tidbit of information.

  “Come,” he signs. “Let’s take Carter on the Ferris wheel. Maybe it’ll distract you.” He winks and takes my hand knowing full well I’m not a fan of he
ights. I can’t even respond as he walks briskly. I sure would be distracted because I’d have a panic attack instead. I’m happy on the ground. Jake and I are walking hand in hand as he tugs me toward the Ferris wheel when I spot Colton. What is he doing here? My heart thrums in my chest like it usually does when he’s near. My eyes rake over him. He’s wearing a pair of khakis and a white polo. He looks sophisticated yet casual. When my gaze meets his, I notice the scowl on his face. I messaged him back this morning saying I’d be spending the day with Carter, Jake, and Veronica. I didn’t expect him to show up at the Navy Pier. My usual excitement over seeing him turns to sheer panic when I remember my company . Panic bubbles in my chest, and my gaze darts around looking for an escape route.

  “Nothing between you guys. Huh!” he snaps, his jaw hardened. I see the pain and disdain rolling off his features.

  Jake immediately drops my hand, but he doesn’t read lips so well, so I’m not sure he picked up on what Colton said. My heart beats rapidly in my chest knowing that this is probably the first time in a long time that these brothers have come face to face. Only they don’t realize they’re brothers…my mind goes into overdrive, and I feel like a shaky mess. The truth is too much of a burden for me to carry right now.

  I swallow hard and try to get my bearings before I speak. I fear saying the wrong thing or letting the truth slip. “Colton. There’s nothing between us. I was just telling Jake how confused I am about you, and he wanted to take me on the Ferris wheel to distract my thoughts,” I explain, hoping my tone is leveled. I was happy that Veronica was nowhere near us since she took Carter to play one of those games where you shoot a water gun at a target and try to win a race. Only my hope is vanquished when I see my son charging toward us excited and holding a stuffed animal. He must have won the game. Veronica is hot on his tail.