“I do.” It was fun to throw his unflappable assistant a curveball.
“Oh. Okay. Um…let me pull up your schedule and see what we have.”
For the next twenty minutes they talked about all the possibilities and Hugh had her pencil everything in. “Let me talk to Aubrey and run this by her. As soon as I have an answer, we’ll move forward. Is that all right?”
“You’re the boss,” she said with a nervous chuckle.
“Do you think it’s too much? Is the schedule too tight?”
“No. No, that’s not what I’m saying at all.”
He waited for her to elaborate and when she didn’t, he prompted her.
“I’m just wondering if Aubrey is going to be comfortable with all this traveling. It’s all happening so soon. It…well…personally, I would have a problem packing up and being away from home for a month. But that’s just me.”
“So it’s too much,” Hugh said, feeling a little deflated.
“Hugh, I’m just stating my own opinion. You’re giving her ten days at home now, so that should be plenty of time for her to prepare for the trip, but you have to remember she had a life before coming to work for you. She may have prior commitments that will hinder her ability to stay away so long. Remember to keep that in mind when you’re throwing this schedule her way.”
He sighed. “I’m not throwing it, Dotty. I’m going to discuss it with her and make sure she’s comfortable with it.” He paused. “And I don’t do that. I don’t…throw things at people.”
“Um…boss?”
“Yeah?”
“You do. A lot. Like, all the time.”
“No, I don’t.”
“I’m not going to split hairs with you,” she said pleasantly. “You have a tendency to work something out in your head and automatically think everyone is going to be able to read your mind and fall in line with what you want. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen that way.”
There was no point in arguing. She was right. “Fine. I promise I won’t throw this at her and I won’t get angry if she cannot simply hop on board and go with it. I’m willing to be flexible.”
She laughed. “I guess there’s a first time for everything!” When Hugh would have commented, Dotty made a quick excuse and hung up.
Hugh stared at the phone for a long time, thinking about what she’d said. For years, Hugh had believed he was organized and efficient, when the reality was he was inflexible. It was as if meeting Aubrey had suddenly brought all of this behavior to light and everyone was jumping up and making sure he saw it.
Dammit.
He put the phone down and sighed. How had his entire world turned upside down in such a short amount of time? How had…?
There was only one other time in his life it had. And just the thought of it brought a stab of pain. In his mind, this kind of upheaval was a bad thing, but right now it didn’t feel wrong. It was uncomfortable and a little unsettling, but it wasn’t like his world was coming to an end.
He just didn’t want things to spiral too much out of his control.
The light knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and he knew by the sound that it was Aubrey. She opened the door, stepping inside with her hair windblown and her face glowing, and he began to wonder if control was completely overrated.
* * *
“I wish we had another week here,” Aubrey said later that night over dinner. Hugh had taken her out to eat away from the resort. It was nice not to have any of the distractions of work, and as a live band played in the lounge, she secretly hoped they’d get to spend at least part of their night dancing.
“Funny you should mention that,” Hugh said, quickly taking a sip of his wine. “I know you have a flight back to Raleigh tomorrow and I’m heading out to see my family, but I was wondering what you had planned. Do you need to get home right away? Or could I drive up next weekend to see you? I mean, I completely get it if you already have plans or if you’re looking forward to finally having some time to yourself and relaxing without thinking about work…you know…that’s fine.”
Aubrey reached across the table and put her hand on top of Hugh’s. “You’re rambling. What’s going on?”
He let out a breath and turned his hand over so he could hold hers. “I’m trying—and failing—to see what your plans are for when you go home tomorrow.”
“Oh.” She couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. For a minute there, she’d thought he was going to ask her to go with him to meet his family. It was crazy, really. It was too soon for all of that, and yet she couldn’t help but feel let down.
Hugh must have picked up on it, because he gently squeezed her hand. “I’m not on any kind of schedule to go home. I mentioned to my dad I’d be coming in, but I didn’t give him an exact date.”
Aubrey looked at him as if she doubted his story.
“Okay…I gave him an exact date, but I can change it.” He looked at her and added, “We can stay for a few more days if you’d like.”
It was so sweet of him to offer, and if he was doing anything other than going to see family, she would be tempted to accept his offer to stay and play a little longer. But if there was one thing she had learned about Hugh, it was how important his family was to him. She might not have firsthand experience of what that was like, but she knew enough to realize it was special and wonderful, and she didn’t want to interfere with it.
Finally, she shook her head. “No. But thank you. You need to see your family. But I will take you up on your offer of coming to see me. Then maybe, you know, you could stay with me for a couple of days.”
“Are you sure? Because it wouldn’t be a big deal for me to call my dad and—”
“Hugh,” she interrupted. “Go see your family. I don’t expect you to change all your plans for me.”
He chuckled at her words.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“Just something Dorothy said earlier.”
Behind them the band started to play an old Motown classic and Aubrey’s eyes lit up. “Ooo…I love this song!” She looked toward the trio playing and then back to Hugh. “I like the bluesy, jazzy spin they put on it, don’t you?”
Hugh didn’t answer. Instead he stood and pulled Aubrey to her feet, leading her over to the lounge area. Gracefully, she spun into his arms as they began to sway to “Under the Boardwalk.”
Aubrey sighed as the music washed over her. When was the last time she’d danced for pleasure? Sure, she’d gone to her share of events where everyone danced, but whenever she gave in and agreed to dance, it was normally with an agenda. She had to schmooze the donors and dignitaries in order to convince them to write big checks.
But this? This slow, intimate swaying? It was so good it was almost orgasmic. She heard every word being sung. Felt every note being played. And her body naturally responded to it all.
Hugh’s arm banded possessively around her waist, his large hand splayed across her back while the other held her hand. They moved together as if they’d been dance partners for years. It felt so good, so perfect. One song played into the next and he never let her go. She thought it was sweet that he sometimes hummed to the music, and when he didn’t, he rested his cheek against hers or kissed the shell of her ear.
She made a mental note to go through her music collection when she got home because she was going to want to do this again—when they were alone.
The band announced one final song before taking a break and Aubrey felt a pang of disappointment. She wasn’t ready for this to end. When the song ended, they’d stop dancing. Then soon they’d leave the restaurant. It was getting late and she knew that soon the night would be over and she’d be heading for the airport.
Alone.
Pushing that depressing thought aside, she was just settling into the new song when suddenly Hugh started to sing it softly in her ear. Hi
s voice was deep and gravelly and mesmerizing as he sang of her being his completely.
Oh my.
They swayed together and Aubrey knew she was going to be adding the Shirelles to her music collection. She wanted to always remember this moment and Hugh singing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.”
As he spun her around one last time, Aubrey knew her answer.
Yes.
* * *
Hugh pulled into his father’s driveway and parked.
Home.
So many emotions coursed through him that he took a few minutes to get himself under control. This was his childhood home. He’d go inside and it would be like stepping back in time. He’d sleep in the same bed he had for the first half of his life, and he’d eat his meals at the same table he and his siblings always had. It was comforting. It was soothing.
It was exactly the way it should be.
No changes.
No surprises.
Taking a deep breath, he climbed from the car and stretched. He was used to the four-hour drive, but this time he did it in one straight run, no stopping. His original plan had been to take Aubrey to the airport himself, but she had argued that it would be out of his way, and she didn’t want to say good-bye while sitting in the car at the curb while people rushed by all around them. She wanted their good-bye to be private.
And it had been. After they had gotten home from dinner the previous evening, they had made love well into the night. She was like a drug to him—he craved her. When they had exhausted themselves, they had fallen asleep in each other’s arms.
And Hugh had never slept better.
That morning, they’d shared breakfast in bed and he’d helped her pack. In his head, he’d kept up a running dialogue where he would ask her to stay. Ask her to come home with him and meet his family. At one point, he’d even made a joke about it.
“Come on…why go home when you can come and meet my family? We can share my twin bed.”
Aubrey laughed. “Only if the Spider-Man sheets are still there too.”
“Please, I’m more sophisticated than that. They’re Ninja Turtle sheets, and they’re still wildly popular.”
She laughed harder. “The sheets?”
He rolled his eyes dramatically. “No…the turtles.” He shook his head. “Such a girl.”
And that had been it. He hadn’t said any more because he hadn’t wanted to come off as desperate and needy. Even though it was exactly how he felt. And Hugh wasn’t sure what to do with that. This was a completely new sensation—he was used to women chasing after him, and even though he’d chased a girl or two in his life, it had never been like this.
Watching Aubrey climb into the cab that morning had been harder than he’d expected. She’d kissed him softly and promised she’d see him soon, yet he’d stood there like a sap, watching the cab until it was completely out of sight.
“I need to get a grip,” he mumbled, turning to open the trunk so he could get his luggage. This trip home was exactly what he needed. A peaceful time to visit with his family—to get caught up on their lives and hang out in the one place Hugh could count on to never change.
Slamming the trunk closed, he stopped and looked at the house. The exterior had been painted over the years, but it was always white with red shutters. His mother had loved the combination and it really did look nice. The shrubs were in need of trimming but he supposed it went with the territory. His father wasn’t getting any younger, and with a full-time job and a budding social life, Hugh imagined trimming bushes wasn’t the way his dad wanted to spend his free time. He made a mental note to do some yard work while he was here.
Walking up the steps to the porch, Hugh felt some of the tension finally leave his body. It was always like this when he came home. With a smile, he opened the front door and was about to call out when he froze. “What the hell?”
“Oh… Hugh!” Ian Shaughnessy said. “I wasn’t expecting you until dinnertime.”
Hugh stood there speechless. His father was sitting—rather closely—on the sofa with a woman. His gaze narrowed and he realized it was Martha Tate—Zoe’s boss and resident interior decorator. And by the looks of all the fabric swatches and books open on the coffee table, she was looking to decorate this interior!
“Oh, hey, Hugh,” Martha said with a big smile. “It’s good to see you!”
He grunted some sort of response, but his attention immediately went back to his father. “What’s going on?”
Ian walked over and hugged him, choosing to ignore his question. “Why didn’t you call and let me know you were getting in earlier? Did you call your brothers? I’m guessing they’ll all be here for dinner.”
“Dad, I don’t really care about dinner at the moment. What’s going on here? What’s Martha doing here?” He dropped his suitcase down beside him but didn’t move any farther into the room.
A nervous smile crossed Ian’s face. “Well…um… Martha is here to help me with some…uh…”
“Oh, for crying out loud, Ian Shaughnessy, I’m here to help spruce this place up!” Martha said, coming to her feet. “It’s a beautiful home, but it’s stuck in a time warp. We’re going to freshen everything up!” She smiled at Hugh.
Looking at his father and doing his best to ignore everything Martha had just said, Hugh frowned, completely at a loss for words.
Ian turned to Martha. “How about I give you a call next week?”
With a wink, Martha began collecting her things. “No problem, Ian.” Once she was done, she made her way to the door, smiling at them both. “I hope y’all have a nice visit.”
Hugh waited until the door was closed and he heard Martha’s car start before speaking. “You’re freshening everything up? What does that mean?”
Ian chuckled and walked back into the living room and sat down. “I didn’t raise any idiots, Hugh, so stop pretending to be one. You know exactly what it means.”
A growl of frustration came from Hugh as he followed his father to the sofa and sat down beside him. “Fine. I know what it means. I guess my question is…why? Why are you changing anything? This house is fine just the way it is.”
“No, Son, it’s not. Things are worn and faded, and it’s time to do something about it.”
Hugh shook his head. “I don’t think so. And I’ll bet when Quinn and Aidan come here tonight, they’ll agree with me.”
“They’re all on board with it. Aidan’s going to replace the cabinets in the kitchen for me and Quinn’s going to help with the painting.” He laughed. “I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of fighting over who’s in control. I’ll probably end up breaking up quite a few scuffles.”
For a moment, Hugh was too stunned to speak. His brothers were all for this? “I…I don’t understand how this happened. Last time I was home, everything was good. No one was talking about redecorating or ripping out the kitchen. Mom loved—”
Holding up a hand, Ian stopped him. “Your mother loved this house and everything in it, Hugh. But you cannot honestly believe if she were still here she wouldn’t have changed things up over the years. Do you remember how many times we changed the color of this room alone when you kids were little?”
He hadn’t until just now. Then he couldn’t help but laugh. “She kept going with darker colors because the twins kept drawing on the wall.”
Ian nodded. “Exactly. So many times while you kids were growing up, your mom wanted to do things with the house, but we couldn’t afford it. And then after she was gone, I didn’t want to change anything. I felt like I had to keep it all the same for her.” He sighed. “It wasn’t until Zoe started coming around and helped Darcy redecorate her room that I realized what a rut we were in.”
Annoyance at Zoe instantly flashed through Hugh’s mind, but he quickly realized it wasn’t her fault. It was what she did for a living and it came to her as naturally
as breathing. He just wished she hadn’t been so good at her job.
“I can hear you thinking from here, Hugh. I know you enjoy coming home and having everything in its place. I know it’s how you live your life—you’re regimented and you don’t like surprises. Unfortunately, life is full of surprises. And believe it or not, not all of them are bad.”
Hugh sighed and threw his head back against the sofa. “I know, Dad. I’m not stupid. I just don’t believe in fixing what isn’t broke.”
Ian laughed. “Now you sound like an old man. That’s my job.”
Looking at his dad, he laughed with him. “You’ll have to get used to sharing it then.”
“You’re far too young to be this set in your ways. You travel all over the world for your business and even though I’ve never seen most of them, you can’t tell me each and every one of your resorts are all the same. It’s not possible.”
“No, they’re not. But my apartments all are.”
The laughter stopped. “You could do anything you want with those spaces. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?”
He shrugged. “I like what I have. It’s comfortable and familiar and no matter where I am, it always feels like home. My home. I know some people think it’s odd…”
“Probably more than some—”
“But,” Hugh interrupted, “it’s the way I want it. Not everyone wants a dozen different homes that are all…different.”
“Then you haven’t met most women,” Ian said.
“Mom wasn’t like that. She knew what she liked and stuck with it. I must get it from her.”
Wordlessly, Ian got up and went to the kitchen. Hugh watched him leave, not sure if he was supposed to follow. Two minutes later he was back, beers in hand. He handed one to Hugh and opened the other for himself.
“When your mother and I got married, we knew we wanted kids right away. Luckily, she got pregnant immediately. We lived in a tiny, one-bedroom apartment close to the beach at the time. When Aidan was born, we were so head over heels at being parents, we knew we didn’t want to wait too long to have another baby.”
Love Walks In Page 17
