“These are soooo good,” Rachel says, her face right next to mine, slowly chewing her pancakes with her eyes closed.
“Sooo good.” Garret mimics her, complete with the slow chewing and his eyes closed.
“Nice try,” I say. “I’m still not ordering them.”
The two of them laugh and go back to eating their breakfast.
I don’t like this diner, but I love coming here with Rachel and Garret. I love seeing them so happy. I love spending time with them. It’s a family tradition, with the two people I love most in the world.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
19
RACHEL
“Do you need anything else, Charles?” I have the flour, sugar, and other ingredients all lined up for him.
“No. I think I’m all set.” He smiles.
He’s such a nice man. I met him years ago at an event he was catering. The food was so good that I got his card and started hiring him for some of the charity events I was involved in. He’s also catered some dinner parties I’ve hosted here at the house, Garret’s last birthday party, and three summer cookouts with the neighbors. He’s been over here so much the past year, he’s almost become like a member of the family. Garret loves him because Charles likes talking about sports.
“Charles!” Garret runs in the kitchen and gives Charles a hug.
“Hello, Garret.” Charles laughs as Garret practically knocks him over. “You ready for your game?”
“Yeah. Watch this.” He steps back, then jumps up and pretends to dunk the ball. “Did you see how high I jumped?”
Charles smiles. “That was good. Keep practicing and you’ll be just like the pros.”
“Do you want to come to my game after Thanksgiving? I don’t know when it is, but Mom does.”
“I’ll have to check my schedule but if I don’t have to work, then yes. I’ll plan to be there.”
“I’ll give you the details later,” I tell him.
He nods at me, then looks back at Garret. “I brought you something.” Charles hands him a paper box. “They’re for after your game today.”
Garret opens the box and inside are a dozen sugar cookies decorated to look like basketballs.
“Mom, look!” Garret holds one up.
“Thank you, Charles,” I say. “That was sweet of you.”
“I was making sugar cookies for an event and I had some extra dough. I thought Garret might like those.”
“I think I’ll like them too,” I say. “I love sugar cookies.” I take the box from Garret. “Honey, go upstairs and get your gym bag. We need to leave.”
Charles watches Garret run off. “He’s such a good kid.”
I smile. “Yeah, he is. So what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
“I usually go to my brother’s house in Vermont, but he’s going to his in-laws’ house this year so I’ll be staying here.”
“You should come over and have Thanksgiving with us.”
“Oh, no. I don’t want to intrude on your holiday.”
“You wouldn’t be intruding. We’d love to have you. I always make more than enough food. It’ll just be Pearce, Garret, and me, and Pearce’s parents. What do you say?”
He pauses to consider it. “I suppose I could. But you have to let me help with dinner.”
“Gladly. Would you like to make the stuffing? I’m not very good at stuffing.”
“That’s my specialty, so yes.”
Pearce walks in. “We need to get going, Rachel, or we’re going to be late.”
“Yeah, I’m just waiting for Garret. He’s upstairs getting his gym bag.” I go stand next to Pearce. “Charles is going to join us for Thanksgiving.”
Pearce smiles at Charles. “Good. We’re happy to have you.” He looks at me. “You did warn him about my parents, right?”
“No.” I bite my lip.
Pearce laughs and looks at Charles. “If you met my parents, you might change your mind, especially if you knew my father.”
Charles nods. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Garret races up to us, holding his gym bag. “I’m ready.”
We go to his basketball game, and when we get back home, Eleanor is there. Charles is finishing up in the kitchen, the cookies all boxed and ready to be picked up by the woman who’s coordinating the bake sale. I tell Charles goodbye and pay him for his work.
Then I go over some things with Eleanor. She’s never babysat Garret at our house before. The few times Pearce and I went on an overnight trip without Garret, he stayed at Eleanor’s house, but he wanted to stay home this time so she agreed to come over.
“I think that’s it,” I say once I’ve gone over everything. “Just call if you have any questions. I’ll keep my phone on.”
“We’ll do fine, won’t we Garret?”
“Yep,” he says, standing beside me.
She smiles. “I’ll let you say goodbye. I need to go upstairs and unpack my suitcase.”
When she’s gone, Garret hugs me. “Don’t go.”
He sounds so sad, and he won’t let go of me. Usually he’s the one who ends our hugs first, but this time he doesn’t, so I keep hold of him. “Don’t you want to spend time with your grandmother?”
“Yes, but I don’t want you to go.”
I gently back away so I can see his face. He’s frowning and his eyes are wet. I crouch down to his level and hold his hands. “Honey, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset about this?”
“I don’t know.” He sniffles and a tear runs down his cheek. He wipes his face with the back of his hand. “I just don’t want you to go.”
“It’s just for a couple days.” I’m trying not to cry, but seeing him this sad is making me tear up.
“Why can’t Dad go without you?”
I can’t tell Garret the reason why. The truth is that Pearce could go alone, but I’m going with him because this trip is a little getaway for our anniversary. The real one, not the fake one in March. Garret only knows about the fake one. Pearce and I never told him we eloped. We will when he’s older, but right now, he’s too young to understand.
“Your dad is going to a big party for the senator and he didn’t want to go to the party all by himself.” I wipe a tear off Garret’s cheek. “If he did, who would he dance with?”
Garret shrugs. “He doesn’t have to dance. He could just drink coffee and talk to people.”
I smile at his comment. I’m sure there won’t be coffee at this party. There will be nothing but liquor. There’s always a lot of drinking at these political fundraisers.
“Honey, I already told him I would go.”
“You could change your mind.” He sounds hopeful just saying it.
“I could, but your dad really wants me there. And I promise you, the time will go so fast that before you know it, we’ll be home. Then we’ll have Thanksgiving, and on Friday, we’ll spend all day decorating for Christmas, like we do every year.” I smile. “And Saturday, the three of us will go out for pancakes and then I’ll take you to the store to pick out your ornament. Maybe we’ll go to the pool in the afternoon. We’ll even make your dad go.”
Garret’s not smiling back. He’s just watching me, tears falling down his face. “Don’t go, Mom. Please.”
My own tears start falling, so I hug him so he won’t see them. “Honey, you’re making this very hard. It’s just a couple days.”
“Rachel, are you ready?” Pearce appears with our suitcase.
I let go of Garret and stand up. Pearce sees the tears on my face, and then on Garret’s.
“What’s going on?” he asks in a concerned tone.
“Garret doesn’t want us to go,” I tell him.
Pearce leans down to Garret. “Why don’t you want us to go?”
He sniffles. “I just don’t.”
“We’ve gone away before and you’ve been okay.”
He shakes his head. “I haven’t been okay. I didn’t like it. I don’t like it when you go.”
Pearce hugs h
im. “And we don’t like leaving you. But this event is just for adults. You’d be bored. You’ll have much more fun here at home with your grandmother.” Pearce pulls back and looks at Garret. “We’ll call you as soon as we get there. And we’ll call you tomorrow. Several times. And on Monday.”
Pearce’s words don’t help. Garret gazes down at the floor.
When Pearce stands up, I whisper in his ear, “Maybe I should just stay here.”
He whispers back. “We have plans. Anniversary plans.”
I look at Garret again. “Honey, your dad and I need to get to the airport.”
He nods, his eyes still on the floor.
I hug him. “I love you, sweetie.”
“I love you too,” he says quietly, his voice shaky.
Eleanor comes back downstairs. We tell her goodbye, then Pearce and I head out to the car.
“I don’t know why he’s so upset,” I say to Pearce, wiping my eyes with a tissue. I’ve been crying the entire way to the airport.
“He just isn’t used to not having you around. You’re always with him, and when you’re not, he misses you.” Pearce smiles and takes my hand. “I miss you too when you’re not around.”
I sniffle. “I hope he’ll be okay.”
“He’ll be fine. I told my mother to watch a movie with him tonight. You know how he loves movies. That’ll keep his mind off of us.”
“Yeah. I guess.” I take some breaths and end my crying as we approach the airport.
I’m still thinking about Garret when we’re on the plane. It’s a short flight to DC, and as soon as we land I call him. He says Eleanor took him for ice cream and now he’s watching a cartoon. He sounds better, not as sad.
The next day, Pearce and I spend the morning in bed, enjoying some alone time.
“Happy Anniversary,” Pearce says, kissing me.
“Happy Anniversary.” I smile and stretch out over the luxuriously soft sheets. My body is still in a blissful state of warmth and pleasure from what Pearce and I just did.
He captures me in his arms and nuzzles my neck. “I love you even more than I did twelve years ago.”
I smile and run my finger down his chest. “Did you ever think this wouldn’t work out since we only dated a few months before getting married?”
“Never. I knew right away you were the one.”
“I felt the same way about you.” I sigh. “And now I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
His lips touch my ear and I hear his deep voice, “I bet I could make you even happier.”
He does. And then we order room service. Pearce booked us a suite at the best hotel in DC. Both the room and the food are incredible.
After a leisurely breakfast, we spend the afternoon touring the Smithsonian. Pearce knows how much I love museums, so he doesn’t rush me. He lets me take my time, wandering through the exhibits, but I can’t take too long because the fundraiser is at seven. It’s a dinner and dance at a hotel in DC, a different hotel than the one we’re staying at.
It’s a black tie event, so Pearce is wearing a tuxedo and I’m wearing a royal blue evening gown. We arrive in a limo. Everyone else arrives in one too. I haven’t been to an event this exclusive before. The guest list includes a lot of well-known people. When we walk in the ballroom, I see several celebrities and some politicians I’ve seen on the news.
Senator Paul Wingate, the guest of honor, approaches us as soon as he sees us.
“Pearce. Welcome.” Wingate shakes his hand.
“Rachel.” He lifts my hand up and kisses it. “You look gorgeous, as always.”
“Thank you.” I smile and take my hand back.
Wingate reminds me of Royce Sinclair. Always putting on a phony act. Smiling for the cameras. Then as soon as the cameras shut off, his true self comes out. His temper flares. He yells at his staff. Complains about everything.
Yet for some reason, Pearce insists on supporting Wingate’s campaign. He says Wingate has bold ideas and is taking the country in the right direction. I’m not sure I agree with that, but Pearce does, so he donates a lot of money to Wingate’s campaign. Enough money that we received an invitation to this very exclusive event.
“You’ll be attending my speech tomorrow afternoon, correct?” Wingate asks Pearce.
“Of course. I’m looking forward to it.”
“After my speech, I’m hoping you’ll say a few words on my behalf. I’ve asked several of my top donors to do so.”
“Certainly. I’d be happy to.”
He flashes his wide politician smile at us. “Excellent. Well, enjoy your evening.” He waves at someone across the room, then hurries over there.
“I was hoping we could skip that event tomorrow,” I say to Pearce. “And maybe go home early.”
“Sweetheart, Garret is fine. Stop worrying about him. He sounded happy when we talked to him.”
“I know, but he was so sad when we left. I’d just feel better if we were home with him.”
“We’ll be home tomorrow night.”
“But he’ll be asleep when we get there.”
“You can go in his room, kiss him goodnight, and then he’ll wake up and see you first thing Tuesday morning.” Pearce leans down and lowers his voice. “Until then, you’re all mine. And I plan to take advantage of every moment I have alone with you.” His hand moves to my back. The dress I’m wearing is backless and the feel of his warm hand on my skin sends a tingle through me.
“How long do we have to stay here?” I quietly ask.
“Two hours, max,” he says under his breath.
A waiter walks by with a tray of champagne. Pearce grabs two glasses and gives me one.
He holds up his glass. “To my beautiful bride.”
“To my handsome husband.” We clink glasses and take a sip of champagne.
“We should probably mingle with our fellow donors.” He ushers me past a group of older men, moving us farther into the ballroom.
“Do you know anyone here?” I ask him.
“A few people.” He nods to the area behind me. “Let’s go over there. I’ll introduce you to Kiefer Douglas.”
“The director?” I whisper, shocked that Pearce knows him. “How do you know Kiefer Douglas?”
“I met him a year ago. I was thinking of having him do some promotional videos for the company.”
“You never told me that.”
“I just didn’t think about it.”
Pearce places his hand on my back and leads me over to Kiefer. He’s thin, with wavy blond hair and a dark tan. He looks like a California surfer, but he’s actually an up-and-coming Hollywood director. He’s worked on some of my favorite romantic comedies.
“Kiefer.” Pearce shakes his hand. “Good to see you again.”
Kiefer smiles. He has very white teeth. Almost too white. “Pearce. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“I’ve been supporting Wingate for quite some time.” Pearce glances at me. “This is my wife, Rachel. Rachel, this is Kiefer Douglas.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” I shake his hand, feeling nervous. “I’m a big fan of your movies.”
“Thank you. I have two coming out this summer. A romantic comedy and an action film.”
“I can’t wait to see them.” I motion to Pearce. “Although I can’t get Pearce to go to the theater, so we’ll have to wait until they’re out on video.”
“You don’t like going to the movies?” Kiefer asks him.
“I can’t take the crowds and the sticky floors. I’d rather watch at home. So where is your wife this evening?”
“Kelly stayed home with the girls. I’m out here for several days and she doesn’t like leaving them for that long.”
“How many children do you have?” I ask him.
“Three. All girls. Caitlyn is 14, Kylie is 12, and Harper is 10.”
“Our son, Garret, is 10. It’s a fun age.”
He laughs. “Maybe for boys, but with girls, it’s a bit of a nightmare. Constant d
rama over boys and what to wear to school and nonstop hair emergencies. I try to stay out of the way and let Kelly handle all that.”
I laugh. “I can see how girls could be a challenge at times, especially during the teen years.”
An older man comes up behind Kiefer and taps him on the shoulder. “Kiefer I wanted to introduce you to someone.”
“Certainly.” He smiles at us. “It was good seeing you, Pearce. Nice meeting you, Rachel. Enjoy your evening.”
“He seems very down-to-earth for someone so famous,” I say when he’s gone. “I didn’t expect him to be like that.”
“Yes. He’s very laid back. Easy to talk to.”
“Do you see anyone else you know?”
“Not right now.”
I scan the crowd, seeing if I recognize anyone. I doubt that I would, but you never know. With all the volunteer work I do, I meet a lot of people.
As I’m looking to my right, I spot a man standing near the entrance to the ballroom who kind of looks like Jack. He sees me too, and we hold gazes for a moment. I look back at Pearce.
“Pearce, I think Jack is here.”
“Probably. I’m sure he’s become more involved in politics since living here. And he’s always been a supporter of Senator Wingate.”
“Let’s go talk to him.” I pull on Pearce’s arm but he doesn’t move.
“Rachel, I don’t want to talk to him.”
“Why? Maybe he can explain why he stopped talking to us.”
“I’m not going to ask him that. He obviously wants nothing to do with us. And that’s fine. We’ve moved on.”
“I haven’t. I still miss Martha.”
“I know you do. But we need to move past this. Jack and Martha have moved on with their lives. We need to accept that.”
My eyes search for Jack again, but now I don’t see him. He’s gone. I don’t see him anywhere in the crowd. But I spot someone else I know, at least I think it’s him. I can only see the side of him but he kind of looks like Leland Seymour. He’s talking to someone at the bar.
“Pearce, I think—”
“Pearce.” A man interrupts me before I can finish. He’s an older man. Short and fat with white hair. I met him last year at a client event for Kensington Chemical. Pearce said he’s a difficult client who’s always complaining and needs constant attention. I’m sure Pearce isn’t happy to see him.
Protecting Her Page 22
