Picture Perfect Summer

by Marquita Valentine

  “True Prince, so nice to see you,” she says, cool as anything.

  “Laken.” I nod at her, then smile and coo at the baby because seriously, who doesn’t love babies? “She’s adorable. Gorgeous, like her momma.”

  “Yes, and she should stay with her momma.”

  I eye Laken over the baby’s head. “Naturally.”

  “That remains to be seen.” Her jaw flexes.

  “May I come in?” I ask.

  “Of course.”

  I follow Laken as she sashays to a playroom. “I can’t imagine what would bring you here.”

  “It won’t take long for me to explain and clear the air.”

  “Perfect. Just give me a minute with Brooke.”

  Laken gets the baby settled with toys, and I pace back and forth in front of the wall with a baby animals mural painted on it. While I don’t want to sit, I don’t want to pull a power move either. I want our talk to be productive and mature.

  “You can’t have River and you certainly can’t have Brooke,” Laken blurts, fire blazing in her eyes.

  Well, that’s neither productive nor mature. “I’m not here to take River or Brooke from you. I don’t have that sort of power.”

  Her mouth flattens. “Not yet you don’t.”

  “Even if I did have that sort of power, I wouldn’t interfere with whatever custody arrangement you have worked out with Duke. However, I’m not going to step aside simply because you say so, not this time. I’ll go when I decide it’s right for me.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know it’s the right thing to say.

  “Well, well, looks like the little mouse got all fierce over the years.”

  “This mouse is the reason why you ever had a shot at having a family with Duke again. It’s not my fault you couldn’t convince him otherwise.”

  “And it’s not my fault he never came for you.”

  Ouch. “I’m not here to fight over Duke.”

  “Good, because I don’t give a rat’s tail about your relationship with my ex-husband. But when it comes to River, you have no say in where that child lives. None at all. She belongs with her mother, not some hussy who couldn’t hold onto her man.”

  This time, I’m not offended. Laken is sounding more and more like a wounded animal, lashing out so she doesn’t get hurt again. “I assume Duke does have say over where his daughter lives.”

  She narrows her eyes. “Not if the judge agrees to my demands.”

  “Does the judge know you abandoned River when she was a baby and that you lied to me about it?”

  She waves a hand, her gaze on Brooke now. “That’s all in the past.”

  “You didn’t even come back until a few months ago... that’s not that far in the past,” I remind her.

  “I’m not proud of that,” she whispers a beat later. “At all. None of it. I was going through a rough time and didn’t seek help. Now I see a therapist and I have meds that help as well.” Her gaze focuses on me, sharpening to thin points. “I’m not ashamed of the help I get either.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of shaming you for taking medication or seeing a therapist.”

  She smiles thinly. “No, I wouldn’t suppose you would be like that, which is why Duke loves you so much.”

  Her admission of Duke’s love for me is startling. “Look, I’m not interfering with your relationship with River. She’s a very sweet girl and I do think she should have a healthy relationship with you.”

  “Sure you do right now, but a month from now, when Duke decides to gallivant off to Arizona to be with you, he’ll take my River and I won’t stand for that. I will fight him in court. I will win, too.”

  “How do you know you’ll win?”

  “Almost ninety percent of court cases in North Carolina grant custody of children to the mother.”

  Laken could be lying, or she could know a judge that would rule in her favor. As a teacher, I’ve seen and read stranger custody papers during my tenure. “Just because a majority is doing it, doesn’t make it right.”

  “Maybe not, but the data and most judges are on my side.” She tosses her head. “Besides, this time, Duke would be the one abandoning River, not me.”

  “Duke would never abandon River, not even for me. Think about it, Laken, why in the world would Duke allow you anywhere near River if he didn’t think it was a good idea for you to be in her life? He’s not doing it to punish you, and from what I can tell, it’s punishing him and your sweet daughter more because of your neediness.” I plant my fists on my hips, standing as tall as possible. “If you’d open your eyes and calm down, maybe talk to him like you’re an adult instead of a scared child, you’d see that.”

  “This conversation is going nowhere, and I need to put Brooke down for her afternoon nap.”

  It’s close to dinnertime and I doubt Brooke takes naps this late, but I’m not going to argue because Laken is right, our conversation is hitting a brick wall.

  “Bye sweetie,” I coo at Brooke. “I’ll let myself out.”

  “I meant what I said, True,” Laken calls after me. “Do you want to take credit for that child’s happiness when she learns to love her entire family, or be responsible for her despair when she can no longer see her mother... or little sister?”

  With a grimace that nearly cracks my jaw, I don’t reply. Instead, I march to my car and drive away.

  Chapter 29

  Duke

  It’s been twenty-four hours since I’ve last spoken to True, since I’ve last held her in my arms... since I’ve had the pleasure of being inside of her as I worship every inch of her luscious body. Yet she wants none of that, at least not for the foreseeable future.

  I suppress the urge the call True and give her a piece of my mind on that bullshit statement. Plus, it would only serve to drive her away instead do drawing her closer.

  The waves crash violently against the shore as lightning strikes the ocean and thunder booms.

  The dark, dreary day matches my mood, but at work, it doesn’t matter what my mood is. There are bills to pay, contracts to sign, meetings to attend, and lunch to eat at The Crab Shack while tourists complain about the rain.

  A summer storm hit the area early this morning and it seems to have set in, much to the disgruntlement of people who paid thousands for a weeks’ vacation on the crystal coast of North Carolina.

  River doesn’t seem to mind that soccer camp was cancelled, nor does she mind that she’s at work with me.

  Maybe it’s because she likes that she can get snacks and sodas I don’t keep at home from the bar... or maybe it’s because she’s watching High School Musical—the first one— for the millionth time. I’m going to keep pretending that she does not think the actor who plays Troy is soooo cute.

  Man, it’s going to kill me when she starts dating.

  “Daddy, when is Aunt Campbell’s brother coming to visit?”

  “Caine...um, not sure.” Not ever if River thinks he’s soooo cute too.

  River twists in her seat, pinning me with her big blue eyes. “He’s cuter than Troy.”

  “He’s older than Troy, too.” He’s actually three years older than the character Zac Efron is playing, and no I won’t apologize for knowing that. I have a tween. In any case, Caine Faircloth is nineteen and a freshman in college. “Maybe you should...” I clamp my mouth shut because I was about to tell her she should find a boy her age. I don’t want her to find any boy.

  Ever.

  At all.

  I don’t care how stupid that sounds.

  “Right now he is, but when I’m older, then he won’t be,” she says matter of fact. “True says you can do anything you want when you’re older.”

  “I don’t think that’s what she meant.”

  River grins, her lips stained blue from the sucker that Barron gave her earlier. “Don’t worry, Daddy. After I become a science teacher, I’m going to buy Queens Lighthouse and live here forever with you. I’ll even let you have your own room.”

  I glance a
t the contracts I should be reviewing. “That’s very kind of you.”

  “True will have one, too.”

  I lay the papers down and look at my daughter. “I didn’t know you like spending that much time with her.”

  She shrugs. “You smile a lot more when she’s around... and you let me do more funner things.”

  Am I that grumpy to my daughter? “It’s more fun, honey,” I correct. “Summers are for fun.”

  She nods. “Can I have a piece of cake for lunch? It would be so much fun.”

  “No.”

  Her nose scrunches up. “But you said summers are for fun.”

  “I didn’t say lunches were.”

  “That’s not fair.” River sticks her tongue out at me and turns around in her seat with a loud huff. “So not fair.”

  “I agree, but sometimes it has to be that way.”

  Around noon, my mother stops by to get River and put her out of her misery at being in the most boring place ever—wait, my mother didn’t describe my office like that. That was all River.

  “C’mon, Grandmamma,” River says, tugging on Momma’s hand. “He might change his mind and make me watch CNBC or MSNMoney... or all the other old people channels.”

  “The horror,” I reply dryly. “Actually, I’m not going to change my mind, baby duck, because you need more space and I have a meeting with Uncle Barron.”

  River lets go of my mother long enough to give me a hug. “Sorry for being a pain.”

  “You’re forgiven. Be good and help out, please.”

  With a smart salute, she says, “Aye, aye, Captain Dad,” and skips to my mother to take her hand again.

  “Give me a call when you want me to bring her home,” Momma says. “Although, I might be convinced to let her spend the night.”

  “Please, Daddy. Please, Please puhlease.”

  I hold up my hands in surrender. “Yes, yes. Yes.”

  River cheers.

  Momma smiles and after a quick goodbye, she leaves with River.

  I buzz Barron’s office.

  “Ready?” he says.

  “Completely.”

  A few seconds later, my brother walks in the office, wearing a light blue shirt, navy slacks and one of his trademark preppy bow ties. “I have to admit that I was shocked by your email.”

  “What’s so shocking about a man who wants to retire?”

  His dark eyes narrow. “You’re only thirty-five.”

  I shrug. “I’ve been doing this since I was fifteen. That’s twenty-years too long to do something I hate.”

  That draws him up short. “You hate this?”

  I nod. “Never wanted to inherit the title, the company... none of it. Never had the choice either, and when Dad took things into his own hands, so to speak, then I really had no choice.”

  “So you’re going to walk away.”

  “I’ll be leaving KGS in very capable hands.”

  Barron fiddles with his bow tie. I know him. I know he wants to run this company. I know he wants to take it in a different direction that I don’t want to put time and energy into because it’s simply not what I want in life. “Thank you for the compliment, but what will everyone think?”

  “That you’re stepping up so I can step down. These kinds of things happen all the time in large companies, Barron. It’s not that big of a deal.” Except to me. It’s an incredibly huge deal to me. “I wanted to do this years ago, remember. Let you run it after college, but life happened.”

  “I wasn’t ready then, so I’m glad life happened.” He grins. “Thought I was ready, but I don’t know how you slept at night, with thousands of employees futures in your hands.”

  “Having a newborn with dietary allergies to raise on my own helped distract me.”

  He closes the door behind him and sits in the chair across from my desk. “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with the arrival of True Prince.”

  “Probably not in the way you think.”

  “I’m all ears.” He leans forward, every inch the politician. Only, I know that what I tell him won’t go further than this room because he’s my brother first.

  “I’ve agreed to help Bradley Prince with the transfer from his ownership to Montgomery Enterprises and after that, I’ll be going into business to help other companies do the same. I’ll be free to work the hours I want and take the clients I want instead of being tied to a desk, or a vision that was never mine.”

  “How did that come about?”

  “We’ve always kept in touch.” Although we never talked about True or the shock of learning that she was engaged wouldn’t have stung so badly when she told me. “In the past, he helped me when times were... not good and I’m glad to finally have the chance to return the favor. Apparently, I have a knack for this sort of thing.”

  “You have a knack for scaring people, for sure,” Barron agrees with a smirk.

  I toss a pen at him. He catches it before it hits his shirt. “What about Ms. Prince.”

  “Went to a jeweler, bought a ring, and now I’m waiting for the right time.” Right before or after sex with True would have been good, but I was too drunk on her and too confused by her quick exit.

  “Good luck with that.” Barron stands, smoothing down his shirt. “Whatever you need me to sign, I will. I promise to make you proud, big brother.”

  I stand, holding out my hand to him. We shake like businessmen, then I let go long enough to round the desk and hug him, like he’s my little brother. “You already have.”

  Chapter 30

  True

  “I’m done waiting on you to come to your senses. We need to talk, like adults.”

  I stare at Duke, my mouth hanging open. I thought he’d been room service and opened the door to his knock without checking the peephole. “It’s only been two days! More importantly, how did you find me?” I swear if Ophelia told him, I’ll... I’ll think of something to say to her.

  “Drove around until I found that monstrosity you rented in a hotel parking lot.”

  Stupid, ostentatious rental that I just had to have because it was so gloriously retro. “Okay, but that doesn’t get you to my room.”

  “Knocked on every door until you opened.”

  “You did not.”

  “I’m not an idiot, True. I have no desire to get kicked out for disturbing people. I got lucky because I happen to know the front desk clerk from high school and told her that I wanted to surprise you with flowers.” He takes a step inside, crowding the doorway, a huge bouquet in his hand. “You going to let me in, Sunshine?”

  “Are those for me?”

  He thrusts them at me. “Yes. Got them from Bloom.”

  “What’s Bloom?” I bury my nose in the center of them and let Duke inside.

  “Deacon’s favorite place to get flowers.” He takes the flowers from me and tosses them on the table, loosening his tie. “I think it’s time we chatted.”

  “Just chatted?“

  “Did you have something else in mind? Because I do.”

  “Maybe.” I move closer to him, craving his touch and to touch him in return. “Why can’t I hold the flowers while we chat?”

  “I got other things for your hands to hold.” He unbuttons his shirt, shrugging out of it and I swear my breath gets caught in my throat. “Like what you see?”

  “You are so fine, Duke King.” I bite the tip of my finger. “It’s a damn shame that I’m the only one who gets to see you like this.”

  “Want to see more?” His fingers go to the waistband of his slacks. “Tell me what you want, True, so I know we’re on the same page. Tell me you want me here. That this time, you want to take things slow, let me love you the right way, in a bed.”

  “I don’t want to chat.” I really don’t. I have no desire to bring up Laken and her little chat with me. “I want to touch you. I want to kiss you and make you groan. I want to do very good things to you.”

  “Have your way with me, Sunshine.” He unbuttons his pants and
pushes them down, his boxer briefs following, then walks his tight, fine self to my bed and sits, legs splayed open so I can see everything.

  His erection grows larger under my gaze.

  “Do I get to hold that?” I ask.

  “Depends.”

  “On what?” I move closer to him, until I’m standing between his legs, my own shaking with desire. My nipples are hard, tight points that poke through my thin shirt.

  “How long I can last.”

  Slowly, I take off my clothes, watching him watching me. “What do you think?”

  He lets out a whistle. “You are a treasure.”

  Then his big hands are on my body, caressing and stroking, and making me sigh. His mouth follows, wet paths leading to my nipples and biting nips that make me giggle and dig my fingers into his strong arms.

  I straddle his legs, his erection between us while I grow wetter and wetter with each passing second. Our mouths fuse, tongues searching, as his hand goes in my hair, taking out my carefully plaited braids. He winds the long strands around his wrist, pulling it tight until my throat is exposed to him.

  I’m so vulnerable like this, so open to him that another wave of desire makes me moan. He grabs my waist, pulling me flush against him moving his hips so that his cock rubs against my swollen clit.

  Suddenly, he falls back, lifting me to his mouth where he devours my pussy until I’m crying out his name and my orgasm takes over my body.

  He hums against me, kissing my inner thighs and flipping me over until he’s behind me and kissing his way up my back.

  “I love you, True Prince, but I hate your last name right now.”

  I turn my head to the side. “Why?”

  “Because it’s not the same as mine.”

  “That doesn’t matter to me.”

  He tightens his grip on my hair, sparks of pain rekindling my desire for him. “Does to me, and one day real soon, I’m going to fix that.”

  He flips me over again lifting my leg over his arm and positioning himself at my entrance, his cock sheathed in a condom.