Always (Time for Love Book 4)

by Miranda P. Charles

  She smiled. “Of course.”

  “Is Ash telling you not to continue with this?” Darren asked softly, although she heard the hard edge in his tone.

  “No. He’s fine with this, Darren.”

  Darren smirked.

  “He really is,” she assured him.

  “You know, it still surprises me how someone can stand aside for years if he really loves someone.”

  “Darren,” she said with warning in her voice.

  “I’m just saying,” Darren said with a shrug. “We might not be together anymore, Bren, but I still care about you. I don’t want you wasting your time on a man who won’t fight for you when the going gets tough. What does that say about the depths of his feelings?”

  “It was me who didn’t notice his feelings before,” she said heatedly. “What did you expect him to do? Carry me over his shoulder and lock me in his room until I gave in to him? Or for him to have a fistfight to ‘win’ me from my then-boyfriend—who happened to be you? That’s ridiculous. There are other ways to show you care about someone, including being selfless and doing what you think is best for the other person.”

  “Hey,” Darren said, holding his arms up in surrender. “I’m just saying it how I see it. You know me, Bren. I fight for what I want.”

  Yes, Brenna thought with irritation. Sometimes without caring about other people’s feelings.

  Darren reached for her hand. “I’m sorry. Let’s not fight. I don’t know why I’m testy. I think I’m feeling the pressure.”

  She relented. She knew times were truly tough for Darren.

  “You’ll stick around to help me, right, Bren? It would be hell if Mum thinks we’ve broken up again. I could just imagine how that would negatively affect her moods.”

  “I don’t want to put her under any additional stress either,” she said, meaning it. As far as she could see, lying to Patty about her and Darren was doing wonders for the woman. How could she not continue with it? It seemed too cruel to do otherwise now that they were in too deep with the pretense.

  “So you’ll go with the flow with me on this? Do what’s best for Mum?”

  “Isn’t that what I’m doing now?” she asked, hoping the flow wouldn’t sweep her off to somewhere she didn’t want to be.

  *****

  “Hi, Patty, how are you feeling?” Brenna asked, stroking the older woman’s hair.

  “I’m okay,” Patty said, her voice weak. “I’m glad you’re here, Brenna. How was your friend’s birthday party?”

  “Good, thanks,” she said simply.

  “Darren said he didn’t know this friend of yours, that’s why he didn’t go with you?” Patty said, obviously fishing for information.

  “No, he doesn’t know my friend. Plus, Darren was due to visit you today. Good thing he did, so he was able to drive you here to the hospital.”

  “I know,” Patty said with a dash of guilt. “It’s a little inconvenient for everyone.”

  “No, it’s not,” she said lightly.

  Patty smiled, taking her hand. “You’re so sweet, Brenna. I’m glad you put up with my son. I know he can be maddening at times, but he’s a good kid.”

  “Good kid,” Darren muttered, rolling his eyes. “As if I’m ten.”

  “No, you most certainly are not a child,” Patty said, chuckling. “In fact, you’re turning thirty in a few months. That’s getting old, don’t you think? You were already three years old when I was thirty, Darren.”

  Brenna fidgeted, guessing where Patty was steering the conversation.

  “Haven’t the two of you considered getting married?” Patty continued, to Brenna’s consternation.

  “Uh, sure, Mum,” Darren said. “In fact...”

  Brenna glanced at Darren in shock. In fact, what?

  “Oh my God,” Patty whispered in delight. “You’ve proposed?”

  “Oh, no, Patty. He hasn’t,” Brenna said hastily, vowing to strangle Darren for this incredibly stupid lie.

  “Oh.” The disappointment was evident in Patty’s face. “I’ve been hoping... because I don’t know how long I’ll still be around...”

  “Bren just doesn’t want to make it official until I get her a ring, Mum,” Darren said.

  Brenna shot Darren a deadly look. What on earth was he thinking?

  “Of course she needs a ring,” Patty berated her son, smiling widely. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long,” she said excitedly, grasping both Brenna’s and Darren’s hands. “I’d like you guys to consider something.”

  “What?” Darren asked.

  “The diamond on my engagement ring was originally from your dad’s grandmother’s ring. Please take it and have it set in a new ring for Brenna.”

  Brenna stared at Patty in horror. “Oh, no, Patty. Please, no.”

  “I won’t take no for an answer, Brenna,” Patty said. “You’ve made me so happy today. Don’t spoil it now,” she joked.

  Brenna bit her lip, trying her darnedest best to stop the tears from falling. This was so wrong.

  “Oh, darling girl,” Patty whispered. “Please don’t cry. If I die tomorrow, then you know I’ve died with happiness and peace in my heart.”

  Brenna squeezed Patty’s hand. All she could do was send the woman a trembly smile.

  *****

  “What the hell was that all about, Darren?” Brenna hissed the moment they were out of Patty’s room.

  “Shh,” Darren said, looking around. “I was only trying to make her feel better.”

  “But you’re making this worse!” she whispered furiously. “She’s gonna expect a lot more from us now that we’re engaged. Didn’t you hear what she asked me before we left? She wants to know when I’m moving in with you.”

  Darren rubbed his face. “I’m sorry. If I could take it back, I would. I should have anticipated her expecting us to move in together, but I spoke without thinking.”

  “What will we do now?”

  “How about you bring some of your stuff over to my place? Just the basics, so if ever she comes over to visit—which I doubt she would, since we go to see her instead—she’d think you’re living there.”

  “What? No, Darren! That will dig us into a deeper hole,” she cried, getting utterly frustrated. “You know that one of your Aunt Sally’s daughters now lives in my building—on the same floor! She’s bound to see me go home to my apartment.”

  “You shouldn’t have mentioned to her that your neighbour had to move unexpectedly.”

  “I didn’t know she and her boyfriend were looking for another place to live. I was only trying to come up with whatever topic so the conversation wouldn’t have to be about how the two of us were back together again.”

  Darren shook his head. “Who would have thought, hey?”

  She sighed. “I know.”

  “Okay. We’ll make up some story then about why you’re not moving in yet. But Bren,” Darren said, halting her with a hand on her arm, “did you see how happy she was?”

  “But this is so wrong!”

  “The doctor told us to expect the worst if no compatible donor turns up within the next couple of months,” Darren said gravely.

  Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, Darren.”

  Darren’s eyes misted. “I wish we didn’t have to do this. It’s hard for me, too. But I just want to see her laugh and smile. She’s hardly smiled since Dad died. At least she’s happy again.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around Darren to give him a comforting hug. “She’s very lucky to have you for a son.”

  “She’s lucky to have you too. You’ve always been the daughter she’s always wanted,” he murmured.

  Brenna took a deep, ragged breath. She wasn’t looking forward to telling Ash about this new development. He’d be understanding. She knew he would be. But this would trouble him a lot.

  “You’re worried about Ash, aren’t you?” Darren asked.

  She nodded. “I’m sure he’ll understand,
though.”

  “You know, you don’t need to tell him about the engagement thing. In fact, you don’t need to tell anyone about it. That’s really only for Mum’s benefit. No one else has to know. It would make it easier for you.”

  “But I don’t want to hide things from Ash,” she said, although her mind opened up to the suggestion.

  “Why make him worry about this, Bren? He already knows we’re pretending to be together anyway, right? Technically speaking, being engaged is still being together. We won’t be doing anything differently from what we’re doing now. And it’s not as if Ash and my mum talk to each other anyway.”

  She swallowed, getting more receptive to the idea. “I guess you have a point. The being engaged bit is only a term to make your mum happy.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Okay. But, Darren, no more coming up with surprises that would make things unmanageable, please. And to be perfectly clear, we are not telling your mum that we’re moving in together. We’ll say we’re both very busy at work, and we haven’t gotten around to arranging it. And for heaven’s sake, even if she gives you her engagement ring, please don’t order one for me. We are not messing up with her ring.”

  “Okay.”

  “Good,” she said, pushing away the niggling feeling in her stomach. Like Darren had said, they were not going to be doing anything differently from what they were doing now. Being ‘engaged’ was only a term for Patty’s benefit. Nothing for her to feel guilty or worried about if she didn’t mention this to Ash or anyone else.

  She sighed. Hopefully, she was right.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ash made a face as he read an email from a doctor friend inviting him to a dinner on Friday night to discuss the latest developments in their profession. Normally, he wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. But he already wasn’t spending enough time with Brenna.

  Things had started to get hectic again with Brenna’s work. Their company usually got very busy from November until the end of the southern hemisphere summer in February. Some of the events she was managing were being held on weekends, which meant he and Brenna were hard pressed to find one whole day that they could spend together. Also, while he didn’t begrudge her visiting Patty, it didn’t help that Darren’s mother seemed to be requesting too much of her time.

  In the last three weeks, they’d only seen each other seven times. That simply wasn’t enough. He missed her like crazy.

  But he had a remedy in mind for that. He couldn’t wait to see her tonight so he could raise the topic.

  *****

  “Bren... baby...” Ash gasped in pleasure as he thrust faster into Brenna while rubbing her nub with his thumb. He was rewarded with her cry of ecstasy, her orgasm triggering his own powerful release.

  He collapsed on top of her, catching his breath. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear, thinking he could say that to her a gazillion times and never get tired.

  Brenna mumbled something resembling ‘Me too’.

  He raised his head to look at her. Her eyes were shut and she was lying perfectly still. She was tired—exhausted perhaps.

  Smiling fondly, he kissed her. “Goodnight, sweetheart,” he said, then lay on his back.

  “Hm. No,” Brenna said sleepily. “I need to go home.”

  He wrapped her in his arms tightly, not intending to let her go anywhere. “You’re too tired to drive. Stay here tonight.” They really should have gone to her place instead of his. But Brenna had been preferring his house over her apartment, saying it was more convenient as it was closer to their offices. Whenever they were scheduled to meet on a weekday, she’d drive to his place early in the morning, then they’d both go to work together in his car.

  “I can’t stay,” Brenna said, half-heartedly trying to extricate herself from his arms.

  “Yes, you can,” he said authoritatively.

  “I don’t have work clothes here for tomorrow,” she reasoned.

  He sighed. Brenna had been so preoccupied with problems she’d been having with a particular conference she was managing. She’d forgotten again to pack some clothes for an overnight stay at his place.

  “Wear the same thing you wore today,” he joked.

  “Are you kidding me?” she said, opening her eyes and frowning at him.

  He smiled, seeing the perfect opportunity to bring up what had been on his mind for some days. “Why don’t you move plenty of clothes here so you’d always have something fresh to wear? In fact, why don’t you move in with me so you won’t have this same problem again?”

  Brenna stared at him, her eyes wide and disbelieving. Suddenly, she seemed awake.

  “Ash...” she said, her expression turning to uncertainty. She sat up, looking at him uncomfortably.

  His heart pounded. Yes, he’d expected her to be a little surprised by his suggestion, but he’d also pictured in his mind that she’d be excited about it. He couldn’t see any good reason why they couldn’t move in together. But did she?

  “Honey...” she said tentatively.

  His heart dropped to his stomach at the tone of her voice.

  “It’s a great idea and I do want to,” she continued. “But I’m so busy with work right now that the thought of moving houses kind of overwhelms me.”

  Ash scolded himself. Of course. He should have thought of that, and should have been more considerate of the stresses she was currently going through.

  “Hey,” he said, taking her hand. “I understand. There’s no hurry.”

  Brenna sighed with relief and smiled at him. “Thank you.”

  “If you want, though, we could always hire a company which could also pack and unpack everything for you,” he suggested, putting forth a solution for her problem.

  Brenna frowned. “They’re expensive. Besides, I don’t think I want anyone else touching my stuff.”

  “They’re professionals, Bren. I don’t think you’d need to worry about privacy or security. As to costs, so what? I’ll help you pay for them.”

  “Oh, Ash,” she said, putting a hand on her forehead. “I’d really prefer it if we waited.”

  He pushed aside the sheer disappointment that hit him, focusing instead on the distress he heard in her voice. “Sure, baby,” he said, rubbing her arm. “You let me know when you’re ready. Just don’t let me wait for too long,” he added teasingly.

  To his consternation, Brenna looked even more worried. “I’ll try,” she whispered before leaning down and giving him a kiss. “I have to go.” Then she got out of bed.

  *****

  Ash settled himself in his office chair after seeing his last patient for the day. He had a couple of personal messages waiting for him. One of them was from Amanda, and the other—which went through reception—was from a name he didn’t recognise. He returned his sister’s call first.

  “Hey, sis. How’s everything going?”

  “Good. You?”

  “Hectic, but good. You rang earlier?”

  “Yeah,” Amanda said. “Did you get a phone call from a Jane?”

  “Yes. I have a message to call her back. Who is she?”

  “Um, she rang me too. She’s Darren’s cousin—one of the daughters of Patty’s sister Sally who looks after her.”

  “Right. Why is she ringing us?” he asked curiously.

  “Well, she was asking for my email address. She said she’s organising a small get-together that Brenna and Darren don’t know about. Apparently, Patty was the one who instigated it and she wanted the two to turn up on the day without them knowing anything about it beforehand.”

  “A surprise party?” he asked with a frown.

  “She said I’ll know more when I get her email in a few days. She didn’t want to divulge anything yet until she’s got the email addresses of all the people she wants to contact, and Bren’s family and close friends were included in her list. Apparently, Patty had Bren’s mum’s number from way back, so this Jane person rang Auntie. As you know, Bren’s parents are in Africa, and apparen
tly Auntie got surprised about the news that Bren and Darren were back together. But then again, you know that Bren doesn’t get to talk regularly with her parents. Anyway, Auntie gave Jane our names and phone numbers so we could get the invite to this... surprise get-together.”

  “Sounds like Jane really wants to keep this a secret from Bren and Darren,” he said, highly intrigued and more than a little bothered. “Did you get an indication of what this is all about?”

  “No,” Amanda said, sounding frustrated. “I tried to get Jane to tell me, but she said I’ll know soon enough. She did beg me not to tell Bren or Darren about it. Apparently, Patty would get really disappointed if the two find out before it happens.”

  Ash stared out the window, wondering what to make of this news.

  “I’m debating whether to tell Bren, Ash. I’m thinking she’d want to be prepared. But at the same time, if it’s a big thank-you party for her and Darren from Patty, then that might wreck the whole thing for all of them. I’m assuming Bren has told you the latest about Patty’s condition?”

  “Yes. It’s not good news if they don’t find a compatible donor for her soon.”

  “Yeah. So I don’t know what to do. What do you think?”

  “I’m not sure. Let me call Jane back and see what I can find out.”

  *

  Ash exhaled his disquiet as he put the phone down. He hadn’t gotten anything out of Jane either—just that he should wait for an email invitation to hit his inbox soon, and that hopefully he could attend. The only extra information he got was that it would be an intimate gathering of only a very select group of people.

  Like she’d asked of Amanda, Jane had also begged him not to tell Brenna about the whole thing. She’d hammered the point that it would spoil it for Patty if Brenna wasn’t genuinely surprised on the day.

  Ash tapped his fingers on his desk. A major part of him wanted Brenna to know about this. He hated the thought that a grand gesture from Patty might bring Brenna closer to Darren. But were his reasons purely out of selfishness? What if Brenna would truly appreciate a surprise thank you for all the sacrifices she’d made for that family?