What Matters Most

by Longley, Barbara

  The mattress bounced him awake. “Mmph.” He forced his eyes to open, so he could scowl. “Are you one of those people who are energized by sex?”

  She waved a cupcake in front of his face. “Are you one of those people who fall asleep after sex?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fine. I’ll eat both cupcakes and watch TV alone.”

  “Mm-mm.”

  “Will.”

  “Mmm?”

  “You can take your socks off now.”

  He chuckled, worked his way under the covers with his socks still on and fell blissfully into slumber, a smile of utter satisfaction on his face.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Josey woke to the feel of Will’s warm breath tickling the back of her neck and his arms and legs tangled with hers. The past few weeks since the wedding had been a dream come true, and she had to remind herself constantly—this thing between her and Will was real, not just a dream. Reveling in the moment, Jo didn’t move a muscle.

  Today she’d meet Will’s parents. Gulp. Which is why she’d insisted they spend the night at her condo. All her stuff was here, and looking her best mattered. The soft tickling breath against her skin turned to a long sigh. Will stretched, and his arms tightened around her. One of his hands found its way to her breasts.

  “Someone’s awake,” she whispered.

  “Good morning,” he said, his voice hoarse from sleep.

  He nudged his erection against her bottom. Grinning, she turned in his arms and kissed him, morning breath and all. Reaching down between their bodies, she stroked his hardened length from base to tip. “Have I mentioned how much I appreciate the way you greet the day?”

  “Have I mentioned how much I appreciate finding you in my arms when I wake?” He ran his fingers through her hair, kissed her and worked his wicked way down her neck to her chest. Running her palms over his back, she hooked her leg around one of his and snugged up against him so their sexy bits touched.

  “Mmm.” He rumbled around her nipple.

  Morning sex with Will—there ought to be a single word to describe the experience because she had the definition: a leisurely and thorough greeting between body parts eager to reacquaint themselves with each other. Jo grinned. Oh, how she loved to become reacquainted with him this way. He rolled onto his back, bringing her with him so she was on top. Raising her hips, she took him in hand to rub his erection against her clit before sinking down onto him. Jo leaned forward, propped herself up with her arms and began to move. Will knew exactly where to touch her, how to drive her wild. She soon lost control. He took over, moving her the way he needed until he followed her over the edge.

  A good morning indeed. Draping herself over his chest, she planted her face against his neck where his pulse still pounded. “I guess we should get up since we have to be somewhere and all.”

  Will ran his hands up and down her back. “I suppose, but I don’t really want to.”

  “Me either.” She nuzzled the ticklish spot just behind his ear, gratified by the resulting shiver beneath her lips. “After a pit stop, I’ll go make coffee. It’s going to be a while before we eat.” She raised a hand to play with his hair. “Do you want toast?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “All right. You can shower first since you’re faster.” Reluctantly, she climbed off the bed and left the sexy naked man sprawled across her sheets. Grabbing her robe on the way, she padded down the hall to the bathroom, her insides still humming.

  A few hours later, she and Will were almost to his parents’ country club in the affluent suburb of Edina, just south of Minneapolis. Jo’s nerves fired up. What if his parents didn’t like her? What if they didn’t feel she was good enough for their only son?

  “Jo, you know my family isn’t like yours, right? They’re—”

  “I know.” Did he know her so well he’d read her mind? “Your mom is a judge, and your dad is a CEO, while my entire family is blue collar. You were willing to meet the Haneys all at once, which was brave. I can deal with your parents for one meal.”

  “I wasn’t referring to socioeconomic differences but to their natures. Your family is gregarious, open, and when they aren’t teasing mercilessly they’re friendly. My parents are more formal and reserved. They tend towards passive-aggressiveness.” He glanced at her. “They can be snobbish in the extreme. When they get like that, I ignore them. I suggest you do too.”

  “Got it.” She dealt with difficult customers all the time. A little passive-aggressiveness was nothing.

  “By the way, you look amazing.”

  “Thank you.” Jo slid her palms over her white capris, second-guessing her choice. “I wish I hadn’t worn white. It’s like asking for spills to happen.”

  Chuckling, Will turned into a long, winding, tree-lined drive surrounded on both sides by a lush green golf course, complete with a pond and sand traps. Argh. Meeting his parents was tough enough. Doing so in surroundings so far out of her comfort zone only made it more nerve-racking. Will pulled into a parking spot, and a few minutes later they were entering the sprawling Cape Cod-style country club, with its painted cedar-shingled exterior and green-and-white striped awnings. The elegant building screamed old money and exclusivity.

  “We’re eating on the terrace this morning,” Will told her.

  Jo nodded. They passed a bar and grill resembling an old Irish or Scottish pub complete with a large fireplace. Did he spend a lot of time at this club? They still had so much to learn about each other. She didn’t even know if he golfed. “Do you have a membership to this country club too?”

  “Through my parents, yes. I golf here occasionally with colleagues or clients.” He sent her lopsided smile. “Why? Do you want to take up golf?”

  “Grandpa Joe did. Maybe I will.” They reached the hostess stand for the terrace. “Here we go,” she muttered. Will reached for her hand and squeezed, and Jo forced a smile. The hostess led them through the expansive terrace with its cream-colored wrought-iron tables. The restaurant was busy this morning, and most of the wicker chairs held well-dressed patrons, although some were more casual, wearing polo shirts, gabardine slacks or golf skirts.

  Jo’s heart lurched as Will’s parents came into view. His father stood as they approached. Will clearly took after his dad in height and body type, but the rest, his dark hair and gray eyes, he got from his mother.

  Will gestured toward his parents. “Mother, Father, this is Josey Haney. Jo, my parents, Caroline and Mark Prescott.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Prescott.”

  Caroline’s gaze slid over the outfit Jo wore, paused on her purse and came back to her face. “Yes, well … please, have a seat.”

  Will pulled out a chair for her, and she sank into the cushioned wicker. At least her seat felt welcoming.

  Mr. Prescott’s stare held curiosity, but no warmth. “Would you care for a mimosa?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Mark raised his hand, and a server appeared. “Three mimosas, and I’ll have plain orange juice,” he said, his tone clipped.

  She picked up the fancy cloth napkin and placed it in her lap. Will sat beside her, and an uncomfortable silence descended over the four of them. Was it just her, or had the temperature taken a sudden drop?

  “This is lovely place,” she began, surveying the terrace and the surrounding gardens. The grounds were immaculately groomed. So was Will’s mother. No doubt the dress she wore and the purse she carried cost more than Jo earned in a week.

  “So, Josey,” Caroline began. “Where are you from?”

  “I was born and raised in Saint Paul.” She tried to smile, but she was so nervous, her effort failed miserably.

  Mark shifted in his seat, glanced at Will, then at her. “Where did you go to college?”

  “I went to Saint Paul College.”

  Mark’s brow dropped precipitously. “I see.”

  His “I see” fairly dripped disapproval. Her stomached knotted, and her mouth went dust-dry. T
he server returned and set a tall champagne glass precisely above her knife and spoon. Jo took a sip and set the glass back exactly where it had been set by the server.

  Caroline leaned forward, keeping her voice low. “What is it you do?”

  “Jo is a master plumber, Mother. She works for a very successful construction company owned by her family.”

  Both his parents visibly recoiled, and their attention pivoted to their son. Oh hell. Jo grabbed her mimosa and took a large gulp.

  “Jo, I recommend the eggs Benedict with the crab and asparagus. The pecan waffles are also really good. If you get one and I get the other, we can share,” Will said, draping his arm around the back of her chair and rested his hand on her shoulder.

  “Sure.” Eat? Not likely. “So, I understand you’re a Minnesota Supreme Court judge, Mrs. Prescott. That must be fascinating.”

  “Indeed.”

  “Did I hear you correctly, William? Miss Haney is … she’s … a plumber?” Mark shifted in his seat. “An interesting vocation.”

  “Yes, and she’s very good at what she does. That’s how we met. Jo did some work for me. She even taught me how to unclog a sink on my own.”

  His mother blinked a few times, and her mouth pursed like she’s just swallowed a bug. A different server from the one who’d brought their drinks appeared, and they placed their orders. Thank God Will ordered for the two of them, because Josey found it difficult to speak.

  As soon as the server left, Caroline turned a baleful eye on her son. “Is this some kind of joke, William?”

  “Not at all.”

  His parents saw her as a joke? Jo glanced at Will, waiting for him to let his parents have it between the eyes, waiting for him to step up and defend her, be in her corner and all that. He said nothing. She folded the napkin in her lap over and over. Fine, she was capable of standing up for herself. “There’s nothing wrong with being a plumber. It’s honest labor. I’m very good at what I do, and I make a comfortable living.”

  Caroline gazed out over the gardens. “As a plumber.”

  The way Caroline said plumber made the word sound like something Jo might snake out of a sewer drain. She turned to Will, waiting yet again for him to speak up. He sipped his drink, his demeanor unruffled. Her stomach dropped, pushed over the edge by staggering disappointment and mortification. He’d warned her about ignoring their snobbishness, but this was much too personal.

  “We heard the most absurd rumor, William,” his mother said turning back to her son.

  “Oh?”

  “Yes,” Mark added. “We heard that you’ve left Bremmer, Stevens & Schmitt.”

  “That is correct.”

  “Who in their right mind walks away from a promising career? Especially right after making junior partner.” Caroline frowned. “All our plans, everything we’ve groomed you for your entire life … why would you do such a thing?”

  “What I’d like to know is why you didn’t consult with us first before making such a rash decision?” Mark asked. “I cannot tell you how disappointed we both were when we heard from a third party you’d left your firm. Such momentous news should have come to us from you.” His gaze veered from his son to Josey, a look of utter disdain suffusing his features.

  “Wait. You didn’t tell your parents you’re opening your own firm?” Josey glanced from his parents to Will.

  The muscles along his jaw twitched, the only outward sign of his tension. “I—”

  “Everything the Prescotts and Haywards stand for, our history and involvement in the formation of this state … who we are …” Caroline waved her hand in the air, encompassing Josey in the gesture. “Is this some kind of latent adolescent act of rebellion? Are you trying to punish us for something?”

  Josey sucked in a breath. Now she was a form of rebellion and punishment inflicted upon the Prescotts? “Wait a minute. Will is a grown man. I had nothing to do with—”

  “I’m certain you didn’t influence our son in the least.” Caroline’s words reeked of insincerity. “Of course we don’t blame you.”

  “Can we discuss this at a more appropriate time and place, Mother?”

  “As I understand it, you’ve walked away from a promising career. You’ve left a firm where you had the distinction of being the youngest associate ever to make junior partner. What else is there to discuss?” Caroline shrugged and picked up her menu.

  Josey’s gut twisted, and a myriad of unhappy thoughts clamored inside her head. Had Will used her to get at his parents? Was she an act of rebellion on his part, something he’d come to his senses about any day now? Regardless, consciously or not, Will’s neglecting to tell his parents of his plans had set her up for an extremely uncomfortable disaster. She’d walked into an ambush.

  Hadn’t she suspected from the start a high-powered attorney from old money dating a plumber from a working-class family would never work? How long before he too dumped her? An indignant rush of anger flooded through her. “I thought you said your parents were passive-aggressive.” Will’s mother gasped. Jo’s face burned, and so did her eyes. She tossed her napkin on the table and stood up. “It’s clear the three of you have things to discuss, and none of your issues have anything to do with me. If you’ll excuse me, I’m leaving.”

  “I’ll go with you.” Will pushed his chair back.

  “No.” She shook her head. “You stay and talk to these people.” Jo waved her hand in the air, mimicking Caroline’s earlier gesture. “I need my space right now. I’ll call a Lyft.” With that, she strode off. She found the lady’s room, yanked the heavy wooden door open and stomped in.

  “Good morning, miss.” An attendant wiped down the spotless counter around the sinks.

  Oh, great. A witness to her impending breakdown. Mortified, Jo realized she had no cash to leave the attendant a tip either. “Morning,” she mumbled, slipping into a stall. She sat on the toilet seat as tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. The Prescotts blamed her for the decisions Will had made. Clearly, they saw her as beneath them, and therefore beneath their son. She’d been right all along. No way could she fit into Will’s world, nor did she want to. If she never saw his awful parents again, that was more than fine with her. She snatched a wad of toilet paper.

  After wiping her eyes and blowing her nose, Josey stiffened her spine, pulled out her phone and summoned a Lyft. Thank whatever powers that be, she got an immediate response. A ride would arrive within five to ten minutes.

  Forcing herself to appear calm, Jo marched out of the stall. She ignored the attendant’s curious gaze, washed her hands and strode out of the restroom with her head held high. Jo walked a short way down the driveway to wait for her ride under the shade of an oak and shielded by a clump of bushes.

  She really didn’t want a bunch of upper-class golfers staring at a lone plumber waiting for a ride, especially if she couldn’t prevent a few more tears from sliding down her cheeks. Hiding under a tree by some bushes, waiting for a stranger to take her home from a humiliating brunch … a new low in the saga of her dismal love life.

  It took every bit of willpower Will had to appear relaxed. A bad feeling lodged itself in the center of his chest, worse even than the familial insignia knot already pulled to record tautness. He glanced at his watch. Almost seven minutes had elapsed. Josey had ordered him to stay, yet every instinct urged him to go after her. He scowled at his parents, both of them still too stunned by Josey’s exit to utter another word. They did, however, exchange glances in that unique, silent form of communication they excelled at.

  “I’m going after her,” he snapped, pushing his chair back. Will set out for the front door and walked outside. His bad feeling morphed into dread as he watched a car winding down the drive, a single passenger in the back seat. He’d waited too long.

  Indecision immobilized him. Should he get in his car and follow Josey to her condo, or should he return to the terrace and stay as Josey had commanded? Should he finally confront his parents? Jo had to know non
e of what his mother and father said or thought meant a thing to him. He’d warned her, and she knew he took pride in her abilities and her profession.

  Staring down the driveway, Will raked his fingers through his hair as frustration roiled through him. Anger soon followed, poking and prodding him to return to the terrace. He’d had enough, and it was about time he cleared the air. He did an about-face and marched back to his parents.

  Will once again took his seat. “Congratulations. You just insulted the woman I love into leaving.”

  His mother huffed out a breath. “It’s for the—”

  “No. It’s not for the best,” he bit out. “You know, I can’t recall a single time in my life when either of you asked me whether or not I was happy. I can’t remember either of you ever inquiring about how I feel about anything, including your damn plans for my life.”

  “Keep your voice down,” his father hissed. “You’re making a scene.”

  “We’re way overdue.” Will met and held his father’s gaze, refusing to back down. Hadn’t he spent his entire life dancing to their tune? “Not once have you asked me what I want, or what might bring me joy. Now that I think of it, when I took two weeks off from a job that was killing me, your concern was for my career, not for me.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” his father snapped.

  “Ridiculous?” He forged on. “I don’t believe either of you have ever told me you love me, not while I was a child, and certainly not as an adult. Do you love me? I’m only asking because I’ve always gotten the impression you both view me as nothing more than an extension of your own ambitions.”

  His mother gasped again; his father’s face grew ruddy. Good. Will leaned in. “Not only that but … I’ve never heard or seen any evidence to suggest you love each other either.”

  “That’s enough. Don’t speak to your mother that way. You don’t know a goddamned thing.”

  “You’re right. I don’t know a goddamned thing because you won’t allow me in. We’re more a corporation than a family. You’ve always held me at arm’s length.” Will waved a hand toward them. “I don’t want a relationship like yours, and I don’t want the life you’ve mapped out for me. Not that my emotional wellbeing means anything to you two, but I dreaded going to work each day. I was lonely and unhappy. Then I met Jo. She’s brilliant, compassionate, warm and affectionate. She’s everything I’ve always longed for, and you treated her abominably.”