“I’d like that.”
Chapter Thirteen
Stone
“What the hell are you doing in New York?”
My sister tossed her purse on the coffee table. “I keep asking myself the same thing.” She surveyed my dressing room where I’d been preparing for the shoot to start in few days. “This all you get, Hollywood? I thought you were a big deal.”
I wrapped her in a bear hug, and despite her audible groan, she hugged me back.
“I’ve got whiskey and SportsCenter. What more do I need?”
She made a face. “Maybe it’s better than I thought.”
I released her and grinned as I looked behind her. Propped in the doorway was someone I hadn’t seen in an age. “Easton Carter.” I extended my hand to the man whose family owned the company Mulaney worked for. “You got stuck coming with my sister to the big, bad city?”
He slapped my back. “Somebody had to make sure she didn’t tear this place apart.”
Mulaney scowled as he and I fist bumped. “How long you here for?”
I’d nearly passed out when I’d gotten her text that she was in town.
“Already too long. We’re headed for the airport straight from here.” She’d found the whiskey and poured up three glasses.
“Sit down.” I gestured to the sofa, moving a throw pillow out of the way. “If I’d known you were coming, I could have introduced you to my friends up here. Y’all could have stayed a few days.”
I dropped down beside my sister and scrubbed her hair, thrilled to have familiar faces around.
She slapped at my hands. “How old are we?”
“When did you get so worried about how your hair looks?”
A fist landed in my side, and I winced. “Damn, Mulaney.”
Triumph glittered in her eyes. Guess it never got old beating up on her little brother. Truth be told, it was like coming home.
Easton looked on in amusement. “Just like old times.” He held up his glass and we clinked, but my sister slung back the amber liquid without touching her glass to his.
I studied her. She was brash, but that looked like a brush off if I’d ever seen one. I rubbed my chin and looked over at Easton, whose mouth had flattened, but other than that he showed no signs of her behavior bothering him. Maybe I was cooking up something that wasn’t there.
“How’s your mama?” I propped my ankle on my knee.
Easton turned serious, and Mulaney stiffened. “Fighting like hell.”
“She looks good.” Mulaney’s tone was one of quiet reverence. Loretta Carter had been battling cancer for some time now, but as far as I knew, she hadn’t gotten the all clear.
“You should’ve seen her when she got that subscription you sent her for audiobooks. Think she listened to all the ones you narrated, even if she didn’t care much for the story.” A wry smile twisted Easton’s lips.
“Glad she liked it.” I bumped knees with Mulaney. “Are you ever gonna tell me why you’re here?” At this point, I didn’t really care, I was so happy to see her.
She glanced at Easton, who slung back his whiskey. “Business.”
“I figured that,” I said, unimpressed with her explanation. “On a Saturday?”
Mulaney slouched down in her seat and leaned her head on the back of the sofa. “Just dealing with some bullshit happening at work.”
“I could use a refill.” Easton pushed out of the chair and grabbed the decanter, topping all of us off.
Lightly, I punched her in the arm. “Nothing you can’t handle.” Pride filled my voice. My big sister was a force to be reckoned with in the oil industry. She’d made her place at the table among the best and brightest in her field.
“When are you going to see your mama?”
I frowned when she changed the subject and sent the implied accusation right back at her. “You ain’t been in a while either. Last I heard, Mitch had to come see you in Houston.”
“He was going to a veterinarian conference,” she huffed.
I shrugged. “Did you know him and Juliana want to take the girls to Paris?”
“No. When are they going?”
“From what I understand, they can’t get it worked out.” I was still disappointed in myself that I’d had to learn about this from Muriella. I loved she was close with my family, but I should’ve known what was going on with them.
Mulaney angled toward me. “Is it money?”
“No. Time. Not enough hands around the ranch.”
She nodded. “They should make time.”
“Muriella’s helping me plan. I want to surprise them with the trip.” I rubbed the glass between my hands.
“You’re still stuck on her?” She wrinkled her nose. “If it’s not right, you can’t force it to happen.”
“If she’s the right person, no amount of time is too long to wait.” Easton said as he drained the rest of his drink, his eyes finally settling on my sister.
“Don’t be a fool. Besides, by now, she should realize she ain’t gonna do any better.”
I clutched my heart. “Was that a compliment?”
“Take it how you want.” She waved her hand in the air. “Tell me what I can do about this trip. Do I need to hire a vet for a few weeks while they’re gone?”
“Mitch would have a fit if someone else took care of his animals.”
“They’re all of ours,” Mulaney corrected.
My grip tightened on my glass. “But there’s some we don’t know.”
We were quiet a moment, both lost in our regret for wasted time.
“What if we send some of our boys who aren’t working out in the oil fields right now? Would that help?” Easton spread his legs and leaned forward on his knees.
“They could use all the hands they can get,” I said. “But Grandmama says they can’t go until school gets out for the summer.”
“I’m sure I can find some help whenever you need,” he volunteered.
“Appreciate it, man. Mitch and Juliana will too.”
Easton lifted a shoulder and lowered it. “We’re family, right?”
Mulaney choked on her drink, and I patted her back. She glared at Easton, but his stare back at her was steady.
“Hard to believe how long we’ve all been running around together.” I set my foot back on the ground. “We should do this more often.”
“If you ever came to Houston—”
“You’re right,” Easton interrupted my sister. “A lot of things are in perspective now. I’ve neglected people important to me long enough.”
“Me too,” I agreed, “but I’m working on it.”
Mulaney set her glass down on a magazine. “We need to get going.”
“For somebody who hates this city, you sure sound disappointed to leave.” I nudged her leg, trying make light, when I wished they didn’t have to go.
She stood and smoothed down her dress. “See you Thanksgiving?”
I pushed to my feet and avoided her gaze. “Uh, Daniel and Vivian are getting married. I’m headed to New Zealand for a few days before we start shooting.”
Her fist balled at her sides. “And Muriella will be there?”
“She will. What are you getting at?” My defenses rose.
“Hope she’s worth it,” she muttered. “Send Daniel and Vivian my congratulations.”
I pulled my sister in and kissed the top her head. She squirmed, shoving at my chest, but I held her so she couldn’t get away. “Miss you.”
“You’ll be home for Christmas, right?”
“That’s for sure.”
A satisfied grunt escaped her. “I want to pay for Mitch’s trip. Let them save their money for the girls’ college.”
“You’ve already funded that.”
She shoved at me again, and I hugged her tight. “Split it with you. Sound fair?”
“No, but I don’t feel like arguing.”
I cocked my head to the side. “You okay? That’s not like you.”
Easton sni
ckered. She shot daggers into both of us. “C’mon. We’ve got a plane to catch.”
Chapter Fourteen
Muriella
I hadn’t packed.
The suitcase had been on my bed for two hours. I’d made a smoothie for breakfast. Caught up on the news headlines in my favorite chair by the window. Wondered how Sunday had arrived so quickly. After all of that, I still hadn’t been able to put anything inside it.
I cleaned the bathroom.
Couldn’t pack.
Took a shower.
Couldn’t pack.
Spent extra time on my hair.
Still couldn’t pack.
I checked my watch as I dusted the console table in the foyer. Twenty minutes until I was supposed to be downstairs.
I wadded up the wipe and tossed it in the trash. I needed Vivian, but somehow I’d ended up giving her the silent treatment too. Talking to her was in essence talking to Daniel. That wasn’t fair, but I couldn’t change my thinking.
I also didn’t want to tell her I didn’t think I could go to her wedding. Stone was right. They’d cancel, and I refused to be the cause of that. As angry as I was at Daniel, I wanted him to have Vivian and the happiness he deserved, and I wanted Vivian to have him too.
My phone chimed, and pin pricks of apprehension left me staring at the device as if it might sting me.
Reluctantly, I reached for it, certain the text would be from Vivian.
Want me to come up to get your bag?
Stone. My relief that it was him was an indication of the mixed up state I was in. A few days ago, nerves would have taken over at his arrival. Now, I was just glad I didn’t have to face Vivian yet.
I haven’t packed.
What seemed like only seconds later, Stone appeared in my bedroom where I sat next to the empty suitcase.
“‘I can’t’ seems to be my favorite phrase of late,” I said, disappointed in myself.
“You need a dress, right?” He vanished into my closet and emerged a minute later with a pair of silver heels dangling from his fingers. “Do these go with this?” He held up a turquoise dress.
I stared at him in disbelief. “I bought those shoes to go with that dress.”
“Lucky guess.” He dumped the shoes in the suitcase, then did an abysmal job of folding the dress before adding it to the mix.
Hangers clanged, drawers opened and closed, all while Stone whistled. I remained on the bed, refusing to touch anything in the suitcase even though I itched to refold the dress.
He was in my bedroom. Had been for a full three minutes. In my state of distress over the wedding, it hadn’t even occurred to me that we were alone.
Fear stabbed at my chest. Stone would never hurt me. I knew that. With him I was safe, yet I struggled to shove the anxiety away.
I tried to think of him as the friend he was to me. That didn’t help. As much as I wanted him to just be my friend, he was more than that. The piece of me that enjoyed having him in my space was slowly edging out the part that didn’t.
My fear of him in my bedroom wasn’t because I believed he’d harm me. It stemmed from the realization that he belonged there. I didn’t know what to do with that.
He emerged with an armful of who knew what. It landed in a heap, overflowing from my bag. A wary expression clouded his features.
“I think I nailed it with the clothes, but what the hell should I get from in there?” He pointed toward the bathroom.
Just like that, I relaxed a fraction, biting my lip to keep from laughing. “Are you afraid of women’s beauty products?”
“A little.”
I slid off the bed, and he trailed me to the bathroom. I passed him a couple of brushes and put what I needed in a large makeup bag.
He took it from my hands, dropped it in the suitcase, and folded the top down.
“That’s not going to fit,” I said as he stuffed the overflowing clothes into the case.
“Sure it will.” He patted the top. “Hop up.”
I crawled onto it. Stone wrestled with the zipper until it was closed.
“See?” He glanced at the clock on my nightstand. “We made it with time to spare.”
He offered a hand, which I accepted without thought until I’d landed on my feet. I quickly pulled away.
A strain charged the air between us. Touching…I…just no. He was in my bedroom. That was a huge step. One he wasn’t even aware of.
“Ready?”
I appreciated he didn’t make a big deal of my reaction.
“Not really.”
He easily lifted the suitcase off the bed and set it on its rollers. Once he’d released the telescoping handle, he rested his hands on top of it.
“Where am I taking this thing? Downstairs? Or in the closet?”
Infinite patience reflected back at me as I stared at him. I dropped my chin to my chest, heart heavy.
“Downstairs.” I didn’t have it in me to ruin their wedding.
“Lead the way.” Stone made a grand gesture toward the door.
He grabbed his old University of Texas hat off the console table as we passed and pulled it low on his brow. My steps faltered. Stone Jacobs and ball caps were a lethal combination.
“I’ll lock up.” He gently pried the keys from my hand.
I called the elevator. Stone joined me in front of the doors. When they opened, the car wasn’t empty.
I locked eyes with Daniel, who looked like he hadn’t slept, deep-set lines etched into his face. Rarely had I seen him vulnerable. He was now, and I wasn’t sure how to handle it.
Vivian shifted anxiously, and Daniel reached for her hand. My heart twisted as I stepped into the elevator. The doors closed behind Stone, and the tension intensified. I hugged Vivian from the side and kissed her cheek.
“Excited?”
Her returning smile was shy. “Yeah.” She was hesitant, and I knew it had everything in the world to do with the strain between me and Daniel.
“Me too.”
I looked sideways at Stone as a warning to zip it about the fact I had only decided to come minutes ago. He nodded discreetly.
Daniel silently stared at me in the mirrored doors as we rode down to the garage. His burdens were my own, and I realized they always had been, even when I didn’t know what they were. Our past experiences with our fathers provided us an understanding with one another that we didn’t have with other people. I didn’t know how to fix what was broken between us, but I knew I couldn’t stand his pain.
The ride to the basement was all too short. We loaded into the SUV, and Lorde’s version of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” played through the speakers, though it didn’t disguise how suspiciously quiet we were on the drive. Apparently, Stone had run out of ways to run interference, and Vivian had become mute.
Daniel parked the SUV next to the plane on the tarmac. An attendant waiting in a golf cart rushed over. He nodded as Daniel fired off instructions and handed him the car keys.
Wind whipped my hair in my face. I caught Daniel by the arm as he began to round the car. He looked down in surprise.
Stone helped with our luggage while Vivian moved toward the plane with measured steps. She glanced back, an unreadable expression on her face.
“I’m glad you aren’t going to prison.”
Our gazes remained trained on one another as he studied me. Never one to take things at face value, he puzzled out whether my words had a deeper meaning. This time, they didn’t.
He exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry.”
I reached for the car, seeking support. Had he ever said those words to me? To anybody?
“You hurt me.”
“I fucked up.”
“Big time,” I agreed. The ache in my chest intensified at the thought of his betrayal.
“I should have told you what was happening. I handled it poorly, but I won’t make that mistake again.” He shoved his hands in his pockets as if he needed to do something with them.
“I’m happy t
o hear it.”
“But you can’t forgive me,” he surmised, deflating.
“I’m trying, but I need more time.” Part of me desperately wanted to let it go, to return back to our normal life. But if I was pretending everything was okay, that was a lie. I couldn’t do that. Not with him.
He folded me in his arms. “I love you, Muriella. I need you to know that’s why I do everything I do, boneheaded or not.”
I sniffled against his chest and laughed at once. “You can be very boneheaded.”
He squeezed me. “Thank you for being here. I know it’s for Vivian, but—”
I popped my head up. “It’s for both of you.” I patted his back. “For me too.”
“What can I do?” he asked, desperation in his voice.
“You don’t trust me. I don’t know how we repair that.” I released him and took a step back. “We should go.”
He nodded once and gestured for me to lead the way. He’d apologized. He meant it. But I couldn’t just flick a switch and forget it. And that was on me.
Chapter Fifteen
Stone
“This everything?”
I hefted Muriella’s suitcase off the bed and glanced around. The wedding ceremony by the lake had been something else. Our friends were married, we’d taken pictures and enjoyed breakfast together, and now it was time to give them their privacy.
She poked her head into the bathroom and the closet. “Think so.”
I wheeled her luggage down the hall. Vivian rushed forward as soon as we were in the great room. The lake shimmered in the sunlight just beyond the wall of windows. No wonder they loved it here so much.
“You’ll be back for Thanksgiving, won’t you?” She clutched both of Muriella’s hands in her own.
“I thought we were headed back to the States.” Muriella glanced at me.
“We’ve got a stop to make first.” I shoved my hands in my pockets and rocked back on my heels.
She narrowed her gaze. “What kind of stop?”
Three Dates (Paths To Love Book 2) Page 9
