Flo had a funny look on her face, like she was trying to get to the bottom of a great mystery that I was concealing, “What?” I barked at her.
“Nothing, guess she’s busy,” and with that she strolled off, or rather escaped, to play with A and B, effectively giving Chris and Jonas an excuse to leave the segregated kiddy camp and come join Sonny and I.
I’d been back for over a week and had done nothing but catch up on the shit I’d missed at the office and put plans in place for Lottie’s return. Her surprise was my attempt to show her I cared and I was invested in us enough to make a grand gesture for the future. Unfortunately it was taking more organizing than I’d expected and so far I’d only succeeded in working through the red tape and legalities; now at last it was time for some real fucking action.
The one fly in my ointment, was Claire Michaels, I still hadn’t managed to track down that lying whore and put that bubbling cess pool of shit out of action. It didn’t mean I hadn’t spotted the funny looks I was getting about town and I honestly thought my mom was going to have a stroke when I turned up at brunch one day. She was looking around her nervously like an armed criminal, complete with gun and a bag stuffed with dollar bills had joined her at the table. I just about managed to ignore the way she was rushing to get us out of there, until she said something about coming to my sense and cooling things with Lottie, which was closely followed up by, it was a shame I couldn’t have been as sensible and stayed away from the other one. I left before I did have a real rage moment or I ran into Claire, the mood my mother put me in would have confirmed Claire’s bullshit rumors and more. Roughing her up wouldn’t have done my actions justice.
“So what’s the deal with you and Lottie then?” asked Chris.
I was confused by his question, wasn’t it obvious? “I’m here because I needed to come home and she’s there until things stabilize.”
“What’s she said about this Claire Michaels business?” Jonas asked me. Of course he fucking knew, how would he not? He knew everything that you wanted keeping under wraps.
“What do you know about that?”
“Only what the town fucking vultures and busy bodies have been saying. She’s claiming things weren’t right between you two and you didn’t treat her very lady like.” Jonas has a smirk on his face, he knows Claire Michaels is no fucking lady and that my preference for control in the bedroom is similar to his, colorful and varied not fucking pain and suffering.
“Fuck, does this mean that the women know too?” I was on edge of my seat waiting for the answer, if they knew I’d never resolve this under wraps without it reaching Lottie.
“The fact that you’ve answered my question with another question confirms, you haven’t told Lottie.”
The guys look at me like I’m a serious dumbass. “I figured I’d come home and sort it. Lottie has enough shit on her plate.”
“And that clears up the second mystery,” interjects Chris, “Why you’re here and Lottie isn’t.”
“Dude, one word. Toast. Your ass is toast when she finds out. That’s if she doesn’t already know,” warns Sonny.
“Please do not tell me you are giving me relationship advice.”
“Fuck no, but even I can read between the lines of how that conversation is gonna go when the women impart that news. And you know they will.”
He was right, they wouldn’t keep it from her and she’d over think it to death and then roast my cock and balls the next time she sees me. “Shit, I’m gonna try and call her again.”
I tried her cell phone first and that rang continuously on the first attempt. On the second attempt it was cut off mid ring and diverted to voicemail and when I tried for a third time, it didn’t ring at all, it went straight to her voicemail box.
What the fuck was she doing? At least pick up the goddamn phone and acknowledge I’m calling. Huffing and shoving my phone into my pants pocket I realized all the guys were staring at me. They’d seen my own fucking girlfriend purposely call screen me.
“Dude, judging on the communication response you’re getting, I’d say Claire Michaels is priority number one. Closely followed by the urgent need to do damage control with Lottie, preferably before I feel the brunt of your stupidity from Dolly,” warned Jonas.
“Or Neely,” Chris chips in.
“And don’t think I’m gonna listen to Flo bitching about this. You fuck up, I’m sending her your way, she can bitch straight at the source,” finished Sonny.
“What a Goddamn nightmare. I’m out of here.”
I left Jonas’s to get things dealt with, I knew Claire was playing games and avoiding me. Lottie, however that was another mystery, I was one step away from filing a missing persons report. I sent her a quick text telling her I missed her and then decided to hunt Claire down. If she won’t come to the mountain, time for the mountain to hunt down her slutty ass.
Chapter Thirty
Is it too much to expect him to leave me alone?
I know I let him think we were going to be friends, but honestly, not a chance in fucking hell. Remaining on normal terms with him wouldn’t just be twisting the knife, it would be like stabbing, twisting and then repeating that action over a hundred times.
Things were on the up at Sunnyside, Annie was being discharged tonight and I’d had just enough time to settle in the three new team members. They were a blessing, each helping out with something that meant I didn’t have to be in twelve different places at once. More importantly, they allowed me to focus on the kids and get them all back into a routine of nurture, love and support that had slowly turned into chaos whilst Annie’s health had gotten worse. They’d had enough time to acclimatize and not be on the back foot when the kids played them and more importantly they would already understand how things ran when Annie came out and started to stress about having newcomers in the place. Carter and Lacey had undeniably become closer and were bonding more like brother and sister than ever before. The two of them were also starting to see me as a figurehead or leader and most of the time I was, but it was good to kick off those chains and chill with them like a real family during the evening.
Lacey kept asking if I was OK, I thought I was doing a good job of hiding the sadness and hole that Oli had left behind, but clearly I needed to up my game. I had to remember these kids had something to really be sad about, they’d lost their whole lives and identity and that should never be compared to me grieving over a lost relationship, even if I was convinced it was going to be the last relationship I ever had. Carter was missing Oli in a bad way, he’d found a guy to look up to and for a short period of time, he sparkled because of it. The Skype access he had to Oli just wasn’t enough to make that difference and I was sad that he would only exist for Carter through technology or trust fund meetings.
Fortunately for me, Carter had a fairly standard routine which meant I could avoid his Skype calls with Oli. To begin with my excuses were lame, it was almost soul destroying to hear Oli telling Carter it was OK that I was too busy to talk to him. If nothing else I had to be thankful that Oli didn’t stomp all over that little guys heart too.
Tying stuff up back home in Hawkstown was becoming more pressing. I still had to clean out my parent’s bedroom and finally get the place on the market. I was blissfully avoiding it for the moment because I was in no hurry to wade through my mom and dad’s clothes for fear of uncovering any more secrets. I’d also decided that my house was going on the real estate market too, I didn’t need a permanent residence in Hawkstown and was sure one of the girls would put me up when I visited.
Sheriff Roberts phoned yesterday and it seemed that they had a possible link between Mika the pool boy and the garage that may or may not have worked the brakes and mechanics of my father’s car. Unfortunately he described the link as tenuous and unless they unearthed some evidence soon, they’d be ramping down the investigation and leaving the case open. It would be the decision of the State’s Attorney to review it and formally close it in that case. In all my day
s I never thought my rich and connected parents’ legacy would turn out to be scandal and a cold case.
In reality I couldn’t care less about it, it wasn’t going to bring my dad back for Carter and I or my mom back so I could prove to her that happiness comes in lots of different ways, no matter how you live your life. The big sting in the tail was that the Sheriff mentioned that he’d asked Jonas to warn Oli about the progress in the case. I knew Jonas wouldn’t keep something that important from me, so I just had to assume Oli did know and decided not to tell me, he didn’t want it to be another reason he couldn’t end what we had. Not only did he wimp out, letting me make it easier for him, he didn’t tell me about any of the case developments in the death of my parents’. For someone who wanted to be friends, the least he could do would be to leave me informed about something so important.
Anyway, that was the past.
After I collected Annie from the hospital and brought her home, we were greeted by a very excited Carter and very relieved Lacey. Once I got her settled the rest of the kids then filtered through for a hug and to wish her well.
The introduction of the new staff went better than I could have hoped, I was praying she’d feel at ease and it would give her some time to enjoy being with the kids rather than running around, but I was nervous about what I was planning next.
“Annie,” I began, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Come in, come in and put your feet up.”
I got comfy next to her, thanking the Gods that I got her to the hospital in time, along with the doctors and the wonders of modern medicine. She looked like she’d aged a little bit but on the whole I could tell she was mending. “There are some things that I need to take care of at home and I was wondering if I may be able to take Carter with me for a few days?”
“Well that’s a lovely idea. I’m sure he’d love to see where you come from. Are things OK back at home?”
“Yes, I just need to tie up some loose ends.”
“Where’s Oli? Is he busy at work?” Annie’s attempt at a casual enquiry would have been amusing if it wasn’t such an upsetting topic.
“He needed to get home,” I replied evasively.
“Lottie, I may be old and just had a close call with the pearly gates but I can tell when something is wrong. I can see you’re upset and struggling to maintain your brave face. Tell me my dear, I’m a good listener. Off loading a little may help.”
I take a deep breath, I cannot voice my sadness, I am not prepared to give it power of me. “It’s nothing really, Oli has had second thoughts about us, which is fine, totally fine because I can concentrate on things here and Carter. In fact, I’m going to sell up and move here. SURPRISE!” The joyful smile on my face wasn’t mirrored on Annie’s wrinkly cheeks. She didn’t say anything, she was speechless and it was not the reaction I was expecting. “I thought you’d be happy.”
“Charlotte my dear, nothing would please me more than to have you here in our life, but I can’t help thinking it’s a rash decision. Are you running from things in Hawkstown?
“Running?”
“Yes, are you running from a certain young man? I’m sure whatever is going on is some kind of misunderstanding. That boy cares about you, I know he does. I thought you had good friends back home too, why would you want to leave them?”
“Don’t you want me to be here? Helping out with you and the kids, being a family with you and Carter?” I was on the verge of losing my mind. This was going to be my refuge, the one place my mind had decided would make losing Oli and the life with him worthwhile. I felt her hand on my knee, I wasn’t sure what my face was saying, but if I looked her in the eye, she’d read my panic and fear like a story book.
“I tell you what sweet girl, take a trip home with Carter and show him your roots. Show him the things his father thought he’d never get to share with his son and whilst you’re there have a good think and really see if you can give all that up for us.”
“But…”
“I’m just saying, it’s a big life change and we’ll love you no matter where you are and how often we see you. If, when you get back, you still want to be with us, I will welcome you with open arms and thank the Gods for sending me an angel. Besides, it will give the docs a chance to see how I’m recuperating without having to worry about Carter and get to know those new staff members without you being on hand to keep them on the straight and narrow.”
“OK,” I couldn’t argue with her so I agreed, still trying to get over the fact that she’d described me as an angel.
“One last request, think long and hard about Oli, what I saw of him when he was here with you, wasn’t fly by night feelings. If you want him, fight for him.”
“I’ll give that some thought and let you rest, night Annie.” I kissed her goodnight and went to my room. I was certain about one thing, I wasn’t going to think about it, I’d done all my fighting for Oli Hart and it was for nothing. If he couldn’t fit me and my brother into his life when we both needed him the most then he didn’t deserve the fight I had left in me.
I was going home to put my plans firmly in place, show Carter my past, sell up my old world and say goodbye to the girls, the very best part of my life. I hoped like fuck they’d understand and support me, I needed to remain a part of their life, if only from a distance because without Flo, Neely and Dolly I may as well just write off all of my life to date.
Chapter Thirty One
“Lottie, are we going to see your friends whilst we’re here?”
“We sure are buddy and it’s gonna be a big surprise for them when we get there.” It certainly will be because I hadn’t actually told any of them that we were coming into town. I kept telling myself I wasn’t doing it on purpose, but I knew I was, I didn’t care about surprising them I just didn’t want any pressure or resistance to my big life change. I’d been avoiding having long chats with them, keeping it all aloof and being too busy to get deep on phone calls, this directional swing would take them by surprise.
“What if I can’t remember their names?” Carter was as nervous as me, but for different reasons. He and GI Joe were going on a big adventure, to a different place, to meet a bunch of strangers he’d heard me talk about a lot. “Remind me again,” he said keen to get it right.
“Well, you’ve met all the girls, remember? They came to the house to help whilst Annie was in hospital. Chris is the cowboy, so if you think of Woody from Toy Story that will help you remember. Jonas is the soldier, he should hit it off with Joe right away so you won’t forget him and Sonny is the high school football coach.”
“OK, OK, I got it and the little girls are A and B like the alphabet.”
“That’s right,” I praised him, “We’re going to be staying at my house. We’ll visit our dad’s house and show you where I grew up. We’ll also try to nip and have cakes at my friend Jo’s café.”
“And Oli, can we see Oli?”
“If you want to,” I replied dismissively, although my brain keeps constantly trying to work out how I can avoid that from happening. I was going to ask Dolly if she could look after Carter whilst I sorted out the shit left in my parents’ bedroom. I didn’t want to confuse him by seeing my mom’s stuff alongside our dad’s, maybe I could convince her to take Carter to see Oli then. I’d already made arrangements for a realtor to visit both properties and received word that this has been done, I was just waiting for confirmation that they were ready to proceed with getting both houses on the market.
I felt like I was having an out of body experience when I finally made it to my house, I couldn’t stop picturing Carters mom, bleeding out on my doorstep and the guilt was crushing, one day I was going to have to tell him about this. Then when I actually got inside the house, Carter swerved around me like a tornado, opening doors and diving in and out of rooms and didn’t stop until he’d inspected every nook and cranny. “This is where you’ll sleep and I’ll be right next door,” I told him, opening the door to the spare room which caus
ed my heart to flutter and my stomach to roll. Oli’s things were still here and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why, more alarmingly it meant I may have to schedule some time for the unpleasantness that was giving him his stuff back. Not a job I wanted to do in front of Carter. I couldn’t fathom why the fucking idiot hadn’t just collected his stuff already and made it easier on both of us.
I made us a quick snack and ended up playing rock, paper, and scissors because Carter couldn’t decide where he wanted to visit first. His choice of the Cowboy Chris option won two games in a row, so that’s where we headed.
Knocking on Chris and Neely’s front door provided the surprise element I knew my visit would ensue, “Lottie, what the… why are you here visiting and my woman doesn’t know and who is this fine young man accompanying you?” Chris asked, managing to rein in his cussing when he spotted Carter.
“This is my bestest brother Carter Groves and his armed and dangerous pal is GI Joe,” I replied as we were led inside to the ranch kitchen.
“Neely, baby, you have a surprise visitor,” he shouted. My crazy sister was elbow deep in pastry on a grand scale, she was the image of her mother before my eyes, cooking treats and being proud to help her guy work his land, this girl was totally living her dream.
“You’re back!” Oh yeah, she’s just as shocked as Chris to see me here unannounced, “Hey Carter, welcome to the ranch. Would you like Chris to take you out for a look around?”
“Can I see the animals?”
“Of course,” she answered.
“Can I touch them?”
“If you’re gentle with them, sure, come with me,” Chris told him, taking his hand and whispering something in his ear. They suspiciously sloped near the kitchen counter top and turned at the last minute grabbing a cookie from a cooling rack, with Chris shouting, “Run dude! Run. Follow me.” Carter obeyed immediately chuckling, whilst Neely pretended to chase them down.
Fated Love (The Soul Sisters Series Book 3) Page 22
