by Christina OW
Loraine turned around to look at him. “I found what I was looking for at my best friend’s wedding, even though I ran because I thought you’d think I was a freak after how I reacted. But I came back, and I got Tyler as a bonus, one I couldn’t help fall in love with the moment I held him in my arms. Just like I fell for his father the moment you held me in your arms that night. It’s you who is still searching Reno. Until you figure out that you’ve already found it, we’ll be here waiting for you.” She turned back around dismissing him.
Reno closed the door and marched out of the house, Loraine’s words mulling around in his head like a thunderous storm. He never thought that he was lost. He always believed he knew what he wanted and how to get it, to never go back to living in poverty and working hard every day was his way to achieve it. Sixteen years of his life he’d worked toward that goal, and he’d gotten there. Now he worked to maintain it, but was it all that mattered anymore?
At that moment, sitting in his Jeep, Reno had no clue which way was up.
* * * *
Reno turned to the knock on his office door. He was a little surprised when Melody’s head peeked through. He hadn’t seen her for a few days since he was kicked out of his own home, which made him wonder what exactly she was doing in his office at the moment.
“May I come in?”
He nodded his assent standing up. “What are you doing here?”
She smiled moving into the room. “You were expecting me to give you the silent treatment as well?”
He shrugged, motioning for her to take a seat before he sat back down. “Loraine will count this as a betrayal you know.”
“She knows I’m here. You should be happy she hasn’t called Riana, yet.”
He scoffed. “What, kicking me out of my own home wasn’t enough?”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “Why did you let her do that?”
He shook his head. “It seemed like the easier option at the time and besides, she might have just burned it down with me in it if I insisted. She was really hurt and pissed off at me the last time we spoke.” He winced, remembering her tears. “I messed up, bad.”
She nodded quietly. The room filled with silence for a long while before she spoke. “Reno can I ask you a question?”
He already knew what she was about to ask. “Why I won’t recognize Tyler as my son, as obvious as it is that he is mine?”
She nodded.
He signed. “I’m not really sure now. At the time, I just didn’t want the responsibility of a kid. It wasn’t exactly in my plans.”
Melody looked at him surprised. “Taking into account his birthday and your wedding date, I thought that was the reason why you married Georgia?”
“I know, but it was a relief when she took off and I figured the kid wasn’t even mine in the first place.”
“But he is—”
Reno raised his hand and cut her off. He was exhausted with the subject and he really wanted to talk about something else for a change. “Let’s talk about something else. What business proposition do you have for me?”
“Okay.” She sat up straighter in her seat and Reno held back a smile when he noticed the change in her. She switched to business mode and he had to respect her for that. “I noticed we don’t have a franchise in the Bahamas or the Caribbean, both prime vacation locations and instead of building one from the ground up. I thought the best and less expensive avenue would be to have La Paraiso join Red Roses.”
Reno just nodded. His first instinct was to say no but considering she’d come all this way and she was clearly nervous he didn’t answer right away. He leaned back in his seat, keeping his arms lazy on the armrests. “Is this your first time pitching a business deal?”
Melody rolled her eyes, “Yes, but I’ve had practice pitching to Allan when I want to spend a lot of money, and he doesn’t make it easy. Even when he looks at me like that,” she said pointing at him.
Reno released his lips in a smile. “Like what?”
“Like his little sister he’s just amusing before he says no.” She scooted forward her brown eyes sparkling with determination. “This is a great business deal Reno. You’ve built this resort into a multi-million dollar business and you should be very proud of that.”
“I am,” he interjected.
“But why just limit yourself to one location? My proposition is this, join Red Roses hotels and become a shareholder…and the Managing Director of the franchise.”
Reno whistled. “You came ready to butter me up into saying yes, didn’t you?”
She shrugged. “I might have wanted a chain of hotels since I was in high school and Allan gifted it to me but I’m smart enough to know I can’t successfully manage it on my own. That’s where you come in.”
Reno leaned back in his seat, bouncing the backrest as he stared at Melody intently. There was something else going on she wasn’t sharing.
“I’m surprised you kept it after all the pain it caused us. Casa Italiano was the reason that psycho Antony tried to kill your brother and caused Allan’s and Riana’s close to three years of hellish exile.”
She nodded with a miserable sigh. “The first thing I wanted to do was get rid of it but it was still in Allan’s name when he took off and I couldn’t touch it. But since it has always been long standing that Matthew would have power of attorney of all his business decisions when and if Allan was incapacitated, we were able to change the name.”
“Everything else stayed the same because Riana loved it and had promised Mr. Torino she would preserve his wife’s memory…”
“And what Riana wants, Allan gives,” she sighed again with a smile. “Never thought I’d see my brother wrapped around a woman’s finger.”
Reno snorted a laugh. “It’s called love.”
He knew the story about the business deal. Riana had told him about it those first days she’d come to him after the incident in Italy. She spoke only of the good memories there because she believed if she held on to them strongly and ignored reality, then Allan wasn’t really dead. It had been torture watching her fantasy cloud shatter and she would come crushing down in hysterical cries followed by withdrawals as she sunk deeper into her depression. Worst two and a half years of his life. Even his mother’s death hadn’t hurt so much. It was at that time he’d wished she was still alive. It was times like these that people needed their mommies to help make everything okay again.
“And yet you won’t give in to Loraine,” she added with a sarcastically raised brow.
Reno really didn’t want to get into this, especially since Loraine’s withdrawal was making his mind soft. He was quite ready to give her what she wanted if it meant having her back in his arms, but that wasn’t what she wanted. And worse of all, it wouldn’t be fair to Tyler.
He kept the discussion on topic by asking, “What aren’t you telling me about this gold woven business proposition?”
Her shapely brows drew together. “What do you mean?”
He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk. “There is something I believe questionable about this whole deal you are leaving out. What is it?”
She worried her lower lip, her eyes darting around the room as she strived to avoid meeting his gaze.
Yup, he knew it. Something wasn’t right and he knew just the person to ask.
Reno pressed his intercom and spoke into it. “Shea, please ask Ruiz to come in here.”
Reno had noticed the two of them had gotten close, romantic even and it made him slightly uncomfortable. He worried about Allan’s reaction and what it would do to his baby sister’s marriage if their little romance blew up in all their faces. There would be no getting out of family-get-togethers, which would mean fights and taking sides and Allan and Riana getting caught in the middle. Yeah, he predicted good times full of family drama. He loved Riana too much to let her suffer more than she already had.
The door opened and Ruiz sauntered in. He dropped into the seat next to Melody and stared blankly a
t Reno. “You called.”
Reno clenched his jaw. It was good to know where his loyalties lay. They had been unwavering for the past few days coated by juvenile attitude, which Reno had taken in stride. He’d just ignore his brother’s tantrum like he did Aurora’s when she was being impossible.
“You know about Melody’s business proposal?”
He sat up straighter in his seat and Reno was glad to see him change to being professional. It made him trust Ruiz with La Paraiso more and more.
“Yes, and I think it’s a great deal. You’ve always dreamed of expanding and Melody is offering you twelve hotels with one stroke of a pen. You could run it in the States, close to Riana, especially now that you have a family- no traveling unless you’re going on vacation.”
Reno chuckled as it dawned on him. “And let me guess, you two would do all the traveling for me? Take that burden off my shoulders because it’s good for my family.”
Melody blushed but Ruiz just cleared his throat leaning forward. “Look, it’s a great deal with awesome perks for you and we get to travel and enjoy our twenties before we turn into stiffs like you and Allan.”
“Hey, I take offense to that! I’m not a stiff.”
Ruiz raised his brow at him. “Really bro?”
Reno had just had his first vacation in sixteen years, so yeah, he understood what Ruiz was saying. “I didn’t work for half my life out of choice you know.”
Ruiz smiled faintly at him. “Yeah, we know. Half you’re life you’ve worked yourself to the bone to take care of our sister and your mother. With this deal we split the work three ways and you wouldn’t have to work so much.”
“Only you two get to country hop, have fun, and enjoy your youth.”
Melody smiled tentatively. “You’re only in your twenties once.”
“Aha,” he nodded, “But you two seem to be forgetting one vital thing.”
They exchanged puzzled looks before turning back to him.
“Allan Patrick Sinclair Jr.”
Reno threw his head back and laughed out loud at the stricken expressions on their faces.
“Allan is not going to say no to—”
“My little brother taking his baby sister on a worldwide business trip filled with sexual exploits?” Cutting her off, he shattered Melody’s argument with a scoff. “Yeah, I don’t see him nipping that in the bud.”
Melody’s cheeks gained a pink hew as she blushed, which only made him laugh harder.
Reno smiled, pointing at the two of them. “I know you two like each other. It’s not exactly state secrets. You make it too obvious not to notice.”
Melody turned to Ruiz and stuttered, “I don’t think he’d mind…much.”
Ruiz snorted. “Yeah, just like Reno didn’t mind even when he found out after the fact that Allan took Riana on a two months tour of Italy and every bed he could find. Hell, I minded when I learned about their torrid affair at the wedding. She may be a grown woman and I may not have known her then but she still is my baby sister.”
Reno nodded, “Ditto.”
Melody smiled like a naughty little girl with a secret. “You two must have gotten the censored version. From what I heard, they weren’t very shy about showing their affections in public places…of course an audience or two did help them keep it PG-13.”
Reno and Ruiz simultaneously groaned. It was too much information about their little sister. It was a good thing Allan married her or the two of them would have had some serious issues.
“Why don’t we talk about the business deal and forget about that?”
Ruiz’s brows shot up to his hairline. “You are agreeing to the deal?”
Reno smiled at their matching shocked expressions. “Why is that so hard to believe?”
Ruiz chuckled. “Really?”
Reno shrugged. “It’s something to seriously consider.” Especially now with Tyler and Loraine, he thought.
Reno took it all as a good sign- his willingness to let go of La Paraiso, was the step he needed to start letting go of his insecurities. He just hoped that once he felt like he was on stable ground, Loraine would still be waiting. And Tyler…it scared him to think of letting the kid down like his own father had. Reno just needed more time, but as he was taking that time, he was in need of a good family lawyer.
If this was one of Georgia’s sick games, and he wanted to make sure Tyler was protected. It would rip Loraine’s heart in two if Georgia were able to take Tyler away on a whim. Even if he hadn’t warmed up to the kid yet, it was still his job to protect him and Reno had every intention of at least doing that right.
Chapter Nine
Loraine sat at the beach, watching Tyler play with two children around his age belonging to her new friend Leah. They chased after the water as it went back into the ocean then ran from it as it came in small waves. She loved hearing his shrilly laughter, his eyes wide and sparkling with uninhibited joy as he played. She still couldn’t believe he was the same little boy who was afraid of both sand and water just a week ago.
Tyler had been apprehensive about stepping out of the house until Loraine carried him with Ruiz and Melody as escorts, both promising to protect him if something went wrong. When she sat down on the white sand, he’d lifted his legs to make sure he didn’t touch any of it until Loraine coaxed him to do so. When he was comfortable with that, she wadded in the water, still carrying him. He’d wrapped himself tightly around her as he cried, his fear so tangible it shook Loraine to the core. He’d cried for his daddy then and Loraine was so heartbroken, she didn’t know what to say to him. Tyler was scared and wanted his daddy to protect him and Reno didn’t want to see hair nor hide of him. It hurt her more than she ever thought possible.
Ruiz and Melody began playing in the water, showing how much fun it was and he began to relax. He’d kicked his feet and his crying turned into laughter as he explored the unknown and since then, they spent all day out at the beach, continuing his adventure of discovery and because he wouldn’t stay away from the water. Even his skin had gained a nice tan and he seemed stronger, healthier.
Loraine threw out all the medication that came with him. Supplements of what he should be getting by being a normal little boy. She never thought she could hate Georgia more than the day Tyler told her he’d never stepped outside the house much less his room all his life.
But now, Tyler was hers and she was going to make sure he didn’t lack for anything.
“Mommy, watch me!” he shrieked, waving at her.
Loraine laughed, her heart over flowing with joy. “I’m watching honey! Just don’t go in too deep.”
“It’s amazing seeing them like that,” Leah commented next to her. “When they are born, you imagine a lot of things but they never quite live up to the reality.”
Loraine nodded, even though the familiar pain of not being his biological mother threatened to drown her. “I never thought I could love a child like I love him.”
Leah signed. “Especially when they call you mommy with so much love. I still tear up!”
Loraine knew what she meant. She never thought being called mommy would make her so happy to the point of tears. The love Tyler had for her, made up for not having Reno in their lives. It had been three weeks; he’d been gone three weeks without a word to her.
But she understood him—at least she was trying to. Reno was scared of being a father and failing just like his own father had. Loraine faced the same fear each day but she never let it make her turn tail and run. Reno just needed to take a chance, just one day of being with Tyler, which he won’t. That is the part she couldn’t understand. Reno wasn’t a coward and he was acting like one huge chicken. Loraine had wanted to call Riana and vent and get some support but pressuring Reno wasn’t going help him in anyway. She just had to wait him out but patience wasn’t one of her strong suits. She just began learning it because of Tyler.
“Daddy!”
Loraine turned to Tyler’s shriek and watched him as he took off in a dead
run, which was quite fast considering his little feet. Loraine quickly rose from the beach towel and went after him yelling, “Tyler!”
“Should I get Dan?” Leah asked, already on her way to her husband.
She stopped running when she saw whom he was running to. Reno stood there smiling as he watched Tyler charge at him. He caught him out of the air when Tyler leaped and spun him around, then tossed him up and catching him making Tyler laugh harder.
As happy as she was to watch her two boys happy together, Loraine cringed every time Reno tossed Tyler up. She knew he wouldn’t drop his son but she couldn’t help the fear of Tyler falling. She grabbed nervously at her neck as Tyler went up in the air again in a fit of giggles, higher this time. When he came down, she braced herself but Reno settled Tyler on his forearm as he spoke to him.
Loraine let out a sigh of relief.
Leah laughed as she came up behind her. “You’ll learn not to hold your breath soon enough.”
Loraine turned to her and laughed lightly. “Really?”
She laughed harder, shaking her head. “No. You’d gone a little too pale there and I figured you needed the comfort. No matter what they do, how old they get, you’ll always hold your breath unless they are attached to your hip. Only then will you breathe easily.” She patted Loraine on the back. “That’s just what mothers do.”
They stared at Tyler and Reno as the two came toward them for a while before Leah whispered, “Are you on birth control?”
“What?” Loraine sputtered in surprise.
Leah shrugged. “Tyler is three and your husband is so…potent. He’s sex on legs.” She waved Loraine’s surprise away. “I may be happily married but that doesn’t mean I’m dead.”
