by Jamie Pope
“I am,” he admitted aloud for the first time.
“Have you told her?”
“No.”
“Why not? It’s obvious to the rest of the world.”
“She’s going to leave here.”
“That job offer in Miami? No.” She shook her head. “You two have gotten so much closer this past month. She’s part of our family.”
“I overheard her on the phone last night. They want to her to come to Miami to discuss the job. They are giving her a chance at a career she’s always wanted. I’m not sure this island is enough for her.”
“She’s not leaving. I know in my gut she’s going to stay. She has to.”
“Who has to?”
Derek turned around to see Ava standing there. He was breathless and speechless and amazed by her again. She was a throwback to another time in her strapless ivory cocktail dress. There were tiny pink roses embroidered on to the tulle skirt and on her feet she wore baby-pink heels. Ava could be incredibly sexy, but tonight she looked perfectly sweet.
He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a long kiss. He hadn’t seen her since that morning. He had wanted her with him for some of the founder’s day activities, but he now understood where she had been spending most of her time.
“Derek.” She smacked his shoulder. “You can’t kiss me like that in front of your grandmother.”
“That was a hello-I-missed-you-this-place-looks-phenomenal kiss.”
“You like it?”
“I love it. I’m just not sure how we’ll be able to pull anything like this off in the future.”
“That’s easy,” Nanny said. “Ava will just have to plan it again next year. This is spectacular, dear. Truly spectacular.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Derek, I came to ask you if you have heard from your mother today.”
“She might have tried to call, but I have been so busy today I haven’t been able to check my messages. Why?”
“She called me three times. I tried to call her back, but she didn’t pick up.” Worry crossed Nanny’s face, and immediately a thick knot formed in Derek’s stomach.
He hadn’t spoken to his mother since the night she stormed out of his house. He didn’t get along with her, but he could still be worried about her. She could be selfish and self-centered, but in a way she was fragile. And the last thing he wanted was for her to be unhappy.
“Maybe I should go check on her.”
“No,” Nanny said firmly. “She’s my child. Not yours. I’ll check on her. This town is your baby, and your place is here.”
Nanny left them alone, and Ava wrapped her arms around Derek and rested her cheek against his chest. He ran his hands over her smooth bare shoulders, taking comfort from the feel of her skin and growing slightly aroused, remembering how good her nude body felt beneath his hands. “What can I say to take your mind off your mother?”
“My mind is on you right now. Have I told you that you are the most beautiful woman in all of Hideaway Island tonight?”
“Just tonight?” She grinned up at him.
“Every night. You really outdid yourself tonight, Ava. The entire town is going to be talking about this night for years.”
“I love this island. I wanted to do something nice for the people here.”
“I’m just afraid to ask how you afforded all of this. We didn’t give you that big of a budget.”
“A lot of the stuff for my wedding was not returnable, but we were allowed to exchange some things. The blue draperies and the lights and the favors.”
“There are street lamps and an entire park in here. You did more than exchange.”
“I spent three years with Maxime. I had more diamonds than one girl could wear in four lifetimes. I sold the necklace he gave me on our first anniversary. It covered everything and then some. I could buy a car if I wanted.”
“It must have been some necklace.”
“I didn’t like it. It was just too much.”
“That makes me feel better about the gift I got you.” He slipped a cameo necklace out of his pocket. “I know it’s a little old-fashioned, but I saw this and thought of you.” It was vintage cameo in a gold setting with twelve tiny diamonds.
“Derek...it’s...so perfect.”
He placed it on her. As he was clasping it, he heard voices coming from the hallway. “It sounds like our guests are arriving.”
“Our guests?”
“Yes, this is our night and our town and our people. I wouldn’t be here without you.”
* * *
Ava had wanted this night to be perfect. She had spent six months planning her wedding as if it were a full-time job. It was her dream since she was a little girl to have one perfect night here on Hideaway Island. She wanted to be in a beautiful dress dancing with a handsome man. She pictured herself being happy. She had that tonight. She got to dance with Derek in a beautiful dress made by a woman who owned a shop on this island. But it wasn’t the first perfect night she’d had here. She’d had many perfect nights with Derek, but she could tell by looking at him that this night wasn’t perfect for him. He had been gracious and smiling. He greeted every person at the dance by name. He enjoyed champagne and had lively conversations, but she could tell he was worried. He had glanced at his phone more than once. He had never done that. He was always in the present. Every dinner they had shared, every night they were together he turned all his attention to her. But tonight another woman was on his mind. And even though Derek and his mother had a strained relationship, he cared deeply for her.
It made Ava adore him even more.
“What’s going on with this job offer, Ava?” Virginia asked her as they sat on the bench in the park Ava had re-created in the venue.
“I’m supposed to be heading into Miami for a few days next week.”
“So you’re leaving?” Virginia didn’t bother to mask the disappointment in her voice.
She didn’t want to. The longer she stayed, the harder it would be to go. “I told them that I had some reservations, and they upped my salary twenty-five percent, told me I could make my own schedule and could work from home when I’m not traveling.”
“How much would you be traveling?”
She was quiet for a long moment because it was too hard to think about, too hard to say. “A lot.”
Out of the corner of her eye Ava saw a flash of red that made her turn around. Derek’s mother had walked into the room. The dance had started more than two hours ago. Derek had already made his speech and said his thank-yous. It was an important night for him, and Anita had missed most of it. She knew that even though he hadn’t directly said anything that he wanted her to be there. He wanted her to act like most mothers would when their sons pulled off such a complicated feat. Supportive. Happy for the child’s success. But Anita walked into the room wearing a short, tight, red mini dress, on her arm a man that appeared to be a few years younger than Derek. It was a different man from the last one they had seen her with.
“I’ve got to go,” she told Virginia, getting up.
“What. Why?”
“Derek’s mother is here.” Ava made a beeline for Anita, who had headed straight for the bar. Ava’s heels and the crush of people in the room slowed her progress. As she reached Anita, she had just downed one shot and was ordering another one.
“More tequila, please!” She slammed down the shot glass on the counter. Her voice was too loud. Her words slurred just a bit. There was a bit of wildness in her eyes. The kind of look you would see in a hurt, bewildered wild animal.
“Anita.” Ava tried to keep her voice bright and plastered a smile on her face. She knew that they were being watched. “How are you? We weren’t sure you were coming.”
“Oh, I’m here. The p
rick who dumped me isn’t going to stop me from having a good time.” She looped her arms around the neck of the man she was with. “Isn’t that right, baby? Tonight you are going to make sure I have a good time.”
Anita kissed the man. It was one of those overtly sexual kisses that seemed more suited for behind private doors. Something inside Ava snapped. Anita wouldn’t be doing this tonight. She wouldn’t allow it.
Ava didn’t know how she knew Derek was behind her. But she could sense him. She turned to see that he was walking toward them, his face blank. He shut down around his mother. Every time. Without fail. It was like whatever little happiness he was experiencing she drained from him. Not tonight.
“Let’s grab some fresh air, Anita.”
“What? No. I just got here. I came here to party.”
Ava grabbed her arm, and, without losing the smile on her face, she tugged Anita toward the exit.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”
“Lower your voice.” She tightened her grip even more and kept Anita moving. Once they were in the parking lot, she let her go and swiveled to face her. Anita’s date had followed them. He was little more than a kid. “You go home right this instant,” she barked at him before returning her attention to Anita. “Explain yourself. You couldn’t have possibly planned to ruin this night for no reason, so I’m going to need you to explain yourself.”
Anita touched her chest and looked indignant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about! Why the hell did you show up here tonight?”
“My son invited me. Contrary to what you think, I’m still the most important woman in his life.”
“And I would hope he would be the most important man in yours. But you’re pathetic.”
“Excuse me.”
“You knew how important this event was to him. He has been planning this week for months, and you show up here, stinking of wine and with a boy who looks too young to drink.”
“I got dumped. I didn’t want to be alone, and no one picked up the phone when I called.”
“So what? You’re not a child. You’re entitled to feel hurt, but you’re not entitled to hurt him anymore. I refuse to let you. I refuse to let you use him anymore. I refuse to allow you to drain his joy. You don’t get to do this anymore. You stay the hell away from him.”
“You’re telling me I can’t see my son? Who the hell do you think you are?”
“The woman who cares about him most in life. And if you try it with him again, I’m coming for you, and that’s a promise.”
“Ava!” She heard Derek’s angry voice behind her. She flinched, but she ignored it.
“Get in my car, Anita. I’m taking you home.”
“No. She is going to get in my car.” Ava heard Nanny’s voice. She turned around to see the older woman, who was absolutely furious. “I have never been more ashamed of you. I don’t care how grown you are. This foolish behavior will come to an end tonight.”
Anita’s shoulders slumped, but she turned without a word and went to her mother’s car.
That left Ava and Derek alone. “We’re going home right now.”
“But the party...”
“Now. Get in my car.” His voice was low and a little deadly, but she obeyed him. She expected him to start yelling at her, but he remained silent their entire trip home. They walked into her house. He shut the door behind them and leaned against it. His body was tight, and tonight he somehow looked bigger than usual. He was angry. The heat rolled off him in waves.
“Did you ban my mother from seeing me?”
“I will not apologize!” she shouted at him. “She’s not allowed to do this. She’s not allowed to hurt you anymore. I won’t let her. You can pretend it doesn’t hurt, Derek, but I know it does. I don’t want you hurting anymore if I can prevent it.”
The look on Derek’s face changed to horror, and it was then she realized that she had begun to cry.
She swiped angrily at her tears. How the hell did this happen? How did she go from hating him to crying for him? How did his happiness become more important than hers? She was doing it again. She was putting a man first, and she had promised herself that she wasn’t going to do that ever again. She had promised herself that she was going to live her own life, live for herself. She was taking that job. She was moving off the island as soon as possible. He was too much for her, too soon after such a major change in her life.
She went to walk away from him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her body into his. The kiss that he gave her wasn’t sweet; it wasn’t gentle or comforting or loving. It was a hot, hard kiss full of raw need. The air left her lungs, the blood rushed out of her head and arousal had taken over all her senses. Her mind stopped working; her body just moved. She pulled at his tie, yanked at the buttons on his shirt, tried to pull off his suit jacket. He pushed her against the wall, yanked at her underwear, shredding the fabric with his hands. It was a second later that he pushed inside her, the hard invasion made her nearly black out. She wrapped her leg around him as he pumped inside her furiously in a hard pace that made her cry out and tremble and turn to mush.
Her orgasm came on quick and hard, and Derek slammed into her one last time before his climax took him over. They sank to the floor, their legs unable to hold them up any longer.
He wrapped his arm around her and pressed kisses all over her face. “I’m confused. Are you mad at me or not?”
“I’m not mad at you,” he whispered. “You’re not allowed to end this. To push me away. To try to have space from me. I need you.”
She nodded and then kissed him. She needed him, too.
Chapter 19
Derek’s office had changed a lot in the past month. It was now his office. Nothing remained from the former mayor. No more bulky, overpriced furniture. No tacky gold walls. His handmade furniture was there, his bookshelves. He spent more time in here than he ever had, and that was Ava’s fault. He never thought he would be here more than once a week, but he couldn’t get any work done at home, because home was where he spent time with Ava. If he worked there, he was more likely to work longer hours and let his worlds meld. Over the past few months he had discovered that while this island and its people were a huge part of his life, it wasn’t his entire life. He spent his mornings in his shop, his afternoons here, but when five o’clock came, everything stopped and he went home to her.
Life was better that way. Except for this week, because Ava had been gone. She had been in Miami for the past three days in a sort of training for her new job. He had been through some pretty dark times but this had been the hardest three days of his life. He felt empty. Even though they FaceTimed every night, it wasn’t enough. She was his home and without her he felt directionless. It made him think about the future. His term was up at the end of the year, just four more months, even less time before the election. He hadn’t campaigned the last two times because no one ran against him. But maybe it was time to give this up. He could be proud of what he had accomplished. There would be other ways to fill up his time, to work for the greater good. There wouldn’t be another Ava.
“Hello, son.”
Derek was surprised to see his father standing just inside his office door. They were supposed to meet for lunch, but they hadn’t gotten their schedules to line up yet, still Derek thought he would be heading to Miami to meet his father. He didn’t think the man would step foot on this island again, but here he was in his office. Such a change from when he was a kid and he walked into his father’s huge office, seeing the man who he looked so much like appearing large and intimidating behind his desk.
“Dad, what are you doing here?”
“Came to see my boy. Heard you had open office hours on Thursdays. Figured this was the best way to get some face time with you.”
/> “Have a seat, Dad. I must admit that I find it a little satisfying to be sitting on the other side of the desk. I have all the power here. I could have you thrown in jail for three years and you couldn’t stop me.”
“You want to have me thrown in jail?” He raised a brow as he took a seat.
“I don’t,” Derek answered honestly. “How have you been since we last spoke?”
“Fine. I’m more concerned about you. If you’re going to declare your candidacy for Senate, we’ll have to start preparing.”
“I’m not going to run. I’m not sure I’ll be mayor of this town next year.”
“Why?”
“It might be time to let someone else have it.”
“Does this have anything to do with Ava?”
“She didn’t ask me to give it up if that’s what you’re asking.”
“But she asked you to give your mother up?”
Derek froze for a moment. “No. Have you spoken to Mom?”
“She called me. I picked up. We talked about you.”
“I don’t want to have this conversation. My entire life I’ve been in the middle of this strange dance you two have going on. Do you know what it’s like to be raised by someone who hates you as much as they love you? Every important event that I have ever had she has messed up or in some way made it about her. I was furious when she showed up at the founder’s day dance drunk and all over some frat boy. Ava just did what I didn’t have the guts to do. She held her accountable. Ava can’t ban me from seeing my mother, but I can say no more and put some distance between us.”
“She said you’ve been putting distance between you two ever since Ava came into the picture.”
Derek shook his head. “And you believed her?”
“She’s threatened by Ava. Ava is a tough thing and your mother isn’t. I think she’s afraid that she’s going to lose what little relationship she has left with you if you continue on with this girl.”
“I am continuing on. And I tried with Mom, but I’m done now. It’s her turn to try, and you can tell her that. I’m tired.”
