Coming Home (Friends & Lovers Book 2)

by PE Kavanagh

  She took a look around Brewed Awakening while waiting for her coffee. Modern art on the walls, with hand-written inspirational sayings interspersed throughout the place. A few tables filled with students, what looked like a mom’s club, and just a couple guys in suits. If the coffee was any good, this place would be a top choice.

  She carried her coffee out into the overcast day and stood outside the door, considering what direction to head. There was enough time before her next meeting that a stroll around the small town was possible. A window display down the block, that might have contained shoes, made the decision easy.

  The coffee was good. Not overly roasted like the national chains. And there were so many cute shops, at least four that she would come back to when she had more time. She’d even found a photograph of sea glass that would be perfect in Lucas’ bedroom. Framed just right, it would be beautiful.

  Ramona was accustomed to being in new places, surrounded by strangers. She prided herself on the ability to slide gracefully around unfamiliar customs and cultures. It confirmed her other-ness, which was strangely comforting. When the faces around her had almost nothing in common with her own, the story she told herself about being different, about not belonging, made sense.

  Walking along those few blocks, it wasn’t a separateness that she noticed, but a discovery that she was very much not alone.

  Her phone buzzed. Unrecognized numbers were never a surprise, but their frequency had increased with all of her recent changes. She paused next to a store with a beautiful miniature house in the window. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Ramona. It’s Abigail.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ramona dropped her phone on the sidewalk, the bright, loud crack causing a gasp somewhere around her. A young boy released his mother’s hand and lifted the device to Ramona.

  “Thank you,” she said while staring through the shattered screen to the phone icon and timer. Unbelievably, the call was still connected.

  “Hello? Are you there? Is anyone there?” Abigail’s voice, clear as day, came through the speaker.

  “Hi. Yes, I’m here. Sorry, I dropped the phone.”

  During the silence on the other end of her cell, Ramona watched a little girl pull her mother into the store with the miniature house. A bell above the door announced their entry.

  “Why are you calling me, Abigail?”

  “What? No greeting? No niceties?” Sarcasm seeped through the phone.

  Ramona squeezed her eyes shut, trying to make sense of what was happening. “What do you want, Abigail?”

  “Right to it, then. I heard you moved back to Virginia.”

  “Yes.” She could have asked how Abigail knew, considering it had been all of two days.

  “I wouldn’t have expected that.”

  The phone crackled and went silent. Ramona checked the screen. Still connected. “And?”

  “You might want to reconsider.” Abigail dragged out every word as if she had a mouth full of cotton balls.

  It wouldn’t be possible to breathe deeply enough to suppress her growing rage. “I don’t know how you got my number, but I’d recommend you lose it.”

  Ramona tapped the red circle with her shaking finger. “Goodbye, Abigail.”

  It wasn’t until after her next two appointments that she had enough time to deal with her increasingly unusable phone. Thankfully, she’d been able to mostly put the odd conversation out of her mind.

  Ramona fiddled with her fingertip, pretty sure there was a sliver of glass in there from trying to swipe across the shattered screen. A young man greeted her at the entrance to the bright white electronics store. Without answering, she showed him her phone and was led inside. Twenty minutes later, she left with a brand new phone and no less confusion about the reappearance of Abigail Langley in her life. A text message hovered on her home screen: It’s best not to ignore me.

  * * *

  Ramona sat in the car outside her father’s house, staring down at the notification. This bitch was threatening her. Unbelievable. As if it wasn’t bad enough that she forced Lucas to pull this scam. What could she possibly want that she hadn’t already gotten?

  Maybe Abigail was jealous, which would be unexpected but not inconceivable. Maybe she had real feelings for Lucas, and it hadn’t all been political theater.

  There were too many unknowns and Abigail might be even crazier than Ramona assumed. She didn’t know the woman well enough to understand her motives or her limits. Ramona didn’t do well with bullies and crazies, and Abigail was turning out to be both.

  Ramona wished she knew the extent of the threat. She should have asked Lucas to see the NDA, to understand the penalties. Funny how she hadn’t thought of that until that moment. What was Abigail’s leverage?

  Money didn’t make sense. Lucas seemed to be doing well enough. Did she have some dirt on him? Was it blackmail?

  Ramona closed her eyes and tried to remember that Sunday morning. Both Lucas and Connor had said ironclad NDA or something. What would be so bad that Lucas would let her suffer in ignorance instead of risking that it get out? It had to be really, really bad. And why didn’t he trust that she would keep his secret?

  Ramona palmed her forehead. Tequila and relief had short-circuited all her logical processes that day. She hadn’t paid attention to the right things or asked the right questions. When he had appeared at her door, all reason had walked out of it. Fuck.

  In this flurry of unknowns, there was at least one thing that was perfectly clear: she didn’t have the whole story, and Lucas was still lying.

  She picked up the phone and opened her recent calls. The number she was looking for was still on the top of the screen, a single click placing her exactly where she never wanted to be.

  * * *

  The minute Lucas stepped through the door of her father’s house, Ramona pulled him into the kitchen. She broke away from the kiss he offered.

  He tilted his head. “What’s up, baby?”

  “Abigail called me.”

  Eyebrows up, mouth open, body stiffening. “What? What did she say?”

  “She thought I should know what was going on with you.”

  Lucas pushed his palm across his curls, his expression contorting into panic. “What does that mean?”

  First things first. “Tell me about the non-disclosure agreement. What were the terms?”

  He stepped forward and shook his head. “Don’t jump to conclusions, Mo. It can all be explained.”

  She huffed a laugh. “I think I’ve heard that before.”

  “Please-”

  The front door opened and closed, followed by Connor’s voice. He would be coming into the kitchen any minute, and she definitely didn’t want to be talking about this in front of him. He was already claiming that the wedding scandal was reflecting badly on him. Leading people to question the pristine reputation he’d taken a lifetime to create.

  “I guess we’ll have to finish this later.” She walked out of the kitchen.

  * * *

  Throughout the evening, Ramona watched and waited. This was feeling just like the week she’d spent wondering about Lucas’ engagement. So much discomfort. Her father looked even more tired than usual and the movie sucked. The dark mess of a film left everyone in an awkward silence.

  Lucas reached into the nearly empty popcorn bowl. “Mr. Barrett, Ambassador Qadir wanted me to let you know how much he enjoyed your company.”

  Her father slapped his thigh. “What a nice young man. Please tell him we look forward to seeing them again.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Her father’s secret life kept surprising her. “What’s this about, Dad?”

  “Oh, at the wine dinner, Lucas introduced us to the ambassador from the UAE. He was holding a private party in the back and invited us to join. It was one of the most extravagant things I’ve ever seen. So much fun!”

  Leni shared a smile with her guy. “Yes, it was a great night.”

  “Is he still trying
to steal you away?” her father asked.

  This deepened the frown on Ramona’s face. “What?”

  Lucas reached over to touch her hand. “The ambassador has been a big supporter since my first restaurant. Keeps trying to convince me to open up a place in the Burj Khalifa.”

  The name sounded familiar, but not enough. “The what?”

  Connor answered. “Tallest building in the world. One of the most exclusive addresses for any business. I keep telling Lucas to go for it. Would vault his career through the roof.”

  “It’s in Dubai,” Lucas said. “Not really commuting distance from DC.”

  “You could make it work. Lots of chefs have places around the world.”

  Ramona’s surly smile pushed against the tightness in her face. “Wow. Everyone knows about this, I see.”

  Lucas turned toward her. “It’s not a big deal, Mo. One of the many crazy offers I get on a regular basis.”

  One of the many crazy secrets he keeps on a regular basis.

  Lucas slapped Connor on the back. “Hey, how’s it going with Margo?”

  Connor put down his drink and scowled. She’d seen that face many times before. “I had to end it. It just wasn’t going to work out.”

  Ramona rolled her eyes. Another one. “I thought this one was promising. You’ve been raving about how your overpriced matchmaking service had really nailed it this time.”

  “Well, she was great on paper. But getting to know her made it clear. And I’m not into blondes.”

  “Made what clear?” Leni asked.

  In unison, Ramona, Lucas, and Connor answered. “She’s not White House material.”

  Their dad’s head dropped, Leni gasped. “Connor Barrett! Are you evaluating this woman based on being a suitable First Lady?”

  He sighed and put on his ‘let me explain it to you’ face. Ramona thought she might barf. “Leni,” he began, “that’s the reality of political life. I know what my target is. I want someone who can go there with me.”

  Leni’s eyes batted from side to side. Must be trying to make sense of the ridiculous statement. “So, you’re not interested in love? Just a partnership to further your career?”

  Ramona had never liked her father’s girlfriend more than in that moment. “Connor doesn’t believe in love. Thinks it makes you weak.”

  All eyes turned to Connor. “Untrue, Ramona. And pretty hypocritical, too. I have practical considerations that you don’t understand.”

  She slid forward in her seat. Game on. “You know who’d make a great First Lady? Abigail Langley. I hear she’s available now.”

  Connor and Lucas both sprung to their feet, but what most got Ramona’s attention was the clear, loud laugh coming from her father. The sight nearly made her forget her feelings about the other two men around her. “Don’t you agree, Dad?”

  “Yes!” His laugh filled the whole room. “Oh my gosh, pumpkin, that was one of the funniest things I’ve heard in a long time.” He brushed a palm across his face and let out a bellow of an exhale. “Thank you for that.”

  Lucas took two steps away from his chair and stuck his hands in his pockets. Connor also remained standing and cleared his throat. “In any case, I have some news about that.” He glared at his sister. “And no, Abigail Langley is not a possibility.”

  “I don’t know, Con. I mean she’s beautiful, classy, has that Ivy League pedigree, understands politics, has-”

  “Shut the fuck up, Ramona,” Connor seethed.

  Ramona’s scathing response to her brother was halted by one look at Lucas’ face. Anger slashed across his features and caused a tremor near his cheek.

  “That’s enough, you two.” Her father had sat forward in his chair, all the humor erased from his expression.

  Connor worked his jaw from side to side.

  She spoke directly to Lucas. “Oh, is it too soon for jokes?”

  Leni stroked Dad’s arm. “Tell us your news, Connor.”

  “I’m announcing my candidacy next week. I’ve got a tentative agreement from Stanley Grayson to manage the campaign.”

  Lucas gave his friend a hug. “Congrats, man. I’m so proud of you. Next stop - Senate!”

  Ramona watched them with equal parts curiosity and disgust. How could her brother want this, and how could Lucas be happy about it? Incomprehensible. Their generation was supposed to be keeping their hands clean, and her brother was dipping further and further into all of that mess. It felt as if all the garbage from her childhood had been retrieved from the dump and deposited in her lap.

  Her father nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line. “You got Stanley Grayson. That’s something. He doesn’t work with anyone who’s not a sure bet.”

  “Yeah, I was surprised too, Dad. I think Luc’s father convinced him.”

  “Congratulations, Connor,” Leni added.

  There was not enough paper on the planet for Ramona to start listing everything that was wrong with what had just happened. Her brother had already started contorting himself for this world that had nearly destroyed them all. She shook her head at him but decided to shut the fuck up, as instructed.

  * * *

  When they arrived at Lucas’ house, she purposely stopped in the living room and did not follow him toward the bedroom. That wasn’t going to solve their problems tonight. She sat on the end of the couch and waited.

  He emerged from the hallway and took a seat beside her, the silence between them palpable. “What did she say?”

  No. He didn’t get his answer before she got hers. “Tell me about the NDA. That’s where we’re going to start.” She folded her hands in her lap to hide the shaking.

  “Alright. It was fairly standard, with a few unique constraints.”

  Interesting. “What was the penalty?”

  He looked down. “Half a million plus the Bistro. Pretty exorbitant, I know, but at the time it meant nothing. I agreed to her charade and had no intention of breaking it. I gave her my word.”

  Ramona shook her head in disbelief. “You agreed to give up your first restaurant?”

  “It was ridiculous, Mo. She knows nothing about restaurants. It wasn’t like she was really going to take it from me. And even if she’s claiming there was a breach, I still don’t believe she’d sue.” He lifted his gaze from her hands to her eyes.

  “If you didn’t believe she’d come after you, why did you keep the secret? Why didn’t you tell me the truth, from the beginning?”

  His swallow was audible. Ramona braced herself.

  “There were a couple of things that weren’t in the agreement. Things I couldn’t…”

  “If you didn’t care about the money or the restaurant, then what was at stake? I really want to understand what would be so damaging that it was worth what I went through? Did she threaten you? Your family? Who was it?”

  “Connor.”

  She gripped the edge of the couch cushion. “What the fuck does my brother have to do with any of this?”

  “That’s the question I’ve been avoiding this whole time.”

  Of all the questions… “That one? Why?”

  “Because I don’t know.” He brought his hands to his head, pulling on clumps of hair. “She’s got something on your brother. I don’t know what it is, but she swears it will destroy him.”

  Disgust curled her lip. “That’s it? That’s the super intense secret that has caused this mess? And you don’t even know what it is?”

  The look of control returned to his face. “I didn’t want to know. But I know Abby. I could tell she was serious and that was enough for me.”

  This was getting less intelligible. Not more.

  “Here’s what I know, Ramona: when I told her about my situation with you, she doubled down. Told me she could make one call that would end your brother’s career. He wouldn’t even be able to run for school board. That’s what she said.”

  He was protecting Connor. Connecting those dots was like trying to tie a knot with her toes. “I still don’
t understand why you couldn’t tell me.”

  “Because I knew that the first thing you’d do is try to find out the information about your brother. Then you’d confront Abigail, and maybe even Connor, then the whole thing would blow up.”

  She evaluated what he’d said as if she was creating a flowchart. One action leading to another, leading to another. “You think I wouldn’t have been able to keep the secret. That’s what you’re saying?”

  He straightened. “What I’m saying is that it might have been even harder for you to deal with if you knew your brother was involved. Between your righteousness and Connor’s hot-headedness…“

  It dawned on her that Connor was one of the most rule-abiding, straight-laced people she’d ever met. There’s no way he would have some skeleton in his closet. No way. All she would have to do is ask him. Then he could clear it up. They’d all have a great big laugh at the misunderstanding.

  But there was still the fact that Abigail had made an accusation. A threat. He’d definitely go after her for defaming him. Really hard. He didn’t like people messing with his reputation. She wouldn’t know what was coming. Then…

  Lucas had been watching her. Damn. He probably knew she’d get to exactly the same conclusion he already had. It would have blown up if he’d told her the truth. Exactly as Lucas had predicted.

  Her lungs emptied. “Was there even an NDA?”

  “Yes. It’s still in effect, though.” His eyes closed for a second, then opened to take her in. “I was sure you would see right through my explanation. That the questions you asked me today would have come up much sooner. Part of me wanted you to force me to tell you when you were here. Then to call bullshit when I showed up at your house so I could tell you everything. But you didn’t, and I rationalized that maybe it was best you didn’t know.” He took her hand. “It killed me to lie to you. To see you hurting. I just thought…”