by Jill Downey
Jesse straightened and looked deeply into her eyes. He tucked her hair behind her ears then planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest.
“I’m only slightly terrified right now,” she admitted.
“How so?”
“I feel so vulnerable.”
“We are vulnerable.”
“Jesse, I feel like I’m diving off a sheer cliff. My belly’s doing flip-flops and my heart is pounding.”
“Just be here, with me now. You can’t look ahead babe. All you need to know is what is happening right here, right now.”
Faye’s brows drew together. “I’m trying.” She ran her fingers lightly across his chest. “You’re so good Jess, so solid.”
“We’re good together.”
“Faye? Jesse where are you guys?” Ty called loudly, right outside their door.
Faye dissolved into laughter at Jesse’s guilty expression.
“Come here you,” Faye said. She ran her fingers through his hair trying unsuccessfully to tame his wild mop.
“One more kiss for the road,” she whispered. He tenderly brushed his lips across hers before straightening and walking over to unlock the door.
34
Faye hung up the phone, her forehead creased with worry. Kyle had decided to throw a family get together and wanted her to bring Jesse and Ty along. Her stomach was tied up in knots. As she thought about their conversation, she knew she was being fickle.
On the one hand, she was getting what she’d hoped for…the family acknowledging Ty, and an opportunity to introduce Jesse. But now that she had to deal with the reality of Jesse and Ty meeting her family… She wanted to run as fast and far away from that scene as possible.
Despite Kyle’s assurances that everyone was anxious to meet them both, when he’d told her that her parents were flying in on their private jet from Palm Springs, her nerves began to fray. As she’d suspected would happen, Kyle had had a change of heart and wanted to meet with Ty and have a do over. She was pretty sure Ella had nudged that along.
Her father though—he was in a league all his own. He was suspicious of everyone, domineering, controlling, overbearing, and had prevailed over the family for her entire life. He had been showing signs of mellowing, especially since the kidnapping last year. He’d made more attempts to be in their lives and in Finn’s, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. She had thirty years of experience with her fucked up family and nothing was as it seemed with them.
She rubbed her temples, feeling a slight headache coming on. She was surprised at how protective she felt towards her two guys. They had become her go-to people and she felt like a mother tigress toward Ty. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt him.
With Jess, she felt vulnerable. They were just getting back on track and their relationship was still new and fragile. She knew what her father was capable of. All she could do was prepare them both for the onslaught because she sure as hell couldn’t control her family.
Maybe she was over analyzing, and everything would be easy. Yeah sure and pigs could fly! She stood up rubbing the back of her neck. She needed to move her body and do something mindless to distract herself. This usually resulted in a very clean bar.
She opened her office door and heard Jesse singing before she saw him. Her breath caught at the sight of him…every time. His eyes were sparkling as he belted out a Thomas Rhett tune, The Day you Stop Lookin’ Back. He put his toolbox down and swept her up twirling her around. Faye giggled as he tickled her neck with his stubble. His scent was intoxicating.
“How’s the most beautiful girl in the world?”
“Much better now.”
“I missed you.”
“Me too.”
“Spend the night with me tonight?”
“Okay.”
“Yee haw!” He swung her around one more time before placing her back on her feet. “Is Ty here yet?” Jesse asked.
“He was. He had to run an errand.”
Faye stood on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck, “I had a hard time falling asleep without your arms around me.”
“Same. I was lonely as hell. Promise me some pillow talk tonight.”
“I’ve never had that request from a guy before.”
Jesse grinned, “I’m not just any guy, I’m one of those evolved kinds of guys. A developed feminine side, ya know what I’m talkin’ about?”
She snorted with laughter, “You’re a goof ball.”
He feigned a hurt look, “What are you saying, I’m not a sensitive guy?”
Faye pulled his face down close to hers, “I never said that.”
“My mama raised me right.”
“Yes, she did. You’ll get no arguments from me.”
“Get a room,” Ty said walking in with an armful of wood.
“Oh good, you remembered. Thanks for picking that up,” Jesse said.
“Sure.”
“Hey, I have to talk with you guys,” Faye said.
“Let me put this in the kitchen, I’ll be right back.”
Ty returned and sat on a bar stool, hooking his feet around the chair legs.
“What’s up?”
“A couple of things. I just got off the phone with my brother Kyle. The PI he hired thinks he might have a lead on Julian. He’s getting close. That gives me some hope.” She hesitated, “The other thing is that he and Ella are having a barbecue at his place on Sunday, and you’re both invited. It’s casual, poolside, a chance for you to meet the family.”
Ty crossed his arms over his chest, “No thanks.”
Jesse said, “If I have to go, you have to go, bro. I need the moral support.”
“Nope. Find somebody else.”
“But Ty, please, it’s important to me,” Faye said.
Ty lifted an eyebrow, “It must be for you to ask me, after the way your brother treated me last time. What’s the big deal?”
“Kyle feels bad and wants to start fresh. I want you to be included…a part of the family because you are family.”
“Faye, you may feel that way, but that doesn’t mean everybody else is gonna accept me.”
“If they get to know you, they’ll love you, just the way that I do.”
His eyes flickered for a moment before he looked down. “Faye, it sounds all well and good, but I come from the wrong side of the tracks. I’m from the streets. I’ve got a record…I hardly fit in with the billionaire yacht club crowd.”
“Ty, neither do I!” Faye said. “But they’re my family. They’re yours too, whether you like it or not. The good the bad and the ugly.”
He scowled, “Faye, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think they’re gonna embrace a bastard nephew or grandson whose own father is rotting in prison.”
Jesse held up his hands and said, “Okay you two, can I get a word in here?”
Ty scowled at him and Faye blew out her breath and said, “Go ahead.”
Jesse rolled his eyes. “Gee thanks. Listen Ty, this is important to Faye. I’m not looking forward to being grilled either. I’m not exactly an aristocrat. But we may as well give it a try. At least you have blue blood running through your veins. The only blue I got is the blue-collar kind.”
Ty’s jaw remained clenched. “I’ll think about it.”
“Promise?’ Faye asked.
“I said I would think about it.” He got off the stool and marched out the front door.
“Nice talk,” she yelled at his retreating back. “That went well.”
“Look if I’m intimidated, imagine how he feels. I’ve got a few more miles on my tires and a solid upbringing. It must push every button he has.” Jesse walked over and slung his arm across her shoulders. “Don’t take it personal. I think he’ll come around.”
“Honestly, I’m just as nervous as he is but I want him to be part of the family. He deserves to be acknowledged and accepted.”
“I know your intentions are good Faye, bu
t you have to let go of the outcome. People are people. Everyone has baggage and not everyone plays well together in the sand box. Ty has a lot to overcome and he confided in me about his first meeting with your brother. That sure as hell didn’t pave the way for a loving family reunion.”
“I know, but I also know Kyle. He has a good heart underneath his heavy armor. He’s always had my back and then some. He knows this is important to me and he always ends up doing the right thing. He feels bad about that first meeting. And as much as I hate to admit it, I understand why he reacted the way he did. It was kind of sprung on him.”
“If you say so. So, tell me what I’m in for?”
Her lips twisted, “My parents will be there. I know my father’s been asking about you. He is very protective of the family’s reputation…much more than his actual family. What can I say? He’s a control freak, but he’s still my dad.”
“I know that, and I want to meet him. I’m a big boy. You don’t have to protect me Faye.”
“He can be a bully.”
Jesse’s eyes crinkled, “I have two older brothers remember?”
“That’s like comparing a couple of guppies to a barracuda.”
He scratched his head, “I think you just insulted my brothers.”
“No trust me. It’s a compliment.”
“I’m going to go find Ty and talk to him.”
“Whatever he decides is okay with me. I can’t really know how he feels. As much as I may want it, and truth be told, I’m not so sure anymore, he has to want it too.”
“He wants it…maybe too much.”
Faye watched his retreating back and felt her eyes well up. What if she was making a mistake to introduce them to her family. Jesse might claim to be a big boy, but he also had feelings. Her dad was an expert at eviscerating any opponent who had ever gotten in his way. She just hoped her father saw what she saw and had good intentions. Faye sighed then put her hair up in a ponytail and started cleaning.
35
Jesse dropped Faye off at the bar and left to meet with Stan to go over some problems at a job site they were on. Faye frowned; she knew Ty was there, but the door was locked. As Faye struggled with her keys to unlock, she whirled around when a male voice called out her name—a voice she knew far too well.
“Faye.”
“Julian!”
“We have to talk.”
“Leave now or I’ll call the police.”
“You look so frightened. Please, I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to beg you for another chance.”
“No. There is nothing you could say that would change the way I feel. The moment I saw you in bed with that student it was over. I don’t love you anymore. The police are looking for you. You’ve vandalized my property, you’ve been stalking me, you have to leave right this minute!”
“Not until you hear me out. I’ve come all this way. Then after you’ve heard what I have to say I’ll leave if you still want me too.”
“No! We’ve already had this conversation… its over Julian.”
His eyes were overly bright, and he looked strung out. Faye was struggling, way out of her depth here with how to play this. He didn’t have any obvious weapons and he’d never tried to physically harm her in the past. What if she just heard him out? They had been lovers once and had been happy for several years before his betrayal.
She knew he could see her caving because his shoulders relaxed, and his lips tilted up in a slight smile. “Faye, I know you and I know how kind and caring you are. It’s not like you to shut me out after all that we shared. I’ve missed you. My stupidity cost me everything. How could I have taken you for granted and lost the only person that has ever mattered to me?”
“Look, if I were the only thing that mattered, you wouldn’t have been tempted by your nineteen-year-old art student.”
“That was my dick, not my heart. That has always been yours.”
“Regardless, even if that’s true, I’ve changed, I can’t go back. Julian I’ve moved on and you have to do the same.”
Pacing now, he raked his fingers through his hair “I’ve tried. I can’t. I’m no good without you.”
Her mouth twisted, “Just go away. Leave me alone. Go back to New Zealand. Please. I’m happy now. If you truly loved me, you’d let me go.”
His fists clenched. “How can you even think like that? We’re soul mates.”
Faye blew out a breath, “Look we had our time together. It was fun while it lasted. You got to play the intellectual, I got to be your muse. Until I was replaced. It’s done. Over.”
“It’s not like that! It never was. When did you get to be so cynical?”
“Um let’s see…when my heart was shattered by finding the man I loved fucking another woman in our bed. That’s when!”
His eyes darted around and something dark crossed over his face. She felt a chill go down her spine. Pointing to the street she said shakily, “Go, now, or I call the police, I really mean it!”
His face reddened. “Faye, you’re making a huge mistake.”
“You’re the one making a mistake,” a steely voice said, coming out from behind the building.
“Ty!”
He held his cell phone to his ear as he gave the dispatcher their address.
Julian glared at Ty. He glanced back at Faye and said, “I’ll be back. Think about what we had. No one will ever love you like I do.” He turned on his heels and jogged quickly away. By the time the police arrived he was long gone.
Faye gave the officers a rundown of what had transpired, and they left with a promise to patrol more frequently.
“A lot of good that’s going to do,” Ty grumbled.
“I’m glad you showed up.” Faye’s voice was trembling and her eye bright with unshed tears.
“I had just taken the trash out to the dumpster and heard voices. I locked the front door behind me after I got here. Sorry I probably shouldn’t have.”
“He came out of nowhere. Jess just dropped me off.”
“Fucker. I’d like to kill the bastard.”
“I’m okay. He didn’t seem to want to hurt me. He wanted to talk.”
His striking cobalt blue eyes, so much like her brothers, flashed in anger.
“No is no! If I see him again, I’ll skip the phone call to the useless police and take things into my own hands.”
“Ty you can’t afford anything more on your record. It wouldn’t be in the juvie system this time. A record is for keeps. Not worth it.”
“You are worth it.”
Faye put her hand to her heart, “Ty, I love you.”
He shuffled his feet uncomfortably, then looked down mumbling something about getting back to work. Faye’s heart squeezed in her chest. She slipped her arm through his and said, “Thanks Ty. You know how brave you are don’t you? You didn’t even hesitate. That took guts. Let’s go inside.”
As they walked arm in arm to the back door, Ty said, “Just wait till Jesse hears. He’s going to lose his shit!”
“Maybe we should keep it between us and not worry him,” Faye suggested.
“No fucking way. He needs to know.”
“No, you’re right. No more secrets.”
He looked heavenward and put his palms together. “Thank you.” His tone dripped with sarcasm. She shrugged and gave him a sheepish grin as they went inside.
36
Faye sat on her front porch stoop, unconsciously wringing her hands as she waited for Jesse and Ty to pick her up. She felt like a cat on a hot tin roof, half sick to her stomach with nerves. What had she been thinking? These men were two of the most important people in her life, and she was surely about to send them to slaughter.
She saw the truck round the corner and ran up to greet them. Her eyes widened when Ty jumped out to give her the front seat. He almost didn’t look like her Ty. His jet black hair was slicked back with some kind of gel product and he had ironed his black tee shirt, tucked it into black jeans and even managed to put on a belt.
Granted it was a biker style, black leather with silver studs, but still… He wore his signature wide-woven leather bracelet and the small silver hoop earring, but he almost looked conservative…at least by his usual standards.
“Wow Ty, you clean up nice!” Faye said.
He scowled. “I hope you’re happy. I wouldn’t do this for just anybody.”
She impulsively gave him a big hug. “I know that, and I’m honored. Too bad Addison can’t see you right now.” That produced a slight curl of his lips.
Ty crawled into the back of the cab and Faye took the front seat next to Jesse. Her breath caught in her throat when she locked eyes with Jess. He hungrily took in every inch of her and her skin felt singed. He flashed a sexy crooked smile and her heart melted.
“You look amazing Faye.”
His gaze heated her skin and she was glad she’d chosen this dress. It was short and flirty, and the strapless bodice left her shoulders bare. She had taken extra care with her hair and had added a bright red lipstick at the last minute.
He looked handsome and delicious, his muscles filling out the white polo shirt perfectly. His strong tanned forearms with the dusting of golden hair made her belly do flip-flops. She bit her lip as she stared at the outline of his muscular thighs, taunt against the gray linen fabric of his slacks.
Faye fanned herself and said, “My my, you sure know how to make a girl swoon Jesse Carlisle.”
He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Winning. That’s what I’m talking about. Getting Faye Bennett to swoon is now my main objective in life.”
“I just happen to be the lucky girl accompanied by the two most gorgeous men on the island,” she replied.
“Don’t think your flattery is going to get you out of this; paybacks are a bitch,” Ty said.
