“My presence has been requested…? By who?”
“My mother,” I reply casting a sideways glance to take in her reaction. I’d like to call that expression ‘Oh my fucking shit’ more commonly known as absolute fucking terror. “I was pretty upset last Sunday… when you left I… may have skipped our mandatory Sunday dinners and now she is convinced she has to meet you… Immediately.”
She lets out some kind of panicked wheeze, and her head drops, and I realize she is doing some kind of breathing exercises. Oops.
“It’s fine lover, she’ll love you the moment she sees you. Besides she’s a fan of your books.”
Her face turns a weird shade of scarlet, and she looks down at her lap. I know exactly where her mind went, Henley writes sexy books. I’d say its awkward but I know my mom. No topic is off limits.
“The thing that worries me more is Gwen. She’s going to be so mad that I turned you to the dark side,” I offer with a grin, wriggling my eyebrows. She just rolls her eyes in response.
“I hope she’s not disillusioned… I mean I am just… me after all,” her laugh is stiff and nervous.
I try to put myself in Henley’s shoes, going to meet her folks. Honestly I can say I’d only be excited to meet her father. Just for the chance to beat the shit out of him. Probably until he dies.
The plane lands without us carrying on a verbal conversation, never in my life was I as glad about the bed in the back of the plane as I was when Henley’s clothes came off, and when we get out into the airport, with absolute dread, I turn my phone back on. Seventy-eight missed calls, fifty-three texts… not bad at all. Less than I expected. This is the first time I’ve been unreachable since the day I was born, but unplugging with Henley is exactly what we needed.
I scroll through the numbers, a lot of them are from my family, some from my assistant, and several from Adalin Hirsch. Fuck. I text my assistant, letting him know to schedule an appointment with Adalin. Preferably for Monday. I’ve got to tell her I can’t do public appearances anymore. The only woman I want on my arm is Henley.
After I’m done with that I wander over to where Henley is chatting with Micky as he puts our things in the back of the Bentley. I catch bits and pieces of their conversation, Henley is telling him how awesome the island was. Score one for me. I scroll through the missed calls and dial my mom as I pull up next to Henley.
“Where have you been you stupid son of a bitch I’ve been worried sick!” My head snaps away from the phone as her shouts ring through.
I can hear my dads even toned words in the background, “You’re aware that makes you the bitch right Soph?”
“Shut up Alan!” Henley’s eyes are wide as saucers as she mouths ‘Are you sure I have to meet her?’ I just smile and help her into the car, as my mom continues to debate semantics with my father.
“How could you go off grid like that Connor? Especially after we showed up and you looked like someone ripped your dick off. We were so worried. I don’t care how old you are you’re still young enough for me to put over my knee and whoop your ass, you hear me?”
“I get it. I get it.”
“Good,” she replies with a little huff into the phone. “Now did you get your girl back?”
I glance over at Henley who is taking in the dreary Seattle scenery. “Yeah I did, we’ll be at dinner tomorrow too.”
“Thank God. I thought I was going to have to deal with a broken hearted child. I’ll tell your siblings you didn’t die. And we’ll see you tomorrow honey.”
“Yeah, love you mom.”
“I love you too honey,” she hangs up and I put the phone down watching Henley out of the corner of my eye.
It was a trying week. Excruciatingly so. But being able to share Henley’s emotional burden was a good step forward for us. She trusted me enough to let me in. To let me see the scuffed up parts, the parts of a human soul that aren’t quite pristine. I take her hand in mine, and she turns her head to me watching me with that ever curious expression, and for the first time in my life I am content. I have enough. I don’t need to drive and press for more money. I don’t need to release the pressure with an easy fuck. There isn’t any pressure it’s just Henley. I want to tell her I love her, but I’m scared it might be too much too soon, so I keep it to myself.
“Where to boss?” Micky’s voice pulls me from my musings and I turn to Henley.
She rattles off an address that is not her own before turning to me with a smile. “Nora’s house. It’s Saturday night so she might not be home but I have a spare key.”
“She works on Saturdays too?”
“Hell no,” Henley replies with a easy laugh. “She’s probably out patrolling for a guy. She’s a lot like you.”
“A lot like I used to be,” I correct, and Henley’s cheeks take on a delicate blush. Henley has ruined me for any other women. “Does she always go scouting for men?”
“Nah, she’s usually pretty chill but… sometimes her vibrator just doesn’t cut it for her.” Micky sputters and coughs in the front seat, and it makes Henley grin. “That’s not to say that she doesn’t just pick up guys either. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s made out with a girl. She can pretty much seduce anyone with that mouth of hers,” Henley says dryly.
“What the hell,” I say with a laugh. “You sound like your talking from personal experience.”
“I am.” Henley’s face is straight and completely honest, and Micky and I both do a double take. “She thought my aversion was toward men only. So we had a serious make out session. I lasted about five minutes before I had to push her off and go throw up. If I wasn’t so weird I probably really would have been turned on. So she thought maybe I just wasn’t into girls. The guy she hooked me up with was nice enough, but the moment he put his tongue in my mouth it felt like someone dumped and eel in there. I manged to pull away, but not far enough to spare his shoes… six years and I still feel bad about that,” Henley finishes with a laugh.
“I knew that woman was dangerous.”
“What’d she do to you?” Henley’s green gaze is full of smiles.
“She grabbed my dick in public, and said ‘ I owe Henley five bucks’,” Henley’s howling laughter fills the car as we pull into a small suburb driveway… right behind my Maserati. Either my assistant never came to pick it up, which I know isn’t the case, or this bitch didn’t hand it over.
I follow Henley to the door, and Micky follows me. No doubt waiting to see if there is anything he can grab to help out. He really needs a raise, as much as we abuse his use.
Henley opens the door and steps through calling easily for Nora. The entry way is dark, in fact the whole house seems kind of dark, but I can hear noise coming from the other room. Henley walks easily in that direction without turning on any lights.
“Eh? Why are you watching scary movies in the dark, you know you wont be able to sleep after all this…” the lump of blankets on the sofa moves slightly, and at the sound of Henley’s voice Mr. Darcy Gets up off the floor and makes his way to her side.
“Henley, your going to stay right? I got sucked in… it’s your dogs fault really, but you can’t just leave me here like this.”
Henley makes a face like this whole thing is troublesome, but her eyes are telling a different story. Her eyes say that she enjoys being here teasing with Dr. Castillo.
“Well I’m not staying, and I’m taking my dog, but I could trade you.”
The blanket moves again and this time Dr. Castillo sticks her head out of it. “Oh?”
Henley points at Micky, and Nora’s brown eyes regard him carefully. Looking him over from top to bottom.
“Hold on wait a second,” Micky’s voice sounds slightly panicked and I can’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to be left with her either.
“I’ll give him to you for twenty-four hours, as long as you let Henley and myself leave with the Maserati… and the dog.”
“Wait, boss, what?” Micky is really starting to panic now.
&n
bsp; She frowns for a moment longer before a devilish smile overtakes her face, and she gets up. I avert my eyes once I realize what she is wearing, or rather lack of. My eyes make their way toward Micky, apparently he doesn’t have any problems watching someone walk around in a shirt and a extremely small pair of panties. In fact quite honestly hes ogling.
“Connor,” I flick my gaze back to her, and she tosses the Maserati keys my way. I catch them deftly, grab Henley’s hand and make my way out of the room.
“I’m quitting, I’m totally quitting.” I can hear Micky’s mumbled words over and over as we make our way out.
“Are you sure that was safe to leave him there?” I ask as we slide into the Maserati. Mr. Darcy hops into the back, and Henley makes herself comfortable in the front.
“Well… is he dating anyone?”
“No, not that I know of?”
“Is he saving himself for something?”
“Definitely not.”
“Then it should be fine. He’s definitely her type, so she probably wont touch him anyways.”
“What do you mean?” I cast a glance her way, before turning back to the road.
“I’m not the only one with problems Angus. Nora doesn’t actually go after guys she likes. I just offered him up because she can’t sleep at all after watching something scary unless someone is in the house with her, and you said I was going home with you.”
My blue eyes meet her green ones and they are earnest, open. I love Henley being so open with me. “You know… You’re the first girl besides my mom and sister that have ever been in my apartment. I’ve always kept it as a women free zone… but when I brought you there… it felt good somehow.”
“That’s… I guess I don’t have to burn your bed after all.”
“My bed? Why my poor bed? It’s top of the line.”
“All I could think about was all the girls you fucked in it…”
She’s looking out the window, and all I can see is her reflection in the glass, but I have a feeling that admission cost her more than she wants to admit. Taking her hand in mine, I can’t help the smile that starts to creep across my face.
“Well I’ve never fucked any women in that bed but I plan to change that tonight.”
Chapter 20
She’s panicking. I told her she looks fine. And she does. She looks beautiful. I told her it will be okay, and I know it will, it’s not like I’ll leave her if my parents don’t like her, but she is panicking anyways. She’s changed her outfit a dozen times, and she keeps tugging her sleeves down.
“Stop pulling on your sleeves lover you’re fine.”
“But what if they see…”
“Your sleeves are long enough that nobody will. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be okay.” I try to reassure her since it is too late to back out now, as we pull into my mothers courtyard. She doesn’t look the slightest bit reassured. “Henley… lover, I’m not throwing you to the wolves. I’ll be there with you ever step of the way. I promise.”
I get out of the car, make my way to the passenger side, and hold Henley’s hand as she climbs out of the car. She looks at me with that mild sort of curiosity, but she keeps her hand tucked in mine, and I can feel it trembling. She puts on a brave face, which I recognize as her ‘fake it till you make it’ face. It’s the face she used to wear exclusively. I let it go because I know this is freaking her out.
When I open the door, I can hear laughing in the other room, a womans laughter. Looks like Aiden brought another girl home. Well at least it will take some of the attention off of Henley. Aiden’s girls always want attention.
“Thank God you’re here,” Gwen’s voice ratchets up as she walks into the entryway. “Aiden’s bimbo is…”
It’s almost a worst case scenario. I know Gwen wont want to share Henley with me, she’s her number one most favorite author after all. Her eyes drag from me, to Henley, then down to our clasped hands. I can feel Henley try to almost pull away, but I hold her hand tight in mine.
“Aiden’s bimbo is… what?” I try to pretend not to notice that this is really bothering her, Gwen that is, because Henley turned to stone the moment I didn’t let go of her hand.
“Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is?” Gwen’s voice is super serious, and Henley’s shoulders slump almost imperceptibly.
“It’s exactly what you think it is. Got a fucking problem?” The fact that she is spouting her mouth is starting to piss me off, but whats worse is its affecting Henley.
“Yeah I do,” Gwen replies. She steps right up in front of me and starts bludgeoning me with her tiny fists. I let go of Henley’s hand to fend her off, but the moment I do Gwen seizes the opportunity to grab Henley and run, but not before calling out a challenge. “My problem is she is too cool for you asshole.”
With a sigh I take off after them, but Henley, is running along easily keeping up with Gwen. When I step through the doorway, I can hear my mother call out. “Gwen you should have told me you were bringing a friend. I’ve got to set another place.”
“I didn’t bring anybody, this is Connor’s girl.” Those words perk my mother right up, but Gwen is already at the top of the stairs towing Henley right behind her, so my mother turns her glare onto me.
“I didn’t even get to meet her Connor. You’re supposed to introduce her before you let her run off.”
“I didn’t…” I let out a sigh. How am I going to say Gwen stole her? “I’ll try not to misplace her next time… what’s going on with Aiden?”
“Oh well… she’s sort of…” My mom is thinking really long and hard on her choice of words. “Unique.”
Well shit. That probably means she is a ridiculous person. At least ridiculous by my families standards. Which may or may not mean normal.
“So, tell me about your girl. Gwen seems quite taken with her… you haven’t even told me her name yet.”
“Ah well, her and Gwen are friends. I met her through Gwen.” All technical truths. Although I probably got to know her faster than Gwen did, I’m sure they exchange emails or something else. Calls maybe. But I am sure neither of us mentioned that we were dating. “And her name is Henley.”
I watch my moms face closely in the less than five seconds it takes for her to make the connection. It morphs from thoughtfulness to shock to super excitement. “I should have known it would take a romance author to tame you. You devil you.” She gives me one of those weird elbow jabs, the kind that should only be done between buddies, and I have to work hard not to laugh.
“No mom, just stop there. I’ve got to go rescue her from Gwen.”
“Dinner will be soon,” I can already see her forming our happily ever after in her mind. I leave her to it. I’m going to need all the help I can get to convince Henley that I’m for real. That I plan to stick.
I make my way upstairs, but not before glancing into the living room, and seeing just what kind of girl can be described as unique.
She’s tall, not ridiculously so, and lean. She looks like she works out. Yoga instructor maybe. Something athletic. She’s dressed nicely, not completely formal, but not going out for a job either. She looks normal, and she doesn’t seem to mind Aiden paying more attention to the game than to her.
With a shrug, I continue my trek towards Gwen’s old room. Even though we have all moved out, our mom decided to leave our rooms exactly as they were, so that we can come home and stay any time. I don’t think she likes being an empty nester.
I pause outside the door, listening in, but there isn’t a conversation that I can hear. It worries me. Henley and I have been through enough trouble this past week, I don’t need Gwen’s misplaced displeasure at us not mentioning we are dating to ad to it, so I step in with a slight knock on the door to rescue her.
Her and Gwen turn to take me in, but they stay hunched over their toes painting little designs on them.
“No boys allowed,” Gwen says with a frown, and Henley just nods in acquiescence with a sweet smile.
&nbs
p; “Like hell. You stole my girl. I came to get her back, and mom says dinners almost done.”
Gwen just scrunches up her nose, and I’m glad to see that she isn’t too upset about me being with Henley. I’m sure she is worried about it getting messy. I don’t do the dating thing, and I know Gwen doesn’t want to lose her friend because I fuck this up.
“You get along really well,” Henley says with a gentle sort of smile, as she stands up and wiggles her freshly painted toes.
“About average,” I say tugging her hand pulling her closer to me.
“They are way over protective. Both of them,” Gwen grumbles.
“You don’t get along with your sister?”
Henley frowns at my question before looking away. Holy shit. Stumbled right into that land mine apparently. When she looks back she is wearing her honest face, as Gwen and I look at her curiously. I know that reaction peaked Gwen’s interest as much as mine.
“A little less than average. I haven’t seen her… in a long time.”
The only explanation she offers, doesn’t appear to mollify Gwen’s curiosity although I know she is too nice to press the issue. But I know what it means. It ties back to Henley telling me she can’t get far enough away from Louisiana. She had to leave everything behind to run away.
We make our way around the dining table, and I pull out Henley’s seat and help her sit before taking my seat next to her. She’s casts me a glance that says me pulling out her seat is hilarious. Aiden walks in with his new fling close on his heels, and he is smiling politely. They sit on the other side of the table, and Gwen takes the open seat on Henley’s other side.
“Now I’ve met Gloria,” my dad says thoughtfully as he walks into the room. That must be Aiden’s girls name. “But I don’t believe you and I have met yet.”
“Um, I’m Henley Williams sir,” her face is flustered, and she is fidgeting with her sleeves under the table. I take her wrist in my hand stopping her fidgeting, she casts me a sideways glance but lets her hands settle.
Torn (The McKerricks Book 1) Page 18
