by J. L. Berg
But I’d soon realized that it wasn’t just in TV shows. It was a way of life that had begun to die out. The simpler generation my father had so loved where people would help each other just for the sheer satisfaction of doing so seemed to be slipping through our fingers just like the old shows he used to watch.
Back before the world was a blur of cell phones and crunching data, people had moved at a slower pace, seeing the world and everything around them. Helping your neighbor had been a daily occurrence. It hadn’t been a burden but just a natural a part of life.
The morning after the dinner with the Prescotts, I silently drove my son across town, passing the camp he regularly attended. Instead, we drove across town and pulled into the driveway of Noah’s new best friend.
As we hopped out of my truck, I took a moment to look around. There was a mailbox in front with the last name James neatly printed in gold script. That morning when we came here to pick up Noah after he’d spent the night, I had no idea I was walking into a movie stars house. Apparently, a wealthy father wasn’t the only interesting fact when it came to Olivia Prescott.
From the outside, it looked like a typical upperclass all-American family home—nothing outlandish or overdone. The lawn was a vibrant green and well kept. Pink and yellow flowers lined the walkway, and I couldn’t help but look down to see what color mulch was hidden underneath the deep green leaves. Of course, it was regular brown mulch.
I shook my head and chuckled under my breath as we approached the door.
“You okay, Dad?” Noah asked as he pressed the doorbell.
“Yeah. You sure this is okay?”
“You spoke with them last night,” he reminded me.
“Yeah, I know,” I huffed.
Favors, a nice deed, helping out a friend—whatever it was referred to, I was having a hard time accepting it.
I guessed it was a product of my generation.
All last night, I’d agonized over taking Declan and Leah James up on their offer to watch Noah for the rest of the summer.
Who does that—offering to watch someone else’s kid for two weeks for free?
The James family obviously.
Before I had another second to reconsider, the door swung open, and I was greeted by Declan carrying their daughter in his arms.
“Hey there, Noah!” Declan exclaimed. “I’d give you a high five, but I’m pretty sure I have jam or…. something all over me.”—he pulled his hand closely to his face for inspection and Lily giggled. —“Anyway, I’ll spare you the sticky fingers.”
“Thanks. I mean, hi Mr. James. Thanks for having me over.”
“You can call me Declan, Noah. Connor is upstairs if you want to head up there.”
Seeing a clear escape route now, he said a quick good-bye over his shoulder as he ran through the door and up the stairs, disappearing immediately.
I chuckled, waving my clean hands at the little girl in his arms. She smiled shyly and snuggled into her father’s chest.
“Hey, Jackson. Good to see you again. You got time for a cup of coffee?” Declan asked.
“You, too and sure, I could probably squeeze in a few minutes,” I said, quickly looking down at my watch.
He invited me inside. Their house was impressive, but I hadn’t expected anything less.
“Hey, thanks for doing this,” I commented as we reached the kitchen. “You really don’t have to. I feel like I’m taking advantage here,” I rambled, watching as Lily squirmed out of his arms and ran off towards the living room we’d just passed through.
“No problem, man. We actually feel that way. You’re doing us a huge favor by letting us borrow Noah during the day. Most of Connor’s friends have been gone a lot this summer with vacation plans and what not. He’s been going a little stir-crazy. Having Noah here the other night was great.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it. He’s been pretty bummed since we moved. It’s great to see him finally making a friend.”
“Yeah, they’ve really hit it off.”
He poured me a cup of coffee, and I watched him dump creamer and a heaping pile of sugar into his own cup.
He caught me grinning. “What?”
“Nothing.” I laughed, taking the sugar bowl from him and repeating the same treatment to my own cup of coffee.
“Liv give you shit about how you drink your coffee too?” he asked, as I pulled the steaming cup to my mouth. It was so sweet, my teeth nearly fell out as I took my first sip.
Perfect.
“No,” I answered.
“She will. I purposely try and sit next to her if we go out to breakfast just so she can watch me toss ten packets of sugar into my cup. The way her eyes bug out? Fucking hilarious.”
“I’ve never met anyone quite like her, that’s for sure,” I commented, with a slight shake of my head.
“So, I’ve got to ask, what’s the deal with the two of you? Is it serious?”
My expression hardened as I slowly placed my coffee cup down on the counter.
Where exactly was he going with this conversation?
He held out his hands in front of him. “Easy, Jackson. Don’t misinterpret this as some sort of territorial thing. Leah is my fucking world, and everything that is part of her, I protect. That includes her friends. I just want to make sure you aren’t going to hurt her.”
I visibly relaxed. “I have no intentions of hurting Liv. I also protect what’s mine.”
He looked surprised but pleasantly pleased. “Good. Now, I can offer you doughnuts. Only friends get doughnuts.”
Turning, he opened a large pantry and pulled out a small pink box from the highest shelf. “I have to hide them from the monsters,” he whispered. “Damn kids eat everything in sight.”
After opening the box, he extended it to me first. I picked out a doughnut and took a large bite. It was really fucking good.
“Apple doughnuts,” Declan said before I even had the chance to ask what they were. “Leah’s obsessed with them. They’re from this little Christmas tree farm up in the mountains. We go there every year to pick out a tree. Years ago, she worked out an arrangement with the owners, and now, her habit is supplied monthly. I don’t even want to know how much it costs me.”
“I’d say these are worth it.”
“No,” he said. “She is.”
We ate a few more doughnuts and polished off our coffees before I glanced at my watch. We headed for the door and went over when I’d be back to pick up Noah, but I felt myself lingering. Since last night, something had been bothering me, festering my mind from the moment it had happened, and I didn’t have a soul to talk to about it—until now.
Finally, I said, “Declan, can I ask you a question?”
He shrugged. “Shoot.”
“Last night, Liv and I had dinner with her parents. I’m not sure how much you know—”
“I know,” he said.
“Okay.” I nodded, grateful Liv had such great friends. “The evening went well…for the most part.”
“Except?” he added, guessing where I was headed.
“Except for toward the end. We were finishing the evening with coffee, and just as we were about to say our good-byes, a man came to the table.”
“Who was it?”
“Someone from the local paper,” I said.
“What?”
“Now, I don’t know much about the press, but the way it all went down seemed very shady to me.”
“Tell me,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.
“The man introduced himself and said he was from the paper and that he just happened to recognize Senator Prescott from across the room. He said he was sorry to interrupt our family dinner but wished to take a picture for the social section—the paper was considering doing an article on the restaurant we were dining at. The Senator was very gracious, and of course, he complied. Liv was nervous but didn’t want to make a scene, so we all pulled in tight and smiled. Then, it was over.”
“How did he know Liv
was family?” he asked.
“I honestly don’t know. Liv hasn’t been seen in public with her family for years.” Had the reporter assumed the Senator was out with family? Or had he been tipped off?
Declan shook his head. “I might be out of the game, but I know one thing. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen by accident. Everything about that scenario was set up ahead of time. I’ve seen it happen more than once in the entertainment world, like staged outings to gain momentum for a movie or show. Nothing is ever as it seems.”
“I thought so,” I said, a wave of sadness tingeing my every word. I feared the worst.
After seeing Liv’s father last night, I’d wanted so badly to believe he wanted her back in his life for no other reason than a father had missed his little girl.
But what other reason would there be for a politician to go through the trouble of setting up an elaborate photo opportunity other than to gain new voters?
I really hoped I was wrong.
~Liv~
“Your friends do realize that just because I’m a lawyer doesn’t mean I need fancy dinners and hand printed invitations, right?” Jackson said, holding up the ivory pearl card stock Clare had sent over.
She had invited all of us over for a black and white–themed dinner this evening.
“We could meet over pizza,” he added. “Chuck E. Cheese would be fine.”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my purse, and then I walked up to him and straightened his tie. “First thing, Chuck E. Cheese? Gross. That pizza is horrible. Secondly, Clare is pregnant, so we do whatever she says, including ridiculous dinners that require a new dress and shoes.”
His eyes appreciatively traveled the length of my body as his hand slipped around my waist. The decision to spend a little extra on the black-and-white strapless lace dress was definitely paying off.
“On second thought, I really like this idea. I’ll be sure to thank our hostess.”
“Stop that thought right there, counselor. You’re going to make us late—again.”
His voice lowered as he said, “Come on, Liv. Just give me five minutes.”
My insides tightened. Biting my lip, I looked over to check the time on the microwave.
He dropped to his knees and lifted my skirt before I even had a chance to say yes.
“We’re so late,” I said, trying to smooth down my hair for the tenth time since we’d left the house.
“You didn’t seem to mind at the time.” He chuckled, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Besides, isn’t it good to be fashionably late to these sorts of things?”
“This is going to be a disaster,” I huffed, shaking my head.
He stopped me in the middle of the walkway in front of Clare’s house, and he cupped my chin. “Hey,” he said in a soothing voice. “Why the sudden stress? I thought I took care of that.”
A smug grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he looked down at me.
“I’ve never done this before.”
“What?”
“Introduced a guy I’m dating to my friends.”
His grin widened. “Really? Never?”
“No. You’re the first.”
“Well then, I’d better use my best Southern manners,” he said, playing up his accent. “I’m going to be the last, too.”
I laughed as he held out his arm in a ridiculously formal gesture. I took it, and we walked the rest of the way to the front steps. Just as I was about to press the doorbell, the door opened, and Clare, Leah, and Mia, greeted us.
“Took you long enough,” Leah said, her black-and-white sequins dress shimmering under the lights. “We had a bet on whether or not you were going to run back to the car.”
“Oh, yeah? Who won?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at my best friends.
“Clare,” they all said.
“Figures.”
Jackson and I followed everyone in, making our way toward the formal dining room. Clare had gone all out, decorating the entire house to create a look that was thematic yet not overdone. Black and white pearls hung from the chandelier. Black and white candles floated in tiny glass bowls, and hot pink roses were set in vases throughout the house for a pop of color.
I looked around the room and watched as everyone mingled and greeted Jackson.
Damn, I had good-looking friends.
Leah and Declan looked like Hollywood royalty. His black-on-black suit fit his body like a glove as he held his wife tightly by his side.
Clare was just beginning to show, her black dress rounding slightly where her third child was growing safely in her womb. Logan dressed in a pinstripe suite entered the room, carrying a glass of water for his wife.
Then, there was Mia and Garrett. Mia, always understated and demure, was wearing a black-and-white A-line dress and red Mary Jane heels.
Little rebel.
Everyone introduced themselves to Jackson. Each female gave me a little thumbs-up behind his back.
I’d spent years on my own until I found this group of friends. Their approval of Jackson meant more to me than I could put into words. I never thought I’d care for anyone enough to take this step. Seeing them meet was like watching two parts of myself intertwine and meld together.
“Clare, where are Colin and Ella?” Leah asked, taking a sip of wine as she nuzzled into Declan.
“They aren’t ready to detach themselves from the new baby just yet,” Clare answered.
“How old is she now?” I asked, trying to remember the last time I’d seen Logan’s best friend Colin and his wife.
“Four months,” she replied. “Their parents were busy and they didn’t feel right asking my mom to watch a newborn on top of all the other kids she had tonight.”
“Your mom probably could have handled it,” I laughed.
“Garrett and Clare, you really must thank your mother for me. I can’t believe she volunteered to watch all the kids tonight. Should we have someone deliver a bottle of wine later?” Jackson asked jokingly.
Clare waved her hand dismissively. “She loves having a houseful of children. Ever since our father passed away, it seems to be her favorite thing to do. I keep telling her that she can take them one at a time, but she insists on having all of them at once. And Noah was a welcome addition.”
“Plus, my dad is there to help,” Mia added.
Logan reappeared from the kitchen where he’d vanished to minutes earlier to uncork a bottle of wine, and he began giving out filled glasses. Jackson took two and handed one to me.
“So, I’ve been avoiding this for a while, but I can’t any longer,” I said before taking a sip of my merlot. “What the heck is going on between your parents?”
All eyes focused in on Mia and Garrett and then over to Clare. We were obviously all wondering the same thing.
“We think they’re dating,” Garrett said.
“You think?” Leah echoed.
“Well, neither one has outwardly said it. I’m guessing they’re afraid of how we will react,” Mia chimed in.
“And how will you react?” Leah asked, leaning back against her husband’s large frame.
“Honestly, the thought of it bothered us at first, but as long as they’re happy, we really don’t care,” Clare confessed.
“You should tell them,” I suggested.
“Is that your clinical opinion?” Garrett asked, grinning.
“No, you’d have to pay for that. This is my opinion as a friend. All that hiding can’t be easy on them. Give them your blessing.”
“We will, but it has been fun watching them sneak around.” Mia laughed. “Yesterday, I swung by to bring some cookies as a little treat for my dad, and I found Laura there. He told me she was dropping off some dry-cleaning for him.”
“Maybe she was—along with sex,” Leah quipped.
“Gross, Leah! That’s my mom!” Garrett yelled.
“I might never sleep again,” Mia uttered.
“Well, on that note, I think dinner might be ready. Anyone hungry?” Clare said, o
bviously trying to change the subject.
The room erupted into laughter.
Clare had wanted to serve everyone, but we quickly threw that idea out the window. Instead of the dining room, we all headed toward the kitchen.
“Did you really think we were going to sit around your dining table and allow you to serve us?” Mia asked.
Clare pouted. “Well, yes, I’m the hostess.”
“The pregnant hostess,” Leah added. “Come on, friends, let’s get dinner on the table.”
We all put on oven mitts and began plating food onto large platters and in serving bowls
before carrying our feast out to the table.
“It all looks amazing, Clare,” I commented, giving her a squeeze.
“Thanks. Logan did most of the cooking.”
“You didn’t let him touch dessert, did you?” I asked as we made our way back to the dining room to take our seats.
“No.” She laughed. “Dessert is safe.”
Food and dishes were passed around until plates were piled high. Laughter filled the air.
“Oh, Liv! I almost forgot!” Clare said, jumping out of her seat. She rushed out of the room and returned seconds later with a newspaper clipping. She dropped it next to my plate. “You and Jackson made the news. You’re celebrities now!”
“What?” I looked down at the black-and-white print. There, looking up at me, was the photo that had been taken of Jackson and myself at dinner with my parents.
Below the photo, the caption said, Senator Prescott enjoying dinner with wife, Michelle; daughter, Olivia; and boyfriend, Richmond attorney, Jackson Reid.
It had been ages since I saw a picture of my family and me together, and I spent a moment looking down at the grainy photo, memorizing the faces and happy smiles of my parents sitting with me.
I slowly looked up to see my friends staring at me with curiosity. I caught Jackson sneak a glance over at Declan, and the two men seemed to be exchanging something between themselves.
Jackson’s gaze returned to me, and I found myself questioning him for the first time.
“What’s going on?”
Taken aback, he asked, “What do you mean?”
“You and Declan—what’s going on?”
“It’s not important right now,” he said with a wave of his hand.
