by M. Malone
Mara nodded along with his diatribe. "Apparently I fall into the third category so don't knock it."
"You do not fall into the third category. We have way better things to do on a Saturday night but I'm willing to humor you. I guess I have been hogging you all to myself. I want you to be happy here. Or back in Virginia. Wherever you want to be, I'm there."
"Good. Because I think I want all of the above. I really want both of our families to be involved in our lives."
Over the last few weeks, he'd been really surprised at the changes he'd noticed in his father's demeanor. They weren't a warm and fuzzy sitcom family by any means but he felt like when he said something his father was making an effort to at least listen.
"I'll call them now and let them know we're coming."
Mara beamed at him before going back into the kitchen. He picked up the invitation and took it with him to his office. He pulled out his cell phone. He wasn't sure if his parents were staying at their place in the city or at the house in Montauk so he just dialed his father's cell phone number.
His father answered on the first ring.
"Dad, it's Trent. I wanted to let Mom know that we'll be at the charity gala on Saturday night."
"She'll be glad to hear it. Your sister will be in attendance. I'm not sure about your brother. He's probably still avoiding me." It was the first time he'd heard his father voice any regret over that situation.
"Well, Mara wants to go so we'll be there. I wasn't expecting to be in town this long so I'll need to hire a permanent driver. If you have anyone you can spare, I'd be grateful."
"Why don't I just send over Shane?"
"He still works for you?" Trent sat down in his office chair and leaned back. Shane Morrow had been his driver when he was in high school. He would have thought that the older man would have retired by now.
"No, he's still here. He keeps making noise about retiring but he'll never do it. He's like me. Needs the job to survive. He's been driving me the past couple of years but I'll shift a few things around. He was always fond of you."
"I'm not sure about that. I was a little jerk. I used to ditch him all the time."
"You were a teenager." James seemed to think that statement explained everything. "Speaking of which, I finally realized why Mara seemed so familiar."
He'd been expecting it ever since that dinner. He'd braced himself every time the phone rang for this very conversation. But now that it was here, Trent found that he was just tired. Too tired to explain or worry about what his father was going to do.
His father must have interpreted his silence as anger. "I shouldn't have brought it up. That was a nasty business. For all of us. I tried to clean things up as best as I could but I never really asked if you were okay through it all. If you needed anything."
"Dad, I'm fine. It's all … fine."
"Good. I'm glad you're back, son."
Trent had to fight the urge to hang up. Tender concern just wasn't the way his father communicated and as many times as he'd wished his father gave a shit growing up, he had no idea what to do with that concern coming at him now.
Now that it couldn't help him.
"Look, I have to go. Give my message to Mom, will you?" He hit the button to end the call and closed his eyes.
Mara was still in the kitchen making something that looked like chocolate pudding. He winked as he passed her and entered their bedroom. His closet wasn't nearly as opulent as hers but it was a similar setup just slightly smaller in size. He closed the door behind him and pulled out one of the lower drawers of the dresser. After the day he'd asked Walter to remove all the personal pictures in the house, he'd never gone looking for them. He hadn't cared.
But they had to be in this room somewhere.
He stood on tiptoe and ran his hand over the top shelf. A box of shoes shifted and fell, narrowly missing the side of his face. With a curse, he moved to the side, his foot catching on something. He barely managed to grab the dresser in time to keep himself from falling on his ass.
The box had been pushed underneath the far right section of the closet beneath his winter coats. He pulled it out and ran his hand over the top. It was secured with a single piece of duct tape. After only a moment of hesitation, he pulled the tape off and spread the flaps open.
The picture on top was a companion to the one he'd found in the living room that day. In this shot, Tia looked directly at the camera, a bright smile on her face. Her dark hair was bundled up on top of her head in that messy bun, the way she'd always worn it. Avery had her arms thrown around Trent's neck, like she was trying to get his attention but his head was turned to the side, looking down at Tia.
His expression was like someone seeing fireworks for the very first time.
Time passed and he had no idea how long he knelt there, holding that picture frame, his mind immersed in memories. It wasn't until he heard the ding of a timer and Mara's voice singing a low tune that he came back to where he was. In his closet, looking at a picture that could rip the very fabric of his world right down the center. He put the picture back in the box and closed the flaps. Then shoved it back under the coats where he'd found it, his fingers trembling as he arranged the long coats to hide the box again.
It couldn't stay hidden forever though. There would always be certain things he couldn't say or do without fear. The truth would hurt her. As it hurt him. But as things stood she was hurt anyway, by the distance she sensed between them. Until she knew the whole story of how they'd met, that distance would just grow wider and wider.
At some point he would have to take that final leap and trust her to listen without judgment. They could never move forward otherwise. But how could he take that leap when there was such a high chance that she would leave him? That this was the one thing she wouldn't be able to forgive?
He would show her after the gala and hope that love was strong enough to overcome his greatest shame.
Chapter Fifteen
MARA STARED AT herself in the mirror, feeling like she was looking at an image of someone else. After she'd convinced Trent that she wanted to come to his mother's charity ball, she'd realized eventually that she'd committed to a black-tie event and had no idea how to prepare for it. The last few days, she'd been in a whirlwind of details, trying to make sure that she had everything she needed.
Although she wouldn't admit it to Trent, having a personal assistant as efficient as Gina had made the entire process as painless as it could be. Although she'd already had a dress, she hadn't had a formal purse that matched the dress or known of any local salons where she could get her hair done before the event. Gina, the miracle worker, after seeing a picture of the dress, had ordered a new bag for her. Then she'd arranged for a hairstylist and manicurist to come to the penthouse in the afternoon to get her dolled up before the event. They hadn't met in person yet but she knew that Gina would be in attendance tonight. As she looked at her reflection, Mara decided that she owed the other woman one big, grateful hug.
Her long, dark curls were swept up off her shoulders in an intricate twist that had taken the hairdresser more than an hour to create. She ran her hands over the bodice of her dress. The lavender strapless evening gown was one of the designs that Sophia had chosen for her. It hugged her bosom perfectly and then flared slightly over her hips. Even her shoes were exquisite, she thought as she gazed down at the silver Christian Louboutin stilettos on her feet. From head to toe she felt and looked like a princess.
She'd also had a massage. She let out a happy sigh. Her muscles were still humming after that rub down. Mara had been buffed and polished like a precious stone and now it was time to go.
"Baby, are you ready?"
Trent stopped in the doorway, his eyes going hooded and dark when he saw her standing in front of the mirror. He walked behind her and she watched in the reflection as he moved closer. He was a masculine vision in his black tuxedo, the edges crisp and perfect, the stark formality of it a contrast to his blond hair.
One hand came around her waist pulling her back against his chest. Her ass snugged up against him and he pressed forward, imprinting the length of his hard cock against her back.
"I see you're ready," she breathed.
"That's an involuntary response whenever I see you," Trent replied. His fingers trailed up her arm leaving a line of goose bumps behind. "You are breathtaking."
"Thank you. I'm kind of nervous."
"You have nothing to be nervous about. The other women who have to stand next to you are the ones who should be nervous."
Mara smiled, relieved that she looked okay. She'd never had low self-esteem but being around women like Trent's mother and sister brought out insecurities she didn't even know she had. It made her constantly self-conscious, worried that she'd do something stupid or make some social misstep that would embarrass Trent.
His lips descended and she closed her eyes, already anticipating the press against her skin. The dragging sensation over the side of her neck didn't disappoint, awakening a whole host of sensations, the tingles created by his touch warring with the butterflies caused by her nerves.
"My father sent over my old driver. I wonder if he'll tell on me if I put the privacy screen up and do dirty things to you in the backseat."
Mara gasped out a sigh as his teeth clamped down on her earlobe. A rush of desire made her clamp her thighs together. The tiny thong she was wearing was already saturated.
"Trent, we haven't even left the house yet." Although she was admonishing him, she couldn't hold back a soft laugh at his eagerness.
"I know. It makes more sense to take the edge off before we're bored to death talking to a bunch of my parents' friends."
The reminder that she was going to an event where his parents would be present cooled her down instantly. She stood up straight. "I'm not going to be able to talk to your mother with a straight face if I know I just seduced her son in the limo."
Trent grinned. "Okay, I'll wait to debauch you in a dark corner once we're there. It'll be more fun to see if I can do it without anyone catching us." He tucked her hand into his arm and led her to the elevator.
"You're just joking about that, right?"
Her only answer was another one of those maddening little smiles.
Trent introduced her to his old driver, Shane Morrow, who turned out to be an extremely fit fifty-something older man with a no-nonsense demeanor. He held the door for them and Mara ducked inside, tucking the small train of her dress under her legs. Trent slid in next and the door closed, sealing them inside. The sensual atmosphere of before was back and she was reminded of his earlier comment about doing dirty things in the backseat.
She was glad it was so dark that he couldn't see her blush. Or how desperately she actually wanted him to do those things.
The ride to the event was relatively quick and other than a few heated glances, Trent behaved himself on the way. She wasn't sure if the threat of his mother's displeasure or the presence of their new driver was responsible for keeping him in his seat on the other side of the car. But before she could think about it too long, they pulled over to the curb outside of a fancy building lit with what looked like a million spotlights.
"Where are we?"
Trent looked over at her. "The Metropolitan Museum of Art."
Excited at the prospect of finally seeing the famed museum, Mara leaned over and peered out the window. A woman in a long black dress passed by their car and then stopped right before the grand steps leading up to the building to pose for pictures.
Mara gulped and ran a nervous hand over her hair again.
"You look beautiful. Now let's do this." Trent shoved the door open and held out his hand to assist her out of the car.
Mara slid across the seat and allowed him to help her up. To her relief, the photographers took pictures of them as they passed but didn't ask them to stop. They ascended the steps, Mara trying hard not to gape at the massive white columns as they entered. A man at the door nodded knowingly at Trent.
"You know him?" she asked.
"He knows me," Trent responded with a small, wry smile. "I have no doubt he's aware of all of my family members. We're all on the board of my mother's charitable foundation. She insists on it. This is a fundraiser for the Townsend Grant for asthma research. Mom set it up after Travis was diagnosed."
The inside of the building was just as imposing as the outside. And it was crowded. She looked around in astonishment at the crowds of impeccably dressed people holding champagne flutes and plucking hors d'oeuvres off the trays of the tuxedo-clad waiters roaming the room. She hadn't expected there to be so many people. The price tag alone for entrance had made her imagine a much smaller, more intimate affair.
There are this many people with thousands to blow on a charity dinner?
She thought back to what Trent had told her about the Upper East Side. Most of these people were just as wealthy as his family. It was like an invitation into an exclusive club but one that she hadn't even known existed before. When yet another woman strolled past her with a completely ostentatious set of diamonds dripping from her neck, Mara had to forcibly close her mouth. There was enough pressurized carbon in this room to buy a small country.
They approached a small group of people and when they turned, she recognized Trent's parents and his sister. When they saw them, his mother held out her arms for Trent and to Mara's surprise, she air-kissed her cheeks. His father nodded at them both.
Sophia turned, her arm entwined with a handsome older man with dark hair. She tilted her cheek up for Trent's kiss of greeting.
Trent put his hand at the small of her back. "Mara, this is Sophia's husband, Thomas Winbush."
"Pleased to meet you." Mara extended her hand and the other man shook it jauntily.
"We were sorry to miss your dinner a few weeks ago. One of the boys was sick. We heard from Dad later that it was quite a night," Thomas said.
Heat rushed to Mara's cheeks. "It was something all right. My parents are always interesting dinner companions."
Sophia chuckled. "I definitely won't miss the next one." She turned to Trent. "And Mom said that Mara convinced you to come tonight. I'm happy to see you here. You don't come out nearly enough."
She looked at Mara and for once, her smile didn't appear forced. Was Trent's sister actually warming up to her? Mara was doubly glad that she'd pushed him to come out tonight.
"Well, that'll be changing." Trent looked down at her, a warm, private smile on his face.
Sophia looked between them and then a teasing smile lit her face. She walked forward and entwined her arm with Mara's free one.
"I'm going to introduce Mara around. My friends are dying to meet the woman who enticed you to come out of hiding."
"No." A brief look of panic flashed across Trent's face and he clamped his arm down, trapping Mara at his side.
She looked at him in alarm. He'd never been the shy type, so she couldn't imagine that he really needed her to stay close and help him socialize.
Sophia wouldn't be denied. She tugged at Mara's arm. "Trent, you can’t monopolize her all night. She needs to mingle. Meet people."
Trent glared at his sister, the kind of look that would have intimidated anyone else. "She can meet people with me."
Sophia simply sniffed. "Neanderthal."
"Shrew."
The two siblings grinned at each other in a way that told Mara the exchange must be a familiar one.
“I’ll bring her back. Eventually.” Sophia hooked her arm with Mara’s and tugged slightly. As she led her away, Mara glanced back at the last minute. Trent’s eyes stayed on hers until they were separated by the crowd.
* * * * *
TRENT LOOKED OVER his father's shoulder out at the crowd. He'd already greeted most of the people his mother wanted him to meet. It was important to her that members of the entire family were visible and seen as publicly supporting all of their charity work. He'd been ducking that particular obligation for too long. If it hadn't
been for Mara's insistence, he probably would have continued avoiding all public appearances the way he'd been doing for years. But if seeing him at a charity dinner encouraged some of the donors to open their wallets a little wider to help other kids like Travis, then he could certainly put in some face time.
Avery appeared at his elbow. She nodded hello to his father. "I need to talk to you." She looked around him. "Are you alone?"
"Mara's with my sister and her friends. What did you need to talk to me about?"
"Not here. Let's go up to the roof garden. I want you to see something."
Trent followed her, nodding hello to several people he knew on the way. The roof garden was one of his favorite spaces in the city. It was actually so visually stunning that he found it difficult to concentrate on whatever art exhibit was currently on display. There wasn't much that could compete with the Manhattan skyline in his opinion.
When they reached the roof, Avery spread her hands. "Isn't it magnificent?"
Trent followed her hands to the huge metal sculptures spread across the entire roof. Each sculpture was entwined with live ivy vines giving the appearance of a labyrinth.
"It's a maze?" he asked, moving forward to peer at one of the metal sculptures. He wasn't into art the way Avery was but he could appreciate pieces that made you think.
"In a way. But more than that, part of the display is sculpture and the other part is glass. It's a really unique effect when you walk through it. You're never quite sure if you're coming or going. It's the work of a Danish artist. Your mother convinced him to exhibit here early just for the gala."
Trent followed her into the beginning of the small maze, noting how the sections that were glass provided a warped view of the people on the other side. Once they were far enough in that no one was behind him, Avery looked over at him. "James told me. About what he saw at my graduation party."
"What are you talking about?" Trent suddenly remembered his brother's wild accusations a few weeks. "He didn't? I told him that nothing happened. He shouldn't have even said anything to you."
