Work continued to be hell, but she'd made her decision about how to handle the situation. She wasn't going to fight to keep the partners from voting her out. She didn't even want that anymore. No, her plan was to hang a shingle on the door of her own firm in downtown Naperville. She'd be closer to home. No long commute, more time with the boys. Her mother might not win any awards for Mother of the Year, but when it came to accounting matters and investments, you'd not find anyone better to manage your money. She'd accumulated a nice nest egg which would tide them over until her practice became self-sustaining. Her strategy involved walking into Grayson's office five minutes before the vote and resigning. Tomorrow, she would review her contract and partnership agreement. If no legal restrictions prohibited the maneuver, she fully intended to take as many of her long-term and prime clients with her.
First things first, she had to survive tonight. Showing up without an escort promised the full and unprecedented release of Marie Alexander's fury and disappointment directed squarely at the invisible bull's-eye painted over her cocktail dress. Might as well get all the crap in her life over within one week. No love interest, new job, and the unfettered disappointment of her mother. Maybe the boys would take pity on her and not trounce all over whatever nerves she might have left. She'd mourn the loss of everything and everyone over the weekend. Monday, she'd take a deep breath, put her big girl panties on, and start again.
The little black dress hung loosely on her frame, and she frowned. Regular meals needed to be part of the new and improved regime. She wouldn't be able to afford a new wardrobe or the alterations on all of her existing outfits. The dark circles refused to be concealed, small shadows still present even after an extra touch of foundation and powder. Maybe the plan to start the less-than-perfect approach to life will have to start tonight.
The doorbell rang, and Michael's voice carried up the stairs. "Mom! Uncle Cody's here."
Cody?
Butterflies fluttered low in her abdomen, filling the emptiness. Maybe there was still a small thread of hope for them. Or maybe he's come to say good-bye once and for all. Closure and all… "Be right down."
She needed to breathe. Stay calm. Focus. Think. He wouldn't say good-bye in front of the boys, would he? Even if things didn't work out between them, he'd promised to still spend time with the kids. She stopped the whirling thoughts in her head for a moment. She knew him well enough to know he was a man of his word. Warmth surrounded her as she realized he was standing at her door because he'd promised to take her to the party. Though she would have given him a pass on their arrangement due to his family issues, she couldn't repress the excitement at the possibility of spending time with him this evening. She also couldn't stop the negative whisper of reason. He deserves better than what I've been able to give him. She slipped the black, four-inch heels onto her feet, grabbed her clutch, and headed downstairs to face him.
The nervous energy fluttering in her stomach surged higher into her chest, stealing her ability to breathe. The fierce beating of her heart proved nothing more than a whisper in the thundering noise of her emotions. Cody in a dark suit, white crisp shirt, and perfectly placed bowtie—magnificent. Pressed pleats in his slacks failed to hide the thick muscles of his rock-solid thighs. Conversely, her legs refused to find tone as jelly replaced muscle and bone. The ebony of his hair was slightly damp and curling more than usual. Finishing off the fantasy-releasing treasure standing in front of her were his bright smile and sparkling eyes.
"Geez, Mom. You could at least say hello." Michael's tease broke into her fantasy perusal.
She cut Michael a quick look and smiled at the big grin on his face. At least their relationship was on the mend. "I was getting there." She returned her attention to the handsome man filling her doorframe. "Hello, Cody. I confess I'm surprised to see you."
The light in his eyes sparkled as his mouth twitched into a half smile. "I gathered that. It's rare we see you speechless. Right, boys?"
"Right!" they both chimed in. Must be the bro code she'd heard Daniel mention before that had them abandoning the woman who gave birth, fed, and provided shelter to them to take the side of a man they'd met only a short time ago.
"Traitors." She winked and smiled at her sons. "Handsome traitors, but still."
Michael grinned, but Jason ran up and threw his arms around her. "I still love you. Promise. You're just not as cool as Uncle Cody."
Her smile faded. "No, you're right. I've never been as cool as Uncle Cody. Run along, and get the rest of your things together, and get your shoes on. Grab Aunt Mel's gift out of my room, please."
Thundering feet signaled their departure, and she returned her attention to the remaining male in the room. "Seriously, what are you doing here? You should be focusing on your family. As happy as I am to see you, they need you." She stopped short of saying, "…more than I need you." But he didn't need to hear that right now.
"I'm glad you're happy to see me. The parents are settled in and doing as good as they can right now. The farm will be okay for a day or two without me."
He leaned against the wall, exuding easy bravado and confidence. She avoided the dark flecks of pain in his eyes contradicting the rest of his body language. "We had an oral agreement. The first provision of which was my accompanying you to the party tonight."
Despite shutting him out time and time again, he still wanted to rescue her from…well, herself and her family. I really don't deserve him. "I'm glad your dad is doing better." She moved a few steps closer to him, her gaze holding his. "You look very handsome in your tux. I should have called you to let you off the hook, though. It was selfish of me not to do so."
His spine straightened, and the chocolate of his eyes darkened to obsidian. With each word spoken, he closed the distance between them until he was close enough to take both of her hands in his. "We both have a lot going on right now. I think it's safe to say neither of us is perfect, and we have some work to do in our own lives and maybe in our relationship. But since I drove all the way down here to keep my promise, I think you should kiss me."
Well, she certainly had work to do in her life. "We can't. The boys will be back any minute. I don't want them to catch us in a very public display of affection."
The white of his teeth gleamed in the brilliance of his smile. Using the hold he had on her hands, he pulled her body closer. The heat from his body melted her thin veil of restraint. The urge to meld into his frame created a powerful force, hard to resist. Stand strong. I can do this. By the time his hand slid along her cheek to the back of her neck, bringing their bodies flush, the simple act of standing became difficult.
"One kiss," he murmured. "We'll be quick. The boys sound like a herd of elephants entering the room. We'll be fine. You know you want to kiss me."
She did. And he was right. The boys never entered a room quietly. He leaned forward, the mint of his breath mingling with the spice of his cologne. The combination, along with his nearness, made it impossible to think rationally.
"One kiss…"
The moment his arms surrounded her, she lifted her chin the fraction of an inch necessary for their lips to touch. Sensuous, silky, and so soft. Her body melted into his, warmth surrounding her from within and without. So perfect. This was one area where perfection was not an illusion. The thundering of footsteps forced them apart. Damn. Once again, she'd spent too much time thinking and processing and less time acting. The gift bag being pressed into her palm brought her focus back to the present.
"Mom? You okay?" Michael's tone sounded genuinely concerned for her health.
"Yeah, Mommy. You have a fever?" Jason added in his worries.
Forcing a smile, she tore her gaze from Cody and smiled at her sons. "Mom's fine. Are we ready to go?"
Michael moved closer and put his hand on her forehead as she'd done countless times for them to see if they were warm enough to warrant a fever. "You're all red. Either you're sick or embarrassed."
Or aroused…but she wasn't going
to explain that to her son. He'd figure it out in a few years when he started seriously dating a young woman. "Just excited about celebrating your aunt Mel's success. Cody's going to drive us, ok?"
Her fevered flesh forgotten, both boys brimmed with excitement. "Cool!"
"Shotgun!" Michael called out as he grabbed his coat.
Evelyn's heart melted a little more when Cody punched Michael on the arm. "Dude, as much as I'd like having you as my copilot, we have to be gentlemen and let the lady ride in front." He leaned closer to Michael's face and lowered his voice. "Always important to treat them like ladies. Trust me on this one."
Michael's eyes darted between Cody and her. She could almost see the gears grinding. After a few long seconds, he grinned and punched Cody back. "Yeah, okay. I hear ya. Mom gets the front seat."
"Atta boy. Okay, everyone, let's load up. We don't want to be late." Cody extended his arm to her in escort.
She grabbed her purse and then his arm, following the boys out the door. She leaned a little closer and whispered, "Not bad, Soldier. Not bad."
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Imposing. The only word he could come up with to describe the Alexander homestead. The cool brick exterior faded in comparison to the blue ice in the eyes of the infamous Marie Alexander. Her smile, purely for appearances, he was certain, sent a shiver scurrying down his spine. Welcome to enemy territory.
"Hello, Evelyn. Boys, Annie is waiting for you in the playroom. Do try to keep the noise level down to not interfere with the rest of my guests. Understood?"
"Yes, Grandma." Michael and Jason gave her a quick hug and moved as quickly as a don't run in the house policy allowed.
"Mother, this is Cody Jenkins. You might remember him from Daniel and Melodie's wedding." Evelyn's voice sounded confident, but her tight grip on his arm told him a different story.
"Ah, yes. Your escort at the wedding. Served in Afghanistan with Daniel." She extended her hand. "Thank you for your service, young man."
He dislodged from Evelyn's grip and ignored the way her mother had stressed the word "young" in her comment. He gripped her hand and shook it, forcing his nerves to remain calm. He'd survived bullets and explosives in Afghanistan. How hard could a dinner party at the Alexander house be, really? "It was an honor to serve, ma'am. You have a beautiful home."
"Cody is an artist as well, very talented." Evelyn broke into the conversation.
He smiled in her direction. "Thank you."
"Yes, well, Cody, why don't you run along and find Daniel. Evelyn and I need to speak for a few moments."
Had this woman dismissed him essentially the same as her grandchildren? For Evelyn's sake, he held his tongue…for now. He leaned over and kissed Evelyn on the cheek. "I'll catch up with you in a bit." He nodded to the elder woman. "Mrs. Alexander."
He watched the direction Marie guided Evelyn and then began his approach. He'd catch up with Daniel later. Right now, he needed to hear the conversation about to take place between the two women. The iron grip tightening around his stomach sent a clear message to his head, signaling the conversation wasn't going to be pleasant. His heart refused to listen.
In the main dining room, he caught a glimpse of Melodie and Daniel. His buddy had his arm draped easily over his wife's shoulders, and the look of pride and love in his eyes could be sensed anywhere in the near vicinity. Their road to happiness had been filled with land mines and rebel forces conspiring against them, but one look at the happy couple now, and Cody knew both would say it had been worth it.
Faking curiosity at the various paintings hanging in the hall, he moved closer to what he suspected was the kitchen. Nameless faces dressed in black and white attire moved with purpose in and out of a room at the end of the hall. Had to be the kitchen since they went in with empty platters and emerged with all manner of appetizers or glasses of champagne. He'd give her one thing…Mrs. Alexander knew how to throw a party.
The Christian Reese Lassen painting just a few feet from the door provided a suitable object for studying and cover should anyone question his loitering outside the kitchen. He exhaled slowly and listened for the voices he wanted to hear over the hum of countless others going about their tasks.
"Honestly, Evelyn. Is he even old enough to drink? Talk about wet behind the ears."
"Mother, he's thirty, hardly a child. He's only a few years younger than me."
"Appearances are everything. You, of all people, should know that. He appears to be much younger. First, you kick Nathan to the curb and then take up with a mere child."
Mere child? What in the hell was wrong with this woman's eyesight? He flexed his muscles for his own benefit to remind himself of his manliness. Evelyn better set the record straight about Nathan. Enough was enough.
"Can we not talk about this now?"
Wait. What? Why was she backing away? She loved the fight. God knows she'd fought with him enough times.
"We'll drop it as long as you stay as far away from him as much as possible tonight. All we need is for a picture of the two of you to end up on someone's Facebook page or, God forbid, in the write-up about your sister's achievement."
Hell no! No way would Evelyn agree to such terms. Would she?
"Speaking of my sister, I'm going to go congratulate her. Are we finished here?"
He didn't know about them, but he was finished all right. These women were unbelievable. At her age, why in the hell would Marie Alexander give two shits about what people thought or said about her? Didn't you reach an age where those things didn't matter? As "young" as he supposedly was, he'd certainly arrived at that phase in his life. He'd heard enough. Time to find Annie, Michael, and Jason and hang out with the rest of the kids. He needed time to think and figure out how to talk to Ev about this.
A server carrying a tray of champagne walked by. Matching him step for step, he grabbed two flutes of liquid off the tray and then broke off to congratulate Mel. He'd play adult for a few minutes longer, and then to hell with all of them. Melodie's laughter brightened his mood the tiniest of bits. He handed her a glass and lifted the other one to match. "Here's to you, Mel. Congratulations on your achievement. I'm so proud of you."
The glasses clinked together, and they both took a sip. "Thanks. Where's Ev?"
He shrugged and downed some more of the champagne. Good stuff. Not surprising, though. Doubtful that Marie did anything halfway, including her brutal assessment of his worth based solely on the fact he possessed a youthful appearance. Never mind his service. All she cared about was his baby face. Screw her. "Don't know. Your mother grabbed her as soon as we came in and said they needed to talk."
"Shit," Daniel joined the conversation.
"Daniel, not now." Melodie cast a warning glance in his direction.
Apparently both Alexander sisters feared their mother's wrath. Now he understood everyone's reaction at the mention of Marie Alexander's name. Fearful he would say something to ruin Mel's evening, he returned to his game plan. "Anyway, I thought I'd pop in and say hi to Annie. Can you point me in the direction of the kids' room?" It was where he belonged anyway, right?
"Be patient, Cody. It's a difficult time in Ev's life right now." Melodie's words infuriated him rather than pacified. It was a difficult time in his life right now too. Didn't anyone care about that?
"Sure thing, Mel. I know. Nathan is a douchebag, appearing as the wounded hero. Evelyn, the wounded woman, appearing as Miss Perfection. Everyone in this family is so damn concerned about appearances. Don't worry. I'll pretend everything is fine, even if everyone knows it's not." So much for not saying anything that could ruin Mel's night. The breath left his lungs slowly and with purpose. "I'm sorry. Can you please point me in the direction of the kids?"
"Cody…" Melodie implored him with her tone, the sadness in her eyes practically begging him for understanding.
He would love to do a portrait, side by side, of the Alexander sisters. Comparing and contrasting their facial features. So different and yet the same
.
"Down the hall on this side, last room on the left." Daniel's instructions gave him the out he needed.
He nodded thanks to his buddy and left the main party area. Just in time, too, as Evelyn had just made her way through the door on the opposite side. He needed to talk to her, but a few minutes to compose his thoughts were necessary.
He'd almost made his escape when the enemy surprise attacked him, emerging from a door two rooms away. "If you care about Evelyn, you'll leave her alone."
He willed his voice to remain calm and even. His mother raised him to be respectful, even if you didn't like a person, and he sure as hell didn't like Marie. "I don't care about her."
"Good."
"I love her." The look on her face temporarily consoled him. He'd landed that shot square between her eyes. Though their relationship had ups and downs, he could see Evelyn's feelings in those beautiful, baby blues. And in her kiss…yeah, the moment she was in his arms, neither could deny their feelings. He just had to figure out how to keep her in his arms.
"You can't be serious. She's a married woman."
Delusional had to be the explanation for this woman's behavior and statement. Time to set the record straight. "Was married. Now divorced, making her fair game for the young men out there." That might be laying it on a bit thick, but nowhere in his reserves could he find the desire to care.
"They're getting back together…or hasn't she told you?" Instead of moving forward to press her advantage, she'd leaned against the doorframe, crossed her arms, and curled her lips in an evil grin.
She was totally bluffing, but damn was she good at it. She'd managed to create a small sliver of doubt. The scars in his thigh and shoulder burned in protest at his doubt. He'd faced far worse than this…woman. Man up! "No, she hasn't, and until she does, that means I have the green light to pursue a relationship with her. Have you considered there are things she hasn't told you?"
The flash in her eyes only lasted a second, but he'd hit the target. Damaged but not destroyed. "You'll do well to remember you are a guest in my home."
Remember the Night: a Heroes of the Night military romance novel Page 20
