He nodded once, salt and pepper eyelashes blinking in unison with the nod. “She informed me, and as I understand, you were quite rude to her.”
I was rude. I stiffened to keep from reacting to his words.
“You must understand that the way you and that employee acted in this house was quite disrespectful to me and your mother.”
With a tense jaw, I fought down the initial response I wanted to make to the misinformation my mother had clearly provided him with. I had the truth, and I was about to make him hear it. He’d only listen to my side of the story if I remained calm, though. I had to stay cool. Collected. I sat up even straighter. “I informed Mom that nothing between Lacey and I occurred in this house. I was quite respectful of you both.”
His eyes flickered twice at this information. “I see. I’m not surprised she left that part out. Your mother can be quite manipulative when she wants people to see things her way.”
I let out a breath, trying not to be bothered that he was bashing someone who’d been nothing but a standup wife to him. He was the manipulative one, not her. “I believe she just doesn’t understand the situation. She did nothing wrong.”
As pissed off as I was at my mother, I did feel her ignorance was the only thing she was guilty of. Maybe with time her attitude would change. I hoped it would change.
My father sat back in his chair; his wrinkled fingers folded together on his lap. “I’m confused as to why you came in here, Truman. Was it to defend your mother or yourself?”
“As hard as it might be for you to believe, Father, I don’t always think about myself. I didn’t come in here to defend myself.”
“Why did you come in here, then?”
My pulse racing, I wanted to leave. I wanted to slam the door in the bastard’s face and forget the reason I ever came in here, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to Lacey. I had to at least try to help her. She wouldn’t suffer for choosing to be with me. I wouldn’t allow it. “I came in here because I’ve grown to care about someone deeply. ‘That employee’ that you stated earlier has a name. Her name is Lacey, and I came in here for her.”
He put two long fingers to his chin. “I see, and for what reason did you come in here for her?”
“Look,” I said, resting my palms flat on my knees, “I know you and I haven’t had the best relationship.”
“That’s not my fault, Truman,” he stated matter-of-factly.
It sure as hell wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t say how I truly felt, so I continued on. “I’m not saying it was, but regardless of what has happened between the two of us, at the end of the day, you’re my father. And when I need your help, I should feel comfortable enough to ask you for it.”
“You’re correct. You do have that right.”
“Now, I don’t care what happens to me. The car, college, my trust fund and personal accounts . . . I don’t care what happens to those, but I do care about what happens to Lacey. She’s going through a rough time right now and—”
“With her mother.”
My eyes widened as I watched him turn his back to me and pick up a manila folder off his desk.
He put his glasses on and opened the folder. “Quite a predicament she has.” He studied it for a moment, then watched my eyes over the top. “Don’t look so surprised, Truman. I make it a note to know who I’m employing in my household.”
“So seeing all that,” I said, gesturing to the file he held, “you’re aware of the fact that the last thing she needs right now is to be sued. She has nothing. She can’t give us anything. All you’ll be doing is ruining her life. I guess I’ve come to ask that you’ll leave her alone. She’s not working here anymore, and there’s no point in coming after her.”
He closed the file with a snap and tossed it on his desk. “Coming here to see me took a lot for you to do, didn’t it, Truman?”
I nodded once. He was right. It did take a lot. “I wouldn’t have asked you unless I really needed your help.”
He glanced behind me and to the window outside. “I’ve heard what you’ve had to say.” He squinted into the sun, then shifted his focus to me again. “And I completely agree with your arguments.”
I rose up. He did? “You do?”
“I do. This girl— Lacey poses no threat to the family, and you’re right, she has nothing. I feel your mother may have overreacted in this situation because of her love for you. She does that a lot.”
“So, you’ll leave her alone, then?” I knew what he said, but I had to confirm it.
“She will not have any problems from our end.”
“T-Thanks.” I blinked in disbelief. “You don’t understand how much this means.”
“Coming here took a lot for you to do, and I respect that. No need to worry about your mother. I’ll take care of it. So, if there isn’t anything else, I have some business to attend to.”
“Of course.” I stood quickly and headed to the door. I couldn’t wait to see Lacey and tell her the good news.
“One other thing, Truman.”
I glanced over my shoulder.
He propped his spectacles into his hair. “I don’t feel I would be doing myself justice as a parent, as a father, if I didn’t warn you.”
Dropping my hand from the doorknob, I fully turned around. “Warn me? About what?”
“You seem to have developed some deep feelings for this girl.”
“There is no ‘seemed,’ Father. I love her.” I had no problem admitting the fact. He might as well know the truth.
“I see.” His eyes shifted as he thought about the statement. “I expect her feelings are the same?”
“I told her how I felt, but I didn’t want her to answer me right away. I wanted to give her some time to mull it over.” What was he getting at?
“I’m sure you both have some deep feelings for each other, but I don’t want you to be blinded by them; naïve to them. You come from a very prestigious family, Truman. Because of that status, you have to deal with things that others not as fortunate as yourself will ever have to deal with.”
“Which are?”
“We live in a world where some things are more important than relationships, more important than love even. You cannot ignore that. If you do, you can easily be taken advantage of. Mislead.”
My eyes shifted as I took in what he was getting at. “Lacey’s not like that.”
“I’m sure you’d like to think she’s not—”
“She’s not,” I gritted through my teeth, my chest exhaling rapidly.
He held up his hand. “Like I said, I’m just doing my job as a parent.”
Calming down, I let out a deep breath. “I get it.”
“Good. I will not speak to you about the issue again. You’re a grown man and can make your own decisions.”
“I appreciate that. Can I go now?”
“You may. But I ask a small favor before you continue on with your activities today. Could pick up your sister from the country club? One of her many lessons is wrapping up soon, and with Lacey’s services being absent, she’ll need a ride home. Your mother asked me, but I’m knee-deep in paperwork as you can see.” He gestured to his full desk.
“Sure,” I said, not seeing the problem. He did just do me a favor, and when it came to my sister I didn’t mind doing favors.
“Right away please.” Swiveling in his chair, my father went back to work.
Chapter Forty-Six
Lacey
Holding out my bottom lip, I snapped on the backing on my lip stud. Just thinking about how Drake would react to it had my heart racing. He seemed very determined for a while to get me to wear it, and I guessed since I no longer worked for his family I could put it in again.
Trying to ignore the fact of my unemployment, I stepped back from the mirror. I finally felt like myself again. I didn’t have to hide who I was anymore. Drake liked this; the girl in the mirror. Me. It would be nice to be this girl again. Despite what happened at Drake’s house, it would be a relief to
not pretend anymore. I could find a job that would allow me to be who I was and didn’t care who I dated. Perhaps, in a horrible way, Drake’s mom finding out about us was for the best. I still didn’t understand exactly how she put two and two together. She assumed for some reason after Ashley left Drake that he went to me. I guessed the end result didn’t matter, but it still had my mind whirling.
I left the bathroom and plopped down on the couch, waiting for Drake.
His words still lingered in my head: I love you, Lacey.
No one, well, besides members of my family, had ever said that to me before. At first, when he said the words I thought it was on impulse. I was clearly trying to get us to take a break so he could make sure of his feelings for me. Naturally, it would make sense for him to say something rash to get me to not break up with him. But then he said he wanted to tell me before. There was no denying that. There was that awkward pause on the phone. He was going to say it, not under pressure, but because he wanted to.
He told me not to say anything back, and the truth was I couldn’t have said anything because of the sheer shock of the situation. But once we hung up, I wanted to return the very statement to him. That I loved him.
I shook my head, fighting the smile threatening to appear on my face. This was crazy. How did we love each other already when we were so new? Everything between us had always been so natural. We flowed naturally well together. Perhaps our love was the same. Natural.
The euphoric feeling of what Drake and I had helped so much with the ache threatening to claim me. He was so amazing at the hospital, and knowing he’d be here for me, help guide me through the undeniably rough course ahead, eased so much of my anxiety. The thoughts of being alone and knowing I really wouldn’t be . . .
He gave me a gift that I didn’t know I so heavily yearned for. Perhaps, I wouldn’t have to be so strong anymore. So brave. I could be vulnerable, allow someone to take care of me. The thought of it all was so foreign to me, but I found myself so overwhelmingly grateful for it.
Grateful for him.
My eyes flickered to the door as I heard a knock.
Letting out a breath, I attempted to wrangle the butterflies in my stomach as I went to open the door.
I was going to tell him I loved him, too.
The smile wiped from my face the second the door was open.
In his brown blazer and wearing a stern expression, Mr. Drake stood at my door.
“Lacey Douglas,” he said, his serious expression unchanged.
My name was a statement. Not a question. I curled into the wood of the door. “What can I help you with, Mr. Drake?”
“I came hoping we might discuss some matters that have to do with my family.” He gestured the black leather folder with gold endpoints to me that was under his arm. “Could I request a moment of your time?”
He could request all he wanted, but I didn’t want to speak to him. Not to mention, Drake would be furious that Mr. Drake came to see me. He clearly told me to stay away from his father. “I don’t think that would be a good idea, Mr. Drake. You see, Drake will be here any minute, and I don’t think he’d like it if—”
“This won’t take but a few minutes, and I’ve sent my son to pick up Adelaide from one of her lessons at the country club. Factoring in traffic and the length of the drive to and from the club, this will take him some time.”
He had this all planned out.
“Won’t take long, Ms. Douglas. I’d like not to handle this in court.”
I blinked. Was he threatening me? I didn’t want to let him in, but if it would keep me from being sued that could only help Drake and me. We wouldn’t be in the public eye, and none of his peers would have to know what went on between us. I opened the door. “You have five minutes.”
“More than enough.”
I left him standing at the door and sat on the couch. I’d offer him a drink, but he wasn’t staying.
With the grace of the prestigious, Mr. Drake walked over to my old, crappy couch and sat on the other end from me. I had to give it to him. He didn’t analyze my home like he did me that day at his dinner table.
“I’d say we should do this at the table, but I don’t have a dinning set like you guys do,” I said, stiffly.
Taking out a set of gold-framed glasses from his pocket, he put them on. “This will do just fine.”
I watched him open his expensive looking folder. It was lined with papers, but I couldn’t see what was on them.
“Are you going sue me?” It was best just to get it all out on the table.
He glanced at me from above his frames. “No, Ms. Douglas. My son spoke with me this morning, and we agreed that wasn’t necessary.”
Drake spoke to him for me. I’d smile, but I didn’t want to waste the expression on Mr. Drake.
“I’m going to make this quick and easy, Ms. Douglas.” He took a pen from his pocket. With a hand that had clearly done this before, he pulled out a check from behind his set of papers and wrote on the document with the pointy-tipped pen.
My name was already printed on the check.
The only thing he wrote was his signature at the bottom.
In a flash, the pen was back in his pocket, and the check was handed out to me with his aging hand.
I stared at it, mouth agape.
“Could you at least take it, so I’m not awkwardly holding it out to you, Ms. Douglas?”
In a daze, I did. I had no words for the amount made out to me. Just shy of seven figures, it was hard to image that a small piece of paper could be worth so much.
“Though my son and I agreed no suit would be filed, it was not discussed how we would keep you quiet.”
I blinked up. “Quiet, Mr. Drake?”
Nodding, he put his glasses back into his pocket. “We have to make sure you won’t discuss the ongoings of my household. You will not talk about the relationship you had with my son to the press. That check is your binding agreement.”
That’s what this was. Hush money. I handed the check out to him. “I wasn’t going to say anything. You don’t need to pay me to shut me up. I love Drake and would never do that do him.”
As collected as he was, Mr. Drake couldn’t hide the tick in his jaw at my words. I loved his son, and he clearly didn’t like that.
“I’m sure you care about my son, but you’d be surprised by the temptation to want to speak your case. Say the two of you had an argument that caused you both to no longer be together, what would stop you from going to the media to badmouth him?”
“I wouldn’t do that—”
“Or if somehow the media found out about your relations with my son. You’d be the star source for their fact checkers and offered lavish amounts for your words.”
“I told you, I wouldn’t say anything—”
“Or how about your mother.”
I stiffened. “Don’t bring my mama into this.”
He crossed his leg at the knee and rested his hands there. “I’m not trying to disrespect you, Ms. Douglas. I’m trying to make you see the reality of your situation. I know about the status of your mother. If I’m to be understood by what her doctors informed me of this morning, she has stage four lung cancer that has spread to the brain. Am I correct on this?”
I nodded once. That was what the doctor said once I was strong enough to listen. It took all I had in me not to cry during the last few moments I had with Mama before they made Drake and me leave the hospital.
“This will take her life and soon.”
Drawing in a deep breath, I looked away.
“You have to think about how you will prepare. This money will help with that preparation. Not to mention how it will aid in your own life once you’re back on your feet. You should consider that.”
My eyes shot his way. “I don’t need your help, Mr. Drake, in understanding my situation, and I definitely don’t need your help dealing with it. So take back your money.” I held the check out to him. “And please be on your way.”
/> Face completely stoic, Mr. Drake stared at the check. After a moment, he held up his hand. “I have imposed on your life.”
“Yes, you have.”
“I understand that, so I will give you some time to think this through.”
“I don’t need time. Take your check.” I shook it at him. The plain paper felt like fire in my hands, burning and scaring me.
Closing his black folder, he stood. “I will give you forty-eight hours. You owe it to yourself to use that time to ponder when you are no longer heated with emotions.”
I flinched, feeling like he just slapped me in the face.
“The check will expire at—” He checked his expensive looking gold watch. “I’ll give you until midnight at that time. That will give you a few extra hours.”
Without another word, he went to the door.
Sighing, I followed him. “Mr. Drake, I don’t want this money.”
Ignoring me, he left my home and went to his BMW parked in the street.
I was left standing there on my stoop, hush money in my hands.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Drake
Turning onto Lacey’s street, I did a double take as I saw the Bimmer pull away from the curb outside of Lacey’s house. By the time I pulled up to that same curb, the BMW was already down the street and heading around the corner.
There was no denying it. That was my father’s car.
What was he doing here? He was in his study when I left him, and he said he was busy, so why in the hell was he in front of Lacey’s house? Surely, there was a logical explanation, and as I turned off my car and took the keys from the ignition, I knew I would get it. Lacey would tell me as soon as I entered her house.
Completely calm, I made my way up to her stoop and knocked on the door.
When she opened, her face lit up and her arms were around my neck.
“Drake.” She held me close like her life depended on my existence.
I held her closer. “Hey, there.”
She pulled back and kissed me. “I’m so happy to see you.”
The Space Between Page 24
