by Judy Duarte - The Bachelor's Brighton Valley Bride (Return to Brighton Valley)
Aw, what the hell. If he couldn’t be completely forthcoming about his name and true occupation, at least he could be honest about everything else.
“My mother wasn’t like the other moms, but I didn’t know why until I got older. She had bipolar disorder. I understand her illness now, but even though I knew she was sick and that she couldn’t help being the way she was, that didn’t make it easy for a scrawny and nerdy kid like me.”
“You? Scrawny and nerdy? That’s hard to believe.”
“Oh, you can believe it. In fact, when I first met Tyler, he reminded me a lot of myself at that age.” Clay tossed her a grin and a wink. “But he has a beautiful mom who looks out for him, even if he doesn’t always realize how lucky he is.”
Megan smiled at his attempt to change the subject and to compliment her, but tears welled in her eyes, threatening to overflow.
He didn’t like thinking that he’d had anything to do with putting them there. Nor did he want her pity. He was about to tell her so when she said, “That makes me angry.”
Whoa. Pity he’d expected, but not anger.
“I hate it that the other kids picked on you for being different. It’s so unfair. What about your dad? Did you ever see him? Didn’t he help you out?”
“Nope, he was her college professor. And he dumped her as soon as he learned she was pregnant.”
“He was her teacher? That was unethical of him to get involved with a student. I’d think she could have caused him some real trouble.”
“She loved him. Besides, she was too unstable to follow through on any charges. In fact, she had her first breakdown right after I was born. After she picked up the pieces, we moved to the next town. But things just repeated in the same cycle like that until I was a junior in high school. It was all I ever knew.”
“So what happened then? Did she get better?”
“She finally landed a job working nights at a medical lab. It was always easier for her when she didn’t have to interact with too many people, but it left me alone a lot. Anyway, one evening, before she went to work, she told me that she loved me and that she wished she could have been a better mother. She was always saying things like that when she was in her low moods, but for some reason, it struck me as odd that night. It was like she wanted to ingrain those words in my mind.”
And it had worked. Clay glanced out the kitchen window, saw the sun had gone down. And while he’d have preferred to shake the last memory he had of his mother, he figured he’d already come this far, already revealed so much.
He returned his gaze to Megan, who was watching him intently—not pressuring him to speak, as some of the social workers had, but just waiting for him to decide when and how much to share.
“The cops woke me up around midnight and told me that my mom had been in a single-car accident. The vehicle was found slammed into a tree. No skid marks from braking or swerving. It was never ruled a suicide, but deep down I knew.”
Megan shook her head, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how horrible that must have been for you. I lost my dad when I was a freshman in high school, and it was really hard. But he died of natural causes—a heart attack.”
Silence stretched between them, buffered by something else. Sympathy maybe. Understanding? Friendship?
Clay wasn’t sure what it was, but sharing his dark and dreary past with Megan seemed like the right thing to do.
“Since I was still underage,” he added, “the state stepped in. I went to a foster home, but it wasn’t too bad. I kept to myself, finished high school and stayed out of trouble—for the most part, anyway. And I ended up... Well, I did okay.”
“You mentioned not meeting your dad until you were an adult,” she said. “Do you ever see him?”
“I’d just started Zorba the Geek— I mean I had just started working there.” Oops. That was a close one. “I’d gone through some of my mom’s old papers to find out his name and where he lived. Then I did an internet search and learned that he’d changed teaching positions and moved around to several different universities over the years. I figured my mom was so hurt she’d written him off and had never kept in contact with him.”
“Is that what happened?”
“I’d always thought or rather hoped that he’d wanted to know me and have a relationship but that we’d moved around so much that he had no idea how to find me. But no, that’s not what happened.”
Megan poured more wine into his glass as if knowing that his revelation wasn’t an easy one to make. But then again, she’d had children with a deadbeat who didn’t want the responsibility of being a father, so she probably suspected how a surprise meeting with a man and his unwanted child had gone.
“At first he said he didn’t remember my mom. He denied that she’d ever been his student. He claimed to be a renowned scholar and researcher who’d never cheated on his wife in the thirty years they’d been married. And he also said that he’d never do anything unprofessional, like dating a student, especially one who was a ‘schizo.’ Then he closed the door in my face.”
Megan reached across the table and placed her hand over his in a move that was both comforting and heart stirring at the same time.
It was nice, yet it was weird, too. Here he was, telling Megan something he’d never told anyone, sharing feelings he’d kept hidden for years and being far more honest with her than he’d ever been with people who actually knew his real name.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“About him turning out to be a jerk?” Clay shrugged. “He might have denied it, but he told me a lot that day. My mom had been diagnosed as bipolar and not schizophrenic, but I’d never mentioned her mental health issues to him. So when he called her a schizo, it was obvious that he knew exactly who she was, and that he was trying to cover his ass.”
They continued to sit like that, hands clasped—as if they’d been bonded in some unexpected way.
“You know,” Megan finally said, “people always tell me that my kids are better off without their father, that it’s good my ex took a hike. They say that having no dad is better than having some self-absorbed, washed-up, football-playing has-been in their lives. And maybe that’s true. Maybe it was better that you never had to deal with Professor Jerkface. But that doesn’t make a father’s abandonment hurt any less.”
She hit the nail on the head, because that was exactly how Clay had felt. “It would have been one thing if I’d chosen to shut him out of my life. But when he closed the door in my face, the rejection hurt.”
“It was his loss, too. You really overcame a lot and made the most out of your life.”
Megan had no idea how far he’d come, but his dad did. Clay never liked boasting about his personal success, and with Megan not really knowing who he was, he couldn’t very well do it now. But he’d gotten the upper hand and he could give her an abbreviated version of the rest of the story.
“A few years ago, my father found out all that I’d... Well, when he heard that I worked for Geekon Enterprises and thought I might have some pull within the company, he tried to establish a relationship with me. But what he really wanted was financial backing for a new research project.”
“Did you help him?”
“I did my homework first. And through some personal contacts and a thorough internet search, I learned that he’d been fired from several teaching positions due to inappropriate contact with undergrads. And because he hadn’t done any relevant research in his field, he was becoming a laughingstock in the academic world.”
“I hope you closed the door right in his face, the way he did to you.”
Clay smiled at the feisty redhead, making a mental note to always stay on her good side. “I would have if he’d have even had the decency to come see me in person. Unfortunately, I had to settle for hanging up on him and telling Zo
e to block all his calls.”
“That was a smart move.” Clay didn’t tell her that he’d authorized Geekon Enterprises to fund several similar research projects at competing universities, knowing that other professors getting national acclaim for discoveries his father wanted to make would be the nail in the man’s career coffin.
At that point, Tyler returned to the dining room carrying a tray of cupcakes. “We finished in the kitchen. And Lisa said I could have her dessert if she can watch her dumb girls’-basketball show first. So I’m going to take Pancho outside to play a little bit.” Then he snagged two of the small frosted cakes and sprinted out the door, Pancho fast on his heels.
Thank goodness for the interruption. If Clay wasn’t careful, he’d be dumping even more on Megan, hoping for more of those doe-eyed gazes or those sympathetic touches.
And if truth be told, he’d much rather be lying on the floor with her, tangled up in computer cords and wondering how to hide his ever-growing arousal.
He was also going to have to hide his raw and ragged emotions from her, too. She had a way of stirring up the feelings he’d successfully tamped down years ago. And he could really use a little break from her sympathetic gaze, as well as her gentle touch.
“Do you mind if I talk to Tyler now?” he asked.
“No, not at all. Please do.”
Clay got to his feet and headed for the sliding door Tyler and the dog had just used, determined to put some distance between him and Megan before he began to believe his name really was Peyton Johnson.
* * *
Megan had never met a man as open and as honest as Peyton. Just talking to him this evening, when he’d laid his heart open, had touched something deep inside of her. It was enough to make her rethink her decision about not getting involved with another man until her kids were older and had moved out on their own.
But how could she consider lowering her guard around him when she knew he’d be leaving soon?
And why was she even fantasizing about a relationship with him when he hadn’t made any move in that direction? Well, other than a few heated glances and that tumble to the floor earlier today.
Peyton hadn’t mentioned where he lived, although she suspected it might be Houston, since that was the office that had sent him to Brighton Valley. He’d also mentioned having Zoe block his calls from his father.
Did that mean his job at the corporate office was so important that he had his own personal secretary? Or did Zoe assist several different employees in that capacity?
Either way, it sounded as though Peyton was pretty much entrenched with the Houston office. So what were the chances of him moving to Brighton Valley?
Slim to none, she’d bet.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering what her life might be like if she and Peyton were to strike up a romantic relationship.
Of course, if he wasn’t going to settle in town permanently, that wasn’t going to do her any good. So she’d better stop wasting her time thinking about it.
Instead she’d focus on how happy she was that he’d taken an interest in Tyler. The poor kid could sure use a male influence in his life, especially since he’d never bonded with his father.
At first she’d assumed Todd wasn’t comfortable with newborns. And then she’d blamed it on him being too busy with his studies and playing college football. And when a career in the NFL never panned out and he had to get a regular job, she’d chalked it up to the two of them having no common interests. But Todd hadn’t bonded with Lisa, either.
The truth was, Todd Redding hadn’t cared about anyone but himself. And trying to create a family and a home with him had been an impossible dream from the get-go.
When the sliding door eased open and Peyton returned to the dining room, their eyes met, and her pulse rate slipped into overdrive. For a moment, a world of romantic possibilities opened up, but she decided not to pin her heart on any of them.
“How’d it go?” she asked.
“Okay. I asked him about that slight bruise and the small scratch I’d seen on his face earlier. He said it happened while he was chasing the dog. But on the outside chance someone’s still teasing him, I showed him some defensive moves, like my buddy once taught me. I think it’ll give him a little confidence.”
“Thank you, Peyton. You have no idea how much I appreciate your help.”
Before either of them could comment further, Tyler entered the house, the dog tagging along behind him. “I have a question for you. Since you work for Geekon and Zorba’s, I was wondering if you knew Clay Jenkins.”
Peyton stiffened, and Megan wondered why. Did it bother him to be reminded of the home office and that his days in Brighton Valley were coming to an end? She hoped so, because it was bothering her more than she cared to admit.
“Why do you want to know about him?” Peyton narrowed his gaze, then rubbed his chin, much the way her grandpa used to stroke his beard when he pondered a perplexing question.
“Because I have to do a report on a hero of mine, and I was going to do it on Bill Gates or Steve Jobs or someone like that. But I was thinking that maybe I should write about Clay Jenkins since he’s the guy my mom works for. And since you might even know him personally.”
“I...uh, know who he is,” Peyton said.
“What’s he like?”
Peyton’s stance eased, and his lips quirked into a slow grin. “Clay’s a lot like you—not always respected by his peers, but he’s much brighter than they are. He’s also loyal to his friends and determined to succeed. But I think you’d be better off doing that report on Bill Gates, especially since you’re taping that special about him on TV tonight.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”
As Tyler left the room, Peyton turned to Megan and crossed his arms. Then he averted his gaze and scanned the dining room.
“You have a nice house,” he said. “It’s homey. And a great place to raise kids.”
“Thanks. This was my grandparents’ house, so I spent a lot of time here when I was growing up. I learned to cook, bake, can fruit and make jam here. And after my grandparents died, they left the house to my mom. She and my stepdad are traveling, so I’m house-sitting.”
“You don’t actually live here?” he asked.
Moving home after her divorce had been a necessity and not something she was eager to admit. But since Todd hadn’t fulfilled his obligation to pay child support, and she’d refused to go to his wealthy family and ask for their assistance, she’d had no other choice.
“Yes, we live here. And until my mom and stepdad get back, which probably won’t be until Christmas or early next year, we have the house to ourselves.”
“Well, you’re doing a fine job of keeping the home fires burning. A guy could find himself getting way too cozy here.” He smiled, then glanced at his wristwatch. “It’s getting late, so I’d better head back to the apartment. Thanks so much for having me over for dinner. It was the best meal I’ve had in ages. In fact, I can’t remember when I’ve had better.”
“You’re welcome to join us anytime.” Gosh, had she just issued an open invitation? Not that she wanted to renege on it, but what in the world was she going to do if Peyton started coming to dinner every night?
But more important, what was she going to do when he left town for good?
She’d been so distrustful of him when he’d first arrived, but he was proving to be a good friend. She was also moved by his openness and honesty. How refreshing it was to meet a man she could trust.
As Peyton opened the door, she followed him outside. The moon was especially bright, and a light summer breeze stirred the fragrance of the orchard at night.
It also stirred the scent of his cologne, which mingled with the sparks that zinged between them whenever they were alone.
“Thanks for everything
,” she said, not going into detail but hoping he knew what was in her heart.
Peyton placed a hand along her jaw, sending a ripple of heat clean through her. As his gaze locked on to hers, his thumb caressed her cheek. “I have no business doing this.”
“Doing what?” she asked, the words coming out in a wispy, choppy breath. But she sensed what he meant, what he was about to do—and she welcomed it. As his lips lowered to hers, she closed her eyes and let her romantic dreams take flight.
Chapter Nine
As their lips met, Megan slipped her arms around Peyton’s neck, kissing him slowly at first, as if they were teenagers testing the waters of sexual attraction. But the shyness didn’t last long.
The moment their tongues met, she leaned into him, losing herself in his arms, in his taste. And within a couple of heartbeats, the kiss exploded with passion.
Maybe it was the fact that she’d been celibate for so long. Or maybe it was because Peyton was such an amazing kisser who promised to be an even better lover.
At this point, the only thing that really mattered was that she wanted more from Peyton than she’d ever imagined she would. And she didn’t want this kiss to ever end.
She had no idea how long they stood outside, wrapped in each other’s arms, breaths mingling, hands caressing, exploring. It seemed that she was caught up in something much bigger, much stronger than she’d anticipated. But she finally drew her mouth from his just so she could take a breath. Yet she continued to hold him tightly, to rest her cheek against his.
“I...uh...” Peyton blew out a ragged breath. “Well, if I’d known how nice your good-night kiss was going to be, I would have told you I had to leave sooner than this.”
She smiled. “I didn’t expect it to be so nice, either.”
“Neither did I, but I’m glad it happened.”
So was she. Now all she had to do was figure out what sharing a knee-weakening, breath-stealing heated kiss like that meant—and what she wanted to do about it.
She’d known that she was sexually attracted to him. But she’d never guessed that they would have the kind of chemistry that would set the night on fire.
