New Beginnings (Forever and Always #15)

by E. L. Todd

  “Promise me. Even if Cassandra leaves you for someone else or does something unspeakable, promise me you won’t behave that way again. I’m not always going to be there to help you, Mike.”

  I closed my eyes for a moment, hating myself for the way I acted when Cassandra broke my heart. I became a man I despised. Before, I used to be that way because I didn’t know what else to do. But that time, I did it on purpose. I purposely sunk that low. I said and did unspeakable things. I wasn’t an honorable man like my father was. I brought him shame. My dad was a mountain you could never move. I needed to be the same way.

  “Promise me,” he said louder.

  “I promise,” I whispered.

  “And you better keep it.”

  “I will.”

  “Because you got two other people to think about now.”

  “I know, Dad.”

  He patted my shoulder. “And maybe more someday.”

  “I hope so.”

  He opened the door and got out. “Goodnight.”

  “Night.”

  “And Mike?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m very proud of you.” He gave me a serious look before he shut the door and walked back into the house.

  I took a deep breath then drove back home, thinking about everything my father said long and hard. I was going to be a dad. And I promised myself I would be the best father I could be—just like him.

  8

  Sean

  I picked up a few pregnancy tests on my way home from work. I’d been working my ass off to knock up my wife but nothing had happened yet. I didn’t mind having sex with her all the time, but I wanted to have sex with her while she was pregnant. Now, that was hot.

  I came home and kissed my wife like I always did.

  “How was work?” she asked.

  I shrugged. “Whatever.” I opened the bag. “I got you a few pregnancy tests.”

  “I just had my period not too long ago.”

  “Just take one. It doesn’t hurt, right?”

  She gave me a firm look. “Sean, it’ll happen. Don’t stress about it.”

  “I’m not stressing,” I said. “I just want to make sure.”

  She took the bag and placed it on the counter. “I’ll take one in a little while.”

  “Take one now,” I said impatiently.

  She glared at me. “I can’t pee on command.”

  “Actually, you can. Everyone can.”

  “Well, I don’t have to pee right now.” She took a pan out of the oven and set it on the table.

  “What’s for dinner?” I asked.

  “Eggplant parmesan.”

  Scarlet made three vegetarian meals a week so my dad’s cholesterol wouldn’t go up. He was fairly healthy, but Scarlet was a stickler for that sort of thing.

  I looked at my watch. “Time for a quickie before dinner?”

  “It can wait.”

  I growled.

  “Don’t growl at me.” She had a playful smile on her lips.

  I grabbed her hip and pressed my mouth to her ear. I growled again.

  She tried to squirm out of my grasp but didn’t put up much of a fight. I liked playing games with her. She pretended to hate it but I knew she secretly loved it. “Stop.”

  I growled again. “You’re mine later. I’m going to eat you alive.”

  My dad came into the kitchen wearing a suit and tie.

  “Aren’t you a little dressed up for dinner?” I teased.

  “Actually, I won’t be joining you.” He fixed his Rolex. “But save me some for later.” He headed to the door.

  Where was my dad going? He never left the house in the evening. I hoped he was going to my mom’s house for dinner or something. “Wait up, old man.”

  “Yeah?” he asked.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Out.”

  “Out?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Out where?”

  He shrugged. “With some friends.”

  “You don’t have any friends.”

  “Yes, I do,” he said defensively.

  “But you only golf with them or talk money.”

  He shifted his weight like he was uncomfortable. “I’ll see you when I get back.”

  “Hold on.” I sauntered closer to him. “What are you up to?”

  “Sean, leave him alone,” Scarlet said. “He’s a grown man and can come and go as he pleases.”

  “Thank you,” Andrew said to her.

  “Nope, this is my house and my rules,” I said. “And I want to know where you’re going.”

  My dad smiled. “Payback is a bitch, isn’t it?”

  “Yep.” I stared him down. “Now tell me where you’re going.”

  “I’d rather not say…”

  He was going to my mom’s. I knew it. They were going to hook up because they were disgusting and missed each other. My evil plan had worked. “Too bad.”

  “Sean, leave your father alone,” Scarlet said.

  “I’ve always liked her more than you,” Andrew teased.

  “Spill it, old man.”

  He sighed. “I’m…kinda…going on a date.”

  What? “You mean with Mom?”

  He put his hands in his pockets. “No.”

  What? He was going out with another woman? What the fuck? “What about mom? I thought you said you wouldn’t move on for a long time? Dad, you can’t do this.”

  “It’s not what you think,” he said. “It’s just dinner. When we’re done, I’ll come back home and that’s it. Actually, it’s not even a date. It’s just a thing with a friend.”

  “People having sex after dinner is a date.” I was practically screaming at my dad.

  “I’m not having sex with her,” he snapped. “And don’t talk to me like that. I don’t care if you’re the owner of this house. You will respect me and not talk to me like that.”

  Scarlet placed her hand on my shoulder. “Sean, calm down.”

  “Mom is sitting home all alone. Why don’t you have dinner with her?”

  He gave me a sympathetic look. “Sean, I know this is hard for you. But you need to understand that your mother and I are never getting back together. I love her and I always will, but it just isn’t going to work.”

  It took all my strength not to open my mouth and blurt my mom’s secret.

  “I’m just having dinner with this woman, and that’s it. Nothing more. You can calm down.”

  “Then why are you even going?” My voice was quiet but it contained my menace.

  “I got sucked into it,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll be home in a few hours.”

  “If it’s just dinner, why are you wearing a suit?”

  “Well, we’re going somewhere nice.”

  “Like where?” I said.

  “That new steakhouse that just opened by the office, Charlie’s. We’re going there.”

  I kept my mouth shut and stared him down.

  “I’ll be home soon.” He walked out and shut the door.

  Scarlet rubbed my shoulders. “Sean, it’ll be okay.”

  “How can he go out with someone else? They’ve only been divorced for a few weeks.”

  She grabbed my face and forced me to look at her. “You know how your father is. He’s one of the greatest and most honorable men I know. I’m sure there’s a reason why he’s doing this but he can’t tell us.”

  “There’s no reason why he’d be going on a date unless he wanted to get laid.”

  “Sean,” she said firmly. “Calm down.”

  I grabbed my jacket and put it on.

  “What are you doing?”

  “We’re having dinner at Charlie’s.”

  “What?” Her eyes were wide. “Sean, leave him alone. This is his business so stay out of it.”

  “No.”

  She grabbed my arm. “Sean, I mean it.”

  “You coming with me or not?” I was so angry I was seeing red.

  “Don’t do this.”

  “
Then I’ll ask Ryan to have dinner with me.”

  She sighed in annoyance. “Fine. I’ll go.”

  I put her jacket over her shoulders and we left the house. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I felt compelled to intervene. I couldn’t help but wonder if my dad would still be doing this if he knew the truth about my mother. Maybe I should just tell him. What if he fell in love with this woman and he never got back together with my mom? I had to do something. I had to tell him.

  We got a table in the corner so I could see the entire restaurant. If he sat anywhere, I’d see him.

  Scarlet looked pissed from across the table. “We shouldn’t be here.”

  I ignored her.

  She tried a different tactic. She trailed her fingers over the top of my hand. “Let’s have sex in the car.”

  “Not right now.”

  She sighed. “You’re too far gone.”

  “I’m going to tell him about my mom.”

  She gave me a firm look. “Your mom said no, Sean.”

  “I don’t care. What if he falls in love with this lady?”

  “After one date?” she asked incredulously. “And Andrew made it sound like there wouldn’t be a second one.”

  ‘That’s not the point,” I hissed. “He shouldn’t be on a date.”

  She sighed and leaned back. “I give up. We could be having sex all over the house but you’d rather spy on your dad, a grown man.”

  I ignored her and watched the entrance.

  I finally spotted my dad walk in with a pretty brunette. She held herself like someone who had lived many years, but she still looked fairly young. By my guess, she was a few years younger than my dad. The fact she was attractive irritated me.

  My father pulled out the chair for her then sat beside her, being a gentleman, like always.

  “Jackass,” I muttered.

  Scarlet turned around watched their table. “Sean, we’re spying. It’s wrong.”

  I drank my wine and watched them like a hawk.

  The waitress took our order and I picked the first thing I saw on the menu, not wanting to take my eyes off my dad.

  “What are you expecting to see? Them going at it on the table?” Scarlet asked.

  “I’d better not see that.” The woman was sitting next to him at the square table, not directly across from him. I didn’t like how close she was. She held her back perfectly straight and kept smiling at him. Her hair was lustrous and silky. My dad stared at her face and nodded every so often when she said something.

  I didn’t like her.

  Then she placed her hand on his thigh under the table. My dad’s eyes widened slightly but he hid his surprise quickly. And he didn’t push her hand away.

  “Bitch,” I muttered.

  “What?” Scarlet asked.

  “She has her hand on his thigh. Slut.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “It’s not like she’s giving him a handy under the table.”

  I didn’t want to yell at my wife but it was hard not to. I knew she was trying to be logical, but I was too upset to listen. “Could you just be quiet for a little while?”

  She glared at me with venom before she shut her mouth and avoided my look.

  I knew I’d pay for that later.

  I kept watching my dad. When they had their dinner, she stuck her fork into his steak and ate off his plate. The more I watched them, the more I realized this wasn’t a first date. “They aren’t acting like they just met each other.”

  Scarlet gave me a look of hatred but didn’t speak.

  “She’s eating off his plate and touching him like they’ve already fucked.” My brain was in overdrive. “Shit, do you think they’ve been fucking for a while? What if that’s the real reason my dad wanted the divorce? What if he was cheating on my mom?”

  “Sean, do you have any idea how crazy you sound? That theory goes against everything your father stands for. It doesn’t even match his character. And he’s home all day and night with me. When he would he have time to have a woman on the side?”

  “Well, he’s acting like he knows her pretty damn well.”

  “Maybe they used to go out a long time ago,” she reasoned.

  I shook my head. “Since college? No. My dad doesn’t have any girlfriends.”

  “You still shouldn’t make any assumptions.”

  I eyed her hand. “She’s practically touching his crotch.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re seeing things.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  She rubbed her temples then ate more of her food, clearly annoyed with me. I didn’t eat my food because I was too busy staring.

  When the check came to their table, I watched my dad slip his card inside. I waved down my waitress and demanded the check immediately so I could follow them outside.

  “What are you going to do?” Scarlet asked. “Follow them? I think your dad will notice a red Ferrari behind him on a deserted road.”

  “You let me worry about that.”

  “This is ridiculous…”

  The waitress brought us the tab and I threw the money inside. Just when I looked up, they were walking out the door.

  “Come on,” I said to Scarlet. I took her hand and pulled her up.

  “Can I get my to-go box?”

  “No.” I pulled her out of the restaurant and spotted them get into his Jeep. They were both laughing as he started the engine.

  I waved down a cab and got inside. “Sean, this car ride is going to cost a fortune.”

  “Don’t worry about that.”

  I sat near the window. “Follow that white Jeep.”

  “Okay,” the driver said.

  I leaned over and checked Scarlet’s safety belt. Mine didn’t work and I had to make sure hers was functional. Otherwise, we’d have to get a different cab. Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window, hating me.

  We followed the car until it reached a large Spanish style house. It was a mansion, bigger than the house I shared with Scarlet.

  “Wait for me to get back,” I said to the driver.

  “The meter still runs.”

  “Fine.” I turned to Scarlet. “Baby, stay here.”

  She stared out the window and pretended I didn’t exist.

  I snuck up the driveway until I could see the front door. My father was standing with her, his hands in his pockets. They were talking but I couldn’t hear what they said.

  She stepped closer to him then wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips pressed to his and I wanted to gag. It was disgusting. Who would want to kiss my dad? His hands moved around her waist and he returned her embrace, kissing her for a long time.

  I felt the betrayal explode inside me. My mom was sick and unable to control her own actions. He should know that. If he did, he wouldn’t be having a make out session on the front porch.

  The woman opened the front door and stepped inside. But when my dad walked in, I wanted to scream. I knew what would happen next. Without thinking, I dashed to the front door and stopped in front of it.

  What do I do? Do I knock?

  A red light blinked in the corner. I wasn’t sure what it was, an alarm?

  “Who is it?” the intercom went off.

  I looked at the speaker and raised an eyebrow. How did she know I was here? I pressed the button. “I’m here to see my dad.”

  “You have the wrong house.”

  “No,” I snapped. “He’s the man you just walked inside with.”

  She didn’t respond.

  The front door opened and my dad looked at me like I was crazy. “What are you doing here? How did you even know where I was?”

  “Dad, you shouldn’t be with that whore. You should be with Mom.”

  His eyes widened and he shut the door behind him. “Keep your voice down.”

  “No.” I was so upset I was shaking. “How could you do this to her?”

  “Sean, you don’t understand what’s going on right now. I’ll explain everythi
ng later.”

  “Fuck you, Dad.”

  He stiffened at my words. His entire body tensed and a dark look came into his eyes. He hardly ever got mad, but I knew he was pissed right now. “Talk to me like that again, and I will throw your ass to the ground.”

  Even though I was an adult, I still got scared of him.

  “Leave her property. Now.”

  “No.”

  He stepped closer to me, like he’d grab me by the neck and strangle me. My dad never hit me, but I’ve never pushed him like this. “I know you’re upset right now. But your behavior is inappropriate. If you knew what was really going on, you’d feel like shit. I suggest you have a little faith in me and let me explain myself before jumping to conclusions.”

  “I’d seen enough to jump to conclusions,” I spat. “Mom has cancer.”

  His body completely changed. It relaxed like he’d just lost all ability to move. “What?”

  I was so mad that I didn’t care if I was breaking her secret. “She has a tumor in her head. That’s why she’s been acting so crazy lately. But she finally went to the doctor and got medication for it. That’s why she’s been back to normal.”

  My dad’s eyes were wide but he was speechless. He held his breath for a full minute before he finally came around. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “She wanted to win you back on her own. But if you’re going to screw some woman, I had to stop you before you made the biggest mistake of your life.”

  His eyes watered but no tears fell. He breathed heavily, like he just ran a marathon. He walked in a circle than came back to me. “I have to go…” He looked lost, like he didn’t know which way was up or down. He turned back to the house, but the door was already open. The woman was standing there.

  “I’m sorry. My wife—”

  “I know,” she said gently. She touched his shoulder. “It’s okay. I heard what he said.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said again. “I…I have to go.”

  “I will keep our agreement.”

  What agreement?

  “Bye.” My dad turned away and headed back to the car.

  I followed him. “Dad, what are you doing?”

  “I need to see your mother.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.”

  Since I already explained her secrecy, I didn’t say anything more.

  “Is she going to be okay?” He was a wreck at this point. Tears were falling from his eyes. He acted like he lost the whole world.