It was the nicest t-shirt I owned.
Hil and I had been summoned to the mansion for a family dinner.
We both made it very clear we weren’t coming alone.
I had no problem showing Belle off and I knew she could sit there and handle the life of Samson and Vanessa.
But Vera?
Now that’s going to be a treat.
Then again, Vera was a rich girl. She knew how to act when it came to wealthy settings. It was a little strange how a part of me hoped she would do something psycho. Just to spice up the evening a little.
Uly and Mara had taken off to have a night alone together on the beach.
There was never truly a sense of calmness when it came to life, BFH and everything that went along with it.
That included Mac.
I had no idea what the real story was with Liam.
But I knew I had stepped over the line. Mac had warned me not to. But I did.
Which meant I was due for a little check in from Mac and BC.
That would come soon enough, I was sure.
Tonight was about family.
Or something like family.
I drove Belle to the mansion and met Hil there.
Vera was in a black, sleek dress that sparkled. It was definitely her style. And even though it was kind of tight, it was better than watching her walk around in panties without a care in the world.
Hil wore the same tux that he wore to Belle’s mother’s engagement party.
Belle and I were nowhere near dressed like that.
“Well done, bro,” I said to Hil.
Hil put his arm around Vera. “I’m taking my girl out.”
“You’re taking her home to meet your parents,” I said.
“I can’t wait for this,” Vera said.
“Me too,” Belle said.
We walked up the steps to the house and Vanessa opened the door.
“Oh, Philip,” she said with a sigh.
“Wow, thanks for that,” Hil said. “I dressed up for you. So did Vera.”
“Lovely to meet you,” Vanessa said. She shook hands with Vera. “Is my son paying you to be here tonight? If so, I’ll double the money so you can go home.”
“How much are we talking here?” Vera asked.
Vanessa smiled and then set her eyes on Hil.
Hil just smiled back, nodding, knowing that he had met the girl of his dreams.
“Good evening, Vanessa,” I said.
Vanessa smiled at me. “Ashby. Belle. You both look wonderful.”
“But not elegant like we do,” Hil said.
“Sure,” Vanessa said.
She led the way into the house.
I looked at Belle and saw her eyes. Going wide. Shocked from the sheer size of the place. The giant ceilings. The openness of the house. It seemed impossible that a house could be as big as it was.
In the kitchen, my father was making himself a drink.
“Oh, man, Philip, what are you wearing?” he asked.
“You’re a man of style, Samson,” Hil said. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”
“A tux?” My father shook his head. “The best thing about you is that pretty girl next to you.”
“I agree,” Vera said.
“Let’s go take a seat and enjoy our night,” my father said.
I didn’t even get a head nod from him.
Belle must have noticed it because she squeezed my hand.
We went into the ultra-formal dining room and sat down.
People moved in and out of the room in shifts, bringing drinks and food, like a well-oiled machine of wealth.
“How about a toast,” my father said. “To all we have right here.”
“To our family here,” Vanessa said.
“Family,” my father said. He finally looked at me. “To my son. To Ashby. To the amazing heart and mind he possesses. He’s able to see things well beyond what many of us can. Now I’m going to be a little cruel here, but in a loving way. If it wasn’t for his mother passing some of those art genes down, he would have been one hell of a lawyer. Standing by my side. But where he is now… it’s where he’s meant to be.” My father looked down at Vanessa. “And to you. My wife. The one who has shown me how to fill the gap between past and present. Something I’ve never been good at. The one who is willing to share something with me I never thought anyone ever would.”
Hil and I looked at each other.
I guess that meant things had worked themselves out.
Then we ate.
Vanessa asked a question that got the conversation rolling.
“How did you two meet?” she asked Hil and Vera.
“I sort of stalked him,” Vera said. “I wanted him bad.”
“She showed up at some shows,” Hil said. “Flirting with me. Kissing other guys to make me jealous.”
“I kissed one guy,” Vera said.
“One too many, beauty,” Hil said.
“He was hot.”
“Excuse me?” Hil asked. “He had a girlfriend.”
“Since when are you captain of the moral police,” Vera said.
“I’m just telling the truth.”
“Screw your truth. As fast as I show up is as fast as I can leave.”
“If you can find the front door,” Hil said.
Without hesitation, Vera grabbed a glass of water and threw it at Hil.
Belle gasped. “Vera…”
She looked around the table.
I smiled ear to ear.
Dinner and a show…
Hil licked his lips.
Then he looked at my father and his mother.
“We’re crazy in love,” he said.
“I can see the crazy part,” Vanessa said.
“I think I like her,” my father said. “Vera, can I have someone bring you more water?”
* * *
My father inched toward the edge of being drunk and crossed over with a hearty sip from another glass of scotch. That prompted him to want to talk about music with Hil. Asking questions he knew nothing about. Wanting to know about guitars, microphones, singing on stage, and why the hell he and Uly fucked up their offer from the record company.
Then in typical Samson fashion, he admitted that Vanessa said he needed to connect with Hil more.
And Hil being Hil, he took it in stride.
And Vera hung off of Hil like a lovesick puppy.
From the corner of my eye I saw Vanessa slowly stand up.
She motioned for the kitchen and I nodded.
“Keep Vera company for a second, angel,” I whispered to Belle. “I have to talk to Vanessa.”
“Not a problem,” Belle whispered back. “This is as fucked up as I thought it would be. I love it.”
“Good,” I said. “Enjoy it.”
I snuck away from the table.
Vanessa was in the kitchen pouring herself a glass of wine.
“I thought we should talk alone,” she said. “I know there’s a lot of questions you have for me.”
“I’m just happy you and my father seem okay.”
“We’re okay,” she said. “We’re going to go away for a little bit. Just take a vacation. The two of us. Sort of like a reset button in a way. It’s been a little hectic around here.”
“I haven’t noticed,” I said.
Vanessa smiled. “I just want you to know that everything is taken care of. Has been taken care of. And will be taken care of. I know what Belle means to you. I know what my family means to me.”
“You’re talking about someone else,” I said. “The night you showed up to the beach house.”
“See, that night is a little strange,” Vanessa said. “You were feeling bummed out and I talked to you. Not sure what someone else is thinking though. Other than that someone waking up the next morning on the beach, hungover, a little bit confused, but coming to terms with a really strange dream he had. One where he was going to pay for what he had done.”
I had never se
en the look in Vanessa’s eyes that was present when she spoke.
Dark. Scary.
But protective.
The kind of woman who would do anything for her family.
“Can I tell you a secret, Ashby?”
“Of course,” I said.
“My ex is a piece of shit,” she said. “You know that. What Lance did to me and my son… I know you know I pay him off when he shows up. I know it hurts Philip when that happens. But I need him to have that hurt. It teaches him about life. And for me? I love to see that sleaze ball beg me for money. I could get rid of him in a second, Ashby, but I like to keep him on a leash. It’s fun for me. It reminds me that if you fuck with me… well, just don’t fuck with me.”
I nodded. “Wow. I don’t know what to say to that, Vanessa. I think you might have scared me a little.”
“That’s the whole point,” she said. “So don’t worry about our little friend. Okay? He drank a lot of scotch that night. He was feeling really sorry for himself. The guilt… oh, the guilt… he almost drank himself to death. But he woke up. Don’t worry. He woke up.”
“What are we talking about in here?” my father’s voice asked as he walked into the kitchen.
“Nothing good,” Vanessa said. “Just getting to know my Ashby a little better.”
“Your Ashby, huh?” my father asked.
“He’s always been my Ashby,” Vanessa said. “I’m so lucky to have all of you. It’s a mixed up and crazy family, but it’s our family.”
My father took Vanessa’s hand. “Yes, it is.”
I moved from the counter.
“Ashby,” my father said. “I meant what I said.”
“I know you did,” I said. “I appreciate it. I don’t want to forget her. I don’t want to not know the truth.”
“You know it all,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said. “I was, uh, thinking about the beach house for some reason.” I looked at Vanessa quick. “You should sell it. Why keep it the way it is? I’m sure there’s some family out there that can use it. We’re never going to use it.”
“That’s your call,” my father said. “I know that place meant a lot to her. And to you. I know you used to sneak up there a lot. I didn’t want you to lose that.”
I walked out of the kitchen and stopped in the hallway to catch my breath.
Damn, I missed my mother.
She was far from perfect. All I ever thought about were the flaws. The flaws in her marriage to my father. The flaws that led to the accident. One or two little things that could have been changed and Liam would have sped around the curve without my mother’s SUV being in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
“Ash, are you okay?” Belle asked.
I turned my head and put my hand out. “I am now, angel. I think I need to get out of here.”
“Me too,” she said. “Hil and Vera were arguing again.”
“More water spilled?”
“She threw bread at him,” Belle said. “I think you’re right about them both being psychos.”
“Meant to be,” I said.
“Like us, right?”
I pulled Belle close.
“Definitely like us.”
* * *
An idea hit me and I piled everyone into the SUV.
Hil and Vera were still in their fancy clothes. Except Vera now put a hoodie on over the dress. She almost looked like someone’s prom date who got dumped at the dance and was desperate for anyone to just kiss her.
“We need to get Uly and Mara,” I said.
“For what, bro?” Hil asked. “I had other plans tonight.”
“Don’t worry, Vera’s going to fool around with you no matter what,” Belle said.
“That’s true,” Vera said. “Does that make me a bad person?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Fuck you, Ash,” Vera said.
“Yeah, Ash, fuck you,” Hil said. “Vera is sophisticated. She knows what she wants.”
“Sure,” I said.
Belle called Mara and told her I was on a warpath to go somewhere.
I had to drive down to the beach near where Mara lived to pick the two of them up.
They got into the SUV, forcing Hil and Vera into the back-back.
Just like our other travels together.
“This better be good,” Uly said. “Mara was just about to-”
“Shut up, Uly,” Mara said.
“Oh, no,” Hil said. “Don’t leave me hanging here. What was she about to do? Cook you dinner? Wash your hair? Suck on-”
“Hil,” Vera warned.
Hil shut up.
“Wash my hair?” Uly asked.
“I don’t know, man,” Hil said. “I don’t know what kind of weird stuff you two are into.”
“And you’ll never know,” Mara called out.
“Which means you’re into weird stuff?” Vera asked. “I knew it. The quiet dork…”
“I will fucking cut you,” Mara said to Vera.
“Whoa, Mara,” Belle said.
“She’s tired,” Uly said. “And in the mood…”
“Sorry, Mara,” I said. “This is my fault. I just wanted to do something tonight. When I get an idea, I can’t let it go. I think of something I want and I go get it.”
“Nice speech,” Hil said.
I waved my middle finger behind me as I focused on the road.
“Wait a second,” Uly said. “Hil. Vera. Why are you dressed up?”
“For fun,” Hil said.
“For fun?” Uly asked.
“Dinner,” Belle said. “They dressed up to go to-”
“Hey, I need everyone to shut up for a second,” I said.
They listened.
They all looked forward.
I slowed the SUV down.
I curled my lip.
There were headlights blocking the road.
* * *
“Oh, fuck this,” Hil said.
He climbed forward and over Mara as she screamed his name.
He was out of the SUV before I could say a word.
I looked back at Uly and we did the same thing.
I had to hurry after Hil and stop him.
“This is personal,” I said to him. “This is me and Mac. Okay?”
“I’m tired of these fucks,” Hil said. “I don’t give a fuck who they are. How tough they are.”
“Let me talk to Mac,” I said. “If shit gets touchy, jump in. Whatever.”
Uly grabbed Hil’s shoulder.
I walked away.
Mac got out of his SUV, cigarette between his lips, gently clapping his hands together.
“I’ll keep this simple,” I said. “You want to fucking get in my way again, then I’m moving you out of my way. I don’t care what you think you have to do. I’ll fucking fight you over and over and over…”
Mac took his cigarette out of his mouth. “Feel better now?”
“What do you want?”
“Just wanted to give you an update on our problem,” Mac said. “Because it is our problem, Ash. We don’t have to be enemies.”
“Then get out of my way,” I said.
“When I’m ready,” Mac said. “You’ve caught me when I’m in a good mood. That never happens. And I don’t have time for the past.”
“Neither do I.”
“Our friend got himself drunk and panicked,” Mac said. “He was freaking out. He had some kind of dream. About you.”
“About me?”
“Yeah. That you kidnapped him, tied him to a chair, and you were going to kill him. But then some woman showed up and stopped you.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” I said. “That’s exactly what happened.”
Mac stepped toward me.
He took a deep drag off his cigarette and blew the smoke in my face.
“That’s the interesting part, Ash,” Mac said. “I don’t fucking believe you. Yet I do. I don’t fucking believe Liam. Yet I do. But what I know is this… he’s still aliv
e. Which is what I needed. And he’s scared shitless. He’s afraid to go to sleep. He can’t figure out what’s a dream and what isn’t. So whatever you did, I actually applaud you for it. You broke him. But you didn’t kill him.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Dreams are crazy, Mac. Some just feel so fucking real.”
“It’s a shame too because I brought everyone with me tonight,” he said. “I really wanted to make things crazy. Really have a good fight.”
“We can still fight.”
“I like your style. Should I have Raf and Taz come out?”
“Why not?” I asked. “I’ve got Uly and Hil with me.”
Mac grabbed my shirt. “I don’t ever want to see you again.”
I punched Mac’s hand away. “The feeling is mutual, motherfucker.”
Mac dropped his cigarette.
I kicked it back toward him.
There was a second where we both squared up, waiting for the other to throw a punch.
Behind him the SUV doors opened.
Behind me I felt Hil ready to go.
But I knew what was in my SUV.
Belle, Mara, and Vera.
“Hey, Mac,” I said. “Go fuck yourself.”
“I’ll fuck something,” he said. “Someone. I’m not worried about it. Enjoy the rest of your night.”
Mac walked back to his SUV.
He got inside, all the doors shut, and he drove by us.
Hil waved his middle fingers at the SUV.
And they disappeared into the night.
I looked at Uly and Hil.
Hil pointed to me.
“If they show up again, you do what you want,” I said.
“Fine,” Hil said.
He walked to the SUV and ripped open the door.
He climbed over Mara as she screamed his name again.
When I got into the SUV, Belle grabbed my hand.
“We’re good,” I said. “I promise.”
“Ash, seriously, where are we going?” Mara asked.
“It’s worth it,” I said. “Just trust me.”
* * *
“Are you serious right now?” Belle asked.
“What?”
“You brought me here? The place where my mother had her engagement party?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Why?” Belle asked.
“Do you want me to climb another statue?” Hil asked.
ASH: a bay falls high novel Page 20
