Somewhat.
Not even.
Argh!Axel is a big part of my newfound quest for love, but he’s not the only reason I’m not looking at four figure dresses with love hearts in my eyes. Occasionally a man with the same letters in his name as Axel makes an appearance.
For the most part, I’ve spent the last twelve months without my heart in tatters. Isaac’s empire and our joint business adventure has kept my mind so occupied, it’s rare for me to catch a moment of quiet. I did what all good businesswoman do: I kept my head down and my bum up. My heavy grind was working. I opened a little office in my hometown, settled into my role of aunty without a single hive breaking out on my skin, and I even aided in preparing Luca’s memorial.
It was a good day spent with family and friends as I remembered the boy I once loved. . . until a blast from the past forgot the significance of the day.
When Alex’s name popped up on the caller ID in my office, I nearly didn’t answer his call. I had taken the day off, and was only there to gather the check I was donating in memory of Luca to an LGBT support group for teens founded at our local high school. I should have ignored Alex’s call as I have many times the past twelve months, but for just a second, I wanted to pretend our time together wasn’t all a lie, that at one stage he did care for me.
How wrong was I?
He wasn’t calling to offer his condolences on what he knew was my darkest day. He wanted me to stop petitioning the courts to throw out his badly compiled warrant requests.
I’m not denying his office’s requests to speak with Isaac because I’m a vindictive bitch who prefers spending her weekends preparing motions instead of cuddling my nephew, but Alex gives me no choice. Nothing he’s brought forward is enough to convince either a judge or myself that Isaac has something to answer for, meaning, my client has no reason to comply with his numerous requests to attend prearranged interviews.
I can’t spell it out any simpler than that.
Add Alex’s contact with my sister’s wish to return to her studies sooner than the original twelve months she had planned when Axel was born, and you have the perfect recipe for a shit four weeks. My mom is stoked Raquel hasn’t given up her dreams to be a trauma surgeon even after having a baby. My dad. . . he’s also happy, until he realized the return of her studies meant moving away from home for the second time in her life. This time, she would take the apple of his eye right along with her.
It’s been a tough four weeks, and I thought a heavy dose of retail therapy would fix it.
Once again, how wrong was I?
I press my phone close to my ear as I pace to the perfume counter. I have enough dresses and shoes to fill a castle, but I’m sure there are a few vacant spots on my vanity for a nice bottle of perfume or two.
While recalling Axel’s delicious baby scent, I suggest, “It could be Axel’s teeth making him grumpy? I read that babies get grizzly around his age.”
Raquel’s sigh shifts from one filled with suspicion to one teeming with glee. “I still can’t believe you read all those mother-to-be books.”
Her words jut out as though she is rocking Axel while talking to me. I wouldn’t be surprised. Any time he’s in my arms, I naturally rock. It must be an inbuilt mechanism all females have for blood-related children. I never did it before Axel. Just looking at strangers’ babies made me want to buy a chastity belt. I don’t get that same skin-crawling feeling when I peer at Axel’s adorable face. He makes me soft and gooey. I’d fucking hate it if I didn’t love him so much.
“Someone had to read them,” I say with a laugh, getting back to our conversation. “If I didn’t, I would have assumed you peed your pants in the middle of our flight.”
Raquel laughs. “God, did you see the pilot’s face when you asked him to fly faster? He almost had a coronary.”
“I don’t blame him. You’re nasty when you’re in labor.”
Raquel scoffs. “Hey! It hurt—a lot.I swear I had phantom pains the entire trip to Ravenshoe last month.”
I laugh to hide my grimace. Out of all the towns in the world, she chose to finish her studies in Ravenshoe. I know why she picked it. Isaac and his business partner/best friend are building a metropolis that includes one of the most state of art hospitals you’ll find on this side of the country. She’ll learn a lot, but I wish she had picked a town I wouldn’t hesitate visiting. I haven’t been back to Ravenshoe since I convinced her abortion wasn’t her only option.
“Hey, speaking of Ravenshoe, how many men did you leave hanging here? I’m getting eyeballed, and it’s not the usual scrutiny I’m accustomed to.”
I love the haughtiness in her tone. Raquel is hot. She knows it. I know it. And within a few days, every resident of Ravenshoe knew it.
“I’m not you, Raquel. My dates barely branched out from my battery operated boyfriends.”
She makes a gagging noise.
“Let’s see if you’re still gagging when you test out the surprises I packed in your overnight bag.”
“You didn’t.” Her breathing picks up as feet padding across carpet sound down the line. “Where did you put them?”
I grin at her eagerness. “Sheesh, for someone not interested in sex toys, you sound rather excited.”
“Shut up and tell me where they are. It’s been nearly a year since I’ve. . .” She muffles her phone, worried Axel will remember our conversation for years to come. “. . .had sex. I’m dying over here.”
