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It had freaked her out, but she had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that theirs was a love that had stood the test of time.
She respected and admired it, but didn’t believe in it. Her love scenes were gritty and rough and heartfelt in her books, but it wasn’t from personal experience. She had a vivid imagination and used it well. Finishing the water, she tossed it and went back into the living room. A drink of wine and then a shower to clear the cobwebs, she decided.
*****
“I’m giving you an in.”
Brady stopped pacing the length of the large, comfortable office to stare at the man behind the desk. Sydney Randall was an imposing six-foot three inches man with brown hair threaded with gray and an attractive face. He was CEO of Randall Investment and sat behind his baronial desk, he cut quite a figure.
“This is for your benefit and we both know it.” Brady told him wryly, the slight British accent slipping through his deep voice. He’d been sent to school in England when he was a thirteen-year-old boy, only coming back for vacations.
Those had become few and far between because he’d found the rambling brick house, cold and uninviting. Now he was back and trying to get the hang of things.
“You’re still in love with her and you can’t tell me otherwise.”
He shrugged, walking over to pour himself a drink from the silver decanter. “She just sees me as her friend. It’s been like that since we were little.”
“Going away hasn’t made a difference.” Sighing softly, Sydney leaned back in his comfortable chair and stared at his son. “It’s ironic, isn’t it?” He shook his head in wonder. “I fell in love with Michelle the first time I laid eyes on her.”
“Grandpa broke that up. He didn’t want you marrying a black woman, much less one who was a model.”
“No.” Sydney closed his eyes briefly at the pain. “He threatened to disinherit me and said he’d make life a living hell for her. It wouldn’t have mattered about me, but I couldn’t have him throwing the spokes in her career.”
“Now you want us to come full circle.” Brady tossed back the drink and poured another.
“Will she agree to it?”
Leaning his head back, Sydney took a deep breath. “Michelle was diagnosed with cancer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“That’s what’s going to get Macayla to agree.”
Brady eyed him with a frown. “Is this a genuine illness- “
“I’d never use something like that to get my way.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Taking the scotch with him, Brady walked over to sit on one of the chairs facing the desk.
“No.” The response was made in a flat tone of voice. “I love Michelle and that will always be the case. We spent years sneaking around to be with each other and now we’re both free, there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“Why not?”
“She’s ill, son, and over the years, she’s been disillusioned. I feel responsible that we wasted years being with other people when all the time we just wanted each other.” He stared at his son. “Your mother-“ He shook his head.
“Don’t think you should spare my feelings.” Brady’s lips curled in distaste. “She never loved us, having me was just a duty she was forced to do. She was never a mother to me-“ Brady took a sip of the scotch to wash away the bitter taste in his mouth. “You stayed in a miserable marriage for almost thirty years. What the hell for?”
"The stipulations in the will." Sydney wanted a drink himself but his day hadn’t ended yet and he had some things to cover. "We had to stay married or the reins of the company would have gone to a distant cousin. I was already married to your mother and Michelle was also married.
There was no reason to rock that particular boat. Your mother was drawn into the mess as well. She never wanted to get married at all. It was just a duty, as the daughter of a wealthy and ruthless man, she had to perform. She did as she was told."
"And ended up resenting both of us." Brady shook her head. "How can a mother not love her own child?"
"She wasn’t capable of emotion having been brought up in a household where love was lacking. She wouldn’t let me touch her. Even after I decided we were in this together, she kept her distance. She’d performed her duty as my wife and produced an heir. That was it for her."
"You kept on seeing Michelle?"
His father eyed him without the slightest ounce of regret. "We love each other and at first we tried to fight it, but it wouldn’t go away."
