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“I’m at your house daily, but you’ve never visited mine,” he mentioned, when he pulled into his garage. They slid out of the car. He disarmed the alarm and opened a door, letting her pass ahead. “We’re going through the laundry room and kitchen.”
She surveyed the place, surprised to find it so neat. “You have a sparkling kitchen.”
He chuckled. “Obviously… I never cook. Can I get you a drink?”
“A coke if you have one.”
Curious, she stepped into the living room furnished with an expensive leather couch and chairs, dark wood cocktail and side tables, and a credenza adorned by three frames showing the happy family at different times. His wife had been so attractive with a shining smile that won over all hearts.
Erin was surprised he’d been able to bury the past and turn the page so easily, while she still bemoaned the plane crash and had mourned her husband until recently.
Crossing the living room and a small dining room, with the two cans in his hands, he preceded her to a spacious room with bay windows. “This is our family room, the place I use the most. I moved my desk in here to supervise Brianna when she plays or watches TV.” He dropped onto the dark gray couch and indicated the place next to him.
Glancing right and left to locate the doors, she slowly lowered herself as he watched her with a frown.
“Relax. I’m not going to assault you or rape you.” He snorted and snapped open the two cans, setting them on the cocktail table with a bang. “I just wanted to chat with you, without you jumping up every five minutes to check on a child. If you’re so uncomfortable with me, we can leave.”
“No, no. It’s okay. I just thought…” A shiver skated down her spine. “Huh, that you brought me here to… huh…”
“What? To undress you and sleep with you?” He hissed, hardly containing his anger.
The scowl wrinkling his forehead, the redness of his cheeks, and his hoarse voice scared her. She’d never seen her mild, easy-going friend so furious. “Tim, you sound so upset.”
“I am.” He moved his hand down her back, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. “I never expected you to have such a lousy opinion of me.” Stepping away from her, he guzzled half of the soda in his can.
“I don’t, Tim.” She bounced off the couch and held his arm. “I trust you more than anyone. I admire you and respect your opinions, and I was very miserable away from you. Please don’t resent me, I’m so confused.”
“It’s all right. Sorry, I lost my patience.” He brought her against him and caressed her hair, his scent of lemon enveloping her. “Tell me about yourself. Your mother said your father left when you were young.”
“My father?” With a shrug, she eased away from Tim and flopped down on the couch. Crossing her arms, she locked an insistent gaze on him and sighed. “I never saw my father after he left. By contrast, I was often with his parents. My grandparents adored me and spoiled me rotten. They sent me to private schools, ballet, piano, and tennis lessons. During the Christmas vacation, I skied with them in Colorado and Utah, or cruised in the Caribbean. In summer, we traveled to Europe, visited two or three countries every year.”
“And your mother?” Listening eagerly, Tim sat next to her.
Apparently, Tim wanted to know more about her and her past. Did he think he could understand her better? Determined not to hide anything, she answered his question honestly.
“Mom never came with us. She was working in a pastry shop and couldn’t take time off. Besides, I doubt that they’d ever invited her. When I was older, we went as far as Australia and New Zealand, and cruised to the Far East.”
Happy memories flooded her heart, and she smiled.
Tim listened to her intently. “It looks like you had an interesting and fun time with your grandparents.”
“A lot of fun. In exchange they insisted I should study hard and make them proud. I did, until I met Ben during my sophomore year in college. I got pregnant and dropped out to marry him. They were so angry, they refused to attend our wedding or meet my children. Gramp died a year later. I went to his funeral. Granny cried the whole time accusing me of causing his heart attack and trying to convince me to leave Ben. She was ready to take care of David if I went back to college. I refused. Five years later, she died of cancer. I couldn’t go to her funeral. It was the week I delivered Debbie.”
Tears filled her eyes. She lowered her head, remembering the wonderful old couple who’d loved her so much. “I disappointed them. Unfortunately, I seem to disappoint the people who care for me, my mother, my grandparents, Ben when I got pregnant with the twins, and now you.”
“Sweetheart, you never disappointed me. You’re overwhelmed with responsibilities. It’s amazing you can handle so much. As for Ben, if he didn’t want any more kids, he should have taken precautions.”
“No, it wasn’t his fault. We’d decided to stop after Debbie. Becky was an unplanned mistake, but a beautiful one. I was so happy to have a baby in my arms again, I wanted another. I let him believe I was on the pill. He was furious and insisted I have an abortion. When I refused, he left the house for a week. When he came home, he said he’d never touch me again. And he never did. He took a new job, traveled a lot, hardly talked to me, and gave me very little money for house expenses. I started working nightshifts to help support the family and asked Mom to stay with the children on the nights when Ben was away.”
She was grateful Tim didn’t comment and didn’t ask any questions about Ben.
“I’m sorry.” He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back with a soothing hand.
Typical Tim. A generous man who would always offer his support, but she didn’t want pity anymore. She would rather bask in his passion had she not shattered it with her attitude.
Talking about her past cleared the chaos in her mind and brought back the hurt she’d inflicted on her grandparents. She would be devastated if David or Rachelle abandoned her to follow a young lover and ruin their future.
As for Ben, she wasn’t sure she’d forgiven his defection. He’d left her tired, deprived, and depressed when she’d so badly needed him, while Tim immediately had found different ways to help without offending her pride.
