Deception (11 page)

I can't help myself, I kiss him lightly on the neck, and he takes in a sharp breath. I close my eyes and pull him closer. We stand in the hallway without speaking. Minutes go by until he releases a long breath and shakes his head.

I lean back enough to look at him. "What's the matter?"

"Absolutely nothing. Ab―sol―ute―ly not a thing. It feels so good to finally have you in my arms again. I've waited my entire life for this moment." I smile and plant a kiss on his cheek. He pauses, looking contemplatively, and then grabs my hand and leads me back downstairs. Part of me―a very small part of me―is thankful he did because his bedroom was looking more and more appealing by the minute.

"I hope you still like lobster," he states once we reach the kitchen.

"Are you serious? We’re having lobster?" I exclaim with so much excitement.

"We’re having Surf and Turf for the main course, and a surprise for dessert." He grins.

"I haven't had lobster in so long. I'm excited we’re having lobster."

He laughs. "So I guess that means that you still like it then?"

I nod with wide eyes.

During dinner, I tell him about my visit with Attorney Greenbach. "I admire you for not agreeing to it. You have no idea how much I respect you for being the bigger person and taking the higher ground in all of that mess." He takes my hand and looks at me attentively with those eyes―those beautiful gray eyes that peer directly into my soul. I have to look away.

"I thought I'd be taking it much harder than I actually am. I can't explain why I haven't completely lost it. But I guess that I've cried enough over someone who evidently didn't even love me. I refuse to shed another tear for him. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about my dad though."

"I've spent a lot of time over the last year being downright angry with your dad. But your mom helped me to see past all the hate and realize that if two people are meant to be together, they'll find a way. I guess this is our test,” he says, winking.

"I think we've already passed." I squeeze his hand.

While clearing the table, Travis asks if I want dessert. He then takes a red velvet cake out of the refrigerator. "I know I'm twelve days late, but I haven't been able to celebrate your birthday for thirteen years, so I figure being late by only twelve days is excusable."

"You know, you’re as sweet today as you were thirteen years ago," I say, walking over to him and putting my hands around him.

"I feel like the luckiest man in the world right now," he responds, hugging me close and kissing my forehead.

I rest my head on his shoulder. "Luck has nothing to do with this, it's all fate," I whisper.

He pulls away and I'm taken aback. He bites down on his lower lip. I look at him from the corner of my eye questioningly. "I hope you don't think that I'm moving too fast, but I've waited far too long for this moment, and I feel like the years apart have just been a pause―albeit, a long pause. I found something the other day that I think you should have." He reaches into his pocket and takes my hand, opening my palm face up. He lays something in it, and my jaw drops open.

"My promise ring," I say, gasping in shock. "Where did you find it?"

"It was at your mom's house. She kept it," he responds, looking nervous and unsure.

I slide it on my finger and it fits as perfectly as it did when I was eighteen. Putting my hand up to my chest, I press it, hugging it with my other hand. Feeling a tear form, I reach out for him and wrap my arms around his shoulders. "I will never take it off again," I whisper. He pulls me in tight, wrapping his arms around my waist and I kiss his neck through tears. I pull my head away and we stand there gazing at each other. I want to kiss him so badly that my entire body aches with desire.

I can't hold back any longer. I place my hands on the sides of his face, and I plant a gentle kiss on his lips. I hear him take in a breath. He pulls me in, resting his hand on the back my head. He kisses me like I haven't been kissed in quite some time, and it's like I have my own personal fireworks show coursing through my body. I run my fingers through his hair. The touch of his lips to mine consumes me. His lips part and I feel the warmth of his tongue search mine. I get lost in his passion while his gentleness brings me back to days past.

Placing his hands on the sides of my face, he looks into my eyes and then kisses the corner of my mouth, my nose, my eyes, my forehead, my cheeks, my chin, my jaw, and my neck. I feel my knees weaken under me. "Goodness, how I've missed kissing you," he whispers.

"I've missed you," I respond, and then close my eyes, trying to find equanimity.

"I really think we should have some cake now," he remarks, distracting us from the raw desire that we’re both experiencing.

We eat cake and decide to watch a movie. I lay on the couch wrapped in his arms, and there is no place I’d rather be. He gently brushes his fingers through my hair. It must have put me to sleep because I wake up when I feel him kissing my cheek, but I don't open my eyes, I enjoy the moment. He kisses me again, and I pull my head back, exposing my neck. He chuckles when he notices that I'm awake. "Stay with me tonight?"

I open my eyes. "I wish I could, but I have to be at work early tomorrow to prepare for trial next week."

He pouts. "I understand." He kisses the corner of my mouth. His tender kiss electrifies me.

"I really need to go before I change my mind."             

We stroll, arm-in-arm, slowly to my car, and I can sense that he doesn't want me to go. And every single part of me doesn't either. "I hope you don't have plans for Saturday," he says, grabbing hold of me and pulling me close to him. I look at him inquisitively. "I planned a spa day for you and your mom, as a belated birthday gift."

"Travis, thank you," I say endearingly.

"I figured that you both could use the pampering."

"You are the most wonderful man ever. Thank you," I say before pulling him in and losing myself in the taste of his mouth. "I have to go. I really have to go. Like right now," I add, shaking my head and peeling myself away from him. He takes my hand in his, pulling it up to his mouth, and kisses my ring.

"Can you text me when you get home so I know you made it there safe?"

"I will."

Clasping his hands behind his head, he watches me get in the car and hesitantly pull out of the driveway.

Chapter Eleven

Saturday

April 27, 2013

9:11 a.m.

My mom and I lay side-by-side on our stomachs, enjoying our massage. She’s having a pretty good day and is in good spirits. But she’s also been coughing more the past couple of days, and her voice has become more of a whisper.

"This feels nice."

"It does. Travis is really sweet to do this for us."

"He is," I respond, my heart content.

"So, how are things going with you two? You seem to be getting along quite nicely," she says, smiling.

"It's so nice to have him back in my life. Sometimes it feels like we were never apart. He's still the same sweet guy I remember. I can't help but wonder how I could have gone so long without him. Having him around has helped me get through everything that I've had to deal with the past couple weeks."

"He adores you, Ames. He always has."

"Yeah." I close my eyes and bask in the thought of him. "How are you doing, Mom?"

"I'm good," she responds, sighing. "I think it's these moments that I will miss the most. The time spent with family."

"Oh, Mom, please don't talk like that," I mutter, choking back tears. I've never been the best at dealing with death, especially with it being my mom.

"But it's true. I know it's not easy to talk about what's to come, but I think I'm coming to terms with it," she says. "Do you remember Silvia?"

"Yeah, of course. She was your good friend."

"When she was dying, she told me that the closer you come to death, the easier it is to accept. I never believed it, but the past week I've started to understand it.”

"I'm not sure how I'm going to cope without you, Mom. I don't think I can get through life without you by my side.”

"Sweetie, don't worry, you will. I'll be reunited with your dad. He was my rock for forty-six years, and it's been a long year without him."

"I love you," I say, trying to be strong for her.

"You are my world, Ames. I love you so much." She extends her hand. We lie in silence, holding hands.

After our massage is done, we spend the rest of the morning getting a facial, and finish up before lunch with a manicure and pedicure. We decide to have lunch on the waterfront, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

"How is work?"

"It's not bad. Matthew and I have a trial that starts next week."

"Is that the one you mentioned?"

"It is. We have a strong case for self-defense. Matthew worked hard on this one."

"Is he lead council?"

"Yeah, I let him have this one. With everything that I've been dealing with lately, I haven't been able to give the trial prep the attention it needs. And to be honest, I'm happy he is. I haven't had the desire that I did before finding out about everything. A big part of me feels like I don't deserve the firm. I believe Marla and Drew always resented the fact that dad left the firm to me, and, well, they might be right."

"Don't say that, Ames. You deserve it. You’re such a great attorney. And the success that you've brought to the firm over the past year has been remarkable. Please don't ever doubt yourself."

"I don't feel that way."

"I’m incredibly proud of you. And the fact that your dad left the firm to you means nothing; you would still be this successful regardless. Don't ever think otherwise."

"No one can ever put things into perspective like you can. I'm going to miss these talks.”

We finish lunch and she’s reached her limit of fun for the day. We head back home so she can rest. I pull into the driveway and Drew and Travis' cars are both here. "Did you know they were going to be here today?"

"No," she says, shaking her head.

After I help her out of the car and up the stairs, I open the door and we’re immediately welcomed with the smell of something cooking in the kitchen. Drew saunters out of my dad's old office. "Hi mom," he says, hugging her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were working today?"

"Come with me. I have a surprise for you." He takes my mom's hand and leads her through the entryway. Travis emerges from the kitchen with a bright smile.

"Hi there, pretty ladies," he says, kissing my mom on the cheek. He walks over to me, and after taking me in his arms, he kisses me.

"I didn't know you were going to be here," I say excitedly. Smiling, he takes my hand and we follow Drew into my dad's old office.

Stopping at the door, my mom puts her hand over her mouth and gasps. The office that was once filled with a huge mahogany desk, filing cabinets, and shelves has been transformed into a room of relaxation. The old furniture has been replaced with my mom's beautiful four poster bed, an overstuffed chair, a massage table, a dresser, television, and even a cot for someone to sleep on overnight. The sun shines through the windows and it looks inviting.

"You guys did this?" she asks, with tears streaming down her face. I look at Travis in sheer wonderment, while I feel a lump form in my throat.

"Travis and I thought you'd be better down here, next to the kitchen. And the sun shines directly into the room with the window shades open."

My mom grabs hold of both Travis and Drew, and hugs them. "You boys are incredible. Thank you."

"We love you, Mom."

I watch them from the door. And while it's so beautiful what they've done for her, the thought of what’s soon to come hits me hard. I need to walk away because I'm about to break down.

Rushing to the bathroom, I shut the door behind me and slide myself down the wall. I fall to the floor, and cry for all of the emotions that I'm experiencing. My mom doesn't realize how much she's going to be missed, and Drew and Travis don’t realize how much they’ve made my mom happy.

Hearing a knock on the door, I take in a shaky breath and wipe the tears from my face. "One minute," I croak.

"Amy, are you okay?" Travis asks.

I open the door and he reaches for me as soon as he sees me crying. After pulling him in, he closes the door behind him. "It's going to be all right.”

"I’m going to miss her so much," I cry into his shoulder.

"I know," he says, hugging me and running his hand through my hair.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to take away from what you and Drew did. You guys made her so happy."

"We’re glad to do this for her. Please don't cry, Sweets."

I finally catch my breath and hug him harder. He rubs my back, and his touch helps to calm me. After a few moments, I pull away. "Thank you."

He gazes at me and smiles. "Do you realize that you’re beautiful when you cry?"

I let out a small laugh. "I can imagine how I look right now, and beautiful isn't the word I'd use to describe it."

"I'm serious, you’re so beautiful."

I kiss him, and he reciprocates.

We return to the home office, and I go over to my mom, who’s now sitting in the chair, and hug her. "Don't cry, honey," she says, squeezing me.

They are also cooking meals for her, for the next couple of days. Drew has to return to work, so he tells my mom that he'll be back around six o’clock to stay with her for the night. After he leaves, my mom asks me to get her book from the living room so she can read in the sun for a bit. After I retrieve it, I go to the kitchen to see if Travis needs my help.

"What can I do?"

"I think most of it is done. Anyway, I'm not sure I can focus much with you in the kitchen wearing that dress," he says, looking me up and down with a clever grin.

"I can go change into sweats, if you'd prefer."

"Not sure that would make much of a difference," he says, shuffling over to me. He wraps his arms around me and I snuggle in closer.

"Thank you for everything.”

"I wouldn't have it any other way.”

My mom coughs from the other room, and Travis tenses up in my arms. "How about you go relax with my mom for a bit. I can finish up in here."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go. Plus, this kitchen is too hot with you in it," I say, winking.

He grins. "I think that's because you’re in that dress," he says, leaning in for another kiss.

I coax him out of the kitchen. He heads in to visit with my mom, bringing her a glass of water. I absorb myself in cooking, and then wash the dishes once everything is done.

After making my way to the room to see what they would like to eat for dinner, I stand at the door and I'm stopped dead in my tracks. My mom is lying in her bed, and Travis is sitting in the chair, reading the book to her. My mom's hand is holding his arm and her eyes are closed. She looks content. I think I just fell in love with him all over again.

I don't think he can see me from where he's sitting so I remain there, looking in and listening to him as he reads. Resting my head against the door jamb, I wonder what I did to deserve him back in my life. He’s so miraculous inside and out. I stare at him while he simply takes my breath away.

He glances up from the book, and smirks, but doesn't stop reading. He’s caught me staring at him, but I don't care because I can't look away while my heart worships him. He reaches the end of a chapter and puts the book down, looking at my mom who has fallen asleep. He gazes at her with so much admiration, while he reaches over and squeezes her hand. Looking up at me, he smiles. "How long were you going to stand there?"

"I could stand here looking at you all day." He extends his hand, and I walk over to him. "I'm convinced that you don't realize how wonderful you are.”

Shaking his head, he sets the book on the bedside table. Standing up, he leans in. "You have to stop looking at me like that. You don't realize what that does to me," he whispers in my ear. It sends a chill down my body.

Taking my hand, he leads me out of the room and into the kitchen. Pressing me up against the wall, he kisses me with so much intensity. He runs his hand down my back, to my waist, and pulls me in closer. Slipping his hand down to my hip, he runs it along my thigh, pulling my dress up slightly. I can feel his desire build up. His touch captivates me. He pulls his mouth from mine, kissing my jaw and then my neck. While he kisses my collarbone and the part of my chest that's exposed from my dress, I run my fingers along the muscles of his back. I lose myself in the moment. Returning his mouth to mine, he explores my mouth with his tongue. We continue to lose ourselves in each other for a few more minutes.

"This is what you do to me," he whispers, trailing kisses from my mouth to my ear. He looks at me, smiling, and then inhales deeply. "I think you need to go put those sweats on. I'm not sure I can handle this dress on you much longer." I laugh.

My mom coughs from the other room and we both tense, concern immediately rushing through me. This cough sounds different than the ones she's had the past couple days.

We hurry to the room while my mom continues to cough and gasp for breath. Travis rushes to her and rubs her back, while I reach for a towel on the bedside table. I hand it to her and she coughs into it. When I see that she's coughed up blood, I look at Travis, worried. "It's okay, Mom. Let it out," Travis says calmly, while he rubs her back.

After her coughing subsides, I hand her a glass of water. She lies back on the bed in exhaustion. She reassures us that she's feeling better. But I don't want to leave her alone so I sit on the chair next to her and hold her hand, while she drifts back to sleep. I look at Travis, speechless. This is what the doctor was talking about when he said she may need assistance if she starts coughing. I feel like she's getting worse by the day. It's all happening too quickly.

Travis walks over to me and squats down next to the chair "Are you okay?" he asks, rubbing my arm.

"Yeah, I am now. That was so bad." 

"Can I make you some dinner?"

"Sure," I say, nodding.

He kisses me on the cheek, and then heads into the kitchen. I look over at my mom, who’s sleeping peacefully again. I'm not ready to let her go. And I don't know how I'm going to get through life without her.

Ten minutes later, Travis comes in holding two plates. After handing me one, he pulls a chair over next to me. He's made spaghetti and meatballs and it tastes divine. "It's a good thing you didn't pursue engineering," I say, teasing. "You are quite the chef."

"I've learned a lot over the years," he says, raising an eyebrow.

Drew walks in. "How is she doing?"

"Well, she's been sleeping most of the time you were gone. But she had a coughing spell and it produced blood this time," I say, worried.

"Oh.”

My mom wakes up from her nap, and Travis offers to get them both a plate of food. The rest seems to have helped her regain her energy from her busy morning, and the color in her face has returned―for the time being anyway.

When Travis returns from the kitchen, he glances at the time and announces that he has to leave to go pick up Amanda from her friend's house. I frown. Time with him never seems to be long enough. Going over to my mom's bedside, he hugs her. "Thank you for everything you've done today. I love you so much, sweetie," she says, squeezing his hand.