Full Circle (39 page)

“No. I mean, I don’t think so. It could have
been. I mean, I’ve been staying late at the office every night this
week watching wedding movies, so you tell me if it’s working.”

“You’re not serious.”

“Dead serious. Bride Wars is paused on my
computer right now. Karma thinks I’ve been staying to get caught up
on work since we’re leaving tomorrow to head up to Chicago for
Saturday’s benefit.”

“You’ve been lying to her?”

“Not totally. I’ve been working.” He gestured
toward the frozen image on his computer as if Rob could see him.
“I’ve just been watching movies, too. And it’s working. Somewhat.
At least, it feels like it is.” In a lot of ways, he felt more
open. “Watching these movies has, at least in some cases, helped me
gain perspective. But . . .”

“But you still can’t talk about setting a
date.”

He rocked forward and planted his feet
squarely on the floor beneath his desk. “No. And I think I finally
figured out why.”

“Because I was right and you’ve realized you
need to talk to Carol?”

He snapped his fingers. “Exactly.”

“I told you so.”

“Yeah, yeah. Spare me the lecture. I need
your help.”

“Anything. Name it.”

“I need you to ask Holly to invite Karma to
lunch Sunday.”

“And what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to see Carol. I’m going to resolve
this once and for all.”

“Whoa, man. You sure about this?”

Mark stood and paced to the window. “Hey,
this was your idea. Just like the immersion therapy. So don’t you
puss out on me now and tell me you weren’t serious.

“I was dead serious. I think you need to talk
to her, but you sound a little intense.”

“Maybe because I am. This needs to happen. I
need to end this now, so I can move forward with Karma. If I don’t
get my head out of my ass, I’ll eventually lose her. She won’t want
to stick around forever. I’ve already made her wait long
enough.”

“Okay, okay. Calm down. I’ll talk to Holly.
But man, I should warn you that I don’t think it’s a good idea to
lie to Karma. Holly and I can work something out to keep her busy
so you can handle this, but I think it would be better if you told
her the truth.”

“No. I don’t want to worry her, and I need to
do this without worrying what she’s thinking. If she knows I’m
going to see Carol, she’ll be upset, and that won’t sit well with
me. I’ll be preoccupied, and I don’t want that to happen.”

“Okay, fine. I’ve got your back. I’ll take
care of it.”

Mark took a relieved breath. “Thanks, Rob. I
owe you one.”

“Like I said before, you don’t owe me
anything. Just . . . deal with this shit once and
for all and put it behind you.” He paused. “I’ll see you Saturday
then, okay?”

“I’ll be there. Thanks, man.”

He disconnected, returned to his chair, and
pushed play on his computer. Less than five minutes later, his
phone chimed with a text from Karma.

Mom and Dad invited us over for dinner, if you can
believe that. Maybe my dad is finally coming around. I told them
you were working late but I could go. So, I’m heading to their
house. You want me to bring you something?

He hated missing dinner with her parents,
especially if her dad really was starting to come around, but he
did have official work to do. Maybe he should shut off the movie
and finish up so he could at least get home at a decent hour. But,
surprisingly, he was getting a lot out of these damn wedding
movies. Maybe not what Rob and Holly had intended, but still.
Something was better than nothing.

No need to bring me anything. Enjoy yourself and
tell your parents I send my regards. I’ll be home in a few hours. I
love you.

And he did. He loved her so much. She
deserved to have all of him. And by the end of the weekend, that
was exactly what she would have. One way or another, Carol’s
occupation of his mind, no matter how minimal, would come to an
end.

* * *

Karma read Mark’s text and smiled.

The incredible weekend they’d had four days
ago still caused butterflies and flames to flicker in her belly
every time she recalled the things she’d done to him, and all the
ways he’d thanked her for doing them. For twenty-four hours, there
had been no work, no parents, no pending wedding date, no Carol.
Just them. Their bedroom had been an oasis they left only to eat
and recuperate before starting over again.

But he’d seemed distracted ever since. Not in
the bedroom. That was the one place he remained laser-focused. It
was in the mornings when he was getting ready for work, or in the
evenings as they watched the news or grabbed a late snack before
bed, when his mind seemed to be elsewhere.

Maybe he was distracted by work, or maybe it
was nothing at all. They were still getting acquainted with the
idea of living together. Perhaps this was just how Mark was, and as
they settled into a routine, things would feel more normal.

She turned onto the street that led to her
parents’ house and nearly came to a stop when she saw Johnny’s car
in the driveway. She and Johnny didn’t get along, but Johnny and
Dad got along even worse. The last time they’d seen one another was
last summer when Brad proposed.

This could be an interesting dinner depending
on whether Johnny could keep his egotistic, pompous attitude in
check.

“Hi, honey,” her mom said, opening the door.
“Where’s Mark?”

“He has to work.”

“Well, that’s too bad. I was looking forward
to visiting with him.” She closed the door behind her.

“Yeah, well, I’m sure Dad will be
pleased.”

Her mom blew out an abrupt laugh. “Oh, I
don’t know. I think Mark’s starting to grow on your father.”

“Really?” Hell must have frozen over.

Her mom stepped closer and said in hushed
tones, “It was
his
idea to invite you two for dinner, so if
Mark
isn’t
growing on him, at least he’s trying.”

“I guess that’s a start.” She glanced past
her mom toward the sound of voices in the living room. “What’s
Johnny doing here?”

Mom smiled in that way that indicated some
forces in nature just couldn’t be explained. “I think Johnny’s
trying, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s been coming around more since you’ve
been gone. Spending time with your dad. I can tell he’s trying not
to be so argumentative.”

What the hell had happened since
Thanksgiving. Had the rest of her family entered an alternate
dimension?

She followed her mom into the kitchen, where
chicken pieces coated with a double layer of buttermilk and
seasoned flour sat on a sheet of wax paper next to a large iron
skillet.

Mmm, fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The
good stuff.

“Why don’t you go watch the game with your
dad and brother while I finish up in here,” her mom said.

“You sure you don’t need any help.” Part of
her dreaded leaving the calm safety of her mom, but she knew she
couldn’t avoid her dad and brother all night.

“I’m fine. Go on.” Her mom waved her toward
the family room.

Practically tip-toeing, she went to the
doorway to the living room and peered inside. Johnny and her dad
were watching the game together, engrossed in the action.

Before the Mark Strong Apocalypse, she was
the one Dad watched sports with. The two of them had spent at least
one day a week catching a football game, basketball game, or
whatever sport happened to be on. It had been their thing.
Theirs.
Not theirs and Johnny’s. Johnny had never figured
into what had been special father-daughter time. Now, Dad was
sharing that special time with her pain-in-the-ass brother. When
had her dad and Johnny gotten so close?

Johnny threw his arms out in front of him.
“Charging! Where’s the call, ref?”

“The officials obviously have their favorite,
and it isn’t us.” Her dad groused over the call, crossing his arms
the way he always did when he was getting worried a game was
already over.

“Don’t give up on them just yet,” she said,
entering the room.

Dad smiled at first as he uncrossed his arms
and motioned as if he was about to stand and hug her, but then he
cleared his throat and settled back in his chair once more,
glancing behind her at the TV. It was odd behavior. Kind of like
her dad didn’t know how to act around her, anymore. As if he wasn’t
sure what his place was now that she had Mark.

“Where’s Mark?” he said, right on cue.

“Working.”

“This late?” he said disapprovingly.

“We’re driving up to Chicago tomorrow for a
charity benefit on Saturday his parents help plan every year, so
he’s trying to get caught up before we leave.” She turned to
Johnny. “Where’s Estelle?”

“At home with the baby.”

Karma took a seat on the other side of the
couch. She hadn’t seen her niece in months. “You should have
brought her. I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“Well, you haven’t been around.”

She shot Johnny a scowl, and he held up his
hands as if warding off an argument.

“I’m just saying, Karma, if you want to see
her, just come around more often.”

“I would if Dad would accept the man in my
life.”

“Look, I’m trying,” her dad said. “That’s why
I invited you both to dinner. But, of course, your guy couldn’t
make it.”

“That’s because he’s trying to be a good
provider. Would you rather I get involved with a deadbeat.”

“No, but—”

“John,” Mom called from the kitchen. “Could
you come here and help me, please.”

In other words, Mom was nipping this
conversation in the bud and would have a few private words with her
dad before dinner to ensure everyone got along tonight.

Sighing, her dad pushed out of his chair. “On
my way, dear.”

Johnny went back to watching the game,
seemingly intent on not antagonizing her further, which was
surprising, given their history. Johnny had been the ringleader who
had riled the masses to tease, taunt, and humiliate her in school.
And he’d continued hating on her into adulthood.

Maybe he was finally growing up and turning
over a new leaf.

Karma listened to the quiet admonishment her
mom gave her dad, as well as to the chagrined way his dad kept
saying, “I know, dear, I’m sorry.”

The way her mom kept her dad on the straight
and narrow was actually kind of cute. They’d been married forever,
and it was because they both knew how to bring the best out in each
other, which was something she was beginning to understand in her
relationship with Mark.

Theirs was a dance of compromise and will,
each highly motivated to make the other happy.

Except Karma still felt like there was one
area of Mark’s heart that remained closed off to her. One part of
Mark’s soul that Carol still possessed.

It was time Karma forced the issue. Not this
weekend. Not with the benefit. She wouldn’t risk ruining that. But
one night next week, she and Mark needed to have a long, difficult
conversation. Difficult because this was sure to disrupt the
comfortable intimacy they’d created in the last week.

But she didn’t want comfortable. She wanted
forever. She wanted
all
of Mark, not just part of him, and
she didn’t want to compete with Carol’s memory, anymore.

A few minutes later, her mom called them to
dinner, and she stood and followed Johnny to the kitchen table, but
even as conversation flowed more easily than it ever had, if not a
bit tense at times, her mind still dwelled on Mark.

He needed to address the situation and evict
Carol once and for all.

If he didn’t, she had a terrible feeling it
would eventually destroy their relationship.

Chapter 25

The body is meant to be seen, not all covered
up.

-Marilyn Monroe

“You want me to wear
this
?” Karma lifted the
sparkling, midnight-blue mermaid dress. He had to be joking.

Mark pulled his starched shirt on and began
buttoning it as his gaze met hers in the mirror. “Yes.”

“But . . . it’s backless.”

“I know.”

She turned her gaze to the dress again. “What
I mean is, it’s
extremely
backless. As in, it will barely
cover my butt.”

When she glanced back at his reflection, he
was grinning. “I know.”

She let the garment fall over her forearm and
eyed him suspiciously. “What do you have up your sleeve?”

His grin twisted into a smirk as he tore his
gaze from hers and looked at his reflection, turning up the collar
of his shirt so he could drape his tie around the back of his
neck.

Resigning herself that this was her outfit
for the evening, she crossed behind him on her way to the bathroom.
He took her hand, stopping her.

“Don’t wear any panties,” he said, catching
her eye.

Her mouth fell open.
“But . . .”

One of his thick eyebrows arched in warning.
“No panties, Karma.”

His command had
exhibitionist fantasy
written all over it. And the charity benefit was to be his
playground.
Their
playground.

She suddenly understood his reason for buying
her this dress. As usual, there was a purpose—a
plan
—to
everything he did. And as he went back to knotting his tie, the
teacher persona fell more into place with every twist and swish of
silver silk around his neck.

“Yes, Mr. Strong.” She grinned and
disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

Mark grinned over his shoulder as she shut the
bathroom door.
Yes, Mr. Strong.
She knew what he had in mind
for tonight. Or, at least, she had some idea what he was planning,
or she wouldn’t have given him that look and used that tone of
voice right before closing the door.