Love Unclaimed (9 page)

“Momma, can I tell you something?”

“Always.”

“Promise not to get mad?”

“No, but I promise to listen before I decide if I should get mad.”

“I don’t like Uncle Travis’ girlfriend, Trudy. I don’t think that Uncle Travis should marry her.”

“Oh.” Audree held back a chuckle and tried to hide her smile. Audree was in no way a fan of Trudy’s either, but Travis was the one marrying her and Audree had already expressed her concerns about his choice for a wife.

Trudy Meager had not gone to school with Audree, Ruby, and Travis, but they had all known each other. Trudy always expressed a great deal of interest in Gavin. Audree wasn’t aware of them ever actually meeting each other, but Trudy had definitely seen Gavin around. Trudy was a boarding school kid, so she was only home for summer vacations and holiday breaks. She had seen Gavin, along with everyone else in town, playing football and baseball, as well as around town and at parties after they were older.

She had tried her best to get his attention, but to no avail. Gavin probably wouldn’t know her if he tripped over her. They hung out in different circles.

Audree knew Trudy’s father was a very rich and powerful man around the county and that Travis and Gavin’s father wanted to share in the wealth. Mr. Montgomery had made sure that, since Gavin had not been available to schmooze with Trudy during their school years, Travis would be. Travis was, of course, hooked by her big boobs and little waist. She had the uncanny ability to get him to do almost anything while giving him very little in return. Audree and Ruby tried to point this out to him on more than one occasion, but he was blinded by her “charms”.

“I’m not mad at you for not liking Trudy. She is not one of my favorite people either, but for Uncle Travis we have to keep our opinions about her to ourselves and just hope for him to be happy.” Audree swayed in the water with her daughter in her arms.

“I think he would be happier marrying you, not as happy as Uncle Gavin would be, but happier marrying you instead of Trudy” Eva shrugged.

“What? Uncle Gavin! Why would I marry Uncle Gavin?” Audree nearly choked on her nervous laughter.

“Because you look at each other like Grammy and Grandpa look at each other. Even the way Daddy looks at Marissa,” she shrugged again, “all gooey eyed and junk.” She laughed.

“You are eight, do you know that? You are not supposed to notice things like that.” Audree reached for her daughter and playfully pulled her across the pool.

“Grammy says I have an eye for happiness and love.”

“Well, don’t be running off and getting married the first chance you get. I’d like you to stay my little girl for as long as possible and talking like that…”

“I know, makes me sound too big for my britches. Daddy says the same thing.”

“Does he, now?”

“Yup.”

“He is very excited you are going to see him. He and Marissa have all kinds of things planned for you guys to do.”

“Do you think he will marry Marissa?”

“I don’t know, maybe. She’s a great lady, and she loves you very much.”

“I know. I love her, too.”

“I’m glad.”

“Is this private party or can anyone join in?” The voice had Audree nearly jumping out of her skin and out of the pool.

“Uncle Gavin! Uncle Gavin, you are here!” Eva jumped out of her mother’s arms and swam to the end of the pool.

“Eva, wait, you are all wet!” Audree gasped, as her soaking wet daughter jumped at Gavin, who was standing near the pool in his thousand dollar suit.

“Not a problem.” Gavin swung a towel out from behind his back and opened it up to catch Eva just before her wet body hit him.

“You’d think you’d been a boy scout; always prepared,” Audree said as she swam to the end of the pool, keeping her eyes on him until she reached the steps. She knew Gavin’s eyes were on her, even though they were hidden behind his dark sunglasses. With Eva in his arms, he had no choice but to stand there and hold her while she jabbered about who knows what. Because Audree had stopped listening to her, she was occupied with teasing Gavin.

Audree pretended not to hear the low growl escape from Gavin as she stepped out of the water and squeezed the water from her hair. She made the short walk to the chair holding her towel last as long as possible. Once she lifted the towel to her face, she kept her back to him so he wouldn’t see the satisfied smile on her face. She knew she had driven him out of his mind before she wrapped the towel around her body. Although she would have given anything to see the look on his face, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know that the show she put on was for him.

“Hey, man.” Travis' voice carried from the direction of the house. “We didn’t expect you until tomorrow.” He handed Audree a glass of what looked like iced tea and gave Eva a juice box, before he leaned into his brother with his empty arm for a “guy hug”, since Gavin was still holding Eva in the other arm.

“I’m going to take Eva in to change and get something to eat.” Audree adjusted her towel around her hips and reached out for Eva’s hand.

“Momma, can Uncle Gavin get something to eat, too?” She pulled down on Audree’s arm and waved her hand for Audree to lean down. “I heard his belly growl so I know he’s hungry.” Eva giggled. Audree had to hold back her own laugh, knowing that it wasn’t his belly that was growling.

“Why don’t you go over and ask him and Uncle Travis to join us for lunch on the deck,” Audree whispered. “We’ll meet you all up at the house.” She adjusted her towel again, not that it needed it, but she knew it caught Gavin’s attention again. Eva ran back over to them and Gavin glanced up at Audree as he nodded down at Eva before she ran back over to her Mother. She forced herself not to turn back around as she and Eva made their way up to the back door of the house.

***

A year after she graduated college with her business degree, a year behind schedule because of her two semesters off after Eva was born, Audree sat down with her parents and told them her hopes for the family farm. Eva had just turned four when Audree’s dream for the horse ranch was completed and in full-time use.

After four years away at college, Clint had decided he still didn’t know what to do with his life and wasn’t ready to return to the farm yet. With two of his buddies from school, he’d joined the Marines and had apparently found his niche in life. He had spent the past eight years in the Marine Corps, and was well on his way to becoming a career Marine. Clint wasn’t going to be able to take care of the farm for the foreseeable future, so he had agreed to Audree’s plans. As long as his house was there for him when he retired, he had been good with the transformation. 

Mr. Montgomery and Trudy’s father had been trying to buy the Edwards’ land for years. Audree’s family farm sat nicely in between both of the other farms and was twice the size of the farms that sat on either side of it. Mainly because it was, at one time two separate farms until the families joined the land to work it together.

Audree had become the proud part owner of the Edwards’s Farm and Rehab Center with her brother, parents, and their silent partner, Gavin Montgomery. Audree wasn’t supposed to have known that Gavin was not only a silent partner, but also the anonymous donor of much of the financial contributions that had been made to the Rehab. The farm had been kept in almost its original state. The land Audree’s parents had owned remained a farm of fruits and vegetables. The land her mother’s family owned had evolved into the family living space and remained a horse and cattle ranch.

Audree lived in the house where she had spent her childhood, and split her childhood ranch into a private living space, with the main house in the center complete with a pool, barn, lake, and guesthouses. Her parents had built a smaller house a few miles away from the main house, closer to their farmland. Audree then opened up the horse ranch for riding lessons and for a therapy and rehab for disabled children and adults.  Clint had built a small house that he kept and visited when he was on leave. Audree loved that all of her family was so close and that her idea for a rehab center was so successful.

Although Audree was involved only on the business end of the horse ranch and rehab, she loved interacting with the people who benefitted from the therapy provided.  She especially loved the whole idea that the ranch’s success truly pissed Mr. Montgomery off to no end.  He wanted the land to sell off in pieces and quite possibly, to a builder, something that had been out of the question for Audree and her family. If they ever chose to sell the land, it would be to anyone but Malcolm Montgomery or Ernest Meager.

Audree’s success had been yet another reason for Mr. Montgomery to dislike her. Mr. Montgomery had seemed to hate Audree from the day he met her. His wife, on the other hand, having no daughters of her own, had loved Audree dearly. Lizzy Montgomery grew up with Audree’s mother and had always questioned her husband’s dislike of the Edwards’ girl. He’d simply told her that she would ruin all his plans for the future. Lizzy had always hoped one of her sons would sweep Audree off her feet and marry her. Lizzy had even left her a five-acre parcel of land from the Montgomery’s farm.

Lizzy had willed it to Audree so her husband couldn’t take it back. However, just to get the last word on the matter so that Audree couldn’t return the gift to Lizzy or the Montgomery family, she had declared that if Audree didn’t take possession of the parcel it would then go to Audree’s children on their eighteenth birthday.

Lizzy had been well aware of the fact that her husband did not have any love for Audree. He didn’t like his wife’s or his sons’ attachment to her. He had taken every opportunity that he could to tell Audree that she was no good for his sons and that she would only hold them back. The only thing he wanted from her or her family was the land they owned.

Audree had turned the guesthouse into living space for the therapy staff and was in the process of having it upgraded, which meant Gavin would be staying in the private family home. Because of the strained relationship of the Montgomery boys and their father, Gavin had chosen to stay with Audree and Eva. Travis would also stay in one of the guest rooms since he pretty much taken it over as his own, anyway. Audree always had a rule about Travis not bringing his women into her house. That was pretty much the only reason he kept the studio apartment in town, because he was usually at Audree’s house.

***

“How is your room?” Audree asked with a gasp when Gavin walked into the kitchen. He had changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and it didn’t escape her notice that his clothes fit perfectly and showed off every cut of every muscle of his chest, stomach, and arms. Audree’s mouth went dry at the sight of him, and she had to turn away from him to regain her composure.

“You redecorated the rooms again.” He smiled when he heard her sigh and turn away from him.  He knew his effect on her, just as she knew her own effect on him. He figured he would just give her a little payback after her show at the pool.

“You know me, I like to change the rooms around every once in a while, keeps things feeling new.” She bent down to pick crumbs up off the floor, knowing he was watching her. Normally she would have squatted down to pick up the crumbs, but she had an audience to impress.

“You look good, Audree,” he said from behind her, as he slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.

“Thanks. So do you.” She leaned her head back against his shoulder.

“So I hear you guys are having a party at the barn tonight,” he whispered against her ear.

“You heard right. Ruby’s cousin and her fiancé are having a joint bachelor/bachelorette party. I have been renting out the space for small events.” She pushed her bottom against him, feeling him stiffen all over.

“I like the king-sized bed that you moved into my room. It’s much nicer than the queen.” He inhaled the scent of her hair as he rocked his hips against her.

“I figured you might.” She moaned when he circled his hips into her bottom and growled in her ear.

“Audree!” Travis called from the hall.

“In the kitchen, Trav,” she called back. She missed the warmth she lost when Gavin moved to the barstool at the breakfast bar in the center of the kitchen.

“Hey, man.” Travis smacked his brother on the shoulder and took the seat next to him. The room was filled with electricity, just like it always was when Gavin and Audree were in the same room. Travis knew they had some kind of no strings attached fuck buddy agreement between them, which he’d never understood. Audree had confessed to him during a drunken night years ago and sworn him to secrecy. “You seem tense, bro. Maybe you should go take a dip in the pool and work it off before everyone gets here.” He wiggled his eyebrows and a smile spread across his face.

I’m good, thanks.” Gavin glared at his younger brother, knowing that Travis knew that when Gavin was in town he “slept” with Audree since he’d had told him one bad night of drinking. Well, he didn’t really
sleep
with Audree; they would have sex, and when they were done, he would get up and leave or carry her back to her bedroom. He knew it was a totally shitty thing to do, but he couldn’t let himself want more. She was a single mother of a little girl that wasn’t his, which killed him. She was also Clint’s little sister and he figured she was still off limits to him until Clint told him otherwise. Stupid, but that is how he convinced himself that it has nothing to do with the property and his father’s desire to get it back.

“Well, while you girls were bickering, Ruby texted me to let me know she is on her way and everyone else should be here in about an hour.” Audree put a plate of small sandwiches between them. “Share.” She glared at Travis.

“Only some things,” Travis laughed and she smacked him on the back of his head.

“Don’t be gross.” She grabbed her keys and headed out the back door to call Eva. “I’ll be in the barn.” She walked out of the kitchen fighting the desire to smile at Gavin.

“You are such an asshole.” Gavin smacked his brother on the other side of the head.