Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (26 page)

Asher Vineyards
—
Sonoma County

RILEY

We
’
re sitting on the front porch of Aiden and Keatyn
’
s house, rocking and chatting like we always do when we
’
re here. Ariela is still hard at work but told me she
’
d meet up with me later.
 

“
You know, I
’
m starting to think I
’
d like a place up in Sonoma,
”
I say.
“
A place to get away. A place to raise a family. I
’
d like to have a place like our house in the Hamptons. Big enough where my whole family could stay, just on the opposite coast.
”

“
I think your family would love that,
”
Keatyn says.

“
Do you think I could find something like that, close to you like Knox will be?
”

“
Knox
’
s place is a stone
’
s throw away,
”
Grandpa says.
 

“
I can have Aiden get you in touch with a local realtor,
”
Keatyn tells me.
“
He always calls when land goes on the market, and a lot of times he calls before it does. You might also think about building what you want.
”

“
Building? How long would that take?
”

“
At least a year, if not two
—
wait. There
’
s a house that we went to a few years ago. The architecture was amazing. Very modern.
”

“
I
’
m not sure if I like modern anymore.
”

“
Riley, it
’
s not the decor of your penthouse that feels cold, it
’
s you being lonely. And even though this house is modern, it
’
s got a ton of wood that makes it feel cozy.
”

Aiden, Dallas, and Knox join us on the porch.
 

“
We wore Bliss out,
”
Knox says.
“
Now, I want a dog. Have you ever seen such a little cutie?
”

“
Aiden,
”
Keatyn says,
“
do you remember that house near here
—
the one I said was like a modern loft?
”

“
The Martins, Bud and Trish
’
s house?
”

“
Yes, that
’
s it. Do you think they would be interested in selling?
”

“
Well, I think with the right price they might. Their daughter moved to North Carolina, and they
’
ve been saying they miss their grandkids. You want me to call them?
”

Keatyn raises an eyebrow in my direction. I shrug back.
“
Why not?
”
 

“
I mean, it can
’
t hurt to ask,
”
Keatyn encourages.

Aiden gets on the phone and makes a call while we all listen. The further along the conversation goes, the bigger her grin gets.
 

And I
’
ll admit, mine does too. The couple seems amiable to an offer, so Aiden sets up a time for me to see the house tomorrow.

“
I
’
ll go with you,
”
Knox tells me.
“
I close on my place in a couple weeks. I
’
m practically an expert.
”

“
Keatyn, will you come inside with me?
”
Aiden says.
“
I can
’
t find those crackers, and Marvel is down in the barn cooking up a storm.
”

“
Uh, sure,
”
she says.
 

“
Bring some more wine out when you come,
”
I tell her as they go inside.

“
Where
’
s your brother and Miss Bossy Pants?
”
Knox asks.
 

“
Miss Bossy Pants?
”
Grandpa says.
“
You must be referring to Vanessa.
”

“
I am. She
’
s something, huh?
”

“
She
’
s smart. Speaking of smart, Hollywood. That Ariela that has your panties in a twist is also one smart cookie. If she were as confident in her personal life as she is in her professional one, she
’
d have you wrapped up in ribbons with flowers in your hair. Wait until you see this place tomorrow. I know most men aren
’
t much for noticing the little shit, but that girl has got the details covered.
”

“
Sounds like you have a crush,
”
Grandma teases.

“
If I was a single young man and hadn
’
t already met the love of my life, I
’
d be on that like white on rice,
”
Grandpa says with a laugh.
“
Speaking of that, Hollywood, you looked rode hard and hung up wet this morning. I heard you got some girl knocked up.
”

“
We
’
re not sure the baby is his,
”
Dallas states.

“
And if it is?
”

“
I
’
ll take care of it,
”
I assure him.
 

“
Good man,
”
he says.
“
Now, run on in the house and see what
’
s taking them so long with the wine. It
’
s colder than a witch
’
s tit out here, and I need something to warm these old bones.
”

I
’
m thankful for a reason to stop talking about Shelby and the baby. It
’
s the last thing I want to be discussing when Ariela joins us. As I enter the kitchen, I notice movement out of the corner of my eye and see Aiden has Keatyn pushed into the corner of the pantry. His hand is up under her dress and they are kissing passionately.

And I know what
’
s about to happen next.
 

I quickly vacate the kitchen and head back to the porch.
 

When I sit back down, Knox says,
“
Where
’
s the wine?
”

“
Aiden is bringing it out. He
’
ll be just a minute.
”

Later in the evening, I pull Aiden aside.
 

“
I gotta know. Did you just have a quickie in the pantry?
”
The immediate grin on his face tells me all I need to know.
“
Why?
”
 

“
Why what?
”

“
Why a quickie? You
’
ve been together forever. Don
’
t you just do it missionary position in bed once a month by now?
”

Aiden laughs and shakes his head. He
’
s never been one to kiss and tell, but he says,
“
Not even close.
”

“
I
’
m not trying to pry, and I don
’
t want details, but I need to know how monogamy works. Tell me the last five times you did it and where.
”

“
Well, the pantry about an hour ago. With her pregnancy, she
’
s been really tired at night. And in the mornings, she
’
s felt sort of sick.
”

“
Oh, I get it. Had it been a while?
”

He shakes his head again.
“
No. Okay, fine. Last five times were the quickie in the pantry, at three o
’
clock this morning
—
she woke up, couldn
’
t go back to sleep, so she drug me outside and sat me in the chaise. She was on top the first time. I took her back to bed, and we finally got back to sleep around five
—”

“
Okay, so now you
’
re just bragging.
”

He grins.
“
I
’
m lucky. But so is Dallas. He says baby number five happened when they did it in the back of a limo. Your sex life is what you make it, Riley. If you make your woman feel desired and loved, you’ll never be bored in the bedroom.
”
He grins.
“
Or, wherever.
”

“
So all those times I think you
’
re old and boring when you say you
’
re tired and want to go home
—”

“
It
’
s usually because we
’
re horny.
”

“
Jeez, why don
’
t you just say that then?
”

He doesn
’
t reply, just lifts an eyebrow at me and walks out the door.

Asher Vineyards
—
Sonoma County

VANESSA

Dawson
’
s head is down. He’s so upset.
 

I move behind him and give him a tight hug.

“
I
’
m not leaving. I
’
m not leaving you, Dawson.
”
I start crying. The thought of not being with him tears me to pieces. Back to the pieces of what was left after Bam. Dawson has made my heart whole again, and he doesn
’
t even understand how valuable that makes him.

He keeps his head down and repeats,
“
I have nothing to give.
”

“
Dawson, that
’
s what you don
’
t understand. You
’
ve already given me the one thing I
’
ve never truly had. The one thing I need. And that
’
s love. In case you
’
ve never heard the saying
Money can
’
t buy love
, it
’
s true. I
’
m proof. I
’
ll give it all away if you want. If it will put us on a level playing field. I just want love. I just want to be loved.
”

He raises his head slightly.
 

“
I do love you.
”

“
I know you do. I swear to you. It
’
s all I
’
ll ever need. Please.
”

He touches my face and pulls me onto his lap, kissing me and sliding his hands up my blouse.

“
No,
”
I say.

“
Why?
”

“
Because you still haven
’
t told me everything.
”

He hangs his head.
“
You
’
re right. I haven
’
t.
”

“
The girls told me the other night that their mama spent all your money. How did she wipe you out? What did she do with the money?
”
I run my hand gently across my forearm.