Chapter 7 #2
A sneer touched his lips as he swung his gaze towards her.
"Is that the way you intend to spend your life?
Gadding about God knows where, instead of settling down to be a proper wife?
When will you start making a family?" He swung his gaze back to her husband, blazing him with eyes that looked like storm clouds.
"And what the hell kind of husband are you to allow all of this to happen? "
"I would kindly advise you to pose the questions to me.
" Lisa's voice was tight; her face flushed with anger.
"This is supposed to be a family reunion.
Anthony and I have been away for more than six months.
I planned this dinner." She shook her head as her brother started to rise.
"No. This has been brewing for a while." Her eyes flashed as she rounded on her father.
"I will not have you dictating to me, trying to run my life the way you think it should be run.
And I will not have you come into our home and talk to my husband in that disrespectful manner.
Planning a family is our business, Anthony's and mine, and none of yours.
You do not get to tell me what to do. I am not a bloody child you can order around at will. I am an adult."
They sat there glaring at each other for a few minutes, the silence in the room pulsing with tension. Pushing from the chair, Robert finished the coffee and slammed the cup down.
"I can see I am not wanted here."
"Robert..."
"Dad..."
Both Anthony and Leon spoke at the same time, but nothing stopped his flight from the room. "I will see myself out."
No one spoke for a few minutes as they heard the front door slam.
"I should go after him."
"No." Lisa shook her head, eyes blazing as she stared at her brother. "He had it coming."
"You were pretty harsh on him, darling." Anthony grimaced as she sliced him with a look. Rising, he went towards the table. "Why don't I take these into the kitchen?" Picking up the tray, he made his escape.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" She demanded.
Stretching his legs out, Leon crossed them at the ankles and picked up his snifter of brandy. "And get my head blown off? No thanks."
She sighed heavily. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes wearily. "I had every intention of playing it cool. This was supposed to be a nice dinner where I planned to feel him out about what happened with him and Luke Donaldson, to get to the truth of it."
Her brother gave her a sharp glance, a frown touching his brow. "That's not your call to make."
"Then whose is it?" She threw up her hands in exasperation. "I happen to like your wife. And I can see how unhappy being apart from her is making you."
His expression softened. "I'm dealing."
"Are you? And for that matter, is she?" She sighed again and shook her head. "I have no doubt you will work things out, but..." She paused and knotted her brow. "There's something not quite right about her dad."
"No surprise there."
"No." She shook her head and leaned forward, expression intense. "The man permeates a kind of..." She spread her hands wide. "Malice and self-awareness that shows through, when he thinks no one is looking."
Leon frowned at her. "You're not making much sense."
She shrugged, picked up her wine and took a sip just as her husband walked back in.
"All clear?"
"Oh Anthony! You're such a drama queen."
"I prefer king." He grinned at Leon before sitting on the arm of her chair and kissing the top of her head.
Leon felt the yearning stirring inside him as he stared at them. The air of intimacy, the comfortable way they had around each other. Finishing his drink, he rose. "I have a meeting early in the morning."
"Let me see you out, darling."
"There's no need."
"I insist." Touching her husband's arm briefly, she rose and crossed to tuck her arm through his.
"You made some changes." He murmured as they passed through the narrow hallway.
"Yes." She glanced at the new moire silk wallpaper and the sconces on the wall. The entrance table had colors exploding from the colored glass she had bought at the bookstore. "Your wife has excellent taste."
"Pardon?" They stopped at the brilliant blue door, with the ornate antique etchings.
"I bought several things there. It's more than a bookstore."
"It is." A smile touched his lips and had her heart turning over. Stepping in front of him, she went on her toes and framed his face between her palms. "Go to her. Find a way to spend time with her, until a solution presents itself. Take her on a business trip or something."
The idea had some merit and brought hope tumbling through his heart. "I have a trip coming up." Lifting his hands, he curled his fingers around her wrists. "Remember the little cottage in Dublin?"
Her smile bloomed. "Of course. Mother used to love visiting. It belonged to her grandmother. Oh darling, that's perfect."
"I have some other businesses there as well. I will square up some things and clear my schedule."
She hugged him. "And you don't have to worry about the progress of the clinic. I will be keeping a close eye on it."
He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Thanks. For everything."
"That's what sisters are for."
*****
"All's well with the world?" Coming up behind her, he took the brush and pulled it through the thick strands of her blonde hair.
His eyes met hers through the mirror, a loving smile touching his lips.
She looked her fill, sighing as he took his time and gently untangled the strands.
His own hair, as black as ink and dense as the forest, was unruly, locks falling over his broad forehead.
He was almost always distracted and messy.
His mind was brilliant and his heart generous and loving.
He was unlike the members of his family and often had two mismatched pairs of socks.
But she loved him with everything inside her.
Reaching a hand for his, she clasped it. "For now. I love you."
His tawny gold eyes darkened. "That's handy, because I love you too."
"What my dad said..."
"Which part?"
She laughed at his wry expression. "The part about me being a proper wife and not settling down to give you children.
We never talked..." She stopped when he put the brush away and turned her around.
Hunkering at her knees, he took her hands, his expression intense.
"When we first got married..." He shook his head. "When I begged you to marry me..."
"Anthony..."
He simply grinned at her. "We won't get into the semantics of how I pursued you, until you simply got tired of me and said yes.
" His grin widened when she poked him with her toes.
"As I was saying, when we decided to tie the knot, we talked about a lot of things.
We want to do this. One of the things I adore about you, my darling Lisa, is the fact that your heart is in the right place.
We will know when the time is right for us to start a family.
" He linked their fingers. "I don't pay much mind to what your dad and my mother press on us. "
She lifted a brow. "She's been pressing?"
He lifted a shoulder and gave her a sheepish look. "She thinks it's time to give her a grandchild and naturally, she blames the lack on you."
"Naturally." She murmured dryly.
He laughed. "Being her beloved child, I could not very well rid her of the idea and risk not being her shining star.
" Recognizing the glint in her eyes, he thought it wise to refrain from saying more.
"But I digress," he continued mildly, wisely moving out of her reach.
"My point is, darling, it's us. Just us.
We're a team and I am not going to allow anyone else to join.
" He rose and scooped her into his arms.
"I've not finished with my hair!"
"For tonight, you have." He kissed her until she was melting in his arms, rational thoughts draining from her head along with the blood. Wrapping her hands around his neck, she sank into the kiss with a murmur and a sigh.
*****
Making sure her door was locked, Kadian hurried over to sit on the edge of the bed as she answered the call.
"Hi." Her voice sounded breathless, but she did not give a damn. She had not heard from him the entire day, but she had been busy as well.
"Hi baby." His deep voice soothed her ragged nerves and made her feel weepy. "How are you?"
"Better now. Always better when I hear from you. How was dinner?"
"Tumultuous and not something I would like to talk about. How was your day?"
Kicking off her shoes, she leaned back against the pillows, intent on spending all night if necessary, talking to him. She started by telling him about the plans leading up to the Thanksgiving holidays. "Treats for the children and a book signing by a local author."
"Sounds interesting. You have made a fan."
"Who?"
"My sister has become your advocate and admirer."
Her eyes brightened. "I like her a lot. She bought several items."
"And will be purchasing more. I have a proposition."
"I'm listening."
"There's a delightful cottage in Dublin that belonged to my mother's grandmother. It's in the middle of wide-open fields, so green it hurts the eyes. I have some business in Scotland and thought we could slip away for a week."
She felt her heart starting to beat hard with the hope springing in her breast. "When?"
"It will have to be after the holiday. I have a few things to clear up, but I would say the first week of December. Is that something you see yourself agreeing to?"
She thought of the Christmas rush and the demands on her time as well as the way her father would react to her taking a week off. And decided that it was time to take a stand. She had not taken time off since she started.
"Yes. Yes!" She added emphatically. "I would love to."
"I will see to the arrangements." The pleasure in his voice assured her more than ever that she was doing the right thing.