Chapter 8
"What do you think, Kadian? You've been unusually quiet during the discussion.
We need your valuable input." The leader of the twice-monthly book club was a woman in her sixties.
Margaret Stanhope had been a customer at the bookstore for the past ten years and a faithful one.
She also took her duty as leader seriously and would rally the other women to participate.
As a former literature teacher, she was also a fount of information and a great lover of written words.
"I'm just listening." Kadian shifted in her chair and stretched her legs out. She could not tell the women gathered in the area she had designated for the event that the story was too close to what she was going through.
"You must have something to say." Margaret insisted.
"Here we have a young woman, brilliant, beautiful, and highly educated.
She decides to marry a man she only just met because the passion was burning so bright.
A man, mark you, that her mother did not approve of.
A man whose parents had been feuding with hers for years.
Some of the women are conflicted about it.
Should passion be an excuse for disobeying or disregarding loyalty? "
Placing a finger between the pages so she would not lose her place, she pretended to consider the question as the rest of the women stared at her eagerly.
"She's in love with him."
"And that's it? That's all that matters?
" Another woman, younger by a few years, spoke up, her expression intent.
"Honey, we know where this is going. When I met my Ian, my dad was hellbent on disliking him.
I told myself that it did not matter one bit.
He was not marrying my old man. But he told me something very profound.
My father was my father and would always be.
And he went about trying to change his mind. "
"Did he?" Another woman piped up.
Mary laughed. "My Ian is nothing if not determined."
"My point exactly." Margaret pointed out to the group.
"One might say that a marriage is between two people.
But is that the case? We come from other people, and yes, when one is married, the spouse takes precedence.
In that case, how does one go on living happily ever after knowing that the parents are not involved? "
It took considerable effort on Kadian's part not to show her reaction.
She was facing a similar situation. Her father-in-law had no idea she existed.
And her own dad would have a heart attack if he discovered that she was married to none other than the son of his sworn enemy. He would think she had betrayed him.
She allowed the discussion to swirl around her without making much contribution and was happy when the session ended.
Later, inside her room, she automatically performed the routine task of getting ready for bed.
She had seen to it that her dad had something to eat before taking his pills and noticed that he was more moody than usual.
She had put off telling him that she was going away for a week.
Leon had called her with the arrangements, and his excitement at spending a week with her had made her feel like crap.
It wasn't fair to him. He was certainly trying very hard to make it work between them.
He was the one who was always making all the arrangements.
Setting the brush aside, she stared at herself in the mirror.
There was a look of fatigue around her eyes and mouth, which indicated that she was hardly getting any sleep.
Her bed had become foreign to her after sleeping with her husband.
She ached for him. At night, she found herself reaching for his solid body, just to absorb the warmth of his flesh.
She yearned to be with him. She wanted to make a home for them.
She had stopped showing much interest in the suite of rooms that had been hers since she came back home.
The cool and tidy lime green décor that she had chosen for herself no longer appealed to her.
She and Leon had discussed what she would do to his townhouse as soon as they were living together.
"As long as you stay away from rose pink and purple, you have free rein."
She had teasingly remarked that sunshine yellow or pearl pink would do the trick. She had a longing to stand in his kitchen and make them breakfast. She knew he had a very efficient housekeeper, but she was determined to carve time to make them a meal every now and then.
Would she get the chance? Shoving up from the stool in front of the vanity, she wandered over to the bed and sat. She was tired, but her mind refused to give her peace. She was anxious about telling her dad about the trip, trying to come up with a reason for it.
She had already taken a weekend off, and that had upset him greatly. What was he going to say to her taking a week? And during the busiest time at the bookstore? How could she justify leaving? But how could she not leave? Her husband expected her to. And her dad expected her to stay.
She felt as if she was being torn in two by the two most important men in her life.
What had she done? Pressing a hand over her irregular beating heart, she took several breaths to stop the panic.
She should not have agreed to the secrecy and should have found a way to tell her dad that she was in love and wanted to get married.
Now it was too late, and she kept getting drawn into a tangle of lies. Something she wasn't accustomed to.
It was giving her sleepless nights. After this trip, she was going to have to find a way to tell her dad, to just let him know that she was married and live with the consequences. Feeling even more agitated, she switched off the lamp and prepared for another restless night.
*****
"Mother would have been so pleased."
"Think so?" The question was posed casually, but his sister knew better.
"Of course." Tucking her hand through his arm, Lisa stared at the building. It was still in the stages of renovation, with the crew working on the exterior, but it was taking shape. "I love that you allowed the original structure to remain."
"Good solid bones." He grinned at her arched brows.
"I'm repeating what the contractor told me.
The building has been around since the eighteenth century and has exchanged ownership several times.
" He continued to stare at the narrow structure, nodding his approval to the weathered look of the bricks.
"Want to go in and take a look around?"
"And disturb the men? No. Time enough for that." She squeezed his arm. "I was hoping you would take me to lunch."
"Always thinking about food."
"That's right. Especially since I spent half the year eating unpalatable meals.
" They stepped over debris and made their way to their vehicles.
The wind was biting, and the sky was a gray blanket casting a gloom over everything.
A pale fall sun was trying valiantly to peep through the angry clouds with little success.
"Luce's?"
"Why not?" Lisa grinned at him as she opened her door and hopped in. "See you in a few."
He made a call to his assistant as soon as he entered his vehicle to cancel his luncheon appointment and then called his wife.
A smile curved his lips as he started the engine in anticipation of hearing her voice.
"Hi."
"Hi. Just a minute."
He pulled out of the lot and merged into traffic.
"What's up?"
"Just heading to lunch with my sister and wanted to hear your voice." He noticed the background noises and commented on it.
"Holiday shoppers," she told him.
"We were just at the clinic."
"How's it going? I heard on the news that the natives are finally accepting that the clinic is there to stay."
"After considerable persuasion." He touched the left indicator that would take him to the street where the restaurant was located. "Shall I tell you how much I'm looking forward to spending time with you? An entire week! Christ, I can hardly wait."
"I'm sure all of it includes getting me naked and keeping me that way."
"You know me so well." He drove into the lot and found parking next to his sister's car. "Gotta run. I love you."
"Love you too."
"Eat something."
"Yes, mother."
He grinned and hung up the phone.
*****
Sliding the phone into the pocket of her black dress pants, she turned to a customer who was enquiring about a particular title and did not notice the look of speculation her father sent her.
Moving away from the shelves of antiquated books that were his specialty, he went toward her and waited until she had finished dealing with the customer.
"You look happy."
"Oh. Dad. Why shouldn't I be? The store is filled with buying customers, and we're in the black." She touched his arm briefly. "You should be pleased."
"I'll be pleased when I don't have to worry about paying the bills. This is a holiday boon. Come January, we'll be struggling again to find money to do what's needed."
His grim pessimistic statement had the burst of joy from the phone call draining from her.
"Can't you look on the bright side for once in your life?
" she asked quietly. "We're here, the store is filled with shoppers, and we have money in the bank.
We're not in dire straits." Heaving out a breath, she struggled with temper and forced a smile as they were approached by a group of shoppers. "Please excuse me."
He watched as she switched on a charming smile and engaged the group. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his tweed jacket, he continued to stare after her broodingly. The uncanny resemblance to the woman who had betrayed him was the only thing he could think of.
*****