Chapter 34
34
Michelle loved how open Keith was. They spent the afternoon talking and cuddling and learning more about each other. Her anxiety faded as she became more comfortable with him in her space.
She looked at the time. “Oops, I need to get dinner started. They’ll be here soon.”
“What can I do to help?”
Her eyes widened. “You want to help?”
He grinned. “It’s either that or I read one of your books.”
She held up her hands. “No, you can help.” He followed her to the kitchen, where she handed him a corkscrew. “The wine is on the dining room table. Would you open it so it can breathe for a bit?”
“Sure.” He took the corkscrew and disappeared.
Cade, who was always early, came through the back door. “Mom, who...” He stopped short with his hand still on the doorknob.
“Wine is breathing, honey. What else can I...?” Keith stopped in the doorway. He stretched out his hand toward the younger man with a gaping mouth and wide eyes. “You must be Cade. Your mom said you’d be the first to arrive. I’m Keith Ma...”
“I know who you are, Mr. Mason. Everyone knows who you are. But why are you here?” Cade shook Keith’s hand and looked at his mother. “Mom?”
Michelle rolled her lips inward as she stirred the pasta. With raised eyebrows and a big smile, she said, “I’ve met someone.”
“What?” Cade’s brows furrowed. “Wait a minute. He called you ‘honey.’” His finger waggled back and forth between Keith and his mother. “Like, met someone, met someone, or met a famous person met someone.”
Keith chuckled. “I think the latter then the former. Your mom swept me off my feet.”
Michelle laughed. “What? You’re the one who asked me to dance.”
“Dance?” Cade mumbled. “When did you go dancing?”
“Last week when Jackie and I went out.”
“Holy shit.” Cade laughed. “I can’t wait for Adam to hear this. What time is everyone coming over?”
The back door swung open, and Belynda walked in with Nelson behind her. “Mom, who’s in the SUV outside?”
Michelle looked at Keith. “I thought you said they had plans.”
Keith shrugged.
Cade watched, counting how long it took Belynda to recognize the man standing in front of her. Three . . . four . . . five . . .
Belynda stopped mid-step and stared at her mother. She quickly blinked. “Mom, why is Keith Mason in your kitchen?”
Cade chuckled. “Took you long enough.”
Michelle walked over to Keith and slipped her arm around his waist as he did the same to her. “Well, I’ve met someone...”
“Mom, there are a couple of guys outside in an SUV. Do you want me to...”
Michelle rolled her eyes. “I guess we should have invited them to come inside.”
“I’ll check with them in a minute after I finish meeting your family.”
“What the hell is Keith Mason doing here... with his arm around you? Mom, what the fu...” Adam stepped toward them, dropping Charlotte’s hand.
Michelle held up her hand. “Stop, Adam.” She stepped out of Keith’s grip. “I met someone, and we’ve kinda hit it off.” She looked over her shoulder at Keith. “I asked y’all here tonight to tell you, but Keith’s filming schedule allowed him to join us.” She glanced at each of her children. “He wanted to meet you, so please be respectful.” She glared at Adam.
“Well, that explains who’s outside,” Adam mumbled.
Michelle turned toward Keith. “Do you want to invite them in?”
“No.”
She looked at him with an exasperated expression. “They can’t just sit outside for hours.”
“They’re used to hanging around.”
“Keith...” Her eyes pleaded with him. “I have the dining table set, but we can squeeze two more in if we need to.”
“No, they were supposed to go to dinner. They can eat here in the kitchen if that’s all right with you.”
“It’s fine.”
Keith stopped in front of Belynda. “You’re just as pretty as your mother. I’d know you were her daughter anywhere.”
“Thank you,” Belynda said as her cheeks flushed.
He shook Nelson’s hand. “You must be Belynda’s husband.”
“Nelson.”
“Keith.”
“Pleased to meet you, sir.”
Keith faced Adam, remembering what Michelle had said. “I know I was a surprise to you, but your mother was a surprise to me too. I hope we can be friends, Adam.” He held out his hand.
Adam looked Keith in the eyes and then at his hand before coming back to hold his stare. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mason. The friends thing is open for debate.”
Charlotte elbowed Adam in the ribs. “Be nice.”
“You must be Charlotte. I hear y’all have a wedding coming up. I wish you all the best. I hope I’m invited.”
“Next year.” Charlotte grinned from ear to ear.
“We’ll see if you’re still around,” Adam mumbled, and Charlotte elbowed him again.
“I need to check on my guys outside.” Keith’s gaze locked on Michelle’s. “I’ll be right back to help you finish dinner.”
She nodded.
As soon as the door closed, all of them converged on her. “Keith Mason, Mom? Why didn’t you tell me?” Belynda was the first to speak.
“How long have you known him?” Adam asked.
Cade crossed his arms over his chest and laughed since he’d already gotten the lowdown.
“We met last week at the Grove Inn. We had breakfast together the next day and we’ve been talking every day since. He was the friend I went to see in Boone. Getting to know him has been fun and interesting. We get along well.”
“She’s been a breath of fresh air for me,” Keith’s voice came from the door.
Everyone turned to see Keith, followed by two other men, one of whom looked to belong in the Redwood Forest.
“Hi, Chip, Max.”
“My assistant and security,” Keith said in explanation to the others.
Adam scowled at his mother. “You know them by name? How much time have you actually spent with them?”
“Calm down, Adam. They were with Keith the night we formally met.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Belynda.
“Would y’all at least sit down. I just need to put the bread in the oven.” She cut the baguette. “Keith literally bumped into me at the Coffee Café.” She spent the next few minutes explaining how they met and then seeing each other again at the Grove Inn weeks later. She put the food in a serving bowl. “Would someone bring that?” She picked up the breadbasket. “We’ll tell y’all the rest over dinner.” She looked at Chip and Max. “Do you want to join us?”
They looked at Keith, who was scowling. “We’re good here in the kitchen. We stopped by that brewery on Main Street.”
“I expect you to at least eat dessert with us.” She gave them a pointed look.
They both smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
Keith cupped Michelle’s elbow. “I want to sit beside you at dinner. Please have the boys take the end chairs.”
She cocked her eyebrow. “Why?”
“I don’t want them thinking I’m trying to usurp anyone’s authority, at least not right now.”
“Fair point.” She kissed his cheek.
“Mom, seriously?” Adam mumbled when he glanced back through the doorway.
She shrugged with a playful grin. “Adam, I’d like you and Cade to sit at the heads of the table. Keith and I want to sit in the middle where we can be surrounded by all of you.”
“You mean that y’all want to sit together,” Cade said with a grin.
“That too.” She sweetly smiled back at him.
Everyone was seated by the time Michelle sat down. Keith poured her wine, which she gladly accepted. The wide eyes weren’t missed by either Michelle or Keith.
Charlotte smiled at Keith and then glanced at Michelle. “So, y’all met last week?”
Keith looked at Michelle. “Want to take that one?”
“Actually, over a month ago, he bumped into me at the Coffee Cafe. I thought he was a look-alike, and he played it off perfectly. It wasn’t until we saw each other last week at the Grove Inn that we officially met.”
Keith chuckled. “Yeah, your mother didn’t want to give me the time of day.”
“Because I thought you were lying about your identity.”
“How did you figure out that he wasn’t?” Belynda asked.
“He reached out on the dating site I was using.”
Keith raised an eyebrow at her comment.
“Which was?”
“ MyPrivacy ,” Michelle said.
“What? Mom, that’s exclusive, like gotta submit financials and everything,” Cade said.
She canted her head. “And how would you know, my son?”
“I tried to get on there. Obviously, I don’t meet the criteria. You do?”
Michelle shrugged. “I refuse to discuss that right now, but for the record, your father took good care of me.”
Keith squeezed her leg under the table for support. “We danced, and I knew she was someone special.”
“Wait? That was you? The mystery woman on the news?” Nelson asked.
“Guilty.”
“Mom, what are you going to do if people find out it’s you?” Belynda asked.
“We’ve agreed not to release her name to the public.” Keith looked at Michelle. “She wants to remain anonymous for now, and I’ll make her wish come true.”
“So, you don’t want anyone to know you’re connected in any way to our mother?” Adam questioned.
Keith stared at Adam. “Not at all. I was ready to tell the world that night, but for obvious reasons, that wouldn’t have been smart. I’m ready to go public whenever your mother is.”
“Adam, I enjoy being with the man. I’m not ready to be with the movie star. Knowing that he kisses other women as part of his job wasn’t anything I thought I’d ever need to come to terms with, but that’s part of being with Keith. A part I must deal with, not him. Does that make sense?”
Keith sandwiched her hand between his. “Because you’re not secure in us yet, but you will be. Give us time.”
Michelle caught the look Belynda gave Charlotte as she passed the breadbasket. They were sold on her dating Keith. The boys, not so much.
“What happens when you go home? I mean, you don’t live on the East Coast,” Cade asked as he shoved a forkful of food into his mouth.
Keith made eye contact with him. “No, I don’t, Cade. That’s something we’ll work out. I want your mom to come out to my Montana ranch and meet my sons like I’m meeting you tonight. I know she has no desire to go to California, but I’d like her to see that house too. She’d love the sunset over the ocean.” He wasn’t backing down.
“Rumor has it that you tend to fall for your leading ladies. What’s to say that won’t happen this time?”
Michelle gasped. “Adam.”
Keith stroked his finger across Michelle’s hand. “That’s not an issue. And just to set the record straight, that rumor isn’t true. My divorce from my wife of twenty years was finalized a month ago. I never broke my vows.” He looked at Michelle. “Hollywood’s view is that any publicity is good publicity. They’ll even plant stories to help boost interest in a movie. You can’t believe anything in the gossip rags.”
“So, our mother is expected to take your word for everything. I’ve seen men cheat and their wives go along blindly. I won’t let that happen to our mother. She never had to worry about that with our father,” Adam countered.
“And she won’t have that to worry about with me either.”
“Mr. Mason?” Belynda asked.
“Keith, please. What is it, Belynda?”
“Our mother has only been dating for a few months, but then she meets you, and all of a sudden, she’s talking about a relationship in a week and a half. That seems a bit quick to me”—she held out her hands toward her siblings —“to all of us.” Everyone agreed with her.
“If I said that we don’t have time for long courtships at our age, would that make you feel better?”
“Worse,” Adam said.
“I figured.”
“Look, we’re not talking about getting married next week. We’re saying that we like each other and want to explore where a relationship could go. But Keith is right. At our age, we know what we’re looking for and what we aren’t. It didn’t take me long to figure that out. He’s had two failed marriages and knows what he doesn’t want in a woman.” Michelle straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. “We’re going to pursue this. I’d like y’all on board. I’m... we’re also asking that you keep this within our circle until I’m ready to let myself be known. Can I count on you for that?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Belynda said.
“Yeah,” Adam mumbled.
“You know I’ll always support what you want,” Cade said.
Michelle looked at Nelson and Charlotte, who each nodded.
“Thank you.” Michelle looked at Adam. “You might even like him if you give him a chance.”
“We’ll see if he’s still around by the time this movie releases. If he is, you’ll have my blessing. I think that’s fair.” He looked between his mother and Keith. “Oof.” He scowled at Charlotte as he rubbed his leg.
Keith raised Michelle’s hand and kissed the back of it. “I’ll take it.”
“Then let’s go into the kitchen for dessert. I’m sure Chip and Max are bored senseless.”
Keith stood and pulled out Michelle’s chair. The girls were still starstruck. Concern still lingered in Adam’s eyes. Cade focused on his mother’s happiness. Nelson was caught somewhere in between. Maybe he was grateful it wasn’t his mother.
Michelle pulled a homemade apple pie out of the refrigerator. “There’s a carton of vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Keith, would you get it for me?” Even though she was comfortable with him in her space, and he wanted to help, she still felt strange asking him to do things.
He placed the tub beside her and kissed the side of her head. “Thank you for including me.”
Admiration was written on her face. “I assume everyone wants their pie warmed.”
“I’m on it,” called Belynda.
“I’ll help,” said Charlotte.
Chip and Max joined the group. “What can we do?”
“Just be a part of us,” Michelle said, cutting the pie into enough pieces to cover the crowd.
After dessert, the children readied to leave. Michelle was curious how the parting sentiments would go.
Belynda and Nelson were the first to go. She hugged her mother and whispered, “We’ll talk tomorrow.” Michelle kissed her cheek. “If you’re happy, Mom. I’ll support you. Love you.”
“I am. Thank you. Love you too.”
Nelson shook Keith’s hand and then hugged Michelle. “Congratulations on finding each other.”
“Thank you, Nelson,” Keith said.
Adam and Charlotte were the next to bid farewell. “I’m happy for you, Michelle. He seems really nice.”
“Thank you, Charlotte. He is. Totally different than I expected.”
Adam’s manners overrode his anger. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Keith. Don’t hurt my mother, and you and I will get along fine.”
“Thank you for your honesty. It was a pleasure meeting you as well, Adam. Hurting your mother is the last thing I want to do. I really like her and hope this leads to more than casual dating.”
“We’ll see,” Adam said as he hugged Michelle. “I love you, Mom. This is strange for me, but if you’re happy, I’ll deal.”
Michelle cupped Adam’s face. “I know you will, son. This is new for all of us. It’ll take time, but hopefully, it’ll feel normal soon. We’ve survived changes before and found a new normal. We can do it again.”
Adam nodded as Michelle pulled him in for another hug. When she released him, they left with Adam waving one last time at the door.
Cade stood. “Since I know Keith has to leave soon. I’ll let you have some time alone. I’m going to shove off too.”
Michelle opened her arms for her son. “Thank you, Cade. I love you.”
Cade stretched out his hand to Keith. “Keep her happy, and I’m on your side. But like Adam said, don’t hurt her. She doesn’t deserve to have her heart broken again.”
Keith gripped Cade’s hand. “I’ll do everything in my power to make her happy. And you’re right, she doesn’t deserve a broken heart.”
Michelle chuckled to keep from crying. “I swear, y’all make me sound so fragile.”
“Not fragile, cherished,” Keith said as he placed his arm around her back.
They watched Cade leave and then adjourned to the den, not giving Chip and Max a second thought.