Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
MAGNOLIA
“ H ave I mentioned you look beautiful tonight?” Alex asked, staring at me across the table.
“Not in the last few moments,” I replied with a smile. He had been very vocal since I appeared in the living room, dressed for our date.
“Remiss of me. You are gorgeous. I love the dress.”
I smoothed the silk down my arm. “Thank you.”
“The color is spectacular.”
“I don’t wear red often.”
“You should. And I can hardly wait to see it on the floor by my bed.” He paused with a wink. “If we make it that far. The living room might be as much as I can stand.”
“Stop it,” I murmured, loving every second of it.
“Where’s the zipper?”
“What?”
“The zipper. It’s pretty, and I don’t want to rip it.”
“Left side.”
“Gotcha.” He picked up the menu. “So, before I get dessert, I need to feed you. What looks good?” He peered over the heavy paper. “Besides you?”
“I think I need protein.”
“Great idea. Steak for two, it is.”
We were almost finished dessert when a man approached the table. As soon as Alex saw him, his shoulders drew back, and I felt his tension. He’d been holding my hand as we finished our coffee, and his grip on it tightened. His face became expressionless.
The man stopped, his voice falsely surprised. He held out his hand. “Alexander. How nice to see you.”
Alex pursed his lips, looking at the extended hand. For a moment, I thought he would refuse to shake it, and then he stood and gripped the proffered hand briefly. “Terry,” he muttered.
I stared in surprise. This was the stepbrother.
“Are you going to introduce us?” Terry asked, indicating me.
“I’d rather not. But, Magnolia, this is Terry.”
He held out his hand. “His brother.”
“Stepbrother,” Alex corrected.
I took Terry’s hand, trying not to grimace at his clammy palm. He was decent-looking but lacked Alex’s finesse and image. His chin was weaker, his eyes too close together, and his suit didn’t fit him the way Alex’s skimmed his body. His hair was dark but receding, and his skin had a reddish tinge.
“Surprised to see you out and about,” Terry said. “Not holed up playing in the dirt.”
I couldn’t help my eye roll. What was it with his family?
“What are you doing here, Terry?” Alex asked, ignoring his words.
“Having dinner, of course. My date for the evening is in the ladies’ room.”
“For the evening?” Alex echoed. “Is that all they can stand to be with you?”
Terry narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like to be tied down.”
I wanted to laugh. Terry looked between us, a gleeful, evil smile pulling on his lips. “Wait. Didn’t Mother tell me your new secretary’s name was Magnolia? Fucking the assistant, are we, Alexander?”
Alex flung his napkin on the table and stepped close to Terry. “One more word, Terry, and I’ll take you out back and teach you a lesson you’ll never forget. Apologize to the lady.” He paused, his hands fisted into his sides. “ Now .”
“Touch me, and I’ll sue you.”
“Turn and leave. Or risk me doing more than touching you. Once I’m finished, they’ll be burying you in one of those piles of dirt you think I play in.” He leaned close and said something.
Terry blanched, stepped back, and shook his head. “Never able to take a joke, were you, brother?”
The two men glared at each other, their animosity evident. I stood. “Alex, can we go?”
He was at my side immediately. “Of course.”
We turned to walk away when Terry called out. “I’ll tell Mother we ran into each other.”
“Shame you didn’t run over him instead,” I observed.
Alex looked down at me and started to laugh. He tucked me tight to his side. “Ah, Magnolia. Thank you for that.”
I snuggled closer. I loved making him laugh.
I slept in the next morning, waking up when the mattress dipped and Alex pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
I blinked in the bright morning light. I grinned at Alex, his ever-present hump on his shoulder. “My boys behaving themselves?”
Alex chuckled. “I made coffee. It was shit. I need one of yours.” He reached up, tickling Hedgy. “And the kitten is coming to visit your dad with us. I called the facility, and they said he was allowed. You told me once your dad liked animals.”
“Oh.”
He bent and kissed me. “Same rules apply. If it’s not a good day, I’ll leave.”
“Okay.”
I was nervous when we arrived. Dad was sitting in his room, looking out the window. He smiled when we walked in, a rare real smile. “Hey, Maggie Mae.”
I threw my arms around him, hugging him, and felt him return my embrace. “Hi, Dad.”
I pulled back, trying to tamp down my emotions. I wiped at my eyes. “Dad, this is my, ah…” I faltered, but Alex stepped beside me.
“Hello, sir. I’m Alex, Magnolia’s boyfriend.”
“Alex,” Dad greeted him, far more distracted by the ball of fluff in his hand. “Who is that?”
“Hedgehog.”
Dad frowned. “Odd name, but it suits him.”
Alex sat beside him, letting Dad stroke Hedgy, who was content in Alex’s hands. “That’s what I said. Magnolia here isn’t impressed.”
Dad looked at him. “Takes a lot to impress her.”
Alex nodded sagely. “I’m trying. Maybe you can give me a few hints.”
My dad laughed. “Son, you need to figure that out on your own.” Dad looked between us. “But I think you’re doing okay.”
Alex met my eyes with a wink. “I hope so, sir.”
Dad chuckled. “Enough of the sir. You can call me Dan.” He paused, scratching the kitten under the chin. “How did you meet?”
Alex cleared his throat. “At the office.” He hesitated. “I’m her boss.”
Dad looked between us. “You think so, do you? I always thought I was the boss too. Maggie Mae allowed me to think so.”
Alex looked nonplussed.
Dad chuckled. “You’ll figure it out. Eventually.”
“I brought you muffins, Dad,” I said, trying not to cry at the sight of the three of them. By now, Hedgy had crawled onto Dad’s lap and up to his chest. Dad was holding him with one hand, stroking him with the other, and Alex was watching them carefully, ready to grab either one if needed.
“Tea?” he asked hopefully.
“I’ll go make us some.” I stopped in the doorway, looking back at them.
“Now tell me, Alex. What do you do in your office where you’re the boss?”
“Landscape architect.”
“Impressive. You serious about my daughter?”
Alex glanced my way. “I am.”
“Good.”
I left them to their chat.
We had Chinese for dinner. I was quiet as we ate, and Alex reached across the table, taking my hand. “Are you okay, Magnolia?”
“I’m good. Always a little sad to leave him when he is doing well.”
He nodded in understanding. “He loves you a lot.”
“You were very good with him.”
“He’s very intelligent and easy to talk to. I’m glad I got to meet him.” He paused. “He’s older than I expected.”
“He was forty when they had me.”
“Ah, a late baby.”
“I was a bit of a surprise.” I grinned at him. “And he loved Hedgy.”
Alex laughed. “Hedgy loved the treats Dan kept feeding him. Little traitor can be bought with food.”
“What were the two of you talking about so seriously when I took the tray back?”
He grinned. “Private.”
I rolled my eyes. “Better than the encounter last night.”
He frowned. “I’m sorry about that. Terry is rude and has no manners.”
“You dislike him intensely.”
“I dislike what he represents. Lies, injustice, and a superior attitude that he is better than everyone.” His face darkened. “And I disliked what came out of his mouth.”
“I didn’t care.”
“I did. He’s vulgar and crude. He thinks money gives you class. He’s wrong. You have more class in your pinkie finger than he’ll ever hope to have.” He paused. “Not that I’m saying?—”
I laughed. “It’s fine, Alex. I’m not wealthy. I am well aware of that. I never have been, but I’m happy.” I pushed away my plate. “I don’t think your wealth has made you very happy.”
“No, it hasn’t. I saw what it did to my mother. No matter how much she has, she wants more. The same with Terry. Unlike them, I don’t judge people on what they possess. I work hard for my money and enjoy the benefits, but it doesn’t run my life.”
He looked at our hands clasped together on the counter and lifted them to his mouth, kissing my knuckles. “You make me ridiculously happy, Magnolia. More happiness than I have ever known. Without a dime. Your smile alone is worth millions to me.”
My breath caught. “Take me to bed, Alex.”
He stood and swept me into his arms.
“And that is priceless.”
BANE
I opened the hotel door, striding into the suite. It was dark and quiet, reminding me of the days when I opened the door of my condo to the same atmosphere. The past few days, walking into the condo was brighter. Alive.
All because of the presence of Magnolia—and the troublemaker we called Hedgy.
Even I had succumbed to the cute name. It suited the little bugger.
I tossed my suit jacket over the chair and grabbed a water from the fridge, sitting on the sofa and letting my head fall back.
I had only been gone a few days, yet I felt a longing I had never experienced before. It never mattered if I was traveling or home. Each place was the same. A room to sit, a bed to sleep, a desk to work at. But this time, I had someone to miss.
And dammit, I missed Myers. And Magnolia.
Even though they were the same person, to me, they each had a place in my mind and my heart. I missed Myers’s presence beside me at a meeting. Her quiet way of handing me the information I needed without asking. Her attention to detail. Her pleasant demeanor. Clients loved her. She was gracious and warm, and she kept me relaxed. Knowing she was there and supporting me was a surprising perk to my working life. She had become indispensable to me. And despite the chaos that occurred on occasion—or perhaps because of it—I couldn’t imagine my office without her.
And on the personal side, she was a gift. I hadn’t planned on her. She was everything I would have avoided. Sweet, warm, loving. Adorable and endearing. She made me feel things. I laughed more than I could recall ever laughing before over her antics. I worried about her. Missed her when she wasn’t around. And I desired her more than I’d ever wanted a woman before her.
I rubbed my eyes, slid my phone from my jacket pocket, and called her. She answered, breathless and sweet.
“Hi!”
I chuckled. “Myers. What are you doing?”
“Hedgy and I were playing hide-and-seek. He’s very good at finding me.” She squealed, laughing at the same time. “You got me!”
I had to laugh with her. “Put me on video.”
We turned on our cameras, and her face filled the screen. Hedgy was on her shoulder, curled up tight. “He’s down for the count,” she said with a grin. “I wish I could fall asleep that fast.”
“You did the other night,” I replied with a smirk. “Once I was done with you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Behave. When are you coming home? Did you manage to wrap things up?”
“I will tomorrow morning. Can you change my flights?”
“Hold up.”
I watched as she hurried down the hall into my office and sat at my desk. Her face was serious as she tapped on the keyboard, looking at the screen. “There is a flight I can get you on, but again, there is a stopover. A two-hour one in Calgary.”
“Still gets me home a day early. Change it. Please,” I added.
“How polite.”
“Just get me home, Magnolia,” I commanded. “I miss you.”
There was a pause. “Really?”
“Yes. And book Friday off. I want the whole weekend with you.”
“Okay.”
“How was the anti-bullying meeting?”
“Very informative. And you were right. Verity gave her notice, and she didn’t come to the meeting. Her cohorts were a lot more pleasant.”
“Group mentality,” I agreed.
“Yes.”
Magnolia yawned, and I glanced at the clock. “I have an eight p.m. dinner. You’ll be asleep by the time it’s over. I’ll call you from the airport. I got the new flight information.”
“I’m glad you’re coming home a day early.”
“Me too.” I paused. “Be waiting for me.”
“I will.”
The hours dragged until flight time the next day. The flight was delayed for an hour, and I sipped a coffee and sent Myers a text to pass the time.
I hope you’re ready for me, baby. I’ve been missing you something fierce , I typed.
Oh yeah? she replied with a smiling emoji.
Yeah. My flight lands at 8. I’ll be at my place by 8:30. Be naked and waiting in my bed for me.
I book your flights, Bane. I know what time you land. No way you’ll make it there by 8:30—it’ll be 9. I’ll get warmed up.
DON’T YOU DARE. That pussy is mine.
I should be affronted at your possessiveness. Yet I am not. I shaved.
Thanks for that visual.
E v e r y w h e r e.
Jesus. Now I’m in the airport lounge, sporting a hard-on. I can’t stand, or I’ll scare the nice old lady across from me.
Maybe she’d enjoy the show. Give her one of your sexy winks.
My winks are sexy?
Everything about you is. I’ll prove it when you get back. I’ll make sure my lips are super smooth. All of them.
My cock just jumped and hit the table. I think the old lady knows you’re sexting me.
You started it.
And I’ll finish it. Naked by 9.
Sounds like a shootout in the O.K. Corral.
Oh, Myers, there will be lots of shootouts. Just a different kind.
Be ready.