Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
DIXIE
S itting across from Kathy, I felt the initial flutters of nervousness melt away. She was warm and approachable, her smile disarming. She reminded me of Mrs. Klaus. Or at least the image portrayed in the movies and stories. I could feel the kindness radiating off her.
I knew the engagement ring on her finger cost about as much as this plane and her clothing was all designer but she acted like she was the lady that worked at my favorite bakery. There was a down-to-earth quality about her. I was having a hard time believing this was one of the wealthiest women in the world. She was nothing like I imagined her to be.
“You know, it’s not easy meeting a family of this scale and reputation,” she said, her tone conversational but kind.
I laughed lightly, grateful she’d acknowledged what I hadn’t been brave enough to say out loud. “It’s a little nerve wracking,” I said. “Hayes filled me in on some of the family.”
“Oh goodness.” She laughed softly. “I can only imagine the stories.”
“He told me you had six sons,” I said. “Will they all be in the Maldives?”
Her eyes lit up. “That’s the plan. It’s hard to get them all together in the same place. They’re all so busy with their own families now. I used to try and have dinner with all of them every Sunday. We still try and honor that tradition, but our boys have spread their wings and taken flight. It’s the circle of life, I suppose. You spend eighteen years preparing them to move on and be adults without really understanding you’re cutting out a little piece of your heart. Each time they leave, it’s like they take a piece with them.”
I nodded, feeling a sudden surge of empathy for this woman who had raised a large family and now watched them lead independent lives. “It must be beautiful, though, seeing them all grown up and doing well?”
“It is,” she agreed, her eyes twinkling with pride. “It brings me so much joy to see them happy and thriving. But let me tell you, when they come back home? It’s chaos in the best possible way. They revert to being kids again, arguing over silly things like who gets the last piece of pie or who won at Monopoly twenty years ago.”
We both laughed. I found myself relaxing even more. Kathy had a way of putting someone at ease without seeming to try.
“I just want to ease your mind, dear. For the most part, we’re all fairly normal.”
I raised a brow skeptically. “Normal?”
“Well, minus the private jet and the money.” She waved a hand, as if dismissing those details entirely. “But at our core, family is what matters most to us. Hayes especially.”
I nodded, appreciating her honesty. “I can tell. He speaks so highly of you all.”
“Hayes is like a son to me,” she continued. “I care for him and his happiness very much. For all of Armand’s boys. These boys will fight like dogs, but when one of them is in trouble or needs backup, they all come together. They are very loyal to each other.”
It hit me then—this wasn’t just a casual chat. Kathy was vetting me, in the gentlest and most tactful way possible.
“I’m starting to care a lot about him, too,” I admitted, surprising even myself with the confession. “It’s all happening rather quickly, and that scares me a little. But…”
“But?” Kathy prompted her gaze encouraging.
I hesitated, fumbling for the right words. “But pumping the brakes scares me even more. I really want to see where this might go. Hayes makes me feel so…” I trailed off, unsure how to explain the unexplainable.
“Go on,” Kathy urged softly.
My cheeks burned, but I pushed forward. “He makes me feel so safe. When I’m with him, it’s like all my troubles lose their tether to gravity. I know they’re still there, but the weight of them is gone. He makes me feel like I can handle anything. Is that dumb?”
Kathy reached across the table and patted my hand. “Not at all, dear.”
Her reassurance was comforting.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling the sincerity of her words settle in my chest.
Kathy smiled. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better on this trip, Dixie. Ideally on a beach chair in the sunshine, with a margarita in hand.”
I grinned. “That sounds perfect.”
“How long have you known him?” she asked.
We were back to the soft interrogation. I didn’t want to tell her I didn’t know him when we hooked up five minutes after meeting.
“Don’t worry.” She smiled. “I know these boys and their shenanigans. My own sons have been very… obvious about their womanizing ways.”
“But Hayes is different.” I found myself defending him almost instantly. “He’s thoughtful—more than you’d expect from someone in his position.”
Kathy’s eyes twinkled with amusement and a hint of understanding, as if she had seen this unfold many times before yet still found joy in it. “Oh, I don’t doubt that. Hayes has always been the one to surprise us. Just when we think he’ll zig, he zags.”
It was reassuring to hear her speak of him like that, recognizing the qualities in Hayes that drew me to him despite the rapid pace at which everything was moving.
“We met at a housewarming party for mutual friends,” I said. I didn’t think he would mind me sharing a few details. “My friend set me up on a blind date of sorts. I thought Hayes was the guy. I’ll admit I was pleasantly surprised.”
Kathy laughed. “I would be as well.”
“Well, unfortunately, he wasn’t. The guy she did set me up with? Let’s just say he was no Hayes. I was making a break for it out the back door and Hayes saw me. He was a part of my jailbreak.”
Kathy chuckled. “A jailbreak, you say? That sounds exactly like something Hayes would be part of. He’s always had a knack for showing up at just the right moment.”
I smiled, recalling the incident fondly. “We talked for hours and really enjoyed ourselves. It felt as if we’d known each other for years.”
“That’s his gift.” Kathy nodded knowingly. “Hayes can make anyone feel like they’re the only person in the world. He listens, really listens, which is a rarity these days.”
I found myself nodding along, surprised at how quickly I was opening up to Kathy. There was something about her that invited confidence. Maybe it was her genuine interest or her soothing demeanor that made you want to talk. Maybe it was just a Bancroft thing.
I felt like I was dominating the conversation, though. “Are you excited about your upcoming wedding?” I asked her.
Her face lit up. “I think it’s been decades in the making. Armand and I have been through so much together, and it seems every challenge we’ve faced has only brought us closer. Sure, we’ve had our share of storms, but who hasn’t? The important thing is we weathered them and now we’re meeting up in our golden years. It kind of feels like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
“Hayes told me a little about your story,” I said. “It’s incredible.”
She sighed. “He’s made me a happy woman. There were several years I didn’t think I would ever be happy again. I was ready to go. My boys kept me grounded and kept pushing me forward. I held on and then Armand walked back into my life.”
Kathy’s eyes grew distant as she reminisced, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “It’s funny how life circles back on itself. One moment you’re convinced you’ve reached your lowest point, and the next, an old love reappears and changes everything. Armand always had a way of doing that—turning up when I least expected but needed him most.”
I listened and watched her expression change.
“Armand and I met when we were very young,” she continued, her gaze returning to the present as she smiled at me. “Just kids, really. Life took us on our separate paths, but somehow, we always found our way back to each other. It taught me something important—true connections never really die. They might fade into the background for a while, but they never disappear.”
“That’s beautiful,” I said.
She took a deep breath and glanced over to where Armand was working on his laptop. She patted my knee. “I’ll let you get back to Hayes. We’ll talk more later. And don’t worry about the rest of the family. I think you’ll be very surprised to see the women my sons have married. They come from all walks of life. You’ll love them.”
“Thank you, Kathy. I am looking forward to meeting them all.”
I made my way back to Hayes. He was scrolling on his phone and snacking on some cheese and crackers. He looked up as I slid into my seat. “Where’d your brother go?”
“Sleeping it off,” he said with a laugh.
“He looked a little rough.”
“That’s Isaac,” he said with a sigh. “He’s never met a woman he can’t woo.”
“He can’t woo me,” I said.
“That’s because I already did,” he said and flashed me a grin. He stood up and reached for my hand. “Come with me.”
“I hope you’re not going to tell me we’re taking a walk,” I teased.
“Our room for the flight. There are two. Isaac is in one.”
He led me toward the back of the plane, opened a narrow door, and motioned for me to step inside. The small room was surprisingly cozy, equipped with a pair of reclining seats and a bed pushed against the wall.
Hayes closed the door behind us, immediately creating an intimate bubble away from the buzz of the airplane’s main cabin. “Here we go,” he said, his voice lower now that we were alone. “A little privacy.”
I sat on the bed, trying to wrap my head around the idea we were flying.
“Have a good talk?” he asked, sitting beside me.
“Better than good. Kathy is wonderful. She made me feel so at ease. I can see why you think so highly of her.”
“She’s a gem,” he agreed. “Kindness is her pillar. She doesn’t know how to be anything else.”
I beamed at him, unable to contain my excitement. “She said she’s looking forward to spending time with me—on a beach chair, with margaritas. I mean, what could be better?”
His grin widened. “Sounds like you’re winning her over.”
“I hope so,” I said, leaning into his side.
He reached for a sleek black duffel bag and pulled it onto his lap. “Speaking of winning, I’ve got something for you.”
My brows shot up. “Hayes, you didn’t have to?—”
He silenced me with a look before unzipping the bag. One by one, he pulled out items that took my breath away: a stunning collection of bikinis, elegant dresses, designer sandals, and tote bags that looked straight out of a fashion magazine.
I stared at the growing pile, my mouth agape. “This is… it’s too much.”
“Nothing will ever be too much,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He leaned closer, lifting my chin with his finger until our eyes met. “I have everything. Let me give you some of it.”
The sincerity in his voice was impossible to argue with. I nodded, my resolve crumbling. He pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
I melted into him, savoring the tenderness of the moment until his hand slid to my waist and pulled me closer.
“I can’t wait to see you in that black bikini,” he murmured, his voice low and full of promise.
A laugh bubbled out of me, my cheeks flushing again. “It’s tiny. More like nipple covers than an actual bikini. Not exactly safe for the beach.”
He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “It’s not for the beach. It’s for me.”
I raised a brow, smirking. “Ah, so all this generosity was actually about you?”
His grin was wolfish. “Now you’re catching on.”
Before I could tease him further, he pushed me back on the mattress. His hand slid up my stomach to grope my breasts.
It looked like we were going to join the mile-high club after all.