Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
PEN
“ H i, Mum,” I call as I let myself in through the front door.
Her head appears out of the kitchen with an enormous grin, her arms wide as she walks towards me.
“Just couldn’t stay away,” she adds, pulling me in for a hug, although I can’t miss the shimmer of concern in her eyes. “I’ve just stocked your fridge. Milk and fresh fruit.”
“Thank you. I’d be lost without you,” I say hugging her back tightly.
“How are the wedding plans going?”
“Fine,” I tell her. “Kris’s mum has everything in hand.”
Mum’s lips purse, but she keeps her counsel. It’s not like we haven’t discussed this a number of times in the past few months.
“I was surprised you came back so soon,” she says changing the subject.
She understands my career takes priority, always has.
I shrug, not wanting to go into too many details.
“You work too hard. You’re supposed to be on holiday, spending time with your fiancé,” she says, tutting. “I expect things to change when you move to the US and start living with Kris. What does he say?”
I tilt my head. “He gets it more than most. He’s worse than me.”
I don’t mention he’s been working flat out since I arrived last week and that even our evenings have been taken up meeting friends and clients.
She lets out a sigh and shakes her head. “You’re as bad as one another. It’s going to have to change when you have a family.”
Having a family has become my dream. Kris and I have discussed it. Once we’re married and I’ve settled in, we’ll start trying straight away.
“I’m not complaining. It may only be a week since you left, but it’s been quiet around here.”
I roll my eyes as she wraps an arm around my waist and leads me into the kitchen. I’ve missed her and the flow of normality.
“Are you going into the office?”
“No, I’ll be working from home,” I say, unable to meet her gaze.
A frown appears between her brows. “Pen, what’s going on? Why have you cut your stay short? Is everything okay?”
I sigh. Mum is too smart for her own good. Nothing keeps me out of the office. It’s my safe place.
I sigh. “Elijah is coming over later. We have some work to do.”
“Elijah? As in Elijah Frazer?”
Her eyebrows almost hit her hairline.
“One and the same. Do I know any other Elijahs?” I say, trying to make light of his visit.
She huffs, making me smile. “Since when have you and Elijah become such bosom buddies?”
I shrug. She has a point. As I pointed out to him at the wedding, it has been seven years since we sat down and actually talked.
She turns her gaze on me, her hands going to her hips.
“I don’t want to interfere, but is that wise? You’re about to marry another man. Elijah Frazer is newly single. What if the press catches wind of it? Does Kris know?”
I hold up my hands, slowing her tirade of questions.
“Firstly, Elijah needs my help with something. Secondly, there’s no reason for the press to suspect anything. As far as they’re concerned, I’m in the US.”
My mind wanders back to Elijah and our public lunch after I visited his office.
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
“Kris knows why I’m back. I don’t have any secrets from him.”
Although he thinks I’ve come back to help Gabriel, not Elijah. Not that I lied. It was Gabriel asking for my help.
“Just be careful. You don’t need a scandal following you down the aisle. I know Elijah was your close friend at uni, but that was over fifteen years ago. You don’t owe him anything. Not if it could jeopardise your future happiness and not for some sense of misplaced loyalty. I know you’re close friends with his siblings…”
“As I said, Kris knows I’m here. Elijah and I will be working from the house, so there will be no scandal.”
There’s a deafening silence.
“Except the man in question is now single.”
I stare at Mum, realising for the first time she knew my feelings for Elijah were more than I ever admitted. It’s easier to keep unrequited love to yourself than face the embarrassment of others knowing, including those closest to you. Especially when the man in question marries and has a child with someone else.
I think back to that time. I was a wreck when Elijah married Darra and I had no right to be. We were close friends, but we never dated. We were partners, an unstoppable team. Everyone said so. He was the good-looking, popular guy friend on who I, the misfit, developed a crush. I even managed to convince myself his feelings mirrored my own.
Ha, how wrong could a person be?
I fell in love with catastrophic consequences. Within a couple of months, he married someone else after swearing he was all about work and making something of himself. His marriage and impending fatherhood triggered a series of unfortunate events in my life that threatened to destroy my future until his father, Robert, came to my rescue.
But Mum knows none of this.
There’s a deafening silence.
“It’s none of my business,” she says after a while, but I can tell from her expression she wants to say more.
I open my mouth.
“None of my business,” she says again, holding up her hands.
I want to growl at her. I recognise her disapproving tone. I grew up with it.
“I’m helping him with something work-related,” I continue.
She shrugs, grabbing a cloth and wiping the already clean kitchen side, her eyes not meeting mine.
“Stop—I know you don’t approve, but?—”
The emotion in her tone surprises me. “He needs to leave you alone.”
“It’s not like that. Gabriel contacted me. Elijah was furious when he found out.”
“Gabriel should know better.”
Her eyes finally clash with mine. I’m shocked by the anger I see there.
“Hey,” I say, stepping forward and gripping her upper arms. “What’s going on? I thought you liked Elijah?”
Her eyes moisten, and she shakes her head.
“I do. I like him a lot. It’s nothing. Forget I said anything. It’s just me being a protective mother bear.”
She laughs, but the sound is hollow.
“Talk to me. Tell me what you mean.”
“You’ve finally moved on, settled down. I know what I said before, but I know Elijah Frazer broke your heart, and now you’re finally, fifteen years later, opening your heart to someone else, and he or his brother has you flying back across the water to do his bidding.”
“It’s not like that. Elijah isn’t the reason I’ve stayed single. Is that what you think?”
At least he’s not the only reason.
My other job made it impossible to invest time in a relationship. Finding such a man, one not intimidated by my success or secrets, has been another difficulty.
Mum shrugs again, and I tilt my head, making her look at me.
“I promise. There’s nothing between Elijah and me. Until Caleb and April’s wedding, we’ve barely spoken since Robert’s death. I really am only here to help him, and then I’ll be returning to Kris and continuing with our wedding plans. Nothing is going to derail that.”
“Okay,” Mum says, cupping my cheek. “I just worry. A mother’s prerogative.”
I tilt my head into her hand. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to get sorted. I’m only next door if you need me.”
“We’ll be working,” I repeat.
She looks sceptical. Her problem, not mine.
I need to get ready. Elijah and I have work to do.