Chapter 28
Edie
They exited the back seat just as a car passed them going the opposite direction and heat rushed to Edie’s face. She’d been so caught up in her spanking, she hadn’t even been paying attention to the traffic. Hopefully nobody had actually seen anything.
Unfortunately for her, the idea of being seen only heightened her already painful arousal, and she spent the rest of the ride to their secret destination shifting in her seat. Not to ease the ache in her bottom, which truthfully wasn’t all that bad, but to try and find a position that might offer some kind of relief for the ache in her pussy.
Needless to say, she wasn’t in the best of moods by the time he parked in front of what looked like an old barn. “You know I live on a farm, right?” she asked, her sulky mood making the sarcasm in her tone sharper than usual.
“I do. Which is why I thought you might appreciate this more than some fancy restaurant in the city.”
The curiosity she’d felt before her spanking piqued once more, distracting her slightly from the throbbing need between her legs as he exited the car and came around to help her out. Linking her arm with his, she let herself be led down the brightly lit walkway to the door. Warm lights spilled out as the doors were pushed open by a pair of what looked to be smartly dressed waiters.
Before she could ask what he’d done, they stepped inside. It was, as she’d thought, an old barn. But the interior had been completely remodeled into what seemed to be a giant event space. Fairy lights were strung from the rafters, which was where the glow had come from. Music filled the space, enough to lend a sense of warmth and comfort to the atmosphere, but not so loud as to be distracting.
And there, in the middle of the enormous space, stood a single table covered in a white tablecloth with two place settings. A bottle of what appeared to be champagne sat chilling in a bucket of ice, and a third waiter stood beside the table, a welcoming smile on his face.
“Do you like your surprise, little pixie?”
It was, without a doubt, the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. And it wasn’t just the money involved, which she tried not to think about because she had a feeling the actual number would make her a little nauseous. It was the fact that everything about this night seemed so perfectly tailored to her.
Turning to face him, she looped her arms around his neck. “It’s perfect… Daddy.”
Hunger flashed in his eyes a moment before his lips crushed hers. If it hadn’t been for the staff watching them, she had the distinct feeling she’d be naked on the floor of this barn in two seconds flat. It was a heady feeling, knowing she could push such a strong man to the brink, and it left her feeling a bit light-headed as they took their seats at the table. Well, as she took her seat, in the chair Grant held out for her before he rounded the table and claimed his own chair.
She’d never considered herself very girly, or romantic. And while Ken had been exactly what she’d needed when she’d needed him, he’d never really been the candlelight dinners and flowers type.
Guilt coated her stomach as the thought crossed her mind. It wasn’t fair to compare lovers, and it certainly wasn’t fair when one of those lovers was no longer around to defend himself.
“Hey.” Reaching across the table, Grant laid a hand over hers, drawing her attention back to him. “What’s wrong? You look so sad all of a sudden.”
“Nothing. It’s fine.” But when she tried to pull her hand away, she found herself caught in his immovable grip. Narrowing her eyes at him, she gave her hand another tug. “Please let me go.”
“Not until you tell me what put that look on your face. And please don’t insult my intelligence by telling me it’s nothing, Edie. You were smiling one second and now you look like you’re about to cry.” His voice lowered as he ran his thumb across her knuckles. “Tell Daddy what’s wrong, little pixie.”
Because she was about to cry and she didn’t want to risk embarrassing herself—or ruining the makeup Jesse had worked so hard on—she swallowed hard several times before speaking again. “I was just thinking how different you are from Ken.”
“Yeah?” To her surprise, Grant grinned. “How so?”
“Ken’s idea of romance was checking the oil in my truck before I headed off to rescue some animal. Or popping open the good whiskey and belting out an old country song while he spun me around the kitchen. It’s not that I didn’t love him, or what he did for me, it was just…”
“Different,” Grant supplied, his grin still firmly in place much to her relief. “Did you really think I wouldn’t understand?”
“I don’t know. It just seems wrong to compare you to him.”
“Edie.” Understanding filled his tone as he squeezed her hand. “He was a big part of your life for several years, and from everything you’ve told me I can tell you loved him very much.”
Blinking back tears, she nodded when he paused for a moment before continuing. “It’s only natural you’re going to compare, especially when we’re still just getting to know each other. Do you think I don’t notice all the ways you and Jesse are very different women?”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t,” she muttered.
His laugh was deep and throaty, but not in a way that made her feel mocked. “Well, I have eyes, my little pixie, so I certainly have noticed. But your differences are part of what I’m learning to appreciate about both of you. Jesse’s playfulness and your wit. Her openness and your strength. I could pinpoint a million ways you two are different. But do you know what’s exactly the same?”
“What?”
“The way I feel about both of you. And I can see the terror in your eyes, but don’t freak out. I’m not saying it’s exactly the same just yet. We haven’t known each other long enough for that. But what I feel when I’m with you, it reminds me so much of how I felt for Jesse at the beginning. And I don’t think it would take much for me to fall completely, hopelessly in love with you, just like I did with her.”
Jesse
Staring at the front door of the sweet little house in the center of town, with its fresh coat of white paint and cute little bunny hanging from the metal hanger declaring it was time to “Hop Into Spring!”, Jesse felt like she might be sick.
But she’d come all the way out here, and there was nothing waiting for her back at Edie’s except an empty house and enough donuts to actually make her sick, so she made herself take a deep breath and press the doorbell beside that perfect white door.
From the inside of the house came the sound of dogs barking and a child screaming with delight, both sounds growing closer and closer until finally the front door was yanked open and Jesse found herself looking down at herself.
It wasn’t actually herself, she knew that, but the little girl in the pink sparkly tutu had Jesse’s blonde curls instead of her mother’s straight dark hair, and the resemblance was so striking she could only stare. She’d seen pictures, even done a couple video chats over the years, but nothing had prepared her for the reality of seeing a tiny version of herself live and in person.
“Aunt Jesse!” the little girl cried with a wide smile that showcased her tiny, slightly crooked teeth. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Sophia.” Bending down, Jesse opened her arms, relief and love flooding her when her mini-me didn’t even hesitate before launching herself at her aunt.
“Jesse?”
Looking up, Jesse tried to ignore the pounding of her heart as she waved at her sister through the glass of the storm door. “Hey. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”
“Your neighborhood is three thousand miles away.” Unlike her daughter, Courtney Thompson’s expression didn’t hold the slightest hint of welcome. Confusion, yes, and more than a little anger, both of which Jesse figured she deserved.
“I know.”
Rising to her feet, Jesse stood there on the porch, growing more and more aware with every passing second how awkward the entire situation was. Sophia was between them, looking from her mother to her aunt with wide eyes.
Tears blurred her vision and Jesse shook her head as she took a step back. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”
“I didn’t say that,” Courtney said as Jesse turned to leave. “You’re here, so you might as well come in. No sense in you coming all this way for nothing.”
“Thanks, Court.”
Her sister pushed the door open, holding it just long enough for Jesse to step through before she turned away and headed deeper into the house, Sophia hot on her heels firing off questions about why Aunt Jesse was here, and how long was she going to stay. Perfectly content to put off any more awkward conversation as long as possible, Jesse took her time following her, taking in the toys scattered across the floor, the very well-loved looking couch in the living room, the family portraits hung on nearly every wall.
All in all, the house felt like a home. More so, in a lot of ways, than her house back in California. Maybe she should see about getting some more pictures of her and Grant to hang. And Edie.
When she finally made her way to the kitchen, where Courtney was busy cooking something that smelled delicious while her daughter ran circles around her, Jesse hesitated. “Um. Need any help?”
The look Courtney sent her way was nothing short of withering. But after a moment, she sighed and pointed to the dishwasher. “You can set the table. We’ll need four, if you’re planning to stay awhile.”
It was the closest thing to a warm welcome she figured she was entitled to, so Jesse made herself useful, pulling out colorful plates and equally colorful cups and silverware to lay out on the table in what felt almost like a companionable silence.
“Done. Anything else I can do?”
“Sure.” Tapping her spoon against the pot on the stove, Courtney turned and pinned Jesse with one of those ‘big sister’ looks that never failed to make Jesse squirm. “You can tell me what you’re doing, showing up on my doorstep with no warning after I haven’t heard a peep from you in over six months.”
“Oh, shit.” Jesse winced. “Has it really been that long?” She knew she wasn’t the best at keeping in touch, but she didn’t think it had gotten that bad.
“It has. And watch your language.”
“Sorry.”
Courtney’s brow lifted toward her hairline. Geez, what was it about Jesse that made everyone around her give her that look? “Which one are you apologizing for? Not being around, or swearing in front of your niece?”
“Both.” It took every ounce of courage she had to cross the kitchen and take her sister’s hands in hers, but she managed it somehow. “I’m really sorry, Court. More than I can tell you. I know when I left I… I didn’t handle things the way I should have. And I should have made more of an effort to keep in touch.”
“Why didn’t you?” Nothing could have shocked Jesse more than the tears shimmering in her sister’s pale eyes. Jesse had expected anger, maybe even annoyance, but not sadness. “Ten years, Jess. You didn’t even come to my wedding. And I so appreciate you buying out half our registry for Sophia, but you know what I would have appreciated more? My baby sister actually coming to see me and my daughter.”
“I should have.” Jesse’s words were hoarse thanks to her own tears clogging her throat. “I should have been there for all of it, and I’m so sorry I wasn’t.”
“You still haven’t told me why.”
Leaning back against the counter, Jesse closed her eyes, willing back the tears. Crying now would just make it look like a bid for sympathy, and that was the last thing she wanted. “You know Edie. Widow McDowell.”
It was a statement rather than a question, since she was fairly certain everyone knew Edie.
“Of course,” Courtney said, confirming her thoughts. “What does Edie have to do with you disappearing for ten years?”
“The summer before I left for California, Edie and I… we were… together.”
“Yeah, I knew you two were hanging out—oh.” Jesse didn’t have to be looking at her sister to know her eyes had just gone wide as saucers. “You mean like, together, together.”
“I don’t just mean together.” Forcing her eyes open, Jesse turned to her sister. “I was in love with her, Court. I still am. Ridiculously, insanely, stupidly in love with her.”
“So that’s why you”re back.” Hurt filled Courtney’s eyes. “To win back the love of your life. It has nothing to do with your family.”
“Not exactly.” Jesse held up her left hand, where the diamond Grant had given her weeks ago sparkled on her finger. “I came to tell you and Edie I’m getting married. I wanted you both to hear it directly from me instead of the tabloids.”
For several long moments, Courtney simply stared at her, before she turned and walked over to open the fridge. She emerged a few seconds later holding a large bottle of pink wine. “I have a feeling this conversation is going to call for something a bit stronger than water.”