Chapter Fourteen
Rachel balanced the cardboard box as she walked home.
She entered the apartment, which was silent since Allie was at Jenny’s.
She set her things on the kitchen table.
How easily one’s work life fit into a small box.
She lifted the portrait and set it on the counter.
While it was usually wonderful to have the place to herself, today was not one of those times.
She couldn’t sit here or she’d wallow. It was a lovely day, so she’d go to Jenny’s, pick up Allie and take her daughter to the park.
She should probably go to the bakery first and grab something as a thank-you for Jenny.
Her bestie had brought wine and ice cream last night.
The least Rachel could do was bring doughnuts.
She grabbed her house key and phone and headed downstairs.
Once out of her apartment building door, she rounded the corner to Emerald Ridge Boulevard and she bumped into a rock-solid object.
“You!” she said as she recoiled in horror. “Don’t you dare think of suing me for walking into you when you were the one not paying attention!”
It was then she noticed the tears in Clemons Fortune’s eyes. “Are you okay?” she asked as she peered at him. “I didn’t hurt you.” There was a camera on the corner that would prove it.
“For once, it’s not you.” He reached into his pocket and shoved a flyer into her hand. “Have you seen my cat?”
Rachel almost dropped the flyer she was so surprised, first by his anguish and now by his speaking to her in a tone that was more pleading than accusatory.
“No. I told you I didn’t let your cat out. I have no idea where it is.”
His signature suit coat was missing, and his shirt and his linen pants were rumpled. “I know… I’m sorry about that. I was angry. You were there and I lashed out. Oakley told me I shouldn’t be rude. Sometimes I can’t help myself. My wife would be ashamed.”
She didn’t want to say, “It’s okay,” for it wasn’t. But she was not a vindictive person. “I can see you miss her very much.”
“I do.” The tears grew, and he reached into his pants pocket for a handkerchief. He dabbed his eyes. “You think you’ll have a lifetime together and then it’s gone.”
“We’ll find your cat. But surely it’s not here, in the central business district?”
“I don’t know. Because of the reward on the flyers, we’ve had so many leads. I’m tracking down every tip that I get. I even brought in a woman who uses dogs to track Mewington’s scent, but while we pinpointed an area, we couldn’t find him when we searched. I’m starting to doubt anyone’s seen him.”
“Would you like me to help you look?” she offered.
He blinked at her with eyes wide in surprise. “Why would you help me? I’ve been awful to you. I accused you of stealing him.”
Rachel didn’t have an answer to that. Her innate sense of empathy had made her mouth speak before her brain had the opportunity to tell her mouth to shut up.
“I’d like the help…and appreciate the company,” he continued. “And again, I’m sorry. I’ve been so wrong about you. My son trusts you, and if Oakley hired you as his admin, I should trust you, too.”
It hurt too much to tell him she was no longer his son’s admin. She was there to find a cat, that was all. “If I say I’m helping, then I help,” Rachel said as they went down the alley and began searching under some commercial trash receptacles.
After about fifteen minutes of searching the alley, with her checking one side and Clemons peering around the other, they still hadn’t found Mewington.
They’d even looked down several of the cross streets.
They walked back toward Emerald Ridge Boulevard.
“I’m stopping at the bakery café for doughnuts,” she said. “May I buy you a cup of coffee?”
“I’d like that,” Clemons responded, as he held open the door for her. “We’re not far from your office. Should we text Oakley to see what he wants?”
“If you’d like. I’m happy to get him something, but you need to know that I turned in my notice. Yesterday was my last day.”
Even saying the words hurt, and Clemons ushered her to a small table. “After everything, this is on me. What would you like?”
“No, I said I’d treat.” Using the app on her phone and the QR code on the table, Rachel placed their order.
“Will you tell me what happened?” Clemons asked gruffly. “He was so happy with you. I know I was awful to you, but like I said, I was out of line. Me and my big mouth—I didn’t mean it. Oakley was right to yell at me.”
“You were awful,” she agreed. After today, unless she spilled coffee on him, hopefully this branch of the Fortune family was out of her life for good.
“I overreacted. I just saw that Oakley was clearly in love with you and that rattled me. His ex-wife did a number on his head. She hurt him. And then there was his previous admin who tried to trap him by being overtly sexual. I projected my fears onto you. My son is old enough to handle himself.”
His dad thought Oakley loved her? She couldn’t believe that. But before she could tell Clemons he was wrong, her name was called. She went to the counter and returned with the doughnuts and coffees.
“You’re a decent person, Rachel. A good mom, like my Randa was.
I can see why Oakley cares for you. I know I’m an old curmudgeon.
I’m set in my ways, and half the time I’m embarrassing my kids.
I’m trying to change…” Clemons scrubbed a hand over his face, his voice cracking slightly.
“They say it’s time to get over the sadness and the heartbreak, but none of them have been married for thirty-five years like Randa and I were.
It’s not been the same since I lost her.
There’s a giant hole where my heart used to be. ”
He chewed some of the glazed doughnut. “It’s like the universe is angry with me. Now my precious Mewington is gone. The house feels too empty. You have Allie, but I have nothing. Not even my kids if I don’t change my ways. But it’s hard for an old fool like me.”
“I do have Allie, and I have the example of my parents’ loving marriage. You and your wife set that for your children. They just want you happy.”
“You made Oakley happy,” Clemons said. He opened the lid of his coffee, looked at it unhappily and put the lid back on.
“Yes, but we’re not meant to be.” How she wished that were different!
“How do you know?”
Rachel sipped her coffee. No way was she wading into a conversation with Oakley’s father about how his son simply wanted to sleep with her and nothing more.
Clemons wiped his fingers on a paper napkin. “If it’s because I called you a gold digger, you’re not, and I’m truly sorry I said that. It was terrible and untrue. You and Oakley care for each other, and it’s clear your heart is broken. I can sense these things.”
“Fine. He and I don’t have the same goals for a relationship. He also feels that he wouldn’t be good for me. Told me that I deserve more than what he can give.”
Clemons gave a frustrated exhale. “That son of mine often can’t see what’s right in front of him. You need to be more like me. Tell him what you want. Be straightforward. That’s how you get the results you deserve. Stop holding back your feelings. Don’t wait. Time is short.”
“Perhaps, but that’s true only to a degree. What do you want, Clemons? What would make you happy?”
He scowled. “Well, it’s not to have you turn this around on me. This is about you getting your man.”
“Sorry.” But she couldn’t help but smile, and soon he did, too.
“You got gumption, Rachel. I’m glad we had this little chat. Now, as much as I thank you for this coffee, you need to go because I have to head over to the counter and tell them they didn’t fill my cup correctly.”
“You’re right.” She had no desire to see that. “I’m going to go home, figure things out and chat with Oakley.” Thankfully she hadn’t texted Jenny yet about picking Allie up early. “Good luck finding your cat.”
“Thank you.” As Clemons headed toward the counter, she disposed of the trash and headed back to her apartment, bag of doughnuts in one hand and her to-go cup in the other.
Could she and Oakley have a chance? She loved him.
If Clemons—her former enemy—thought her worthy, maybe she should try.
She turned the corner and frowned. Someone was sitting in her doorway.
Her sense of caution kicking in, adrenaline pumped as she edged to the outside of the sidewalk.
“Oakley?” Relief was quickly replaced with worry.
“What are you doing here? Has something happened? How long have you been sitting there?”
He uncoiled to his full height. “Twenty, thirty minutes? I lost track.”
“Why didn’t you text me if you needed something?”
“Because what I need is you, Rachel. Not just physically, but in every aspect. Mentally. Emotionally. All of it. I’m madly in love with you.
” He swallowed hard. “I want you, Rachel, all of you, including Allie. You walked into my office that first day, and it was like I’d known you my whole life.
I’ve never been this comfortable with anyone the way I am with you. You make me complete.”
“Oh.” Rachel found herself at a loss for words and she clutched the bakery bag tighter.
“The other day I messed up. I didn’t want to tell you my true feelings because I was your boss. I thought, if I did, I would be manipulating you or being selfish, like my ex said I could be. I know I can be too focused on work, but, Rachel, I want you.”
Rachel searched his face and found him sincere. She could hardly believe it, but Oakley meant what he said so earnestly.
“I haven’t expressed it well, but the truth is I care for you a great deal.
I don’t want this to be one-sided. I want an equal partnership.
Me and you. In life. In love. In business, if we want.
But mostly, in marriage. That’s where I’m going, Rachel.
I want you forever. The rest will work itself out as long as we love each other.
And I think you love me. I hope you love me. ”
“I do. I love you, too,” she said, tears of joy beginning to run down her face.
“You’re everything I could have wanted. I was actually about to come find you and tell you that.
I realized our conversation wasn’t finished.
That the Oakley I love would never just want me for sex.
I should have heard you out and not walked away. ”
“I want you, Rachel, darling. Everything. All of it. The good times and bad, the better or worse, and all the rest. I wish we hadn’t wasted even a minute.”
“I agree.” She sniffed. “From here on, we have to say what we think. Be straight shooters like your dad and speak our minds to each other.”
“Why are you are quoting my dad?”
“Well, amazingly enough, we just had doughnuts.” As Oakley drew her into his arms, she explained.
“I don’t often thank my dad for things, but for this, I’ll forever be grateful.” Oakley held her tightly. “He brought you back to me.”
“Well, don’t get too excited. He was about to go complain about the coffee when I left,” Rachel teased. “Now, enough about your dad. Did I tell you that Jenny is watching Allie?”
“Is she?” Oakley’s fingers pushed Rachel’s hair behind her ears. “That sounds promising.”
“Yes, especially because I don’t have to pick her up until later.” Stepping partially out of Oakley’s grasp, Rachel unlocked the door to her building. “Shall we go upstairs?”
“I love you,” he said as he swept her into his arms and carried her up the stairs, pastry bag and all. “And just so you know, as soon as you’re ready, you’re moving in with me. You and Allie. Because I want forever. Is that direct enough?”
Her heart filled. “Very direct.”
“Good. Because I meant it when I said I love you. And I’m going to show you, starting right now and for every minute for the rest of our lives.”
And as he kissed her, Rachel realized that maybe, after all, dreams really did come true.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Maverick’s Homecoming by Christine Rimmer.