Chapter Thirteen
“I’ll get it, Alex,” I said as we pulled up in front of Frances’s place for the third time in one day. I was sure she could get around the city on her own, but something about this damn woman brought out the protective side in me.
Jumping out of the SUV in my jeans and white polo, I walked around the back of the car to open the door for an approaching Frances. She looked absolutely delectable in white cutoff shorts and a red off-the-shoulder sweater, her tanned skin exposed. I thought back to her kickboxing and the way her muscles flexed…
“Sorry I ran late,” I said, breaking my moment.
“It’s no big deal, you texted…” She climbed into the car, her ass in my face, and I made a note to never let anyone else open the door for her.
The truth was I’d had to collect myself after meeting Connie. I wasn’t sure if I could reconcile Max, my great-grandfather, even being my family. Who the fuck sends their own kid away for falling in love?
I set my feelings aside as I rounded the car and hopped in the back.
“I didn’t know what we were doing, so I hope this works,” Frances stated, waving her hand in front of her outfit.
“I wasn’t entirely sure either, but I made some calls…another reason I was late.”
Alex drove toward the helipad and Frances watched out the window, not knowing where we were headed.
“You okay, after today?” she turned toward me and asked, her expression soft.
“Yes. It was…a lot. I’m sorry for you, that you had to hear that about my family. I wish Milly had told me, let me know what went down. I look like a fool for not knowing. Somehow, it feels like I could have protected you before these ugly truths were exposed. I’m a little ashamed and sad for her…but I get it was the way they handled things in that time.”
I rambled and Frances took my hand. We stayed like that, her thumb rubbing mine, until Alex stopped the vehicle and I’d calmed.
“Helicopter?” Frances spoke, looking out the window, noting the helipad.
I nodded. “I figured we could have dinner in the Hamptons, make sure there weren’t dust bunnies attacking my place. You seemed worried for me.”
“Should I have worn something dressier?”
I shook my head. “That’s perfect. If it’s okay with you, we’re staying in and someone is coming to cook. If you want to go out, we can, but this gives us time to unwind and not rush.”
She nodded. “Sounds dreamy.”
I couldn’t help but think it was dreamy just having her with me, a thought I’d never believed I’d have. Then again, I never thought I’d send Corey an SOS text to find a chef and have him or her hightail it to my Hamptons place.
Corey was oohing and aahing and having a small orgasm over the phone when he called me. Luckily, he’d arranged a few catered lunches out in Southampton for me, and it was an easy task for the jack-of-all-trades in my life.
Now, as I opened the door to the helicopter and Frances climbed in, my heart rate spiked. My mind lived somewhere in between this being a huge mistake and the best thing I ever did. Seated, buckled, headphones on and prepped on safety, we were lifted into the air by the pilot. It was a short ride, and I took in Frances keeping an eye below us. She was smiling so wide, it hit her eyes. I wasn’t sure who the excitement was for, but for a moment I allowed myself to believe it was me.
I couldn’t help but lean in and kiss her neck, making my way to her cheek, and finally, her lips. It was messy, and our headphones kept invading one another’s space, but for a hot moment we said what couldn’t be spoken with words.
Breaking free, we stared at one another, my thumbs caressing her face. We didn’t speak, despite feelings swirling all around us.
Much later, situated over a cocktail on the back porch while Serena, a local chef, made dinner, I said, “You know, I thought this whole chase of yours was kind of nuts.”
She laughed; it was throaty and did things to me I wanted to ignore but couldn’t. A silent growl to protect and savor this woman roared in my chest.
“I know, I know. It was a little nutty on my part. Still is. But I have to stay on this goose chase for my own closure. Thankfully, my parents are enjoying retirement in Florida and don’t ask what I’m up to. Although…I’m truly sorry for involving you. I didn’t mean to expose parts of your life you didn’t want to know about or that made you feel bad.” She ran a hand through her hair and I wanted it to be my fingers.
So much of this woman was still a mystery, yet there was a piece of yarn connecting us in an undefinable way. “You don’t say much about your family other than your Paps. Tell me about them, now that you know all the dirt on my great-grandfather…”
We sat on padded chairs catty-corner from one another, and the hand she wasn’t holding a drink with squeezed my knee.
“Max isn’t you…”
I swallowed the guilt that had been lodged in my throat. “It’s part of my family’s legacy.”
“Like Connie said, my grandma was Sally, and my Paps, well you know all about him by now.” Frances switched subjects back to my question, somehow knowing she wasn’t going to be able to change my mind when it came to Max.
I nodded. “Good ol’ Jimmy, lucky in life, loser in love,” I said.
“Truth,” Frances agreed. “Anyway, Jimmy and Sally only had one kid, my dad, James Jr. My grandma worked hard with my Paps to run the business. All the pictures of my dad as a baby are of him in a playpen in the back office or being carted around the store in my mom’s arms. And the yearly Christmas photo in the sofa section with Santa. Most kids were taken to the mall, but Paps brought Santa to the store. My dad continued the tradition, and it became a big thing to come to James Furniture to get a pic with Santa. He’d advertise the big event and it was a real see-and-be-seen for our neighborhood. It was good for sales too.”
“James Furniture, huh?”
She nodded.
“Promise not to get too excited and jump in the pool naked?” I felt an eyebrow raise as I asked her. Being with Frances was fun, easy, natural—whatever word you would use to describe a relationship that felt good.
A giggle escaped her. “Yes, I swear!”
I loved the ease with which we ebbed and flowed between the serious and silly. It felt comfortable, like a worn-in glove, one you could easily slip on. “Unlike you, I haven’t investigated you fully. So I didn’t know about James Furniture. But now that you say it, I have a recollection. When I was around ten, Milly took us there. It was wintertime, and she had her driver take us to Long Island. I remember it being a long car ride and we played tic-tac-toe in the back seat on an old tablet. When we got to the parking lot, Milly had her driver take me for fast food while she went in to order an armoire. I had no idea why we drove that far for a piece of furniture, and I was mad because I saw the sign for Santa and wanted to go in. ‘We don’t celebrate Christmas,’ Milly said. It was one of the few times, she ever spoke sternly to me.”
“Wow. I wonder if she saw Paps…”
Serena interrupted and asked if we were ready to eat, and we moved to the outdoor dining table, overlooking the pool. I carried our drinks, which Serena’s assistant quickly refreshed.
“Don’t forget where we were. I want to hear more about your family.” I was happy for the break in the scene. I didn’t know why I went there with that memory…reminiscing about Milly maybe going to see Jimmy… It was opening Pandora’s box. There was also the mention of the armoire now, sitting like an elephant in the room. It was only a matter of time before Frances inquired about the gigantic piece of furniture.
As we sat, Frances took the hint and asked, “What about you? Like you said, I know you don’t do Santa, but what were your holiday traditions?”
This made me chuckle.
Frances took a bite of her fish and hummed her pleasure. I didn’t make it, but the fact that I’d provided it did something to me. I wanted to please Frances in a way I never wanted to care for someone. “Not much. When I was young, we fried potato latkes and doughnuts. As you know, Milly was big into the kitchen and making everything herself. My dad always had his assistant buy me the latest and greatest toys or video games. When I got to be around eight, they started dragging me to the office holiday party. That was my consolation for not having a mom—I got to go to the adults’ celebration. I’d sit in the corner in my navy suit, downing Roy Rogers. You know what they are?”
“Of course I do. The male version of a Shirley Temple! Sugary cherry juice and Seven-Up. I used to order mine with extra cherries. By the way, since you never got to do it, this year I have to take you to meet Santa. He can talk to Hanukkah Harry on your behalf.” It was silliness, but it was pure Frances, taking a painful moment and making it better.
I told her it was a plan and that I was hoping for a Lego set before conversation moved into safer territory—whether ties were coming back in style.
“I feel a bit targeted… I don’t like ties…”
“That’s because you don’t need one for people to take you seriously. Most men need one to keep others in line. You do that with a look.”
The chat could have taken a turn toward dirty talk, but I kept it PG.
After dinner, we got a ride to the inlet and took a walk on the beach, our hands easily slipping together. I felt Frances lean her head on my shoulder and I stopped in my tracks. Turning to face her, I couldn’t find the words. It felt right…and beyond wrong…because I’d never wanted this or felt I’d deserved it.
“Why do you always call me Frances?” she asked, looking into my eyes. It was a welcome distraction from what was going on in my head.
“If everyone else calls you Frankie, I want to be different. Because it’s…something else between us. At least for me it is. You see, you’re this outstanding contradiction of a woman, Frances.”I let her name roll off my tongue, savoring each syllable. “You’re funny, sarcastic, bossy, demanding…all the above.” I looked for the right words. “Sensual and smart and sexy as fuck…”
“You mean just plain sexy, right?” She pinched my side while interrupting me.
“No, sexy as fuck.” I piggybacked off her comment. I knew she was kidding, but I couldn’t help myself. “Ever since you blasted into my life, I can’t get you out of my head. I want you, but I don’t want to hurt you. I can’t keep you, even if I don’t think I can let you go. It feels so complicated.”
Despite my trepidation, my lips grazed hers.
“What about your date? It didn’t go well?” she asked, breaking free from my mouth, going back to weeks ago.
Not going to lie—her tone, laced with the smallest hint of jealousy, made me feel ten feet tall. It was my turn to give her a tiny pinch on the side.
“What?” She looked at me, eyebrow cocked.
“My date was a favor to a friend. And it ended up with me coming home early and thinking about you.”
As the sun began to set, I could still make out the blush on her cheeks. I ran a finger over one, and she pulled away playfully. “Don’t tease.”
“I’m not,” I whispered. “I like you, Frances, in case you couldn’t figure that out. I didn’t want to, but you’re irresistible.”
Cradling her face, I kissed her instead of waiting for a reply, her lips supple against mine, her tongue ready to tangle and her body pliant in my arms.
I wanted the moment to go on forever.
I was starting to think we could stay overnight—Frances seemed to love the bungalow—but my phone rang.
“Damn Corey. Bet he needs an update,” I murmured, pulling my phone out.
It wasn’t Corey.
“Dan?”
“Hey, boss. I hate to disturb your weekend but we had a problem out in Westchester.”
I stepped away from Frances, mouthing I’m sorry and holding up a finger, signaling one second.
It took a bit longer than a minute as Dan, my head of security, said our store was broken into along with a few others in a mall. Normally, it was something Dan’s team would handle and send a report along in the morning. But since this one was so close to me, they’d called.
I decided to go see the scene, cutting my evening with Frances short.
Call it work or self-preservation, but both had to be done.