Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
T he moment Susan Spencer whisked Saskia away, Clay found himself drawn into the fun, laughter, and games with the kids out on the tiled patio, which was warm with spring sunshine.
Laughing, he remarked to Ari Tremont, “I can’t believe how fast these babies crawl.”
Ari grabbed Penelope before she disappeared off the patio. “I said I’d never have a baby gate. But I was so wrong. You have to keep them corralled. At least in the classroom, you can close the door.” She was a kindergarten teacher, and he knew she had to be excellent at it.
It struck him that it had been more than half an hour since he’d last seen Saskia with Susan, who was now speaking with Fernsby.
He went in search of the woman he adored and found her on a bench out in the resort’s garden. Sitting beside her, he draped his arm over her shoulders. “Hey babe, why are you out here all alone?”
She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, then looked at him. “Spending time with your family is amazing. You’re all so loving and supportive.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder at the patio crowded with Harringtons and Mavericks “You’re all one big, beautiful, happy, loving family.”
He stroked her hair. “Yeah, we are.”
She sighed. “It makes me think more about my parents.”
Guilt wormed through him. Maybe it had been too soon to bring her here after what happened yesterday. His heart hurt for her. For the way her parents had shown up again like ticks, trying to burrow back into her life. “What are you thinking?”
He rubbed her shoulder, letting her know he was here no matter what.
“Today, I’ve seen what real family love is like, how Susan and Bob Spencer are beacons of light for everyone. My parents made me feel like they owned my talent because they allowed me to be born. Then they kicked me out because I wanted to paint my way instead of theirs.” She shuddered.
He dropped a kiss on her hair, even as his heart ached for her.
She gazed up at him, her eyes shiny with tears, but something more too.
With strength and resolve. “Yesterday, when my father asked only about the money I made, all I wanted to do was scream at them both.” She sighed.
“But I’ve had time to think about it. Should I go see them at their hotel?
Should I write them a letter telling them how I feel?
Should I try to fix things with them? This afternoon, being around your wonderful family, I find I don’t want to hate them anymore.
I don’t even want to be angry with them.
They are who they are, and they’ll never change.
I can accept that. I think I can even forgive them. ”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “I know you can. You’re the strongest person I know.”
She pulled back far enough to meet his eyes.
“I can forgive.” She pursed her lips. “But what I’ve decided is that I can’t ever be a part of that kind of family again.
I have to let them go. They’re toxic. I don’t want that in my life.
Forgiving them, then letting them go is the best thing for me.
” Though tears glittered in her eyes, she didn’t let them stop her.
He was so damned proud of her. “I fully support your decision. I wish more than anything they could see how amazing you are. But they’ll never see past their own egos. None of us need people like that in our lives.”
She dipped her head, nodded.
He dropped a kiss on her beautiful lips. “If you ever change your mind and want to see them, I’ll be by your side every second. Whatever you need.”
She wrapped her arms around him, her voice a choked whisper. “All I need is to be free. All I want is to love you and to make your family my family.”
He held her tightly enough to show her he would never let her go. “I love you. Now and always.”
They returned just in time for cake.
Saskia had made her momentous decision. Truly, she was free. Free to love Clay, to find happiness, to throw her all into her art.
With the children seated at the birthday table with balloons tied to each chair, Fernsby and Gabby Harrington, Clay’s youngest sister, carried out trays of cakes. Fernsby claimed the honor of setting one small cake in front of Savannah and another for Keegan.
Evan Collins, tall and handsome like all the Mavericks, ran a hand through his tawny hair as he leaned over his twins. “They each get their own cake?” He looked at Fernsby his gaze wide-eyed—and terrified?—behind his glasses.
Fernsby, being himself, which Saskia was getting used to, drawled, “It’s a smash cake, sir.”
Evan reared back as the rest of the adults stepped forward to listen. “What the heck is a smash cake?”
Fernsby seemed to smile, barely. Then he pointed as Keegan smashed his little fist into his cake and shoveled chocolate into his mouth.
Savannah plunged her whole face into her cake, then popped back up with cream icing and sponge cake all over her face, her smile wide beneath the mess.
A pretty woman with auburn hair, their mother Paige giggled. “I hope you’re giving them baths, Fernsby.”
Fernsby remained impassively stoic. “Have no fear, dear lady.”
Clay whispered against Saskia’s hair, his warmth shooting thrills through her body, “Fernsby tries to keep it a secret, but he loves babies and small children.”
“And small dogs,” she added as Dane and Cammie’s dachshund jumped around at his feet, obviously waiting for his own treat.
“Where’s my smash cake?” Noah cried, Jorge echoing him.
Fernsby answered, “Gabrielle has them.”
Gabby set down two small cakes in front of the boys. They both hooted with giddy yelps, though Jorge looked at his mother, waiting until Rosie gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
Then the two boys threw themselves at their cakes, burying their faces, while the crowd of Mavericks and Harringtons clapped.
Bob Spencer, beloved father of the Maverick clan, guffawed and cheered them on. “You go, boys!”
“Jeremy, where are you, my dear boy?” Fernsby called.
The young man stepped forward, waving a hand. “Here I am.”
Harper Franconi’s younger brother—Saskia was remembering all the family ties—appeared to be in his early twenties, with beautiful blue eyes. Clay had told her that he’d been hit by a car when he was young that had left him more childlike than adult.
“Sit,” Fernsby said with a flourish. Jeremy sat next to Noah.
Then Gabby trotted over with another smash cake.
“But it’s not my birthday,” Jeremy said with openmouthed wonder.
“You are, nevertheless, special,” Fernsby intoned.
Jeremy looked as if he might cry for joy. Then he plunged into his cake and came up gobbling frosting and red velvet.
Will Franconi put his arm around his wife as Harper mouthed, “Thank you,” to Fernsby and Gabby.
Saskia put her lips to Clay’s ear. “What incredible fun.” There was astonishing freedom in smashing your face into a cake.
Without anyone having noticed they’d gone, Gabby and Fernsby reappeared with a two-tiered cake, setting it on another table laden with silverware and plates. Then Fernsby announced, “The adults have their own cake.” He wagged his finger. “But no smashing.”
“The bottom layer is my vegan devil’s food,” Gabby told the crowd.
Fernsby muttered under his breath, though still quite audibly, “Most likely inedible.”
Susan Spencer slipped her hand through the crook of Fernsby’s elbow and said in an equally audible whisper, “Don’t be jealous, Fernsby.”
The tall man patted her hand, gazing down at her with admiration, and maybe even reverence.
“There must always be a bit of envy if we are both to stay on our toes.” Then Fernsby announced in a booming voice, “I have also made devil’s food cake for the top layer, but mine will give you the full complement of butter, eggs, and sugar your bodies require. ”
Saskia had heard all about the rivalry between the two bakers—one vegan and one who steadfastly declared that butter and eggs were the staff of life.
A stampede of Mavericks bore down on the cake table.
Clay secured a piece of each layer and brought them back to Saskia to share. She had to admit that both cakes were equally delicious. Together, they demolished both pieces.
A shout rent the air. “What are you doing, woman?” Daniel Spencer scraped cake off his face and looked at his beloved with mouth agape.
Tasha whipped her long, dark hair over her shoulder. “I thought we needed our own smash cake.”
“Oh my God,” Saskia whispered just before Daniel wiped his cake-covered hand down Tasha’s face.
She squealed. And laughed. Then he smeared cake and icing between them as he kissed her clean.
Then it was a free-for-all, cake flying, shrieks and laughter filling the air like music, every Maverick kissing their lover, licking away frosting and cake and acting like children.
Although children didn’t kiss like that .
“Too bad we ate all of ours,” Saskia whispered in Clay’s ear.
“I can get us some more.” He winked. “I’d love nothing more than to lick it off every part of your body.”
She shivered with desire. Then, looking at the food fight, she smiled, her heart full for the first time ever. “I think I love your family almost as much as I love you.”
Fernsby stood with Susan beside the sad remains of his beautiful cake, their arms linked as they surveyed the damage her Mavericks had wrought.
“I do believe, dear lady, that your brood was even worse than the children.”
She laughed. The adults’ tiered cake was in far worse shape now than the smash cakes. “What about your brood? Your wonderful Harringtons were no better than my Mavericks.”
He almost smiled. Just a little, just for her. Because she was such a special lady whom he admired with all his shriveled heart. “Agreed. Our broods can be atrociously juvenile at times,” he drawled.
Yet he’d stood back and applauded, if only in his mind, as Dane threw cake in Cammie’s hair. Then she’d licked cake and whipped cream from his face. And Ava and Ransom had been close to steamy.
It had been a delirious melee. Fernsby, of course, had maintained decorum, not wishing to dirty either his hands or his pristine suit.
What a beautiful, boisterous bunch they were, all these Mavericks and Harringtons. His heart actually swelled.
Susan gazed beyond the untidy table at her delightful brood. “I used to be the one they always came to. But, my dear Fernsby, you are startlingly good at handing out advice without them even realizing they’ve been advised.”
He wanted to crow at her compliment. Though it was undeniably true, it held so much more weight coming from the incomparable Susan Spencer. “Thank you, Susan. But we all know you are the heart of this family.”
She squeezed his arm, leaning a little closer. “How about if we share that heart, you and I?”
He couldn’t help but say, “I find that immensely pleasing, my dear sweet lady.”
She winked. “If there’s anything in your life that you’d like to talk over, I’m always here for you.”
The image of a certain woman from long ago came suddenly to Fernsby.
As though she could pluck that very image from his mind, Susan said, “Anything. Absolutely anything.”
Something inside him crumbled. “You’re very good at seeing straight into someone’s soul, aren’t you?”
She just smiled. Such an endearing smile. A lovely woman indeed.
“One day, dear Susan, you and I will get smashingly drunk.” He bared his teeth in what he hoped was a smile. “And I will tell you all my secrets.”
She beamed back at him. “I can’t wait.”