“Of course not,” I said. “He does live here. Matter of fact, maybe Collin, Spencer, and the girls can come over – I haven’t told them anything and I think I owe them an explanation.”
“Sure, love – whatever you want.” He winked, setting my heart fluttering. He disappeared and a moment later, I heard the water running in the bathroom. I closed my eyes and smiled.
I heard everyone come through the door while Lucas was helping me to dress. He carefully tugged one of his t-shirts over my head and helped me into a pair of my pajama pants. He watched as I swallowed my pain medication then took my hand and escorted me to the kitchen.
Spencer jumped up to offer me his chair which I gladly accepted. The bath had been wonderful and eased some of my stiffness and soreness but I still couldn’t stand for long periods of time. Lucas pulled a chair next to me and twined his fingers with mine.
“Well, looks like things went well here,” Collin remarked as he set a plate in front of me.
“Yes, they did,” Lucas said as he kissed my cheek. He took the slice off the plate and bit off a chunk before offering it to me.
“Oh, no,” Spencer groaned. “Tell me you aren’t going to be all lovey-dovey now.”
I blushed as Lucas gently squeezed my hand. “Yep, probably.”
“So, things are settled?” Bailey asked as she eyed me. “You told him everything?”
“Yes,” I said as I sipped from a glass of water. “And I guess I should probably tell you guys, too.”
“You don’t have to,” Morgan said but I shook my head.
I told them what happened once I left my birthday party, filling them in on every detail I could remember about my conversation with my grandfather. I expected their reactions – especially Bailey’s angry curses – but it still warmed my heart how they exclaimed and defended me.
“So, what happened with Dustin?” Collin asked.
I took a deep breath. “He stopped by my house this week. We sort of had it out – it wasn’t pretty – and he knows for sure that it’s over between us. Of course, he assured me that he wanted nothing more to do with me.”
“His loss,” Lucas said as he crammed half a slice of pizza in his mouth. He chewed and chased it down with a swallow of water from my glass. “My gain.”
My heart flipped as I smiled.
“What are you going to do about school? And about Tommy’s school?” Spencer asked.
I shrugged, fighting a yawn as the pain meds kicked in and made my lids heavy. I told them about the family discussion and the decisions we’d made. “So, I’ll probably just go to school somewhere else. I’m going to have to work on that soon.”
“Are you going back to classes on Monday?” Morgan asked.
“Yeah.”
“Are you well enough?” Lucas asked as he touched my cheek. “Maybe you should wait.”
“Nah, I’m fine.” I yawned as Lucas kissed my cheek.
“I think you need some sleep.”
I agreed and bid everyone a good night. Lucas helped me up and held my hand as we headed toward his bedroom.
“It’s good to have you back, Irelyn,” Bailey said with a grin.
I settled in the bed next to Lucas. After nearly a week on the sofa, his bed was wonderful. I had to lie on my back as he positioned himself on his side so he could look at me in the weak light streaming between the slats in the blinds.
Suddenly, a sob erupted and tears fell from my eyes. Lucas panicked as he kissed my face, desperately trying to stop the tears. “Hey, it’s okay, love, I promise,” he whispered.
My sobs turned to whimpers as I reached for him and he hugged me. “Sorry. I just…I just feel horrible about how bad things got. I never wanted to end things with you. I wanted to be with you and not Dustin and everything got out of hand. Then I wondered if you even wanted me to be ...you know…you’re girlfriend. And then the accident and …oh, Lucas. I’m just sorry.”
He kissed both my cheeks and my nose and my head. “Irelyn, I love you. I want to be with you. Nothing that’s happened matters anymore except that we’re together. Tomorrow when we wake, we’ll start all over and do things right.”
My heart stopped. “You…love me?”
Chuckling, he brushed his lips over mine. “I do.”
I sniffed, hiccupping, as I pulled his head down so I could kiss him. “I love you, Lucas. I really do. I realized that awhile ago.”
Grinning, he kissed me, allowing his lips to linger on mine. I wished fervently that my body wasn’t aching and I was whole again so I could beg him to seal our love. But I couldn’t. And the pain meds were dragging me down farther into the black hole of blissful sleep. I struggled to hold on to consciousness for just a few more minutes.
“Hang on a second,” he said as he quickly pulled away from me. I wanted to yell at him to come back but he was already off the bed. “Shield your eyes a second – I need to turn on the light.”
I covered my eyes as he did indeed turn on the light. He crawled back to me and eased me gently upright while he propped the pillows behind me. “What are you doing?” I asked as he moved away again.
“I want to give you your birthday present.”
I dropped my hand and squinted, locating him near his dresser. He opened a drawer and withdrew a square, wrapped box. Returning to my side, he stuck the box in my hands. “Lucas,” I protested. “Luke, this is not necessary.”
“Please,” he snorted. “Um, I’m not trying to make you feel guilty but I … well, hell.” He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “I bought this for you and I had planned to give it to you on your birthday. And, um, I was going to tell you that I loved you then.”
My heart broke. Oh, the pain I must have put him through. “Lucas, I’m so sorry.”
He pressed a finger against my lips. “No, don’t be. Things happened and it’s in the past. We’re starting over, remember?” I nodded, his finger still on my lips. “Now, open it.”
He dropped his hand as I tore the paper off the box. Lifting the lid, I gasped. Nestled in a bed of velvet was a beautiful gold necklace with a gold, heart-shaped charm. Tiny diamond chips sparkled in the light and I held it closer to read the words engraved on the front. In fancy font it simply said ‘I love you.’ “It’s beautiful. I love it, Lucas.”
I touched the charm gingerly, admiring how simple yet beautiful it was. “Will you put it on me?” I asked. He removed it from the box, moved my hair, and fastened it around my neck. He kissed my jaw when he finished and I shuddered, sparks of desire shooting through the fog from the pain meds.
“It looks great on you, Irelyn,” he grinned. He fixed my hair and eased me forward again so he could put the pillows flat and help me to lie down. “Now you really need to sleep. I’ll take care of you all weekend and get you fixed up.”
“You don’t need to do that,” I said around a yawn.
“Yes, I do,” he said as he shut off the light and joined me in the bed. “I want to.”
I longed to snuggle up to him but it was just so hard to be comfortable that way with the aches. I had to settle for scooting as close as I could and placing his arm over my stomach. He kissed my cheek as sang that old song I loved so much quietly, making me smile, until I drifted off to sleep.
***
Lucas kept to his word as he insisted on waited on me hand and foot all day Saturday, despite my protests. Collin happily ignored my pleas and joined Lucas in the pampering. Even though I was sort of embarrassed, I secretly enjoyed the attention Lucas bestowed on me. As much as my body hurt, my heart was healing. And it was full of love.
When he drove me home Sunday, I was ecstatic. It was outstandingly wonderful that I didn’t have to hide him – that I could proudly take him in my home and officially introduce him to my mother as my boyfriend.
But, of course, something had to ruin my shining moment. As Lucas parked in front of my house, I noticed a fancy car in my driveway.
“Damn it,” I cursed.
“What?” Lucas asked anxiously.
“That’s my grandfather’s car,” I said as I deflated. I took Lucas’s hand and allowed him to help me out of the truck. He grabbed my bag, kept hold of my hand, and led me up the walk. “Please, don’t leave.”
“Not on your life,” he growled, his eyes narrowed. His hold tightened as I opened the door. Tommy rushed to me and wrapped his arms painfully around my legs.
“I’m glad you’re home,” he said, his eyes full of fright. My grandfather’s shouts echoed off the walls.
Lucas dropped my bag to hoist Tommy in his free arm as if Tommy were a toddler. “Don’t worry, buddy, it’s fine.”
Tommy wrapped his arms gratefully around Lucas’s neck and offered a weak smile. “I remember you. You let me play on stage.”
“That’s right,” Lucas said.
“Let’s get this over with,” I sighed as I squeezed Lucas’s hand and dragged him toward the kitchen.
“…allow your daughter to prostitute herself, Willamina! What are you thinking?”
“She’s an adult and can live her life the way she wants,” Mom shouted back. I dropped Lucas’s hand and rushed, as much as my sore body would allow, to her side.
“Leave my mother alone,” I said, grinding my teeth. “She didn’t do anything.”
“She let you turn into a whore – just like her,” Grandfather said, his eyes burning.
I cringed a little, knowing Tommy and Lucas both heard my grandfather’s words, but anger burned in my already sore body. I knew Lucas was ready to fight – I could actually feel his tension – and I stretched a sore arm back to stop him.
“You know, I’m really tired of hearing that word.” I dragged a huge helping of oxygen in my lungs, releasing it slowly. “Maybe I’m not perfect and maybe my mother isn’t perfect but we are humans and we feel. You and your country club friends don’t feel. All you do is sit on your pedestals and judge people who have less money than you. I doubt you even love your wife. You only married her because you thought it would be a good match. At least my mother and I have the capacity to love. I don’t care if Lucas doesn’t have the money or the clout or the damn law degree that Dustin will have – he loves me. He loves me for me. And I love him for him. That is something your money will never, ever buy. And I thank God for that.”
My mom smiled at me, tears shimmering in her eyes, as she moved next to me to wrap an arm around my shoulders. “And I’m damn proud of my daughter.”
My eyes grew as my jaw fell at her words before a laugh escaped. Mom never spoke that way – especially in front of her father. I kissed her cheek.
“And,” she continued. “I’d rather her have a sordid affair with Lucas than marry Dustin because at least it’s honest and at least she is doing what she wants and not what you want her to do. I made the mistake of bowing to your wishes and I lost the love of my life. I’ll not let that happen to my daughter. Your money means nothing to us. If you’re ashamed of us then leave and don’t come back. We don’t need you – we have each other.”
“I am through with you all then,” Grandfather said as he grabbed his coat off the back of a chair. “You’ll not get another dime from me.”
“We don’t need it,” Mom said as she lifted her chin. “We’re fine without you.”
“You’ll change your mind. You’ll be sorry.”
“No, we won’t,” Mom said a little sad. “The only thing I’ll be sorry for is that you’ll miss all the wonderful things my children do. You’ll miss Irelyn’s wedding. You’ll miss Tommy’s graduation. You’re the one who will be missing out – not us. And all the money in the world can’t replace what we have in this little house.”
Grandfather paused, staring at my mother for a moment before brushing past Lucas and storming out the door. Once I heard it slam shut, I took my mother in my arms and held her as tight as I was able.
“I love you, Mom, and I’m sorry for all this,” I told her.
“Oh, Irelyn, it’s not you,” she said. “He’s always been that way.”
When Lucas set Tommy on his feet, he ran to me and Mom to join in the hug. Mom kissed the top of his head and pulled back to smile tearfully at Lucas. “I’m so sorry, Lucas. Sorry you had to see all that.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you told him off, Ms. Colby.”
Laughing, she kissed his cheek. “Call me Mina, please, and trust me – it was a long time coming.”
“Are you okay, Mom?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said as a thoughtful frown crossed her face. “I am. I feel good. I only wished I would have said this to him a long time ago.”
“It’s never too late,” Lucas said as he bestowed one of his crinkly-eyed smiles on her. I loved him even more.
Swiping at her face, she blushed. “Why don’t I fix us something to eat and then we’ll get to work on Irelyn’s college and funding for Tommy?”
“I’ll go grab a pizza,” Lucas offered, kissing my cheek. “Then I’ll help.”
When he walked out the door, my mom hugged me again. “He’s your Lonnie. Hold on to him, honey. Don’t let him go.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
Later that night, after both my mother and Tommy had retired for bed, I walked Lucas to the door. Holding me, he kissed me like he was afraid if he let me go, I’d vanish into thin air.
“Hey, Irelyn,” he said.
“Yes?” I asked as I kissed him.
“What do you think about … well, maybe this summer…you might want to…I don’t know…find a place? Together?”
I froze, trying to grapple with his words. “You mean – move in together?”
“Yeah,” he said as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “If you want.”
“Are you sure?” I whispered.
“Positive.” His eyes were hopeful and his lips a straight line.
“Yes,” I said. “Most definitely. That would be…great.”
His face relaxed as he kissed me. “Good because I can’t stand it when you’re not in bed with me.” He winked. “I like it when you cook me breakfast.”
“Yeah?” I said, playing along. “And I like it when we shower.”
He groaned and kissed me again. “Don’t talk about the shower until you’re well enough to join me.”
“Deal,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist.
“Do you realize that your story just came true?” he muttered in my hair. He tipped my chin and kissed me soundly. “The bad guy got the girl.”
I smiled but I didn’t correct him – he wasn’t the bad guy after all. But who cared? I had him now – even though I might have ‘acquired’ him the ‘wrong’ way. He was mine and that was all that mattered.