Chaos (6 page)

Payton

Monday morning came way too quickly. When I’d walked into the office at five o’clock in the morning, I had even tried to recall what had happened to make the weekend go by so fast. At that time, my brain had been little more than a foggy jumble of thoughts, so I’d given up, realizing it wasn’t worth the effort until after I’d had coffee.

Now, as I sat at my desk, realizing it was a little before seven, waiting ever so patiently for Conrad to arrive, my sleep-filled brain became less of a mess. Every event since Friday night at the grocery store rushed back to me, leaving me feeling incredibly content. It didn’t even matter that Conrad was an hour late and I could’ve slept in if he’d just given me some sort of notice.

The past weekend could easily be categorized under the heading
Best Weekend Ever
. Helping Sebastian move into his new house, spending almost every minute with him... It had felt so incredibly normal. Mundane even. And last night when I’d gone back to my apartment, I had missed being with him. Sebastian and I had spent an entire weekend together, and it had felt almost as though we were playing house. Only we weren’t playing. That was real life. During the brief times there hadn’t been someone else lurking about the house, when we hadn’t been making love, we’d been in the pool or the hot tub. Granted, we’d made love there, too, so that wasn’t a very accurate statement.

On Sunday, we had lounged around on the couch, watching the Bourne movies with Leif, ordering out for food rather than cooking. The three of us had shared breakfast and lunch, pretty much vegging out most of the morning. Then Sebastian had surprised me when he’d made me follow him to his bedroom. Instead of getting naked and sweaty like I’d originally thought we would, he found some cheesy chick flick on TV, and we’d cuddled in his bed and watched it while eating popcorn. Like I said, very mundane.

And perfect.

Before I was ready, the day had been ending and I’d known I had to go home. Sebastian had seemed reluctant to let me go, but after I’d reminded him what time I had to be at work, he’d given up trying to convince me to stay.

When I’d gotten back to my apartment, Aaron had been there watching television. Alone. I’d interrupted him long enough to ask where Garrett was. He told me he’d gone home, and the statement had been followed by a wide grin. Seemed that the two of them were hitting it off, spending quite a bit of time together since Garrett had been home for the last two weeks. In the beginning, I had been a little relieved that Leif’s brother was on tour and would be away for a few weeks, but now, after seeing Aaron so happy, I kind of wished Garrett could stay home a little longer. Admittedly, I just hoped Aaron was fully over Mark. That debacle was still fresh, and Aaron was the type of guy who would jump into something new too quickly and then eventually feel guilty. He was one of those men who would try to come up with a way to sabotage his own relationship.

If something was going to happen between Aaron and Garrett that was going to result in a lasting relationship, they needed to take things slow.

Then again, who was I to predict how anyone’s love life would turn out? It wasn’t like I had a lot of experience in that arena. This thing I had with Sebastian was just as new, just as fresh, and there were moments I felt like I was in over my head.

But I loved him.

Around eight o’clock, when Chloe hadn’t come home, I’d sent her a text only to learn that she was going to stay at Toby’s. We’d shot messages back and forth for a little while, but then I’d let her go so she could spend time with her man.

It seemed we were all easing our way into relationships, and since I didn’t have a single regret about being with Sebastian, I knew I couldn’t pass off my fears to my friends, so I vowed to be happy for them. They were adults; they knew how to take care of themselves. Not to mention, every waking moment when I wasn’t with Sebastian, I was thinking about him, which meant I had little time to worry about anyone else.

I was jolted from my thoughts when Conrad came up the stairs from the main floor. I glanced up from my computer screen to see him. He shot a look my direction, and I could tell that something was different. Something was wrong. I could feel it in the air that crackled around him.

“Hold my calls, Payton,” he ordered as he stormed across the reception area and into his office. He slammed the door before I had a chance to say anything.

As was my routine, I pushed to my feet, keeping a cautious eye on his door while I made his coffee. Since the day I’d started this job, I had always waited ten minutes and then rapped on his door to bring him his coffee, but today, I didn’t think that was a good idea. Although, based on the brief glimpse I’d seen of him, he could use a cup. Or two.

I weighed my options as I sat at my desk, the coffee sitting in the carafe behind me. Should I email him and ask if he wanted me to bring it in? Did I just wait until he opened his door?

Shit.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have to wait long for my answer, because Conrad’s door flew open and he stuck his head out. “Do we have a problem, Payton? Is there any reason you’re sitting there and not doing your job? Do I need to find someone else who can do something as simple as bring me coffee?”

I felt like he’d slapped me across the face. Hard.

I’d never been talked to like that. Not only was he yelling at me, he was scowling.

I was affronted and angry, but none of that was apparent when the tears formed in my eyes. That’s what happened when I got mad — I cried. I took a deep breath and jumped to my feet, moving to the coffeepot as fast as my feet would take me while saying, “No, sir” in as steady a voice as I could muster.

When I turned back around, Conrad wasn’t standing in his doorway, but he hadn’t closed the door behind him. I swallowed hard and tried to regain some of my composure before forcing my feet to carry me to his office.

I set the coffee mug in the same place I usually put it and then turned to walk out.

“Hold on, Payton.”

I stopped but didn’t turn around to face him. “Yes, sir?”

“Why don’t I have my itinerary for tomorrow’s trip on my desk?”

This time I did turn around to look at him. Was he serious?

Apparently he was, because he was still grimacing, his forehead wrinkled and his ears red. Was he mad? At me?

Oh, crap. Maybe this was about Sebastian moving out of the guesthouse. It was possible he had found out even though Sebastian had informed me that he hadn’t told him personally. Yet.

But would he really be that upset? At me? So much so that he would yell at me first thing?

“I’ll get it, sir,” I mumbled and then pointed my feet toward the door. I hadn’t made it far when he called me back again.

“Shut the door and have a seat, Payton.”

My first thought: Could I make it down the stairs and out the front door before Conrad could catch me?

My second thought: Had I bothered to update my resume after I’d started working for Trovato, Inc.?

My third thought: No, I couldn’t get out fast enough, and no, I hadn’t bothered to update anything. Now I was going to have to endure Conrad’s wrath and pray he didn’t fire me, because if he did, I was going to have to update my resume pretty damn quickly.

I forced my feet to move forward, secretly peeking outside his office, hoping someone might be out there.

Maybe I could create a distraction.

Closing the door, I realized that probably wasn’t a viable option.

After the door clicked shut, I took a deep breath and moved across the room, gracefully lowering myself into the chair facing Conrad’s desk, opposite him. When I looked up, Conrad was staring at me sternly, his forearms resting on his desk, his hands clasped together in front of him.

“I need to ask you a question, Payton.”

I nodded. My voice had buried itself deep inside of me, refusing to come out until it knew it was safe, leaving me with no other option.

“I assume you were aware that Sebastian moved out of my house.”

I still couldn’t find my voice, so I couldn’t say anything. Since technically Conrad’s words were phrased as a statement and not a question, I figured I was safe.

For a minute.

“Were you aware of this?”

Okay, there was the question.

I nodded.

As expected, Conrad didn’t appear too thrilled with my lack of verbal response. I cleared my throat and replied with a slightly off-key yes.

“And were you aware that he was going to quit his job this morning?”

Now, that I did
not
know, and I was pretty sure my expression announced my surprise.

Conrad leaned back in his chair, resting his hands on his lap as he studied me. “Payton, I realize that you and Sebastian have established some sort of a relationship.”

I didn’t reply, assuming he didn’t need an answer.

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but—”

Suddenly my voice returned, and I managed to stop Conrad before he continued. “Sir, with all due respect, I’m not so sure this is an appropriate conversation to be having.”

Conrad seemed to ponder that for a moment, but he continued, clearly believing that he knew best. “I’m not sure what’s going on between you and Sebastian, but I need to warn you that—”

I stood abruptly. “Sir, I’m not comfortable with this.” That wasn’t what I really wanted to tell him, but I figured informing my boss that I didn’t want to hear him say anything negative about Sebastian was probably not going to get me any points, either. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get back to work.”

I made it as far as the door before Conrad spoke again.

“You can believe what you want, Payton. And you can ignore all of us who are trying to warn you, but Sebastian isn’t stable.”

I pivoted on my heel and glared at Conrad. “I would appreciate if you would keep your opinions to yourself.”

With that, I pulled open the door, ready to return to my desk, but I came face-to-face with Trevor, who was standing just outside the door. He appeared surprised at first, but that was followed by an unnerving grin. I squeezed between him and the door and returned to my desk. I was tempted to grab my purse and leave, but my lunch break wasn’t for another couple of hours.

Which meant I had no other choice but to suck it up for now.

Payton

Lucky for me, it appeared that Conrad was expecting Trevor, because by the time I returned to my desk, Conrad’s door was closed and Trevor was on the opposite side. I stared at my cell phone lying on my desk, wondering whether I should call Sebastian, or at the very least send him a text.

I chose to do neither.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with something to tell him. I didn’t want to send Sebastian into a rage, and as much as I disagreed with Conrad about Sebastian being unstable, I couldn’t deny the fact that he did have a temper. And right now, with Sebastian’s thoughts dwelling on the idea of his father having something to do with his mother’s death, it wasn’t going to do any good.

Maybe by the time I got home that evening, I could come up with a logical way to explain to him what had happened without sending him spiraling out of control. Although, no matter how I worded it, he wasn’t going to take kindly to Conrad confronting me about him.

But we both knew that this was the reason I was still there. If it were up to me, I would’ve quit the day after Sebastian had informed me of his suspicions. Sure, I believed in the whole
everyone is innocent until proven guilty
stuff, but things just weren’t adding up for me. And by being there at Trovato, Inc., I had an in when we needed it. I was hoping that I would be able to dig up the information that would be necessary to prove Sebastian’s theories one way or the other. He needed closure, and though I prayed that Conrad was not responsible for Sebastian’s mother’s death, I had to admit that I was already just as suspicious.

My desk phone rang, and I glanced down at the flashing light. I didn’t want to answer it, but that was part of my job description, so I took a deep breath and willed my hands to stop shaking as I reached for the handset. “Conrad Trovato’s office, how may I help you?” I answered, my tone reflecting some of the anxiety that still raced through my bloodstream.

“Payton.”

I stilled. I’d been answering Conrad’s phone long enough to recognize many voices, and the one on the other end of the line was not one I was hoping to hear from. Ever.

“Yes, Mrs. Trovato?” I replied, clenching my teeth together.

“Is Conrad in?”

“Yes, ma’am. But he’s in a meeting. I can have him return your call as soon as he’s finished.”

“Thank you, Payton.”

The iciness was even present in Lauren’s phone voice. Truth be told, the woman freaked me out. I wasn’t sure what it was about her, but I detected something malicious in her gaze.

I was just about to hang up when she spoke again. “One more thing, Payton.”

“Yes, ma’am?” I asked hesitantly.

“I heard about Sebastian quitting. I’d like you to relay a message to him for me.”

I didn’t respond, because I couldn’t agree to that. It all depended on what she had to say.

“I’d like you to tell him that he has now severed all ties with this family, and I would greatly appreciate if he would keep it that way. His volatile behavior has no business in my family.”

I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding against my ribs.

My
family.

That was the one word I had noted above all others.

“Are you there, Payton?” Lauren asked.

“I am,” I assured her, trying to regulate my breathing.

“Can you give him that message?”

I swallowed hard, glancing up at the closed door to Conrad’s office. I turned slightly in my chair, hoping to muffle my voice enough so that no one else would hear me. “Mrs. Trovato, I’m sorry to say this, but your request is not in my job description.”

“Payton,
dear
,” Lauren’s tone hardened even more, “if you plan to have a job, you’ll do as I ask. Understood?”

I sat back up straight in my chair and stared out at the empty waiting area in front of me. “No, ma’am. I don’t think I do.”

I hung up the phone without waiting for her to say another word.

Putting a nail in my employment coffin early on a Monday morning probably wasn’t the best way to start the week, but at that moment, I really didn’t give a shit. First, Conrad had confronted me, and then Lauren had threatened me. I knew I should’ve just told her what she wanted to hear, but I hadn’t been lying when I said I wouldn’t relay her message to Sebastian.

That coldhearted bitch had another thing coming if she thought I would do her dirty work.

Did I think she was capable of getting me fired? Absolutely.

Did I think she was capable of trying to break me and Sebastian up? Absolutely.

Did I think I was going to let her get away with either? Absolutely not.

In fact, Lauren Trovato had just given me the incentive that I needed to figure out this whole mystery of Sebastian’s mother’s death. Since I knew Sebastian and I weren’t capable of doing that alone, I accepted the fact that it was time we banded together.

I grabbed my cell phone and pulled up Sebastian’s contact info. I sent him a short text.

Are we still on for dinner at my parents’?

I didn’t have to wait long for a response.

Of course.

Good. I was thinking that I might stay the night tomorrow night.

After typing the message and hitting send, I waited patiently.

You’re welcome to spend the night every night.

Although my heart expanded in my chest, I replied, remembering the original reason for my text.

Do you think we can have dinner at your place tomorrow night?

Sebastian replied almost immediately.
Absolutely. Should I have dinner ready when you arrive?

I replied right back.
Depends.

On?

Whether or not you can cook a meal for seven.

Seven?

Yes, seven.

What’s going on, Payton?

I waited a beat before I sent the last message. But as soon as I did, I felt a little better.

It’s time we talk. To everyone.

Sebastian’s response didn’t come back as quickly as I would’ve liked, but ten minutes later, I received a confirmation from him. A simple okay was all I got. Through that one word, I could practically feel Sebastian’s tension. But he knew as well as I did that we had a much better chance of figuring this out if we asked our friends for help. And the people who would be there tomorrow night cared about him. There was no doubt in my mind that they would support him.

But tonight, I got to look forward to introducing him to my parents. I tried to ignore the knot that formed in my stomach.

I found Sebastian sitting in his truck in the parking lot of my apartment complex when I got home from work earlier than usual. I had informed Conrad that I needed to leave work early after Trevor had left his office, and though I don’t think Conrad had been too impressed with my candidness, after our run-in that morning, I didn’t much care.

As it was, I’d spent the better part of the day trying to find a good way to tell Sebastian what had happened. Since I never came up with anything, I decided to focus all of my attention on dinner with my parents. I had even texted my mother, giving her a few more details about the guy I was bringing. She, of course, had called me right away.

Yes, I’d surprised her with the news, but there hadn’t been an ounce of disappointment in her tone. She’d been curious as to who he was, how we’d met, how long I’d known him, and most important, why I hadn’t mentioned him until now. I managed to answer all of her questions, except for the last one. I didn’t want to tell her that I was a little hesitant to introduce them only because I didn’t want to scare Sebastian off.

Then the moment had arrived. Based on the way he held my hand and talked all the way to my parents’ house, I don’t think he was at all intimidated. I was more than a little relieved.

Sebastian parked his truck on the street and came around to help me out. I’d been paying attention to him so much that I hadn’t realized my father was standing on the porch, watching us intently. Luckily, I didn’t try to jump Sebastian or vice versa, because that would’ve been a little embarrassing.

We walked up to the porch, hand in hand. I was just about to make the introductions when my father spoke up first.

“Hal Fowler,” he said as he thrust his hand in Sebastian’s direction.

“Nice to meet you, sir. Sebastian Trovato.”

My father immediately looked at me, his eyebrows scrunching together. I smiled, a little embarrassed.

“Nice truck,” Hal said, looking over my head at Sebastian’s cherry-red ’65 Chevrolet parked at the curb in front of my parents’ house.

“Thank you, sir.”

“You restore it yourself?”

“Yes, sir.”

Realizing that I wasn’t part of the male bonding conversation going on, I released Sebastian’s hand and excused myself. “I’m going to tell my mother we’re here.”

Sebastian nodded, making his way up onto the porch to stand beside my father. I was a little hesitant to leave them alone, but they seemed to be hitting it off fairly well.

So far.

I knew my father was going to have questions about Sebastian. Especially about the fact that his last name was Trovato. Back when I had questioned my father on whether or not Conrad had a son, he’d made reference to a rumor that had once been around. I guess he was about to realize that the rumor was true.

Or he would think Sebastian was Conrad’s nephew.

“Mom?” I called as I made my way to the back of the house toward the kitchen.

“In here,” she called back.

I found her in the kitchen, wearing an apron just as I’d expected, her hair pulled up on top of her head. She’d been working when I’d talked to her earlier, which she did out of their house, so the jeans and sweatshirt she wore now were probably the same outfit she’d been wearing all day.

“Where is he?” she asked, looking past me when I stepped into the kitchen.

“On the front porch with Dad. They’re admiring his truck.”

“What does he drive?” my mother asked as she drained the pot of spaghetti noodles into the sink.

I explained what he drove, and she replied that their conversation could very well take a while knowing my father.

While I waited anxiously for Sebastian to come inside and meet my mother, I set the table, repeatedly glancing down the hall as though he might materialize at any moment.

A good five minutes passed before my father and Sebastian joined us in the kitchen. My father did the honors of introducing Sebastian to my mother, and I stood back watching the whole thing with a grin. I was pretty sure that in the first ten minutes, my father had grown quite fond of Sebastian.

“Dinner’s ready,” my mother informed them.

I watched her watching Sebastian.

I wasn’t sure what I had expected, but I had to admit that the whole thing wasn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as I’d anticipated. Sebastian joined me at the dining room table, pulling out my chair for me and waiting for my mother to take her seat before he lowered himself into the spot beside me. Food was passed around, and plates were filled before my mother started in with the questions. I was surprised she lasted that long.

“So, Sebastian, how’d you and Payton meet?” my mother asked.

I shot her a glance that said, “Really?” She merely replied with a tilt of her eyebrow. The sort of look that said, “I’m your mother; I can ask any question I want.”

Sebastian glanced over at me and smiled. “She came to my father’s estate to pick up his cell phone. She thought I was the mechanic.”

Okay, so maybe I hadn’t told my mother in those exact words.

“Is that right?”

“Yes, ma’am. Then I ran into her at a sports bar a few days later. I convinced her to let me take her out for ice cream.”

My face heated and I focused on twirling my spaghetti around my fork. The way Sebastian spoke of how we’d met with such confidence did strange things to me. It cemented every feeling I’d ever had for him.

“You said your father’s estate,” Hal said. “Conrad Trovato is your father?”

I glanced over at Sebastian, watching as he met my father’s gaze. “He is.”

I was surprised my dad didn’t interrogate him more on that fact, considering we both knew that it hadn’t been public knowledge. “What is it that you do?”

“Mostly work on cars,” Sebastian answered easily, then took a bite of food as though this was the most normal meal he’d ever had. “I work for my father, but I’m responsible mostly for the performance engines. Testing them, tweaking them. That sort of thing.”

My father nodded as he forked spaghetti into his mouth.

“My father owns a body shop,” I told Sebastian.

He smiled. “You told me.”

Okay, maybe I had, but I felt odd sitting there not talking.

“I have a couple of friends who work in the body shop industry. One’s a painter, the other a foreman.”