Naked (38 page)

“I expect you’ll have your office cleaned out by the end of the day.”

And for her second executive decision…

“Hey, Clive. What do you say about being my CFO for the next little while? Until we can find a young hotshot to take over for you.”

Clive laughed. “It would be my pleasure, Ms. Walker.”

Harper had been right. Hiding those damn scars had been like a noose around her neck that weighed on every decision, every action she made. But now that they had been exposed to the very men who held her future in their hands, she had proven that she was not just a woman. She was a Walker.

Getting the residential project up and running was at the top of her to-do list, but there was one thing she had to take care of first. One thing even more important.

“One last thing, gentlemen. At the next board meeting I’ll be bringing an HR issue forward. I ask you to please be open-minded and remember what my father said here today.”

He might not want to hear it, but she was going to prove to Noah that she was proud of being with him. So proud that she was going to disclose their relationship to her board of directors. She didn’t need their blessing, but she knew telling the truth was always better than withholding.

Chapter 32

Noah perched at the edge of the deck in the backyard and watched as the guests mingled, waiting for his mother to arrive.

Charlotte had outdone herself. The house looked spectacular, and it wasn’t because he had spent the last few months renovating. Although he’d spent the last couple weeks scrambling to finish, considering he’d set himself back with a fit of rage.

The backyard had been transformed into a lavish farm party. Red-and-white-checkered tablecloths covered every flat surface. The menu included corn, pulled pork, cornbread, beans, and various cold salads. Of course there was a keg and a fully stocked bar.

Charlotte had spent the entire day bossing around the events people who’d delivered the tables and chairs. Then bitched out the caterers when they’d forgotten to include the potato salad. Just by the display this afternoon, he knew she was going to be a great event planner.

The guests included a mixture of family and friends as well as some of his mother’s work colleagues. He was surprised so many people had agreed to show up considering it was an hour’s drive from the city, but it was a testament to how much people loved his mother. It also helped that he’d negotiated with the only hotel in town to offer a discount to guests.

He heard a honk from the front of the house. The signal. She was here.

Charlotte clapped to get everyone’s attention. “She’s here. Everyone, she’s here.”

The soft sound of the music coming from the speakers he’d installed along the patio lulled everyone into hushed anticipation.

He heard the munchkins before anyone else. The stomp of their little feet barreling through the house was music to his ears.

“I can’t believe we’re here.” His mother’s shocked voice was the next thing he heard. “How is this possible? Is this where Noah lives?” His mother fired off question after question.

Poor Paige had probably deflected them the entire trip.

Trevor was the first to burst through the patio doors, his cape trailing behind him as he flashed across the patio into Noah’s arms, reminding him of himself as a child.

Noah picked him up and ruffled his hair, holding him close as they watched the scene unfold.

Paige guided their mother onto the patio, her eyes wide and mouth in a perma-
O
shape. Then she registered the guests.

“Surprise!” The entire crowd managed to shout at the same time and his mother jumped back.

Philip was next to appear, Ariel and Sam holding his hands. Henry rounded out the group. With his glasses perched low on his nose, he took in every inch of the house and patio.

“What is going on?” His mom still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

“Happy retirement, Mama.” Charlotte rushed over, engulfing their mother in a bear hug. Noah followed, leaning down and sharing in the love. Trevor took advantage as well and patted Grandma on the back. When they pulled away, his mother rested her head on the back of Trevor’s.

“You did this for me?” She kissed Noah’s temple. “How did you keep this a secret?”

“Even Henry knew, Grandma,” Trevor said. “He fibbed you.”

His mom whirled around and glared. “You knew about this?”

Henry smiled and walked over, engulfing her in a hug. “Only for a week or two.”

Henry had known about the party, but no one except for his sisters and Philip knew that the house had been purchased as a gift.

They’d save that announcement for a little later.

“Mama, go and mingle.” Charlotte swatted her into the crowd. “Your guests are anxious to greet you.”

His mother was elated. Although that seemed to be her normal expression lately. Ever since Henry had come into the picture.

She said hello to her friends. To her brother and sisters. To the ladies she played cards with on Thursday nights. To the women she worked with at the school. And the entire time, she had Henry on her arm, introducing him as she moved from person to person.

With the music turned up and the fire pit lit, the party was in full swing. Once they all had a chance to eat, Noah gathered the family, including Henry, on the front porch. They all settled in the brand-new wicker furniture he’d purchased.

Philip pulled Paige onto his lap and Charlotte took the seat beside them. Henry and his mother took up one side of the larger sectional, leaving Noah room to spread out at the opposite end.

“Noah, I can’t believe you bought this house.” She looked around, taking in all of the sights as if she hadn’t seen them a hundred times before.

“It wasn’t just me who bought the house, Mom.”

She looked confused.

“Philip, Paige, Charlotte, and I bought this house together.”

She still didn’t understand.

“We bought it for you, Mom.” Charlotte jumped up and down in her seat, barely able to contain her excitement.

“You did what?” His mother’s mouth dropped and her eyes widened like a cartoon character’s.

“We bought this house for you,” Noah repeated. The look of utter shock and disbelief made his heart swell, but this entire conversation was laced with sadness. At some point, he was going to have to tell them about Violet’s plan to level the neighborhood.

“But…how…when?” She grabbed Henry’s hand and he squeezed it, as if knowing she needed the support.

“Earlier this year,” Paige said. “Noah’s been renovating for the last few months.”

He held out his hands to his sides. “Surprise.”

“Sweetheart, this is…” She brought one hand up to her chest. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. You’ve spent your whole life sacrificing for us. It’s time someone put you first and gave you back the life you’d always dreamed of.”

She turned to Henry. “Did you know about
this
?”

“
This
I did not know about. It’s wonderful, Mary.” He stared down at her, brushing his hand down the side of her cheek. “You deserve nothing less than a home of your own.”

“As soon as you’re ready we’ll go to the bank and get the deed signed over to your name. Once you sell the house in the city, you can pay off the mortgage and you’ll still have money left over.”

“I can go to Italy.” His mother squealed and looked over at Henry.

With a soft smile and so much affection in his eyes, he said, “We can go anywhere you want.”

We?
Noah thought that it was a good thing his mother had a companion. But after today, he realized it was more than that. Henry thought his mother had hung the moon. It was evident in his every touch and every look.

And Noah was jealous.

He knew because it was exactly the same thing he wanted with Violet. But now he’d never have the chance.

It took a little more discussion to get his mother to actually believe this house was hers, but when she was sufficiently convinced, they left her to process with Henry on the front porch.

Noah ended up having a few beers with Philip by the fire pit and goofing off with his nieces and nephew. Not once had anyone asked him about Violet.

He went inside to use the facilities, and that’s when he found his mother in the kitchen alone, admiring the renovation.

She walked around the island, her hand gliding over the counter. He’d replaced the dark gray granite he’d ruined the other night, and the island was now the perfect centerpiece.

“Mom?”

She startled. “Noah.” Her hand clutched her chest. “You scared me.”

“Sorry.” He walked up to her and pulled her into a hug. He was tall enough in adulthood that she fit perfectly under his chin.

“I still can’t quite believe you did this for me.”

“Why not? You deserve this, Mom. This was your home. It’s yours again.”

Hopefully.

She released her grip on him and leaned back, pointing to the corner. “Where did you get that table?”

“I found it at a secondhand store in town. It reminded me of the table where Grandma used to make bread when we were little.”

“It’s pretty close.” She walked over to the bay window that looked out over the backyard.

“Your father and I ate our very first meal in this house—” She walked over to the corner where he’d built a new pantry. “—right here.” She pointed to the ground. “Veal Parmesan from the Italian restaurant in town.” She looked off into the distance. “Our table was a piece of wood between two dining chairs that we’d bought secondhand.” Her eyes teared. “We ate and then…” She pointed to the floor, her face flushed. “Well, nine months later you were born.”

“Ew. TMI, Mom.”

She giggled. Turning around, taking in the room.

“I loved this house. So many good memories. And now I’ll have so many more to add.”

His chest tightened. Violet had spent so much time withholding the truth. He couldn’t do that with his own family.

“Mom, I have to tell you something.” He rushed over to her at the table and took the seat beside her.

“What, sweetheart?”

“There might be a problem with the house.” He let out a heavy breath. “Apparently a developer has bought up every property on the street including the surrounding farmland, except for this one. They want to level it all.”

She’d lied. Deceived him. Chosen to pursue the destruction of this very neighborhood despite knowing his plans for his mother. She was selfish. He should have known a woman like Violet wouldn’t have shown up in a small town for fun. Of course she had been there to work…to fuck him—and fuck him over.

Bitterness seeped into his throat, crawling up and out of his mouth until he had no choice but to let it out.

“Promise me, Mom. Promise me that you’ll never sell this house.”

“Noah, what’s going on?” He’d managed to tear the happy expression from her face.

“I told you. Someone wants to tear it down.”

She reached out, turning him toward her. Her eyes had always been the window to what she was thinking. And right now, they were screaming for him to let her in.

“It’s Violet. Walker Industries is the developer buying the land.
She’s
buying the land. Even after she knew what we were doing for you. Even after I took her to meet you. She wants to level it to the ground.”

By the look on her face, he knew it wasn’t the explanation she was expecting.

“Well…”

He grabbed her hands in his, holding them tight. “Just promise me.”

“Noah, I want nothing more than to live here. I think Henry would even move in here with me. It’s perfect for the children, and all the additional children you and Charlotte will be adding to the family.”

He rolled his eyes, but she just laughed.

“You really love him, don’t you?”

“I didn’t think I’d find anyone who would love me and treat me as well as your father did. I never dated when you were children because of that, and because I wanted to be stable for you. Safe. But then I got lonely. With you kids out of the house and Grandma and Grandpa gone, it was was so quiet. I hated it.”

He knew all about that. He hated the silence.

“But then I met Henry, and while he’ll never replace your dad, he makes me feel that way—safe but alive at the same time.”

Noah had spent a long time trying to fill a void. A long time trying to cure the loneliness he felt in his heart. He lived a great life, with a loving family, but the death of his father had taught him that things could be taken away from you in a flash.

“I don’t want you to think I’m betraying his memory.” Tears pooled in his mother’s eyes.

“Mom…never. I…” He hung his head. “I’m the one betraying his memory.”

“Sweetheart, why would you ever think that?”

He sucked in a deep breath. He wasn’t battling a lack of oxygen; it was a stall tactic. “Because I don’t want to go into business for myself. I don’t want to be an independent contractor.”

Saying it out loud made shame wash over him.

“So what?”

His head shot up. “So what?” He’d expected a gasp. He’d expected tears. But his mother looked…indifferent. “That’s what Dad wanted. He wanted us to all work on our own, not for the man.”

She waved him off. “Your father talked a lot of talk, but I never saw him walk the walk.”

This was completely mind-blowing.

“He just wanted the three of you to know you could do anything. He didn’t care if you worked for yourself or someone else. He just wanted you to be happy.”

“But…”

Warm, soft hands wrapped around his forearms. “Do you like working for Walker Industries?”

He nodded. “I love it. With Lewis being there, it feels like home.”

“So then that’s where you’re supposed to be.”

“But it’s the company that wants to demolish this house. It’s the company where Violet works. And she…”

Not honoring his father’s memory wasn’t the only thing he felt shame for. He was ashamed he’d let Violet play him. He knew all along their relationship was going to end badly. But he had gone for it anyway.

“Oh, dear.” She sat back in her chair, one eyebrow lifted in motherly scrutiny. “You love her.”