“Happy birthday, my best friend in the whole world.”
“Did you know about this? Did you, Elle? Because you didn’t tell me, and I thought we had a code!”
I laughed. “I knew, but I wanted it to be a surprise. For once in your life, Peyton, I wanted you to be surprised.”
****
Collin
I stood at the bar and talked to Jake while Amelia and Julia went to the bathroom. My stomach twisted when I saw Hailey talking to my mom and dad. I hadn’t talked to her since that day in the flower shop, except for a brief text message wishing me and Amelia a Merry Christmas. Our eyes caught and she gave me a small nod. Shit. I didn’t want Amelia to be upset that she was here. When Amelia and Julia came back from the bathroom, she wrapped her arm around my waist and whispered in my ear.
“I saw her walk in and it’s fine. Let’s not make this awkward.”
I kissed the top of her head and then took a sip of my scotch. I took it that Peyton didn’t know she was going to be here because the minute she saw Hailey, she started to cry. We walked over to say happy birthday to her and to say hi to Henry.
“Happy birthday, Peyton.” I smiled as I gave her a hug and kiss.
“Thank you, Collin. Thank you all for coming tonight.”
Hailey placed her hand on my arm. “Hey, Collin. Long time no see.”
“Hey, Hailey.”
She looked at Amelia and gave her a smile. “I heard you two got married. Way to go. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” I knew Amelia didn’t want things to be awkward, but they were. It didn’t matter how hard we tried, the history that Hailey and I once had would always make things awkward.
“This is my boyfriend, Marcus.”
He extended his hand and I shook it. “Nice to meet you, man. If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to get another drink,” I spoke as I led Amelia to the bar with me.
As the night went on, me, my dad, Jake and Henry were sitting around on the couch, drinking, talking, and watching our women on the dance floor.
“Dad, I think Mom’s drunk.”
“I believe she is, son. And I also think Amelia is.”
“Yeah. That last mojito put her over the edge. I told her not to drink it.”
I kept my eye on a guy who was hanging around on the dance floor and getting awful close to Amelia and my mom. Julia left to go to the bathroom and when she came back, she grabbed my arm.
“I need to talk to you now.” She pulled me from the couch and into the corner by the bar.
“What?”
“I was just in the bathroom and I saw Hailey doing coke.”
“Drinking a coke?” I asked as I leaned in closer to her.
“No, Collin. She was snorting cocaine.”
“Seriously?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Yeah. I’m worried about her.”
“Then talk to her, Julia. Don’t involve me. I don’t care what she does with her life.” I walked away and sat back down on the couch.
My dad tapped me on the shoulder and then leaned into me. “See that asshole on the dance floor next to your mother and your wife?”
“Yeah. I’ve been watching him.”
“I know exactly what he’s going to do and the minute he does, we’re taking him down.”
Sure enough, a few moments after my dad said that, the guy stood behind my mom and Amelia and placed his hands on their asses. A flame erupted inside of me and I could tell by the look on my dad’s face he was going to kill him. We both got up, grabbed the guy by the arms, and my dad pushed him up against the wall.
“I will rip your fucking throat out if you ever lay your hands on my wife and daughter-in-law again. Do you understand me?” He grabbed him by his shirt and shook him.
“Yeah. I get it, man. Back off.”
My dad let go of him and, as we started to walk away, the guy spoke.
“They were asking for it. They look like whores. I bet if you weren’t here, they’d be spreading their legs wide for me.”
Without even thinking, I turned around and threw a punch, my fist smashing into his jaw. He fell against the wall. Grabbing his shirt and pulling him up, my dad’s fist hit the other side of his face, knocking him completely on his ass. Security took the guy and escorted him out of the club.
“Still got it, Connor.” Peyton smiled.
“Sorry, Peyton.”
“Oh, please. I always did love watching you in action. Gotta love the Black men.” She winked.
My dad hooked his arm around me. “How’s your hand, son?”
“It’s fine, Dad. How’s yours?”
“It’s fine.”
“Connor, what the hell is the matter with you?” my mom slurred.
“Collin, what were you thinking?” Amelia asked with a stern look.
Did they not feel that man’s hands on their asses? “Babe, he touched you inappropriately and I wasn’t about to let him get away with it. What would you have done if some chick walked up to me and grabbed my crotch?”
Her eyes narrowed and she twisted her face. “I would have hit her.”
“Exactly. So come on. Let’s enjoy the rest of the night.” I put my arm around her and pulled her into me. “Nobody touches your ass but me.”
Chapter 10
Connor
The week had come and gone and we finally made it to the Hamptons. Julia and Jake joined us at the house while Collin and Amelia went to theirs. I was used to having the whole family stay at the beach house and knowing that Collin wouldn’t be here bothered me. Ellery told me not to worry because they were right down the street and we could see them at any time. We got the house cleaned up, opened all the windows to air it out, and we were hosting our first barbeque of the season with our family and some friends.
I looked out the window and smiled when I saw Collin on his surfboard in the water and Julia and Jake sitting in the sand with Brayden. It seemed like yesterday that Collin and Julia were babies. I walked down to the water and watched Collin as he surfed. A few moments later, he got out of the water and set his board in the sand.
“What’s up, Dad? Why are you just standing there?”
“Just taking in the ocean air and watching you surf. I guess I’m getting a little sentimental, that’s all. You and your sister grew up way too fast. We had some amazing times here when you were little.”
“We still do, Dad. Hey, I forgot to tell you. A couple of weeks ago, some kids knocked over a woman’s groceries on the street, so I stopped to help her pick them up. She looked at me and called me Connor. I told her my name was Collin and that you were my dad. I asked if she knew you and she seemed really nervous. She said she had me confused with someone else.”
“That’s odd. What did she look like?”
“Around your age. Maybe a couple years younger. She had dark hair and green eyes. She was pretty attractive for an older lady.”
My stomach twisted in the tightest knot possible and I swallowed hard. “Did you get her name?”
“No. Why would I?”
“No reason.” I put my hands in my pockets as I stared at the water.
“I’m going to go get changed before Mom and Amelia get back from the grocery store. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon, son.” I gave a nod.
I took in a deep breath as I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Frank.
“Hey, Connor, what’s up?”
“I need you to find out if Ashlyn is back in New York.”
“Last I heard, she was living in Texas after she got released from jail. Have you seen her or something?”
“No, but I think my son did. Get back to me as soon as possible.”
“I’ll get right on it, Connor.”
I placed my phone back in my pocket as the burn in my blood became heightened. The last thing I needed was that bitch back in New York. It was bullshit that she was released from jail. She got out three years early because of good behavior and she sought therapy. I had been kee
ping tabs on her when she was first released to make sure she stayed out of New York. How the hell was I going to tell Ellery? I walked back up to the house and Ellery and Amelia had just pulled up. Jake and I helped bring in the bags while Julia put Brayden down for a nap and went over to Collin’s.
****
Julia
I walked into Collin’s house and he had just gotten out of the shower. I yelled up the stairs that I was here and that I needed to talk to him. After he finished dressing, he told me to come up to the bedroom.
“What’s up, sis?”
“I met Hailey for dinner last night.”
“So?”
“She was as high as a kite.”
“I already told you that I don’t care. What she does with her life is her business. It’s not mine.”
I sat down on the bed and sighed. “You two were best friends and dated for six years. You’re not going to tell me that you don’t even care just a little bit.”
He looked at me with the same look my father gave me when he was trying to figure out what to say. I silently smiled.
“Listen, Julia. If she wants to go down that road and ruin her life, there’s nothing I can do. What makes you think she’d listen to me anyway? In fact, what the hell do you want me to do?”
“Talk to her. I don’t like that guy she’s with either. There’s something about him that bothers me.”
“Tell you what. I’ll just have my ex-girlfriend, who up and left after six years and cheated on me, and my wife sitting at the dinner table together and we’ll all pretend we’re best friends.”
“I didn’t say you had to involve Amelia.”
“Involve me in what?” Amelia asked as she walked into the room.
Shit.
“What’s going on, Collin?” she asked as she shot him a look.
He sighed. “Apparently, Julia saw Hailey doing a line of coke in the bathroom at Peyton’s birthday party and she had dinner with her last night and said she was high. She wants me to talk to her.”
“I don’t think talking to her is going to help. If she has a drug problem, she needs to be the one to want to stop. It doesn’t matter how many people try to intervene.”
“See?” Collin said with a raised brow.
I got up from the bed. “Okay. Just forget I mentioned it.” I walked out of the room.
“Julia, wait,” Collin spoke as he came after me. “I know why you’re so concerned and I’m sorry. Don’t forget, I was with you when you found out about London and I was there for you every step of the way.”
“It’s fine. I just don’t want to lose another friend.” I walked out the door and headed back to the beach house where I helped my mom and dad prepare for the barbeque.
The minute I walked into the kitchen, silence overtook the atmosphere. I could tell my parents were in a heavy discussion and they didn’t want me to know about it.
“What’s going on? Why did you stop talking when I came in?”
“It’s nothing, princess.” My dad gave way to a fake smile.
“Are you sure?”
He walked over to me and kissed my head. “Yes. We’re sure. Jake is upstairs with Brayden if you want to go check on them.”
“Sure. Okay.”
I was confused as to what was going on and I didn’t like it. After the barbeque was over and everyone left, my mom and dad summoned all of us in the living room. We all took our seats while my dad poured himself a drink.
“There’s something I want to discuss with you. Do you remember me telling you about the woman I was involved with before your mother?”
“You mean the one that burnt down your Chicago office and the one Mom punched?” Collin asked.
“Yes, son. Her name is Ashlyn and she’s back in New York. She’s the woman you helped that day on the street.”
I took in a sharp breath. “I didn’t know she was out of jail.”
“She got out three years ago and was living in Texas,” my mom replied.
“Shit. I knew something was strange about her when she called me Connor.”
“She’s living here with her husband, whose company just transferred to New York. I’m not happy about this and it makes me sick. I want you all to stay away from her. If she approaches you, walk away. None of you are to have any contact with her at all. Do you understand me?” His tone was authoritative and stern.
“I don’t even know what she looks like, Dad.”
“Collin can tell you. Now I don’t ever want to talk about this again. Understood?”
We all said yes at the same time. I looked over at my mom, whose eyes were filled with despair.
“The good thing is she’s had years of therapy and she’s married to a successful businessman. So honestly, I don’t see her as a threat. But I want you all to be on guard,” she spoke.
Chapter 11
Collin
I was sitting at my desk when the intercom rang. “Yes, Mom.”
“Your next candidate is here for an interview.”
I rolled my eyes. “Tell her to have a seat. I’ll be with her shortly.”
Interviewing these women was getting annoying. They were young, with only one thing on their minds. How did I know? The way they dressed and strutted into my office told me everything. They would sit down in the chair across from me, slightly lift up their skirts, and then cross their legs, sitting back in the chair in a seductive manner. One woman even had the nerve to wear a sheer white blouse with a black push-up bra underneath. The minute she unbuttoned her top three buttons, I booted her out of my office. These women obviously didn’t care that I was married. I needed to find someone and fast. Work was piling up and my dad was keeping Laurinda very busy with his own projects. My mom tried to help out a few days a week, but the only thing she could do was answer the phones.
I got up from my desk and prepared myself for the person that was sitting outside my office. When I opened the door, I saw my mom talking to a guy. She was laughing.
“Collin, this is Ethan. He’s here for the job interview.” She gave me a wide grin.
Standing there in shock, I held out my hand. “Nice to meet you, Ethan.”
We shook hands and I led him into my office. I turned and looked at my mom who was smiling at me.
“Please, have a seat,” I spoke as I took my place behind my desk.
There was a knock at the door. “Come in.”
My mom walked in and handed me Ethan’s resume. “You forgot to grab this.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I smiled as I took it from her.
When she walked out and closed the door, Ethan spoke, “She’s your mom?”
“Yeah. She’s helping out until I find a replacement.”
“Just in the few moments I spoke with her, I could tell she was a great woman.”
“Thank you.”
I leaned back in my chair and propped my ankle on my thigh, studying Ethan’s resume. “You worked for Littlefield International?”
“Yes. I was the personal assistant to Matthew Convoy, assistant Vice President.”
This was good. This was real good. “I see. They had to shut down a few months ago.”
“Yeah. Poor accounting practices and too much embezzlement going on.”
“That’s what I heard. So tell me about yourself.” I was liking him already. He reminded me of Mason when he was younger.
“I’m very organized, highly motivated, and I can multi-task like nobody’s business.”
“How come you haven’t found a job yet, considering Littlefield shut down a few months ago?”
He looked down and began twiddling his thumbs. I could sense something was up and he became very nervous.
“It’s okay, Ethan. You can tell me anything.”
He looked up at me and took in a deep breath. “I had a short-term job after I left Littlefield, but it didn’t work out.”
“I don’t see that on your resume. Did you get fired?”
“No. I quit. I didn’t put it on my
resume because it was a bad experience and the woman I worked for said that she would ruin me and she’d make it difficult for me to get another job.”
Arching my eyebrow, I became intrigued. Leaning forward, I placed my hands on my desk. “Interesting. What happened? And I swear I won’t hold it against you.”
Uneasiness settled in as he began to tell me. “I took a job as the personal assistant to Kitty Chambers.”
“Kitty Chambers, as in daughter of Gerald Chambers, CEO of Chamber Enterprises?”
“Yes. Now do you understand why I didn’t want to mention this?”
“Please, go on. I can’t stand that woman.”
Instantly, he perked up. “Things started off pretty good and then she began to have me come to her home to do some work from there. After a while, she became very interested in me, if you know what I mean, and she asked me to do personal things for her.”
“Such as?” I was desperate to know the juicy details.
“She wanted me to give her oral sex.”
I chuckled as I leaned back in my chair. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh, but I’m not surprised.”
“In case you can’t tell, I’m not into the female gender and I am in a very happy relationship with my boyfriend of two years. I told her this and she said she didn’t care. All she wanted was oral sex, nothing else, and she wanted it at least three times a week. She even went so far as to schedule it. When I turned her down, she became irate and started making me do very menial tasks, which she called my punishment. The woman is a freak, Mr. Black.”
I sat there and nodded my head. The rumors that I’d heard about her were now confirmed and I was taking great pleasure in it.
“I’m sorry she did that to you, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You did the right thing by quitting.”
“She told me that it will be a cold day in Hell before I get another job in the corporate world.”
“Ethan, my man. I like you, and if you’re interested, I would like you to come work for me and Black Enterprises. Your resume is impeccable and I can tell just by sitting and talking to you that you would be a great asset to me and this company. Can you start now? I really need my mom to go back to doing what she does best, and that’s painting and being a mom.”