I start typing my column, which features a married couple, and a man who died saving his wife’s life only to have the family file a lawsuit against her for wrongful death. It’s an unheard of insane, first of its kind, case. My closing statement reads: What would you do for the one you love? What would you give up? This man sacrificed everything for his woman and not only did she lose the love of her life, she was tortured by his family, and this is torture. I hope they read this. I hope they can reach inside themselves and see that the pain they cause this woman doesn’t bring their family member back. It drives him deeper into his grave while the woman he loves, bleeds.
That closing wasn’t for Reese. It was for my fucked up family, who won’t even read it and doesn’t even know how much Reese means to me. If they did, they’d make him bleed.
Day twenty-four apart—Thanksgiving Day…
I retreat to the kitchen of Lauren’s busy house, leaving her and Julie, a Marilyn Monroe look-a-like who I am coming to really like, and a cluster of Walker brothers and staff that overwhelm the place. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and find the table empty. I claim a seat and set my phone on the table. It rings with my youngest brother, Daniel’s, number.
“Hey, Cat.”
“Hey,” I say. “Happy Turkey Day.”
“Happy Turkey Day. How are you?”
Considering I called him three weeks ago and told him everything about Reese, and the Maxwell family drama, we both know he’s not asking a generic question. “The same,” I say.
“No news at all?”
“Nothing. Are you with your girlfriend?”
“Yes. Heading to her family outing.”
My line beeps and the caller ID shows Gabe. “Go have fun. Gabe is calling, believe it or not.”
“Hell froze over and on Thanksgiving. We need to mark this on the calendar. Call me if you hear anything about anything and I will you, too. Take care, sis.”
He hangs up and I reluctantly answer Gabe’s call. “Hi Gabe.”
“Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Yeah thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.”
“I just wanted to tell you that you are missed today. You can still come over.”
“I’m at a friend’s house.”
“Right,” he says. “Okay. For the record, I love you.”
I blanch. “You love me?”
“This is where you say: ‘I love you, too, Gabe.’”
“I love you, too Gabe.”
“Good. Next time you say it first. I’m the macho guy remember?”
“Who likes to take bubble baths.”
“Hey. That’s a family secret. Don’t go spreading that around.”
We laugh and I actually enjoy talking to him. We disconnect and I’m about to go back to the party when Royce appears at the table and sets a phone in front of me. “It can’t be traced. Answer it when it rings.” He nods and backs away.
The phone rings and my heart flutters. “Hello.”
“Cat.”
Just hearing Reese’s voice, punches me with relief. “Is it over?”
“No. It’s not over, but it’s close.”
“How close?”
“Soon is all I can say, and I don’t want to talk about this. I want to just talk to you.”
“Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Home,” I repeat. “That place we used to share?” I don’t let him answer. “Who are you with?”
“I’m alone by choice. Cat, I need to know that you haven’t found ten reasons we aren’t good for each other.”
“Why would you even think that? I write to you in my column every day.”
“I know. I read it the minute I wake up.”
“Then how can you think that I’m not still with you?”
“Because I know you and you don’t know how I’m solving this and you can’t right now. I need to keep you away from it.”
“I don’t care what you do to end this as long as you don’t compromise who you are.”
“I’m doing what I need to do,” he says.
“You’re doing something you don’t want to do.”
“I’m doing what I hope we both still want. Making sure we end up together.”
“You’re worried that something you’re doing will push me away.”
“Yes. I am. Only time will tell.”
“You can’t push me away.”
“Challenge accepted.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Actually, I have to say it because if I can push you away, we weren’t real.”
Lauren’s words, which she has repeated every time she feels like I’m shutting down, come back to me. “Everyone wants to know love is real. I told Reese the same thing.”
“Reese—”
“I love you,” he says. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
He hangs up.
Four weeks apart…
My Tuesday includes me sitting at the island of my kitchen writing a chapter of the book on Nelson Ward, while drinking insane amounts of coffee. The book is slow going as I type a few paragraphs here and start replaying that call with Reese on Thanksgiving, and how much he doubted me and us. He needs to know that we’re real. Me too, but I caution myself every time I start going down a rabbit hole of doubt, and decide he’s the one bailing. Distance creates insecurity.
This cycle continues until nearly two o’clock when the doorman buzzes my phone. “Your brother Gabe is here.”
Fabulous, I think. “Send him up,” I say ending the connection.
I then consider a drink and decide against it.
I might have ice cream.
I pace and I don’t know why. Oh yes. I do. He is probably going to tell me some news about the legal action against our family, which means, he will hint at what is happening with Reese. I walk to the front door and Gabe knocks. I yank it open and walk away. He follows me to the kitchen and we both sit down. “Why are you here?”
“We settled with Casey Allen. We made peace with Reese Summer. Get your book deal back.”
“When did you settle?”
“Yesterday.”
Yesterday and Reese didn’t call me. He was strange on the phone. “What does peace mean?” I ask, trying not to sound as anxious as I am right now.
“Reese got Casey Allen off with the Feds and then approached us about a truce.”
“Did he say why he would do that?”
“Because the publisher threatened to sue you and him,” Gabe says.
“Oh. Yes. I know.” It’s a lie, of course. It’s not true. I’d know if it were true.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Would you care?”
“I care Cat,” he says. “Dad cares, too. Even Reid cares. I had to pry mom’s letter from his hands. He’s slow coming around but he will. And for the record, I read it to Dad when he wouldn’t read it.”
I lose patience. “What does truce mean? Damn it, just tell me.”
“Uncle Rudolf was behind everything. Reese helped him plea out a deal with a massive fucking fine of seven hundred million dollars, but it’s done and no one goes to jail.”
“The Reese Summer thing. Are you sure I can work with him without a conflict?”
“Oh yeah. Reese made sure.”
“What does sure mean? You’re killing me here.”
“The two law firms, ours and his, signed an agreement to work together.”
I blanch. “Your firm and Reese’s firm?”
“Yes. It’s not a merger but our criminal division is weak which is why Dad pushed to get you on board. But now, on a case-by-case basis Reese will represent our clients.” His phone buzzes. “Shit. I have a client freaking out over a merger. I gotta go. Go get that book deal.” He heads out of the kitchen and I puff out a breath.
Reese aligned with my family. I don’t know what to think. Is he one of them now? No. That’s silly but he didn’t come to me last night. The ink must not be dry. That’s it. I run after
Gabe and catch him at the elevator. “Have you signed the contract with Reese yet? Is it safe to contact him?”
“Not yet. We’re meeting Friday but it’s done. We all agree.”
“Right. Thanks.”
He steps into the elevator and I head back to my apartment. It’s not done. I have to talk to him. I don’t want him to do something bad for his firm and career, for me. I run up the stairs to my bedroom, and grab my purse when it hits me that I’m wearing sweats. I rush into my closet and do a quick change into that pink dress that I deemed “lucky” and thigh-highs with black high heels. I fluff my hair, and actually put on make-up.
Once I’ve inspected myself in the mirror, I figure this will do. A few minutes later I’m in an Uber and pulling up to Reese’s building. I have a momentary second thought. Is my family setting me up, looking for a relationship between me and Reese? No. I rule that out. I have a book deal with Reese worth a lot of money. Of course, I’d rush here to save it. I exit the car and walk inside the building. I have never been so nervous in my life.
Once I’m inside the elevator, I stand close to the doors, eager to get to Reese, for about a hundred reasons. Mostly, because every time I think of our phone call I think of his doubt. He has done so much to clear our path. I need to run down it and to him. I arrive on his floor and I don’t check with the receptionist. She tries to stop me when Maria appears in the lobby.
“Oh thank God,” she says. “He’s a bear without you.”
“Is he here?”
“Yes,” she says walking with me toward her desk and motioning to his closed door. “Go in. He’s alone.”
“Thanks Maria.”
I hurry to the door and pause with my hand on the knob.
“Don’t doubt that he loves you,” Maria says. “I promise. He does.”
I look over my shoulder at her. “Thank you.”
I face forward again and open the door, stepping inside and shutting it to lean against it. Reese is sitting at his desk, and he’s still gorgeous. He still consumes a room and me with it. He stands up. “Cat.”
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Neither of us take a step. “You can’t sign with my family.”
“I already did, about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Gabe said Friday.”
“Gabe was wrong.”
“You don’t do things like they do.”
“They’re reputable, Cat. They weren’t involved in this mess. Just your uncle as you told me in your column.”
“What does this do for you or to you?”
“I’m only offering aid and consultation. That’s all. But I’ve ensured your family will not lash out at me to get to you.”
“You sure you’re okay with this?”
“Yes. Are you okay with it? That’s the question and you’re not moving. You’re way over there and I’m way over here.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“I need to know this doesn’t mean you’re going to align with them not me.”
“I still don’t like them. I’m tolerating them because that’s what a man does for his woman. Are you still my woman?”
“Yes. Is all of this still in play in some way? Because you’re still over there and I’m over here. Do I have to leave?”
“Why the hell would you leave? I was about to go get you.” He starts to move and I do, too, and we all but collide in the center of the room in an embrace. “I missed you,” I say. “I—”
“I missed you, too, sweetheart.” His mouth crashes down on mine and that’s all it takes. We are all over each other, so hungry for us, that we can’t get enough. I barely remember how the skirt of my dress ends up at my waist or how his pants get unzipped. Suddenly it just is and he’s sitting on the couch in the corner, with me on top of him, him pressing inside me, filling me. I sink down on his cock, and when I have all of him, we just sit there, connected. Together.
“Let’s make a pact,” Reese says, tangling fingers into my hair, and dragging my mouth to his. “We don’t ever separate again. Ever, Cat.”
“Never again,” I agree, and he kisses me and we’re wild all over again, and slow again, watching each other, just savoring each other. Neither of us wants it to end but it does. Another burning need to just feel more and more of each other, sends us over the edge, until we peak and crash into one other. We lay there a full minute before I realize where we are. “We’re half naked in your office.”
He laughs and says, “Best day I’ve had in this office.”
I press on his shoulders and sit up. “I should get off now.”
“Yes. You should. So that I can take you home. Our home, Cat.”
“I want to come home. It is home. You are home.”
Thirty minutes later, we walk into his apartment and I swear I can breathe again but just when I think I might run through the whole damn place, Reese scoops me up. “I can walk,” I say. “And I promise only to run to the bedroom.”
“It’s more romantic if I do it.”
“Romantic,” I say. “I taught you manners and romance. I love it.”
“I hope you do.”
“Now you’re talking in secret code.”
He enters the bedroom and walks to the chair, our chair, and sets me down. “I missed this chair,” I say. “Good. Don’t move and don’t look.” He walks away and I’m dying. I almost turn. I might have to turn. Okay I won’t turn because he’s now covering my eyes.
“Is that one of your ties?”
“It is. I have a surprise.” He knots the cloth at the back of my head and places my arms on the sides of the chair. “Leave them here.”
I do as he says and he adds, “Don’t move them, Cat.”
Heat rushes through me and my heart starts to race. “I’ve actually never let anyone cover my eyes.”
I feel him settle in front of me. “I plan to be the first of many things,” he says, his hands sliding up my legs, inching my skirt up my hips. “I’d undress you but I’m too impatient. Remember. Don’t move your hands.”
“I know,” I say, but he’s moving his. He catches my panties at each side and drags them down my legs, kissing random spots on my leg as he does. He untangles them from my feet and they are gone now, but his mouth is not. His lips press tiny kisses all over me: My thigh, my calf, and my knees. His tongue travels up my inner thigh and I am panting when it finds my clit. I almost come that easily.
I grip the chair and arch upward and he gives me what I want. He suckles me, licks me, touches me and release hits me with a sudden jolt. I stiffen and then tremble all over until it’s over. I melt into the chair, and I feel Reese tug my skirt down. He then sets something in my lap. “Come here, Cat.”
I lean up and he kisses me, pulling away the tie and whispering, “Marry me, Cat. I need you in my life…Look down.”
He eases back and there is a stunning diamond ring, sitting on my lap. “A ring. I mean, I know it’s a ring. I just—”
“Say yes, Cat. You’re killing me here.”
“Yes. Yes. Yes. Of course. And just so you know. That was the best way of proposing any man has ever come up with. Of course, I’ll leave certain parts out of the story but—”
He kisses me and I’m home to stay.
One year later…
Still reeling from our wedding a month ago at the Summer ranch, Reese and I are now sitting at a table in the center of a ballroom at the Ritz Carlton Battery Park as part of a launch party for our book we’re told is already set for the New York Times just with pre-orders. I’d worn a pink dress to get married in and Reese a tuxedo. And today, I’m wearing my pink suit for the signing and he has on his lucky blue suit. Or it will be lucky after today. Everyone we know, and many we don’t know, are here with the exception of my baby brother Daniel who had to go back to work after the wedding. Even my father, Gabe, and Reid, are here, who of course, are thrilled I married an attorney. Reid is still one big cranky ass but he’s slowly easing up. Reese has s
aved two of Reid’s clients from certain hell in jail, and since they were innocent, Reese and I, were both just fine with him helping.
I sign a book for a man who raves about my column and Reese’s skill in the courtroom. He watched “every moment of the trial on TV.” I smile and sign his book “Cat Summer” which is pretty darn surreal. The next person in line is quick to attack Dan. “He was horrid in court,” the sixty-something woman says. “Horrid. Don’t you think so, Mr. Summer?”
“He put Kelli Ward in prison for life,” Reese says. “I forgive him for being a jerk for that reason.”
“I hope Nelson Ward has found peace.”
“He has,” Reese says. “And with this book, we hope his story gets heard.”
I hand a signed book to her, and she leaves us with a break from the long line we’d managed the past hour. I reach for my bottle of water, when Reese nudges me. “Look,” he says, motioning to his mother, who looks stunning in a knee length emerald dress. “She’s flirting with a guy twenty years younger than her.”
“And he’s flirting back. I love it.”
“I do not love it,” Reese says. “I’m supposed to go help her install a new television tomorrow. I don’t want to show up to her apartment and find a guy my own age, or any age, running around naked.”
I laugh. “I doubt he will be running around. I still can’t get used to her apartment being my old apartment but I love it. My mom wanted to start fresh there, I did start fresh there, and now she’s teaching here, and starting fresh in that same apartment.”
“And flirting with young kids.”
“He’s not a kid,” I laugh again.
“Holy fuck,” he says.
“What now?”
I follow his lead and find his sister, who is an absolute brunette goddess, in conversation with Gabe who has actually become friends with Reese. Flirty conversation. “Oh my,” I say. “They are cuddly.”
“I have to stop this.” He tries to stand.
“You will not. Let them have fun.”
He looks over at me. “Isn’t that like saying one and done? It never works.”
“Right. Someone either gets hurt or gets married. She lives here now, too. Maybe we should go break them up.” We both stand and start walking in that direction, Mr. and Mrs. Summer to rescue one dirty rich one night stand at a time.