“Delinda, my father, and Brett were nearly identical in beliefs and work ethic. None of them understood my desire to be an actor. My mother and younger siblings had gone off and created an entirely new family. She didn’t want my father’s money or anything to do with his lifestyle. I would visit and see Rachelle, Spencer, and Nicolette doing chores to earn a minuscule allowance. It didn’t matter as much when we were young, but things got tense when I drove up in an expensive car while they were working part-time jobs. Their animosity toward my father spilled over into what they thought of me. I have never been good when it comes to talking about how I feel—but I want to be. I see the change in Brett, and I know there’s a better way.” He hugged her to his side as they walked. “I didn’t know how my family would respond when I invited them to London. I was half-afraid they wouldn’t care enough to come. They’re here, though. Staying at my house, and it’s so much better than I had ever dared think it could be. I have you to thank for that.”
Her eyes shone with happy tears. “It’s what I do.”
“It really is.” He stopped then and gave her a long, tender kiss. “I want to show you something and get your thoughts on it.”
“Lead on,” she said, hugging him tightly before stepping back but maintaining her hold on his hand.
They walked all the way to his apartment building. He described it on the way and also told her his plans for it. As they approached the front steps, a woman on the first floor called out to Eric, speaking to him in a West Indian creole. He smiled and waved.
Sage answered the woman in slow French the woman seemed to understand.
“What did she say?” Eric asked.
“She said it was nice to finally see you with a woman, but that I had better be good to you because she has a lot of single nieces. I promised her I would take good care of you.”
“Tell her I am so impressed by how she is raising her son.”
The woman answered, “Thank you,” in English, then added more in her language.
Eric looked to Sage for translation.
Sage said, “She says that’s all she knows in English. She also said her cousin has a laundromat with a job opening if you need one.”
“Do you see why I love this place?”
“I do.”
“Tell her thank you and how grateful I am. And that I’ll keep it in mind if my present job falls through.”
The woman nodded, then closed her window.
“Are you really going to buy the building just to help these people?”
“That’s the plan. Brett lent me one of his people to get everything up and going. The purchase will happen soon. After that, I want to help without being obvious. I’d love your input.”
“You really mean that?”
He pulled her into his arms. “You know I do. There’s no one I know who is better at sensing what people need.”
The smile returned—the one that made him wonder how he’d lived a single day without it. “Thank you, Eric. Thank you so much.”
All that gratitude and squirming sent his immediate concerns spiraling in a different direction. “I want to take you inside, but—”
“But?” she said breathlessly.
“I want our next time to be perfect. Not here in my shabby one-bedroom. I went to you for all the wrong reasons last time, and I want our next time—”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and silenced his words with a kiss. It was a kiss like nothing he’d experienced. She didn’t have to say the words—the love was there. He swung her around, kissed her deeply, and thanked whoever or whatever had sent her his way.
She followed her heart without inhibition or reserve. He vowed to follow his own. He ended the kiss and framed her face. “We should wait.”
She cocked her head to one side in question.
He took a deep, calming breath and said, “I want you—you have no idea how much, but I want more than that with you. Could you wait for our wedding night?”
She blinked several times. “Are you saying—”
He tucked her against his chest and hugged her tightly. “I’m saying you matter, this matters. I want to fall asleep at your side every night. I want to wake up to you. But not as Wayne and Lorna. Not as two people who are still figuring each other out.”
She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”
“Don’t you dare be sorry.” He cupped her chin and raised her face so their eyes met. He was torn between wanting to be the best version of himself before they were intimate again and wanting her to understand how much he wanted to be with her. “This isn’t about me. It’s about us. If you want, I’ll toss you over my shoulder right now and carry you inside.” He winked. “Or fuck you in those bushes. Or—”
She blushed clear down to her toes, but smiled. “Or?”
“Introduce you to my family. Show you my life. Become your best friend, your husband—and then your lover. I’ve done so many things wrong in my life, I want to do this right. With you, I want—forever.” A tear spilled down her cheek. He removed her glasses, pocketed them, and wiped it away gently. “Am I saying everything wrong?”
She threw her arms around his neck again, this time just hugging him with all her might. “No. No you’re not.” She hugged him again. A voice called out from the building. Sage laughed into his chest. “She wants us to break this up before her son comes home, because he’s a good boy and she doesn’t want him getting any ideas about how to behave in public.”
Eric stepped back and waved to the woman.
She shook her head and closed the window, but she didn’t look upset.
As he and Sage walked away, Sage said, “You could arrange for her son to win a full scholarship somewhere. First find out his grades. He may need a step before that, like a tutor. Maybe make something available through his school. He can’t be the only one you help, and it can’t be easy for him. He needs to earn it. She wouldn’t want her son to be given money.”
“And her?”
“The boy you described will take care of his mother. I don’t think you’ll have to worry much about that. Maybe just fix up the building a little. We’d need to know more about her to really know. This is going to be so much fun.” Sage squeezed his hand in excitement. “You don’t mind if I spend all your money, do you?”
“You’re welcome to try.”
As they started back down the street that would lead to where he had parked his car, he felt lighter and—happy. Truly happy for the first time in a long, long time. He told her about his conversation with Delinda and why he’d asked her to help him. “Are you okay with seeing her again?”
“She apologized. We’re good.” She paused and pulled him to a stop. “She invited my mother to tea. Why do you think she’d do that?”
Eric groaned. “I told Delinda a little about your mother. She feels that your mother would benefit from speaking with her. Since she knows I care about you, and that I intend to make you part of my family, it might be to tell your mother how to behave.”
“Part of your family,” Sage said in a dreamy voice.
“Don’t get too excited. You haven’t met them yet,” Eric joked, then turned serious with his next point. “Do you want me to call Delinda off?”
Sage didn’t take long to ponder that. “No. No. My mother could benefit from that talk.” She shot him a guilty smile. “That’s not wrong, is it?”
“Not at all.” He shook his head and chuckled. “And you’re going to fit in just fine.”
Chapter Eighteen
The next evening, in a simple knee-length blue linen dress, Sage pulled up to Eric’s long front driveway in Bella’s car. “I hope they like me.”
Bella parked behind a Bentley. “They will love you. And since when do you worry about what anyone else thinks?”
Sage clasped her small purse on her lap. “He saw forever, too, Bella. This is big. If they ask me about what I do—should I tell them? Or should I let them ge
t to know me first?”
“Want my opinion?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“I think that house is full of people who are more worried what you’ll think of them than what they’ll think of you. From what you’ve told me, this is a big night for them as well. They want to be part of his life, and they’re the ones on trial, not you. Even if a riot breaks out in there, something tells me you and Eric will be in a coffee shop tomorrow laughing over who threw the first punch. You want his family to love you? Do what you do best. And don’t be embarrassed about it—Eric needs you. His family needs you. Go in there and just be yourself—because you’re pretty fucking wonderful.”
Sage hugged Bella. “I am.”
“You are,” Bella said with laugh.
Sage threw open her door and made Bella’s words into an affirmation. “I am fucking wonderful.”
Reggie surprised her by being right there. “Maybe tone that shit down a little. It’s your choice, of course. Just offering a bit of advice.”
“Reggie, stop teasing her,” Alice said, at his side. “Hi, Sage. You look beautiful.” Bella came around the car to join them. “You, too, Bella. Love that pantsuit.”
Sage looked up at the house. “Is everyone here?”
Reggie shook his head. “Nicolette canceled at the last minute. Something about a photo shoot she couldn’t reschedule.”
Alice leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Eric was disappointed, but he doesn’t want to talk about it. So . . .”
“I won’t ask,” Sage assured her. “How has it been having everyone staying here?”
“Busy,” Alice said, “but good. They’re different than I imagined. More down-to-earth. And they seem to really want to reconnect with Eric. It’s kind of sad and beautiful at the same time. I hope we see more of them after this weekend.”
Bella shot Sage a “told you so” look.
Eric appeared at the door, wearing a dress shirt and dark trousers. The scene belonged on the big screen. Did he have any idea how truly handsome he was? “You came,” he said as if he hadn’t been sure she would show. He rushed down the steps and greeted Sage and Bella each with a kiss on the cheek.
“I told you I would.”
“I know. I just—” He shook his head, held out his hand to her, and laced his fingers through hers.
He really does need me.
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips impulsively, tugging him down so she could say something softly into his ear. “It’ll be fine.”
“Stay tonight.” He kissed her then—a deep, soul-searching kiss full of promises and hunger. “What was I thinking leaving you at your door last night? I spent all night kicking myself for saying we should wait. You’re all I think about.”
“We can all hear you.” Reggie cleared his throat. “Let’s tone that down as well. I’ve got kids in there.”
Alice linked one arm through Reggie’s and her other through Bella’s. “Come on. They need a moment. We’ll see you inside.”
Once they were alone, Sage searched Eric’s face. He was so serious, so earnest, she wanted to bring a smile back to his face. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to carry you off, though I could definitely pull you into those bushes.” She winked. “But I like your plan better.”
He laughed, then sobered again. “Sex never meant much to me. It felt good, but I didn’t care who it was with. I never asked myself if I was good enough to be with them, because I didn’t look that far outside of myself. You met me while I was working on figuring myself out. There are still parts of my life that are under renovation. You’ll see what I’m talking about as soon as you step inside.”
He’s worried. Sage’s heart swelled. She didn’t need to ask herself how a man who had so much could be so unsure. He understood what it was like to be left behind and how it made a person wonder if it had been their own fault. His recovery encompassed more than just his drug use. Another man might have tried to hide that from her. His honesty was a humbling gift.
“I was scared about tonight, but Bella said that even if a riot breaks out in there, she knows you and I will share a laugh about it over coffee tomorrow.”
He hugged her to his chest. “Bella rocks.”
“Yes,” Sage murmured against his chest. “So does this.”
Chapter Nineteen
The wave of introductions began as soon as Sage and Eric entered an enormous sitting room that could easily have been used to entertain fifty people. It wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as it would have been had Eric not already told her about each of them. Eric’s older brother, Brett, had the aura of a hard-core businessman, but his wife and child softened him. No special gift was required to see how much he loved them.
Rachelle gushed over Sage and Eric, a little too eager, but she obviously wanted the evening to go smoothly. Prince Magnus stayed beside his very pregnant wife like a guardian angel. He was polished and polite, but his approval would need to be earned.
I don’t mind that.
Spencer had an easy sense of humor. His wife, Hailey, and her daughter, Skye, gave Sage a warm, friendly greeting. After talking to them for a while, Sage agreed with Alice that Eric’s family was more grounded than many would have been at their level of wealth.
Eric introduced Michael as if he were another brother but left off the tag of how he fit into his family. Sage remembered meeting Michael at Delinda’s house. That Delinda had included him and that he was being treated as one of the family did a lot to improve Sage’s opinion of Delinda.
Reggie and his wife fit into the group with more ease than Eric. Their precocious children appeared and disappeared from the room, just as they said they would.
At Sage’s prompting, Axton and Liana invited Skye to join them and—whoosh—she was off and laughing. Eric assured Spencer that she’d be fine. “Probably. She’s not afraid of heights, dark places, or snakes, is she?”
Spencer excused himself to check on where the children had gone.
After he’d gone, Eric leaned toward Hailey and said, “I shouldn’t tease him, but he’s so easy.”
Hailey laughed and wagged a finger at him. “Careful. Payback’s a bitch. Spencer has become surprisingly protective of Skye. It’s kind of adorable.”
“Adorable?” Eric scoffed as he watched his brother emerge from one of the secret passages, looking worried. “It looks painful.”
“Parenthood is,” Hailey assured him. “At least it was at first. I did a lot of panicking. It’s easier now. We take turns freaking out. Look at me, cool as a cucumber because I know Spencer’s on this one.”
Eric gazed warmly down at Sage. “Everything is different when you have someone to share it with.”
A small commotion in the corner caught Sage’s attention. Young Skye had her hands on her hips and was laying down the law to Spencer. He headed back over toward Hailey.
“Oh no!” Hailey exclaimed. “He can’t let her win.” By way of explanation, she said, “Skye spends a lot of time with Delinda. It’s been good for her, but . . .” As she walked away, she could be heard saying to Spencer, “No, I can’t do it. You have to go over there and tell her you meant what you said.”
Sage exchanged a look with Eric and said, “A mini Delinda?”
With equal mock horror, Eric said, “Can the world handle two?” They shared a laugh.
“Where is your grandmother?” Sage had just realized she wasn’t in the room. Oh no. Please. Please. Please. Don’t let them be together. “Where’s Bella?” She started to walk around, hoping to spot one of them.
“Reggie,” Eric called out as he kept in step with Sage, “have you seen Bella?”
Reggie pointed toward the French doors that led outside.
Sage quickened her pace. She had no doubt Bella could hold her own, but the Westerlys were from a power tier far above her friend’s. Not even for Eric would Sage allow Bella to be mistreated or threatened. Nope, not going to happen.
Eric halted Sage gently. “What are y
ou worried about?”
Sage searched his expression. Her usual unwavering optimism shook beneath the weight of recent experiences. “I’m sorry. It’s just that they are both strong personalities, and I’ve seen the other side of Delinda.”
“You never will again,” he said with a confidence that calmed Sage. The loyalty in his eyes said he would go to battle for her, even if it was against his own family. “I won’t let anything happen to you or your friend. My grandmother and I have discussed—healthy boundaries.”
“Okay.” She believed him. Even Delinda deserved a second chance.
Alice came through the French doors and walked over to join them. “Oh my God, Eric, your grandmother is a hoot.”
“Is Bella out there as well?” Sage asked.
Alice nodded. “And King Tadeas.”
“How is it going?” Eric’s hand on Sage’s back tightened even though he asked the question calmly enough.
“They’re fine,” Alice said with a laugh. “I have a king’s promise that they will all behave. Don’t worry, Eric, we’ve got your back.”
Sage hugged Alice right then. Eric often thought of himself in terms of what he’d done wrong, but friends like Alice were evidence that somewhere along the way he had done just as much right. Alice returned her hug just as warmly.
“Dinner is about to be served. Please make your way to the grand dining room,” a member of Eric’s staff announced.
When he opened the door to the outside, Bella’s voice carried inside.
Her tone was excitedly amused. “You did not say that.”
“I did,” Delinda said in a more restrained but equally amused voice.
“I wish I had been there to see her face. I don’t think it’ll change her, but good for you for giving it to her.”