Holding the drinks in his hands, he looked up. “These were done by Luca. You met him earlier. He’s an artist and a really amazing one at that. He has mad skills. Do you like them?"
"Luca? Your security guy? He painted these? Cory, these are amazing! And this one, who’s this?" Madison pointed to the painting of the older woman with the gentle eyes.
Reaching up, Cory slid his fingertips gently over the painting. "This is my mom."
Madison looked more closely at the picture, other than her brown eyes, she didn’t see any real resemblance to Cory. "Your mom? Oh...."
She was confused as she looked back at the portrait of Kate and the dark haired man. He was clearly older than Kate but looked much too young for Cory's mom. "Well, I'm confused now. I assumed the man in the portrait with Kate was your father, but he looks much younger than your mom, so do you have a picture of your father?"
Cory could feel his palms sweating. "Well, actually my dad is younger than my biological mom. And to be honest, my mom and I had a really hard life, we didn’t have very much, and I was a bit of a handful. She worked really hard her whole life. She looks older than her years."
Cory sat down on the couch, taking a drink for himself, he tried to change the conversation. "Everyone says I really don’t look like my dad or my mom."
Madison looked back and forth between the two portraits, the strikingly handsome man who looked model perfect, and the woman with the kind but aging face. "You have her eyes, I think. There’s sadness in her eyes, but there’s gentleness too. She feels kind and good. She feels like a giving person. I see those things in you, Cory, those same character traits. So, no, you don't look like her, but I think she passed on that part of her."
She glanced back at Cory and his androgynous features, almost feminine in his beauty, and then back at the man in the portrait, a strong alpha male with chiseled cheek bones and a strong jaw, full sensual lips, and those eyes, there was something in those eyes. Like when she locked eyes with Luca. His eyes had a power to hold you in your place. She felt mesmerized even now, looking at the portrait. She looked away and back at Cory. "His hair maybe. His looks a little darker, but the soft waves, and the way it falls around your face."
Cory shook his head and laughed. "Yeah that would be my dad, Mr. World Traveler, head for business, always in control, ladies’ man, handsome, suave, and educated. And all I got was his hair. He wasn’t around when I was growing up. I didn’t even know his name. But once he and my mom met up again, he made amends and paid all her debts, bought her a house and she doesn’t have to work anymore. So, I have to give him props, he did everything right."
Madison sat down beside him on the sofa. She could hear the pain in his voice. It was clear he and his mom didn’t have it easy growing up, and he still carried the burden of it. "But you have to really respect that, right? I mean, look at all the men who don't take care of their children. Your dad didn't know you existed for most of your life. He was married to Kate, and they have their own child, and then he finds out he has another son out there. I have to really respect him for that, and Kate too. She had to let another woman's son into her life. And then he takes care of your mom? I mean really, Cory, there’s not a lot more you could ask. He loves you, right? I mean, it’s clear Kate loves you, and I haven't met him yet, but I can feel warmth in your voice when you speak of him."
Gi entered as they talked and delivered the pizza, complete with plates, forks, and napkins. Cory thanked him as Gi nodded silently and left. Madison watched the elderly gentleman and wondered why he was still working. He must be a hundred years old!
Opening the box, Cory took out two slices for himself and one for Madison and handed it to her with a napkin. "Madison, I love my dad, he’s allowed me to completely turn my life around. I was lost before he came along. He’s given me opportunities I never even dreamed for myself. I work hard to live up to his expectations of me. To try to make sure he knows I appreciate what he’s done. He was raised in a good family, they had a lot, but he’s been through hell as well. It wasn’t always easy for him, so he gets me. I guess what I’m saying is, I hope I grow up to be half the man he is."
Wolfing down his pizza quickly, he grinned at her as she took small bites and tried not to get anything on her dress. "I just hope now that you’ve seen where I live you don’t feel differently about me."
Madison stopped mid-chew. "Why would you ever think I’d feel differently about you? We're two of a kind, you and me. Neither of us really fits in and we’re struggling to find our place in this world. And something tells me your father isn’t concerned about you following in his footsteps, but hoping you make your own path, follow your own heart. I mean, look at you now. Your dad owns and runs vineyards, but he’s letting you pursue your own passion as an artist, and not trying to force you into running the family business. I think that speaks volumes."
Cory leaned in and kissed her softly. "Thanks for saying that, you do understand me."
Madison looked back at him and smiled. “You're not getting rid of me, Cory Medici. I plan on sticking around a long time, if you'll have me."
"Have you? Oh, Madison Barnes, I already have you, and I plan to keep you." Looking at her with a grin, he flipped his hair back.
He grabbed the remote and turned on the iPod nestled in a speaker as the music of The Black Keys filled the room. "You like the Keys?"
She leaned back against the sofa as the music washed over her. "I love The Black Keys. So, can you show me your leather studio while I'm here? I'd love to see where you work."
Damn! He couldn’t take her there, it was at the camp! "Not today, if you don’t mind. It’s really a mess and it’s a long walk. Maybe next time, okay?" He watched her closely to see if she was buying this excuse. "Listen, I’m glad you like the Black Keys, they’re playing in Charlottesville in a few weeks, would you like to go?"
"Seriously? I’d love to go see the Keys!"
"Great! It’s a date. I’ll get the tickets."
He hugged her to him and kissed her softly, as her hands slide around his neck. Deepening the kiss, he could feel her heartbeat pick up. Her tongue probed into his mouth and he sucked it gently. She was the most beautiful perfect girl he’d met in his life and he never wanted to lose her.
Madison melted in to him. Despite her vow to not get romantically involved until she graduated, she knew she was falling hard for this man-child. She felt Cory’s hands exploring her back, pulling her closer as he leaned into her, pushing her down on the sofa, and she let him.
They were both startled by the sound of a door banging open and tiny feet running across the floor, a second before Lorenzo launched himself on top of Cory.
"Cory! The inside pool is finished. You want to come see? Eww, were you kissing?"
Sitting up quickly, with Lorenzo still clinging to him, Cory struggled for a sense of normalcy as Madison suppressed a laugh. "Little dude, you need to learn some manners, you should always knock first. And yes, we were kissing, we like each other. Now, you need to apologize to Madison for being so rude.”
Kate rushed into the room. "Lorenzo! Get back here! What is the rule about closed doors?"