I think back to my period as I try to remember the last time I had one. I don’t keep track because there’s never been a reason for it.
“You okay?” Rory asks after the kids are fed and out the door.
“Yeah, just thinking of some errands I need to run.”
“If you want to wait a little while I'll come with you. I need to make a few calls and one of them is to the movers.” He smirks about his last comment.
“Do we really need to hire movers? We don’t have a lot of stuff.” Arguing about moving in is a moot point now. We'll never leave. “Most everything is here already.”
“I want it all to be finished.”
“I’m not going to change my mind.” I slip off the high-top chair, and he gives my ass a squeeze.
“I wouldn’t let you. I also want to set an appointment with the decorator.”
“Rory, this place is beautiful already.”
“But it doesn't scream us. Just start with our bedroom. I want this place to be ours.”
“Okay,” I agree. How can I say no to that? No way has a man ever wanted to sweep me off my feet, so I should let him. “If you want me to blow more of your money, it’s the least I can do.” He only smiles and kisses me hard. I watch him leave for his office before I grab the keys to one of his cars and head out.
When I leave the estate, I go straight to the pharmacy. I’m already beginning to worry how Rory might take this, if there’s anything to take. Maybe it’s a false alarm. No matter what I do, Rory never gets upset with me. I’m sure he thinks I’m on birth control of some kind. He’s never once asked, and he’s never tried to put a condom on either.
It scares me this might be the one thing that I’ve done that’s gone too far. Everything has been so good between us, and I’m not sure I’m ready for the boat to be rocked.
Ducking my head when I walk inside, I try to keep a low profile. This is a small town, after all, and I don't want to stir up gossip. Standing in front of all the tests, my emotions move all over the place.
“Why does there have to be so many?” a woman asks, coming to stand beside me. This is the last place I want attention. “I mean really. A simple yes or no works.”
I turn my head her way, not recognizing her. I’m good with faces, so if she lives on the island, odds are I would have seen her. She’s a beautiful woman with long dark hair and killer legs. She towers over my short stature, and she’s probably at least ten years older than me.
“Right?” I say with a laugh. “I bet it’s because they know we'll buy more than one if we have options.”
“So true.” She gives me a warm smile. “I’m Heather. I’m new to town.”
She offers me her hand, and in that second, I can tell she’s lying. Even her smile is forced, and it doesn’t quite meet her eyes. All of my internal alarms are going off, but I play it cool.
“Anna,” I say, still offering her my hand.
Don’t try to con a con artist. Some habits are hard to break, but she wants my attention. Too bad for her, now she’s got it.
Chapter Twelve
Rory
Anna ends up being gone most of the day, and when she finally comes back, the movers are in full swing, and the decorator shows up early. I asked her to come the following day, but she was eager to meet Anna and get started. I’m sure her commission check motivated her to come over as soon as possible.
Anna’s cheeks are flushed as she runs around, but she’s as beautiful as ever as she points people in the right direction. She talks to the decorator about the style she’d like for the house, and I work some more until dinner. After that we end up by the pool, and just when I’m about to ask her about her day, Apollo wants to talk with me.
“Come sit down,” I tell him as Anna goes into the house to give us some privacy. “What’s on your mind, son?”
“I need to talk to you about something I heard today.” His eyebrows are drawn together, and he looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“All right, let me hear it.” I try to stay calm because it sounds like he has bad news he doesn’t want to give me.
“Do you know anyone named Shy Wells?”
The name doesn’t ring any bells, and I think about all the people on the island. Nobody has the last name Wells, so I shake my head. “No, the name isn’t familiar. Who are his parents?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never met them.” He pauses and then begins again. “He made some pretty vague but serious accusations about you this afternoon, and I just want to talk to you about it.”
“Hey, you can tell me anything,” I say as I reach out and squeeze his knee.
“I know.” He nods and takes a deep breath. “He said that you’ve ruined women in Craven Cove. I don’t understand what he meant by that.”
“I have to say I’m at a loss myself.” I want to laugh because I’ve never been with anyone on the island or off of it in over eighteen years. “Anna is the first woman on Craven Cove that I’ve ever even gone on a date with.”
“He said that if I don’t leave Celeste alone he’s going to blow our world up, or whatever it is he intends to do. What kind of dirt could he possibly have on you?”
There’s all kinds of business deals I make, but I’ve never done anything illegal or even morally wrong. The only reason someone would have dirt on me is if they made it up. “Lo, I have nothing in my past I’m ashamed of.”
“What about the woman that gave birth to me?”
I notice he doesn’t call her his mother, and with good reason. Heather ran out of here as fast as she could after he was born. I sigh and hate that we have to talk about her, but Apollo will always get the truth from me.
“I’m not ashamed that she ran out; that was her choice. I feel sorry for her that she didn’t get to see how wonderful her son is, and she missed out on the joy of raising you.” I smile at him and see the corner of his mouth turn up as I squeeze his leg again. “No, I’m not ashamed that she left me, and making that public wouldn’t embarrass me either.”
“Okay.” He nods, and it looks like some of that weight has lifted off of him.
“There aren’t skeletons in my closet, Apollo. I don’t have a single regret because it all made me the person and father I am today. If someone believes that they can shame me publicly with my past, then let them go for it. I have nothing to hide.”
His eyes meet mine, and I sit there, letting him decide what to believe. There is a trust between us that’s so strong, and I hope he sees it. As if making a decision, he lets out a long breath like he’s relieved and stands up.
“Thanks, Dad.”
When I put my arms around him, I take a moment to hold my son, because these moments are too few lately. They’ll be even fewer when he goes to college, so I’m trying to soak it up before it’s gone.
He tells me goodnight just as Anna comes back out on the patio, and then I see something that melts my heart. He leans down and gives Anna a hug, and I wonder if he’s missed having a mom. I thought for a long time I could be enough for the both of us. This is just another lesson Anna is teaching me, and Celeste is teaching Apollo. There’s room for more love here in this home and in our hearts as well.