It couldn’t have been easy for them to take on the responsibility of diapers and late-night feedings when they’d thought their baby days were over. I’d never felt that their home wasn’t mine as well. I’d always known they’d raised me to not head down the same path my mother had taken, but I’d never really grasped the pain behind their motivation.
It gutted me that they felt they’d failed their daughter. If my mother was on the other side watching, she had to be proud of her parents and as grateful for them as I was.
I thought about Kal and his family and hoped he found a way past his issues with them. Ours were certainly different situations, but I understood the importance of family and how being in a bad place with them could shake a person’s foundation.
Enough to need a couple of days alone? Absolutely.
Kal had mentioned that he was working on a few time-sensitive things. Were they family related? I wished I’d asked.
I shut down my computer, grabbed my purse, and headed to my car. A movement of someone in the shadows had the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. Although my office wasn’t in a bad neighborhood and the parking lot was lit, I was the only one around and that had me regretting I didn’t have Mace in my purse.
I hastily crossed the parking lot to my car and breathed out in relief when I locked the doors. A quick glance around revealed nothing worthy of the adrenaline rushing through me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me.
I started my car and drove from the parking lot onto the road. In my rearview mirror I saw a car start up. I’m being paranoid.
Remembering advice I’d once read about personal safety, I took a right turn. The car took one as well. I took another right turn. Once again, although farther back this time, the other car did the same. When I took a right for the third time, I held my breath and kept glancing backward over my shoulder. It appeared and then pulled over as if whoever was in it had realized I knew they were following me.
Drive to a police station. That’s what I need to do. I tried to remember where one would be. When I couldn’t, I voice-activated my phone and asked for directions to the nearest police station.
As the directions were loading, my phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize. I ignored it and took a left-hand turn. When the car didn’t appear behind me, I laughed nervously. I’ve watched too many movies.
My phone rang again. Normally spam calls annoyed me, but my nerves were frazzled and talking to someone, even if all they wanted to do was sell me something, sounded good. I took a right onto a main road that went in the direction of my apartment. “Hello.”
“Jade Tremblay.” For a salesperson, the caller had a deep, authoritative voice.
“Yes.”
“This is Dominic Corisi, Kal Ragsdale’s brother.”
I swerved then righted the car. Everyone knew the Corisis. Kal’s brother was that Dominic? The Corisis were American royalty. Kal wouldn’t have left something like that out, would he? Thinking back, his references to his brother had been vague. I’d watched a documentary on them once and everything Kal had told me about his mother fearing his father would make sense if his father had been Antonio Corisi.
“Are you still there?” he demanded.
“I’m here. Sorry, it’s been a long day.”
“Everything okay?”
I let out a shaky breath. “I guess. Yes, sorry. So, you’re Kal’s brother. He’s told me a lot about you, just not your last name.”
“All good?”
I made a noncommittal sound.
He grunted. “Anyway, I realize your relationship with Kal is none of my business, but I also believe in cleaning up the messes I make. When I spoke to Kal, he mentioned that you had a falling out after he came to see me.”
I kept my eyes on the road and my hands tight on the wheel. “You spoke to Kal . . . recently?” It sounded as if they’d reconnected.
“Yes, he called me.”
“So, you’re okay with each other now?”
There was a pause before he said, “Yes. We are. But this isn’t about us, it’s about you.”
“Me?”
“If Kal and I hadn’t . . . argued . . . he wouldn’t have needed a few days to think, and you would still be together. You should be talking to him. He needs you in his corner.”
“Did he say that?”
“He cares about you. What I want to know is if you feel the same.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I can’t pay you off. I promised to not do that again.”
“Pay me off?”
“I don’t want to threaten you. Everything I’ve read about you makes you sound like a nice enough person.”
“You’ve read about me?”
“What’s the disconnect here? Should I speak slower?”
I shook my head to clear it as my ire rose. “I can usually keep up just fine, but you’re not making any sense. Where would you have read about me?” Maybe social media? I didn’t post that much.
“None of this is important. Just answer one question. Do you care about Kal? And when I say care about, I mean do you want me to fly you up this weekend so you can be there for when his sister gets engaged?”
My mouth dropped open. “I—I—if Kal wanted me there he would have asked me.”
“No, he wouldn’t have. He has this stupid idea that you deserve better than who he is today. If he’s not good enough for you when he’s down, you’re not good enough for him when he rises.”
Somewhat insulted and more than a little confused, I said, “I never said he wasn’t good enough for me. I do care about him, but I don’t need you to fly me anywhere and I wouldn’t want to go anywhere he didn’t ask me to be.”
“That’s not how you get anything in life. You don’t sit around hoping stars align and people say exactly what you want them to when you want them to. Do you want to be with Kal or not?”
“Yes?” I said in a squeak.
“Then act like it. What is standing between you being together this weekend? Money? I’ll cover the trip. Don’t feel you have the right clothes? I’ll send you for a spa day and a shopping spree. You can have a whole makeover on me. Is it the lack of an invitation? I’m inviting you, right now.”
My eyebrows rose. “Why would I need a makeover?”
“I have no idea. Some women like that. You’re probably fine as you are.”
It could have been the adrenaline leaving my body from when I’d thought I was being followed, but I imagined Dominic in a conversation with my grandparents and I laughed. Amusement replaced irritation. “Dominic, do you mind if I call you Dominic?”
“Go ahead.”
“Kal and I spoke before he left. He could have invited me, but he didn’t. I’m okay with that. We’ll talk when he comes back.” If he comes back. If he was working on things that meant he couldn’t attend the dive in a couple of weeks, did that mean I wouldn’t see him for weeks?
“I’ll send a car for you.”
I laughed. “I just said no.”
“No, you said you’re okay with waiting for him to return to you. Is that what you accept from life—whatever’s okay? I’d hope a future sister-in-law of mine would have higher standards.”