I nodded once. Kelcie was re-establishing herself, her goals, and her priorities. The last thing she needed was my lifestyle, my career interfering with hers. “Message received, sir.”
That wouldn’t be a problem. I hoped…
32
Kelcie
After another round with James about his planned visit with Aaron this weekend, I was ready to scream. He spilled that he and Amber were eloping and then taking her kids on a mini-vacation, planning a better honeymoon in the summer. I asked why Aaron wasn’t part of their plans—didn’t he want Aaron at his wedding? His answer? “We are flying out Friday morning, and I don’t think he could handle the plane. Besides, I’d have to get him his own room, and that wouldn’t work.”
I didn’t ask why Aaron couldn’t share with Amber’s kids. James didn’t want him there. There was no purpose in trying to understand why. Nevertheless, didn’t he realize that Aaron’s feelings would be hurt?
“I had plans this weekend, James.”
“I’m getting married. I think that trumps any plans you could’ve had.”
I closed my eyes and prayed for divine intervention to stop me from tearing into him. Nope. Not giving in to that. “Okay, well, I’ll let you explain your reasoning to him.” He wouldn’t. I would tell Aaron in order to spare his feelings as much as I could. “I’ll see you in another two weeks, then?”
“Yeah, sure,” he said, noncommittal.
Luckily, Grace was so excited about me going away with Shaw for a “romantic weekend,” she’d jumped at having Aaron.
I’d sat in first class, on my way to Charlotte for the most romantic weekend of my life…and all I could do was worry about Aaron. I wasn’t the least bit surprised at James’s selfish behavior—it had always fallen on me to “handle Aaron.” It was James’s favorite phrase whenever we went into a new public setting.
But I decided I had to let it go. Dealing with James would be another problem for another day.
I was going to enjoy the here and now. Flying first class to Charlotte was just a taste of what awaited me. Not wanting to draw any attention by picking me up at the airport, Shaw had sent a car to drive me to his “place in town.”
Charlotte wasn’t New York City, but I wasn’t exactly a city girl either. Now here I was, staring up at the top of Shaw’s building, and I had to take in a deep breath. This trip was about showing me who he was and what his life was like. This journey was about getting to know who we had both become.
I didn’t know what to expect as I entered the elevator to access the penthouse floor and entered the code he gave me. My apprehension settled when the elevator doors opened to Shaw’s stupid-adorable grin. Even as he stood there, with his boyish, shaggy hair, barefoot in navy sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt, I couldn’t believe my luck. You couldn’t take this man for anything but striking. “You made it,” he whispered. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms.
“It’s not like you live in Timbuktu, and I had to scale a mountain to get here,” I answered dryly, breathing in his cedar scent and dropping my bag to return the hug.
He cupped my face with enthusiasm and kissed me soundly, his grin dialing down just slightly. “Yeah…” He studied me as if I’d been gone for years instead of a few days. “I know.”
I held onto his forearms. “You were afraid I was going to back out.”
The smile dimmed a bit more, and he shrugged one shoulder.
“Shaw…”
“Let’s get you inside,” he said, wrapping his arm around me. “No need to give Davy a show.”
“Davy?”
“Yeah, my teammate, Davy Johnson, lives in the other unit.” He nodded behind us.
“You mean this entire floor is only two apartments?” I said, my gaze flicking back and forth down the marble-covered corridor that was tastefully decorated in neutral colors and soft lighting.
“Yeah.” He picked up my luggage with his other hand. “Our friend Harper lived there”—he motioned to Davy’s place—“before getting engaged. He told me about this unit going up for sale, and it worked out this way.”
He opened the door and ushered me in. I didn’t know what to expect—maybe dark wood bordering on man-cave—but Shaw’s home was open and airy without feeling overwhelming. The two-story great room was framed by windows that overlooked the heart of the city. That was all the decoration any room would need. A large white, plush sectional, white area rug, and glass coffee table had my mom-heart wincing at the thought of trying to keep an area like this so pristine—but of course, he had a housekeeper for that.
The rest of the space was also beautifully decorated with glass, cool wood, and neutral tones, but the design still felt welcoming without being cold and stiff. A custom mural caught my attention amid all the white and neutrals. It was a landscape that ran down the main hall. And I recognized it immediately. There was a creek and?—
I briskly walked over to it and whispered, “Wait…” The trees, grass, and the water bending around that large tree where a rope swing would usually be found. My words took a moment to form as my fingers drifted toward the wall, reaching out to it. “Is that Maeve’s creek?”
His hands were in his pockets as he rocked back on his feet, but the pink in his cheeks was all the confirmation I needed. We’d spent most of our summers at that spot. The trees that surrounded the area had sheltered us from the sun most days and kept us dry enough in the wetter months. The rope swing hanging from an old oak along the bank gave it away.
