When the Heart Lies - By Christina North Page 0,59

contain the breath he held and pushed it out to suck another in. “Yeah. And?”

“She said she was thinking of sending Max back.”

“Oh? Something must be wrong. She wouldn’t send Max back without being with him. I don’t think so anyway. I’m going to visit her friend, Veda, tomorrow. Maybe I can think of some way to pay Wayde a visit, too.” He was getting impatient and reminded himself to remain cautious. If he approached Wayde, he would need a good reason.

“We started talking about love, soul mates, and stuff.”

“Wow. All that over coffee?” He shook his head and chuckled. “And? What did she say?”

“She kinda started going around in circles. She said she didn’t think Nick was her soul mate. Then she said something that made me think she might be referring you.” She stopped and stared over at him.

He finally looked at her, breaking the monotone he’d been speaking in. “Well, hell Scar…are you going to tell me or not?”

“She said she thought she missed the soul mate bus.”

He turned away, staring out at the road again. A twinge of elation, then a quick deflation struck him. Xavier’s words echoed in his head. “A woman like Kinsley is easy to get attached to ... She’s family, Jackson.”

“Oh yeah, and she said you were…skillful.”

“Skillful?” He leaned in, and turned on the radio. Concealing a self-satisfied smile.

~ ~ ~

As Kinsley fixed dinner, the afternoon news hummed in the background amid Wayde’s moaning and grumbling to himself about the stories. She decided to talk to him again about calling Nick. Tonight, after Max went to bed would be a good time. She reminded herself to be on her best behavior until then. She needed to kid a kidder. Wayde always said she was a drama queen; now she’d find out if he was right.

Savannah, still in her bathrobe, shuffled into the kitchen smelling like a bar room and fruity perfume. Her face was smeared with make-up from the night before.

Kinsley figured she might as well raise the curtain and get the show started. “How’d you sleep? Are you going to eat some supper with us?”

Savannah’s upper lip pulled to the side as she looked at her with disdain; then she yawned, stretching her arms out toward the ceiling. “What are you so cheery about?”

Wayde came in and took his throne. She hoped he’d fallen for her lie about wanting Max to leave so they could become closer.

“Well, Wayde and I talked today. We’ve decided to try to work things out. Right, Wayde? Would either of you like some coffee?”

“Yeah,” they said in unison.

Wayde glared at her pensively, his eyes slithering up and down her body like a snake assessing danger. “Now, that’s what I like. Come over here, darlin’. Gimme a kiss.”

She went to the table and poured their coffee. As she did, he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her sideways into him.

“I told you to give me a kiss.”

Trying not to look into his eyes, she leaned over and gave him a kiss.

His hand clasped the back of her neck; she tried to pull away, but he kept her head close to his face. Unblinking, he searched her eyes. “You know better than to fuck with me—doncha?”

She leaned down smiling, gave him a quick peck, and pictured herself giving her Oscar speech for the winning performance. As she turned to replace the coffee pot, he slapped her ass while making a hissing sound.

“That’s my girl.”

She ignored him and called to Max. “Time for supper.”

Fork fisted, Wayde pile drove into his mashed potatoes. Swallowing them down, he turned to Savannah. “Remy coming over tonight?”

“Said he was.”

~ ~ ~

When Nick pulled up to his parents’ house, he noticed Xavier’s car in the driveway. After a deep breath and a long exhalation, he parked and entered through the side door leading to the kitchen. Angela stood wiping the already clean granite in a circular motion. “Your father’s having lunch with us today. I think he wants to talk.”

After acknowledging her statement with a brief lift of his chin, he grabbed the sports section of the morning paper and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Angela had created a home that revolved around habit and formality, and he naturally went to sit in his unofficial, assigned seat.

Xavier clasped a hand on Nick’s shoulder as he entered the kitchen and sat in the seat next to him. “So, what brings you over today, Nick?” He poured himself some coffee from the carafe as