Derailed (13 page)

This particular day was made even more spectacular due to Maura’s return. Fiona couldn’t wait to spend time with her best friend and she was happy Maura would finally have the family she deserved.

Fiona picked Ryder up from school and steered her vehicle toward the David estate.

“Can we go through the line at Dairy Queen?”

“Sure baby, what would you like?”

“Strawberry milkshake.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I’m gonna hold out for David crawfish.”

When Fiona set eyes on Maura at the estate she could hardly contain her joy. She ran to her, squealing, and hugged her from the side since it was impossible to give her a frontal hug due to her large round belly.

“Oh my God Maura, look at you. You’re glowing.”

“I’ve missed you so much.” Maura cried large tears and Fiona joined her—Fiona herself was unable to keep her eyes dry if anyone in her immediate vicinity cried. Therefore, she was a good partner in crying.

Ryder sat at a desk in the den and proceeded to start on his school work while Fiona and Maura caught up on the nearby couch.

“Will you be moving back to Baton Rouge?”

“Yeah, I’ve got to finish out the semester in Portland, but was due maternity leave in the spring. So instead, I’ll just resign. I’m hoping to get back on at LSU.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem, they love you there. Julian’s cool with the situation?”

“Oh Fiona,” Maura’s smile was one of love and contentment. “He’s been wonderful. I haven’t told anyone, but I knew deep down that he’d come for me—for us.” She lovingly caressed her belly. “He just needed to realize his worth and let go of his past.”

“I couldn’t be happier for you. How much longer?”

“Seven weeks.” Maura’s expression turned grim.

Fiona grasped her hand. “Maura, what is it?”

“It’s just, I was this far along when I lost Audrey. I’m scared.”

“But that’s not going to happen this time. You’ve got a supportive network of friends and family who love you. You’re going to have a healthy, beautiful baby and you and Julian are going to be a family.”

Maura nodded and swallowed back her tears. “I know,” she gasped.

“Maura?” A ragged voice called from across the room. Julian was at her side in an instant. His lips tight, he nodded once at Fiona in appreciation. He caressed her back as he squatted beside her.

Fiona thought she should leave to give them some privacy, but when she tried to disengage, Maura’s hand closed tighter around hers.

“I love you, Maura.” Julian rubbed Maura’s belly. “And I love our son.”

She smiled at him. “I love you.” She turned to Fiona, “And I love you too, Fiona. I’ve been a little emotional this week given its significance, but I know everything’s going to be wonderful.”

Julian kissed her cheek, his kind smile and appreciation for the woman in his life had Fiona’s own eyes filling with moisture.

“From the looks of it, that’s gonna be a huge baby.” Laughter rang out as they all observed Ryder pointing to Maura’s belly with wide eyes.

Fiona kissed him on the head. “Our comic relief.”

A few beats later Parker and Bailey entered the fray. Fiona smiled knowingly at Bailey. She was getting married in a few weeks, not very long after Maura had the baby, and she and Fiona had collaborated on the perfect wedding gift for her to give Parker—a tattoo on her shoulder of two crabs, claws conjoined, with their names on the shells. Corny, until one knew how much Parker loved crabs.

“I brought seating charts and Ben and Jerry’s.” Bailey held papers high in one hand and a plastic sack in the other.

“If you’re going to start going over that damn thing again, I’m going to help Julian with dinner.”

“I just want to make sure everything is perfect.”

“As long as you’re there, everything will be.” He leaned in to kiss her sweetly on the lips.

Bailey scoffed, but accepted Parker’s affection.

“Can I help with dinner?” Ryder asked.

“Of course,” Julian answered. “Come, the men will go make dinner and leave the ladies to their planning and ice cream.”

After the men were out of hearing range, Bailey asked, “So … how’s it going with Everett? Do tell.”

“It’s perfect when he’s here, but we spend so much time apart that it becomes a strain.”

“Have you talked about the future?” Maura inquired.

“Yeah, but we don’t get very far. He wants us to move to Boston, I want him to move here. We each list our pros and cons and just before we get to the point where we’d argue, we have sex.” Fiona shrugged. “It really is not productive.”

Bailey frowned, “You guys are using the L word though.”

“We have been for months, but that doesn’t mean he wants to give up Boston.”

“Well you have Ryder”—Maura waved her hand in the air in a determined gesture—”the only option is that he move here.”

“I can’t ask him to do that.”

“If you guys can’t reach a compromise then it’s over.”

“Bails!” Maura gasped.

“What? It’s true.”

Fiona sighed. “She’s right, if we can’t figure out our future, where does that leave us? Plus, it’s not like I would be compromising anything. I’m asking him to do all the giving—to leave his life and job in Boston.”

Maura clicked her tongue, “That’s not true. His compromise would be smaller than yours. You’d have to uproot Ryder from friends and school. You have the tattoo studio and your art course. His family is already here. It’s not like he’d be leaving his hometown. However, were you to go to Boston, you would be leaving behind everything you and Ryder know. He’s being completely selfish if you ask me.”

Bailey aimed a cocked brow at Maura, “Now who’s being a douchenozzle?”

“I’m only suggesting Fiona hold her ground. If Everett’s worth his salt, he’ll come around.”

Fiona nodded, “That’s true. We all watched it happen with Julian.”

“Exactly,” Maura agreed. “And Everett already knows he loves you and Ryder, he just needs to fully commit. Sometimes it takes losing the thing most important to you to make you realize what’s most important—it’s not a law partnership in Boston I can tell you that.”

“Looks like you’re going to have to bring down the hammer.” Bailey gestured with her words. “Issue the ultimatum.”

“I don’t know if I can do that.”

Bailey shrugged, “You could suggest taking a break.”

“Wouldn’t that hurt Ryder?”

“Fiona’s right, Ryder would be devastated.”

“So what should I do?”

Maura shook her head, “It’s difficult. What if you were to speak with Ryder about the options?”

“Do you think he’s old enough for that?”

Bailey scratched at her neck. “He’s pretty mature for a ten year old.”

“Yeah, he is. I’m lucky.”

“You’re a great mom,” Maura said with an understanding smile.

“Speak of the devil—guess who just pulled up in a cab?”

The women peered out the window to watch Everett emerge from the cab. Fiona sighed. “I love him. So does Ryder. In the end, we’d move to Boston.”

Maura turned to her friend. “You just keep those thoughts to yourself. He needs to move back home, and that’s precisely what we’re going to get him to do.”

Fiona left the sisters to go and greet Everett at the front door. As soon as he stepped onto the porch, Fiona opened the door and jumped into his arms, causing him to drop his bags.

“Fiona—God, how I’ve missed you.”

Her lips went down on his and they connected in a heated embrace. “You look tired, baby.”

“I’m exhausted. Will you take a nap with me?”

“I can think of nothing I want to do more.” Fiona slid her leg down his body to disengage, aware of his growing erection. She bent to grab one of his bags as he took the other and they led one another up the stairs to his bedroom.

“How about a shower?” Fiona asked.

“Will you be joining me?”

“Of course.”

“Then yes.”

Fiona turned on the water and let it heat, and then she went to Everett in his bedroom. As he flipped through emails on his phone, she pulled off his tie. Next she began to unbutton his shirt, but his hands still held his phone. His face demonstrated a scowl as he read an email.

Fiona delicately reached for the phone and he acquiesced, letting her remove it from his hand. “That’s enough of that. Let me take care of you.”

He stood as still as an oak as she peeled his clothes from his body. He watched as she started in on her own. Wanting to be sexy and provocative for him, she made a grand show out of slowly unbuttoning her sundress. Standing in her bra and panties she turned her back to him to let him appreciate the view. His groan told her it was a success. Unclasping her bra, she bent at the waist to let gravity do its job in removing her bra, but mostly to give him an unobstructed view of her backside.

His hands on her hips gripped with need. Using his thumbs, he slid the lacy material from her body, and then caressed her outer thigh. His fingers found her wetness and, at his heavy breathing in her ear, she moaned in delight.

“You’ve missed me.”

“Yes.”

“I need you now.”

“You have me.” She turned in his arms and he led her to the shower.

He sat on the built-in bench, sighing and closing his eyes, letting the hot water rain down on his head and body. The sight of his erection standing tall and proud against his muscular physic made her mouth water. He opened his eyes and his lips formed a sexy smirk. He patted his lap and she wasted no time climbing aboard to straddle him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he guided her hips into position. He could barely keep his eyes open, but she was determined to give him pleasure before their nap so she used the leverage she had against the bench to pull him into her.

His eyes went wide as she took him deep and fast. In this position it was possible for her to take all of him and it wasn’t long before he was ready for release. As tired as he was, his determination told her he wasn’t about to finish and not give her what her body desired. His fingers massaged the bundle of nerves between her thighs, the addition of water making her hyper sensitive.

They came together and then his head thudded against the tile at the back wall. His eyes still closed, she thought she heard his breathing increase. The constant flying and moving around was taking a toll on him. This relationship was putting stress on everyone involved. A solution was needed before the strain broke them apart.

She disengaged from his lap and soaped a poof with bath gel that was the same fragrance as his cologne. She washed herself quickly and then she rinsed the poof and soaped it once again.

After soaping him from head to toe she then shampooed his head, massaging with her fingertips until he was moaning in appreciation and pleasure. Once his cleaning was complete she grasped his hands in hers and pulled him under the rainspout. They rinsed, and then she turned off the water.

After she dried him off he collapsed on the bed and was sound asleep in a matter of seconds. The poor man had been up until one o’clock the night before talking to her on the phone. She covered his naked form with a sheet and proceeded to dress herself. As soon as she had her dress on there was a light tap at the door. She knew that knock. Opening the door she exited and lightly closed it behind her.

“Is Everett in there?”

“He is baby, but he’s asleep.”

“Asleep?”

Fiona whispered as she led Ryder away from the door. “Yes, he’s extremely exhausted from work and travel and staying up nights talking to me on the phone, so he’s got to get a little nap in.”

Ryder frowned, “Oh.”

“How’s the crawfish boil coming along?”

“They’re alive! Julian and Parker taught me how to purge them in salt water. It’s disgusting, but necessary, unless you want to eat lots of poop.”

“Well who wants to eat that?”

“Not me! I’m going to help clean the corn and potatoes.”

“Cool. I’m going to take a nap with Everett. We’ll be down a little later.”

Fiona rolled onto the bed and snuggled up behind Everett. His even breaths soothed her until she was lost in a dream.

Ryder J. David. Beside her, Everett’s family stood, whistling and cheering as she watched her little boy cross the stage and receive his diploma. She couldn’t contain her tears as he lifted the sleeve of his gown and pointed to his newly acquired tattoo: I love Mom
.

Everett reached for her, but between them was a dark haired, gray-eyed angel
.

“Hey, you’re squishing me.” Everett tousled the boy’s thick hair. “I can’t see.” The looked of frustration on the little one’s face broke Fiona’s heart, but as soon as he was on Everett’s shoulders, he was all smiles. “There’s my brother. Ryder!” He called. Ryder waved and smiled when he heard his brother’s calls
.

“Fiona?”

The little boy’s head was starting to get sweaty the longer they stood out in the sun. On his short-clad thigh he sported a Spider-Man tattoo
.

Fiona felt the warmth through her dress before she awoke to large hands massaging her back. “You were talking in your sleep.” Everett’s hand gripped her exposed shoulder, and then his lips kissed the top.

“What was I saying?”

“Can’t tell you.”

“That’s not fair. Tell me.”

“I’ll tell you one day.”

Fiona huffed. “What time is it?”

“Almost seven.”

“We slept for over two hours!” Fiona sat up in the bed. A growl emerged from the area of Everett’s stomach and they laughed.

“You worked up my appetite.”

“Well let’s get you dressed and downstairs for some crawfish.”

“Let’s.”

***

Everett was in love with a capitol L. It was something he’d never experienced before and now that he had, he found it harder and harder to go without Fiona and Ryder. He’d obsessively been checking his email for a response from his firm regarding his transfer request. He’d tried to transfer to the Atlanta, Baton Rouge, or Houston offices—anything closer than Boston. He feared his request was going unfulfilled. He’d lain low since the Ashton incident, but he knew the senior partners were keeping their eyes on him. Now that it was spring, Everett was hopeful he could convince Fiona to relocate over the summer. He was so confident in his ability to charm her into relocating he’d purchased a little something to entice her.