Ties That Bind (35 page)

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Authors: Brenda Jackson

BOOK: Ties That Bind
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Haywood frowned. “That's not true and if you talk to your father you will find out what's true and what's not. If you don't want to talk to him then talk to your grandparents, the Fullers. They both know what really happened. You owe it to yourself to find out the truth once and for all.”
 
Her words may as well have fallen on deaf ears, Haywood thought, as she got into bed later that night. Their talk hadn't accomplished anything but had made them angry and frustrated with each other once again. They had ended their walk and had gone their separate ways. They had two more days of packing left and she dreaded seeing him again. He was convinced that his mother had told him the truth. Haywood wondered how he would handle it when he found out what she'd told him had been nothing but the lies of a spiteful and hateful person.
As Haywood drifted off to sleep she prayed that whatever reason Ma Mattie had had for placing them on the island together was worth all the anger, hard feelings and frustration that she was feeling right now.
 
 
Private Investigator Patrick Sellers read the report for the second time. The information was still incomplete but at least he seemed to be headed somewhere other than a dead end.
There was reason to believe that Adrianna Fuller was not only alive but was living in San Diego, California.
He had been able to track the American church that had sponsored her to come to the United States and had paid for her schooling. According to their information, she was a doctor. The only thing he did not have was the last name she was using now.
Patrick checked his watch. It was late and time he called it a day. But he was determined to find the final piece to a thirty-four-year puzzle.
He didn't stand a chance.
Trey knew it when he arrived at the big house the next morning and Haywood opened the door with sleep-filled eyes, wearing her robe. Some things were supposed to look good early in the morning, but a woman whose face had that “just got out of bed” look was not one of them.
“I'm sorry, Trey,” she said between yawns. “But I didn't get much sleep last night and overslept this morning. You can start packing and I'll join you as soon as I get dressed.”
He nodded as he leaned in the doorway. “Have you had breakfast yet?”
“Breakfast? Are you kidding? I just rolled out of bed. I haven't had a chance to even wash my face or brush my teeth.”
He quirked an amused brow at her as he straightened his stance. “All right, go do both and I'll fix you something to eat.” He entered, closing the door behind him.
Haywood tilted her head up and looked at him. “I like your offer but I don't want to put you to any trouble.”
“It's no trouble at all. Eggs, toast, bacon and coffee. That's simple enough.”
“You sure?”
“I'm positive.”
She smiled at him, finding it hard to believe this was the same man she'd had a disagreement with the day before. He was in a good mood and she decided to take full advantage of it. “Do you mind if I add taking a shower to washing my face and brushing my teeth?”
“Nope, don't mind if you do.”
“Thanks.” She was halfway up the stairs when she stopped, turned around and looked back down at him. “You didn't ask how I wanted my eggs.”
He grinned. “I only know how to cook them one way. Scrambled.”
She laughed. “That will work.” She then continued walking up the stairs.
 
“I've made up my mind to talk to my father.”
Haywood lifted a brow over her cup of coffee. She hadn't expected to hear him say that. “When did you make that decision?”
“Last night. I thought about everything you said and admit that there are too many inconsistencies for me not to ask questions.”
She nodded, glad he had made that decision. “When are you going to talk to him?”
“Before I return to California.”
For the rest of the day they packed up the boxes, working together in peaceful harmony the majority of the time.
“So what do you plan to do now that we're finished here?” he asked as he sealed the last box they were to pack, thus finishing up a day early.
Haywood shrugged. “Since I have only three days left on the island, I thought I'd go around and take more pictures. What about you? What will you be doing?”
“Don't know what I plan to do the other days, but today I'm going to
shoot a few hoops. That basketball net is still standing that Pa Murphy put up years ago for Dad and Uncle Ross.”
“I know. I always used it whenever I came to visit.”
Trey lifted a brow. “You know how to play basketball?”
“Sure,” she said grinning. “I'm a girl with three uncles who're basketball fanatics.”
“Do you want to shoot a few hoops with me later today?”
“I'd love to.”
 
“Okay, so you won. Try not to gloat too much, will you?”
Trey smiled. “It will be hard but I'll try. And I have to admit, Malone, that you play a mean game.”
“But not mean enough to whip you, Fuller. Right?”
He laughed. “Remember you said it. I didn't.”
Haywood eyed Trey. He was just as sweaty as she was. They had been battling it out on the basketball court for two solid hours and she had enjoyed every minute of it. “I'll remember.” She took a swig of water out of the bottle. “It's going to be nice sleeping late tomorrow morning.”
“Is that a hint?”
“Yes and I'm glad you caught it. Don't bother coming over since we finished packing everything up today.”
Trey chuckled, then asked, “What do you plan to eat for dinner?”
“Nothing big. I thought I'd throw a pork chop in the oven and have a salad. Want to join me?”
“Only if you let me grill the chops.”
“That's not a problem. Let's say we both go to our respective residences and take showers. Then you can come on over to the big house.”
Trey's lips curved into a smile. “Sounds like a plan.”
 
The sun was just going down when Trey arrived at the big house. Haywood opened the door, saw him and smiled. He was wearing a nice pair of trousers and a crisp white shirt. “Well, well, Mr. Fuller, you didn't have to dress up on my account.”
He shook his head, returning her grin. “I didn't. I just wanted to wear something other than shorts or jeans.”
She gave him a thorough once-over. “And you plan to grill in that?”
“Sure.”
“Okay, it's your decision,” she said, stepping aside to let him in. “You know where the grill is, don't you?”
“Yes. It won't take but a minute to get things set up. Did you find a bag of charcoal?”
“Yes. I put everything you'll need on the patio table.”
A few moments later, Haywood thought that the two of them worked well together. In addition to the pork chops and salad, she had decided to bake a couple of sweet potatoes and dinner rolls. By the time they both sat down to the table they were hungry.
“It's beautiful out here, isn't it?” Haywood asked him as they sat at the patio table enjoying their food as well as the view of the Atlantic Ocean. Since Ma Mattie and Pa Murphy had been the only ones living on the island for the past fifteen years, other than the clearing where the big house and cottage sat, the rest of the island was wooded.
“Have you made a decision regarding what you want to do with your part of the island?” Haywood turned and asked Trey when she felt him looking at her.
He nodded, holding her gaze. “I know how much Ma Mattie loved this place and how much she wanted to keep it in the family. I also know how hurt she was when her family sold out to the developers on Hilton Head. I don't feel right doing the same thing, Haywood.” He leaned back in his chair. “What are your thoughts on it?”
She smiled over at him, relieved he felt that way. “I feel the exact same way you do. It's so beautiful here. So peaceful. I love it here. Always have. Ma Mattie knew that I could never in good conscience sell this place. I'm glad the two of us are in agreement on that, Trey. I knew what my decision would be the moment the will was read. I just didn't know yours.” Her smile widened. “I really thought I would be faced with a legal battle.”
He shook his head. “That's the least of your worries. Now that we've
decided that we're going to keep our share of the island, what are we going to do with it?”
Idly she tapped her fingers on the table. “Find a way to keep it up. Most of that will fall on you since I'll be returning to Paris.”
“And how long do you plan to live over there?”
“I haven't decided yet. I like it there but then I'd like to spend more time with Randi. She'll be going off to college and I feel as a big sister I should be here for her. The first year of college was hard for me.”
“In what way?”
Haywood grinned. “I thought I could go there and just party. After all, I wanted to learn how to perfect my photography and figured I didn't need biology, history or English to do that. Mom and Dad soon convinced me otherwise when they got my grades.”
“So you weren't the typical good girl?”
She turned her head and looked at him. “Typical good girl? Heck no. But I wasn't a holy terror, either. I'd just inherited a bit of my father's wild streak, as my paternal grandparents termed it. And their prediction came through that after the first year I would settle down and do what I was sent to college to do.”
“And how did Dad and Jenna handle your behavior?”
“The one thing I appreciated about them the most was that although they did the usual parent thing with the lectures and stuff, they never forgot how it was to be young. After that year I tried being a perfect daughter and it worked until they found out about my affair with Aaron. They didn't like that too much. Although Aaron had been divorced more than five years, they had a hang-up with our ages.”
“Have you told them that you and Aaron have broken up?”
Haywood laughed. “Yes, and there were signs of the words ‘good riddance' in both of their eyes. Like typical parents they want me to settle down, marry and give them grandchildren.”
Trey took a sip of his wine then asked, “And what do you want?”
Haywood looked out over the ocean again. “To settle down, marry and give them grandchildren,” she said softly.
“Yet you wasted an entire year with a man who had no intention of giving you what you wanted?”
Haywood smiled as she twirled her wineglass with her fingers. “Crazy, isn't it? The only reason I can think of for doing that is because I thought I loved Aaron and I always liked a good challenge.”
“You don't love him anymore?”
She met Trey's gaze again. “Now I don't think I ever did. I loved the glitz and glamour of the lifestyle he introduced me to. I remember the first time he took me to Iman's house for dinner and to discuss the layout he wanted me to do for her cosmetic line. Oh, my gosh. She was absolutely radiant and it was easy to see why she was a supermodel. There were other celebrities that he did business with on a regular basis and I enjoyed hosting his parties and being known to everyone as his companion. Then I got greedy and wanted more and that's when our troubles began.”
A part of Trey wanted to tell her that he thought she was just as radiant as Iman but decided not to. “It's getting dark. We better clear the table and go inside before we become the mosquitoes' dinner.”
Cleanup was easy since they had used paper plates. Afterward, then continued drinking wine and talking inside in the living room. “And how is your relationship with your mother and stepfather?” she asked him.
Trey thought about her question a few minutes before answering. “Harry is wonderful. Always has been. He loves my mother deeply. Sometimes I don't think she knows just how much and it bothers me because at times I don't think she actually cares. I think Dad is the only man she ever really loved.”
He took a sip of his wine before continuing. “My relationship with my mother is I guess the typical mother-son relationship. We agree and then we disagree. She tries playing her hand in my love life, and I have to let her know in no uncertain terms that I won't tolerate her interference. She's strong-willed and likes to have her way. Harry indulges her too much for fear of losing her. I indulge her every once in a while as well, but unlike Harry, I know how far to take it.”
Deciding to change the subject, Haywood asked, “When do you have to go back to work?”
“I took the entire month off. I'm even thinking about remaining on the island for another week.”
“Alone or have you made plans for someone to join you here?”
He met her gaze over the rim of his wineglass. “Alone. Not unless you want to hang out another week with me.”
She smiled. “Doing what?”
A smile curved his lips. “Anything but packing. I've packed enough boxes over the last two weeks to last a lifetime.”
“Hey, I share your pain.” She thought about his offer. Another week doing absolutely nothing on the island sounded blissful. “Are you sure you won't mind the company if I decided to stay?”
“I'm positive. We can do fun stuff like take the boat out every day.”
She nodded. “Sounds like fun.”
“It will be. How about giving it some thought?”
“Okay, I'll do that.”
Trey checked his watch then stood. “It's getting late and I'd better go. And I promise to let you sleep late in the morning.”
“Thanks. I plan to be up by noon if you want to get together for lunch.”
He gave her a thoughtful smile. “I may follow your lead and sleep in late myself.”
Haywood put down her wineglass and stood. He automatically reached for her hand when she walked him to the door. “Good night, Trey.”
He let go of her hand and reached up and touched her face as his dark eyes raked over it. His finger gently caressed her jaw. “Good night, Haywood.”
Haywood's heart began to beat faster and her mouth suddenly felt dry. Instinctively, she stuck out her tongue to moisten her lips with the tip of it. She saw him watching her actions, saw the exact moment his chest expanded as his breathing increased beneath his shirt and saw—almost in slow motion—his head begin lowering toward her.

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