Among the Tulips (14 page)

She tried to remember when and shook her head.

“When he was irritated with me he'd feed you that as an answer. It actually means, Go away.”

She groaned.

He laughed.

They piled into the car. She pulled her dress in and put on her seat belt. Reaching down, she removed the shoe from her broken foot. She held it up. “He had these made especially for me because he didn't want someone seeing my bare foot and realizing I wore a cast.”

“Good grief,” he said looking at the shoe. “It looks like a hobbit's foot.”

“Hobbit?” she asked.

“You've never read J. R. R. Tolkien?”

When she shook her head he groaned. “I'll find you a copy in Victor's collection when we get back to the estate and you can while away the rest of your vacation reading.”

She shook her head. “You're as bad as Victor there. I haven't said I'm going to stay.”

He turned onto the main highway that led into the small town of Haut. She laid her shoe down by her feet.

“You really shouldn't leave until this is solved.”

“I'm not the one who left. I was pushed away,” she reminded him. “Besides, isn't it true that Cinderella turns into a pumpkin at midnight? And it's way past midnight.”

“Her coach does,” Sean corrected. “Just give Victor time,” he added.

She didn't answer, and in minutes they were through the town and at the estate.

Wearily she climbed out of the car. He strolled in front of the car and stopped by her side, slipping an arm around her.

She glared but he only smiled. “Friends. Pax, darling. I'm being honest when I say I have no designs on you. My heart belongs to Victor and what is best for him.”

She relaxed and accepted his help.

Slowly, she climbed the stairs. At the top she allowed him to open the door—and was stunned by the scene.

“Where is my dad?” A young boy came storming across the foyer, anger and desperation in every step.

His gaze was on Sean. “Uncle Sean? Is Dad with you?”

The boy was crying. This had to be Victor's son. He had the same brandy-colored eyes and his face looked just like Victor's, though he had light-golden hair.

Sean turned his attention to the boy, releasing Annie. “Hello, Josh. No. I'm afraid not. He's still in London. What's the matter?”

“I hate him. I hate my mom.” He rubbed his nose and then cried, “I ran away from home.”

With that he turned and rushed toward the library.

Sean simply stared.

Annie thought, of all the times for Victor to be gone, this had to be the worst. Obviously, something had come to a head with his mom and he needed his parent.

And his dad was in London, angry with Annie.

This was all her fault.

“I
'd better call Victor,” Sean said.

Annie agreed. “I'll go see if I can talk to Josh.”

She walked around the scattered mess in the foyer—there was a skateboard, a suitcase, a fishing pole and a backpack alongside a bedroll.

She was careful not to trip as she made her way across the room. She tapped lightly on the library door.

She heard the young boy sniffling. She stepped inside. The library was larger than the parlor, but not by much. Books of all types lined the shelves and there was dark leather furniture. A library of the type you'd find in an old Regency mystery.

The boy stood by the books. He had just started pulling them out and throwing them.

Appalled, she crossed the room. “Mr. Rivers. Stop that right now.”

The authority in her voice stopped him in his tracks. He glanced at her. “Who are you?”

She hesitated and then walked forward, holding out her hand. “I'm Annie Hooper. And you are?”

“Josh Rivers.” He obediently took her hand.

“I take it your dad didn't know you were coming tonight?”

He shook his head and wiped at his eyes, embarrassed. She motioned toward the sofa. “Want to talk?”

He eyed her suspiciously. “Do you know Uncle Sean?”

She thought, if you only knew kid. “As a matter of fact, I do. We're friends.”

He snorted.

“You find that hard to believe?”

He shrugged, sullen.

“I thought you were at your mom's?”

“I wanted to come visit,” he said, and she could tell only a good upbringing kept him from leaving the room.

“You told Uncle Sean you'd run away,” she said softly.

He didn't comment.

“Were there problems, Josh?”

He shrugged. “Mom got married today.”

“Oh dear,” she said softly.

Fresh tears filled his eyes. He stiffened. “I heard him tell Mom he didn't want a kid. She said she was going to talk to Dad. I just figured I'd save her the talk.”

Appalled, she couldn't help but stare. “Oh, Josh,” she said softly.

The boy started crying again. He threw himself into her arms. Being a mother, she gladly accepted him and stroked his hair. He cried as if he'd lost part of himself today. And he probably had.

She saw Sean open the door and then stop—surprise in his eyes. She motioned him to stay quiet by shaking her head and he entered, staying in the background.

“If your dad had known that, he would have flown to get you himself. He's missed you so much. He was very upset when your mom wouldn't let him come get you early.”

“How do you know?” he asked through the tears.

“I was here. He was frustrated. Tell me,” she asked softly, “did she want you to stay because of the marriage?”

He shook his head. “She doesn't want to lose the child support. They had a big fight about that. That was why she wasn't marrying him. But he said he could support her fine.”

Anger flashed. Annie felt it. Her entire face flooded with heat, she was so angry. “Well, your dad won't feel that way. I can just about guarantee you that you'll have a place here. He's missed you terribly.”

“Then why wasn't he here? He said to call, and I called and he wasn't here.”

“Oh, honey,” she said and looked up at Sean. “He had a premiere tonight.”

“He sure did, sport,” Sean finally said, coming over. “We flew to London. Your dad had some unfinished business. I put a call in and as soon as he gets it, he'll call.”

The phone rang as if on cue.

Sean didn't wait for one of the staff to pick up the phone but instead reached for it.

“Hello?”

There was a pause and then Victor's tones could be heard on the other end. Sean switched to another language and quickly explained the situation. She wasn't sure what language he spoke, but when he was done, he handed the phone to Josh.

Annie stood and crossed the room to give Josh some privacy. Sean followed.

“How many languages do you speak?” Annie asked.

“Spanish, French, English, Dutch and German. I guess that'd be five.”

“And that language was?”

“Spanish,” he said. “I wanted to tell him what happened without Josh hearing. Josh speaks Dutch.”

“Am I the only person who doesn't speak more than one language?” she asked frustrated.

He smiled. “You're American,” he said easily.

She growled.

“Victor asked if you were okay,” Sean said.

“What did you tell him?”

He shrugged. “That you missed him, and he was a jerk to make you ride the plane home, and then I apologized. I told him we would talk about this later, that his son needed him now.”

“And?”

“He's still upset. I don't think he'd be coming home if Josh wasn't here.”

She sighed. Sean took her hands. “Don't lose heart, Annie.”

Josh finally hung up the phone. Annie moved back across the room and sat down on the sofa. “You feel better now?”

He shrugged. “Dad's on his way home. He said he'd be here sometime in the morning, around 7:00 a.m. or so.”

Annie reached over and stroked the young boy's neck. “You want some cocoa and then maybe
some sleep so you can be up and ready to talk to him when he arrives?”

The boy was tired. His shoulders drooped and his eyes looked as if he'd been crying on and off all day.

“I s'pose,” he said.

She stood, with Sean's help and then slipped her arm around the boy. She'd been on this leg too much today and it was really beginning to ache.

“What's the matter with you?” Josh asked studying the stiff way she moved.

“I have a broken leg,” she replied.

“Yeah?” The boy's interest perked.

She walked slowly along.

“Your dad did it, sport,” Sean said with relish.

“Really?” The boy's eyes rounded.

“We were in a car accident,” she explained and shot a look askance at Sean.

“I'll tell you all about it—later,” Sean said and gave the boy a look that said, girls just don't understand these things.

She rolled her eyes. “Men,” she muttered.

Once in the kitchen she searched and found the cocoa and made up two cups. She honestly didn't feel like drinking any, but Sean seemed to be doing well with the boy so she thought they'd probably drink theirs together.

Bringing the two cups over, she set them down
in front of them. Sean glanced up at her. “You might want to clean the cocoa off the dress you're wearing.”

She glanced down. “Oh dear.” She brushed at it.

He shook his head. “On second thought, that dress cost quite a penny, you'd better leave it to the professionals. Doing that is smearing it in.”

“Just how much did this cost?” she asked suspiciously, but she did stop batting at the fine covering she'd spilled on it.

He named the amount and she nearly fell over.

“They don't make dresses that expensive, do they?” Good heavens. If she'd known Victor had spent that much on the dress, she never would have allowed it. That was more than she'd spent on her entire wedding.

He shook his head. “That and more sometimes.”

“I'm going upstairs to change. Excuse me please.”

She turned and, muttering to herself, she left the kitchen. Crossing to the elevator she stepped in and went up to the upper level. This entire night had been a fiasco. From her encounter with Victor to the flight home and then meeting Victor's son. And now finding out she'd messed up a dress worth more than her former husband had made in a year.

Life couldn't get any worse, she thought miserably.

Going into her room, she started peeling the dress off only to hear the phone ring.

Now what?

It was probably Victor telling her to vacate the premises. She picked it up, beating the maid to it.

“Hello?”

“Mama Annie?”

It was her daughter. “Susan. Hello.” This was a surprise.

“I'm pregnant.”

She dropped to the edge of her bed, stunned. “What?”

Her daughter burst into tears. “It's all your fault. And I'm going to have an abortion.”

Oh, good heavens. Annie reeled in shock. “Susan, you are not.” She worked hard to stay calm and talk to her daughter. “Talk to me.”

“How could you leave us? When I needed you most you're out gallivanting all over the world. And now I have no one here.”

“Susan?” Her daughter was crying hysterically. “Susan,” she said calmly. “What is it?”

“We just saw you on TV. You were kissing Sean Hampton. How could you? I need you here, and you're in London!”

“How in the world could you know that? It only happened a few hours ago.”

“It was on TV, Annie!” She always dropped the “Mama” when she was angry.

The flashes she'd thought were lightning. They hadn't been that at all, but cameras. She felt like an idiot, so naive and out of touch with this world.

“You've forgotten us and you're out running wild with some man. And who was the man who grabbed you? Oh, yes,” she heard Susan's brother in the background. “Jake Rivers. You were with them. How Daddy ever loved you I don't know. Mom always said you were nothing but trash. I didn't believe her, until now.”

That was like a slap in the face to Annie—and it brought reality crashing home. She had been gallivanting around while leaving her kids to fend for themselves. Guilt assailed her.

“Susan, you can't mean that,” she said.

“You're not here are you?” she countered.

In that moment, Annie made her decision. “I'll be home tomorrow. Do not do anything rash until I can get there and talk.”

She hesitated.

“Susan?”

Finally she answered. “Okay.”

Susan hung up the phone.

Annie slowly replaced the receiver.

Tears filled her eyes. But this time they didn't fall. Instead, she switched into a pair of pants and a top and began packing.

V
ictor was exhausted and had just arrived at his house. It was seven-thirty in the morning.

He'd had too many hours to think about what happened. Why had he let Sean upset him so? He realized now Sean had simply done it to get Victor's attention.

He'd gotten it all right.

But to send Annie away as he had.

He admitted it was an excuse. He'd been getting too close to her and it had scared him. Big-time. The last church service they had gone to had kept him up hours contemplating life. And he realized that Christianity wasn't the way his parents had taught him while he was growing up. Not at all. There was so much more to it. And Annie was the
perfect example of a Christian. Though she didn't know it, she'd even influenced Sean. He'd said if her attitudes were what Christianity was about, he just might be interested.

He'd realized his feelings ran way too deep for this woman and he couldn't commit to her. He couldn't because every time he looked at her he would be reminded of his broken relationship with Christ. If that wasn't proof that he was no good with relationships, he didn't know what was.

When he'd seen Sean kiss her, however, his mind had short-circuited. For one moment, as he'd held her in the limo, he'd thought of spilling his guts and telling her how he really felt, but reality had come crashing back in on him when he'd thought
long-term.
He'd allowed his fear of failed relationships to rule him and sent her away.

He would never forget the devastated look on her face.

As he'd sat there contemplating it, he'd gotten a call from Sean chewing him out for leaving Annie alone on the plane and forcing him to go back to Holland and then a second call saying his son was there and in a panic.

He'd talked to Sean two more times during the night. What he'd told him had stunned him. Annie had actually held his son while he cried and talked
to him, comforting him. He was surprised Annie was still there actually.

And then she'd fixed them hot cocoa.

Jealousy reared its head, but Sean scolded him in three languages, telling him what an idiot he was not to accept that Annie loved him and that he loved Annie.

As usual, his friend was right.

Though he wasn't happy with the way Sean had taught him the lesson, he knew Sean was right.

Now, at the house, he saw Sean come walking out in the early dawn light, hands in his pockets, looking pretty weary himself.

“I'm glad you're here. Annie's leaving.”

Victor paused. “When?”

“In about twenty minutes. I've put her off as long as I can, but she's got a plane to catch.”

He blinked as it dawned on him what Sean meant. “She's going back to America.”

Sean nodded.

Victor hesitated. “Because of our fight?”

He shook his head. “No. She says her kids need her. Her daughter is pregnant and wants an abortion and evidently…get ready for this, Jake. We made international TV news, fighting out in front of the club, and Annie was right in the middle of it. Her kids saw the show.

“She's beside herself. Totally humiliated. Said
at one point her reputation was ruined, and she'd probably never be accepted in Brownsville, Louisiana, again.”

He groaned. “I don't have time for this. I've been on the phone with my lawyer about getting full custody rights to my son. After what I told him, he didn't think it'd be that hard since Josh is thirteen. I need to see to Josh—”

“Josh is asleep. You'd better talk to Annie first.”

Victor nodded and started past Sean.

Sean caught his arm. “Victor…?”

Victor paused. He finally met Sean's gaze. “It's okay.” He shrugged. “It was only something I've seen you do with a thousand other women on a dozen different sets.”

“Hey,” Sean said, good-naturedly.

“Okay, maybe not that many leading ladies in the movies, but…I realize now you were trying to get my attention.”

“Did it work?”

Victor paused and nodded. “Just don't ever do that to Annie again.”

Sean lifted his hands. “I think of her as a sister,” he said and smiled.

“You're one sick man,” Victor replied.

Sean chuckled. “Okay, I think of her as a sister-in-law, brother,” he added.

Victor paused, then reached up and clapped Sean on the shoulder.

He continued up the steps. “Where is she?”

“In the library.”

He nodded.

Going into the house he paused to glance around. A fishing pole and skateboard propped by the door were the only evidence that his son had arrived.

The floral suitcase by the door was the evidence that Annie was leaving.

He strolled across the room to the library door and tapped, then he entered.

Annie sat in a wingback chair, a book opened in her lap.

It was his poetry.

She quickly closed it and set it aside.

She stood. “Victor,” she said and clasped her hands. Her gaze skittered away.

What could he say? “I'm sorry, Annie.”

Her gaze touched his and then fled. “It's okay.”

He slowly strode across the room and dropped onto the sofa. “I hear you're leaving.”

She nodded.

“Your daughter, Sean said. A crisis.”

Her shoulders slumped with relief. “Is he still in one piece?” she asked warily.

He nodded. “I was afraid
you
might have taken
him apart after what Sean told me on the phone. Seems he met you at the airport…” He trailed off to let her elaborate.

She didn't.

Finally, she took a breath. “Victor, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I led you on. I've had a wonderful time here, but I have got to go home to my kids. They need me.”

Victor blanched at her words. “Annie, you didn't lead me on.”

She shook her head.

He added, “And while your daughter might need you, she
is
thirty-two. She's old enough to make her own decisions.”

He thought he found all of this with the kids awfully convenient. So, he thought he had to suggest a possibility. “Sean told me they saw us on TV. Are you sure that's not why she called and is causing such a ruckus? They've controlled your life for a long time.”

Annie flushed. “That's not true! Yes, they were upset about seeing me, but Susan is having a real crisis and needs me.”

“They have to start living on their own sometime,” Victor suggested gently. “My wife was a lot like the way you've described your kids. She was totally self-serving, wanting only what she
wanted. She would do anything to manipulate me into getting it. That's how Josh came about.”

He paused and shifted forward in his chair. Perhaps he shouldn't be taking such a direct approach, but time was short and he thought being blunt was best. “She told me she was on the pill but she lied because she wanted a child. She was never on the pill, she told me later.”

He remembered the anger and bitterness he'd felt toward her, but how he'd finally let go of that. “I accepted it because Josh had been born and I loved him. But it was no loss when she left. She's always throwing things away when they become no use to her, just like she's doing with Josh now.”

He thought of his son upstairs and then forced his mind back to the situation at hand.

“I'd like you to stay and let us talk this out. But I'm afraid this problem may take a while to resolve.”

“I can't just leave my kids hanging back in Brownsville,” Annie said quietly.

“They're grown,” he countered, wanting to make her get this point so he could then discuss the fiasco of the previous night.

“But they need me.”

Victor sighed. “You can't let others run your life, Annie. That's what you've been doing your entire life. For the first time in your life, since
you've been here, you've been free and doing things that you wanted to do. The painting, the horses, the premiere. You've been living again.”

“Their mom has always told them I'm trash.”

He nodded. Her words only proved what he'd been saying. He hated that she'd received the same knowledge about her stepchildren from him. “You are anything but, Annie.” He leaned forward and took her hands. “Don't let them treat you like trash, Annie.”

She shook her head. “I'm not. But I can't stay here anyway, Victor.”

“Why not?” he asked, calmly.

She glanced away and gently pulled her hands from his before clasping them in her lap. “For the very reasons you gave. I can't let someone else run my life.” She hesitated, the pain on her face clearly showing in the new lines that formed as she tried to articulate what she wanted to say. Finally, she whispered, “I love you, Victor, but you have a lot of issues you have to settle in your life. And as long as I'm around, you're going to use me as a substitute for those problems.”

Her words hit him between the eyes.

She loved him.

He'd known it. As much as he had fought it, from the first day he'd seen her, he'd known he
couldn't stay away, and he'd known this was exactly what would happen.

He didn't want this.

He wasn't the type to be tied down, especially when he felt so out of control since meeting her.

“There was a man in the Bible called Jacob,” Annie continued, and she was oblivious to what was going on inside him. “He ran from God his entire life. He had relationship problems—with his dad, his brother, with God. God had finally to cripple him to get his attention. But when God did that, He renamed him Israel and a nation was born of him, Jake,” she said softly and he caught her use of his name Jake.

It was easy to see what she was getting at.

“I'm not running from God,” he argued.

“Oh?” she asked.

She glanced at the clock on the mantel and stood. “I have to go, Victor, but I hope you'll consider what I said.”

He couldn't believe she was leaving.

He was a total jerk, totally selfish because he wanted her to stay.

“Annie—” he said and stood.

She hesitated and stared at him. He couldn't do it. She was right. He had issues he was dealing with. He didn't want an ever-after type of relationship; he knew it couldn't work…and if he asked
her to stay, that's what she'd want. She was a good girl.

“I'm not running from God,” he said, and thought, Where did that come from? Out of everything they'd said, for some reason, that was the one thing which had stuck in his mind.

“Goodbye, Victor.”

She turned and walked out of the door.

Victor simply stared.

He heard Sean's voice and then the front door open and close.

Eventually, he heard the car start.

The sound of the moving vehicle drifted to him as it drove off.

When all was quiet he finally realized he'd lost Annie.

Because of his stubborn pride and stupidity, he'd lost Annie.

For the first time in so long that he couldn't remember he dropped to his knees and he cried. And while he was there he asked God to show him again what love was.

Eventually he realized that God had indeed been chasing him. And when Annie had come into his life, God, through her gentle words and spirit, had brought him to a place he needed to be.

His bitterness and anger were gone and his
searching heart could once again seek more than empty promises to fill the hole that was left.

And with seeking, he realized there were several things he had to do. His son, his spiritual life… So many things had to be righted.

He stood and crossed to the phone and called his lawyer, with whom he had an intense but productive conversation.

“So, are you going after her?”

He glanced at Sean who had just entered, and asked as he hung up the phone, “Why are you still hanging around?”

Sean smiled. “Because I want to see you do the right thing.”

Victor sighed. Going around the sofa, he dropped into a chair. “Has anyone ever told you that you're meddlesome?”

Sean chuckled. “You. Every chance you get. So, are you going after her?” Sean crossed to the sofa and sank down onto it, his legs sprawling out in front of him. Though Sean looked relaxed, Jake knew that inside, his feelings didn't mirror his posture. He could see the dark concern that flickered to the forefront in Sean's eyes when he didn't think Jake would notice.

Victor chuckled. “You don't give up, do you?”

Sean only smiled that smile of his that didn't fool Jake for a moment.

Victor decided to tell Sean the truth. “I'm going to wait for my lawyer to call. He's pretty sure he can get my ex-wife to sign full custody over. Then I'm going to tell my son the good news and in the meantime, I am going to go to church.”

“Church? But it's only Thursday.” Sean looked at his watch, confirming the date. Casting a quizzical gaze at Victor he said, “You do remember Annie? Who just left you?”

Jake nodded. “But there are things in my life. I need to start over. I have to get my life in order first. Then I can go after her. The small church Annie took us to meets on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

“And you're going to go today?”

“Tonight actually. I'm going to take Josh to dinner after I tell him the plans. Then I'm going. Why don't you join us?”

Sean hesitated. “I don't know.” It was obvious he didn't understand why Victor wasn't going after Annie immediately. But Victor understood and Victor knew Annie would as well.

“You can work on me some more about going after Annie.”

Sean grinned, his attention diverted to what Victor had said. “I don't trick that easily. You won't let me talk during the service.”

“We can talk on the way there and back.”

“Will you let me lay out the reasons you should go?”

Victor nodded. “And then I'll tell you my reasons for waiting.”