Winter's Heart (18 page)

“‘
You’re an embarrassment
,’ he said to me. ‘
Have you thought about how your actions affect your mother? Right now she’s up in her room crying because we could hear you all. Night. Long
.’” Winter took a shuddering breath. “I scoffed at him, calling him an old man, and then I went out and got drunk, like really drunk.”

“Oh, no,” Flynn breathed, her heart going out to the lost little boy who was trying to find his place in a strange and all-too-tempting world.

“Yeah,” he huffed a humorless laugh. “I got arrested and when I called my dad to come and bail me out of jail he told me that I made my bed and I can fucking embrace it. Of course, I was a hot commodity so the agency sent a team of lawyers to get me out and sweep it all under the rug. Instead of going back home and apologizing, I stormed in, grabbed my bags, told my dad to go fuck himself and stormed out. How could I face them again after all of that?”

“But that’s not who you are anymore.”

“It isn’t and it’s not who I’ve been for a very long time,” he said, wariness in his voice. She wished she were with him so she could hold him as he laid bare his soul. Of course, it was probably easier to confess over the phone. “Melissa saved me, Flynn. That’s why I just can’t turn my back on her now, not when we’re so close to the end.”

She also heard the unspoken words: he didn’t want to be a disappointment to his parents again. Unshed tears clogged her throat and threatened to spill over because she loved him so damn much and she just wanted to hug the boy he had been and hug the man he was now and just hug him until the end of time. In a shaky voice, she croaked, “Tell me how she saved you.”

“Are you crying?” he asked with palpable concern in his voice.

“No,” she lied. “How did she save you, Winter?”

“I told you about laying the bike down on my leg.” At her sound of agreement, he let out a jagged breath. “It was so much worse than I let on. I hadn’t spoken with my family for almost two years and I was numb from this life. A... an associate brought over some coke and it was sitting there on the table and I was so tempted, Flynn, so fucking tempted. I was drunk as all fuck and that little white line was calling my name….”

When he trailed off, she asked in a hushed whisper, “Did you?”

“No,” he said quickly. “I decided to get as far away from that shit as possible even though it was storming like mad outside. But I was in no condition to walk, let alone drive my bike, hence the broken leg and the trip to the hospital.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t get on that bike,” she said, her voice still rough with tears. “Because the night might have ended up with you in the morgue and that is not something I ever want to think about.”

“Ah, Flynn, I wish I had known you back then.”

“I was fourteen,” she teased. “And I’m pretty sure a whole flock of lawyers wouldn’t have been able to get you off from statutory rape, even if it would have been one hundred and eighty-seven percent consensual.”

Laughter filled her ear, her heart, and she grinned because she did that for him. “Jesus, Flynn, I miss you.”

“I’m right here and you haven’t told me how Melissa saved you.”

“She let me be a part of my son’s life,” he said softly, reverently. “At my lowest point, I looked into my newborn son’s eyes and wanted to be a better man for him and the truly despicable thing is, until I arrived at the hospital, I had completely forgotten about donating my sperm so she could have a child. I didn’t deserve the chance to be a part of his life and yet she welcomed me into her home and changed the direction my life was heading. I owe her my loyalty, Flynn.”

She heard knocking over the phone and Winter calling out, “One moment.” A half-second later, his voice was rueful as he murmured, “I have to go.”

“I know,” she replied softly, not wanting to let him go but knowing she must. His dad was still in the hospital and there was nothing she could do for him but listen when he called and give him the time and space he needed to deal with Melissa. After everything he told her, she found that she couldn’t dislike Melissa even a little bit. She just wondered what the actress’s reasons were for being in a fake relationship with Winter for all of these years. “I’ll talk to you later?”

“Every chance I get,” he promised, hanging up before she could say anything else, perhaps even something inappropriate like, ‘
I love you
.’

Setting the phone down on her nightstand, she stared at it for a long time, replaying everything he had told her, things no one else in the world knew. If she were a different sort of person, she could go to the tabloids and make a killing.

♥~♥~♥

It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders and for the first time in almost ten years, Winter felt almost at peace. Standing up, he opened the door to see his son’s beautiful face smiling up at him. Squatting down, he ruffled Storm’s wet hair and grinned, “Did you have a good time at the pool?”

“I did,” Storm grinned. “But Missy didn’t want to get wet so she just sat and watched.”

Melissa loved the water but definitely preferred her own pool. “Are you ready to go see Grandpa and Grandma again?”

“Yes but first I have to pee,” Storm announced, pushing into the bathroom with an impish grin.

Straightening, Winter let his son have some privacy and went out to the sleeping area to see Missy slipping on a dress. “Thanks for taking him down to the pool.”

“It wasn’t a problem, Winter,” she said breezily, adjusting her breasts beneath the soft material.

“Did anyone recognize you?”

She shook her head, her eyes sparkling at him, “Who would expect the famous Melissa Irish to be staying at this dump? Of course no one recognized me and I probably didn't even have to wear a scarf. Did you get things straightened out with Flynn?”

He nodded, his lips automatically curling into a smile as he thought about his girl. “I did.”

“Well, I’m glad,” she said, studying her reflection for flaws that only she could see. “She’s a sweet, young thing, isn’t she?”

“She isn’t so much younger than us.”

“I feel positively ancient around her,” Melissa continued theatrically, smoothing her hand over her flat stomach. “Especially when she’s in a teeny tiny little bikini. I swear, I felt my bones fossilizing the moment she got into the pool and the water made her suit transparent.”

“When….” The word cracked as his throat went dry and his blood rushed southwards as he imagined Flynn in a barely there bikini. “When was this?”

“Oh, a few weeks ago?” she answered, making it come out more as a question since she didn’t really pay attention to time. “It’s when I had you pick her up for an appointment.”

The day they had ice cream in the park. He had been overwhelmed by his reaction to her and instead of sticking around, he had picked up Storm and fled. Adjusting his burgeoning erection, he had to laugh ruefully, knowing that if he had stayed and seen her in little more than transparent cloth, he would have gone all cave man on her and dragged her off to his lair and probably scared her to death.

“Anyway, I think I’ll invite her over while you’re still here, maybe pick her brain to see what else she has in mind for Storm’s birthday.” The words so casually spoken sent a surge of panic through Winter but he remained still, not wanting Melissa to get the idea that he didn’t want her around Flynn, even though he sort of didn’t want her around Flynn. “And to thank her for taking such
good
care of you through all of this.”

Did she just emphasize the word
good
or was he just imagining things? Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he rocked on the heels of his feet and shrugged his shoulders, “Yes, well, I think I would still be a basket case if she hadn’t come along and pulled me out of my stupor.”

“Plus, things are finally working out between you and your parents,” Melissa added.

He nodded. It was another reason for him to be grateful for Flynn bursting into his life. The bathroom door opened and Storm ran out with a big grin on his face, “I’m ready to go!”

“You know the drill, sport,” Winter said, his chest clenching at having to hide his child. He suddenly hated it, hated the fact that he couldn’t walk through that door with Storm in his arms and proudly proclaim to the world that Storm was his son. He glanced at Melissa and saw that she was watching him a little too closely, as if she were aware of his thoughts and was afraid of what he might do.

Five more months.

“Yep.” Storm wrapped himself in the blanket that hid his identity and then held his arms out for Winter to pick him up.

Scooping his son into his arms, he breathed in the familiar little boy scent, with a strong overlay of chlorine, and he laughed, “You smell like the swimming pool.”

“I swear that boy is part fish,” Melissa grinned, putting a shawl over her head as the three of them walked out the door.

Because the room was in Flynn’s name, there were no paparazzi waiting to snap their pictures, unlike this morning when they were caught unawares just outside of the hospital. Melissa had been her usual charming self and explained the circumstances of their visit, which gave them a modicum of privacy. But he knew the sharks would be waiting for them, which meant they had to use stealth when moving between the hotel and the hospital. Which meant having a car service pick them up out back, driving around for a few minutes, and then pulling into the hospital parking lot.

It was a ridiculous way to live, considering the hotel was right across the street.

Stepping into the elevator cart at the hospital, Winter pulled the blanket off Storm’s head. He was still young enough to enjoy all of the cloak and dagger bullshit but Winter was sick to death of it. Looking down at Melissa, he murmured, “I really appreciate you doing this, Missy.”

She gave him her million watt smile. “It’s no problem, Winter. At all. We’re friends, you and I, and this is what friends do.”

“Still,” he attempted, the lightness of talking to Flynn making him especially grateful for the good things in his life, and that included Melissa. “Thank you.”

Her smile dimmed as she seemed to realize the depth of his sincerity but she just took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. When the elevator dinged and the doors opened a moment later she was still holding his hand. A flash went off and he grimaced, wishing the vultures would respect them enough to leave them alone at the fucking hospital. Luckily, Storm’s face had been pressed against his neck so Winter didn’t think they got a good photo of his son. Still, he pulled the blanket back over his head as more flashes went off and the trio made their way down the corridor to his dad’s room.

“Jeeze, it’s a madhouse out there,” his mother said from his father's bedside as the three of them pushed through the door.

“I am so sorry about that,” Winter apologized, setting Storm down and holding onto the blanket as the little guy walked over to his grandmother and sat in her lap. His mother’s radiant smile was a sucker punch to the gut because he had kept her grandchild from her for so long. “You would think they’d leave us alone for once.”

His dad chuckled from the bed, looking a hundred times better than he had the night before. “You’re a big star, son. Surely you’re used to this by now?”

“You never really get used to it,” he grimaced, bending down and placing a kiss on his mother’s cheek before shaking his dad’s hand. “You’re looking better, dad.”

“I’m ready to get out of here,” his dad grumbled. “Thank you for getting me a private room.”

“I could have had you moved to the best hospital in the state,” Winter reminded him.

“That would have been pointless since I’ll be getting out of here soon,” his dad assured him. Glaring down at the gelatin, he added, “Just not soon enough. I’m glad you’re here, son.”

“Me, too, dad,” Winter said with an easy grin, discovering that he was actually happy to be there. Of course, it would have been better if Flynn was with him but this was a start. Reaching over and ruffling Storm’s hair, he grinned, “Besides, it was long past time that you got to meet your grandson.”

“You look as if you can take on a herd of buffalo,” Winter said as he stood in the entryway of his family’s living room Monday morning. Nothing had changed in the ten years since he had been gone and he found it comforting. Melissa insisted on redecorating every six months, which got old fast. He doubted Flynn would be so capricious…. Flynn. His lips quirked up in a smile as he heard his words and realized that was something Flynn would say.

“I
feel
like I can take on a herd of buffalo,” his dad said gruffly, propped up on the couch with a mound of pillows around him and a plate of celery on the side table. “And I think this heart attack is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.” As Winter cringed, the man laughed, “It brought you back to us, son, as well as bringing Storm and Melissa into our lives as well.”

Winter laughed, sitting down on the couch next to his dad as Melissa daintily sat on one of the side chairs. As soon as they had pulled up, his mother had rushed outside and commandeered Storm, telling the little boy that they were going to make cookies because that was what grandmothers did with their grandsons. Of course, Storm’s face had lit up and the two of them had disappeared into the house before Melissa and Winter had reached the front porch. Since Melissa was only staying for a few minutes, she had said her goodbyes in the car.

She came in to give her support so he could set his parents straight about the nature of his relationship with Melissa and he needed to tell them about Flynn. Clearing his throat, deciding now was the perfect time, he said, “The world works in weird ways, I guess. But it was my friend Flynn that made all of this happen. If it wasn’t for her, I’m pretty sure we’d still be estranged.”

A fierce scowl creased his father’s forehead as he growled, “Who’s Flynn?”

“Oh, she’s our party planner,” Melissa offered blithely, a sunny smile on her perfect face.

“Event coordinator,” Winter corrected, chuckling softly because he could hear Flynn saying those words and not meaning them at all because she wasn’t a party planner or an event coordinator. She was simply Flynn.

“Son, I think we need to talk,” his dad rumbled, his eyes moving between Melissa, who looked vaguely bored, and Winter. “Who is Flynn and what is she to you?”

“She’s….” How did he put Flynn into words? “She’s a force of nature, dad, and she’s the reason why I’m sitting here today. You’re going to love her when you meet her.”

Puzzled, a little angry, his father lowered his voice as if it would be enough to keep the conversation from Melissa’s ears. “What about your…” he nodded his head towards Melissa and lowered his voice even more. “Fiancée?”

“Melissa and I are just friends.”

“You have a child together.” The disapproval was thick in his words because his father was of the opinion a man was responsible not only for his children but for the mother of his children as well.

Winter's lips twitched but he managed not to smile too widely as he explained, “She had sex with a turkey baster.”

“Another Flynn-ism?” Melissa chirped, making his dad jump because he thought he was being so discreet and he hadn’t expected her to say anything.

“Yes.” Turning back to his father, he continued, “I don’t want you to have the wrong idea about me and Melissa because we really are just friends.”

“And Flynn is, what, more?”

“Very much more,” he answered. Hesitating, he exchanged a glance with Melissa before he continued, “But the world thinks I’m with Melissa and that’s the way we want it. At least for now.”

His father heaved a sigh and shook his head, “I don’t understand you Hollywood types at all.”

“We’re a different breed, dad,” Winter joked, trying to laugh off their differences instead of getting angry about them. His dad’s smile was tight but it was a smile and Winter could pretend that it was sincere. “I just wanted you to know that I’m with Flynn because, well, because she’s important to me and I don’t want to… dishonor her by denying her to my parents.”

His father turned towards Melissa, the taut smile still curving his lips, “And you’re okay with this?”

“Okay with this?” she chuckled, glancing down at her phone. “Hell, I’m the one who introduced them. Of course I’m okay with it. As your son says, we’re just friends and that’s all we’ll ever be but he has a chance at so much more with this girl.”

“Uh huh,” his dad rumbled, trying to work it out in his head.

“I’ve got to go.” Coming to her feet and striking a dramatic pose, Melissa said, “The driver just texted me letting me know we have to go if we plan on getting to the airport before the plane takes off.”

“You should stay,” Winter offered half-heartedly. Standing up and taking Melissa’s hands in his, he was torn because she did come all of this way but he kind of wanted some time with his parents without her there.

She smiled up at him as she squeezed his hands in affinity, “You know I prefer the comforts of my home. Besides, I have a read through on Thursday and I want to look my best.”

“That’s in four days.”

“And it takes four days to get this old body into shape,” she said, looking down at her well-honed body that would be the envy of a woman ten years younger. Standing up on her toes, she gave Winter a kiss on each cheek, “Take care of yourself, Winter.”

“I will, Missy.” Turning towards his dad, he said, “I’m going to walk Miss out but I’ll be right back.”

As they walked out, Winter lowered his voice and asked, “Do you want to say goodbye to Storm one last time?”

She shook her head no, a sorrow that she usually kept hidden flashing for a brief moment, she said, “No. Besides, it wouldn’t really matter would it, since he’s more your son than mine.”

“Miss,” he chided, frowning at her. But the moment passed and her brilliant smile was once again back in place. 

“It’s okay, Winter,” she told him, cupping his cheek in her small hand. “Everything is going according to plan and in a few months, it will be just the two of you. Well, three of you if you include your little party planner.”

“Missy, you’ll always be a part of our lives,” he said softly as they continued outside to the waiting car.

“I don’t think she is going to want me hanging around when the two of you are shacked up in some love nest,” she teased. “It’s not exactly the thing, you know, old lovers with new lovers.”

“But we were never lovers.”

“There is that,” she grinned before a burble of laughter came out. “Although there was that one time when we were almost lovers.”

“Yeah,” he cringed at the memory so randomly inserted into their conversation. “Too much tequila and not enough sense.”

“Just so you know,” she said, leaned in and lowering her voice. “I’m glad it never happened. The thought of being impaled on that beastly cock of yours is enough to send me running to a nunnery. And you know I wouldn’t do well with the silence.”

“I don’t think any of us in the business would do well with the silence,” he added, opening the door for her and leaning against it as she slid into the car. “I’ll be home in a few days, Missy.”

She nodded, “Take care of yourself, Winter Mitchell.”

Slamming the door shut, he watched the car pull out of the driveway and drive down the block until it disappeared. Despite having lived with her for five and a half years, Melissa Irish was still an enigma. Her melancholy was new, however, and that worried him. Maybe she was regretting the decision to finally be honest about who they were with the world. Well, they wouldn’t tell the world everything; there were certain things that they would keep private.

Shaking the strange thoughts from his brain, he frowned because he had no idea why she had brought up the time when they almost had sex. He had been living with her for almost a year and while he had loved the time with his son, he missed the warmth of being with a woman. But he had promised himself that he would remain celibate while living with Melissa. He refused to shame her by bringing a woman into the house and he sure as shit wasn’t going to bang some girl anywhere else.

In that year, he had become very good friends with his right hand and passably acquainted with his left hand.

During one of his… sessions, she had walked in on him. After a year of chaste living, it had been embarrassing and he scrambled to put his heavy erection away, no matter how much it hurt. She trilled a little laugh and closed the distance between them, never taking her eyes off his dick. Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out and ran a finger along the length of his penis. The feel of her delicate fingers had felt so good compared to the year of his rough hands that he had closed his eyes in ecstasy and shot his fucking load.

But then the hand was gone and when he opened his eyes, she was gone. The next day, she presented him with Ginger, though he doubted that was her real name. The girl was slender with a decent rack and blind-folded. Fuck, she was hooded. Melissa met and held his eyes as she murmured, “
She’s clean and she’s yours whenever you need her but you have to let me watch
.”

Yeah, that was something he never wanted Flynn to know and it shamed him to admit that he spent three years fucking the girl who never, ever knew who was fucking her. She was paid a huge sum of money to be at his beck and call and to take no other lovers and so it was. He was certain Ginger would have been content to still be in that relationship but he had to end it because he could no longer stand the sight of his own reflection.

Of course, it had added a whole host of realism to his portrayal of a man obsessed with a prostitute in the movie he was filming at the time. Though he was fairly certain Ginger wasn’t an actual prostitute, she had accepted money to have sex with him and he had used his shame and desperation and won a fucking Oscar.

Scrubbing his hands through his hair as he headed back inside, he had to admit that his life since he became famous was seriously fucked up.

♥~♥~♥

“I’m glad you could come over on such short notice,” Melissa gushed as she welcomed Flynn to her home late Monday afternoon. The over eager actress was tugging at Flynn’s light jacket before Flynn was even through the door, making her wonder what the hell was up with Melissa Irish.

“It wasn’t a problem,” Flynn said, her arms getting tangled in her sleeves. Struggling to free herself and try to remain professional at the same time, she continued talking, “Since you’re my only client, I am pretty much at your beck and call. Well, for the most part.”

“I know,” Melissa said, finally freeing Flynn from the demon jacket. That’s what she got for buying a coat that supposedly belonged to a dead celebrity. “And I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated what you did for Winter on Friday.”

“It wasn’t a problem.” God, did she have no other response? Trying not to seem too desperate to know, unable to help herself, she asked, “Is he doing okay?”

“He is,” Melissa said simply, grabbing her hand and pulling her through the beautiful mansion and to the backyard. “I think this time with his family is going to be really good for him.”

“Is he… I mean, um, when will he be back?” she stammered.

“Oh, in a few days.” Melissa waved her hand through the air and dismissed the entire conversation. Pushing her towards the guest house, Melissa twittered, “There’s a brand new suit just waiting for you and I promise that it’s not transparent.”

“I thought we were discussing Storm’s party,” Flynn murmured, trying to remain where she was even as Melissa forced her to keep moving forwards.

“It’s going to be great. There, we’ve discussed it,” Melissa said. “Now go change and we’ll have some girl time in the pool.”

Not knowing what else to do, Flynn went into the guest house and changed into the swimsuit, which was just as teensy tiny as the little white bikini but in black. Adjusting the straps, she looked at herself in the mirror and sighed in relief to discover the hickey Winter had left on her when they had sex was gone. That would have been awkward, trying to explain the mark.

When Flynn stepped back outside, Melissa was already in the pool, lying on her back on a floating pad. The
perky actress must have been wearing her suit beneath the dress she was wearing because there was no other way she could have changed that quickly. Laying out a large towel on the chair, Flynn eyed the water and then she eyed Melissa and had the strangest desire to run and get the hell out of there.