Lovely (14 page)

Gavyn
helped me up and we followed the man to a room across the hall. It was much smaller with only a desk, two chairs, and a computer. He closed the door behind him.

Immediately, I threw my arms around
Gavyn and pressed my face against his chest. His warmth and scent usually comforted me, but at the moment, all I could think of was a month without him.

“
Shh, it’s okay. I don’t want to be apart either.” He kissed the top of my head several times while rubbing my back. “Maybe you’ll make some new friends.”

I laughed softly between sniffles, knowing he was trying to cheer me up. “I doubt that. Are you sure you want to deal with this? My dad is right. You would be granted an annulment.”

He placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me away from his chest. “Look at me, Farrah Valmore.” I did and I saw tears were in his eyes as well. “True love doesn’t come around often in this lifetime. I’m not letting you go. I won’t lie. I’m not happy about this, but we’ll get through it.”

“Okay.” I nodded faintly before he pulled me into his strong embrace once more.
I hope so
.

Chapter 39

Gavyn left the room first. I decided it would be best for him to leave the courtroom and head home so I could control the waterworks. I had bawled for five minutes as he held me. His shirt was soaked with my tears by the time he let me go.

I’m not sure how long I stayed there after he walked out the door and shut it behind him. I stared at
the speckled Berber carpet as I tried to compose myself. All I kept thinking was that I would never see him again. I feared that our brief and beautiful love had ended forever.

The door knob twisted and the door opened slowly. Brody smiled, the left corner of his mouth curling up in a sympathetic way while the rest of his lips stayed in place. He extended his hand to me. Instead of accepting, I used my hands to push off the desk I’d been leaning against and crossed my arms.

“We should get out there. There’s only going to be a few photos. The usual happy family shit.” He’d dropped his courtroom act and sounded like the jaded boy I used to know.

“Why did you do this? I mean… it still sucks, but you saved my ass.”

“That lawyer didn’t show up because he was paid not to. I’m sure you figured that much out. I’d been snooping around since they laid this on you at the restaurant. I found out about your mom’s illness and then I brought the media so your dad would be pressured to settle this without embarrassment.”

“You’re an amazing lawyer. Thank you.” I started to hug him, but opted for a handshake instead.

“I did it because I’m your friend.” He sighed. “Now we need to go out there and pretend we’re thrilled to greet the public.”

“Remember what we used to do as kids?”
I asked.

“Hide from the guests and make-out?”

I smiled a little. “We’d pretend like we were actors in a movie.”

“That’s every day of my life.” The softness of his
tone held sadness, but he shook it off. “At least I’m photogenic.”

“Sure. I remember all the scowls on your
family Christmas cards,” I said as he led me toward the courtroom.

“They’re still like that.” He winked.

Chapter 40

The press had a field day with questions. What is this trial about? Is your daughter addicted to drugs, Governor Caine? Farrah, did you really marry a man you’d only known a couple of months?
Weren’t you engaged to your lawyer?

I
kept my mouth shut the entire time. It was stretched into a plastered on smile as the flashes went off around me from all the cameras. The crowd outside resisted parting, but Brody held out his arm, leading me through the people. The media was more interested in my father, so we were mostly left alone once we’d crossed the parking lot.

Brody clicked the button on his keys and the lights blinked on a sleek black Mercedes. He opened
the passenger door for me. I looked toward where Gavyn and I had parked. He was leaning against the hood of his car, staring in my direction. I wanted to run to him, but I couldn’t. Instead, I placed my fingers to my lips and blew a kiss in his direction. He lifted his hand and pretended to catch it. Then he placed his hand over his heart and patted the spot.

“Get in,” Brody said impatiently.

For a moment longer, I looked at Gavyn and then slid into the leather seat. Brody stood beside my door. His head was turned in the direction Gavyn was in. I knocked on my window and he walked around the car, climbing in. He started the car and swung the vehicle out of the parking spot way faster than I was comfortable with. The Mercedes was shifted into drive and he squealed the tires, peeling out of the parking lot.

“What the heck, Brody? You’re going to get me killed.” I realized my words and closed my eyes.

“Sorry,” he said.

“What’s wrong?”

He gripped the steering wheel over and over again without looking at me. “Holding in all that anger while we were in there was difficult. I can’t believe you married that guy.”

“I didn’t plan it, but I fell in love.
”

“I’m not mad at you.
I just… really don’t want to hear that.” He shot me a sideways glance.

“Okay….” I stared out the window without saying anything else.

“You loved me that much once. Love letters and blowing kisses. All of it.”

“Brody, take me back and I’ll ride with someone else if you can’t handle this.”

He kept his eyes straight ahead. “I’m fine.”

“It could be worse. I’m going to some place called
Pleasant House
. Sounds like a horror movie. I’m going to be tortured in the basement by a mad scientist.”

A small laugh escaped
Brody’s lips. “You always said things to pull me out of a pissy mood. I’m sorry.” He glanced at me then looked at the long stretch of road in front of us as we headed out of town. “I checked the place out myself. It’s safe and it’s nice. Minimal torture.”

“You did?”

“I wouldn’t send you some place I didn’t know was quality, Fairy.”

Hearing him call me Fairy made my heart ache a little and I frowned. It had been the nickname he’d given me
when we were children because he thought Farrah “sucked.”

“They probably didn’t show you the secret dungeon.”

“I promise it’s not scary. Your mom stayed there.”

“And look how she turned out.”

“She’s not that bad, Farrah. Scared. That’s all.”

I shrugged and squirmed to get more comfortable. A loud noise came from me rubbing against the seat. My eyes went wide.

“Did you fart?”

“It was the
leather seat.”

Brody reached over and patted my leg. “I know. I’ve heard you fart before.” He reached into his pocket and plugged his phone into the
stereo. “You’ll like this.”

“I’m not really in the mood.” I knew what he was planning.

“You can listen.” He scrolled through his playlists, chose one, and hit play.

The Bon Jovi song began blaring through the speakers. In his first car, we’d dr
iven around singing the classic greatest hits at the top of our lungs. The kids at school had never understood since the music’s heyday had been before our time, but we didn’t care.

Brody began singing out loud, smiling over at me. He still knew the words by heart. I joined in on the chorus, unable to resist. We did this for a while. Laughter and
singing filled the car. When the first slow, intense love song came on, “Always” by Bon Jovi, I stopped singing and reached for the volume to turn it down. He caught my hand and didn’t let go as he sang the song to me. Time melted away.

Six years earlier—

“I love singing to you.” Brody nuzzled against my neck. We were cuddled up under th
e stars in the back of his red Mustang.

“Makes my heart all weird.”

He slid his hand into my blouse between the buttons and rested his palm underneath my breast. “Right here?”

“My heart’s actually on the other side, but close enough.” I
crushed my lips against his. He returned the kiss with such intensity I was forced down onto my back.

“I’ll marry you someday, Fairy.”

“I know.” I whispered, running my hands through his soft hair. “We’ll get married, build a big house, and have triplets.”

“Triplets!?”
He laughed as he buried his face into my neck once again.

I giggled.
“Maybe. I can’t predict the future.”

“Me either, but none of it matters as long as we’re together.”

“Good. Now kiss me again before I go crazy.”

“I’m going to do more than that.” He undid a few bu
ttons as he grinned down at me.

The song ended and he turned down the volume. I couldn’t speak at first. My heart felt like it was in my throat. I rolled down my window for some fresh air.

“I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t have done that.”

I forced myself to look over at him and I saw his pain. It had aged him a few years. Losing me and dealing with the accident had taken its toll. Anger and sadness bubbled beneath the surface. It scared me. Regret for leaving him after the accident hit me hard.

“
I’m sorry I left you like I did when you needed me.” I asked a question before he could say anything. “How much longer until we get there?” It was pretty bad to want to get admitted to a mental hospital, no matter how
pleasant
the name was, instead of deal with issues with my ex. Maybe I was crazy.

“
Not long,” he said without taking his eyes off the road.

Chapter 41

The road leading to the
Winford Pleasant House was barely more than dirt. We had passed through a nice subdivision, made a few turns, and then headed down the untrodden path. Trees stood high on each side of the road. Their limbs were like ominous arms looming above, waiting to grab me.

“This is… worse than I expected, Brody.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Something is off… I can feel it.” I saw him rol
l his eyes. A house came into view a short time later. It was an old two story with chipping paint. The front porch held several rocking chairs. “This doesn’t look like a hospital.”

“Would you rather go to a hospital?
Dr. Winford has had great success with this place. It’s less threatening.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes.
“Yeah, right.”

He parked beside a large truck with muddy tires. I hated to see what Brody’s sleek Merced
es looked like now. He opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated for a second.

“Can I ask you something before we check in? We probably won’t get time together alone after this.
Gavyn will pick you up after this is over and you’ll go on to live your life.”

“Sure.” I owed him that much. He’d saved my
butt back in the courtroom and I had shared many years of my life with him.

Turning in his seat, he gently took both of my hands in his. His eyes glistened and I silently begged him not to cry. I couldn’t handle that on top of everything else.

“If I’d have come for you sooner, before you met Gavyn, would you have been able to love me again?”

That was
exactly the kind of question I was afraid of. “I don’t know. After the accident, I fell into a really dark place. All my thoughts were black.”

His fingers traced over my wedding band. “I still love you. That’s why I decided to help you and
now I’m letting you go.”

“Our love was
real. Nothing can change that or take it away. But you have to move on.”

He nodded firmly a couple of times. “I know.” He leaned forward and I thought he was going to kiss me
full on the lips, but he turned at the last moment and placed a soft peck on my cheek. “Let’s get you checked into this nut house.”

“Funny.” I smile despite the worry in my mind and ache in my heart.

As we walked toward the house, I slid my hand into his as I had many times in the past. Not because I wanted to confuse him, but as a scared girl I needed the reassurance that I was safe. We’d made it almost all the way to the steps when he paused.

“I almost forgot. Be right back.” He
jogged to his vehicle, popped the trunk, and pulled a pink suitcase out of the back. When he returned, he gestured for me to go up the steps. “I came prepared.”

“Thanks, Brody. I’ve been so terrified that I didn’t even think about the fact I’d have to wear the same clothing for a month.”

He laughed. “They have supplies, but I figured you would want some of your old things.”

The porch steps creaked under my weigh
t and I pictured them caving in beneath me, but they held for now. I opened the screen door and stepped up to a small office. The sign on the door read: “Admissions.”

“Hello, I’m Brody
York.” He stepped forward, slipping on his professional demeanor. I hated it.

“Ah, Mr.
York. We are thrilled that things worked out.” The chubby woman wearing a white dress and nurse’s cap stepped up to me. “And this must be Farrah. I think you’ll enjoy your stay here. Some of our patients don’t want to leave.”

“Are you the therapist?” I asked uncomfortably. She was definitely in my personal space.

Get out of my bubble!

“Oh no, dearie. I make sure the patients take their medication, keep their rooms clean, don’t get into fights… that sort of thing. You’ll meet Dr. Winford at dinner and you have an appointment with her tomorrow.”

“The doctor lives here, too?”

“Oh yes. This place is a passion of hers. She feels being there for constant support is the perfect way to help our guests.” She turned her attention back to Brody when he handed her some papers.

He winked to comfort me. It didn’t work. We both watched as the nurse flipped through the pages that I had signed before leaving the courtroom.

“Everything appears to be up to speed. I’ll show you to your room, Farrah. My name’s Bertha, but everyone calls me Ms. B.” She started chortling like someone had told a joke as she walked into the hallway.

Brody handed me the suitcase. “Everything will work out, Fairy.” My head was bowed and he lifted it with one finger underneath my chin. “You’re not crazy.”

I hugged him tightly before I could stop myself. He was the first person during the entire day that seemed confident that I was sane. “Thank you. Be careful driving home.”

He nodded curtly and headed toward the door after I let him go. I didn’t look back to see if he was wat
ching me follow Ms. B to the stairs leading up to the second floor.