Stubborn Love (19 page)

“Our address, Mom? Really?” I asked, giving the woman who had given me life an evil stare.

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now get in here before you freeze.”

“Are you ever going to take that thing off from around your neck?” I asked, grabbing a hold of the chain and giving it a yank.

Colin pulled away from me defensively, shielding his precious treasure. “Um—never!” he exclaimed.

I laughed, thrilled by my excellent Christmas gift giving skills. The idea struck me about a week after the show with The Lumineers. Colin and his brother were playing around on their guitars, yet another talent I didn’t know he possessed, when my love started complaining about his cheap pick.

I remembered seeing an artisan at the local crafters’ market who created custom metal stamped items. After a little searching on the internet I ordered a silver pick with the words ‘Stubborn Love’ engraved on it. The woman even offered to ad a punch hole so it could be worn on a chain. While I thought that was an excellent idea, I was surprised he hadn’t taken it off for five days straight.

“You’re crazy,” I replied lightly, laying my head against his chest.

“Are you excited about your gift at all?” Colin asked, as I watched his chest moving up and down. Snuggling together on his oversized couch had become one of my favorite things to do.

“Seriously? How can you even ask that? Although you spent too much,” I reminded him.

“How do you know how much I spent? Maybe I got a great deal,” Colin teased.

“Because I know even with a deal a giant European-style easel was too expensive.”

“You love it, though?” he asked again.

I thought about his question for a moment. “You know what I like best about it?”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“It smells like you,” I replied, breathing him in deeply.

Amused, his chest vibrated as he laughed. “And what exactly do I smell like?”

“Wood,” I quickly answered.

Leaning forward and cocking his head, he attempted to get a better look at my face, but I wasn’t about to budge from my comfortable spot, using him as my pillow. “Wood, really? I smell like wood.” He sniffed his shoulders for a trace of the odor.

“It’s not a bad thing. I love it. I think it’s a construction smell.”

“A construction smell, huh?” he teased, a sarcastic expression on his face.

“Are you making fun of me?” I asked, pretending to be angry.

“Never.”

“Speaking of construction, I still can’t believe how much you got done on this place the week I was gone.” I glanced around the open room; the walls had been finished and painted a pristine white. The kitchen was completed, including the subway tile backsplash. The only thing they were waiting on was the marble slab on the island to be installed.

“I told you, as soon as you left I couldn’t sleep. What else was I supposed to do?”

“It really is beautiful, babe,” I stated, running my fingertips up and down his arm, which hung over my shoulder.

“It will be even more beautiful when you get your paintings in here… or am I going to have to find a new painter for hire?” Colin attempted to goad me.

“I’m just waiting to see if I’m chosen for the gallery project,” I replied matter of fact.

Lowering his brow, he questioned, “Why does that matter?”

“Because if my work is picked, it means my prices for you will go up dramatically.”

Dropping his jaw in shock, I was suddenly overwhelmed by his firm tickling fingers, wrapping and working their way across my midsection. “Oh, is that right?”

I squealed, then panted and begged for a reprieve, but he wouldn’t relent.

“Oh God, they’re at it again,” Christian moaned as he and Paige walked into the main living area.

Breaking free from Colin’s grasp, I fled to the other end of the couch, attempting to catch my breath.

“Hey you two, what are you guys up to tonight?” Colin asked, sounding very fatherly, but not removing his eyes from me.

“Well, we had hoped to stay in and watch a movie, but it looks like you guys have the couch pretty much monopolized,” Christian growled.

“Wow, someone’s in a mood,” Colin commented, glancing back at his brother.

“He’s been like this all day,” Paige added, walking past him.

“Like what?” Christian demanded.

“Why don’t we all hang out and watch a movie together?” I suggested, attempting to change the subject.

“Great, I’ll make popcorn,” Paige said walking into the kitchen. “Oh, Emmie, that box set of Cards Against Humanity just came in… you want to run over to our place and grab them?”

“Sure,” I replied, standing.

“Yes!” Christian said raising his hands above his head as if to indicate a score. “Some C-A-H would totally rock.”

“Am I the only person in the world who hasn’t played this yet?” Colin asked looking around the room.

After a brief moment of silence Christian was pleased to be the one to confirm, “Yeah bro, you might be the lamest dude I know.”

“Ha ha, real funny. You want me to go with you, hon?” Colin asked as I slid my feet into my oversized rain boots.

“Nah, I’ll be right back. Keep my spot warm,” I instructed, turning and rushing out the door. Colin and I had been inseparable since the flight home. When I was with him I didn’t think about Ashton or his family. I certainly didn’t think about Stryker. I only had another week before school was starting back up, and I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.

Slipping my key into the security door, I took the stairs two by two, eager to return to my beloved’s side. When I reached the hall my breath caught in my throat, and I instantly froze. Standing just outside my door, staring at me with the same eyes as his son was Ashton’s father.

“Clementine,” he said softly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. For an older gentleman, Robert was quite handsome. Ashton had his mom’s hair color, but the rest of him was all his father.

“Mr. Stirling, what are you doing here?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“When I told your downstairs neighbor I was your father-in-law she was nice enough to let me in. Curious thing, though, she asked when you and Colin got married.”

I didn’t know why I suddenly felt like a teenager, explaining myself, as if I had done something wrong. “I’m sorry Mr. Stirling. I know I should have stayed in better contact.”

“I understand, child. I’d like to talk to you, if you don’t mind. Could I come in?” he asked.

I hesitated; the idea of being alone with him after what Stryker must have told him scared me. “My friends are waiting for me.”

“I won’t be long, and I’ve come a long way. Could you give a few minutes to someone who used to be family?” Suddenly I remembered there was so much more Ashton and his father had in common—they were both excellent at manipulating people.

“Of course,” I relented, unlocking the door, allowing him to enter first. I followed him to the living room, waiting for him to sit, but he did not. Instead he stood near the window, staring out into the night street.

“Nice place you have here, Clementine,” he added, glancing in my direction. I stood behind the couch, wanting with every fiber of my being to duck down and hide behind it.

“Thank you, I live here with my room mate, P—”

“Yes, Paige. Well, you know I already know all of these things,” Mr. Stirling continued. “It seems silly to pretend otherwise.”

“Yes, about that. I’m not really sure why you would think you had to go to such drastic measures. If you had any questions I would have been happy to answer them for you.” What I actually wanted to do was scream at the man, tell him that he had set a psychopath loose on me. But I couldn’t. I knew he was just hurting, confused by what Ashton had done, and like the rest of us, he was trying to find a way to move on.

“I’m not so sure about that, Clementine. You and your mom leave town with barely a word. I find out you reverted back to your maiden name. Your mom doesn’t answer our correspondence. What’s a man to think?” His questions were pointed, his stare cold.

“I know I could have handled things better—so many times I thought about picking up the phone and calling Maggie… I mean, Mrs. Stirling. I wasn’t sure what to say,” I explained, wishing he knew how sincerely I had not wished to perpetuate their pain. We were all grieving in our own way.

“It broke her heart, Clementine. She lost her only son, and then when you disappeared it was like losing a daughter, too.”

“I know, and I said I’m sorry.”

“Seems like you’re sorry about a lot of things. At least that’s what you say.” Robert took a step closer and my heart began to race.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” I shifted uncomfortably in my galoshes.

“Stryker told me what you said happened that night with Ashton. That you told him he should go ahead and kill himself. Are you sorry about that, Clementine?”

I had never hated my name more than when I heard him speak it, the loathing sent chills down my spine. “You have no idea how much I regret the way that happened. I’ve thought about it every day. I didn’t think he was serious,” I stammered through the excuses.

“Yeah, it seems you’re really broken up. So you think about him when you’re shacked up with this Colin character?”

“It’s not like that,” I insisted. With each step he moved toward me, I matched with my own step backward until at last my back was pressed against the wall.

“Please, sir. You have to believe me. I loved Ashton. If I had known—”

“Don’t you dare desecrate his memory by saying you loved him,” he growled, now only inches away from me. I couldn’t speak; the same fear I had once felt at the hands of his son I was experiencing in that moment. Grabbing hold of my arms he shook me, a fire in his eyes as he shouted, “You’ll see. I’m going to have you brought up on murder charges. We’ll see how happy you and your little boy wonder are then.”

“Please, I didn’t—” I begged, tears running down my cheeks. I closed my eyes, wishing it were over.

“You were never good enough for him. Some stupid town slut—I told him—but would he listen, no.”

I opened my eyes and watched in horror as he drew his hand back, preparing to strike me, the rage in his eyes causing me to squeeze them shut once again. I preferred the darkness rather than the way I was reflected in those despair filled pools.

The strike against my cheek caused a ringing in my ears, which for a moment deafened all other sounds. In a way it was a relief, as I couldn’t hear his venomous shouts any longer. I fell to the floor, curling into a tight ball, attempting to close so tightly into myself, he might decide I wasn’t worth the effort.

As the ringing stopped I heard flesh colliding with flesh and the scuffling of shoes across the wooden floor. It was Colin; he was deflecting a punch from Mr. Stirling. I didn’t move, but rather watched in silent horror as the man I currently loved twisted the arm of the father of the man I once loved, shoving him into the kitchen area and out the front door.

Seconds later Colin was scooping me into his arms, frantically pulling the hair from my face. “Em? Are you okay? Answer me, Em. Come on, baby. I need you to give me a sign you’re all right.”

I nodded, pressing my head into him, releasing all of the pain into his chest. I reached up and grabbed his shoulder, tightening my grasp on him. I wanted to dig my fingers into him, make myself part of him. If I could join with him, maybe I could be strong enough for this.