Ulima was already busy in the kitchen when Sarah made her way downstairs. Lucas leaned against the counter sipping from a coffee cup. He wore jeans and a simple button-up shirt so it seemed likely he didn’t intend to go to work.
“Morning señora,” Ulima greeted delivering her usual morning cup of tea before returning to the stove where she had scrambled eggs, beans and peppers cooking.
Sarah sipped her tea feeling the familiar prickle of being watched. She glanced in Lucas’s direction to see him quietly watching her as usual. One of the reasons she ignored him was due to the intensity of his gaze. Whenever he looked at her it was like someone seeing a steak for the first time after a fast.
“Umm…can we talk?” Sarah asked finally gesturing to the living room.
“Sure,” Lucas followed her sitting in the chair while she took the sofa.
He waited anxiously for her to continue. Sarah hesitated not sure where to start but finally settled on a question that had been plaguing her since she saw him at the zoo.
“Luke, why…why are you still wearing your wedding ring?” Sarah asked. “And why did you look for me? You always told me to disappear. I thought that is what you wanted.”
Lucas set down his cup and twisted the simple band. He wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear but he could only give her an honest answer, “If I took it off…then it would really be over.”
“But I thought…” Sarah’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“I didn’t know what my grandma was thinking when she arranged our marriage. I still don’t. All I knew about you was that you were Nathan Tomlinson’s daughter, you went to school for education and you were a teacher. That’s it. I didn’t…I didn’t recognize you as the cute girl from school.”
Sarah blinked. Cute girl? Did he really think she was cute? Sarah fought a smile but she couldn’t deny the warmth that knowledge gave her.
“When grandma first proposed our marriage one of her stipulations was that we had children within the year.”
Sarah blushed.
“Yeah. I talked her out of that saying we needed time to get to know each other before we…got intimate,” Lucas cleared his throat. “But I didn’t follow through. I never took you out or had a conversation or even sat down for a simple meal. I should have made an effort but I didn’t. I figured if you weren’t taking the wedding seriously I didn’t have to take the marriage seriously.”
“The wedding?”
“You wouldn’t know this but…the agreement my grandmother made with your father included five million for the wedding.”
“Five?” Sarah looked at him in shock.
“What’s more your father provided receipts to show you went over budget for another two million.”
Seven million dollars? Sarah paled.
“I went to the wedding expecting a seven-million-dollar event,” Lucas said, “which obviously it wasn’t. I didn’t know you poured your heart and soul into it while your father embezzled the money.”
Sarah shook her head. Her father stealing that money was not surprising but to think he still thought he deserved to walk her down the aisle and appear like a devoted father afterwards.
“I didn’t know you did everything yourself…that you didn’t even have a wedding planner,” Lucas continued. “I should have been there. If I had stepped in sooner I would have realized what happened. I would have strung your father up by his toes.”
Sarah fought a smile.
“I never gave your phone number to my mother, Lidia or Madeline. I don’t how they got it.”
Sarah carefully digested the news.
“But that’s no excuse for how I treated you or for how I let them treat you in public and private,” Lucas said. “For that, I’m sorry. I’m going to make it up to you, starting with Madeline, Lidia and my mother. If you want I’ll track down your father and make him give back every dime meant for you.”
“No,” Sarah shook her head. “I don’t want to see him and I don’t want the money. If money was all he cared about…he can keep it.”
Lucas nodded, “What about your brother?”
“My brother?”
“He helped me with the video footage of the Mixer so…ah…he knows about Zoe,” Lucas hesitated to tell her. “He’d like to meet her but I told him that’s your decision. I didn’t know if you wanted to speak to him or not…after everything.”
Sarah nodded glad he didn’t make promises. She wasn’t sure how she felt about her brother let alone allowing him to see Zoe. Maybe they could talk privately first. When they were little they used to be inseparable and if she was honest she did miss the connection but she didn’t know if she could trust him.
“So…what do you plan to do about your mother, Lidia and Madeline?” Sarah asked after a moment.
“I’m cutting them off,” Lucas said. “Alan is closing their accounts as we speak. And I’m going to put the estate up for sale. By the time it’s all done they will be penniless and homeless. And as for Madeline…She’s fired and banned from all Stanton properties, offices and businesses.”
Sarah slowly digested the information. If there was one thing Patricia and Lidia cared about more than their reputations it was money. For them it was important to have more than others and flaunt it at every opportunity. Though Madeline lacked the family and the money to do the same she clung to Lidia’s heels to at least give the appearance of wealth.
“…And us?”
“Well…with your permission…can we start over?” Lucas asked. “Hi, I’m Lucas. It’s nice to meet you.”
Sarah snorted a laugh. Was he serious?
“Okay, maybe not that far back,” Lucas shrugged pleased he could make her laugh. “But…let’s get to know each other…spend some time with each other. Just you, me and Zoe. All I know about you is that you’re a famous author, you’ve been around the world and like spicy food. I’d like to learn more, the way I should have done from the beginning. What do you think?”
“Okay,” Sarah finally agreed. “Let’s give it a try.”
“Señor, señora, breakfast is ready,” Ulima softly beckoned.
“Shall we?” Lucas asked.
Sarah nodded. Lucas stood offering her a hand. She looked at it and for a moment he thought she wouldn’t take it. Finally she placed her hand in his and let him help her to her feet. Breathing a sigh of relief Lucas escorted her to the table and helped her sit before taking his own seat.
Glancing up he saw Ulima was watching him with a bemused expression. Though she tried not to pry into the lives of her employers Ulima couldn’t help but be concerned for Sarah who she knew had suffered as well as little Zoe. She wanted both to be happy and though she pitied Lucas she wasn’t certain he was good enough either. To see him now was quite amusing and even a little reassuring.
Setting plates down in front of them Ulima retreated to the sink to wash dishes while they ate. Sarah surveyed the scrambled eggs, beans and peppers then grabbed a handy bottle of Tabasco a second before Lucas. They looked at one another sheepishly.
“Dibs after you’re done,” Lucas said.
Sarah chuckled spritzing the hot sauce over her breakfast before handing it to him. Lucas treated his breakfast with the same care as she did before picking up his fork.
Hesitating with the first bite he said, “So—ah—what is your favorite color?”
Sarah blinked looking at him.
“I figured I should start somewhere.”
Sarah broke out into a laugh shaking her head.
* * *
Lucas sat in the passenger seat looking at the modern Soho home. He had never been there before but Sarah had no difficulty driving there. Much like Silas and Ava’s brownstone it was clear she was no stranger here.
“Something wrong?” Sarah asked. After a morning of asking twenty questions the ride across town to visit Julius and Macey was surprisingly quiet. Not only that, but Lucas seemed to grow even more tense the closer they came to the sleek home. “Luke?”
“Promise not to repeat this to anyone?”
“Sure.”
“Julius terrifies me.”
Sarah snorted a laugh, “Why?”
“Well…he’s Julius DaLair. They are titans of the business world and a family to be feared and respected.”
“Right. Well, we’ll see what you think after you see him with the kids,” Sarah chuckled. He was in for quite a surprise.
Her amusement didn’t comfort him as Lucas slowly followed her up the steps to the front door. The doorbell was answered by a pleasant-looking housekeeper hired to watch over the Soho house a few years ago.
“It’s good to see you again Missus Stanton, Mister Stanton. Mister and Missus DaLair are waiting for you on the patio. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” Sarah said not bothering to correct the housekeeper’s use of her former title while Lucas was in attendance.
She led the way through the house letting Lucas take in his surroundings noting the piano prominently displayed in the living room as well as the photographs scattered throughout. No doubt they all carried M. Gray’s signature. There were also a few paintings. The ones depicting soldiers were certainly painted by Macey’s father. There were a few landscapes; one of the Eiffel Tower and another of the countryside, that reminded him of the one in Sarah’s Vermont home. It could be by the same artist though he was hesitant to ask.
The back door slid open with ease and they stepped out onto the patio. Beyond, the backyard was long and narrow with a shed tucked into one corner and a small pool and hot tub on the other. At the far end of the yard was a play set with swings and a sandy surface not unlike the one at the Prescott’s if smaller because of the size of the yard.
Five kids darted in and around the set with the corgi running after them desperately trying to herd them together. The kids shrieked with laughter as they darted from one part of the play set to the other trying to avoid and confuse the excited puppy. Even amongst the chaos it was easy to spot Zoe, the single blonde surrounded by redheads.
“Look who finally crawled out of bed.”
Lucas turned to see Julius sitting at the table with a glass of ice tea. He felt his cheeks warm though he knew well enough that he had done nothing Julius implied.
“Excuse me,” Macey said skirting past them with a tray of sliced fruit. “Come and sit down. Julius, really? You could be a better host.”
She batted his hand as he reached for the fruit. He gave her an incredulous look, “Did you just slap my hand?”
“These are for our guests,” Macey said smiling at Lucas and Sarah.
“Mommy! Daddy!”
They turned as Zoe ran up to them. Giggling she wrapped her arms around her mother as Sarah picked her up and held her.
“Are you feeling better mommy?” Zoe asked. “Auntie Macey said you had to go home cause you were sick.”
“Yes,” Sarah glanced in Macey’s direction with a grateful nod. “I was a little sick. But I’m all better now.”
“Cause daddy took care of you?” Zoe asked.
Sarah’s gaze slid toward Lucas and her face warmed, “Yes. Daddy took care of me and now I feel much better.”
“Good!” Zoe smiled.
“Why don’t you go and play, munchkin,” Lucas said patting her head. “We’re going to talk to your Auntie and Uncle for a while.”
“Kay!”
Sarah set the three-year-old on her feet and watched as she took off running to rejoin the others, Daisy on her heels. She watched her glad that the others kept the truth from Zoe. Sarah couldn’t imagine how it would affect her to know what really happened.
“Come on and have a seat. Donna is bringing drinks in a moment.”
Lucas held Sarah’s chair encouraging her to sit before taking his own seat. His gaze drifted briefly to Julius to see the other smiling with amusement. Lucas felt his face warm.
“So how are you really feeling?” Macey asked.
“Surprisingly okay,” Sarah said after a moment. She paused as the housekeeper brought out more ice tea before retreating inside. “It was a little rough when I first got home but…”
She glanced at Lucas her face warming with the memory of how they woke up.
“We did manage to talk out a few things.”
Macey nodded. It was clear the tension between Sarah and Lucas was far less than it used to be. She had been terrified for Sarah after Thomas took them aside to explain the situation out of the kids’ hearing. Macey wanted nothing more than to rush to Sarah’s side but she also didn’t want to alarm the kids. Thomas assured them Lucas was taking Sarah to the hospital while Julius and Silas dealt with her attacker.
It was almost twenty minutes before Julius and Silas returned informing them the police took James into custody. Despite the good news they both looked rather grim. They refused to say anything in front of the kids. Macey didn’t get the full story until after the kids were asleep and Julius was ready to tell though it wasn’t exactly pillow talk.
It was disturbing enough to hear what James almost did to Sarah but to hear he did it to so many others. The thought gave her chills. She couldn’t imagine the terror Sarah must have felt at that moment. It gave her goosebumps. There had been a brief time when James pursued her despite the fact she was already with Julius and once or twice he tried to give her a drink.
Macey always refused and after warning James off once Julius completely lost his patience punching the other in the face and breaking his nose. The headlines in the gossip column made her cringe but Julius, March and Augustus merely shrugged it off. Macey worried Julius would be charged with assault since it was all caught on camera and in front of witnesses but he never was and James never approached her again. Now it seemed it had been a narrow escape.
“I should have ended him like dad told me to,” Julius muttered setting down his glass. “Put him out of everyone’s misery.”
Lucas nodded. Augustus DaLair was notoriously ruthless to anyone who presented themselves as his enemy. There was a long list of families who regretted being on his bad side. March and Julius had more amicable natures though people learned quickly it was not wise to trouble or threaten their families.