You’re…. different.”
“Good different, or freaky different?”
“A little bit of both, I guess.”
“Hey!”
He laughed. “You intrigue me, and Trevor adores you. So let’s just leave it at the fact that my interest in you has only risen since I met you, and knowing you is very important to me.”
I sighed. Where had this man been when I was in the hole of depression five years ago?
We passed a metal gate that opened to the sides and drove down a meandering cobblestone path. Weeping willows lined the road, some of their branches swaying low enough to touch the ground beyond the curb. When the trees disappeared, a stone house with the personality of a castle stretched in front of us.
“What is that?” My eyes grew wide, and my jaw wanted to get acquainted with the floor on a more personal level.
“My house.”
“Did you rob a bank?”
He laughed. “No, those days are over for me.”
I got a funny feeling that he wasn’t joking about that either. Perhaps the robbing was part of his days when dealing with the mafia? I wasn’t one to judge. After living with Brad, Axel was like an angel sent from Heaven — an angel I didn’t deserve.
“What kind of a real estate agent are you?”
“People trust me. Rich people, specifically. Old contacts from my former years, as well as some new ones. It’s easier when you have access to the mayor and the city councilors, elite doctors, and lawyers. Most of my work is referral-based now.”
“Next you’re going to tell me you worked for NASA.”
Please don’t tell me that, because I’ll have more trouble on my hands than I can handle right now.
“No, I don’t. Although a couple of my clients are NASA employees.”
Shit!
“Why the somber mood, Trish? What did I say?”
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
“Mind reader.”
He laughed again. “Okay, so we both have secrets. I can live with that, as long as you’re no threat to me or my family.”
“Family is everything to me. I would never—”
“—I know, Trish. You… and I… I just find it easy to understand you and to trust you. So, where does your family live?”
“Can we classify that under the secret category for now?”
He stopped the car, turned off the ignition, and looked at me from beneath his heavy lashes.
“For now. Welcome home, Trish.”
“This is temporary, right? Until you guys find Brad, and I get my furniture?”
“You haven’t walked inside yet, and you’re already trying to leave?”
“No, it’s just that I’m used to living on my own.”
“Daddy!” I heard from the front door.
Trevor slowly eased down the stairs, careful not to overwork his body. It had been three days since his surgery, and he was walking around way better than I expected him to. Axel jumped out of the car and opened his arms wide, enveloping Trevor. They embraced as if they hadn’t seen each other for years instead of hours. I felt my heart squeeze — harder than usual — at the loving exchange. It made me forget about living anywhere else as my heart ached to see this kind of love every day. At the entrance, Beth was standing with a wide smile. She wore an apron that said, “Don’t mess in my kitchen.” I remembered my mother having that same loving smile. It had been so long since I’d seen her. My heart squeezed again, as if urging me to make amends. Could I?
Trevor gave me a hug and a kiss on my cheek. I could have held him all day long. The little boy beamed with so much love and energy. Axel guided me up the handful of steps, saying, “Welcome to our home. Keep your arms and legs inside at all times if you don’t want them to be bitten off by a hungry dinosaur.” He ruffled Trevor’s hair, who giggled.
The inside was even more luxurious than the outside. Marble, stone, waterfall features, all reflecting and decorated with green planters, made the house feel more homey than the museum I’d been expecting form the exterior. The windows in the back were open. White drapes
“Good different, or freaky different?”
“A little bit of both, I guess.”
“Hey!”
He laughed. “You intrigue me, and Trevor adores you. So let’s just leave it at the fact that my interest in you has only risen since I met you, and knowing you is very important to me.”
I sighed. Where had this man been when I was in the hole of depression five years ago?
We passed a metal gate that opened to the sides and drove down a meandering cobblestone path. Weeping willows lined the road, some of their branches swaying low enough to touch the ground beyond the curb. When the trees disappeared, a stone house with the personality of a castle stretched in front of us.
“What is that?” My eyes grew wide, and my jaw wanted to get acquainted with the floor on a more personal level.
“My house.”
“Did you rob a bank?”
He laughed. “No, those days are over for me.”
I got a funny feeling that he wasn’t joking about that either. Perhaps the robbing was part of his days when dealing with the mafia? I wasn’t one to judge. After living with Brad, Axel was like an angel sent from Heaven — an angel I didn’t deserve.
“What kind of a real estate agent are you?”
“People trust me. Rich people, specifically. Old contacts from my former years, as well as some new ones. It’s easier when you have access to the mayor and the city councilors, elite doctors, and lawyers. Most of my work is referral-based now.”
“Next you’re going to tell me you worked for NASA.”
Please don’t tell me that, because I’ll have more trouble on my hands than I can handle right now.
“No, I don’t. Although a couple of my clients are NASA employees.”
Shit!
“Why the somber mood, Trish? What did I say?”
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
“Mind reader.”
He laughed again. “Okay, so we both have secrets. I can live with that, as long as you’re no threat to me or my family.”
“Family is everything to me. I would never—”
“—I know, Trish. You… and I… I just find it easy to understand you and to trust you. So, where does your family live?”
“Can we classify that under the secret category for now?”
He stopped the car, turned off the ignition, and looked at me from beneath his heavy lashes.
“For now. Welcome home, Trish.”
“This is temporary, right? Until you guys find Brad, and I get my furniture?”
“You haven’t walked inside yet, and you’re already trying to leave?”
“No, it’s just that I’m used to living on my own.”
“Daddy!” I heard from the front door.
Trevor slowly eased down the stairs, careful not to overwork his body. It had been three days since his surgery, and he was walking around way better than I expected him to. Axel jumped out of the car and opened his arms wide, enveloping Trevor. They embraced as if they hadn’t seen each other for years instead of hours. I felt my heart squeeze — harder than usual — at the loving exchange. It made me forget about living anywhere else as my heart ached to see this kind of love every day. At the entrance, Beth was standing with a wide smile. She wore an apron that said, “Don’t mess in my kitchen.” I remembered my mother having that same loving smile. It had been so long since I’d seen her. My heart squeezed again, as if urging me to make amends. Could I?
Trevor gave me a hug and a kiss on my cheek. I could have held him all day long. The little boy beamed with so much love and energy. Axel guided me up the handful of steps, saying, “Welcome to our home. Keep your arms and legs inside at all times if you don’t want them to be bitten off by a hungry dinosaur.” He ruffled Trevor’s hair, who giggled.
The inside was even more luxurious than the outside. Marble, stone, waterfall features, all reflecting and decorated with green planters, made the house feel more homey than the museum I’d been expecting form the exterior. The windows in the back were open. White drapes
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