Seventeen Days Read online

  “Good afternoon, my darling girl. I trust you slept well?” What? She’s making small talk as if nothing happened? How can she do that?

  “Um. Not as well as I would have if I wouldn’t have been bombarded with the info of you knowing my father. Other than that, yeah I slept frickin’ fantastic.” Who needs small talk? Not this chick. Nope.

  Bringing the tea kettle over to the table, she proceeds to pour the three cups she had waiting before replying.

  “I’m sorry it was shocking news to you. I never meant for it to be. I’d always thought your mother told you who he was and what he meant to her. I never would’ve guessed in a million years she kept that information from you. It’s not like he was a random stranger she barely knew.”

  “Frankly, if you’re still in contact with him, you should’ve known I didn’t know who he was. Don’t you think if I knew I would’ve tried to contact him at some point in my life? I’m not a completely heartless bitch like Sienna.” Shit, I had intentions of having this conversation without getting angry, but that plan flew right out the window. Bye, Felicia.

  Taking a sip of her tea, she shakes her head. “I’ve never brought you up to him. Sienna is a sore subject between us, and I’ve only seen him a handful of times over the years. Would you like to know him? Surely you must want to. I can give you his information. Well, what I have, anyway.”

  Harrison places his hand on my knee and gently squeezes. It’s either in reassurance or he wants me to know he wants the information for himself. But why in the world would he want it? Glancing over at him, I give him a look I hope he knows to mean that I got his message. He may have said he wasn’t choosing sides, but his hand on my knee tells me otherwise. He’s team Morgan all the way.

  “Yes. I would like the information. But it can wait until our talk is over. We’re far from that at this point. It seems like everyone in this family is big on secrets. Why would Sienna keep you from seeing me? Couldn’t she have known how much I’d have loved to have you in my life? To have a person in my corner, whenever, wherever would have meant so much to me. I’ve always felt as if I was all alone in life. Harrison is the only person who's ever made me feel wanted, and he’s not my family.”

  She’s visibly shaken by my outburst. “I can’t answer for her, but I can offer my opinion. I’m almost positive it has to do with your father, so I better start at the beginning. Your father’s name is Julian, and he was the love of my life.”

  Taking a deep breath, she continues, not bothering to acknowledge my shocked gasp. Or the dropped cup of tea, lying broken on the kitchen floor. Funny how the broken glass feels like my broken and shattered heart.

  “We were together since we were teenagers and married as soon as we turned eighteen. We would’ve married sooner if we could have. Shy of our first anniversary, Sienna became pregnant with you. She had been modeling for almost two years by then, and she thought getting pregnant would ruin her newly-found career. She had been dating a young man named Garrett, and I wrongly assumed he was your father. When your mother told me she was expecting my husband's child, I didn’t believe her. Not at first, anyway. She’d always looked at Julian with longing, but I never thought anything would come of it.”

  Harrison moves his hand from my knee and grabs for my hand resting on the tabletop. He must have seen the tears building back up in my eyes and knew I needed more comfort than his hand on my knee. I’m a child of an affair. I always knew I wasn’t born out of love but never thought I was born out of spite.

  “Julian confirmed he had slept with Sienna. He said it was a classic case of mistaken identity, he thought she was me. Being that we’re identical, he blames it on the dark and his drunken state. He’s always said he couldn’t see her eyes to know it wasn’t me. It doesn’t change the fact by doing so, he completely shattered my heart. We tried to get over it by seeking help, but my heart wasn’t in it. We divorced before you were born. He moved away to Paris and visits here seldom. We’re in contact, but it’s even more rare than his visits. I always thought Sienna would have told you at some point who he was.”

  Tears are streaming down my face, and I’m not doing anything to stop them. If I thought I was speechless when Harrison gave me a flight ticket, I was mistaken. This right here, now I am truly speechless.

  Okay, so, I’m not the child of an affair per se, but I am the result of backstabbing and cheating. My mother is more awful than I’ve given her credit for. She destroys lives. Not only my life but those of everyone who should be closest to her.

  “Have you … Have you ever loved again? How did you even find it in your heart to ask for me? How could you stand to be anywhere near me?” I can’t stand to be near me.

  “No, I can’t say I have. And I’ve always wanted you. Since the moment I found out about you, I wanted you. How you came to be has nothing to do with the woman you’ve become or are becoming. Just because your mother is a backstabbing bitch, doesn’t change how I feel about you. How I’ve always felt about you.”

  Letting go of Harrison’s hand, I stand and make my way over to Aunt Savannah. She’s pushing to her feet before I make it to her side of the table. We’re grabbing for each other at the same time.

  “I’m so sorry. I’ve been so awful to you. Can you ever forgive me?”

  “Oh, my sweet, sweet girl, there’s absolutely nothing to forgive.” She's hugging me almost as hard as Harrison did the day I told him about losing my virginity. I don’t know how long we hold on to each other. All I know is both our tears have dried and Harrison is nowhere to be found. I love how he gave us this time alone. Did I say love?

  “Let me give you everything I have on Julian. I know he’d love to hear from you. Despite the picture I painted, he is a good man. He made a few mistakes, but those were so long ago now. I’ve found it in my heart to forgive him and move on.”

  She leaves me alone in the kitchen to go find his information. Harrison comes walking in the back door as she leaves.

  “Hey. It’s all pretty crazy, huh?” I ask him.

  “I’d say it’s fucked up, babe. I want you to know if you’d like me to, I’ll take you to meet your father. Depending on where he is, we can leave this evening.”

  Is he real? And can I keep him?

  Cause I’d truly like to keep him.

  “Yeah, sure. That sounds wonderful. Thank you.” For everything … being you.

  As I’m reaching up on my tiptoes to place a quick kiss on his lips, Aunt Savannah makes her way back into the kitchen, coming to an immediate stop right inside the entryway.

  “Well, I can’t say I’m exactly surprised, but I kind of am. I could see you two working as a couple, but I didn’t know you’ve progressed from friends already. Good for you two. You’ll make each other happy.”

  “We’re only friends.”

  “She’s my friend.”

  Looking at each other, we both start laughing. “Maybe she would like one of us to talk at a time, Harrison. Probably be a bit less confusing. Although, we did both basically say the same thing.”

  Almost strange how we can go from a depressing subject to laughing in the span of a few seconds.

  “Okay, I’ll answer her. We’re close friends. I’m not saying I wouldn’t love to consider her my ‘girlfriend’ but she’s leaving shortly. So for the time being, we’re friends. What that says for our future together is still uncertain.” Turning back to me, staring directly into my eyes he adds, “Clear enough, Red?”

  Again with the intense gaze thing. What this man does to me, I swear. He’s sent me nothing but clear signals on where he stands as far as a relationship with him goes. He wants me, I want him, we’re holding each other at bay. “It’s insanely crystal clear, Captain.”

  Not knowing if I should ask her if she got Julian’s info or stand here in the awkwardness my kiss caused, I blurt out the next best thing. Like I said, I love making awkward situations more awkward.

  “Have you ever slept with Harrison?” Yeah, I literally asked
that. To my aunt. Smacking my forehead, I groan, “Don’t answer me, I don’t need to know.”

  “Morgan, trust me, I have never slept with Savannah. She’s like a second mother to me. Did you truly think I slept with her? You must, you asked it, after all.” Shaking his head, he whispers so low it’s hard for me to hear and I’m literally inches away from him, “Wow.”

  “No, honestly, I didn’t think that. You should know by now when things get weird, I make them weirder. Hello, I asked about losing your virginity when there was an awkward silence between us the last time. Don’t listen to me. Carry on.” Fuck, I need a filter for my mouth. Maybe she has an extra muzzle laying around I could borrow.

  Clearing her throat as if to remind us she’s still there, she says, “I have Julian’s info for you. This is as up to date as I have. Unless he’s moved within the last few months, this should be current.”

  “Um. Okay, thank you.” Grabbing the info from her, I glance down and see he’s still in Paris. There’s no way I can let Harrison pay and take me to Paris. Even if I wanted to meet dear old Dad, I won’t be asking that much of him.

  “Okay, well maybe I’ll try and call him. I’m feeling tired, so if you two don’t mind, I’d like to go lie down. Harrison, I’ll see you later.”

  Without waiting for a reply, I all but run from the kitchen and up the stairs, closing my bedroom door behind me and closing away the rest of the world.

  Looking over at Savannah, she only shakes her head at me. Neither one of us knows why Morgan took off like a bullet. She couldn’t get away fast enough. Something on that paper made her flee.

  “So, where does he live? I’m guessing it’s what made her run,” I ask.

  When Savannah was telling us how she was connected to him, she mentioned he took off to Paris. I’m guessing it’s Paris as in France and not, Paris, Tennessee. When I offered to take her to meet her father, I already knew the possibility of it being out of the country. Call it a hunch, but I knew her father didn’t live nearby.

  “Paris, France. Where she was arrested. Who do you think paid to bail her out? It surely wasn’t her sorry excuse for a mother. She doesn’t know it yet, but Sienna cut her off completely. She thinks her mother is sending money to me to use for her expenses, but she’s not. I’m paying for her cell phone, her food, whatever she needs. It’s all on me. Her mother hasn’t contacted me once. She didn’t arrange for her to come here, Julian did.”

  Fuck me. If she finds out, there’s no way she’ll bounce back. She’s barely made it through these last two days. If it wasn’t for me, I doubt she would have. Last night she probably would’ve changed the date on her flight ticket and took off, but instead, she ran to me.

  “Could you keep that bit of information to yourself for now?” Please say yes.

  “Yes, of course. She couldn’t handle it now. Some things are better left unsaid,” she replies.

  “I think I know why she ran; I offered to take her to meet her father. I told her no matter where he was I’d take care of it. I’m sure she doesn’t want me to pay for it. I’ve got news for her: I’m booking the first flight I can.”

  Hurrying into Savannah’s office, I boot up her computer and sit to wait. I’ll check for flights online, and if I can’t find what I need, I’ll call in a few favors. It so happens I know a pilot with his own plane. I’m not too sure his plane could get us to Paris, but it could get us somewhere closer that could. Like Atlanta, if need be. Expense is not a concern for me. Shit, I’ll go as far as using the money I have set aside to buy a new yacht. Expanding the business can always happen next spring, instead of this summer. It may sound crazy, but right at the moment it makes no difference to me.

  Finding a flight that leaves in less than three hours, I quickly book two first-class tickets.

  Venturing out to find Savannah, I find her still in the kitchen sitting at the table with her head in her hands. No one has bothered to clean up the spilled tea or broken glass yet.

  “Hey. I booked us a flight and it’s leaving in less than three hours, we’d need to leave for the airport within thirty minutes. Can you please make sure she’s packed and ready? I’m running home to pack a bag and grab Dog and drop him off here for the weekend, if that’s okay?”

  “Yes, of course. Thank you, Harrison. For being here for her and being exactly what she needs. Even if she doesn’t know it yet. She will soon enough. Trust me.”

  Bending down, I quickly hug her and jog out the back door. Hopefully I can find my passport.

  Guess I’m going to Paris.

  When I pull up to Savannah’s barely twenty minutes later, I’m surprised to see Morgan waiting for me outside, a bag slung over her shoulder.

  She doesn’t appear to be happy. She’s pissed. Again.

  Dog is barking and hanging his head out the window. He’s excited to see Morgan. The fat traitor. Maybe he liked her calling him by a different name, not that I’ll ever use it.

  Before I can get out of the truck, she’s opening the door to try and set him free. He doesn’t make a move to jump down but he does lick her face. I know the feeling, dude. I’d lick her too.

  “Hey, Rusty Sprockets. Did you miss me, boy? I sure missed you. Hear you’re going to have a sleepover with Mac. Sure hope the grumpy bastard is nice to you.” She’s ruffling his fur, and he’s making a sound that sounds suspiciously like a moan. It’s official, he loves her more than me. Like I said, he’s a traitor.

  “I’m all set, Harrison. Let me state, I don’t agree with you paying for us to go to frickin’ Paris but I’m ready. You’d be surprised to know, I also called and left a message on Julian’s machine so that he’s not shocked when we show up on his doorstep.”

  “Let me run Dog’s things inside and we can be off.”

  “Dog is such a lame name. Admit defeat and start calling him R.S., or at least admit it’s more fitting than Dog.”

  Shaking my head, I exit the truck, quickly making a grab for his things from the bed of the truck before I go over and pick him up. No way I’d let the old guy jump down from the truck. Even if she thought he would, he wouldn’t have jumped. He’d probably break a bone or two attempting it. I have to lift him in whenever I take him anywhere with me.

  “Be back in a second. I’ll quickly run his things into Savannah.”

  Dropping his bowls near where Mac’s are kept, I quickly fill one with kibble and the other with water. When I get back out to the truck, Savannah is there telling Morgan goodbye.

  She turns and sees me and jumps into the truck. Waving to Savannah, I jump back in the truck and we make our way to the airport. She must not feel like talking because she’s turned the radio up and has her window down. Fine by me — we can discuss things further on the plane.

  We make good time and pull into the Mobile airport within a half an hour. Good thing we both brought small bags so we can skip checking in any luggage. By the time we make it through security, our flight will probably be seating. It’s then I realize I didn’t book us a return flight home, or let any of the guys know, I was not only leaving town but the country.

  “Hey, Red, once we make it through security, I need to make a couple calls. Would you help me with making them if you brought your phone?”

  “Sure, let me know what you need. I’ll help however I can,” she replies.

  Locking the truck up, I grab her hand, and we practically sprint to the entrance. She knows our time is short. Seems like everything with her is limited on time.

  Fortunately, when we make it to the gate our flight hasn’t started boarding yet. We grab a seat near the gate and set about making those calls. “Can you call Steve for me? He can let Gentry know. I’ll call Thad and see about booking us a flight home. Please tell him we may not make it back for my next scheduled tour and he’ll have to help out with that one. If he asks where we’re going or why, tell him ‘none of his fucking business’. It’s what I plan on telling Thad.”

  “You actually want me to swear at him? Best. Bo
ss. Ever.”

  Smirking at her, I grab my phone and dial Thad’s number. He doesn’t pick up, so I try the satellite phone; he could still be out on the water for all I know. Although, he should be back by now. He doesn’t answer that, either. Hanging up, I press redial on his cell phone. Fuck, still no answer. I’d rather not leave him a message, but I may have to. Or wait till we land and call him from Paris. Shit, those international fees will kill me, though. I may have said I didn’t care about cost when it came to booking the flight, but I’d like to save cash in other ways.

  Glancing over at Red, I see she’s having the same problem as me trying to get ahold of Steve.

  “I’ll have to call Gentry.” As I’m saying that, they announce first class is being seated. “That’s us, Red. We’ll have to make these calls from Paris.”

  “Holy shit, you bought first-class tickets, Harrison?” she yells. Shit, I knew she’d be pissed once she found out. Blushing—yes, I’m blushing—I manage to say, “Yes, it was all I could find at the last minute. Don’t worry about it. Could you keep your voice down, please?” Her yelling is drawing unwanted attention our way.

  “Why should I keep my voice down, Harrison? Am I embarrassing you? Well, too damn bad, buddy. You spent a ridiculous amount of money on a flight to Paris, for me to meet my father. So no, I will not keep my voice down. I’m pissed. I’ll never be able to repay you, unless … you know, I fuck you.”

  Christ. She did not say she’d fuck me as payment for taking her to Paris. Clearly, I must’ve misheard her. Judging by the look of shock on the man’s face behind us, I didn’t mishear her. Great.

  “Morgan, you will not fuck me as payment. We’re friends. You have never met Julian and I wanted to do this for you. It’s not anything you owe me for. Consider it a late birthday present. Now, could you please board the damn plane?”

  Grabbing her bag, she doesn’t wait for me to follow. She’s already checked her ticket in with the attendant and is making her way onto the plane. Shit.