Burn For You (Boys of the South) (13 page)

I’m walking a thin line right now, and I have a feeling that once we’re all alone in Monaco, that thin line will cease to exist.

––––––––

L
andry

“Are you sure I can’t drive you over there?” Beau asks one last time.

I nod, starting up my car. There is no way I’m extending the awkwardness that was our ride home. “I’m fine. Really. There are only a few things I need and since we’re leaving tomorrow instead of next week, I want to tell my family bye.”

He runs a hand through his blond hair, nibbling on his lip ring. “Shit. I didn’t think of that. If you want, I can put it off for a few days.”

It sounds as though he means it, but is it really fair to ask him to wait for me? “Would it be better for you to get in a little extra practice time?”

His lip ring pops out of his mouth. “Actually, it would. I’ve been going over the track in my head, online, and even in a virtual reality game, but there’s nothing like the real thing.”

Once again, I’m amazed at how seriously he takes the things that are important to him in his life. Mia, racing...maybe even keeping me safe. It would be so easy to fall for Beau, or at least what I’ve seen and know of him so far.

“Then we’ll leave tomorrow. I’ll be back in time to help you with Mia. Six, right?”

“I don’t expect you to cut your visit short. Get here when you get here.”

Why does he have to be so nice? I could handle a cocky, arrogant Beau, the one I get glimpses of every now and then. The same one in King’s that had me sit in his lap and—I frown a little. Even then, he was trying to protect me.

“Really, Landry. If you need to spend the night, I’ll ask the pilot to put off the departure time.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine. Besides, Jamie will barely know I’m gone and my parents are used to me living away from home.”

He touches my arm. “Don’t play brave for me. There’s no shame in loving your family.”

If I melt any more at his words, I’ll be a puddle in my seat and unable to drive. “Thank you,” I repeat. “Now, I really have to go before traffic gets so bad that I’m stuck on the beltline.”

He exhales, letting go of me. “Text me when you get there.”

“Yes, sir.” I give him a salute.

“Smartass.” He smirks at me and then kicks my front tire. “Get going, Miss Basnight, before it gets too late and I have to come get you myself.”

Despite his teasing tone, I’m more than positive that he just made a promise to me.

***

“T
omorrow?” Meagan practically screeches in my ear. I called her as soon as I pulled out of Beau’s driveway. “How are we supposed to do our last girl day together if you’re not here? I have to be on call in ten minutes, Landry. Then at six thirty tomorrow morning, I’m scheduled to perform a Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization”

“That sounds like something you’d do to a T-Rex.”

Meagan snorts. “Funny. But seriously—do you know how many first years get asked to participate? Two.”

“Who’s the other lucky first year?”

“Asshole Conner.”

“No,” I groan. “Not him. Why do the assholes always get rewarded?” Asshole Connor is the hottest doctor I’ve ever seen in my life. Unfortunately, he and Meagan hate each other. He’s nice to me, but an ass to her, so no matter how hot or nice he is, he will forever be Asshole Connor.

“I know, right? Where’s Karma when you need her to bitch slap a guy’s balls with a sledgehammer?”

“Sorry, sweetie.” I make the first left into my old neighborhood. “We can Skype later, if you want, and drink martinis.”

“It’s not the same,” Meagan cries. “I can’t have a martini manicure without you in person.”

“You can have one with me,” a male voice says.

“Shut up, Connor,” Meagan snaps.

“You should go with him. I know—dare him to come with you and you pick out the color.”

“That’s a great idea,” Meagan says, then raises her voice. “Hey Connor.”

“Yeah?”

“I dare you to come with me, but I get to pick out the color,” she says all smug.

“No problem. But can you make sure to pick out a color that matches your nipples? That way, later on, when I’m chowing down on some ribs and need to lick the sauce off my fingers, I can pretend it’s your tits I’m sucking on.”

I almost drop the phone. Meagan is completely silent.

“You don’t have to pretend to be straight, Connor. There are plenty of openly gay surgeons in the field.”

Oh, Jesus loves tap dancing on a cracker. She did not just throw the you’re-secretly-gay-card. This will not end well.

“Baby, I love to eat pussy just as much as you do.”

This time Meagan is stunned into silence. I hear his laughter fade away. “Meagan? Are you there? Did you kick him in the nuts?”

“I’m here.”

I pull into my parents’ driveway and cut the engine. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. In fact, I’m more than fine. Not only am I going to do a better job than him tomorrow, I’m going to take him to get a manicure and screw with his head until it’s loose and he can’t tell his left from his right.”

“You get him, girl. Make him regret ever messing with you.”

“Love you, Landry.”

“Love you, Meagan. I’ll miss you.”

She snorts. “No, you won’t. You’ll be sexing up Beau and be all orgasmic happy in Monaco.”

I roll my eyes at her, though she can’t see me.

We say our goodbyes, and then I go into my house to tell my parents the news about leaving tomorrow, unable to shake the feeling that everything is about my life is about to change.

T
he doorbell
rings just as I finish my workout. I towel off my chest and since I’m the only one home, answer the door while wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants.

“Oh Jesus. Put something on. No one wants to see your version of Magic Mike,” Paisley says as she walks through the doorway. She’s holding Mia in one arm and a diaper bag in another.

I grunt. “I seem to recall that you begged me to do a version of it for you.”

Paisley’s blue eyes flash at me in warning, but I ignore her. “Baby girl, I missed you.” I take Mia from her mother, giving her kisses as she wraps her chubby arms around my neck.

“Do you have to cover her in sweat?” Paisley asks, her nose turning up.

“I’ve been covered in her puke, pee, and vomit. It’s an even trade.” I make a silly face at my daughter, and she laughs, patting my jaw. “Isn’t that right?”

Paisley slides up to me, but her attention is on Mia. “I’m going to miss you, baby.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Mommy,” I say in a falsetto. Paisley gives me a smile, one that takes my breath away, because I haven’t seen one like it since the day I met her. “You’re looking good.”

Her smile falters a little. She gazes at the door and beyond it, then turns back to me. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Paisley places a hand on my arm. “I want to apologize for earlier. Mia had been screaming and crying, and I didn’t know what to do... so I put her in her crib and called you. I didn’t know what else to do.” Her eyes fill with tears. “I feel so stupid, Beau. So worthless.”

I wrap my free arm around her, trying to comfort her and nothing more. “I think parenting is designed to make us feel stupid.”

She sniffs. “But you always have it together.”

“That’s because I’m a Montgomery.”

“Oh shut up,” she says. “I really wish things would have been different between us, especially when we get along like this.”

I’m afraid to respond, because Paisley knows my weaknesses. She knows having a family is all I ever wanted. More than racing, more than winning, more than anything else, I wanted a family,
my family
, to come home to... to love and laugh and do all those things you see in sitcoms. To do all those things I sort of had with my mom and never had with Remington.

“I do, too. At one time, it was all I ever wanted.”

Paisley’s lower lip sticks out, a move that I’m a complete sucker for, but not with her, not anymore. “But not now? You’ve been so good to me, Beau. I should reward you.”

Three months ago, I would have let her. Two months ago, I would have argued with her and then let her. Now, I won’t do either. It’s a slippery slope with her, and I can’t go back to that place where we used to be, full of pain and rage, using drugs and sex to make us feel...
anything
.

Before I can answer her, without jeopardizing my relationship with Mia, a throat clears.

“Excuse me. I need to um, take my things to my room. When you get a chance, Beau... Mr. Montgomery, the bay door is closed, and I need it opened.”

My gaze snaps to the door, only to find a sexy brunette standing there. My guts clenches, like I’ve been sucker punched. An evil smile from Paisley catches my eye, and I
know
I’ve been sucker punched. She had said all that shit for Landry’s benefit.

Of course, it’s Landry, wide-eyed as she takes in the scene before her. I can only imagine what it looks like. Me, standing there half-dressed with one arm around Paisley while I hold Mia.  The perfect, happy little family.

“Oh gosh, I forgot to tell Beau to open the garage for you, Landry.” Paisley swings her deceit-filled eyes to mine. “Your new nanny and I met outside. Mia just loves her.”

“Thank you,” Landry says, her eyes downcast.

You lying bitch
, I want to shout at Paisley, but no matter what kind of bitch I think she’s being, she’s still Mia’s mother, so I don’t call her shit. “That’s good. Landry, I’ll open the bay in just a minute. So, if you want to go ahead and take the rest of your things upstairs, that would be fine with me. Paisley’s getting ready to leave.”

Landry rushes past us, two suitcases bumping against her legs as she goes.

“You mean I’m not invited for supper?” Paisley asks in a falsely sweet voice.

“Get out,” I murmur. “You’re a damn menace, and spiteful, too. Landry has nothing to do with us.”

“What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t check out who would be taking care of my daughter?” she asks, all wide-eyed innocence. But I’m not fooled. Once you’ve seen the real thing, imitators are easy to spot.

It’s then I notice the alcohol on her breath. “Fuck me, Paisley. How much have you had to drink?”

“I know my limit,” she snaps, stepping away.

“Call or text a cab.”

“Your concern is so,” she places a hand over the spot where her heart should be, “
sweet
. Just like you.”

Furious, I take Mia over to her play gym, securing her in the seat. She goes to work, pressing buttons and squealing. “Be right back, sweet girl.”

Paisley still stands by the front door, arms crossed over her chest. She smirks when she sees me. “As sweet as you are, those tattoos and piercings still do it for me.” She reaches out suddenly, tugging on one of my nipple rings.

I hiss, not in pleasure either. “Keep your fucking hands to yourself.”

“What will you do about it—hit me?” She licks her lips. “That’s right. You’re a good guy, because you don’t hit. Mommy issues really spoiled our fun, Beau.”

“Your mommy issues are going to fucking kill you if you don’t get help.”

“Thanks, Doctor.”

“Mia needs you, Paisley. Even if you don’t think she deserves to have you as a mother.”

Paisley shuts her eyes and releases my nipple ring. “Stop it. I won’t let you do this. Your guilt is not my guilt. Your failure to keep me happy is not my failure. I refuse to let you bring me down. If you want to fuck the nanny from here to Monaco and back, be my guest. I don’t care.”

“Her name is Landry.”

Eyes opening, Paisley leans forward, her voice so low I have to strain to hear her. “It won’t be her you picture when she blows you for the first time. It won’t be her name you’re calling when you come all over her ass. It’ll be mine. Just like always.”

“Never. You don’t own me.” But that’s exactly what happened in the past, and she knows it. I admitted as much while we were getting high together—that no matter who I was with, all I could think about was her.

She traces the tattoo over my heart, the one with her initials entwined with roses and thorns. “Yes, I do.”

I grab her wrist and force it away from me. “Touch me again and you’ll regret it.”

Her blue eyes grow dark. “There’s the bad boy I used to love to fuck.”

Disgusted, I let go. “Say bye to Mia and then leave. I have things to do.”

“The new nanny?” She laughs, brushing past me and walking to the living room. I hear her talk to Mia in a sweet voice, telling her to be good, to listen to Landry, that she’ll FaceTime with her every day, and how much she’ll miss her.

My heart feels raw listening to her. She’s two different people, and she is perfectly content staying that way. I rub my hand over my bare chest, trying to ease the pain.

The sensation of someone watching washes over me. I turn to the side slightly, finding Landry standing in the shadows. Her gorgeous eyes are sad and fixed on me.

I start in her direction, but she jogs to the living room to stand beside Paisley. I freeze, seeing the two of them so close. Landry smiles, talking quietly to my ex and my daughter. Paisley laughs and shakes her head, taking Mia out of her play gym.

“I promise to call you every day so you can see her,” Landry says.

Paisley shakes her head. “It would be better if I call you. Can I get your number?”

“Sure.” Landry pulls out her phone. “I can text you?”

“That’ll work.” While Landry’s head is bent, Paisley look at me, her lips twisted up in a parody of a smile. “Thanks.” With one last look at Mia, Paisley’s face genuinely softens. “Do you mind singing to her at night, when she can’t sleep? Her favorite song is
Brave
.”

Landry gets a little choked up, pressing the tips of her fingers to her mouth as her head tilts to one side. “I know that one.”

My throat tightens, but not for Paisley. It’s for Landry. She’s softhearted and sweet. She doesn’t deserve to be caught up in the mess of our lives.

Paisley hands Mia over to Landry. She tips up her chin and walks straight to me. “Walk with me to my car?”