So Much Trouble When She Walked In (18 page)

“So
your husband, he doesn’t know about us?”  Suave’s voice was faint.

Meredith
gasped.  “How could he?  When we married he thought I was a virgin.”  Her face
reddened as she realized what she’d said.  She frowned but then she spoke
again.  “He was a virgin when we married so he didn't have experience in such
things.  I decided never to let him know any different.”  Then she sat back and
grasped her purse and hugged it to her stomach.  “Now do you see why I can’t
have you in my life?  Jeremy would be devastated.  He’d know I lied.  And my
family, my kids, how could I do that to them?”

How
indeed?  Silken could only stare at the woman in disbelief - their mother, the
one who would never claim them as her own because she’d created a whole new
life for herself, the perfect life with a husband, two kids and the white
picket fence.  The perfect pastor’s wife.  And how could she and Suave dare
come in and disturb that idyllic picture?

“So
you don’t want us in your life?”

Silken
closed her eyes. 
Please, Suave, don’t sound so pathetic
.  She expelled
a slow breath and, her hand hidden under the table, she reached over to give
her sister’s leg a sympathetic squeeze.

“I’m
sorry,” Meredith said and this time her voice was resolute.  “I can’t.  I only
came here to make you understand why.”

“I’m
sorry,” she said again but this time she was rising as she spoke.  “Please
don’t try to contact me again.”

She
gave Silken and Suave one last look and Silken could not help wondering if there
was a glint of regret there…or maybe it was just a figment of her still
desperately hopeful imagination.

She
never got a chance for a second look.  Meredith turned, purse clutched to her
breast, and hurried out the door.

For
long moments they just sat there, staring at the door through which their
mother – no, Meredith – had departed.  Then finally Silken let out her breath
on a grunt.  “Well, that’s that, I guess.” 

Suave
didn’t answer.  Her shoulders slumped and she dropped her forehead onto her
palm.  “It’s over,” she whispered, the hurt in her voice almost breaking
Silken’s heart.  “We’ll never be part of her family.”

And
although her own heart was bleeding tears right then, Silken shifted closer to
her sister and put her arm around her shoulder.  “It’s all right, Suave.  You
and me, we’re family and always will be.”

Her
head against Silken’s shoulder, Suave nodded but she said nothing.  She
probably couldn’t say a word.

And
Silken could relate to that because in her own throat was a lump that was
growing bigger with each passing moment and if she didn’t get out of there, and
soon, she was afraid that lump would choke her…or she would burst into tears.

CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN

Max
caught himself pacing back and forth in his living room.  Again.  He had to
stop this.

With
a sigh he walked to the den and flopped down then flipped the TV to the sports
channel.  He was wound tight and he would not relax till Silken walked in the
door.

She’d
got back from Wisconsin late the night before, calling to say the flight had
been delayed, but that she and Suave were home safe and they were heading to
bed.  He’d immediately asked how things had gone but her answer was noncommittal,
just a mumble that she’d come over and see him next evening and she’d tell him
all about it then.

And
now it was evening and she still wasn’t here.

Heaving
a sigh, he put his feet up on the rest, trying to relax.  Truth be told, he
couldn’t figure out why he was so anxious.  This was all about their mother,
not his.  But the fact that Silken was involved put him on edge.  He just
wanted to know that she was all right.

It
was the strangest thing but this girl had dug so far under his skin that it was
like she was a part of him, a part he could not live without.  She’d carved out
a place inside his heart and its every beat reminded him of her.

Max
laughed, just thinking about it.  He’d heard the phrase, ‘the taming of the
shrew’ but in this case the shrew had done the taming and he was the one at the
receiving end of the lesson…a lesson in love.

Because
as much as he loved to play the tough guy, Silken McCullen was the only woman
who could ever bring him to his knees.

It
wasn’t until almost seven o’clock that Max finally heard Silken’s car pull up
in the driveway.  He met her at the door and when he saw her face he knew that
her meeting with Meredith Albright had gone all wrong.

He
led her into the den.  “Speak to me,” he said, watching the emotions flash
across her face – anger, frustration, sorrow and pain.  And then her mouth
tightened in a determined line.

Silken
didn’t sit.  Like a caged tiger she began to pace the room just like he'd done
just hours before.  “She doesn’t want us,” she said, her nostrils flaring. 
“She’s got a new life as First Lady of her church.  She doesn’t want us messing
up her fairy-tale life.”

Max
frowned.  “Did she say that?”   

“Not
in those exact words but that was pretty much her position.  She only agreed to
meet with us so she could make us understand.”  The last words came out like a
snarl.

But
as Max watched Silken he could see that she wasn’t quite as tough as she was
pretending to be.  Even as she bristled, her brows furrowed, her lips tight and
her back tense, she would not look him in the eyes.  And it was the eyes that
said it all.

Max
walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, stilling her agitated
movements.  Then, gently, he placed a finger under her chin and raised her face
toward his.

Silken’s
eyelids fluttered then she looked up at him and the pain, the soul-searing pain
she was suffering, brimmed up in her eyes and spilled over onto her flushed
cheeks.

“Silken,”
Max said as he looked into her eyes, “I’m sorry.”

At
his words her face crumpled and a sob burst from her lips.  “I’m sorry, too,
Max.  So sorry.  I wish she could have loved us.”  Then she dropped her face to
his chest and cried like her heart was breaking in two.

And
there were no words to comfort her.  All Max could do was hold her, press her
to his heart and let her wash away the pain with her tears.

“Let
it all out, my darling,” he soothed.  “Let it all out.  I’m here for you.”

Minutes
passed before the racking sobs quieted and Silken’s body stilled in his arms. 
Then she heaved a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of her soul.  “I’m
okay now,” she whispered.  “I’ll be fine.”

She
made to pull away but he tightened his arms around her then bent to lift her
up.  He carried her up the stairs and straight to his bedroom.  There, Max made
love to Silken – slow, gentle, sweet love.  It was his way of drying her tears,
making her forget.  When she  clung to his shoulders and exploded with him deep
inside her, he’d never heard a sweeter sound than Silken calling out his name. 
And he wanted to keep hearing that sound over and over and over again, for as
long as he was on this earth.

That
night when Silken fell asleep in his arms for a long time he just held her,
stroking her hair, watching her sleep.  When she finally stirred and opened her
eyes he was still holding her, smiling down into her still sleepy face.

“Did
I snore?” she asked with a crooked smile, not looking at all perturbed by the
possibility.

“As
usual,” he said, his smile widening, “and it was the sweetest sound I could
ever want to hear.  It’s a sound,” he said as he brushed her lips with his, "that
I want to hear every night when I close my eyes to sleep.”

Silken
gave a tiny frown and she tilted her head as she looked up at him.  “You like
being kept awake by my snoring?”

“Love
it.”  He dipped his head to kiss her on her soft, full lips.  Then he tightened
his arms around her.  When he lifted his head again and looked at her he knew
it was the right time.

“Silken,”
he said, “there's a question I need to ask you and I hope your answer will be
yes.”

Her
frown deepened and this time she gave him a look of suspicion.  Then her eyes
widened.  “Wh…what do you want to ask me?”  In her face was an endearing
mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

Max
smiled.  “Maybe I should do this on my knees,” he said and laid her on the
pillows.  Sliding off the bed, he turned and knelt down and took her hand in
his.  Now he could truly say that she'd brought him to his knees in both senses
of the word.  

“Silken
McCullen,” he said as he held her trembling hand in his, “will you marry me?”

Silken’s
hand tightened around his and for the second time that evening he watched her
lips tremble and her face dissolve into tears.

Still
holding his hand she slid off the bed and knelt on the floor beside him.  Then
she laid her head gently on his bare chest.  “Yes,” she whispered, “I will
marry you.”  Then she lifted her face to his and now she was smiling through
the tears.  “Yes,” she said, her voice now strong and brimming with
confidence.  “Maximillian Davidoff, I will marry you.”  She lifted her hands to
cup his face. “I love you,” she whispered.

And
that was all he needed to hear.

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

“Will
you hurry up?  He’ll be here in a minute.”                                                    

Suave
stood at the door, baseball cap in hand, already dressed in a light jacket and
carrying her lunch kit of healthy snacks – carrot sticks, apples, raisins and
rice cakes.  No hot dogs or pop for her.  No, sir.

Silken,
as usual, was running behind.  She’d just come out of the shower and was
dragging on her jeans and stuffing her feet into sneakers, both at the same
time. “Coming,” she yelled back.  “Just a sec.”

Today
was a special day for Max and so, of course, it was special for Silken as
well.  Today was the grand opening of Max’s baby, the Cupertino NASCAR
Racetrack, and they would all be there to share the joy with him.  Reed had
already flown in from London, Duke would be meeting them on location, and Max
would be picking up Silken and Suave.

And
there was one other little thing that was making Silken both happy and nervous
at the same time.  Today she would meet Max’s parents and she would be
introduced as his fiancée.

Her
heart did a little lurch every time she thought about it.  What if they didn’t
like her?  What if she was too loud, too brash, or just too ordinary for their
son?

And
she knew exactly who would think that.  His mother.  The father, she was sure she
could charm, but the mothers were always harsh, always judgmental, and impossible
to please. Even if she were Kate Middleton, faced with the impending loss of
her son to marriage, the typical mother would still find some fault with the
wife-to-be.

Downstairs
in the lobby as she stood looking out for Max’s car, she let out a soft sigh. 
Well, at least the parents wouldn’t be in the car with him.  Max had told her
that Duke would be taking them with him.  With just her, Suave and Max in the
car, she wouldn’t worry about what lay ahead.  She would just relax and enjoy
the ride.

When
the SUV pulled up in front of the building she waved to Max then hurried
outside.  As Suave climbed into the back seat she hopped into the passenger
seat beside Max.  “Excited?” she asked, knowing that was a stupid question.  Of
course he was excited.  His dream was coming to life.

“What
do you think?”  He gave her a broad smile and a quick kiss then turned to give
Suave her good morning greeting.  Then they were off.

The
trip to the racetrack would only take a half hour or so and Silken planned to
make full use of the time to prepare herself for what lay ahead.  She shifted
in her seat, rested her elbow on the storage compartment between their seats
and rested her chin in her palm.  “So tell me,” she said to Max, “what are they
like?”

He
gave her a quick glance then his eyes returned to the road.  “My parents?
They’re okay.  Pretty laid back, to tell you the truth.  They don’t let things
bother them.”

“Do
you think I would bother them?”

Max
gave a soft chuckle.  “Not unless you confuse the heck out of them like you did
me, the first time we met.”

She
crinkled her nose.  “That was just a rare, unfortunate incident.”

“Brought
on by a certain person’s impetuous nature.”  That was Suave, putting in her two
cents.

“Hey,”
Silken said, turning to look at her, “you’re supposed to be on my side.”

Suave
laughed.  “I am.  But I also have to be honest.”

Silken
gave her a fake frown then turned her attention back to Max.  “So who’s the
laid back one?  Your mom or your dad?  It can’t be both of them.”

Max
seemed to give the question some thought.  “Since you put it that way, I’d say
my dad.  Mom’s cool but when the situation calls for it, she’s more of a
no-nonsense kind of person.”

Silken
almost groaned.  Why was it always the mother who was the bear?

“Do
you think she’ll like me?” she asked, beginning to get worried all over again. 
She sat back in her seat and smoothed her hand down her shirt.  “Do you think I
should have worn something nicer?  Used make up, maybe?”

“Will
you stop worrying?  What you’re wearing is perfect and she’ll love you.”  He
reached over and gave her leg a squeeze.  “I guarantee it.”

Silken
knitted her brow and pushed out her bottom lip then drew it back in.  “I just
hope you’re right.”

When
they got to the racetrack, Max took them straight to the reserved area where
Duke and Reed were already seated and there, between them, sat a distinguished-looking
couple – the matriarch and patriarch of the Davidoff clan.  The man was tall,
surprisingly taller than all his sons, probably somewhere in the region of six
foot two or three.  Even though he was seated it was obvious he was taller as
the top of his baseball cap was close to an inch above theirs.  Sticking out
from the back of the cap Silken could see his dark hair with its scattered
streaks of gray.  He had an angular profile and strong jaw and even from a
distance, no matter what Max had said about his being laid back, she could see
that he was not a man to take lightly.