The jingle of the door drew Serena like a magnet. She dashed out, her silly heart thinking it might be Darien again.
But her feet stopped short at the sight of the other Shields. "What do you want?"
Diamond held up a wrapped parcel. "Doing business on my lunch hour, Serena girl."
She could hardly ignore him, even though she wanted to. She checked the package and reached for it as he held it out. When she did, he linked his fingers with hers and leaned toward her, over the counter. He smiled, looking revoltingly secure in his own charm.
She twisted against his hold and wondered what on earth she'd ever seen in him. "Let me go, Diamond."
He didn't. "So how on earth did you end up shackled to dull Darien?"
"He's not dull," she said coldly. She finally managed to extricate herself from his grip. "Darien's done more with his life than you could ever hope for." And she suspected that Diamond had always been envious of that.
"The only thing interesting that Darien ever did was rodeo. But he hung up his bevy of buckle bunnies when he married you, I suppose."
"Having a bevy was much more your style than Darien's." Not because Darien wasn't as attractive as his younger brother. In fact, Darien was far more intense than Diamond, a fact that had as much to do with Darien's personality as it did with his thick dark hair, carved features, and mesmerizing blue eyes.
Mesmerizing blue eyes that no longer wanted to look on her as his wife, she reminded herself harshly.
She counted out Diamond's change and set it on the counter between them. She wasn't taking a chance that he would grab her hand again. "What are you really doing back in Weaver, Diamond? You can't expect me to believe it's because you missed it here."
"I got a good offer from GameZone," he said.
"Don't act as if they sought you out," Serena countered immediately. "I wouldn't believe it and I can easily find out the truth."
His lips thinned. "So I approached them. Big deal. I'm good at what I do and they hired me."
"But why Weaver, Diamond? GameZone has other offices." Nothing about the last few days made any sense. Surely this was something that could be explained, though. "What are you doing? Hiding out from some woman you led on?"
He looked away for a moment and Serena knew instinctively that her sarcastic comment had been much closer to the mark than she'd expected. But then he was grinning that look-at-me-I'm-so-charming grin again. "So, what do you think, Serena girl. Might be nice if we were friendly-like since we're gonna be neighbors."
"I don't think so. What are you doing in Weaver Diamond? Honestly."
"I told you to work at GameZone."
"You know as well as I that you could have gone anywhere to be a programmer. Why come here after all this time?"
"My family is here."
"Your mother is in Gillete now. Been there for six years and you know that. Try again."
"My brother is here. Half brother. And my new sister in law," he finished reaching for her again.
"Stop that!"
"And my new found neice. She's seven right?"
"Yes."
"Smart kid. You must have hooked right up with Darien after I left, huh?"
"What's your point Diamond?"
"Must not have felt all that you thought you did."
"For you?"
"Or was Darien just a heartfelt rebound?"
"Excuse me?"
"My mother told me you've been married for a little over seven years. You just couldn't wait could you? But if he was a rebound, which he has to be- we can start over."
"Start over?"
"I still care for you, Serena."
"Care?"
"We had so much fun back then. We could have fun again."
"You left Diamond without a backwards glance to continue on with you glamorous college life. And you think I've been sitting around her pinning after a lost love we shared?"
"Not exactly."
"You're out of your mind. Do you hear me? I'm married."
"To my half brother."
"Yes. Your half brother- Darien."
"And yet he's leaving you."
For some reason hearing those words from Diamond's mouth made it seem so much worse. She felt the strongest urgeto deny everything he just said- to protect her marriage with Darien. She felt her heart constrict before she was able to get the words out. "We're just having problems. All married couples do sometimes."
"Way I hear it he's handing you a divorce. Checked out the lawyer for you and all."
"That's none of your business if it be so. My marriage isn't up for discussion. You need to leave."
"Let me take you out to lunch."
"I'm afraid that I'll have to decline."
He lifted one shoulder in a motion eerily like Darien's. "If you insist. I understand if you're afraid big brother wouldn't approve."
"I'm not in the mood for your trivial games."
Fortunately, Diamond seemed content with her response. "Darien always did like acting the hero," he said smoothly, instead.
Serena swallowed. She didn't know what this turn of conversation meant, but she knew she didn't feel comfortable with it. "W-What do you mean?"
"Well, he's the one who got the girl, now isn't he?"
"Hi, honey. How was your day at school?"
"Okay, I guess," Mattie said throwing her backpack on the kitchen table. Serena had laid out a snack for Mattie while she finished making dinner.
"How did the math test go?"
"Okay, I guess."
"Honey, come here and sit down." When Mattie was sitting Indian-style on the sofa next to her she pushed forth. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Nothing has you sulking in your room behind the door. Nothing has you giving me 'okay, I guess' when you usually rave about school?"
"I just don't feel like talking about it."
Knowing that she'd have to have this talk with Mattie sooner or later she took a deep breath. She had hoped she'd have till this weekend so her and Darien could sit down with Mattie together and explain things. Obviously that was not the case.
"Is this about your Daddy, Mattie?"
"Not like you care."
"What does that mean?"
Mattie decided not to answer her. Instead she played with the frays of her pants. "Answer me, Mattie."
"Why are we living here? Where's Daddy? Why can't we go back home?"
"Baby, I told you that this is home now. At least for a little while till we find our own place."
"I don't want a new place! I want to go home. I want my bed and my room and-"
"Oh Mattie. I know this is hard on you. But you have to know that none of this has anything to do with you alright? Your daddy and I just aren't working right now."
"But why can't you work? You did before."
"Things change sweetie. But that doesn't mean your daddy and I love you any less. You're the most important thing to us both."
"Than if I wanted you two back together, if I wanted to be home, you would go right?"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple. It's not that easy. You'll go to your dad's this weekend and hang out. You can be in your old room and everything."
"I just want Daddy back. I want us to be a family again."
"I know baby. I know," Serena whispered holding back her own tears as she wiped away her daughter's.
Driving to Raye and Justin's house on the other side of town later the next evening, Serena couldn't contain a shudder at the memory of Diamond's words. She didn't know why it hadn't occurred to her that Diamond might be staying at the motel that comprised the rest of the building where Patricia's apartment was located.
For years, the place had been the only motel in town. But since GameZone had come to town, bringing with it a rush of new growth, one of the national chains had opened a motel on the opposite end of town. Foolish of Serena to assume that he'd have chosen the new place.
It had to be her preoccupation over that lamentable fact that kept her from noticing the familiar black pickup truck already parked alongside Raye and Justin's sprawling place. But Mattie noticed Darien's vehicle. She bounded out of Serena's car before she'd barely stopped.
"Daddy's here!"
A sudden knot tied itself in Serena's stomach. She wanted to drive away. To run and hide and continue licking her wounds. But Raye had already thrown open the wide front door of her home, letting Mattie inside as she walked toward Serena's car.
"I didn't know," she said quickly. "This is Justin's doing. Please don't turn around and drive away."
Serena sighed and climbed out of the car. "Mattie saw that he's here. It's too late to back out." She made herself shrug even as she wished she'd changed out of the blue jeans and flannel shirt that she'd worn to work.
But then, why should she dress up for a husband who'd more than made it clear he wanted out of their marriage? She followed Raye into the house and realized she was pressing her lips together, unconsciously urging some color into them.
It was immediately clear when she followed Raye into the kitchen where Darien had his hip perched on a high barstool that he'd not been expecting to see her, either.
"Hello, Darien. How are you?" Then felt her cheeks flame at such inane politeness.
His lips twisted a little. But there was no denying the pleasure on his face when he glanced down at Mattie, who had thrown her arms around her dad's waist.
Serena turned away, an ache deep behind her eyes. She blindly picked up a knife and a burstingly ripe tomato that was sitting on the cutting board. Raye caught her gaze and must have read the desperation in them for she calmly announced to the men that, unless they wanted to finish cooking supper themselves, they needed to get out from under foot.
They went. So hurriedly that under other circumstances, Serena would have laughed right out loud.
Instead, she found herself trying not to flinch when Darien's arm brushed her shoulder as he and Mattie moved past. But she still felt his touch reverberate through her. And she still seemed to taste his kiss on her lips.
She couldn't help looking up at him, only to find his dark eyes watching her closely. As if he, too, was remembering the previous afternoon when he'd kissed her as if there were no tomorrow.