All Good Things Must End an Ending for Meet My Brother's
I am generally a MA (for mature) writer, but I keep it fairly clean on to keep to community guidelines. If you want more heat, find me elsewhere.
I never intend copyright infringement and am very careful to make my stories my own but since I am using other's characters, please send all love and adoration to the original author. I make no money from my stories and am simply happy to tell them.
Every story deserves a happy ending and I love writing them, though there is often a great deal of turmoil before I get there. I always say that I like to write the last book in a long series that way I always get the ending I think the characters I love deserve. Plus, I'm impatient and don't like to wait.
My stories generally run about 70k-100k. I write between 2000-8,000 words per day.
My current story All Good Things Must End which is my ending to the story Meet My Brothers, is about to be posted. I have 61K words written so far. I will post every three days (roughly) until finished. I expect the story to take no more than 30 days to be finished.
My final book in the series starts at chapter 1090, if you haven't read it until there you will need to go read that book first. I stopped reading at that chapter so there would not be any overlapping themes. I will likely finish it at some point but not until I finish with my ending. If you have any questions send me a message and I will try to get back to you.
Credit for Meet My Brothers should go to Red Thirteen. You can find this story on Webnovel & Goodreads
Part 3
When Mia got home from her date she had only been gone for two hours and that included an hour of traveling. Mia had checked her lipstick and hair in the car just to make sure nothing was out of place. She walked into the house then the family room to looks of surprise all around. Her children weren't even in bed yet. Ginger started to smile then scowled and crossed her arms.
"Mia why are you home already?" Eva asked.
"I need to get changed. I'll be back." Mia said quietly, heading to her room where she changed into some soft yoga pants and a sweater. She felt frustrated and in need of a glass of wine. Mia walked to the kitchen and opened a bottle of Chardonnay and filled a glass bringing the bottle with her to the family room where she flopped on the couch between Eva and Sage.
"Hi, mom." Sage said distractedly. He was busy playing on his computer. Mia checked on Ginger who was pointedly ignoring her mother and playing with her dolls.
"Did your date go badly, sis?" Conner asked worried that something had happened.
"It went exactly like I thought it would go. When I agreed to a date with a work-aholic doctor, I knew I would just end up annoyed. I won't be doing that again." Mia said acerbically.
Dominic scowled, "Maybe it was just a bad night. I'm not sure you should give up so soon."
"Dom, after more than twenty checking of messages and leaving for an emergency in under an hour I am quite sure I can call it a life I don't want to live. If the man can't set aside an hour of his time for a first date, then I am not interested. If I had to live like that for a lifetime, I would kill myself. Tonight wasn't even worth the time it took to get dressed." Mia spoke heatedly before draining her glass and refilling it.
"What has gotten into you?" Claude asked his little sister.
"Nothing, I am just done with men." Having said this Mia got up and went over to where Ginger was playing and pretending not to hear the adults.
"Baby girl, can you please stop being mad at mommy now?" Mia asked Ginger.
"Are you going to go on more dates?" Ginger asked anger clear in her tone.
"I don't think so honey." Mia said sadly. Ginger looked at her mother sideways and then seeing the sadness Mia was trying to hide, hugged her mother's legs.
"Don't worry mommy, you have me and Sage to keep you company." The tiny girl exclaimed. Mia hugged her sweet girl and tried to tell herself it would be enough. After a few moments Mia convinced the twins that it was time for bed. She let the nanny get them both into bed before going into their rooms to tuck them in. Mia went to Ginger's room first.
After a hug and a kiss Mia said, "Goodnight, Bug."
"That's what daddy calls me," her daughter told her very sleepily.
"I know and I like it so I'm going to use it too." Mia smiled softly, shut the door most of the way and went to her son's room. Mia sat down on the edge of his bed and ran a hand over his soft new hair.
"Mommy, did Uncle Nick do something wrong?" Sage asked worry clear in his tone.
"No honey. It's just that sometimes the way one person lives can affect another person in a negative way which can make everyone unhappy. You know how Nick is always working?" Sage nodded his head quickly. "I want the person that is in our life to spend time with us and make us a priority, that's all. Nothing is going to change, don't worry. Now get some sleep." Mia finished tucking in her son and returned to the family room.
Mia noticed that Eva had moved to the loveseat including moving their wine. The space was separate enough from the rest of the room that it felt okay to talk there. Sometimes finding a spot to talk without her brother's hearing could be a bit difficult. Mia sat down next to Eva with a sigh and refilled her wine glass.
Eva watched her sister contemplatively; something more had happened than Mia simply being ignored. Mia sipped her wine slowly staring at nothing.
Mia sighed, "Timothy was at the restaurant. He had some kind of meeting with Mayor Shelbert."
"Oh no, did he say something mean?" Eva asked worriedly.
"Nothing like that. He was polite and complimentary. Tim said Ginger asked him to bring me a sweater. He said I looked beautiful. I didn't see him again until I was leaving." Mia replied pensively. There was the issue that weighed heavily on her heart. The devastation on Tim's face when she saw him as she was leaving the restaurant cut her. There could be no doubt that he had seen every bit of her kiss with Nicholas. Why had she let Nick get so carried away? Mia knew she was starved for romantic attention but still.
"Nick kissed me. To be honest, the kiss got a little heated. It has been so long since I've had any human contact, I just went with it. That was so dumb." Mia chastised herself bluntly. "Of course, I didn't know that Timothy was standing right behind us until right before I left. Eva, the look on his face was..." Mia shook her head and swallowed a lump in her throat.
Eva blew out a hard breath. "So did you want to kiss Nicholas, or did you force yourself to do it because you thought you should?" Eva asked carefully.
"I didn't want to, but I thought that if I didn't then I wouldn't know if I really like him that way. It wasn't until after we started that I realized how badly I wanted someone to be with like that. Now, I've managed to lead Nicholas on and hurt Timothy at the same time. Eva, my life is a train wreck." Mia cried before pouring herself a fourth glass of wine.
"No, it isn't," Eva soothed her sister.
"Mia, do you want to be with Nicholas?" Eva asked bluntly.
"Absolutely not, we are just friends. Our lifestyle needs are not compatible." Mia scoffed.
Eva nodded in understanding, "do you want to be with Timothy?" The question drew Mia up short; she hadn't expected Eva to ask her that. Mia pondered the question for a while swirling the wine in her glass then taking a sip. Could she want that?
Finally, Mia gave the only answer she could. "Sometimes it feels like I do. I just don't know." Mia said quietly. Neither woman saw where Dominic was standing or knew that he had heard their conversation.
Timothy woke with a start realizing that it was his phone ringing that had woken him. The display read quarter after three in the morning. The caller proved to be Caleb. Tim ran a hand over his face roughly and answered the phone.
"Is the world on fire? It better be on fire Caleb." Timothy's voice was gruff from sleep and alcohol.
"It actually is Tim. I just sent you a file. Check it but be warned. It's bad... Our insider sent this over and I need you to tell me how to proceed" Caleb spoke agitation clear in his voice.
That woke Timothy up and he found the file Caleb referred to in his email. It was a front-page news edition for the Norde City Society Gazette. Right in the middle of the front page was a large photo of Mia and Nicholas locked in a tight embrace. The headline read 'Sources confirm: Our Darling Ms. Lane was with Long-time Beau Dr. Nicholas Merches, sources say that the couple were hot and heavy, we can expect an Engagement announcement in the next few days.'
The article went into the history of the Lane and Merches family and the close friendship that had blossomed between the pair. The article even went as far as to imply Mia and Nick were in love.
Timothy cursed violently jumping from his bed and beginning to pace. "I want this squashed now. I don't care what it costs or who we must kill. This needs to disappear forever. This could ruin everything." Tim was officially frantic. There had to be a way to kill this story.
Across town, Dominic was awake and pacing as well. He was staring at an identical file. Normally, he would have immediately squashed such a private story about one of his family members. However, in this case he knew that this story going public could help propel his sister into a marriage with the man he had chosen for her. More importantly it could help keep her away from Timothy Barrett.
Sometimes young women simply didn't know what was good for them. His mind was made up; Dominic told the insider to run the story. Dominic hoped his sister wouldn't find out and if she did wouldn't hate him forever.
Dominic called Nicholas to figure out if the man intended to propose and when he replied that he would within days, Dominic told Nick to confirm the upcoming engagement announcement with the paper. Nicholas had in fact brought a jeweler to the Research Center so he with his sister Rachel could pick a ring for Mia after he had taken care of his emergency delivery that evening. Rachel was ecstatic and Nicholas was pleased.
In the end the article ran. Timothy didn't know for sure who was pushing the story, but he had faced strong opposition against having it removed. He had managed to negotiate a deal to change the picture to one of the pair simply standing together at the restaurant. The words 'hot and heavy' were removed from the headline making the article more informative and less provocative. It was better than nothing.
When Peyton called Mia the next morning and told her to check her trending feed, Mia got nervous. Seeing the article about herself and Nick, Mia was dismayed. She was sitting at the breakfast table with Eva, Dominic, Connor and the twins.
"Oh no," Mia cried, "I'm all over the front page. I thought we had people for this."
Dominic tried to act surprised, but he didn't fool Eva. Eva looked through the article before lancing her husband with a ferocious glare. What did you do, she wondered? There is no way this story ran without his support.
Dominic had done damage control early this morning with Nicholas explaining to the doctor that Mia felt their first date had been a disaster. Dominic told Nick that Mia
said she had no intention of seeking a relationship with him due in large part to his inattentiveness towards her.
To keep Dominic's support for his effort to win Mia's hand, Nicholas agreed to some lifestyle changes. He agreed to reduce his workload by a third for the immediate future and work to show Mia that he had time to be with her and the twins. Nick knew this change would be worth it if he ended up with Mia. Dominic promised to invite the doctor to the Lane residence soon to encourage the friends to spend time together.
Dominic finally answered his sister, "I am sorry, the story did not seem unreasonable when I heard about it." Truthfully, it would have been far worse in its original form. Dominic had a feeling he knew exactly who had managed to water down the story before it went live.
Dominic was a little happier with the current version. He knew the original version would have embarrassed Mia greatly. But surely if she was kissing Nick as he'd seen in the photo there were strong feelings between the two. They simply needed to work through a few issues.
"Not that bad? This has me practically married off. I don't even like him romantically." Mia cried throwing her hands in the air.
"What do you mean by that?" Dominic asked worriedly.
"I don't feel anything toward him. He is my friend but that is all." Mia said bluntly. Dominic frowned thinking about the picture of Mia kissing Nick. Was it only physical? He didn't want to think that possible. All Dominic wanted was to keep his sister away from Barrett and the damage he would do to her.
Eva placed a hand on Mia's shoulder to comfort her. "This will blow over in a couple of days. Nobody will remember the article in a week. It is not like anyone is going to force you to marry Nicholas. Right, Dominic?" Eva shot a dark look at her husband.
"No one will force you to do anything you don't want to." Dominic confirmed looking at Mia. He sighed inwardly, aggressively encouraging was ok though right?
Timothy watched as the news article gained traction and became a trending topic. People were eating it up. It had long been rumored that Mia Lane was intended for Nicholas Merches. At least Timothy had managed to get the provocative connotation removed from the story and people weren't whispering about impropriety. Tim didn't know if he could have handled people talking about Mia that way. He didn't want her mentioned in that way even if it related to him.
In a few hours it would be time for his visit with the twins and he would put his plan into action. He would make Mia want him physically. Timothy was nervous. He had never acted out any of his fantasies with Mia. He had always held himself in tight control, acting cautiously and respectfully.
The twin's existence was proof that even at his worst he had wanted her. Tim had always wanted Mia and it used to drive him crazy that he couldn't forget her. His desire for her had been the bane of his existence for three long years until that night when his control had snapped. His wife hadn't denied him even though he had not earned her attention.
Timothy remembered the feel of Mia in his arms, kissing her, being one with her. That night had been hurried, the act of being one with her brief, but still it had haunted him. He told himself that he would have her again and soon. This time he would savor Mia and treat her the way she deserved. Tim groaned feeling his desire for Mia flare to life. Today would be the start of making her his but first a cold shower.
After his shower Tim dressed in dark blue jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows. He wanted to appear casual and welcoming to both his children and their mother. Timothy sat down at the desk in his hotel room to work on one of his priorities. He needed something to make the time move faster.
Timothy was looking for a house. He considered buying a condominium or getting an apartment but what he really wanted was a proper estate with a manor house that he could bring his family home to. Tim was happy to stay in Norde City if that was where Mia wanted to be. He had thought keeping Barrett Group running while he was abroad would be impossible but so far it had been manageable.
Looking through the properties the real estate agent had sent over he saw one estate and one condominium that might work. Tim was naturally drawn toward the estate. The house is on ten acres in an area known as Diplomat Hill, right in the heart of Norde City. It had amazing views and top of the line security with iron fencing and a massive security system. The entrance would be guarded by full-time staff.
The house itself had six bedrooms and seven baths. It had two offices, three family rooms, a theater and many other amenities. Outside there was a five-car garage, an intricate pool, tennis court, basketball court, and an impressive garden with room for the children to run. There was even enough room to add a stable if Ginger ever wanted a horse. There was a three-bedroom guest house and staff quarters above the garage.
There was one problem though. Timothy was afraid to buy it because he feared that Mia might not choose him, and it terrified him to think of being stuck in what was clearly a family home by himself. He wouldn't survive that. Timothy really liked the property, and he imagined his family happy within its walls. What if those thoughts were nothing more than a fantasy?
Mia called ahead to Aide Castle and had the staff prepare one of the large cabanas on the beach for Timothy's visit with the kids. The staff would bring out dinner later but there would be plenty of time for swimming and goofing off first. Mia packed her beach bag including the swim trunks that she had Peyton pick up for Tim. He was going to be surprised.
The kids were in their swimwear with summer clothes over them, and she was wearing her basic black bikini under a white blouse and jean shorts. Timothy had never seen her this way and she was looking forward to his surprise. Mia didn't understand why she felt the need to goad him, but she wanted to get a reaction out of him. She had spent so long around his indifferent stoicism that Mia needed to see the real man that he hid.
Mia gathered the children and called for the car. Dominic scowled but didn't say anything. Eva made up for it by reminding Mia to have fun and live her life the way she wanted.
Mia looked at Sage reminded that he had never been to the beach or done any of the things that make life worth living. She wondered if he was nervous but decided against questioning him.
A moment later they all climbed into the car and headed to Aide Castle. Mia loved this version of the resort for the beach and the one in Bern City for the botanical garden. They both were incredibly special places that she had worked hard to create.
Mia had been looking through collaboration portfolios, but she hadn't found an investment partner that fit yet. Mia had liked the collaboration offered by Barrett Group but that was off the table indefinitely.
Sage watched out the window for the forty minutes it took to reach the resort. There was so much to see, and the world was so big. Sage thought the ocean sounded terrifying and sand sounded messy, dirty, and uncomfortable. Sage would help with the sandcastle simply because Ginger had asked but he didn't think he would have fun.
Sage didn't want to visit his father but since he was only four, he had to do what he was told. His mom had let him bring his laptop though so at least later he would be able to do something he liked and ignore Mr. Barrett.
The car pulled into the courtyard of Aide Castle and stopped in front of the entryway. Mia could see Timothy as he walked over and opened the door for them. He was dressed more casually than she expected, and Mia was pleased to see him looking so relaxed. Sage grabbed his backpack and Mia grabbed her beach bag. The three of them unloaded from the car and stood beside Timothy.
"Hi," Tim said simply to all three of them. Ginger squealed and launched herself at her dad. He laughed picking her up. Sage was silent working to get his backpack on.
"Hi Tim," Mia said simply, "follow me." Mia headed into the resort and down a few long hallways before finding the exit that would lead them to the beach.
Once outside again, they walked for about ten minutes until they came to a nice sand colored cabana sitting close to the water on a secluded beach. In the cabana a young woman was just finishing setting a table for four with a white tablecloth, glasses, and small white plates and utensils. Outside the cabana facing the water were four lounge chairs. A stack of towels rested on a counter next to a mini fridge. A door in the back led to a private bathroom.
"Ms. Lane, I thought I heard someone walking in." A staff member named Audrey said sweetly.
"Yes, we made it," Mia said as she set her bag on the counter.
"Well, there are drinks and fruit in the refrigerator and dinner will be brought out at seven. Do you need anything else?" Audrey asked.
Mia looked around but didn't see anything missing. "I think we are good, thank you."
"Enjoy the beach Ms. Lane, don't hesitate to ask if you need anything." Audrey stepped out of the cabana and headed back to the resort.
Mia grabbed a small clothing box from her bag and handed it to Timothy. "Change," she told him mildly. He looked surprised and confused until she turned to the children and told them that they could take their outer clothes off. Ginger started stripping at once and Mia walked over and picked up all the tiny clothes before folding them and setting them on the counter. Ginger was left wearing a brightly colored swimsuit with a ruffle skirt.
Sage looked at his mom, "Do I have to?"
"Yes, I don't want sand in your regular clothes." Mia responded.
"Fine," Sage grumped stripping down to trunks before wandering over to Ginger who was looking through a basket of beach toys.
Mia looked at Timothy. "Tim, you need to change unless you plan to swim in your jeans" she said pointing toward the bathroom.
"Umm, sure," Timothy looked uncomfortable as he walked into the bathroom.
Mia walked out to a lounge chair and kicked off her sandals before stripping out of her shorts. Absently, she registered the bathroom door opening just as she pulled her blouse over her head and stood up wearing nothing but her black bikini. Mia heard Timothy curse loudly then the bathroom door slammed closed again. That was a reaction she thought with satisfaction.
"Damnit, breathe man." Timothy told himself desperately. When he had glanced toward Mia to see her standing on the beach in nothing but a tiny black bikini he was lost. His body had reacted instantly to the sight of her beautiful near-naked body. What the hell was she doing? Was she trying to kill him? He leaned his head on his arm against the door trying to calm his overheated reaction. A minute passed.
"Timothy, are you ok in there? Mia asked with concern. Tim pulled the door open suddenly wanting to see Mia. Tim let his gaze rove over her from the top of her head to her bare feet. Mia was exquisite, perfect in every way.
Without stopping to think about what he was doing Tim pulled Mia into the bathroom with him. With a hand on her tiny waist, he pushed her into the wall beside the door. Tim's other hand went to her neck, fingers curled into her loose hair, his thumb skating along her jawline. Tim pushed his body closer until there was less than an inch between their bodies.
"Is this the reaction you were looking for?" Tim asked Mia his voice husky and low. He ached with the need to be with her.
"I am gratified to find that you are not made of stone after all." Mia said. Her breathing was fast.
"I assure you that I am a man. I am going to kiss you now." Timothy whispered.
"What if I tell you to stop?" Mia questioned quietly.
"Please don't, I need to feel you against me," Timothy whispered. Then he tipped her head back and pulled her against his body, his lips finding hers. The kiss started light then became more demanding. Mia's hands came up to weave into Tim's hair and he was lost. Mia's lips parted with a sigh and the kiss deepened. Tim ran his tongue along her bottom lip eliciting a moan from her. He groaned at the sound, moving his mouth to her jaw, he kissed a line along her jaw and left wet kisses along Mia's throat before sucking on her collarbone lightly.
Tim brought his mouth back to Mia's, kissing her deeply for another moment, he would have continued but he heard his daughter's voice calling for him. Tim placed a soft kiss on Mia's lips, her jaw, her throat then he stared into her eyes for a moment before walking out of the bathroom to go to his daughter.
Tim grabbed a stack of towels and went to sit on a lounge chair using the towels to hide his desperate need for Mia. He couldn't believe he just did that. Caleb was right, it was instinct. Timothy felt amazing at that moment. Mia would see that he could make her happy.
Mia stood in the bathroom breathing raggedly. She had closed the door because she needed a moment alone. She had never felt like this before. It was like electricity was humming across her skin. Mia felt a powerful ache low in her stomach. It had been a long time since she had felt desire.
Where had that man been when she was married to him? If he had kissed her like that in the past, they would still be together. Her need for him at that moment was a force she did not know how to deal with. Mia felt feverish and out of control. She wished he would come soothe the ache. What was she going to do now?
Mia opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the early evening light. Her children were playing a few feet from the loungers digging a sandcastle moat. Tim was seated with a stack of towels in his lap, she chuckled, he was not unaffected then. He was busy encouraging Sage to dig the moat in a specific way.
Tim must have sensed her because he looked up at her, his eyes roving over her body, a hungry look crossing his handsome face. Then he winked at her with a smile. That's when she knew she was in trouble. With that thought rattling in her head Mia walked straight out into the ocean and dove in. The water helped to cool her overheated skin but did nothing to shake the memory of Tim's touch.
Why was it that Nick's touch had never felt like more than a means to an end? But all she could think of in Tim's embrace was that she wanted more?
After swimming for a while Mia felt ready to go back and face Timothy. She turned toward the shore and realized Tim and both of her children were splashing in the waves and laughing happily. Even little Sage was being a good sport and chasing Ginger about in knee high water.
It soothed Mia's heart to see her little family this way. Her family? Was she including Timothy in that? Mia thought the answer might be yes. She never would have guessed that she could think of Timothy as anything other than the bastard he had been. Mia didn't know what that meant for the future but for today everything was good. Mia swam back to shore to join the happy trio.
Tim watched the water sluice off Mia's body as she returned from her swim. A small, strangled sound escaped from his throat. He coughed quickly to cover the sound.
"Did you have a nice swim, Mia?" Tim asked. When she responded that she did he smiled. "I wouldn't mind a quick dip, is that alright?" Mia nodded her assent and turned her attention to her precocious children only to feel Tim's hand graze across her back as he walked past. Despite the heat of the day a shiver worked its way down her spine. Tim walked out until the water was deep enough then dove in swimming out past the surf with powerful strokes.
Ginger was picking seashells out of the sand and would hand them to Sage who would clean them before handing them back to his sister. They would then decide if they were nice enough to keep. It was incredibly sweet and it warmed Mia's heart to see how attentive Sage was being.
Mia was startled a second later when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She jumped but didn't pull away. Tim rested his chin on her head.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Tim said quietly not wanting to draw the attention of the twins and have Mia pull away.
"I was just really wrapped up in watching them. Sage spent so long in isolation in that hospital and yet he still is so attentive and generous to Ginger. I am amazed by them both." Mia told Tim.
"I feel the same way. I thought I would spend my entire life in solitude. Just me, alone with my thoughts. I thought I was content and had no need for anything else. I never thought I would have this beautiful life, but I will never let it go." Timothy vowed. His arm tightening around Mia's waist.
Mia didn't know why she was staying in Timothy's arms, but she didn't want to move away. Standing there with Timothy simply watching their children was incredibly peaceful. Sage suddenly looked up at Mia and Tim. As he took in their closeness, he tilted his head to the side trying to understand what he was seeing. After a moment he huffed and turned stomping up the beach. Sage flopped onto his lounge chair crossing his arms over his chest and scowled.
Tim sighed, "I don't know how to win him back to me."
Mia turned to face Tim and his hand slid to her waist. "Sage is like you. Arrogant and stubborn, easily frustrated and quick to anger, but he is also fiercely loyal and protective of Ginger and I. Sage doesn't trust you and thinks you will hurt us. It will take time and a lot of patience to win him over."
"I will convince him that I will never hurt you. I will never hurt any of you." Tim said emphatically. Then he moved his hands to either side of Mia's face before leaning down and kissing her sweetly, he touched his forehead to hers for a moment. Straightening he ran a hand through his wet hair and walked away toward the cabana.
Mia watched him walk away, not sure what to say or think. Did he really mean the things he was saying, she didn't know? Mia turned to check on her daughter and found her standing still a few feet away watching her with a tentative smile tinged with surprise on her face. Had Ginger been this close when Tim had kissed her? Did she see everything?
"Come on bug, let's go get something to drink," Mia told Ginger.
Mia took Ginger's hand and led her up to the cabana. They passed between Tim and Sage who were stretched out on lounge chairs quietly resting in the sun.
"Do you boys want something to drink?" Mia asked Tim and Sage. Grabbing each of their drinks Mia then handed out juices to the two children and waters for Timothy and herself. They spent an hour this way until it was nearing dinner time.
Mia pulled her shorts back on over her swim bottoms enjoying the way Timothy watched her movements. It was clear in Timothy's gaze that he wanted her. The intensity with which he watched her caused heat and electricity to race over her skin. The feeling was intoxicating.
Sage was still a little withdrawn when they sat down to dinner, but Ginger was her normal chatty self, maybe a little extra cheerful. She pulled Sage into conversation and halfway through the pasta Sage was laughing along with her antics. Timothy was enchanted by the two little people he had helped create and watched them with rapt attention, occasionally glancing at Mia with a smile. For her part Mia could not help watching Tim, he had changed so much. It was night and day.
Timothy was having an amazing day, but one thing was still driving him insane. He wanted to know where Mia stood with Nicholas. Being with her the way he had been today would be unbearable if she were pursuing the doctor.
"Mia, can I talk to you for a moment?" Timothy asked hesitantly. Mia nodded and they walked over to the lounge chairs. Tim didn't want to ask these questions, but he couldn't take not knowing.
"What is it, Timothy?" Mia asked.
"I saw your article in the society paper today. Is there any truth to it? Is there going to be a second date for Dr. Merches?" Tim questioned bluntly. Mia rocked from one foot to the other fidgeting.
Mia sighed, "No, there won't be a second date."
Not expecting that, Tim asked, "Why not?"
"Nick and I are not compatible. I do not have any romantic interest in him, and he doesn't have time for me or my kids. We went on a date to test compatibility and it went exactly as I expected, terribly. So that is the end of it." Mia explained. She didn't know why she was telling Timothy all these personal details, but she could not help herself. Tim was not sure what to think so he asked about the thing that was really bothering him.
"Mia, I saw him kiss you. That kiss was... well, are you sure there is nothing there?" Tim sighed agitated. He hated how much this bothered him.
"I'm not sure this is any of your business." Mia was embarrassed by how out of control that had gotten and in a public place too.
Timothy sighed and shifted his position. "Could you humor me please?"
Mia shook her head but spoke anyway. "It was just a kiss. It got a little out of control. Nicholas isn't the warmest of people, but he is very physical. There was nothing there that wouldn't be gone in a week. Happy now?"
Timothy grimaced as he absorbed her words. "Were you and Nicholas together in the past Mia?" Tim watched her trying to find the truth.
Mia kicked the sand and looked up at the darkening sky. "Together is a stretch," Mia scoffed, "and it would never have come up again, but Dominic has decided that I am going to marry Nicholas. Now that Sage is home, he doesn't see a reason for me to wait anymore."
"That kiss should never have happened. I knew better... I knew Nick would take advantage... He is an everything or nothing sort of man, but I thought it was harmless. I just wanted to be able to tell Dominic that I honestly tried so he would stop pushing me to marry." Mia explained sighing.
"The problem is it was only harmless for me. I think Nicholas took it as a promise and now my life is all over the damn papers. We have people to stop this type of story from being published but Dominic said he did not think it was important. He let them run the article and that was after I told him that I would not be seeing Nick again." Mia vented in a frustrated tone.
"That's who stopped me from having the story pulled." Timothy muttered quietly.
"What, what are you talking about?" Mia asked alarmed.
"I was notified around three this morning the Society Gazette was to run an exposé on you and Dr. Merches. I fought to quash the story but there was another party fighting to have it published. The most I was able to do was alter the content and photo so that it wasn't so sensational and provocative. Do you want to see the actual story your brother wanted the paper to run this morning?" Timothy scowled and waited for a response.
Mia wasn't sure that she did, but on the other hand she felt like she needed to know how far Dominic would go to push her toward Nicholas. After a moment's hesitation she nodded, "yes, I would like to know."
Tim walked to the cabana and grabbed his phone. He ruffled Ginger's hair as he walked past seeing that both the children were still eating. He was still in awe that these two little humans belonged to him. Walking back to Mia, he signed into his phone and pulled up the file from this morning.
"Here," he said handing the phone to Mia, "take a look."
The first thing she saw was the photo of herself entwined with Nicholas and after reading the headline her hand came to cover her mouth in shock. A look of horror came over her features as the implications of what would have happened if this had been published rocked through her. Surely, Dominic would not try to trap her like this. Mia looked up at Timothy and saw his grim expression.
Mia shook her head handing Tim his phone, "There is no way Dominic would try to trap me like this. It would cause a huge scandal for the family if I refused to marry Nicholas." Mia could not believe it. Her brothers loved her and wanted her to be happy. "Can you send you send me this file, please?" Mia asked. Tim nodded, hitting a few keys and a second later her phone buzzed.
"This is the story that would have run if I had not intervened, and my sources swear that it was Dr. Merches himself that confirmed the impending engagement." Tim scoffed. "Do you think something like this would slip past Dominic?"
"No, but... he wouldn't." Mia murmured quietly.
"To keep you away from me, he would." Timothy affirmed bluntly.
"So again, I ask you, does Nicholas have a reason to think that he can convince you to marry him?" Tim questioned trying to get Mia to give him a straight answer. Mia looked at Tim sharply. She crossed her arms across her chest, her demeanor slightly defensive.
"I don't owe you an explanation. Tell me why you want to know." Mia responded.
Tim reached for Mia pulling her a step closer to him by her crossed arms. He ran his fingers along her jaw before dropping his hand.
"You and the twins are my family. I have made it clear that I will not give up my pursuit of you. I want to know what it is that makes the doctor think he has a claim to you. I find it hard to believe he confirmed an intention to marry you because of a first date that lasted less than an hour and one kiss." Tim didn't want to tell Mia that Dr. Merches had implied intimacy between him and her. He wanted Mia to tell him herself.
Mia huffed clearly uncomfortable with this conversation. She turned her body so that she could look out over the surf, her gaze drifting with a defeated sigh, she began to speak.
"When the twins were about eight months old Sage's health took a turn for the worse. He was barely clinging to life. I spent every minute I could with him just willing him to take that next breath and when I wasn't with him, I was trying to care for Ginger." Mia glanced at Timothy, noticing the stricken look on his face. Mia ignored it and forged ahead.
"I was at the hospital so much that Nicholas let me use his office and ready room to have a place out of the hospital wing to rest. Since I was a regular in his office, we ended up becoming close friends. Nick was not around much but he would check on me, reminded me to eat and sent me food so I wouldn't starve. He took care of me, and he fought every day to save Sage's life." Mia paused the memory playing in her head.
"Sage died," Mia glanced at Tim seeing the tightness in his jaw and the sadness in his eyes.
"Nicholas managed to revive him, but he was on life-support unable to breathe on his own. I have never felt so lost. I felt like there was no hope and I was exhausted, desperate, and alone. Nick knew how upset I was, so he brought me a bottle of bourbon. He said I needed to forget, and he was right, I did." Mia trailed off the memory of that night clearer than it had any right to be.
Mia took a deep breath before continuing, "We started a physical relationship that night, a fling. It wasn't serious or at least that is what I thought. I just wanted a distraction, something to take my mind off Sage's condition. Sage started to improve a few weeks later. I was spending less time in the hospital, and it was upsetting Nicholas. I thought we were just messing around, but he wanted to make things official, so I ended it. I told him I could not think about the future until my son was well..." Mia trailed off unwilling to look at Timothy.
Tim swallowed convulsively, trying to banish the image of the doctor wrapped around Mia's naked body. Tim was so jealous it felt like his throat was closing.
"How long were you seeing him for, in total?" Tim finally asked, his voice gruff.
"Umm, about two months, I think" Mia responded.
Tim nodded to acknowledge her, not trusting his voice to not falter. How could Mia claim there was nothing between her and Nicholas but had been intimate with him over and over for two months? It was no wonder that the doctor was fighting to win Mia's hand, he had every reason to believe that he could.
Nicholas had been biding his time until Mia was ready. They had a history, a deep friendship born from trauma and gratitude, and a strong physical relationship with each other. This was bad. Timothy knew that he needed to control his panic and pain. So, he took a deep breath and locked it away to deal with it later. He would not lose Mia.
Tim reached for Mia and pulled her into his arms brushing her hair away from her face. "I am sorry you had to go through that. While I hate that it wasn't me, I am incredibly grateful that you had someone to lean on and someone to look after you." Tim told her softly. Timothy ran his thumb along Mia's cheek seeing the unshed tears in her eyes.
"I am also going insane with jealousy right now." Tim's chuckle caused a smirk to appear on Mia's face. "I really want to be alone with you. Go on a date with me, Mia?" he prodded gently. He watched as her face betrayed her uncertainty before she finally agreed. Tim wanted to kiss Mia, but not wanting to upset his son, he moved her so that she was out of the direct view of the twins.
"Timothy, what are you...?" Mia started but was interrupted by his lips on hers. His mouth was soft and insistent until she opened her mouth slightly allowing him to deepen the kiss. A soft breath escaped her with a sigh. The sound made him groan and he pulled her closer to him, his strong arms anchoring Mia to his body. Her hands rose to his neck trying to pull him closer. Then Ginger called out to Mia. Timothy pulled away slightly but did not release her to answer the small girl.
"We'll be right there, bug." Tim's voice was rough. He turned back to Mia and gave her a sweet kiss on the mouth then one on the forehead, stepping away but taking her hand to lead her back to the twins.
Mia didn't know who this man was. This Timothy who was openly affectionate and unafraid to tell her how he felt. She thought he would be furious with her about Nick, but he had just commiserated with her and told her he was jealous. Mia was so confused. She didn't know if she should allow him to act this way, but having his attention was such a novelty that she let him continue.
Timothy's touch set her aflame and she wanted to be wrapped up in his arms. To have him touch her and to be with her. Mia's intense desire for him all day made her nervous about being alone with him. How would she stop herself from falling for Tim now that he wanted her so badly?
Mia had never felt like this before. With Nicholas it had been completely physical, but this was different, it was more somehow. She felt caught off guard and off-balance. Mia didn't want this to stop but she didn't know if Tim would revert to the often-cruel Mr. Barrett. If he did, where would she be?
Mia didn't know if she could trust this situation? For that matter, could she ever trust Timothy Barrett enough to be with him? Could she trust him enough to love him? No, she wasn't stupid enough to trust Timothy. No matter how good it felt to have his attention now, she knew he wasn't trustworthy.
Mia and Tim walked back to the children hand-in-hand only to find them arguing heatedly at the table. They tried to listen in but were unable to discern what had prompted the quarrel. Mia decided to stop the bickering. Sneaking up behind Sage, she snatched him out of his chair and began to kiss and tickle him until he was squealing and laughing.
"Mom, no, squeal, please stop." Sage cried laughing. Mia kissed all over her his face then sat him back in his chair. He gasped for air trying to calm down.
"You look funny Sage. Your face is all red," Ginger told her brother laughing.
"Be quiet." Sage told his sister. Crossing his arms he turned to his mother. "You are so embarrassing, Mom." Sage said haughtily.
"I love you too, little man." Mia responded to her son with a laugh. She watched the quick smile that adorned his little face before he quickly hid it.
"What about me, momma?" Ginger exclaimed jumping up to stand in her chair.
Mia walked over to Ginger peppering kisses all over her face. "I love you too, bug." Mia said hugging the animated girl to her. Tim watched the whole scene with an unfathomable look on his face.
"Are you two ready for dessert?" Mia asked after a moment. The twins exclaimed excitedly that they were. Mia got the items out of the refrigerator and handed a bottle of wine to Timothy to open. She assembled the twin's dessert which was a brownie with a scoop of ice cream and caramel sauce. She handed a plated treat to both of her children and took the glass of wine that Timothy offered her and sat down in her chair.
Mia swirled the wine in her glass as the children dug into their dessert. Timothy sipped his wine but was far away.
"Are you alright, Tim?" Mia asked cautiously.
Timothy looked at Mia without seeing her for a moment. Never in his life had he been party to such openness and affection. Mia offered his children her love without any reservations. It was clear to him at once that the children were loved so well that they didn't question her sentiments at all. They were loved. It was a fact, nothing more and nothing less.
Timothy had never had that. No doting parent to teach him the benefits of love. Tim felt grateful to Mia for teaching his children to love and for loving them. His chest burned, he suddenly wanted to be part of this love they shared.
"I'm fine." Tim responded after a moment, "just lost in thought."
Mia watched him a moment longer. She could see that there was something on his mind, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it. Today had been such a strange carefree day. There was no way that she could have predicted how this day had gone. A perfect family day at the beach was not what she had pictured.
Mia had expected to spend a couple of hours being uncomfortable in a tense atmosphere so that the children would at least know who their father was. Instead, she was dreading the day ending and becoming excited about a date with Timothy. What would it be like to go on an actual date with the man? Mia had been married to him for more than three years and had never been on a date with him.
Unfortunately, it was getting late. The twins had finished their treats. Ginger was speaking animatedly with Tim about her teacher and Sage was eyeing his backpack. The fact that Sage wasn't on his computer was a good indicator of how much fun today had been. Mia stood and walked over to the counter grabbing the children's clothes.
"Time to get dressed," Mia said to her children handing them their clothes. Mia grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head. Realizing it was time to go, Tim excused himself and went to get changed. A few minutes passed while she waited for Timothy.
"Mia, could you come here please." Tim called from the bathroom. Mia told the children to play quietly, and she would be back in a moment. She went to the bathroom door which was open a crack. Mia could see that the now dressed Timothy was pacing in the small space. She tapped on the door softly.
Timothy opened the door quickly and grabbing Mia's wrist he pulled her into his arms. He closed the door partially and buried his face in her hair. Tim breathed her in several times to calm himself.
"I don't want to go." Tim spoke quietly, "Today has been the happiest I have ever experienced, and I don't want to let the three of you go." He moved his hand to Mia's cheek and gazed into her eyes.
"We'll see you in a few days." Mia said smiling at him. "I thought you were going to take me on a date?"
"Are you sure you won't disappear?" Tim asked, clearly worried.
"I promise, Tim. I will not disappear with the twins." Mia told Timothy plainly. She didn't know if her promise would hold forever, but it was true for today. He gazed into her eyes searching for a lie and when he didn't find one, he smiled at her softly.
Tim captured Mia's lips with his own, quickly deepening the kiss and pulling her body fully against his. He kissed her until desire ran like tongues of flame through both of their bodies and their hearts raced. When Tim pulled back to look at Mia, they both breathed raggedly.
"I want to pick you up on Wednesday. Dress for a day on the water," Tim told Mia with a grin.
"Really? Okay." Mia gave Tim a sideways glance with a tentative smile. "We really do need to go. It's already the children's bedtime."
"I know," Tim groaned reluctantly stepping away from Mia. "Let's get our children home to their beds."
Ginger was perched happily on Timothy's shoulders while Sage held his mother's hand as they retraced the path they had taken though Aide Castle earlier that day. The last corridor was in sight and Mia made a quick call to her driver to have the car brought to the resort's entrance.
Tim heard the voice a second too late as he stepped into the main resort area. When the woman called out to him, he ducked quickly back into the side hallway. Tim pulled Ginger from his shoulders and handed her to Mia.
"Hide in the alcove over there." Tim told Mia pointing to a small area a little further down the hallway. No one knew of Sage's existence and there were protective measures that still needed to be in place before they could openly be in the public eye. She nodded in agreement.
"I'll lead her away and then you can take the children and leave." Tim said, feeling upset that their last few minutes together were being stolen from them.
"Timothy," the woman called, "where did you go?" With a parting smile for Mia and his children, he stepped into the main resort area.
"Luna," he addressed the woman with calm detachment.
"There you are, Tim." Luna purred. "My goodness, I swear you were taller a second ago," she breathed sidling up to the man.
"I am exactly as tall as I have ever been." Tim replied with disdain walking further into the resort in the opposite direction to the entrance. Luna huffed trying to reach for Tim's arm but was ignored.
"What brings you to Aide Castle today?" Luna pried as she followed Timothy around a corner into a reception area.
"Research for a business collaboration for Barrett Group." Tim told her coolly while sidestepping Luna's wandering hand. "Why are you here, Ms. Maynard?"
"I am working with the design team on the final preparations for Asher's birthday party. It's only a week away you know, and I want everything to be perfect for his day." Luna exclaimed.
"You did get your invitation, didn't you Tim? You will come, won't you? It would mean so much to Asher." Luna was determined to convince Timothy to attend the party. If she could just get him alone perhaps, she could convince him that she was the right woman for him. Tim grunted non-commitally.
"I sent an invitation to the Lane residence. I thought it might be good for Mia to bring that girl Ginger. She is the right age for a playmate for Asher." Luna hinted. Timothy would likely come if he thought Mia would be there. Too bad Mia's invitation had the wrong date printed on it. Luna didn't understand what Tim saw in Mia anyway. Couldn't he see how much better Luna was for him?
"That girl, Ginger, is my daughter. Be respectful!" Timothy snapped sharply.
"I didn't mean any offense, Tim." Luna lied. He was protective of the brat, she noted.
Timothy glanced toward Luna, "I will see if I am free and either way I will send a gift for my nephew." Luna smiled tightly, that was likely as good of an answer as she could expect from him.
Timothy's phone buzzed and he checked the message, 'All clear, thanks for today.' Timothy nodded at Luna dismissively and turned on his heel to head to the entrance. He texted his driver to bring the car around at once.