TASTE: A Stepbrother Romance Read online

  Clara had come back to Les and apologized to her because she had hurled abuses at her when she was with Nick. Nick was known to woo women and had quite a reputation. He was filthy rich and was known to have a weakness for women. Nick used to own the firm where Les worked as an intern, and there were rumors that Nick had slept with nearly every female staff member that he hired.

  I was shattered as I heard all of it, and there was a part of me that wanted to believe that this couldn’t be true.

  I remembered the way he had touched not just my body but my soul, the way he had held me close. But then again, I couldn’t ignore the way he had frozen when I told him that I loved him, and I felt sick for being another woman among his prey.

  I wanted to make him feel bad for all that he had done. I wanted to make him see that I was stronger than all he did. Les told me that I should confront him and see for myself what a bastard he was.

  I called Nick up, and he answered on the very first ring.

  “Hi, honey, what’s up?”

  I felt sick to my stomach at realizing how fake he really was.

  “Nick, would you mind coming to Costa Coffee with me?”

  “Sure babe. What time?”

  “2 PM,” I replied in a stern voice.

  “Everything all right?”

  “Yeah. Just wanted to see you.”

  “Okay, I can come to your house, and you can see a lot of me,” he joked, but I had no appetite for it, so I simply disconnected the call pretending I didn’t hear any of it.

  As I hung up the call, we decided that Les would pretend to accidentally bump into him, and then we would see the way he reacted. While there was no way I could doubt Les, I wanted to see the way Nick behaved. I wanted to see my trust shatter in front of my own eyes.

  “Lacie, are you sure you want to do this? This is only going to hurt you more,” Les chipped in.

  “No, Les. This is important for me. I am strong. Thank you for helping me.”

  With that, I got up and wiped away the tears on my face. I had to be strong.

  I didn’t need a man in my life.

  As we got ready to head for Costa Coffee, I kept waiting outside the entrance in my car. We saw Nick approaching, and Les got out of the car and straightaway bumped into Nick.

  Nick was wearing a pale blue shirt and looked wicked hot. I couldn’t help but feel things for him, and I was upset that I did. His eyes were shielded under his costly sunglasses, and when he took them off, his first words were, “Is that you Leslie? Holy hell, you have grown so hot.”

  I got the urge to throw up. This was a man who could literally flirt with anyone. The way he was ogling Les’s breasts made me feel like punching him.

  “Hi, there. You’re Jackson right? You still haven’t changed much from the old days, I see. Ever the heartbreaker still?”

  “You bet. Why change when you can play the same?”

  “So, are you seeing someone Jackson?

  “What! Of course not. Want to see me again?”

  I had enough, and there was no way I would allow Leslie to go through that. I respected her and Adam, and I realized what a fool I was to date a scumbag like Nick.

  I came out of my car, and even before thinking another thing, punched him in his face. Nick couldn’t understand what was happening, and he looked at the two of us in awe. He looked as if someone told him he had cancer and didn’t have much time left to live. “Newsflash, Nick. She is Les, the one who owns the orphanage. You’re not going to date any of us now. Enjoy your single life,” I said and walked away.

  ***

  I came back to my apartment and felt hollowness inside my stomach. How could he do this to me? I had trusted him with all my heart, and even though Nick had never really said that he loved me, I never realized that he was cheating behind my back because I was so smitten.

  My phone chimed, and I saw that was a call from Adam. Although I didn’t really want to talk to anyone, I knew better than to not take his call.

  I tried to sound firm and collected as I received his call.

  “Hi, Adam.”

  “Lacie, do you want me to come over?”

  “No, Adam. I would like to be alone for some time.”

  “You do know, Lacie, that you have Les and me with you. It was not your fault that you didn’t know that Nick was cheating behind your back.”

  “I know Adam, but it just feels so wrong.”

  “Dear, it will all come together. Give yourself some time.”

  “I wish it were so easy Adam. Nick was the first guy that I gave my heart and soul to. It sucks, man, it sucks bad.”

  “Can I do anything to make you feel better?”

  “You’re sweet Adam, but sometimes, we need to fight our own battle.”

  Adam tried talking to me, but somehow, everything looked wrong. I just didn’t feel like going on anymore. I sat on the same bed where I had made love with Nicholas Jackson, and I felt like throwing up. Why did I have to fall in love with someone who turned out to be such an asshole?

  I heard a knock on my door, and I really didn’t want to talk to anyone. As I sneaked a look to see who it was, I saw Les standing there. I opened the door, and she came in.

  Les didn’t say anything, but simply hugged me.

  “Lacie, I think you shouldn’t jump too quickly to any conclusion. I mean it was wrong of Nicholas to talk the way he did, but after you left, he looked really sad.”

  “Really, Les, are you saying this? Do you really think anything could make up for the way he was checking you out? I know he may not be in love with me, but to behave the way he did, he is never going to earn my respect.”

  “I know, darling, I am so sorry you had to go through this.”

  I nodded, because I didn’t know what to say.

  “I do have good news though.”

  The words ‘good news’ seemed to mock me, but I didn’t want to dampen Les’s sprits, so I asked her what it was.

  “I have managed to get a stay order for the orphanage. We can look for a new place in the meanwhile, as it would be a lot easier to relocate the kids to a better place, maybe.”

  I was glad at the news. A stay order meant that there was ample time to come up with the right plan.

  “Lacie, I really think you should take a break. I have been through a few bad breakups myself, and I know how bad it hurts. As the times spent here in New York City will only remind you of Jackson—why don’t you take a vacation for a week, then come back and we can have a girl’s night out?”

  The plan really did appeal to me. I wanted to let loose and go away, somewhere far away from any place that would remind me of Nick. It was suffocating to stay in this apartment where every nook and corner reminded me of him. I hugged Les again and decided to take a break.

  I quickly wrote a letter to my boss and asked for ten days of leave. As I sat down to think of the places that I could go, my phone chimed again.

  It was a text from my mom.

  Lacie, I am so excited, baby. Call me soon. I have great news.

  It had been a really long time since Mom had seemed so happy. I thought that maybe I would visit her, as this may be the break I was looking for. I immediately dialed her number and called her up.

  “Lacie, you won’t believe the news.”

  I could sense the genuine happiness in her voice, and even though I could barely take out much time to talk to her, I was really close with my mom.

  “What's up, Mom? You sound so happy. Looks like you landed a jackpot or something.”

  She laughed, but didn’t tell me what the fuss was about.

  “Little girl, you have to take off from work and come and see me right now. Such news is not shared over phone conversation. Your leave is long due. I want to see my baby girl right now.”

  It was the first time in ages that my mom was so excited, and I felt really happy for her. I was already thinking of taking a break, and it looked like God planned the right move for me.

  I told her
that I would leave for Kansas today, but I still wanted to know what the good news was. Mom acting so excited, she denied me the pleasure, as she wanted to see me in person and share the reasons for her joy.

  I could barely wait to see her, and so I hugged Leslie and set out for yet another chapter in my life. Of course, the pain of losing Nick was still there, but maybe, seeing Mom and being a part of her happiness would make me feel a lot better.

  That was at least what I was hoping for. Les looked better too with the stay order and asked me not to worry, as she would keep me updated about the details.

  I hugged her again and started packing to see my mom.

  Maybe, the good times were all set to roll again, I thought to myself.

  Chapter 8: The Bolt From The Blue

  The drive to Kansas City was long, but I promised myself not to dwell on the events that had transpired. For a few days, I wanted to be with my mom and let the rest of the world fade away.

  I was tired of my bad taste in men and falling for the wrong guy. Thinking about Nick made me weak, but in the end, I knew that I was better off without him.

  I wondered what Mom had to share, because she had always been so subtle and quiet. She hardly expressed such heightened levels of excitement. I decided to try my luck one more time and texted her again.

  On my way to see you, but Mom, the curiosity is killing me. What is up?

  I hit the send button and then kept checking my phone twice a minute to see if she had replied. Of course, I knew she wouldn’t.

  As I reached Kansas, I let myself relish the beauty of this place. I had so many childhood memories here—I remembered being on the swing and going out with my mom. For a moment, I could feel myself still little, holding on to my mom’s fingers and not having another worry in the world. I wanted so badly to go back to the old times and never grow up again. Was it possible to at least recapture that light of a heart, now, when my heart felt so heavy and broken?

  I knocked on the door.

  My mom came out, and I swear she looked nearly ten years younger. She was glowing with happiness and I had never seen her happier.

  I hugged her and complimented her for her loss in weight and her beautiful glow.

  She blushed a little and called me inside.

  “Lacie, darling, it’s been such a long time since you came to see me. You should come more often. Your mom misses you.”

  “I missed you too, Mom, but work has kept me so busy. But you are practically glowing! What is the secret to this shining beauty, Mom?”

  “Oh dear, you were always a tease, weren’t you? Of course, I am aging, and look at all these wrinkles, but, honey, I have never been so happy in my life.”

  I waited for her to continue the statement, but when she didn’t, I added in my dramatic voice, “And?”

  She laughed, because she knew this was one of my childhood habits that she always cherished.

  “Don’t worry. I will tell you everything. This is why I have called you here, but you have just come. Take some rest. Give yourself some time. “

  “No, Mom, you are gonna kill me with curiosity. I am dying to know what makes my beautiful mom so happy.”

  “Lacie, first you need to tell me what is up with you. Your face looks so tired, as if you haven’t slept in a long time, or not enough. What is wrong with your eyes? Why do they look so puffy? Is everything alright?”

  This is the thing about moms, much like girlfriends. They know what has transpired even before you tell them anything out loud. I was touched by how my mom could see through me, and at that instant, I wanted to tell her every damn thing, but the story was so long and tragic, and I didn’t want to dampen her happy mood immediately. So I did what I had gotten really good at doing—I faked happiness.

  I tried to rub my eyes, and I cooked up a false excuse about work taking a toll on my life and smiled unnecessarily and chipped in a few flashes of the perfect smile. I knew that she wasn’t fully convinced, but for the time being, it served my purpose.

  We chatted for a couple of hours, and then she asked me to go shopping with her. I knew that something was definitely up, but I wasn’t prepared for the kind of surprise she gave me.

  “Lacie, pick a wedding gown. Something that will look good at my age.”

  I looked at Mom and couldn’t quite believe what she had just said. I literally had to save myself from falling, as the news blew me away. It took me some time before I could form a coherent response and all I came up with was, “Whoa, Mom! For real?”

  I saw tears in her eyes, and I had never seen her so emotional before.

  “Are you angry, Lacie? Your dad will always be in my heart, but you know it gets lonely. Ralph is a great guy, and I am sure you will like him too.”

  “Mom! Why would I be angry? Of all people, you deserve it the most. You’ve had such a hard life, and you did every possible thing to ensure I had a good life. Now, it is time for you to roll again.”

  She looked at me and smiled, and I was genuinely happy for her. We spent the next three hours looking for wedding gowns and she filled me in with all the details. She told me about how she met Ralph, about how great he was, their unexpected string of meetings, and his proposal. She didn't want something huge or fancy, so they had decided to keep it low-key, as Ralph was the owner of a huge business conglomerate and didn’t want to attract unwanted attention.

  “Did you guys settle on the wedding date yet?” I asked.

  “Lacie, it’s this Sunday.”

  “Holy shit, Mom! That’s three days from now. What am I going to wear?”

  She laughed at me, because just like always, my concern had always been what to wear. We shopped for both of us and headed home with a smile on our faces.

  As I headed to my room, I saw that I had a text from Les.

  Lacie babe, you okay? Need to tell you something. Buzz me when you are free.

  I dreaded the worst and wondered what would have come up. I prayed that there weren’t any more troubles with the orphanage and then called her up.

  “Les, tell me what it is you wanted to tell me,” I pleaded.

  “Maybe, you should talk to Nick again.”

  “What did he do Les? Did he hurt you or something? Is the orphanage okay?” I asked, worried.

  “No Lacie, he didn’t hurt me. He came to apologize and was looking for you. Actually, he spoke to the CEO of the company who was demolishing the orphanage and paid him a hefty amount and bought the place. He then repealed the notice for demolishing the orphanage. He didn’t tell me all the details, either. I found out because I overheard him talking to the security guards to keep this whole ordeal a secret. When I confronted him about it, he simply said, ‘people change sometimes, Les.’”

  I didn’t quite know what to say, my heart had definitely warmed at hearing it, but there was more than the orphanage to him. I felt like I was cheated as he had led me on. When I didn’t really say anything, Les added, “I think you guys should meet once. He told me that he was headed somewhere for urgent work, but he would be back next week. He asked me to let you know that he wants to see you again.”

  I told her that I would think about it, then decide what was to be done.

  That night, as I lay in my bed, I kept wondering if I had been too quick to judge Nick. Maybe he wasn’t so rude. Maybe I should have at least let him explain. He had called, but I had never picked it up. We did have a great time together, and maybe there was a part of me that still wanted to believe that he could set every wrong right.

  I decided to meet him once I was back at New York City, and I eventually went off to sleep. I decided to focus on Mom’s wedding and giving her the best time of her life.

  ***

  The next couple of days went by in a blur. There was so much to do, and Mom was always busy sharing some stories about Ralph. She was so smitten that it really looked like love had a zing to it.

  I often thought of Nick, and how I would feel when I would meet him again. There was definite
ly something between us, and I ached to hold him in my arms, to steal a kiss all of a sudden and to just spend the night doing things and feeling the bliss of the perfect orgasm. But I knew things had to wait at least until I reached New York City the following week.

  Nothing in my life had prepared me for the shock that awaited me. On Sunday morning, as we were headed to the church for the wedding, I saw Nick there. He was wearing a tuxedo and his light green eyes had the same dazzling impact on me. I couldn’t help myself from approaching him.

  “Nick!”

  “Lacie!”

  We both called for each other at the same time and then smiled. For a moment, neither of us spoke, and then we spoke again together.

  “What are you doing here?”

  It looked like a beautiful coincidence of sorts, except we were both clueless. I decided to clear the matters when destiny had made us bump.

  “I am sorry, Nick. I didn’t even give you a chance to explain. It is just that Les had told me about your past, and the way you reacted to her made me jump to my own conclusions. I am really sorry. I should have let you explain, but I was just too hurt.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Lacie. It was my fault. It was only after you left me alone that I realized I had fallen for you. The times we had spent together have been the most precious and beautiful time of my life. I was struggling to spend my day without you, and all I wanted to do was hug you and kiss you senseless. I realized then that I was in love with you. Yes, Lacie, I should have told you the three words. I love you. You are the only woman who has ever made me feel this way, and the days spent without you have been nothing but a nightmare. I want you back in my life, and this time, I swear I am going to be by your side until the end of time.”

  I got really teary eyed. That was the thing about weddings. Every time you attend a wedding, you end up seeing another love story blossom. I couldn’t have asked for a better place or a better setting for Nick to propose me. I could barely hide my tears and happiness, but I knew it was Mom’s day and I didn’t intend to take away the limelight from her.