going to happen,” she said with a determined glare. “The two of you are going to end this today. You’re not to breathe a word about it to Cole. I’m assuming Matt and Lucas know what you’ve been up to, so tell them to keep quiet too. All of your little overnight trail rides and weekend trips are over. You will see each other over family meals and that is it . You will learn to be brother and sister and these other feelings will disappear.”
“Mom, I’ve already told you that we can’t do that,” James said, his voice like steel. His impatience just fueled her anger.
“You’ll do it, or you’re both cut off,” she said, forcing the words out between clenched teeth.
I was shocked by her idle threat. “You can’t do that,” I gasped.
“I’m not talking about money, Willow,” she replied. “I’m talking about everything else. If you and James insist on being together, I can’t have relationships with either of you. I can’t speak for your father, but I’m confident he’d feel the same way. We won’t sit on the sidelines and watch the two of you destroy each other. You both need to think long and hard before you do something you can’t take back. I need to get back to the house, Cole’s probably wondering where I am. Breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes. I expect you both to be there.”
She turned and walked to the door. She held the knob in her hand for a few moments and then turned back to us. Her face had softened and her eyes were wet with tears.
“I hoped it wouldn’t have to come to this, but you’ve left me no choice. I know you both hate me right now. I only hope that when you each have children of your own, you’ll understand that I’m doing whatever I can to protect my family,” she finished with a sniffle and disappeared out the door.
CHAPTER 6
“I’m so glad that you’re flying out with me and Lucas on Thursday,” Matt said with a bittersweet smile. “Are you sure we can’t convince James to come with us? I mean, his ticket is already paid for.”
It was Monday afternoon and Matt and I were sitting in my office going over our itinerary for the Belmont Stakes. After the encounter with Renee, I was more than ready to get away from home for a few days. I was too devastated to look forward to the race, but I knew Matt and Lucas would do their best to make sure I had a good time once we got there.
I shook my head and stared at my computer screen. “Renee was pretty clear about her feelings. James and I can’t be together, as in the same physical space, without her supervision. Not until we ‘learn to be brother and sister and these other feelings disappear’,” I said, over exaggerating the air quotes, my voice filled with a bitterness I couldn’t hide. “Otherwise, she won’t have anything to do with us.”
Matt raised an eyebrow. “You know, you could just call her bluff,” he suggested with a devilish smile. “James is her only child. She could never cut off her relationship with him. And she’s out of her mind if she thinks Cole would do that to you. Just stand your ground. I bet Renee would back down.”
I’d already considered what he was suggesting. In fact, I’d spent the past twenty-four hours weighting the pros and cons of all of my options. I knew Renee had the upper hand. “It’s not worth the risk,” I said, my voice flat. “And there’s too much working against us. James was right when he tried to end this before it really started. He was right again when he said we should tell the truth. Why the hell didn’t I listen to him? Why did I have to be so damn stubborn?”
“Because when you put your mind to something, you’re blinded to everything else,” he replied, his tone matter of fact. “That’s why the program is doing so well, it’s one of the reasons we all love you, and it’s why I’m certain that you and James can still find a way to make this work.”
I met his eye and with the slightest hint of a smile on my
“Mom, I’ve already told you that we can’t do that,” James said, his voice like steel. His impatience just fueled her anger.
“You’ll do it, or you’re both cut off,” she said, forcing the words out between clenched teeth.
I was shocked by her idle threat. “You can’t do that,” I gasped.
“I’m not talking about money, Willow,” she replied. “I’m talking about everything else. If you and James insist on being together, I can’t have relationships with either of you. I can’t speak for your father, but I’m confident he’d feel the same way. We won’t sit on the sidelines and watch the two of you destroy each other. You both need to think long and hard before you do something you can’t take back. I need to get back to the house, Cole’s probably wondering where I am. Breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes. I expect you both to be there.”
She turned and walked to the door. She held the knob in her hand for a few moments and then turned back to us. Her face had softened and her eyes were wet with tears.
“I hoped it wouldn’t have to come to this, but you’ve left me no choice. I know you both hate me right now. I only hope that when you each have children of your own, you’ll understand that I’m doing whatever I can to protect my family,” she finished with a sniffle and disappeared out the door.
CHAPTER 6
“I’m so glad that you’re flying out with me and Lucas on Thursday,” Matt said with a bittersweet smile. “Are you sure we can’t convince James to come with us? I mean, his ticket is already paid for.”
It was Monday afternoon and Matt and I were sitting in my office going over our itinerary for the Belmont Stakes. After the encounter with Renee, I was more than ready to get away from home for a few days. I was too devastated to look forward to the race, but I knew Matt and Lucas would do their best to make sure I had a good time once we got there.
I shook my head and stared at my computer screen. “Renee was pretty clear about her feelings. James and I can’t be together, as in the same physical space, without her supervision. Not until we ‘learn to be brother and sister and these other feelings disappear’,” I said, over exaggerating the air quotes, my voice filled with a bitterness I couldn’t hide. “Otherwise, she won’t have anything to do with us.”
Matt raised an eyebrow. “You know, you could just call her bluff,” he suggested with a devilish smile. “James is her only child. She could never cut off her relationship with him. And she’s out of her mind if she thinks Cole would do that to you. Just stand your ground. I bet Renee would back down.”
I’d already considered what he was suggesting. In fact, I’d spent the past twenty-four hours weighting the pros and cons of all of my options. I knew Renee had the upper hand. “It’s not worth the risk,” I said, my voice flat. “And there’s too much working against us. James was right when he tried to end this before it really started. He was right again when he said we should tell the truth. Why the hell didn’t I listen to him? Why did I have to be so damn stubborn?”
“Because when you put your mind to something, you’re blinded to everything else,” he replied, his tone matter of fact. “That’s why the program is doing so well, it’s one of the reasons we all love you, and it’s why I’m certain that you and James can still find a way to make this work.”
I met his eye and with the slightest hint of a smile on my
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