Saltwater Kisses (The Kisses 1)

“Did you marry my son?” Mr. Saunders had waited until I had taken my first sip an

d set the cup down on the table. He placed his hands on the shiny wooden table and made sure I was looking into his blue eyes. I liked his straightforwardness.

“Not legally. We did have a marriage ceremony, but it was never meant to be anything but a vacation memory. It was never supposed to go this far. It was a spur of the moment decision,” I answered honestly. Mr. Saunders continued to evaluate me with his piercing blue eyes.

“Jack told me that you didn’t know who he was at that time. Is this true?” Mrs. Saunders asked, sipping delicately on her coffee. Two sets of eyes stared intently at me. I could tell they would know instantly if I was lying or even thinking of lying. I had no intention of telling them anything but the truth. I wanted desperately for his parents to like me.

“Yes, Ma’am. The only time I read the gossip page is when I am waiting in line at the grocery store, and even then I only glance at the covers. They aren’t my preferred reading material. I honestly had no idea who he was until I got home and found my face on all these papers.”

Mrs. Saunders peered over her cup, appraising me like I was fish at the market. Her eyes weighed and measured me as she inwardly debated whether she wanted to purchase or if I was spoiled goods. My mouth felt dry despite my coffee and I forced myself not to lick my lips.

“Do you love him?” Mrs. Saunders asked, her voice casual. She sounded as though she were simply talking about the weather and not matters of the heart. I was about to give a pretty answer, one that was cautious and what I thought she wanted to hear, but nothing about being with Jack was cautious. I gave the truth.

“Honestly, Ma’am? I’m not sure. I’ve never been in love before. He makes me feel things that I have never felt in my entire life. Things that make my head dizzy with excitement and my heart pound with fear. When I see him, I feel like everything is going to work out in the end; like the world isn’t as horrible or dark as it was before I saw him.” I paused and took a short breath, needing to explain myself further. “My parents knew each other for three years before they even started dating. My mom says that it took her years to learn to love him, but one day she looked over and realized that she couldn’t live without that man near her. I haven’t known Jack for three weeks, let alone three years, but I do know that I don’t want to live in a world without him. I don’t know if this feeling will last another three weeks, three years, or three decades, but I want to try. He makes me want to try.”

Mrs. Saunders’ face never changed. She nodded her head to the pile of magazines on the table, their headlines blaring out. “What about the cost? They will always find you and want a piece of you.”

“They are just pictures. Eventually they will get bored because I am boring. I’m too normal to be on the cover for very long. Someone else will steal the spotlight, but if that is the price for being with Jack, I’ll pay it gladly.” A sense of calm washed over me as I realized every word was true. I would put up with a million paparazzi photographers for a minute with Jack.

Mr. and Mrs. Saunders looked at one another, a silent discussion rushing back and forth between them over their cooling eggs.

“I would not use the words ‘boring’ or ‘normal’ to describe you, Emma,” Mr. Saunders finally said, turning to look at me. Mrs. Saunders sighed.

“That's what makes this so hard. I so wanted to dislike you because it would make telling you this part so much easier.”

My heart crept into my throat. This was where they told me he was betrothed, that he had actually been married off as a child, that he had a horrible disease that was going to kill him in a week. The quiet ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room was ominously loud.

Mrs. Saunders set her cup down and reached a hand out to mine. It was a familiar gesture, a way to soothe the sting of bad news. “The marriage may never have been legally binding, but he cannot marry you right now. This is a critical time for our company and business must come first. We can no longer delay the transition.”

I followed her eyes to Mr. Saunders. At first glance he seemed strong and solid, but as I looked closer, he was far more worn than I thought. A tiredness that he couldn’t fight danced around his limbs, dark circles concealed beneath subtle makeup, a thinness even his tailored suit couldn’t hide. There was a lean hunger around his mouth and desperation deep in his blue eyes. I had seen that look many times in the vet’s office... he was dying.

The realization must have blatantly crossed my face as Mrs. Saunders patted my hand to grab my attention. She continued, her voice low and controlled.

“We haven’t spoken to Jack about this yet. He doesn’t know the extent of Daniel’s illness and the need for a quick transition,” Mrs. Saunders said. The soft way her voice caressed her husband’s name made my heart ache. “We need him to focus completely on the company and the transition. Investors are already beginning to worry. He cannot have you as a distraction.”

“I didn't realize that I was a distraction," I said, putting a little sass in my voice. "What is it that you want me to do?” There was a hollowness in the pit of my stomach that I didn’t like. The coffee was growing cold in my cup.

Mrs. Saunders sighed, clearly not a fan of my tone. “Jack was always one to rebel when he felt pushed into something he didn’t want to do. We would like the separation to come from you.”

“What do you expect me to say to him?” I asked. I didn’t want my coffee anymore. I didn’t want to have this conversation anymore. Mr. and Mrs. Saunders glanced at one another, a silent conversation slipping through the moment again.

“That's up to you. Tell him you can’t see him right now. Tell him you don’t love him. Break his heart if necessary, but he needs to focus on taking over the company right now. That is what is most important. Too much is at stake for him to explore his feelings for you.”

I looked at her brown eyes and saw a strange collection of emotions—concern and cruelty, heartache and determination, reluctance and sadness. She was accustomed to her wealth and getting what she wanted for her sons. Although she wanted to like me, she obviously thought her son could do better. She wanted her son to be happy, but the company must survive—it was like one of her children. She was being forced to choose between the happiness of two of her children.

I nodded slowly, trying to process exactly what she wanted me to do. She wanted me to leave Jack. I wasn’t sure if the request would be simple or the hardest thing in the world. I didn't really care about the company, I only cared about Jack. I wanted to scream "Who the fuck do you think you are?" but I knew that would get me nowhere. I decided it would be better to just let them tell me what they wanted. I could fight it later.

“It is of course your decision. We would never force you, or Jack, into something you don’t want to do,” Mrs. Saunders said. Her voice was smooth, like a salesman’s.

I wanted to say 'You are currently forcing Jack' but I bit my tongue.

She sighed. “One last thing. This may help you decide. This came in the mail to your house. We had it forwarded here.”

She slid a large envelope with a fancy seal across the table. It was from my first choice of vet schools. I picked it up with shaking hands, the size of the envelope promising admission. I noticed there was a normal sized envelope bearing the DS Oil and Gas logo attached with a paperclip.

“You’ve been accepted to the school. We had nothing to do with your admission, but there is a full scholarship set up in your name if you take it and leave our son to run his business. Included is a sizable sum to help you cover any expenses.” Mrs. Saunders paused as I weighed the two envelopes in my hands. “If you stay with Jack, you can never become a vet. People would line up with their dogs and cats to become your clients and patients because they know if you make even the slightest mistake, they can sue you for millions. You will never be able to practice without the fear that they were using you. If you stay with Jack, you become part of the company—an employee like the rest of us. You will be lost in a world that is not of your making. Dinners

and charities will fill your days instead of animals. Your dreams will die.”