Ember In The Heart

“In what way?” Celeste frowned.

“I am neither in my twenties, beautifully athletic, a college graduate, and nor am I from a good east coast society family.”

“You don’t really think that stuff matters to Foster, do you?” Jade retorted. “He had a child when he was still in college. Not exactly Mr. Perfect Society Guy.”

Hmm. That was true. Maybe I was projecting his initial attitude about me onto who I knew him to be now. And hadn’t we decided we were going to see the best in each other?

Still … “Like Celeste said, Foster is a man who goes after what he wants. If he wants me, he knows where to find me.”

“Does that mean you would be interested?”

I shrugged. “Certainly in sex. Anything more than that … I’m not sure.”

Jade’s face fell. “But you’re not a casual sex kind of woman.”

“There is a huge age difference between us and I might not look so hot to Foster when I’m sixty and he’s still forty-nine. However, I am attracted to him so …” I shrugged, feeling butterflies at the mere thought, “I wouldn’t say no to sex with a hot younger man. As long as he knows what he’s doing.”

The thought of Foster’s mouth and hands on my body made me shiver with unfulfilled desire.

Foster Darwin was the last man I’d ever let near my body with his hands and mouth!

In fact, he could rot in hell for all I cared!

Furious, instead of my leisurely breast strokes across the pool, I powered through the water in the front crawl. Back and forth, hammering out my hurt and rage.

I tried not to think of the events earlier that day, but I couldn’t stop seeing it.

A warm near-summer’s day, I decided to spend it outside, pottering in our garden. The pool took up most of the backyard, but we had a lawn out front with flowers beds and pots that hung over the porch. I’d bought some fresh plants and was near the flowerbeds adjacent to Foster’s driveway, digging in the cool soil when a Range Rover swung up onto his drive.

An older woman in gray linen pants, a white high-neck blouse and matching gray linen jacket, hopped out of the SUV. She wore sunglasses but I felt her gaze on me and sat back on my heels. A man who looked an awful lot like an older version of Foster rounded the hood.

“Grandpa, grandma!” I heard Georgie shout and suddenly she dashed down the porch and across the driveway as fast as her little legs could take her.

My heart pounded at the sight of her and I felt stupid tears prick my eyes.

Jesus, I missed her.

And I was so thankful to see her happy as her grandfather swung her up into his arms to hug her. I smiled, watching them greet one another, noting Foster had appeared on the driveway too. As Georgie turned her head to look at him, she caught sight of me.

Her pretty little face lit up. “Em!” she took off across the drive before anyone could stop her and I dropped my garden implements just in time to catch her.

The feel of her in my arms made me emotional and I hugged her tight without touching her with my dirty hands. Then she let me go and I realized she’d gotten soil on her pretty purple dress anyway. “Oh, honey, I got you dirty.”

“G, you can’t just attack Ember like that.” Foster came toward her, frowning down at her spoiled dress. “You’ll need to get changed now for lunch with grandma and grandpa.”

Her face fell.

“It was my fault,” I said, even though it wasn’t.

“I’m Madeline Darwin.” Foster’s mom hovered on the boundary between our yards. She offered me a smile. “You are?”

“Ember Bonet.”

“She’s Jade’s sister,” Foster said, without looking at me.

“Oh.” Her smile wilted a little but she gestured to the flower beds. “I love to garden too. Isn’t it therapeutic?”

I nodded though I barely paid attention. I was too busy staring at Foster, wondering why he refused to acknowledge me.

“This is my husband, Edward. Edward, come meet Foster’s neighbor. She’s Colt’s fiancé’s sister.”

“I heard.”

I stiffened at his dismissive tone. And scowled as he said, “Georgie needs to change into a clean dress so we better move if we want to make our reservation.”

“Can Em come?” Georgie asked, staring up at her dad with big, pleading eyes.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to protest, Foster replied firmly. “Absolutely not.” Then he took her hand and walked away. She stared back at me, her lower lip trembling.

I know the feeling kid.

I gave her a weak smile and a little wave.

It only made her face fall further.

Guilt bloomed in my chest.

“Georgie seems close to Jade’s sister,” I heard Madeline say as she followed Foster up the driveway.

Edward grunted in displeasure.