Love Takes All

Leon pushed forward. “You don’t trust us with our sister!”

Lydia studied him. She wouldn’t trust him with the stuffed animals in Maya’s bedroom.

“Trust has nothing to do with it. But I have to make sure that we all understand exactly where we stand on this issue. Maya’s well-being is at stake here.”

Leon took a deep breath. “You pulled her away from everything she knew to this...this...seedy little backwoods gambling town. I fear for her moral welfare.” He tried to look outraged, but failed.

“Since when have you been worried about Maya’s moral barometer? If I remember correctly, your ex-paramour had to take you to court to get you to pay child support for your two children, who you claimed weren’t yours to get out of taking responsibility for them. And David, you’ve been married to three different Bourbon Street strippers. Such classy wives you chose.”

David shrugged.

Leon looked furious. “We don’t own a casino that preys on people’s weaknesses.”

“If I remember correctly, your father paid your gambling debts a time or three, or maybe four. Or was it five times?” Lydia hated getting nasty with these two, but being nice never seemed to work with them.

Leon scowled. “You’re corrupting Maya and we don’t like that.”

“You don’t have a say in how I raise Maya. And if you don’t mind,” she looked at her watch, “I have to pick up my morally fragile daughter from her tutor and take her to her amoral ballet lesson.”

“Until you talk to your lawyer, David and I will be staying.” A small gleam of triumph glittered in Leon’s eyes.

“I’m sure Reno has enough vices to occupy you both. Enjoy your stay.” Lydia turned on her heel and headed for the elevator, trying not to have a full-blown panic attack.

They were up to something. Thoughts whirled around her brain as she tried to figure out her stepsons’ intentions.

Once she was in her suite, she walked into her bedroom after quickly hugging Maya and giving her instructions to get ready for her ballet lesson. She also graciously thanked the tutor for her time. She leaned against the closed door for a second and then took out her phone and called Mitchell’s lawyer in New Orleans.

Everest Tynan had a warm, welcoming voice. “I was expecting your call.”

“You were. Did you know David and Leon are in Reno? They’re being a bit obnoxious.”

“I suspected you were going to have some trouble from your two stepchildren.”

“They arrived a little while ago. They appear to be concerned about Maya’s moral development.”

Everest snorted. And Lydia found herself almost smiling. Everest was a man of very limited emotional responses and the fact that he’d snorted told her the whole situation was ludicrous.

“They came to see me,” Everest continued. “They want visitation rights with Maya.”

“That is what they said, but I’m suspicious. They never wanted anything to do with Maya when Mitchell was alive.”

“I agree, and since you’re now a resident of Nevada, I did some research and put together a list of Reno lawyers. I’ll text them to your phone. They are all excellent lawyers. I suggest you contact one. David and Leon are there to make trouble and you need legal representation to make sure Maya’s rights are taken care of.”

“Thank you.” Everest Tynan had always been loyal to Mitchell and on Mitchell’s death had transferred that loyalty to Maya. Maya had always been able to twist him around her little finger. Lydia would always be grateful for him and the way he helped her through the torturous months after Mitchell’s death. Even though Lydia had never been in love with Mitchell, she had loved him more like a father because he was so different from her own father. He had indulged her and adored Maya. Lydia would have been content the rest of her life with Mitchell. But cancer was so unpredictable. Sixty-four was too young to die, but it was not unexpected.

Lydia felt tears gather in her eyes. Suddenly, she missed him so much her heart ached with intense pain. They’d been talking about a second child when he’d been struck down. A part of her would never get over him, but in the last year, her grief had eased.

“Take care, Lydia. I’ll be talking with you soon.”

“You take care, too.” She disconnected. If she missed anyone from New Orleans, it was Everest. And maybe her mother a little bit, too.

* * *

The coffee shop was a tiny little alcove off the main lobby. Lydia ordered a decaf latte and turned around to look for a table. She found Hunter tucked in a corner, a cup of coffee at his elbow, a half-eaten piece of apple pie and his laptop open in front of him.

The café was a pleasant place with cheerful colors, black-and-white tile on the floor, red vinyl booths and a long counter with red-covered stools. The café was very clean, right down to the corners, but small signs of wear showed in the chipped Formica on the snack counter and small cracks in the vinyl covering the booths.

“Can I join you?” Lydia asked Hunter. Even though she hated to interrupt, she just liked being around him. Even though they’d only know each other a couple days, he made her feel safe, and even more important, he made her feel special. He looked at her as though she was a person who was capable of making an intelligent decision. He treated her like a real person not a doll to be put up on a shelf and dusted every once in a while. And the way he made her heart race. Well, actually that bothered her a bit, but she liked that he made her feel alive.

Hunter looked up and smiled. He closed his laptop. “I hear we have new guests in the hotel.”

She took a long sip of her coffee, trying to calm her nerves. “Yes, my stepsons. It’s family reunion time.”

He smiled. “I can see you’re overjoyed.”

“Just get it out of your system,” she said, liking the way his eyes crinkled at the corners like a real smile.

“What do you mean?”

“Your opinions about my stepchildren being older than me.”

“Commenting on such a thing would be...crude.”

“The fact that you know my stepsons are older than me, and they’ve only been in the hotel less than an hour, tells me people are gossiping already. So just get it over with.”

“I’m sure it’s awkward, having them underfoot.”

“It’s more awkward not knowing what they want.” She tapped her fingers on the table.

“Maybe they just want to spend time with you.” He looked as though he didn’t believe his words, but they had to be said.

Her eyes narrowed, and held her fingers over her mouth to prevent the building torrent of words from coming forth. That would be unladylike and rude. “I’m sure they have a reason to be here, but I can guarantee you it’s not to be sociable with me.”

He held up a finger. “Give me a second while I find the right response.”

He thought and finally said, “Okay, I don’t have the right response.”

“I don’t either, but I do know I don’t want them here.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “You’re part owner of the place. Call security and have them remove your step-kiddies.”

She thought about that for a second. As much as that idea appealed to her, it would simply make things worse, or worse than they already were.

He leaned forward, his amber-colored eyes intense. “You look like you’re plotting.”

“I am.” Though for a second she was distracted by his closeness. Her gaze lingered on his lips. They were full and seductive. She had so little experience with men and yet she couldn’t stop from thinking what it would feel like to be kissed by him.

“Need any help?” Hunter looked eager.