In Name Only ~ Chapter Twenty-Three (Nathan/Haley) Mature Rated
Title: In Name Only
Author: Diane
Pairing/Category: NH, AU
Rating: Mature Rated
Disclaimer: Nope, I don’t own a thing!
Summary: An unusual set of circumstances bring two people together...
Author’s Note: This is completely AU. Main things to point out at the start of this story are that Nathan and Lucas are cousins and not brothers and also that Haley never grew up in Tree Hill. Everything else should be self-explanatory as the story unfolds.
Author's Note #2: I'm so sorry for the long delay in updating. Believe me, it wasn't intentional but, sadly, real life issues combined with a loss of inspiration all played their part here. The next chapter is almost complete so, fingers crossed, there shouldn't be too long a gap before I'm able to update again. Thanks for bearing with me and I hope you enjoy the new installment. I'm looking forward (albeit nervously) to finding out what you think of it.
Last but, by no means least, a big thank you goes to Kristen (k_lafferty), Molly (diamondmolls) and Lisa (kokonutprincess) for all of their help, suggestions and reassurances with this chapter. You girls rock! *hugs*
Previous Chapters
Chapter Twenty-Three
It had been two weeks since Deb Scott had turned up unexpectedly on her son and daughter-in-law's doorstep and she was showing little sign of leaving any time soon. With Nathan out at work every day, it left her free to do what she had set out to do when she had decided on her impromptu visit and she wasn't wasting a precious moment. In her son's presence she did her best to be civil to the devious young woman who seemed so intent on making him look a fool but it wasn't easy. She found herself looking forward to the dawning of each new week day when he would be out of the house and she would be left alone to put her plan into motion. She felt an almost perverse sense of elation when she saw the dread etched on Haley's face as Nathan left for work every morning.
Sipping her black coffee, Deb knew that slow and steady would win the race. Going in like a bull in a china shop wasn't going to serve her purpose long term. If anything, she would end up thrown out of the house and her son's life and she wasn't having that. If anyone was going to end up thrown out on their ass it was going to be that little witch.
It was no more than the little gold-digger deserved and Deb was looking forward to making it happen.
* * * * *
Upstairs, Haley finished getting dressed before going over to the vanity and taking a seat in front of it. Brushing her hair up into a neat ponytail, she secured it with a black fabric scrunchie and, as she did so, she stared at her reflection and didn't fail to spot the dark circles around her eyes. Ever since Deb had shown up it felt like she hadn't slept a wink. The constant poisonous personal digs were dragging her down and it took everything within her not to react and give the woman what she wanted. Her entire body felt so tense and tightly wound and even when Nathan wrapped her in his strong, loving embrace at the end of the day when he returned home it didn't cease. She kept waiting for him to notice her rigid posture... the fact she didn't melt into him and relax the way she usually did when he took her into his arms but so far he hadn't and, as a result, she'd decided to keep quiet. A part of her wondered if he deliberately wasn't bringing the matter up because he didn't want to find out this his mother was still meddling behind his back.
Nathan was her sole reason for holding back and it was taking all of her strength to not react to Deb's insults. Her palms bore crescent moons from where she dug her fingernails into her skin. It was a wonder she hadn't drawn blood. She knew that Nathan wouldn't hesitate in kicking his mother out if he found out half of the things she was saying and as much as she wanted to be free of the woman, she didn't want to be responsible for their relationship deteriorating even further. Surely it would only be a matter of time before he resented her for it and the thought of losing him... it was too painful to even contemplate.
Sighing quietly, she got up from her seat and reluctantly left the sanctuary of hers and Nathan's bedroom, silently praying that her mother-in-law would leave her be for once.
"Ah, there you are. I thought you were going to be wasting yet another day in bed," Deb said as soon as Haley had entered the kitchen.
Haley bit her tongue to stop herself saying something she would probably regret even though she wanted nothing more than to put her in her place. It was ironic how she'd once told Nathan he didn't need to fight her battles for her; that she was more than capable of standing up for herself yet here she was, letting his mother get away with treating her like dirt. She knew the older woman was well aware that she got up just after Nathan did every morning but that she spent most of her time upstairs in her room keeping out of Deb's way. Walking over to the counter where the coffee percolator was situated, she opened up the cupboard where the mugs were only to find it now held boxes of cereal and other store cupboard ingredients.
"Where are the mugs?"
Deb didn't even attempt to hide her smile. "They're in the next cupboard over," she told her. "I decided to make some changes while I'm here. You know what they say about idle hands."
Ignoring her, Haley found the mugs' new home and after grabbing one, she filled it with coffee before adding a spoonful of sugar to it.
"You might want to try using an artificial sweetener, dear." Looking her up and down, Deb added, "Sugar really isn't good for the waistline."
"Duly noted," Haley replied. Taking a mouthful of her drink, she grimaced as she swallowed the cold liquid.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? I switched off the coffee machine a while ago. I thought you'd prefer to make some fresh coffee when you finally came downstairs."
Haley was gripping her mug so tightly she was sure the ceramic would crack at any second. Placing it onto the counter, she said, "I'll make some after I've checked the mailbox."
"I've already done that. There were just a couple of things for Nathan which I've put on his desk."
"There wasn't anything for me?" Haley asked.
"No. I just told you, the only mail delivered today is for my son." Smiling sweetly, Deb said, "Are you expecting something?"
"Yes. The local college is sending me an application pack but it hasn't arrived yet. I was sure it'd be here by now."
"Maybe it went to the wrong address. Are you certain you gave them your correct details?"
Haley knew exactly what the blonde was implying with that question and she gritted her teeth. "Yes."
"Well, then, I'm sure it's on its way." Passing by the young woman, Deb went over to the kitchen table in the corner of the room and picked up her jacket which was hanging on the back of a chair. Slipping it on, she grabbed her large purse before turning to face Haley. "I've got a few errands to run so why don't you make yourself some breakfast while I'm gone. I've still got some organising to do in the kitchen when I get back and I'd rather not have you under my feet while I do it."
Before the auburn haired young woman could utter a word, Deb breezed past her and a minute later Haley heard the front door close. She felt like screaming. All she wanted was for Deb to accept her as Nathan's wife but it looked less and less likely that that was going to be happening. Pouring the cold coffee down the sink, she washed out the glass jug before removing the filter paper from the machine and dumping it in the trash. Opening up the drawer where they kept the filters, she sighed - this time loudly - when she saw they were no longer there. Great! Where the hell had Deb moved them to?
It had only been two weeks but Haley already felt that if anyone was going to be leaving Chicago it was going to be her.
* * * * *
Clutching her purse tightly, Deb walked through the entrance to the park, which was located about twenty minutes from the house, and sat down at the first bench she came to. Even though nobody knew her here, she still took a quick glance around before opening her bag and removing the large envelope from inside of it. She scowled when she saw the words "Mrs Haley Scott" written across it with Nathan's address underneath.
"Not for much longer," she mumbled under her breath. Ripping open the envelope, she felt a lick of satisfaction run through her as she deliberately tore through the name and address and getting up from the bench, she walked over to a nearby trash can and threw the whole thing into it. "You're going to stay a college drop-out, Haley James. My son is not wasting his hard earned money on your education just because your parents couldn't afford it."
Her spirits raised somewhat, Deb smiled as she made her way out of the park. Instead of going back to the house, she decided to go into town and indulge in a little retail therapy. After all, Nathan had mentioned last night that he had an important event to attend in a few weeks time and she would need something nice to wear. No way was she letting him take that gold-digging little tramp with him who would no doubt just embarrass him in front of his colleagues and peers. No, she would just have to come up with something to get Haley out of the way for the night.
With her daughter-in-law being so young and gullible Deb was sure it wasn't going to take much ingenuity.
* * * * *
Ending the call she had just made, Haley set the phone down. She'd just phoned the college and spoken with the same woman who took her initial query over a week ago. The woman had confirmed to her that she had sent out the application pack the very same day to the address she had been given. She promised to send another pack out today.
Haley had already had her suspicions that her mail had been intercepted and now she was even more certain and there was only one person who could've done it. Starting tomorrow, she was done hiding up in her room. If necessary, she was determined to sit by the mailbox each morning and get the mail before her interfering mother-in-law could do it.
She had always loved school and it had broken her heart to leave college, not that she blamed her parents. It wasn't their fault and she'd totally understood the situation. Now, though, she had the chance to pick up where she had left off and she wasn't going to let it slip through her fingers and with Deb sticking around for the foreseeable future, she desperately wanted to get out of the house and spend as little time as possible with the woman. College would offer her a welcome escape.
If she didn't receive this application pack, she decided that she'd physically go to the college and complete the necessary forms there and then. There was no way in hell she was going to let Deb take this away from her.
* * * * *
"Hey, Mom," Nathan said, entering the house a little after six that evening. "Where's Haley?"
Deb groaned under her breath. Did he have to mention her name as soon as he'd walked through the door, for God's sake. Doing her best to fix a smile onto her face, she replied, "She's upstairs which is where she's been practically all day. That really isn't healthy for her."
"Is she okay? She's not sick or anything, I mean."
"I don't know. Like I said, I've hardly seen her today."
Nathan frowned. "You, uh, haven't been saying anything to her, have you?"
Getting up from the armchair she was sitting in, she placed her hands on her hips. "I've been nothing but friendly to her since I've been here but, of course, you're blaming me for this. You're always going to see me as the villain and her as the innocent little princess."
"No, no, I'm not. I-I'm sorry. I wasn't accusing you; I was just wondering, that's all."
Reigning in her temper, Deb placed her hand on his arm and gave it a light squeeze. "No, I'm sorry, honey. I shouldn't have reacted like that. Why don't you go upstairs and see her? Let me know if she'd like anything to eat or drink."
He nodded. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."
She watched him take the stairs two at a time in his eagerness to get upstairs and this time she didn't even attempt to hide her look of contempt. "Why can't you see what she's really like, Nate?" she said, her voice not much more than a whisper. As she watched him disappear from view, she found herself wishing that her ex-husband was still alive. Dan Scott would've had more than a few ideas of how to deal with someone like Haley James.
* * * * *
Quietly opening his bedroom door, Nathan crossed over the threshold and he instantly saw his wife curled up on his side of their bed, her back to him. He stood there for several moments, just watching her. Something was off with her... it had been for a couple of weeks now but when he'd ask her if she was okay, she simply smiled at him and said everything was fine. He knew things between her and his mother were still a little frosty and that it most likely wasn't a coincidence that her quiet demeanor had something to do with the older woman's arrival, but since she hadn't said anything else and he hadn't witnessed anything first-hand, he wasn't sure whether he should raise the matter. If things were fine, like Haley was insisting, maybe it was better to leave it alone. He had to trust that she would confide in him if anything was bothering her.
The fact his mom had shown up the night of his birthday, full of apologies had to mean something and he wanted to believe she was genuine in wanting to make amends with him and also with Haley for her previous behaviour towards them and their marriage. He'd already lost one parent and while his relationship with his mother had been just as fraught as the one he'd had with Dan, he hoped that now they were both older and wiser, that they could find a closeness that had previously eluded them. Maybe that was wishful thinking though, he sighed.
With him out at work every day, he realised that the situation probably wasn't the easiest for Haley but surely she'd tell him if his mother was causing her any trouble and...
Nathan was brought out of his reverie when Haley turned over in bed and saw him watching her.
"Hey," she said, smiling shyly at him.
"Hey," he replied, returning her smile with one of his own. "Are you okay? My mom said you've been up here all day."
"I've just felt a little tired. I didn't sleep all that great last night," she told him.
Walking over to the bed, Nathan sat down beside her and took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb along over her wedding ring. "You should've woken me up," he teased. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips over hers before kissing her softly.
Haley moaned into his mouth and easing her hand out of his, she cupped the back of his head, her fingertips massaging his scalp while, at the same time, holding him in place. When his tongue teased the seam of her lips, she instantly parted them and allowed him access.
Within moments, she had pulled him down on top of her and they were passionately making out; their hands wandering everywhere they could reach. Nathan was just about to slip his hand beneath Haley's T-shirt when there was a knock on the door which he hadn't closed behind him.
Haley felt like crying at yet another interruption. Ever since Deb's arrival this was par for the course. Whenever she and Nathan were alone, whether it was just talking or they were being intimate, the woman would suddenly pop up with some ridiculous request which would subsequently put a stop to matters.
She should have known as soon as Nathan kissed her that it would only be a matter of moments before Deb reared her head yet again.
"What is it, Mom?" Nathan asked, not moving away from his wife. He'd felt her entire body become rigid at the interruption and he was sure he heard her curse, something she rarely ever did. He was determined to ask her about it later.
"I was hoping you could drive me to the store," Deb said as she further entered the room. "I don't really know my way around town and I need a few things."
Haley tightly gripped the edge of the comforter she was lying on. Earlier that day, her mother-in-law had been out for several hours and had returned with several shopping bags. Funny how she'd easily managed to find her way around to buy a ton of clothes but all of a sudden she needed Nathan's assistance.
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" he asked. It had been a long exhausting week at work and the last thing he felt like doing was getting in the car to ferry his mother around.
"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, honey," she told him. "I would've asked Haley to accompany me but I've hardly seen her today. Isn't that right, dear?"
The flash of triumph the older woman displayed as she stared at her made Haley feel sick to her stomach. "Right," she mumbled before she slid out from underneath her husband and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it.
"What the hell?" Nathan asked, his mouth dropping open as his wife stormed out of the room.
"How rude!" she exclaimed. "I guess you're used to this sort of childish behaviour with her though."
"Mom!" Getting up from the bed, he gave her a hard stare.
"What? Tell me, what am I supposed to think when she acts so petulantly?"
Nathan ran his hands through his hair before loosening his tie. "I need to talk to Haley so why don't you go downstairs and-"
"What about going to the store, Nathan? I really need a few things and maybe it'd be better to give her some time to calm down. Obviously, something's bothering her but going in there demanding to know what's wrong probably isn't the wisest move right now. I'm just thinking of you," she told him, gracing him with a sympathetic look.
"The store can wait. If it's that urgent call a cab. There's a number for a local firm in the address book in my office. I want to check on Haley."
The urge to stamp her foot was almost too strong to ignore but she somehow managed not to do it. "Fine," she grumbled before turning and walking out.
Expelling a long breath, Nathan closed and then locked the bedroom door. He stared at the bathroom door for a minute before making his way over to it and knocking softly. "Hales? Can you open the door for me?"
In the bathroom, Haley stared unseeingly into the mirror over the sink, her vision blurred by her tears which were steadily rolling down her cheeks. She felt like she couldn't breathe and, right then in that very moment, all she wanted was to be anywhere but here. She was tempted to go and visit her parents... maybe even one of her siblings, but she didn't want to worry any of them. As soon as they saw her they would instantly know that something was wrong.
"Haley, please open the door."
Nathan's voice cut into her thoughts and after wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, she turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water onto her face before patting it dry with a towel. Taking a few deep breaths, she went over and flipped the lock.
Nathan wasted no time in opening the door and when he saw her standing in front of him, he suddenly seemed to take in how much smaller she looked... how fragile. "Hales..."
Not wanting to break down in front of him, Haley forced herself to smile and pushing herself onto her toes, she pressed a kiss onto his cheek before retreating. "I'm sorry about storming out. I don't know what's wrong with me lately. If I could just get a good night's sleep I'm sure I'll feel much better."
"Is that all it is?" he asked, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together. "You... you'd tell me if my mom was doing or saying stuff to you behind my back, right?"
She briefly hesitated but then nodded her head. "Yeah... of course. I-I promise. I think I'm going to try and take a nap so you might as well take your mom to the store. You know you won't get any peace otherwise," she told him, hoping he bought her cheery tone which sounded so fake to her own ears.
"I really don't want to go out," Nathan replied. "I was hoping we could get a head start on our weekend and just kick back and relax. Maybe order in some food and watch a movie."
Smiling, she gently squeezed his fingers. "That sounds perfect but with the way I'm feeling I'd probably fall asleep on you."
"I don't mind," he said, returning her smile. "I love having you snuggled up next to me."
Her heart melted at his words and, not for the first time, she wished that Deb Scott would go back to Tree Hill and leave the two of them alone to get on with their rest of their lives in peace and quiet. Just as she thought that, the woman in question called up the stairs.
"Nathan, honey, your dinner's on the table."
"Please tell me she hasn't been cooking," he whispered to his wife.
Haley couldn't help laughing. "I doubt it. Didn't you once tell me she manages to burn water?"
"Yeah, and I wasn't kidding. I practically lived on take-out and TV dinners as a kid."
Pushing herself up onto her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her lips over his. "Aww, poor baby. How about I make you something special for dinner tomorrow."
"Mac and cheese?"
She smiled at his request. Ever since she had made him her family's recipe for macaroni and cheese, he declared it to be the best he'd ever eaten, telling her it was even better than his Aunt Karen's though he said he'd deny it if she brought it up in front of the other woman. "If you want."
"Oh, I want," he murmured huskily, his arms banding around her waist, drawing her even closer to his body. His lips were almost touching hers when his mother's voice rang out again.
"Nathan, c'mon! Your food's getting cold!"
He turned his head slightly and shouted back, "I'll be down in a minute." Resting his forehead against Haley's, he closed his eyes and reveled in the soothing touch of his wife's fingertips lightly caressing his nape. "If she isn't gone in a week's time I'm packing her bags for her and putting her on the first flight back to North Carolina."
A surge of hope bubbled up in Haley's chest upon hearing him say that and she silently prayed with every fibre of her being that he meant it. "You'd better get down there before she comes looking for you," she teased.
He nodded. "Try and get some rest, okay. When I come back upstairs I'll bring you something to eat."
"Okay, thanks."
After he'd kissed her once more, Nathan left the room and she released a long breath. She desperately wanted it to be just the two of them again but as she began remembering Deb's verbal jabs to her over the past couple of weeks, that little bit of hope she'd felt a few moments ago was already already fading and she was left with the sinking feeling that things were only going to get worse.
* * * * *
During dinner, which had consisted of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich that she'd managed to prepare without burning the bread too much, Nathan had had the audacity to flat out ask her if she was upsetting Haley and for a split-second Deb had been worried the little bitch had told him what she'd been up to in his absence but when she denied it and asked what Haley had been saying, he replied that she hadn't told him anything; just that she was feeling tired and that was the reason for her quietness. As she'd loaded the dishwasher, Deb had breathed a quiet sigh of relief, a bubble of happiness welling inside of her at the fact her soon-to-be ex-daughter-in-law was actually keeping her mouth shut.
It was while he was eating that she'd almost brow-beaten him into taking her to the store so here she now was, walking up and down various aisles of the nearest drugstore picking up random items she really didn't want or need. Still, anything to get him out of the house and away from his whiny child bride.
If she hadn't walked into their bedroom when she did she knew only too well what they would have ended up doing. She wouldn't put it past Haley to trap Nathan into getting her pregnant so she was just going to have to do her best to interrupt them as much as she possibly could.
Deb had seen the look of fear in the young woman's eyes and that made her all the more determined to keep going with her plan to split them up. It hadn't occurred to the blonde that Haley was petrified of losing Nathan. In her mind, she believed the fear stemmed from losing the nice, comfortable lifestyle being married to him afforded her. If she thought she could get away with her son never finding out about it, she'd offer to buy Haley out of his life but that was too risky.
No, she needed to keep being as subtle as possible, especially when Nathan was around. Picking up a can of hairspray, Deb placed it into the basket she was carrying. She realised she probably shouldn't have revealed her game plan to Haley quite so soon but, so far at least, the girl was keeping quiet. She had to admit, she wasn't quite expecting that. As she'd began arranging her belongings in the guest bedroom the night she'd arrived, a part of her was sure Nathan was going to barge in at any second demanding to know what she'd said to upset his precious wife but it hadn't happened. Instead, she'd decided to interrupt them with the lame excuse of not being able to open her suitcase and, somehow, she had managed to keep him chatting for almost an hour before he finally told her he was going to bed. Wickedly, she'd knocked on his door five minutes later to thank him for accepting her apology and for letting her stay and she had internally cheered when he'd asked her to keep her voice down as Haley was fast asleep.
Her plan had already started working and she couldn't have been happier.
"Mom, are you done yet?" Nathan asked, coming around the corner of the aisle and seeing her just standing there staring at a display of haircare products.
"Almost, honey," she said, turning to look at him from over her shoulder. When he walked away, heading towards the pay desk, the corners of her lips quirked upwards into a half-smile. "Almost," she repeated in a soft whisper. "In fact, I don't think it's going to take very much longer at all."
* * * * *
As Haley figured it would be, the weekend was another nightmare. Every time she turned around there was Deb, a nasty smirk stretched across her face. When she began preparing the macaroni and cheese she had promised Nathan the night before, her mother-in-law bitched constantly about the amount of calories the meal contained and even went so far as to imply that Haley was trying to shorten her son's life by feeding him fattening foods so she could get her hands on his inheritance and the properties he owned.
She was reaching the end of her tether and really didn't know how much more she could endure before she finally broke. Every night she desperately wanted to confide in Nathan but then she'd see him smiling and laughing with his mother and she knew she couldn't do it. She couldn't be the one to put the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. At the back of her mind was the saying "blood is thicker than water" and even though things had never been easy between mother and son, Haley couldn't see him choosing her over Deb and, as awful as things were right now, she actually didn't want that for them.
Sadly, it didn't look as though Deb shared that opinion and the blonde was making it increasingly clear with her words and actions that she was willing to do whatever it took to get rid of her.
"Hales? What are you doing out here?" Nathan asked, finding his wife curled up on one of the sun loungers in the garden. The sun was just beginning to set and the breeze ruffling her hair was turning chilly.
"I just felt like getting some fresh air," she told him.
"Are you okay, baby?" Taking a seat on the lounger beside hers, he leaned forward and brushed his fingers along her forearm.
"Uh huh." She nodded, doing her best to smile and reassure him.
"So, I've got some good news."
"Really?" Haley mentally crossed everything that he was about to tell her that Deb was going back home.
"Yep. My mom just told me she's going out and won't be back until late. Apparently, she has a friend who lives about an hour from here so she's going to visit her. I just booked her a cab so it looks like we're going to have the place to ourselves for the evening."
"That's... great. It'll be nice to spend some time alone together." Even though she was genuinely happy at the prospect of having a Deb-free night, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment that the news wasn't what she'd been hoping for. Her voice sounded flat and she hoped Nathan didn't pick up on it. When she saw his forehead crease slightly, she held her breath waiting for the subsequent question but it never came. Forcing herself to sound perkier, she asked, "What do you feel like doing tonight?" She couldn't help giggling when instead of answering her verbally, he simply flashed her a smirk.
"What?" Nathan asked, joining in with her laughter.
"You're so obvious," she teased.
He was just about to kiss her when he heard his mother's voice. "Jesus Christ," he mumbled against her mouth.
Haley sunk her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from laughing even though the situation wasn't the least bit funny. If she didn't laugh she'd probably end up crying.
"What is it, Mom?"
"I just wanted to let you know my taxi is here so I'm off. In case it's too late I might stay at Melinda's and come back in the morning. I'll call and let you know if that happens."
"Yeah, okay. Have fun with your friend."
"Oh, I will," Deb replied, a big smile illuminating her face. "I definitely will. See you later."
"Bye," Haley whispered. She hadn't missed the other woman's smile and she felt even more uneasy than she had previously.
Upon hearing the faint sound of the front door closing, Nathan's smirk deepened. "Alone at last." Kissing his wife's lips, his voice was deep and husky when he asked, "Do you want to go inside?"
She gave a small nod. Cupping the back of his head, she initiated the kiss this time, slipping her tongue into his mouth and letting it tangle playfully with his own. She moaned with disappointment when he drew back from her.
Standing up, Nathan held out his hands and as soon as Haley placed hers in them, he gently pulled her up and then banded his arms around her waist. "I love you," he whispered, nuzzling his nose against hers before kissing her again.
Hearing him say that made her heart race and she kissed him back hungrily, bringing her hands up to cup his face. "I love you, too," she said breathlessly. Not putting it past a certain someone to suddenly return home despite what she'd told them a short while ago, Haley practically dragged him into the house and upstairs to their bedroom.
"A little eager, are we?" he said chuckling.
She felt her cheeks heat up but she didn't look away. "Considering we haven't made love in almost a week... hell yeah," she told him, locking the door.
Nathan didn't object. His mother had been a royal pain in the butt since she'd turned up on his doorstep what with her constant interruptions and even though she said she wouldn't be back until late tonight, he wouldn't have been surprised if she suddenly popped up again saying the cab had broken down and asking him to drive her to her friend's place. If Haley hadn't locked the door he would've done it.
They undressed each other slowly, their lips meeting in soft, fleeting kisses while their hands wandered everywhere they could reach. Feeling Nathan's naked body rubbing against her own as he laid her down in the centre of their bed had her moaning in pleasure. Her hands kneaded the smooth skin of his back and shoulders, luxuriating in the feel of him pressing her down into the soft mattress. She missed this more than she'd realised and bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist, her hold on him increased.
Nathan teased her with his lips and tongue, grazing the base of her neck with his teeth before sucking a patch of her delicate skin into his mouth, determined to leave his mark on her. He gasped against her when she took him into her hands and caressed his hot, aching flesh. His fingers gripped the pillow either side of her head and when he finally entered her, he buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, thereby missing the single tear that escaped from the corner of her eye.
* * * * *
"I just don't know what I'm going to do," Deb said, sighing. Raising her glass, she took a long sip of her cool, crisp Chardonnay.
Melinda Murray-Hall smiled at her friend. "Just keep doing what you're doing. From what you've told me, it sounds like she's already starting to crack."
"Yes but... I just feel it's not enough. I wish I had something on her... something big that would get rid of her once and for all."
Playing with the stem of her own wine glass, she mused, "I have to say, I was surprised when I heard about Nathan getting married and so fast at that. My initial thought was that he had to get married-"
"That was my first thought, too," Deb interjected. "But she's not pregnant. Apparently, she told him she was a virgin waiting for marriage before she'd have sex with him and he fell for it. I love my son but he's a typical man."
Melinda laughed softly. "Could there be another reason for how quickly he married her?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know... Let's look at the facts. He comes home unannounced and within the space of what, a month? He's met and married a young woman when he'd apparently always claimed he would be an eternal bachelor. There's something more than a little fishy about it, if you ask me, Deb."
"I completely agree. I just can't think of anything which would've forced him to marry her."
"Hmm, is there any chance this has something do with Dan?"
Deb frowned. "How do you mean?"
"Could he have included a stipulation in his Will... something which would give Nathan no choice but to comply?"
She'd just been about to take another drink of her wine but she paused at the question. "His inheritance," the blonde stated. She knew only too well how evil her ex-husband had been at times but would he really have done something so drastic and if the answer to that question was yes, would Nathan have actually gone ahead and complied with it? He'd told her from a young age that he would never get married so why the sudden change of heart? She didn't believe for a second that someone as... innocent and homely as Haley James could capture her son's attention enough for him to marry her and so damn quickly at that.
Melinda watched as her friend thought about the seed she had planted. "It might be worth talking to Dan's lawyer."
"Unfortunately, I think client confidentiality still exists even though the old bastard's dead."
"Hmm, didn't you two once have a... uh, thing a few years back. Maybe you could pay him a visit... flash a little leg and cleavage..." she trailed off.
Deb's smile returned as she considered the redhead's words. "You know what, Mel, I think that's an excellent idea."
TBC
Author: Diane
Pairing/Category: NH, AU
Rating: Mature Rated
Disclaimer: Nope, I don’t own a thing!
Summary: An unusual set of circumstances bring two people together...
Author’s Note: This is completely AU. Main things to point out at the start of this story are that Nathan and Lucas are cousins and not brothers and also that Haley never grew up in Tree Hill. Everything else should be self-explanatory as the story unfolds.
Author's Note #2: I'm so sorry for the long delay in updating. Believe me, it wasn't intentional but, sadly, real life issues combined with a loss of inspiration all played their part here. The next chapter is almost complete so, fingers crossed, there shouldn't be too long a gap before I'm able to update again. Thanks for bearing with me and I hope you enjoy the new installment. I'm looking forward (albeit nervously) to finding out what you think of it.
Last but, by no means least, a big thank you goes to Kristen (k_lafferty), Molly (diamondmolls) and Lisa (kokonutprincess) for all of their help, suggestions and reassurances with this chapter. You girls rock! *hugs*
Previous Chapters
Chapter Twenty-Three
It had been two weeks since Deb Scott had turned up unexpectedly on her son and daughter-in-law's doorstep and she was showing little sign of leaving any time soon. With Nathan out at work every day, it left her free to do what she had set out to do when she had decided on her impromptu visit and she wasn't wasting a precious moment. In her son's presence she did her best to be civil to the devious young woman who seemed so intent on making him look a fool but it wasn't easy. She found herself looking forward to the dawning of each new week day when he would be out of the house and she would be left alone to put her plan into motion. She felt an almost perverse sense of elation when she saw the dread etched on Haley's face as Nathan left for work every morning.
Sipping her black coffee, Deb knew that slow and steady would win the race. Going in like a bull in a china shop wasn't going to serve her purpose long term. If anything, she would end up thrown out of the house and her son's life and she wasn't having that. If anyone was going to end up thrown out on their ass it was going to be that little witch.
It was no more than the little gold-digger deserved and Deb was looking forward to making it happen.
* * * * *
Upstairs, Haley finished getting dressed before going over to the vanity and taking a seat in front of it. Brushing her hair up into a neat ponytail, she secured it with a black fabric scrunchie and, as she did so, she stared at her reflection and didn't fail to spot the dark circles around her eyes. Ever since Deb had shown up it felt like she hadn't slept a wink. The constant poisonous personal digs were dragging her down and it took everything within her not to react and give the woman what she wanted. Her entire body felt so tense and tightly wound and even when Nathan wrapped her in his strong, loving embrace at the end of the day when he returned home it didn't cease. She kept waiting for him to notice her rigid posture... the fact she didn't melt into him and relax the way she usually did when he took her into his arms but so far he hadn't and, as a result, she'd decided to keep quiet. A part of her wondered if he deliberately wasn't bringing the matter up because he didn't want to find out this his mother was still meddling behind his back.
Nathan was her sole reason for holding back and it was taking all of her strength to not react to Deb's insults. Her palms bore crescent moons from where she dug her fingernails into her skin. It was a wonder she hadn't drawn blood. She knew that Nathan wouldn't hesitate in kicking his mother out if he found out half of the things she was saying and as much as she wanted to be free of the woman, she didn't want to be responsible for their relationship deteriorating even further. Surely it would only be a matter of time before he resented her for it and the thought of losing him... it was too painful to even contemplate.
Sighing quietly, she got up from her seat and reluctantly left the sanctuary of hers and Nathan's bedroom, silently praying that her mother-in-law would leave her be for once.
"Ah, there you are. I thought you were going to be wasting yet another day in bed," Deb said as soon as Haley had entered the kitchen.
Haley bit her tongue to stop herself saying something she would probably regret even though she wanted nothing more than to put her in her place. It was ironic how she'd once told Nathan he didn't need to fight her battles for her; that she was more than capable of standing up for herself yet here she was, letting his mother get away with treating her like dirt. She knew the older woman was well aware that she got up just after Nathan did every morning but that she spent most of her time upstairs in her room keeping out of Deb's way. Walking over to the counter where the coffee percolator was situated, she opened up the cupboard where the mugs were only to find it now held boxes of cereal and other store cupboard ingredients.
"Where are the mugs?"
Deb didn't even attempt to hide her smile. "They're in the next cupboard over," she told her. "I decided to make some changes while I'm here. You know what they say about idle hands."
Ignoring her, Haley found the mugs' new home and after grabbing one, she filled it with coffee before adding a spoonful of sugar to it.
"You might want to try using an artificial sweetener, dear." Looking her up and down, Deb added, "Sugar really isn't good for the waistline."
"Duly noted," Haley replied. Taking a mouthful of her drink, she grimaced as she swallowed the cold liquid.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? I switched off the coffee machine a while ago. I thought you'd prefer to make some fresh coffee when you finally came downstairs."
Haley was gripping her mug so tightly she was sure the ceramic would crack at any second. Placing it onto the counter, she said, "I'll make some after I've checked the mailbox."
"I've already done that. There were just a couple of things for Nathan which I've put on his desk."
"There wasn't anything for me?" Haley asked.
"No. I just told you, the only mail delivered today is for my son." Smiling sweetly, Deb said, "Are you expecting something?"
"Yes. The local college is sending me an application pack but it hasn't arrived yet. I was sure it'd be here by now."
"Maybe it went to the wrong address. Are you certain you gave them your correct details?"
Haley knew exactly what the blonde was implying with that question and she gritted her teeth. "Yes."
"Well, then, I'm sure it's on its way." Passing by the young woman, Deb went over to the kitchen table in the corner of the room and picked up her jacket which was hanging on the back of a chair. Slipping it on, she grabbed her large purse before turning to face Haley. "I've got a few errands to run so why don't you make yourself some breakfast while I'm gone. I've still got some organising to do in the kitchen when I get back and I'd rather not have you under my feet while I do it."
Before the auburn haired young woman could utter a word, Deb breezed past her and a minute later Haley heard the front door close. She felt like screaming. All she wanted was for Deb to accept her as Nathan's wife but it looked less and less likely that that was going to be happening. Pouring the cold coffee down the sink, she washed out the glass jug before removing the filter paper from the machine and dumping it in the trash. Opening up the drawer where they kept the filters, she sighed - this time loudly - when she saw they were no longer there. Great! Where the hell had Deb moved them to?
It had only been two weeks but Haley already felt that if anyone was going to be leaving Chicago it was going to be her.
* * * * *
Clutching her purse tightly, Deb walked through the entrance to the park, which was located about twenty minutes from the house, and sat down at the first bench she came to. Even though nobody knew her here, she still took a quick glance around before opening her bag and removing the large envelope from inside of it. She scowled when she saw the words "Mrs Haley Scott" written across it with Nathan's address underneath.
"Not for much longer," she mumbled under her breath. Ripping open the envelope, she felt a lick of satisfaction run through her as she deliberately tore through the name and address and getting up from the bench, she walked over to a nearby trash can and threw the whole thing into it. "You're going to stay a college drop-out, Haley James. My son is not wasting his hard earned money on your education just because your parents couldn't afford it."
Her spirits raised somewhat, Deb smiled as she made her way out of the park. Instead of going back to the house, she decided to go into town and indulge in a little retail therapy. After all, Nathan had mentioned last night that he had an important event to attend in a few weeks time and she would need something nice to wear. No way was she letting him take that gold-digging little tramp with him who would no doubt just embarrass him in front of his colleagues and peers. No, she would just have to come up with something to get Haley out of the way for the night.
With her daughter-in-law being so young and gullible Deb was sure it wasn't going to take much ingenuity.
* * * * *
Ending the call she had just made, Haley set the phone down. She'd just phoned the college and spoken with the same woman who took her initial query over a week ago. The woman had confirmed to her that she had sent out the application pack the very same day to the address she had been given. She promised to send another pack out today.
Haley had already had her suspicions that her mail had been intercepted and now she was even more certain and there was only one person who could've done it. Starting tomorrow, she was done hiding up in her room. If necessary, she was determined to sit by the mailbox each morning and get the mail before her interfering mother-in-law could do it.
She had always loved school and it had broken her heart to leave college, not that she blamed her parents. It wasn't their fault and she'd totally understood the situation. Now, though, she had the chance to pick up where she had left off and she wasn't going to let it slip through her fingers and with Deb sticking around for the foreseeable future, she desperately wanted to get out of the house and spend as little time as possible with the woman. College would offer her a welcome escape.
If she didn't receive this application pack, she decided that she'd physically go to the college and complete the necessary forms there and then. There was no way in hell she was going to let Deb take this away from her.
* * * * *
"Hey, Mom," Nathan said, entering the house a little after six that evening. "Where's Haley?"
Deb groaned under her breath. Did he have to mention her name as soon as he'd walked through the door, for God's sake. Doing her best to fix a smile onto her face, she replied, "She's upstairs which is where she's been practically all day. That really isn't healthy for her."
"Is she okay? She's not sick or anything, I mean."
"I don't know. Like I said, I've hardly seen her today."
Nathan frowned. "You, uh, haven't been saying anything to her, have you?"
Getting up from the armchair she was sitting in, she placed her hands on her hips. "I've been nothing but friendly to her since I've been here but, of course, you're blaming me for this. You're always going to see me as the villain and her as the innocent little princess."
"No, no, I'm not. I-I'm sorry. I wasn't accusing you; I was just wondering, that's all."
Reigning in her temper, Deb placed her hand on his arm and gave it a light squeeze. "No, I'm sorry, honey. I shouldn't have reacted like that. Why don't you go upstairs and see her? Let me know if she'd like anything to eat or drink."
He nodded. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."
She watched him take the stairs two at a time in his eagerness to get upstairs and this time she didn't even attempt to hide her look of contempt. "Why can't you see what she's really like, Nate?" she said, her voice not much more than a whisper. As she watched him disappear from view, she found herself wishing that her ex-husband was still alive. Dan Scott would've had more than a few ideas of how to deal with someone like Haley James.
* * * * *
Quietly opening his bedroom door, Nathan crossed over the threshold and he instantly saw his wife curled up on his side of their bed, her back to him. He stood there for several moments, just watching her. Something was off with her... it had been for a couple of weeks now but when he'd ask her if she was okay, she simply smiled at him and said everything was fine. He knew things between her and his mother were still a little frosty and that it most likely wasn't a coincidence that her quiet demeanor had something to do with the older woman's arrival, but since she hadn't said anything else and he hadn't witnessed anything first-hand, he wasn't sure whether he should raise the matter. If things were fine, like Haley was insisting, maybe it was better to leave it alone. He had to trust that she would confide in him if anything was bothering her.
The fact his mom had shown up the night of his birthday, full of apologies had to mean something and he wanted to believe she was genuine in wanting to make amends with him and also with Haley for her previous behaviour towards them and their marriage. He'd already lost one parent and while his relationship with his mother had been just as fraught as the one he'd had with Dan, he hoped that now they were both older and wiser, that they could find a closeness that had previously eluded them. Maybe that was wishful thinking though, he sighed.
With him out at work every day, he realised that the situation probably wasn't the easiest for Haley but surely she'd tell him if his mother was causing her any trouble and...
Nathan was brought out of his reverie when Haley turned over in bed and saw him watching her.
"Hey," she said, smiling shyly at him.
"Hey," he replied, returning her smile with one of his own. "Are you okay? My mom said you've been up here all day."
"I've just felt a little tired. I didn't sleep all that great last night," she told him.
Walking over to the bed, Nathan sat down beside her and took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb along over her wedding ring. "You should've woken me up," he teased. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips over hers before kissing her softly.
Haley moaned into his mouth and easing her hand out of his, she cupped the back of his head, her fingertips massaging his scalp while, at the same time, holding him in place. When his tongue teased the seam of her lips, she instantly parted them and allowed him access.
Within moments, she had pulled him down on top of her and they were passionately making out; their hands wandering everywhere they could reach. Nathan was just about to slip his hand beneath Haley's T-shirt when there was a knock on the door which he hadn't closed behind him.
Haley felt like crying at yet another interruption. Ever since Deb's arrival this was par for the course. Whenever she and Nathan were alone, whether it was just talking or they were being intimate, the woman would suddenly pop up with some ridiculous request which would subsequently put a stop to matters.
She should have known as soon as Nathan kissed her that it would only be a matter of moments before Deb reared her head yet again.
"What is it, Mom?" Nathan asked, not moving away from his wife. He'd felt her entire body become rigid at the interruption and he was sure he heard her curse, something she rarely ever did. He was determined to ask her about it later.
"I was hoping you could drive me to the store," Deb said as she further entered the room. "I don't really know my way around town and I need a few things."
Haley tightly gripped the edge of the comforter she was lying on. Earlier that day, her mother-in-law had been out for several hours and had returned with several shopping bags. Funny how she'd easily managed to find her way around to buy a ton of clothes but all of a sudden she needed Nathan's assistance.
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" he asked. It had been a long exhausting week at work and the last thing he felt like doing was getting in the car to ferry his mother around.
"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, honey," she told him. "I would've asked Haley to accompany me but I've hardly seen her today. Isn't that right, dear?"
The flash of triumph the older woman displayed as she stared at her made Haley feel sick to her stomach. "Right," she mumbled before she slid out from underneath her husband and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it.
"What the hell?" Nathan asked, his mouth dropping open as his wife stormed out of the room.
"How rude!" she exclaimed. "I guess you're used to this sort of childish behaviour with her though."
"Mom!" Getting up from the bed, he gave her a hard stare.
"What? Tell me, what am I supposed to think when she acts so petulantly?"
Nathan ran his hands through his hair before loosening his tie. "I need to talk to Haley so why don't you go downstairs and-"
"What about going to the store, Nathan? I really need a few things and maybe it'd be better to give her some time to calm down. Obviously, something's bothering her but going in there demanding to know what's wrong probably isn't the wisest move right now. I'm just thinking of you," she told him, gracing him with a sympathetic look.
"The store can wait. If it's that urgent call a cab. There's a number for a local firm in the address book in my office. I want to check on Haley."
The urge to stamp her foot was almost too strong to ignore but she somehow managed not to do it. "Fine," she grumbled before turning and walking out.
Expelling a long breath, Nathan closed and then locked the bedroom door. He stared at the bathroom door for a minute before making his way over to it and knocking softly. "Hales? Can you open the door for me?"
In the bathroom, Haley stared unseeingly into the mirror over the sink, her vision blurred by her tears which were steadily rolling down her cheeks. She felt like she couldn't breathe and, right then in that very moment, all she wanted was to be anywhere but here. She was tempted to go and visit her parents... maybe even one of her siblings, but she didn't want to worry any of them. As soon as they saw her they would instantly know that something was wrong.
"Haley, please open the door."
Nathan's voice cut into her thoughts and after wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, she turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water onto her face before patting it dry with a towel. Taking a few deep breaths, she went over and flipped the lock.
Nathan wasted no time in opening the door and when he saw her standing in front of him, he suddenly seemed to take in how much smaller she looked... how fragile. "Hales..."
Not wanting to break down in front of him, Haley forced herself to smile and pushing herself onto her toes, she pressed a kiss onto his cheek before retreating. "I'm sorry about storming out. I don't know what's wrong with me lately. If I could just get a good night's sleep I'm sure I'll feel much better."
"Is that all it is?" he asked, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together. "You... you'd tell me if my mom was doing or saying stuff to you behind my back, right?"
She briefly hesitated but then nodded her head. "Yeah... of course. I-I promise. I think I'm going to try and take a nap so you might as well take your mom to the store. You know you won't get any peace otherwise," she told him, hoping he bought her cheery tone which sounded so fake to her own ears.
"I really don't want to go out," Nathan replied. "I was hoping we could get a head start on our weekend and just kick back and relax. Maybe order in some food and watch a movie."
Smiling, she gently squeezed his fingers. "That sounds perfect but with the way I'm feeling I'd probably fall asleep on you."
"I don't mind," he said, returning her smile. "I love having you snuggled up next to me."
Her heart melted at his words and, not for the first time, she wished that Deb Scott would go back to Tree Hill and leave the two of them alone to get on with their rest of their lives in peace and quiet. Just as she thought that, the woman in question called up the stairs.
"Nathan, honey, your dinner's on the table."
"Please tell me she hasn't been cooking," he whispered to his wife.
Haley couldn't help laughing. "I doubt it. Didn't you once tell me she manages to burn water?"
"Yeah, and I wasn't kidding. I practically lived on take-out and TV dinners as a kid."
Pushing herself up onto her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her lips over his. "Aww, poor baby. How about I make you something special for dinner tomorrow."
"Mac and cheese?"
She smiled at his request. Ever since she had made him her family's recipe for macaroni and cheese, he declared it to be the best he'd ever eaten, telling her it was even better than his Aunt Karen's though he said he'd deny it if she brought it up in front of the other woman. "If you want."
"Oh, I want," he murmured huskily, his arms banding around her waist, drawing her even closer to his body. His lips were almost touching hers when his mother's voice rang out again.
"Nathan, c'mon! Your food's getting cold!"
He turned his head slightly and shouted back, "I'll be down in a minute." Resting his forehead against Haley's, he closed his eyes and reveled in the soothing touch of his wife's fingertips lightly caressing his nape. "If she isn't gone in a week's time I'm packing her bags for her and putting her on the first flight back to North Carolina."
A surge of hope bubbled up in Haley's chest upon hearing him say that and she silently prayed with every fibre of her being that he meant it. "You'd better get down there before she comes looking for you," she teased.
He nodded. "Try and get some rest, okay. When I come back upstairs I'll bring you something to eat."
"Okay, thanks."
After he'd kissed her once more, Nathan left the room and she released a long breath. She desperately wanted it to be just the two of them again but as she began remembering Deb's verbal jabs to her over the past couple of weeks, that little bit of hope she'd felt a few moments ago was already already fading and she was left with the sinking feeling that things were only going to get worse.
* * * * *
During dinner, which had consisted of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich that she'd managed to prepare without burning the bread too much, Nathan had had the audacity to flat out ask her if she was upsetting Haley and for a split-second Deb had been worried the little bitch had told him what she'd been up to in his absence but when she denied it and asked what Haley had been saying, he replied that she hadn't told him anything; just that she was feeling tired and that was the reason for her quietness. As she'd loaded the dishwasher, Deb had breathed a quiet sigh of relief, a bubble of happiness welling inside of her at the fact her soon-to-be ex-daughter-in-law was actually keeping her mouth shut.
It was while he was eating that she'd almost brow-beaten him into taking her to the store so here she now was, walking up and down various aisles of the nearest drugstore picking up random items she really didn't want or need. Still, anything to get him out of the house and away from his whiny child bride.
If she hadn't walked into their bedroom when she did she knew only too well what they would have ended up doing. She wouldn't put it past Haley to trap Nathan into getting her pregnant so she was just going to have to do her best to interrupt them as much as she possibly could.
Deb had seen the look of fear in the young woman's eyes and that made her all the more determined to keep going with her plan to split them up. It hadn't occurred to the blonde that Haley was petrified of losing Nathan. In her mind, she believed the fear stemmed from losing the nice, comfortable lifestyle being married to him afforded her. If she thought she could get away with her son never finding out about it, she'd offer to buy Haley out of his life but that was too risky.
No, she needed to keep being as subtle as possible, especially when Nathan was around. Picking up a can of hairspray, Deb placed it into the basket she was carrying. She realised she probably shouldn't have revealed her game plan to Haley quite so soon but, so far at least, the girl was keeping quiet. She had to admit, she wasn't quite expecting that. As she'd began arranging her belongings in the guest bedroom the night she'd arrived, a part of her was sure Nathan was going to barge in at any second demanding to know what she'd said to upset his precious wife but it hadn't happened. Instead, she'd decided to interrupt them with the lame excuse of not being able to open her suitcase and, somehow, she had managed to keep him chatting for almost an hour before he finally told her he was going to bed. Wickedly, she'd knocked on his door five minutes later to thank him for accepting her apology and for letting her stay and she had internally cheered when he'd asked her to keep her voice down as Haley was fast asleep.
Her plan had already started working and she couldn't have been happier.
"Mom, are you done yet?" Nathan asked, coming around the corner of the aisle and seeing her just standing there staring at a display of haircare products.
"Almost, honey," she said, turning to look at him from over her shoulder. When he walked away, heading towards the pay desk, the corners of her lips quirked upwards into a half-smile. "Almost," she repeated in a soft whisper. "In fact, I don't think it's going to take very much longer at all."
* * * * *
As Haley figured it would be, the weekend was another nightmare. Every time she turned around there was Deb, a nasty smirk stretched across her face. When she began preparing the macaroni and cheese she had promised Nathan the night before, her mother-in-law bitched constantly about the amount of calories the meal contained and even went so far as to imply that Haley was trying to shorten her son's life by feeding him fattening foods so she could get her hands on his inheritance and the properties he owned.
She was reaching the end of her tether and really didn't know how much more she could endure before she finally broke. Every night she desperately wanted to confide in Nathan but then she'd see him smiling and laughing with his mother and she knew she couldn't do it. She couldn't be the one to put the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. At the back of her mind was the saying "blood is thicker than water" and even though things had never been easy between mother and son, Haley couldn't see him choosing her over Deb and, as awful as things were right now, she actually didn't want that for them.
Sadly, it didn't look as though Deb shared that opinion and the blonde was making it increasingly clear with her words and actions that she was willing to do whatever it took to get rid of her.
"Hales? What are you doing out here?" Nathan asked, finding his wife curled up on one of the sun loungers in the garden. The sun was just beginning to set and the breeze ruffling her hair was turning chilly.
"I just felt like getting some fresh air," she told him.
"Are you okay, baby?" Taking a seat on the lounger beside hers, he leaned forward and brushed his fingers along her forearm.
"Uh huh." She nodded, doing her best to smile and reassure him.
"So, I've got some good news."
"Really?" Haley mentally crossed everything that he was about to tell her that Deb was going back home.
"Yep. My mom just told me she's going out and won't be back until late. Apparently, she has a friend who lives about an hour from here so she's going to visit her. I just booked her a cab so it looks like we're going to have the place to ourselves for the evening."
"That's... great. It'll be nice to spend some time alone together." Even though she was genuinely happy at the prospect of having a Deb-free night, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment that the news wasn't what she'd been hoping for. Her voice sounded flat and she hoped Nathan didn't pick up on it. When she saw his forehead crease slightly, she held her breath waiting for the subsequent question but it never came. Forcing herself to sound perkier, she asked, "What do you feel like doing tonight?" She couldn't help giggling when instead of answering her verbally, he simply flashed her a smirk.
"What?" Nathan asked, joining in with her laughter.
"You're so obvious," she teased.
He was just about to kiss her when he heard his mother's voice. "Jesus Christ," he mumbled against her mouth.
Haley sunk her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from laughing even though the situation wasn't the least bit funny. If she didn't laugh she'd probably end up crying.
"What is it, Mom?"
"I just wanted to let you know my taxi is here so I'm off. In case it's too late I might stay at Melinda's and come back in the morning. I'll call and let you know if that happens."
"Yeah, okay. Have fun with your friend."
"Oh, I will," Deb replied, a big smile illuminating her face. "I definitely will. See you later."
"Bye," Haley whispered. She hadn't missed the other woman's smile and she felt even more uneasy than she had previously.
Upon hearing the faint sound of the front door closing, Nathan's smirk deepened. "Alone at last." Kissing his wife's lips, his voice was deep and husky when he asked, "Do you want to go inside?"
She gave a small nod. Cupping the back of his head, she initiated the kiss this time, slipping her tongue into his mouth and letting it tangle playfully with his own. She moaned with disappointment when he drew back from her.
Standing up, Nathan held out his hands and as soon as Haley placed hers in them, he gently pulled her up and then banded his arms around her waist. "I love you," he whispered, nuzzling his nose against hers before kissing her again.
Hearing him say that made her heart race and she kissed him back hungrily, bringing her hands up to cup his face. "I love you, too," she said breathlessly. Not putting it past a certain someone to suddenly return home despite what she'd told them a short while ago, Haley practically dragged him into the house and upstairs to their bedroom.
"A little eager, are we?" he said chuckling.
She felt her cheeks heat up but she didn't look away. "Considering we haven't made love in almost a week... hell yeah," she told him, locking the door.
Nathan didn't object. His mother had been a royal pain in the butt since she'd turned up on his doorstep what with her constant interruptions and even though she said she wouldn't be back until late tonight, he wouldn't have been surprised if she suddenly popped up again saying the cab had broken down and asking him to drive her to her friend's place. If Haley hadn't locked the door he would've done it.
They undressed each other slowly, their lips meeting in soft, fleeting kisses while their hands wandered everywhere they could reach. Feeling Nathan's naked body rubbing against her own as he laid her down in the centre of their bed had her moaning in pleasure. Her hands kneaded the smooth skin of his back and shoulders, luxuriating in the feel of him pressing her down into the soft mattress. She missed this more than she'd realised and bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist, her hold on him increased.
Nathan teased her with his lips and tongue, grazing the base of her neck with his teeth before sucking a patch of her delicate skin into his mouth, determined to leave his mark on her. He gasped against her when she took him into her hands and caressed his hot, aching flesh. His fingers gripped the pillow either side of her head and when he finally entered her, he buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, thereby missing the single tear that escaped from the corner of her eye.
* * * * *
"I just don't know what I'm going to do," Deb said, sighing. Raising her glass, she took a long sip of her cool, crisp Chardonnay.
Melinda Murray-Hall smiled at her friend. "Just keep doing what you're doing. From what you've told me, it sounds like she's already starting to crack."
"Yes but... I just feel it's not enough. I wish I had something on her... something big that would get rid of her once and for all."
Playing with the stem of her own wine glass, she mused, "I have to say, I was surprised when I heard about Nathan getting married and so fast at that. My initial thought was that he had to get married-"
"That was my first thought, too," Deb interjected. "But she's not pregnant. Apparently, she told him she was a virgin waiting for marriage before she'd have sex with him and he fell for it. I love my son but he's a typical man."
Melinda laughed softly. "Could there be another reason for how quickly he married her?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know... Let's look at the facts. He comes home unannounced and within the space of what, a month? He's met and married a young woman when he'd apparently always claimed he would be an eternal bachelor. There's something more than a little fishy about it, if you ask me, Deb."
"I completely agree. I just can't think of anything which would've forced him to marry her."
"Hmm, is there any chance this has something do with Dan?"
Deb frowned. "How do you mean?"
"Could he have included a stipulation in his Will... something which would give Nathan no choice but to comply?"
She'd just been about to take another drink of her wine but she paused at the question. "His inheritance," the blonde stated. She knew only too well how evil her ex-husband had been at times but would he really have done something so drastic and if the answer to that question was yes, would Nathan have actually gone ahead and complied with it? He'd told her from a young age that he would never get married so why the sudden change of heart? She didn't believe for a second that someone as... innocent and homely as Haley James could capture her son's attention enough for him to marry her and so damn quickly at that.
Melinda watched as her friend thought about the seed she had planted. "It might be worth talking to Dan's lawyer."
"Unfortunately, I think client confidentiality still exists even though the old bastard's dead."
"Hmm, didn't you two once have a... uh, thing a few years back. Maybe you could pay him a visit... flash a little leg and cleavage..." she trailed off.
Deb's smile returned as she considered the redhead's words. "You know what, Mel, I think that's an excellent idea."
TBC