Chapter 42

CHAPTER 42

Skye

T he next week goes by quickly. Without any drama. I spend my days instructing Maddie and looking forward to our evenings having dinner with Finn. Finn spends the rest of his time in his studio, prepping paintings for his upcoming exhibition. I miss him when he's not with us and though I've been tempted to go over there and watch him paint, I refrain. The good news is that Kayla has been out of sight, out of mind.

Until Labor Day. Maddie's fifth birthday.

As planned, the three of us are in the Land Rover en route to Oak Glen for a day of apple picking. I'm in the front seat next to Finn. Adorably dressed in overalls and a striped tee, Maddie's seated behind him. Strapped into her car seat and wearing earbuds, she's listening to music on her iPad, Kangy on her lap. A half-hour into the drive down the 10, I'm surprised when Finn turns off the freeway onto the Robertson Boulevard exit.

"Finn, where are we going?"

"We're picking up Kayla."

At the mention of her name, I jolt. This was so not part of the plan. My blood runs cold as Finn goes on.

"When I mentioned our road trip to her last night, she insisted on coming along. That she needed to de-stress and get out of the city. She also said she realized she needed some quality bonding time with Maddie."

I bristle. Bonding time with Maddie my ass! She despises the child. But she obviously despises me more. So, she wants to play games with me? Fine by me! Thanks to my parents' globetrotting, I'm the Queen of Adventure. Let's see who will win.

Kayla's luxury high-rise building is located just off Sunset Boulevard. Already outside, she's pre-occupied on her cell phone, talking to someone via a headset when we pull into the semi-circular driveway. The attentive doorman hurries to open the back passenger door of the SUV.

"What?!" I hear her shriek through my open window when she sees me. "You're coming too?"

I guess that Finn neglected to mention that I was coming along. Or that I organized the trip.

"Get! Up!" she barks. "You're sitting in my seat!"

My blood curdling, I jerk the door open, almost slamming it into her before she jumps out of the way. Hopping out of the vehicle, I slide into the back seat next to Maddie. My eyes take in Kayla as she climbs into the car. Unlike me who's wearing jeans, a hoodie, and solid walking shoes, she's clad in skinny white pants and a body-hugging cashmere pullover, looking more dressed for lunch at some posh restaurant than for a day of rustic apple picking. Plus she's wearing strappy stiletto sandals, hardly ideal for navigating the hilly terrain, and carrying a matching monstrous bag. Maybe the latter will be good for gathering apples, I muse, as I fasten my seat belt.

Kayla simultaneously buckles herself in. "You know what? On second thought, I'm glad you're here. You can help Finn and that child pick dirty, worm-infested apples. I actually can't believe I agreed to do this."

"It's going to be fun," pipes up Finn.

Truthfully, it would be more fun without her. Way more fun.

The drive along the freeway is uneventful. Kayla spends most of it on her phone, chatting with clients and perusing fashion magazines, which she's stuffed into her enormous bag. Occasionally, she looks up and asks: "Are we there yet?" the irritated tone of her voice more annoying than that of a whiny child.

Maddie and I pass the time reading more about Oak Glen on her iPad. It does look like so much fun. In addition to apple picking, there are many other child-friendly activities, including a petting zoo, arts and crafts, and pony rides. Plus the bustling little town is filled with charming restaurants, bakeries, and gift shops. Truthfully, I was nervous about taking asthmatic Maddie to the scenic "mile-high desert town" with its over four thousand foot elevation, but her doctor assured us she would do fine in the fresh, clean mountain air. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," he reminded us. Not taking any chances, I have her inhaler and medicine packed in my backpack. Fingers crossed we won't have to use it.

A couple hours in, the rugged San Bernardino Mountains come into view. Soon afterward, we pass a sign.

"Look!" squeals Maddie. "Oak Glen... Next Exit. Yay!"

I'm as equally happy to see the sign as I am to hear my bright little girl read the words. So is Finn.

"You read that all by yourself, sunshine!" he beams, merging into the far right lane.

"Yup, Daddy!" A proud cheek-to-cheek grin stretches across her face.

Kayla looks up from her magazine. "Big whoop!"

Within a few minutes of exiting, we ascend a twisty scenic road that takes us straight to apple country. Sitting in the backseat, I feel a little queasy, but Maddie is loving every minute as if it's a carnival ride. I point out the many beautiful trees lining the two-lane road, some of which have multi-color leaves that resemble gemstones. An early taste of autumn in Southern California.

Kayla goes back to reading her magazine, totally oblivious to the breathtaking scenery. Glancing over her shoulder, I see that she's flipping through the pages of a Christie's Contemporary Art catalogue. How ironic! My mind flashes back to the Christie's Preview in New York... where Finn and I met. My eyes flicking to his handsome profile as he expertly navigates the serpentine road, I relive that encounter. That sensual, unexpected encounter that changed my life and his. A knot of desire curls in my core.

Kayla's shrill voice slices into my thoughts. "Oh, my God! This Balthus is to die for! It's perfect for Sheldon! He's been desperate to add one to his collection. We need to put in an absentee bid right away." She immediately reaches for her phone and punches in a number.

"Shit! There's no cell service here."

Maddie, minus her earbuds, turns away from the window. "Daddy, did Kayla just say a bad word?"

I fight back my anger. What is with this woman? Isn't she aware there's a five-year-old sitting behind her? A sweet, innocent little girl. Obviously not. She impatiently tries her phone again. Again no luck getting service.

She curses again, saying the word over and over.

Taking his eyes off the bumper-to-bumper road, Finn shoots her a glaring look. "Kayla, put the phone down. And watch your language. My kid's back there."

Kayla jerks her head his way, her eyes full of venom. "You obviously don't understand, darling. I'm talking about a five million dollar painting that could net me— us— a ten percent finder's fee. Do the math!"

"I can do the math," Finn replies coldly. So can I. Wow! Five hundred thousand dollars! But no amount of money is worth compromising my daughter's emotional and physical well-being.

As Kayla huffs with frustration, my heart swells with admiration. And love. Deep-seated and unconditional. What a wonderful dad Finn is. I couldn't have possibly chosen a better man to father my child. So protective. So loving. Desperate to distract myself from my feelings, I map out our day's activities as we meander up the long, winding road, now passing farms. Maddie is over-the-moon thrilled to see horses and cows, and I share her excitement.

The traffic lessens and ten short minutes later, we reach our destination. Riley's. While we've passed many apple farms along the way, Finn and I chose this one as it seemed to be the most child-friendly, offering a ton of activities. I unbuckle Maddie's car seat while Finn parks the SUV. Due to how crowded it is, we've had to park in a lot across the street. Kayla complains.

"Seriously, darling, can't you park any closer? Does it look like I'm wearing hiking boots?"

Turning off the ignition, Finn glances down at her high-heels.

"Don't tell me you didn't bring sneakers or boots?"

Kayla makes a face. "Phineas, are you kidding me? Hiking boots are for peasants, and seriously, did you really expect me to wear—and ruin!—my thousand dollar Chanel sneakers in this muck?"

With a roll of his eyes, Finn hops out of the car, then helps Maddie out. She leaves Kangy behind.

I follow suit, then Kayla. As she steps out of the SUV, a deafening scream pierces the air.

"Oh my God, Phineas! You parked in mud. I may have just ruined my brand new Louboutins!"

I glance down at her mud-covered stilettos and silently laugh. The six-inch heels are almost six-inches buried.

The fun has just begun. Little do I know this day will take a surreal turn, making me question who I am, what I want, and the safety of everyone near and dear to me.