Page 25 of Western Waves

“Just do it, Stella. I know you’re not a woman who would want a handout, anyway. You’re a strong woman who works for what she gets.”

“Yes… that’s true, but I can’t do what you’re asking. And I won’t cancel out Kevin’s final wishes.”

“Why in the world not?”

“I already gave Damian my word.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Last night, I spoke with him. I told him I’d go along with the arrangement.”

“Who cares what you told him. Your loyalty isn’t to him, Stella.”

I shook my head. “I can’t go back on my word.”

“You can’t be serious right now,” she asked, flabbergasted. Her brows rose, and I swore I almost saw steam shooting out of her ears from her anger as her face turned the deepest shade of red. “Stop being ridiculous, Stella!”

I unlocked my door and opened it. “I’m sorry, Catherine. I truly am, but I gave him my word.”

“You are a gold-digging fool! I knew I should’ve never trusted you. I raised you! You know what? Go to hell, Stella, just like your mother.”

I knew that last dig was due to her being upset, but it still stung.

After I climbed out of the car and closed the door, Catherine peeled her tires in her ruse to leave.

I stood outside, taking a few deep breaths, shaking off the words that the upset woman delivered about my character and about my mother. I wouldn’t take that energy into my home.

Nothing she said held any truth.

I knew myself.

I wasn’t a gold digger.

I wasn’t a monster.

And my mother wasn’t in hell.

If anything, Heaven had a special section carved out for Mama and her heartbeats. I hoped so deeply that Kevin was right beside her, too.

When I crawled back into bed next to a snoring Jeff, my phone dinged.

Damian:Meet tomorrow at Roe Real Estate office. My lawyer will be present to go over the final details.

It appeared that Catherine wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been sleeping lately.

6

Damian

My driver pulledup to Kevin’s home on Thursday afternoon. I spoke with Stella, who told me she was moving her things in on Wednesday. Since I didn’t want to cross paths with her move, I waited a day to get my things inside the home. More than a home, it was a mansion. The kinds of homes I sold on the daily to wealthy people who made absurd amounts of money. The kinds of homes I’d mocked my whole life, saying no one needed that much space to live in.

Over twenty thousand square feet of land, right on the coast with a beautiful white sandy beach. There was a massive outdoor swimming pool, a basketball court, a tennis court, and even a sauna house. Also, there was a guesthouse where Kevin’s former housekeeper, Maple Woods, lived in.

If sixteen-year-old Damian would’ve pulled up to the house, he would’ve believed he was in an alternate universe. Grown-up Damian still felt the same way.

It slightly pissed me off, seeing how much some people had when so many others suffered. Life was such bullshit sometimes, and it wasn’t fair how it all worked out. I didn’t deserve to live in a place like that house, and I damn sure knew it was fucked up that a man I never knew was forcing it to be my temporary home.

I wasn’t a stranger to temporary homes. Truthfully, they were all I’d ever known.

---