The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield

Chapter Twenty-Six: Pretty Lies and Ugly Truths

A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for waiting for this next upload. I had some computer problems last week, specifically on my word processor, so I was stalled for a few days but here you go. This is a scene that had people probably wondering whether it was ever going to happen or not. While this is at the very crux of the story, it isn't the entire story so while I had to have it happen, it's something that had to come after the more essential parts of the story. 

If the formatting is a little weird, forgive me. It's just the new word processor I'm using. I'll try to fix it but you never know. Thank you! =)

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After an amazing and highly successful weekend, the Teaser grossing a seven-digit number in auction proceeds, Martin threw a small but extravagant lunch to celebrate. 

Our friends from Cobalt Bay, having been acquainted with the old man as well for years, were invited to make it their last stop before they returned to California.

Of course, no one could say no to Martin.

The entire family came and close friends joined in. 

Despite Brandon's reservations, I persuaded Nicole to attend with Zach. 

Actually, I brought up the idea but didn't really think she would take me up on it. She caught me off guard when she contemplated for a long moment and suddenly said yes—but without Zach.

"I want to make sure I can trust Francis," was the reason she gave me, adding, "He's suddenly so adamant about being a part of our lives. I don't want to find out he just wants to take our son away to get back at me."

Things were still muddled between the two that Francis's motives were like mud on dirt. Good luck telling one from the other. 

After I dragged Nicole away from that ugly confrontation with Francis, I'd tried asking her what he had demanded. 

All that she'd told me was that there was mostly a lot of yelling about everything that had happened between them more than two years ago and all that she'd really understood from him so far was that he now wanted to claim his right to them.

She didn't trust him but as much as Nicole didn't want to admit it, I could tell that she clung to a small hope that Francis, for all the vile things he'd done to her and Zach in the past, was redeemable.

Fair enough, right? We love the savages despite their wildness because we hope that we can someday tame them. They can either leave us bleeding or beloved. 

If Nicole's presence bothered Francis, when he arrived and saw her perched on a couch talking with Tessa, he didn't show. 

He gave her a slight, courteous nod before glancing back and forth between me and Brandon, his expression inscrutable.

The others didn't really know Nicole except for the Maxfield sisters who vaguely recognized her, and Jake who used to hang out with her when she still ran in the same circles he and Brandon did.

I introduced her as a good friend of mine and Brandon's and if anyone thought it was strange that I dragged her along, no one said anything about it. 

"Something going on that you want to tell me about?" Jake said when he came up to me at the wet bar where a variety of non-alcoholic mixed drinks were also served. "I haven't seen Nicole in years and the last time I did, she and Francis weren't so enthralled with each other."

I smiled, sneaking a glance over my shoulder to check on Nicole who was now in a small group with Tessa, Cassandra, Felicity and Aimee. 

They were all listening with rapt attention to something Rose was animatedly telling them about.