Eternally Yours Read online

  “Can I get you something to drink, Clayton?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  Syneda sat across from him in a chair, tucking her legs beneath her. “Lorren was always the mothering type. Now you would think the kids would be enough. Don’t tell me she sent you all the way from Houston to check on me?”

  Clayton’s attention had been drawn to three framed photographs that sat on a nearby table. One was of Justin and Lorren, their son, Vincent, and daughter, Justina. Another photo showed Dex and Caitlin, with their daughter, Jordan. The last photo was of her foster mother, Mama Nora. He smiled at the photographs before turning his attention back to Syneda to answer her question.

  “No, I’ve been in D.C. for the past three days attending the National Bar Association convention. She knew my flight had a layover here and suggested I look you up.”

  “How was the convention?”

  “Pretty good. I’m sorry you missed it. Senator Lansing was the keynote speaker, and as usual he kept the audience spellbound.”

  Syneda nodded. She knew the one thing she and Clayton did agree on was Senator Nedwyn Lansing of Texas. He was admired by both of them and had a reputation for taking a stand on more unpopular issues than anyone in Congress. “What was this year’s convention theme?”

  “Law and order.”

  “Not very original was it?”

  Clayton laughed. “No, not very.”

  Syneda smiled. “I know Justin, Lorren and the kids are all doing fine. How’s the rest of the Madaris clan?”

  Clayton smiled. “My parents are doing great. They’re off again. This time the ever-traveling retirees are headed for the mountains in Tennessee.”

  He leaned forward in his seat. “Since Christy’s home from college for the summer, she went with them,” he said of his youngest sister. “Traci and Kattie and their families are doing all right. With me being their only single brother, they’ve been playing the roles of ardent matchmakers lately.”

  Syneda grinned. “How’re Dex and Caitlin?”

  “They’re fine. The baby isn’t due for another six months but Dex is coming unglued already. Since he and Caitlin weren’t together when she was pregnant with Jordan, he’s really into this pregnancy big-time.” Clayton laughed. “Sometimes I wonder who’s really having this baby, him or Caitlin. He swears he’s been having morning sickness.” Clayton shook his head. “By the way, you missed Jordan’s birthday party.”

  “Yeah, and I hated that. Unfortunately I was deeply involved in a case and couldn’t get away.” A cloud covered Syneda’s features. “We went to court on Monday and lost.”

  Clayton noticed the shadow of disappointment in her eyes. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  She nodded. She did want to discuss it. Maybe doing so would unleash all the frustration, anger and resentment that had plagued her since the judge’s decision. Although she and Clayton usually took opposing sides on most issues, she knew that like her, he was a dedicated attorney, and hopefully on this one he would understand how she felt, even if he didn’t agree with the position she had taken.

  Syneda took a deep breath. “It was a custody fight. The natural mother gave the child up at birth six years ago. She fought the adoptive parents for custody…and won. That has happened a lot lately, and I don’t like the message being sent to adoptive parents. They don’t have any protection against this sort of thing under our present legal system.”

  Clayton frowned. “In the last two cases that received national attention, I thought the only reason the child was returned to its natural parents was because the natural fathers had not given their consent.”

  “True, but in our case the consent was given. However, the biological mother claims that at the age of fifteen, she’d been too young to know her own mind and had been coerced by her parents to give up her child. She contends the contract was between her parents and the Jamisons, and that she wasn’t a part of it. How’s that for a new angle?”

  Clayton shuddered at the thought of a fifteen-year-old giving birth. “You’re right. That is a new angle.”

  Syneda leaned back in her seat. “As far as I’m concerned, the real issue is not why she gave up the child. No one seems concerned with what’s best for Kasey. She’s being snatched from the only parents she’s ever known and is being given to a stranger. That’s cruel punishment for any child, especially a five-year-old.”

  Clayton nodded. “Hopefully things will work out. But you can’t allow what’s happened to get you depressed.”

  “I know I shouldn’t but at times I can’t help wondering if what I do really makes a difference.”

  “Of course it does.”

  Syneda smiled. “Do you know this is the first time we’ve been able to talk about a case and not take opposing sides?”

  Clayton chuckled as he rested back comfortably in his seat. “Just because I didn’t oppose anything you said doesn’t mean I fully agree. Tonight you needed someone to just listen to your thoughts and feelings, and not force theirs on you. I gave you what I thought you needed. But what I really think you need is a vacation.”

  “I took a vacation earlier this year.”

  “I mean a real vacation. You usually use your vacation time to mess around here and not go anywhere. You need a real vacation to get away, relax and do nothing. I’m sure you can take time off from your job if you need it, so what’s the problem?”

  Syneda shrugged. “There isn’t a problem. I just never thought about it.”

  “Well, I’m giving you something to think about. What about going someplace with that guy you’re seeing?”

  “Marcus and I are no longer seeing each other,” she said slowly. “We decided it was for the best.”

  “Mmm. Could it be you’re also suffering from a broken heart?”

  Syneda frowned. “Not hardly.”

  Suddenly Clayton sat up straight. His eyes gleamed bright with an idea. Before checking out of the hotel, he had phoned his parents and asked their permission to spend a week at their time-share condo in Florida. They had given him the okay. “I have a wonderful idea,” he said.

  “What?”

  “My parents have a condo in Saint Augustine, Florida. It’s right on the ocean. I’m leaving next Sunday and will be there for a week. Come with me.”

  Syneda’s brows arched in surprise. “Excuse me? Did I hear you correctly? You want me to go on vacation with you?”

  A wide grin broke across Clayton’s face “Sure. Why not? You need a rest and I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

  She shook her head. “Clayton, get real. You know I can’t go on vacation with you.”

  “Why not?”

  “For a number of reasons.”

  “Name one.”

  “My work. I’ve appealed the Jamison case.”

  “So. It’ll be a while before the courts review it. If you ask me, you need a vacation to deal with what you’ll be up against when they do.”

  “True, but I still can’t go anywhere with you.”

  “Why?”

  Syneda refused to believe the man was so overlooking the obvious. It was rumored that no woman spent too many hours alone with Clayton Madaris and managed to keep her reputation clean. She considered herself a modern woman—and in some people’s opinion she carried her fight for sexual equality too far—but she was cautious by nature in some things, although impetuous and aggressive in others. In this case, she needed to carefully weigh Clayton’s invitation.

  “What will people think, Madaris? Specifically, what will your family think?”

  Clayton inwardly smiled. She always resorted to calling him by his last name whenever she was getting all fired up to stand her ground against him about something.

  “If I remember correctly, my family has extended itself to become your family. They won’t think anything of it. For Pete’s sake, Syneda, they know we don’t think of each other as sexual beings, and they know we aren’t romantically involved.” He chuckled. “If anything, they’
ll wonder how we’ll spend a week together without doing each other in. We’re usually completely at odds over just about everything.”

  Syneda laughed. “That’s an understatement.”

  He grinned. “We aren’t compatible. You know that as well as I do. There’s nothing sexual between us. We’re good friends, nothing more.”

  Syneda nodded in agreement. “But I wouldn’t be any fun. What if you meet someone while we’re there and want to get it on with them? I’ll just be in the way.”

  “Women will be off-limits to me that week. I’ll be on vacation for rest and relaxation, nothing more.”

  “Maybe you should get away by yourself.”

  Last night he would have agreed with her, but now he didn’t think so. He liked Syneda. She was intelligent, witty, highly spirited and fun to be around, even when she was giving him hell about something. Besides, he could tell by the tone of her voice when she had talked about the case she’d lost that she needed a vacation as much as he did.

  “The beach isn’t any fun when you’re by yourself,” he said. “I plan to unwind and relax and have a good time. I want to just chill and do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it.”

  “And you think you can do that with me?”

  “Yep, just as long as we agree not to talk shop. For one week I don’t want to be an attorney, a player or anyone’s lover. I don’t want any worries or problems. We both need that. I think the two of us going away together is a wonderful idea.”

  Syneda still wasn’t easily convinced. She gazed at the man sitting across from her, who was impeccably dressed in an expensive printed tie, Brooks Brothers’ shirt, and a costly dark blue suit.

  Like his two older brothers, Clayton Madaris was a good-looking man who possessed sharply defined features. She had noticed those things the first time they had met. She’d immediately taken in his dimpled smile and dark brown eyes. A short beard—something he’d grown since she had last seen him—covered his nut-brown complexion, and his neatly trimmed mustache enhanced his full lips. His broad shoulders and towering height—almost six feet two inches—made him totally masculine. And his charismatic nature was like a magnet that attracted women to him in droves. But what he had said earlier was true. He wasn’t her type, and neither was she his.

  In Texas, Clayton had a reputation for being a ladies’ man. And according to his sisters, Traci and Kattie, he kept a huge case of condoms in his closet and used them with as much zeal and vigor as a shoemaker used leather. However, in spite of his more than active love life, she had to admit he did have a few redeeming qualities. He generously spent his free time helping others. He was an active member of Big Brothers of America, and he spent a lot of time doing such noble community services as aiding senior citizens, the homeless and underprivileged kids. He was also a wonderful and adoring uncle to his nieces and nephews.

  Clayton’s sigh echoed loudly in the room. “I really don’t understand the problem. You and I both know that all the two of us can and ever will be is friends. I think by getting away, we’ll be doing us both a favor.”

  Syneda launched one objection after another, and Clayton had a reason to shoot down every one of them. “Are you sure about this, Clayton? I’d hate to be a bother.”

  “You won’t be. The condo has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It’ll be plenty big enough for the two of us. You can fly to Houston and from there we can take a direct flight to Florida. Just think about the fun we’ll have spending an entire week on the beach of the nation’s oldest city, not to mention all the historical sites we can check out while we’re there. Come on, let’s go for it.”

  A smile touched Syneda’s lips. Clayton was right, she really did need to get away for a while. And a trip to Florida sounded mighty tempting. “All right, I’ll go.”

  Clayton came over and pulled her into his arms and gave her a big hug. “Great! We’ll have a good time together. We won’t argue at all about anything. You’ll see.”

  Chapter 2

  Clayton and Syneda argued as they boarded the plane for Florida. Clayton had fronted the expenses and flatly refused to let Syneda reimburse him.

  “I can afford to pay my own way, Madaris,” Syneda said, glaring at him.

  “I didn’t say you couldn’t. Just consider it my treat.”

  “But, I’d rather—”

  “Let’s drop it, Syneda,” Clayton snapped.

  Angry frustration swept over Syneda’s features. “Fine with me. It’s your money,” she replied curtly after they had taken their designated seats.

  “I’m glad you finally realized that,” he said, getting in the last word.

  Syneda decided not to respond. She didn’t want to appear ungrateful, but she had a hang-up about a man doing anything for her. She had learned early in life not to depend on one.

  After fastening her seat belt, she turned to Clayton. “What did your family say about us going away together?”

  Clayton settled back in his seat. “They didn’t have a thing to say.”

  Syneda raised a brow. “Not anything?”

  “Not anything.” He smiled. “Except for Dex.”

  She lifted her head. “Dex? What did he have to say?”

  Clayton chuckled. “Dex didn’t say anything. He just made the sign of the cross. I guess he thinks we’re going to do each other in on this trip.”

  Syneda couldn’t help but laugh. “Are we really that bad?”

  “I guess, but we’ll get along okay this trip. We did agree to be on our best behavior and not discuss any controversial topics. Remember?”

  Syneda met his gaze then smiled slowly. “Well…” She dodged an answer, turning to look out of the window as the plane lifted off.

  “Syneda…” Clayton said her name in a warning tone.

  She turned back to him with her smile still in place. “Oh, all right. I remember, and I plan on keeping my end of our agreement. We’ll get along just fine.”

  Dallas, Texas

  The sun was setting in the afternoon sky when the man alighted from the parked car. Instead of being dressed in a business suit, which over the years had become his usual mode of dress while out in public, he had worn only a lightweight jacket and dress slacks. With the person he was going to visit, he could always be himself.

  He crossed the dusty road and climbed the grassy hill before entering the meticulously cared-for grounds. In his hand he carried two bouquets of mixed flowers.

  The walk seemed to take forever as he weaved his way toward the hillside and the marked stone. He was fully aware of the tears that misted his eyes as he knelt to place the flowers next to the grave. The headstone, although worn with time, still clearly showed the name and inscription written on it.

  JAN WALTERS—REST IN PEACE

  A knot of pain and sorrow formed in his throat. He closed his eyes as poignant memories resurfaced. It had been exactly thirty years ago today that they had met. It had been a day that changed his life forever. It was a day that brought him here every year, after finding out about her death fifteen years ago. By that time she had been dead three years already.

  His heart grew heavy when he thought about all the wasted years they could have had together. They had begun dating during their senior year of college. Then a few days after graduation, after he had left for the Air Force Academy, she had left town without telling him or anyone where she had gone.

  He stood, straightening his tall frame. The woman in the marked grave would have his heart until the day he died. He also knew that he would continue to come here each year and share this special day with her. It was their day.

  Tears gathered in his eyes and slowly spilled down his cheeks as he turned toward the direction where his car was parked.

  Until next year.

  “This view of the ocean is breathtaking, Clayton,” Syneda said, leaning against the railing. From the balcony she watched the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean ripple gently toward the shoreline of St. Augustine Beach.

&nbs
p; “It sure is,” Clayton replied, coming to join her. He handed her a glass of wine. “Compliments of the management. They also left some entertainment brochures, as well as a visitors’ guidebook to all the places to check out while we’re here.”

  Syneda accepted the glass.

  “Thanks.” She looked out toward the ocean again. “I just can’t believe all of this.”

  “All of what?” Clayton asked, sitting down in a patio chair.

  “All of this! The ocean view, the size of this condo, the list of activities lined up for us, this city’s history. Everything! And don’t you dare sit there and pretend not to be moved by all of it. This place is wonderful, and I plan on enjoying myself immensely the next seven days. Thanks again for inviting me.”

  “You’re welcome.” He took a sip of his wine. “I told you what Dex’s reaction was to us vacationing together. What did Lorren have to say about it?”

  Syneda set her glass on a small table and reclined in a nearby lounger. “At first she didn’t believe it. She couldn’t imagine the two of us being anywhere together for too long without arguing about something. But after I explained we agreed to stay away from controversial issues, she thought it was a great idea. According to her, no one will think twice about us going away together. She said everyone knows the differences in our personalities and philosophies make the two of us ever getting it on impossible.”

  “See there. What did I tell you? You were worrying for nothing.”

  “Maybe, but a girl has to know when to safeguard her reputation.” She grinned.

  Clayton frowned. “You don’t think your reputation is safe with me?”

  Syneda smiled. “Let’s put it this way, Clayton. Everyone knows about your womanizing lifestyle.”

  “Really? And what exactly do you know?”