Chapter Sixty-One: The Ties That Bind

It had been two days since he’d called. She’d checked her voicemail so often it was close to the point of over-compulsion. Maybe he’d changed his mind? Maybe he didn’t want anything to do with the daughter that had betrayed him and made a mockery of his fine police career? God only knew but she was holding onto hope with both hands.

Jon had been writing with Richie most days and into the early evenings so she’d been pulling some extra time in her salon, more so to keep herself busy more than anything. The other thing that had been on her mind was how and when she would talk to Jonathan. There was a good chance that this whole thing could blow up in her face and she was going to need Jonathan to know about it if and when it did.

He’d been so good to her and given her his loyalty right off the bat when he’d come to work with her. There was no doubt that the success of her salon was also partly because of him. He shared the same vision as her and believed in the same high standard of care. Plus he brought in some of the very first customers the customers with his connections right at the start and they’d only grown from there.

The morning in the city was awful; the rain hammered the pavements as she slid the open sign out to the curb. Two figures came scurrying across the road waving at her with rain coats dragged over their heads and followed her back inside.

“Hey guys!” She said as Jon and Stephanie revealed themselves.

“Hey yourself.” Jon leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Any news?”

“No. None.” She replied softly forcing the smile to stay on her face for Steph. He tipped her chin and kissed her quick on the lips.

“You two are so cute.” Steph laughed.

Devon blushed but stood back. “How is Antonio’s going?” Devon had sorted out some work experience as promised with Antonio who owned a boutique about a block away while she was on school holidays.

“I love him. He’s so sweet and he’s showing me so much stuff. He even said I can wear this cute designer dress out on my date Saturday night.” She gushed as she grabbed Devon’s arms. “It’s gorgeous you have to see it.”

Devon raised her brow. “A date huh?” She winked at Jon. “Is this the college boyfriend I’ve been hearing so much about?”

“You mean the one Dad hates without even meeting him?” Steph rolled her eyes. “That’s the one! Gosh he’s so awesome. You’ll have to meet him.”

“I’d love to. Do you want me to do your hair on Saturday before the date? Maybe your Dad and I can stay at his place in Redbank so we’re close and you can pop in before the big date and show me the dress.”

“Oh my god-can we Dad?”

Jon rolled his eyes. “Sure why not, it’s like I’m not here anyway.”

Steph rubbed his arm. “We still love you Dad. I gotta go.” She pressed a kiss into her Dad’s cheek and left them.

Devon burst out laughing at his face and went to slide behind the coffee bar. “Your usual?”

His arms wound around her waist before she could escape and he pressed into her from behind. She sighed as his warmth moulded into her and his breath tickled down her neck. “I haven’t had my proper morning kiss yet.” His nose nuzzled along her neckline, the scent of dark cinnamon and pine behind her.

“Mmm.” She replied as his hands slid along her belly. The stress melted away in an instant as he whispered in her ear how much he loved her.

“I missed you last night.”

“Me too. Did you at least get some good writing done?” She asked rubbing her hands over his as he held her suspended in the moment.

“We did. Thank god. I owed it to Richie as I’d been so scattered this week.”

She turned in his embrace and drew up on her tip toes. “Me too.” The kiss popped and warmth flooded into her bones as her hands slid up around his neck. He lifted her up onto the coffee counter and dragged in her. Their teeth clicked and she giggled as his hand slid up her leg.

“Careful.” She giggled. “We’re in public.”

His lips crushed hers. “I can’t control myself Devon--”

They both jumped as the door slammed and she pulled away from Jon but no one was standing in the salon.

“Oh god.” She pressed her hand against chest. “Holy crap.”

“Must have been the wind. Steph can’t have closed it properly when she left.” He went to drag her back in but her eyes wandered back to the doors for a brief second before she gave in.

“Your heart is racing baby. You got a fright huh?”

Her eyes flicked up to his and she stroked his cheek. “I did but I’m fine now. It spooked me, Damn weather.”

He gently dropped her back down to the ground and she straightened herself up. “Coffee before you go?”
She rounded the counter and set to work on their coffees. She still was spooked by the door, the slam almost sounded like a gunshot. She was only on edge because she was waiting for the call from her father, the one where he would tell her what to do. She hated that in the last years she’d gained so much independence and confidence in her life and now she had to rely on someone else to steer her back in the right direction of what to do next.

“He’ll call you back Devon.”

She sighed and jerked the knob to froth the milk. “I want to believe that but I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t honestly.”

“He will. He will be processing all this and who knows maybe he’s getting some advice on what to do as well.” He encouraged.

She shrugged. “Maybe.” She lost herself in the motion of making a latte for a moment.

“Do I need to take you out to dinner tonight? Get our minds off this thing for a few hours?”

She smiled at him. God love him. He was sitting at her counter with his arms folded; the grey thermal hugged his upper body in all the right places. They grey made his blue eyes pop with colour and the smile on his face was adorable.

“I’d love to but I am not sure how fun I’ll be.” She wished she could shake this feeling of dread but it came with the territory. This was never going to be easy owning up to her deeds but the unease grew in her belly.

“We’ll do it. I can be very distracting.” His wiggle of the eyebrows made her chuckle.

“Ok we’ll do it.”

“Good. I have just the spot.” He grinned as he accepted her latte and they dissolved into small talk until he left. She laid out the beauty rooms all ready for the day and by the time Jonathan and the Stylists arrived the phone had started off the hook. Many people cancelled due to the weather coming in from over the bridge so she was juggling reschedules. She flopped down in her office around ten-am and Jonathan joined her.

Her palms flattened on her dress as she steadied her nerves. She had made the decision it was time to tell Jonathan. Whether it was a good idea or not but she needed to be honest and if everything went pear shaped he’d not at least know why. And he deserved it.

“Jonathan, sit down I need to talk to you.”

He sat down in the seat opposite her desk and rolled up his shirt sleeves. The dark cashmere vest against white was a clean cut typical Jonathan look that went well with his thick black rimmed frames he had on. His chocolate brown hair was swept over to the side and he looked like he’d stepped straight out of the pages of GQ magazine.

“This sounds serious.” He teased as he crossed his legs.

“Jonathan. I should have told you this a long time ago.”

“You’re in love with me? And you’re dumping the rock star for me?” He winked and she rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious. This is serious.”

He leaned forward, his eyes went wide. “You’re getting married! No-you’re pregnant!”

“No! God. No and listen to me for a minute.” Typical fun loving Jonathan. He was her first real friend over here. Hell, if she was honest her first real friend in a decade. Where was he when she needed someone to confide in before she made the biggest mistake of her life with Jared?

“You certainly haven’t been yourself of late, I know that much.” Of course he’d know, he seemed to always know what she needed. She just hoped he didn’t walk out after she told him.

She sighed. “Jonathan, darling. I just want you to know I’ve valued your friendship and loyalty to me all these years. Sometimes I don’t know how this place got off the ground without you.”

“Sure-Devon what’s going on? You sound like you’re about to break up with me or fire me.”

It was the first time she’d seen worry in his eyes and it would kill her if she ended up losing this place and he lost his job. “No, god none of the above. I’ve just-” She braced herself. Would this ever get any easier she wondered? “I’ve been lying to you about who I was and how I got here.”

“Oh?” He asked as he leaned back again and his shoulders eased.

She blurted out the entire story including how she revealed herself to Jon. She blew out her breath and let her stomach settle for a moment. “So, if you want to leave I fully understand as I can’t guarantee what is going to happen in the end.”

He clasped his hands together and it was killing her that he hadn’t said a word. “I’m really disappointed in you Devon.”

Her heart sank as she felt tears form under her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t take his eyes off her. “No, I’m disappointed that you’d think I’d just leave you to deal with all this.”

“What?” She asked as she reached for her box of tissues. That was her Jonathan. Loyal.

“Devon. I’ve known you for close to three years now and you’re one of my dear friends. We discuss everything but the only thing you never discussed was your life back home. I had to figure something bad had happened. Ok, I’ll admit I didn’t think you’d robbed a bank but I knew you’d runaway from somewhere.”

She was overwhelmed that he had a hunch she had a bad past and he was still what he was to her, all this time. “I don’t deserve you.”

He snatched a tissue. “God, woman please stop crying and come here.” He stood up and stretched out his arms. She hugged him hard and smiled into his shoulder. He was one in a million.

“So what now?”

“I wait to see if my father calls me back. Honestly I don’t know what to expect with him. The disappointment in his voice was awful Jonathan. I wish I could reverse it all just to never have heard that.”

“If he knew you were here, why didn’t he contact you?”

“Jon asked me the same thing and I don’t know. I don’t know anything until he wants to talk to me.”

“Well if there is anything I can do to help, you’ll tell me right?”

She wiped away her tears. “You’ve already done so much but if you could just keep this place running if anything happens. Jon will tell you what to do in my absence if it comes to that.”

He nodded. “You got it. And he’s really ok with this?”

“He wasn’t at first-I broke his heart but he’s willing to fight for me. I probably don’t deserve that-”

“Oh hush, stop talking like that. Yes you made a mistake but look at you. You’re such a different person than you were. And you want to make it right. That counts for everything. You’re a good person Devon and I know that, we all know that.”

“Are you sure you’re really ok with this?”

He grinned. “As I said, I knew something was there. I am glad you told me and you can trust me k?”

She nodded. “You’re the best friend a girl could ask for.”

“You’re welcome. “ He checked his watch. “We’ll talk more later. I want to know more about Jared but right now I have to bleach Mrs Caruth.”

“Promise. We will talk as much as you want.”

The knock on the door broke the conversation off as Emma popped her head into the room. “Devon, there’s someone asking for you at reception.”

“Sure I’ll be right there.”

Jonathan squeezed her hand as they both walked out. “We’ll get through this.”

“Thank you.” She dusted herself off and made sure she was presentable as she walked back out to the reception desk where a man waited with a cap tugged over his head. She was relieved that everything had gone well with Jonathan; she couldn’t have handled it otherwise.

“Hi, you were waiting for me?” She cleared her throat and plastered a smile on her face as she shelved the whirlwind going on in her life to serve her customer.

When he looked up she looked deep into the eyes of her past. Her childhood flashed before her eyes like an old movie reel and her heart leapt into her throat as she attempted to speak. Her belly dropped to her knees and the blood rushed from her head.

“Daddy.” She whispered before her knees gave way and the world went black.