Alveus (ABC's Inc. Romance #1) (18 page)

“Just
letting my sister know that I left with you,” he explained. “She can drive my
car home.”

Dane
was silent. He knew Greig’s car was equipped with hand controls. The chap was
so self-sufficient that it was easy to forget he was handicapped. It didn’t
surprise him that his siblings would be used to maneuvering around the
contraptions that enabled his friend to be independent. Hell, while he wallowed
around bemoaning his emotional inadequacies, Greig conquered physical barriers
everyday – and did a damn fine job of it too!

“How
do you do it, mate?” Dane broke his silence to question his friend. Growing up,
he and Greig always had an uncanny ability to read each other’s minds, so he
knew his friend understood what he was asking. Greig was silent for a long
while, before he finally spoke.

“There
are two directions in which I can set my concentration,” he said, “the negative
or the positive – there’s no middle field.” The two friends shared a thoughtful
pause. “I’m not saying it’s easy,” Greig admitted, “but I’d rather be hopeful
than finished – you know what I mean?” Dane did.

They
arrived at the pub and took seats at a booth in the corner. The bartender
nodded a greeting to Greig and moment later a waiter served them each a bourbon
on the rocks. Dane took a sip and turned an appreciative eye to his companion,
shaking his head in awe of the chap. He wondered for the umpteenth time how he ever
could have turned his back on his childhood friend.

“I’m
sorry, man,” he said. Greig savored a taste of his drink.

“What
happened to you, English?”

Dane
downed his beverage and waited for another round to be served before collecting
his thoughts. What
had
happened when he set off to Oxford and turned away
from the only friends he’d ever known? A great deal, actually.

He’d
been a cocky kid, believing that he was an adult leaving childhood and its memories
behind him. Shortly after he’d begun his studies, Opa was rushed to hospital
with chest pains. He was released with two new stents in his heart and returned
to work within a month, but the damage had been done. Dane knew that he needed
to be ready to take the reins of Brighton Industries from his grandfather
before something more serious occurred. Oma was competent enough to fill in
when the heavy decisions needed to be made, but she didn’t have the drive or
will to take over the company on her own. They were both counting on him and he
wasn’t about to disappoint them. Also unfortunate, the scent of Opa’s hospital
visit brought in the vultures – or to be more precise – his mother.

“Cara,”
Dane spat out loud. “My mother,” he explained in answer to his friend’s
quizzical look. As the dawn of understanding lit on Greig’s face, Dane knew
that no further explanation was necessary. He guessed that word of her had
traveled through the ABC grapevine… of course it had.

“Have
you ever been in love, Droid?” Dane asked, after another contemplative silence,
and another round of drinks.

“Thought
I was, once.” Greig sucked back a swallow of bourbon and set the glass back on
the table, watching the ice settle into place. “She bowed out of my life after
she heard my prognosis. Guess she wasn’t too keen on a future with a…” he left
the sentence unfinished, allowing his friend to fill in the blanks.

“And
now… do you still believe there is such a thing?” Dane had a hard time putting
the words out there. The emotions, the pull, how does one explain something
that they’ve always thought was fantasy?

“I
shouldn’t,” his friend admitted. “I was angry back then, but there’ve been
plenty of women since who have accepted me as I am. The feelings haven’t been
there, though. Frankly, looking back on it, I wonder if it really was love.
But, do I still believe in it? Certainly.” He leaned on his elbows and stared
straight into Dane’s eyes. “How can I ignore the memories of my parents’
relationship… the Albertons’, and your grandparents’? How can you explain the
devotion we observed? Yes, I believe, and I will never stop looking for my soul
mate.” Greig deliberately paused for emphasis, and then continued. “Now, to
answer your
real
question… All of us witnessed the
reality
of
love through watching you and Pip. The both of you are two halves of a whole
and were always meant to be together – and I think you’re damned fools for
fighting it. There, I said it!” Throwing back the rest of his bourbon, he loudly
plunked the empty glass down on the table.

“Easier
said,” Dane admitted ruefully. “Everything I do only results in pushing her
further away.” He followed suit with his own drink, slamming it down
forcefully.

»ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

Lexi
was fighting a losing battle with her treacherous body, which still felt weak
and tingly from its encounter with Dane’s kisses and rock solid physique. She
was not going to give in to his sexuality! And that’s all it was – period! Why
was his mere existence undermining everything she set out to do? She had a
company to revive, and how could she do it when thoughts of him invaded her
concentration? As soon as she had him successfully banished Fani would mention
him, or he shows up at a stupid, unimportant business function! And infuriates
her! And kisses her… and makes her heart ache at his absence.

“I
hate you, Dane Wellesley!”
I love you, Dane Wellesley.

The
empty house echoed her scream – her empty heart echoed her cry. She felt alone.

Fani
was in Europe attending an important fashion symposium. Truthfully, Lexi was
relieved not to have her curious intervention. Her thoughts turned to her
parents – she missed them tremendously.
Daddy.
Her eyes strayed to the
large brown envelope she’d found in the office safe. It sat unopened on the
footstool, beneath several industry periodicals. She hadn’t had the courage to
open it. What was she afraid of?

It
wasn’t actually fear that prevented Lexi from discovering the envelope’s
contents, she just wasn’t sure if she could make it back from whatever grief
abyss her father’s words would take her into. She was proud of the way she’d
held up during her parent’s joint burial. They’d been cremated and buried
together as was their wish. She had carefully constructed an emotional veneer
which had only been strengthened by her uncle’s betrayal and the subsequent
humiliation of being sold on the human trafficking market. But, Dane had taken
a different path to slowly crack through it – sneaky and unexpected. Emotions
of pride, anger, sympathy and passion were trickling through, and Lexi knew there
was a flood built up just waiting to be released. Defiantly, she snatched up
the envelope and took it with her to sit on the edge of the bed. The contents
would certainly take her mind off of Dane.

For
a moment, Lexi sat and stared at the writing. Her father’s bold script was
really quite beautiful – she’d never realized, before. Reaching into the drawer
of the side table, she pulled out a small pair of scissors, slipped them under
the edge of the sealed flap, and hesitated again. Taking a deep breath, she
slid the blade across the top of the envelope and dumped its contents onto the
bed. Several letter sized envelopes fell out. Lexi lined them up, each sealed
and labeled with a different name in her father’s hand: Marta Brighton, Ed
Bravanger, Lee Carsten, and simply – Alexiah.

Lexi
picked up the envelope addressed to her and tenderly ran her fingers across the
ink. Bringing it to her nose, she tried to find his scent upon it, a piece of
her father lingering yet in this world. Inwardly upbraiding herself for the
weakness, she laid it back on the bed.
You must not show signs of frailty,
Lexi
– her mother used to tell her.
Strong women gain the world’s respect.
Tucking the other three envelopes back into the larger one, Lexi stood up and
placed it on the small desk next to the window.

Every
day the ghosts of her parents lingered as she diligently sought to rebuild
Alberton Technologies, but it was a companionable connection. Since their
death’s, Lexi hadn’t faced the personal side of their relationship. Yes, Alex
and Alicia had lived and breathed Al-Tech, but when they were alone as a couple
– as a family, the warmth was there. The love was there. And when the ABC’s and
their families got together, Lexi had cherished the fun loving side her parents
revealed. Such happy times. She swiped at a tear that had made it to her cheek,
straightened her shoulders, and turned back to the matter at hand – the letter.

Lexi
situated herself comfortably on the bed and opened the envelope. She marveled
once again at her father’s propensity to handwrite personal correspondences in
this age of video, word processing and voice activation. She cherished his
idealism of hands-on intimacy versus technology’s impersonalization. Ironic,
given the business he chose to pursue. With her heart full of fondness, Lexi
read her father’s last words for her.

Angel,

As
your mother struggles through what I’ve come to accept as her last days with
us, I am forced to think of life’s brevity. In doing so, my thoughts turn to
our sweet little miracle and how you will fare when the day comes that I must
join your mother. My heart breaks to think of you being left alone, but I am
comforted by the fact that there are still people who love you, and will
support and guide you. I sincerely hope that you will turn to them.

Ed,
Lee, and Marta, along with their children, are your family. You know that. Just
because your mother wished to separate her disease from them does not mean that
you should continue to remain distant. Alicia grew up without a family and
found it difficult to reveal weakness to anyone. I alone understood that her
battle for independence was in itself an infirmity. She loathed the thought of
you, her baby, taking care of her, and in fact it was her wish that you be sent
away to college. I regret that we allowed you to sacrifice your plans to attend
to her thankless demands. Angel, I want you to know that during her lucid
moments her thoughts were always centered on your happiness. Your mother loved
you dearly, although at times had difficulty expressing it.

A
tear dropped onto the page, and Lexi stopped reading to dry her eyes and pull
herself together. Curiously, it had been her father who had freely expressed
his emotions. As a child she had run to him with her injuries and tears. He had
been the nurturing one, but Lexi never doubted her mother’s love. There had
been many times she’d found comfort in her maternal embrace. Alicia Alberton’s
love for her husband and daughter had always found its way through her cool
analytical exterior, although in the end Lexi believed that the disease had
wiped away all memory of her from her mother’s mind.

Do
not allow your mother’s influence to keep you from seeking the help and comfort
of others, but be wary of whom you can trust. Forgive an old man, but little angel
you have had virtually no experience with strangers. I beg you to turn to your
elders for advice. Do not fall into the trap made by a smooth talking young
man. There are those out there who will say anything they think you want to
hear in order to get their hands on your inheritance. You are smart and
intuitive, but very naive in the ways of men. If only I could be assured that
you would someday find your future with one of the children you grew up with.
Your mother and I always believed that you and the little Wellesley boy would
remain attached at the hip forever. Alas, it seems it was not meant to be.
Again, I beg that you excuse a loving father from giving advice from the grave,
but if you two could somehow find each other again, I would be forever pleased.

Oh,
no – he did not just bring up Dane! Lexi looked up at the ceiling, as if she
could make her father take back his words. The tingles in her body awoke at the
mention of his name, as if applauding her father’s audacity. She stood up and
paced the floor, having half a mind not to finish reading the letter – ever!

“You
don’t have any idea…” she grumbled out loud, still pacing back and forth,
waving the letter in her hand. “I bet you’d be conniving along with the rest of
them if you were here – old man! ‘
Forever pleased’
… What’s with that
line, anyway? Are you playing the dead card? I can’t believe you’re playing the
‘I’m dead’ card!”

So,
if the boy means nothing to you, why are you getting so bent out of shape?
She could almost hear her father’s voice spouting out his favorite idiom while
laughing at her discomfort. Her mouth lifted into a reluctant smile.

“I
miss you, Daddy,” she whispered. Plopping down in the cushioned chair, Lexi
turned her attention back to the papers in her hand.

Alexiah,
place your full attention on what follows. I’m sure you’re aware, to some
degree, of my deleterious feelings toward my errant brother. It is not without
cause. Although, I have made every attempt to steer him on the right path, each
time he has chosen to find the easy, less honorable way out. It pains me to
admit that I have given up
,
allowing him to fall in with
others of unsavory methods. Do not permit him to insert himself back into your
life. Angel, Richard is worse than a plague of locus, eating through everything
of value, leaving nothing but barren waste behind and mark my words, he will
not give you a second thought. I have no doubt that he will crawl out of hiding
the moment he learns of my demise – beware. I cannot stress that enough.