Riding into Love (11 page)

Chapter 20

“Y
ou boys have to play that music so loud?” Joyce yelled over Drew's party playlist. Though she hollered at her sons, she looked at Alana, Cadence and Chey and threw her hands up as if she was exasperated, but everyone knew how much Joyce loved having her family around.

The Barrington estate hummed with the pleasant sounds of a family gathering. Chatter, laughter and music blended together to create a merry symphony. Floyd was proudly perched at the head of the table for the first time in months.

“Aw, Joycie, let the boys have their fun.” Floyd spoke slowly, still managing a slightly lazy tongue, one of the remaining side effects from his stroke.

Joyce peered at Floyd over her glass and then opened a large pot to stir the green beans.

“Hey, woman! Get back!” Drew took the spoon from her hand. “You're supposed to be sitting down. We've got this.”

“Exactly. We've got this,” Blake echoed. “Why make us learn how to cook if you're never going to let us do it?”

“Alright, I'm sitting.” Joyce parked herself next to Floyd and patted his hand.

Drew and Blake continued preparing Sunday dinner as they waited for Hunter to get back from the store with more eggs. Alana, Cadence and Chey sat around the table chatting with Joyce and Floyd since they weren't allowed to help cook.

Hunter blew into the kitchen like a violent wind. “I got the eggs.”

Blake took a few bags from him.

“Give me two eggs for the mac and cheese so I can put it in the oven,” Drew said.

Hunter handed him the eggs, and Drew danced back to the cabinet to retrieve a bowl to beat them in. Drew danced through every step of his meal preparation, matching his movements to the tempo.

“Leave room in the oven for my cornbread,” Hunter instructed.

“Can you believe this, Floyd?” Joyce yelled.

Drew turned down the music just a bit so his mother wouldn't have to keep yelling.

“Thank you!” Joyce threw both hands up in the air as if lowering music was a gift from God.

“Okay, now taste this.” Drew scooped a small forkful of his herb jasmine rice and fed it to Joyce.

“Yum! I taught you well, didn't I?”

“Uh, Ma, you didn't teach me that.” Drew said and ducked his mother's playful whack just in time. Everyone laughed.

“Boy, I taught you how to cook and that's all that matters.”

“I still cook better than both of you,” Hunter interjected.

“What?” Drew and Blake said simultaneously.

“Blake, do you remember that day Hunter burned those boiled eggs? We came into the kitchen and they were no longer in the pot.” Drew doubled over laughing.

Blake cackled until he could hardly catch his breath. “And then we finally looked up and saw they were stuck to the ceiling.”

“No! Hunter, say it isn't so!” Chey's entire upper body rocked as she laughed.

“That's your man, Chey.” Drew pointed at her with the spoon he used to stir the green beans. “Burning boiled eggs. Who does that?”

“Oh yeah? Well, what about that fire you started when you were trying to fry chicken that night when we were at your house watching the Super Bowl.”

“Oh—” Floyd lifted a wobbly finger “—I remember that!” He chuckled slow and easy.

“Floyd! You never told me about that.” Joyce looked genuinely surprised.

“Blake, what about that chicken you messed up at your BBQ that time?” Hunter said.

“That doesn't count. I was hungover.”

“So was I when I set the kitchen on fire,” Drew said, exaggerating. “Those times shouldn't count. What was your excuse, Hunter? You weren't hungover when those eggs went airborne.”

The brothers kept the family entertained with their joshing and stories of capers as they finished dinner. The women helped them set the table.

Joyce said a moving grace, thanking God for bringing her husband home and her family together. She ended by saying, “Lord, if you see to it that I get some grandkids I'll be forever grateful.”

Drew's eyes popped open and he noticed that Blake's and Hunter's had done the same. They snickered without making a sound. He looked over at Alana. Her head was still down and her eyes closed. As much as he joked, he looked forward to one day having a family with her. He had meant it when he told her that he planned to make her love him. Drew wasn't sure if he could call what he felt for her love just yet, but he knew it was close to it.

“Amen,” Joyce finally said and everyone sat down.

“Pass me a piece of Hunter's cornbread. Let me see if it's better than mine,” Drew teased. They continued the banter until someone rang the bell, surprising them all into silence.

“You're expecting company, Ma?” Hunter asked as he headed to the door.

“No.” Joyce looked as surprised as her husband and sons.

Hunter walked back into the room with an unreadable expression.

“Who is it, baby?” Joyce asked.

“Hi, everyone!” Jade stepped from behind Hunter. “It's been such a long time.”

Several moments dragged by before anyone spoke. Blake looked at Drew. Drew looked at Alana.

“Hi, honey.” Joyce stood and approached Jade, rescuing them all from the awkward silence. “We just sat down for dinner.”

“Hey, Jade. Long time no see.” Blake finally spoke. The others followed his lead.

Drew wasn't uncomfortable. He just wanted to know why Jade had to choose today, of all days, to stop by his parents' house.

“What brings you by, dear?” Joyce asked, still standing between Jade and the table. Drew understood his mother's actions. She was making sure Jade kept a considerable distance in the presence of Alana.

“Yes, Jade, what brings you by?” Drew asked. “Oh, please pardon my manners,” he added before she could answer. “This is Blake's fiancée, Cadence, Hunter's fiancée, Chey, and my girlfriend, Alana.”

Nice-to-meet-yous were politely exchanged. Jade's eye lingered on Alana and, suddenly, she looked uncomfortable.

“I was in the area and heard about Mr. Barrington. When I rode by, I saw all the cars and figured it would be a good time to catch someone at home. You look well, Mr. B. I hope you're feeling good.”

“I'm getting there. One day at a time. Thanks for stopping by.”

Another few moments of awkward silence settled in until Joyce asked Jade if she wanted something to eat.

“Sure, I'd love to stick around for a moment and catch up.”

Drew sighed inwardly, but he understood his mother's hospitality wouldn't allow her to be rude. She would have offered a plate to anyone who knocked on that door.

“Hunter, darling, could you fix Jade a plate?” Joyce said with a tight smile. “Come on over here and sit right by me, sweetheart. Blake, sweetie, get that chair over there and bring it next to me.”

Hunter and Blake did as they were told. As they continued their meal in the presence of their unexpected guest, the easy banter of their earlier conversation dissipated, replaced by strained small talk. Joyce worked to keep the conversation on neutral ground, but Jade kept directing it back to Drew.

“Congratulations on your recent win.”

Instinctively, Drew craned his neck and massaged his shoulder. “Thanks.” He hadn't mentioned anything to Alana or his brothers, but his shoulder still got pretty sore at times and the tension of having Jade and Alana at the same table caused some of the soreness to emerge now. It could have been in his mind, but he was pretty sure that Jade's visit had brought it on.

“What's new with you?” she asked.

Everyone at the table looked back and forth from Jade to Drew as if they were watching a ping-pong match.

“Not much. I'm starting to think about what I'd like to do after I'm done with racing.”

“You're quitting?”

“Not just yet. Just thinking about my next move, that's all. When I'm ready to make that shift, I want it to be a smooth transition. I'd love to possibly do some broadcasting or something like that.”

“Oh, I could help you with that. My family's company represents quite a few folks in broadcasting. We've recently expanded and can help you with publicity, personal brand management and all kinds of opportunities. Actually, our company is quite influential in the industry.”

“That's cool. Maybe we can chat about that,” Drew said in a noncommittal way.

“Sure. That would be great.”

Drew didn't miss the quick glance Alana gave him. “I'm not looking to do anything just yet.”

“What's the name of your family's company?” Cadence asked.

“The Donnelly Group. Our client list is pretty impressive.”

“Anyone we would know?” Chey inquired.

Drew wondered how authentic their questions were, knowing that they would undoubtedly have Alana's back.

“Of course.” Jade rattled off a few well-known celebrities, broadcasters and athletes. “We've helped several athletes transition into lucrative opportunities in the spotlight. We brokered the deal to get David Stanton his spot on the morning show on channel seven when he retired from basketball.”

“Oh, really?” Cadence said.

“Yes. We could help you do something like that too, Drew. The camera has always loved a pretty face.”

The room went silent once again.

Seeming oblivious to the tension she carried in with her, Jade stayed for another hour, sticking around for Blake's rich, moist chocolate pound cake, Hunter's delicious sweet potato pie and Drew's decadent chocolate croissants.

“I'm stuffed. Everything was so good. You always were a great cook, Mrs. Barrington.”

“Thanks. I'd love to take the credit, but my sons did all of the cooking today,” Joyce explained.

Jade's gasp was dramatic. “Really? Well I'm sure they learned it all from you.”

“Of course they did.” Joyce gave her a quick smile. “Have a good night and thanks for stopping by, dear.”

“You're welcome.” Jade embraced Joyce. “Glad to see you're doing well, Mr. Barrington. My dad will be happy to hear that. Good night, everyone.” They all offered polite goodbyes. She started for the door and paused. “Um. Drew, may I speak to you for a moment?”

He didn't answer right away. Instead he passed Alana a subtle look and she raised her brow just as subtly, giving him an unspoken green light. He also noticed the looks on everyone's faces as they awaited his response.

“Sure,” Drew finally said. “I'll walk you out.”

“She seems nice,” Jade said once they made it to the door and were out of earshot.

“She is.” Drew's smile was genuine. It happened involuntarily every time he thought of Alana.

“That's great.” She looked down at her hands. “Here's my card. I could really help you with your transition. Give me a call.”

Reluctantly, Drew took the card. “Thanks.” He looked back.

“It was nice seeing you again, Drew. I'm glad we're able to...put the past behind us.”

“Yeah.” Drew looked back toward the dining kitchen again.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments.

“I need to get going.” She smiled but didn't move.

“Nice of you to stop by. I'm sure my dad appreciates it. Get home safe.” Drew opened the door, but Jade stayed put for another moment before walking out unhurriedly. “Good night.”

Drew hadn't told anyone, but there was a chance that his transition could happen sooner than he had planned. This was his second dislocation in the past year. His doctor had warned him after his last injury that he needed to seriously consider retiring because his shoulder wasn't healing the way they had anticipated. Drew felt the difference after every race. He had worked hard to win that last one, attentively nursing his shoulder before Alana arrived.

He loved racing and, if he was going to be forced to retire, Drew was determined to go out with a big win. This season meant everything to him. He would certainly need the services of The Donnelly Group, but he didn't know if he should do business with Jade. However, if he could handle Alana working with Gary, then maybe, just maybe, it would be okay to work with Jade. He would just have to make sure Jade knew where he stood.

Chapter 21

T
he ride home with Drew after dinner had Alana on edge. Drew spent the night just as he did most nights when he was in the States, but this night was different. It was void of their usual, electrifying, sensual chemistry. They simply cuddled and fell asleep when she claimed to be too tired for sex. Still Drew held her as if she was all that mattered in the world.

The next morning, Alana chided herself for even letting Jade's presence get to her, but she couldn't help being reminded of the sting she felt when Jade had returned to town to reclaim Drew years ago. Alana and Drew hadn't been dating long at the time, but she felt that they'd had potential. It didn't take much for Jade to take him back, which left Alana on the sidelines.

Alana's womanly instincts told her that Jade wanted more than just to pop in for old times' sake. She wanted Drew back—once again. What if Drew was willing to give her another shot? Where would that leave Alana? She couldn't subject herself to that situation again. Jade's visit prompted Alana to begin reconstructing the barriers around her heart. Alana was tired, not from lack of sleep but from overthinking the Jade situation all night.

Drew leaned against the frame of the bathroom door as she painted her lips with a creamy pink matte.

“Good morning.” His voice was extra deep whenever he first woke up. That had always turned Alana on. Right now, she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to appreciate that or the fact that he stood there in all his natural glory as if he was fully dressed. “Feeling any better this morning?” he asked.

“I'm fine.” She didn't intend her answer to sound so short, but what else could she say? She wasn't going to admit how much Jade's presence rattled her. Despite what intuition told her, she was curious to see how Drew would handle Jade's return.

Alana was used to seeing woman pine after him—especially once she started attending his races. However, those women didn't have the history that he and Jade shared. None of them seemed threatening. Alana thought about his home in the French countryside. Jade had been the only other woman he'd brought there—so he said.

“Alana.”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you wanted me to make you a cup of coffee.”

“Oh. Sure.” Her thoughts had drowned him out.

Alana huffed when she knew Drew had reached downstairs. She hated to be so affected. Drew had introduced her as his girlfriend. Although they'd been dating exclusively for a few months now, they had never put a label on what was happening between them.

Alana finished dressing for work, grabbed her purse and headed downstairs. The nutty aroma of her favorite hazelnut coffee met her halfway down. Drew had placed two boiled eggs and a slice of wheat toast on the table with a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. His proclivity to take care of every need had become natural. That made her feel extra special—a feeling that had been absent during her previous relationships.

Alana sat at the table. Drew joined her with a napkin and his own cup of coffee.

“So, I'm your girlfriend, now?” She tried to spark their usual banter to restore their sense of normalcy.

“Did that surprise you?”

“Not really. It's just that we never really put a label on what we were doing here. It was just interesting to hear.”

“I know. It
was
interesting to hear, even though I'm the one who said it.” Drew sipped his coffee. “It's the only label that makes sense now. I've honestly never been this way with any other woman.”

She wanted to ask about Jade but kept the words behind her lips. “Really?” she asked instead. “Then why me?” She bit into her toast.

“Want to know the truth?”

Alana put her fork down. “Yes.”

“Well—” Drew paused, making Alana squirm in anticipation “—I just feel like it is supposed to be you.” Her breath caught. Drew continued. “I knew I had to reshape your perspective of me. I wasn't serious back when we first started dating and I made some bad decisions. Also, I understood that you had been hurt recently and I wanted to show you that your heart was safe with me. I don't mind putting in the effort. I enjoy trying to impress you and making you smile.”

Alana couldn't help but blush. Now, she felt bad for snubbing him last night. “That was sweet.”

“That was the truth.” Drew's eyes penetrated hers with so much intensity she had to look away.

“What time does your flight leave tonight?” she asked.

“9:25 p.m.”

“What time will you get into Florence?”

“It will be around seven thirty in the morning here, but around twelve thirty there.”

“Good. Then you'll have time to rest before the media briefs, practice and all of that stuff.”

“Yeah.” Drew kept looking right into Alana's eyes as he spoke.

“I've never been to Italy.” She sat back, avoiding the scrutiny. She felt like he could read her. Alana continued her breakfast even though her appetite was nonexistent.

“We'll have to arrange a trip sometime soon, when you can get more time. How's the case going?”

Drew had stopped using Gary's name when he asked about the case.

“Not much has happened. He's still a jerk. He refuses to settle and if it goes to trial, we're going to have to really work on his image. The courts love making examples out of arrogant rich people. If he doesn't curb his attitude, it could hurt the case. It really does appear that he was provoked by someone looking for a payday.”

Drew didn't say much in response.

“Why don't you like him?” she asked.

Drew sighed. He poured some juice and drained the glass. “Things really went awry when he made several advances toward Jade while we were dating. Actually, they ended up having an affair—that's part of the reason Jade and I broke up. They stayed together for a while after our breakup. Eventually she found out he was a jerk too. From what I recall, they didn't last very long.”

“Oh!” Alana's eyes grew wide. “I completely understand now.”

“That's all behind me, but he's still a jerk. That's why I hate the fact that you're working with him. I'm thinking about taking Jade up on her offer to use the services of her family's business.”

Alana sat back in her chair hard. “Is that why you asked about Gary? So it could give you leverage when you told me about working with Jade?”

“No, I always ask you about work. I think I can learn a lot from her about this process—especially now that I'm much more serious about transitioning out of racing. Her family's company is the best in the business.”

Suddenly Alana wasn't so hungry anymore. “Hey—” she surrendered her hands in the air “—we shouldn't mix business with the personal. It wouldn't be fair for you to tell me which clients I can represent. I can't dictate whom you should hire to manage your brand. If she can get the job done, work with her.” Alana left the kitchen, hoping her true feelings didn't show. The last thing she wanted was to see Jade and Drew in close proximity again. She was professional and professionals hired those people they felt could do the job. She just wished it wasn't Jade.

Her train to work wasn't coming for another forty minutes and the station was only five minutes away, but she needed to get out of house. Alana retrieved a jacket from the closet and picked up her keys.

“Have a safe flight. Call me when you land.” She tried to sound like her ususal cheerful self. She couldn't hand her heart over to Drew just for him and his ex to trample all over it.

“Alana.”

She turned. Drew touched her arm just as she was about to walk through the front door. He searched her eyes for a moment. She swallowed and looked away.

“Please don't get upset? There's nothing going on with Jade and me. I'm not interested in her like that.”

“Anymore...” Alana sighed. “I shouldn't have said that.” She'd let her attitude get the best of her and hated that it made her respond in such a childish way but couldn't help but remember that it was Jade who had moved her out of the way years ago and Drew went running back to her.

“I made that mistake a long time ago. I have you now. A lot has changed since then.”

“I know.” She shifted her weight to one leg. “Dealing with exes can be a challenge.”

“I know, but not in this case.” Drew cupped her face in his hands. “You're
ma belle
.” He kissed her lips.

Alana huffed then forced a smile. “I'm not crazy about this, but it is business. I get it.”

“And you know where I stand with you,” Drew added.

Alana remained quiet.

“You can trust me.” Drew said.

How can I be sure?
Alana sighed, gave him a quick kiss on the lips and headed through the door.

Drew called her one more time. She stopped, turned and gave him a weak smile that she didn't feel in her heart.

* * *

Work swallowed up most of Alana's focus and time, leaving little opportunity to mull over Drew's decision to work with Jade. He'd called several times throughout the morning. When she finally answered she kept the conversation brief and used the excuse of being very busy. By that afternoon, she missed talking to him as much as she usually did.

Alana couldn't knowingly set herself up for more heartbreak. She wanted to believe Drew was sincere. Her mind wrestled with her heart. She remembered how he made her stomach flutter when he said that he felt like she was supposed to be the one and spoke of how much he enjoyed making her smile. Then she thought about Jade and returning to her vow of leaving dating alone for a while. Alana returned her focus to work, a welcome distraction.

The brief she had in her hand made no sense. She'd been reading it for a half hour but had absorbed none of what she read. Finally, she realized it was one of the cases that Cadence had been handling when they split the workload. She headed to Cadence's office to hand it over.

“Maybe you should go home,” Cadence said the second Alana's foot hit her door frame.

“Why?” Alana flopped into the chair in front of Cadence's desk.

“Because you look like you didn't get any sleep.”

“I didn't.” After a deep breath, Alana rolled her head back and slumped in the chair.

“Does it have anything to do with the dinner yesterday?”

“I can't lie. Yes, it does. And there's more.”

“I couldn't believe she showed up like that,” Cadence said.

“I can't believe he's considering taking her up on her offer to help him with publicity.”

“What?” Cadence knocked her cup over. Fortunately it was empty. “What did you say?”

“What can I say? If he had his way, we wouldn't be representing Gary. This is business, Cay. I can't dictate who he should work with, just like he can't dictate who I represent as an attorney. Drew claims her family's company is the best in the business. Who wouldn't want the best?”

“You've got a point, but there's got to be something that can be done. I'll have Blake talk to him.”

“No, Cadence. I don't want to make a big deal out of it. Besides, he just said he was thinking about it. Nothing has been solidified.”

Cadence grunted. “Why did she have to show up? I wonder if there's more to the visit than just checking in on Mr. Barrington.”

“My gut tells me yes.”

“Mine too.”

The two sat quietly for a moment, pondering the situation. Cadence stared at Alana.

“What?”

“You're not going to break up with him because of this, are you?”

Alana turned away.

“Alana.”

“I don't know. I've been here before, Cay. I don't want to get hurt.”

“You really believe that the same thing will happen?” Cadence sucked her teeth.

Alana stood and put the brief on Cadence's desk. “I came in here to give this to you.” She turned to walk out. Cadence came around her desk and blocked the door.

“No. Don't walk out of my office like this.” She closed the door, folded her arms and tapped her foot. “You wouldn't let me walk out like that and I'm not going to let you do it.”

Alana sucked in a long breath and shook her head.

“Have a seat and let's talk about this.” Cadence pointed toward the chair and waited for Alana to sit before continuing. “I know how you feel. You know I do because I've been where you are and you helped me through.” Cadence sat. “You've never been one to give up so easily, so why now? Drew has gone out of his way to prove to you that he truly cares.”

Alana looked down at her fingers. Cadence was right, but she couldn't risk having her heart crushed again. “What if Jade wants Drew back? What if he wants her? I can't go through this again. It's too much.”

“Even his brothers are surprised. Drew hasn't had a girl over for a family gathering in years. Don't be unreasonable. He even asked for my help.”

That got Alana's attention. “Asked for your help for what?”

“To find out what he needed to do to show you that he was serious. I told him to pay attention. A woman loves it when men pay attention. And I know for sure that he's done a very good job of doing that. If you walk away prematurely, you could miss out on the best relationship you've ever had. Drew has done so much to prove himself. He deserves a little trust.”

Alana twisted her lips. That was all she could do, since she couldn't deny that Cadence was telling the truth. It was easy for her to see the bright side since her heart wasn't on the proverbial chopping block. This only made her feel more conflicted.

“Pick up the phone and talk to the man when he calls. He's worried about you.”

“How would you know?” Alana asked, but she already knew the answer. She'd ignored most of Drew's calls since she arrived at work.