Riding into Love (13 page)

Chapter 25

A
lana spotted her parents immediately after she rounded the curve in Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport. Evelyn stood curbside with the posture of a ballerina, shielding her eyes from the gleam of the evening sun. Towering next to her was Larry, Alana's father, who became more handsome with age. His perfectly blended salt-and-pepper goatee gave him a distinguished look.

Alana blew the horn as she pulled up and then jumped out of the car. “Hey!” she sang. “How was your trip? Did you find something?” she asked, referring to their retirement home search.

“I think we did.” Evelyn shimmied before hugging Alana.

“We still have a few places to see before we make a final decision. How are you, baby girl?” Larry asked.

“We can talk about it over dinner.” Alana popped the trunk. Larry piled their bags inside. “Feeling like a little Peruvian fare tonight?”

“Yes. Let's go to Pio Pio on Northern since we're over here. I can't wait to tell you all about this place.” Evelyn could hardly sit still.

Larry opened the passenger door to let his wife in. “You go ahead and sit in the front so you ladies can talk.”

As they rode, Evelyn told Alana all about the beautiful condominiums they had visited that had overlooked the water in Puerto Rico, comparing them to those they had visited in Costa Rica and Saint Martin. Evelyn spoke fast—one sentence slid into the next, leaving no room for breaks. She was so excited Alana barely got a word in during the ride to the restaurant or during dinner.

When Alana finally dropped them off, she stayed at their house for a while just soaking up their presence. Because of her parents' trips and her relationship with Drew, she hardly spent any quality time with them.

Larry hauled their luggage up the stairs, leaving Alana and her mother in the kitchen.

“Alana, where's Drew these days?” Evelyn asked as she filled the kettle for her nightly tea.

Why did her mother have to bring him up? “He's away.” Her response was dry.

“Where is he this time?” She retrieved two cups from the cabinet and set one in front of Alana.

Away with his ex-girlfriend.
“In LA on business.” Alana was suddenly uninterested in having tea.

“That's nice. The two of you have been spending a lot of time together lately. Looks like things are getting pretty serious between the two of you.” Evelyn leaned on the countertop, awaiting details with an anxious smile.

Alana forced a smile. Normally, she would indulge her mom and the two of them would sip tea and swap stories for hours. Alana didn't feel like talking anymore.

Yawning, she got up from the stool she sat on. “It's getting late.” She looked at her watch and stretched her arms. “I need to go to bed so I can get up for work in the morning.”

Evelyn must have sensed her avoidance. “You're right. It is getting late. You go ahead and rest. We've got a few more days before we have to leave again,” she said, walking over to give her a hug.

“I should have followed you two into academia. You two get way too much time off,” Alana teased.

“There's still time. You could teach law,” Evelyn said matter-of-factly.

“I still might do it—one day.” She kissed her mom and jogged upstairs to say goodbye to her father before heading to the car.

As soon as Alana climbed in and started the engine, her phone chirped. She checked and found a few missed calls from Drew and a couple of text messages. She felt horrible about avoiding him. However, he hadn't let up on her. Drew still called several times a day. When she didn't pick up, he'd fill her in on how his day had gone via text. She always knew where he was and what was happening.

From the text messages, she learned how well his trip to California was going. Alana was genuinely happy for him but annoyed at the fact that his excitement came by way of Jade Donnelly.

Pushing aside her prejudice, she dialed him back.

“Hello.”

Alana pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the display to make sure she had dialed the right number. She put the phone back to her ear and said, “Hello.”

“Can I help you?” the woman asked.

“Jade?” Alana questioned, though she knew it had to be.

“Yes. Who's calling? Is this Alana? Drew's busy. I can tell him you called.”

Instead of responding, Alana just hung up. She jerked the car in gear and drove home faster than she should have. It was fortunate that the police weren't on the prowl because she'd broken various traffic laws.

Alana fumbled with the keys as she tried to open the front door. When she finally got inside, she tossed her jacket in one direction and her purse in the other and marched upstairs. She flopped on the bed and sat there for several moments, trying to calm her breathing.

Just as she had suspected, Jade was up to more than she had let on. Alana had sensed it at the dinner. Painful memories and possibilities flooded her mind. Had Jade and Drew slept together while they were away? Were they sharing a room? Drew had asked if Alana wanted to come with him to California. Was that a trick because he knew she was too busy to take off? Were old sparks being rekindled into fresh new flames?

Alana's eyes stung with the threat of tears, but she refused to let them fall. She was already deciding to leave so now she had a solid reason, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to. She cared about Drew more than she wanted to admit. The past few months had been magical—the trips, the adventures and so much more. Drew had done so much to make her feel special and now she wished he hadn't done any of those things. He'd opened her up, chipped away at the fortress she built around her heart just to crush it.

She thought about calling back to see if Jade would answer again but decided against it. What could she do from three thousand miles away if she did answer besides become more upset? She thought about texting him to find out what was going on. What if Jade read the text? Alana didn't want to give Jade the satisfaction of knowing that she had riled her.

She had some sharp and colorful words for Drew, but they would have to wait until the next time he called because she vowed never to dial his number again. She had to let go. The sting of betrayal helped make her decision. There was no need to wait for the proverbial boom to come crashing down on her. It would only be more devastating. Jade could have Drew back for all she cared. She was officially done.

Chapter 26

Y
es, Drew loved Alana. He was finally putting a tag on what he had felt for a long time. It was love. He didn't
like her a lot
. He didn't
really care about her
. It was clear. It took Jade's statement for him to simply acknowledge it.

Drew intended to let Alana know how he felt today. After his meetings with a popular sports network, he wanted to stop in and surprise her. He called Cadence to make sure that Alana would be in the office around lunchtime. Alana hadn't answered his calls or responded to his texts in two days. He was going to find out why and fix whatever was broken between them.

“What's up, soon-to-be sister-in-law?”

“Not much, Drew. Are you in town?” Cadence replied.

“Just for a little while. I leave again tonight.”

“I have to say, it's been great seeing so much of you. Usually, once you leave for the season, we don't get to see you for months at a time.”

“Blame it on your buddy.”

“I guess she does deserve partial blame.”

“Is she in the office today?”

“Yep.”

“Okay. She's a little upset with me, but I plan to fix all of that today.”

“You're going to need heavy-duty tools.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I'll let her tell you.”

“Okay. Do me a favor. Don't tell her that I'm coming, but also don't let her leave. I have a meeting in midtown later and should be able to make it to your office by one. I need to speak to her about something really important. Can you do that for me, sis?”

“I'll try my best. Alana can be pretty stubborn at times.”

“You're telling me. Thanks for always advocating for me. Alana is a tough girl to schmooze.”

“Clear-cut honesty has always worked best with her.”

“You're right. See you later.”

Drew ended that call feeling good. He wasn't sure he would have gotten far with Alana if it hadn't been for Cadence rooting for him.

Jade was meeting him in midtown for his second meeting with the sports network. Watching her work had taught him a lot about her business and how to negotiate these deals. Things were a little awkward since the incident at the hotel, but Jade hadn't made any other advances. After a few more meetings and possible negotiations, he could move on without her. But, for now, he was stuck with her as she had managed to secure some major appointments that could prove to be life-changing for him.

Dressed in a dapper gray suit, Drew intended to impress the producers at the sports network. The opportunity involved hosting a show that featured extreme sports, which was perfect for such an adventurous spirit. He was also exploring a few more gigs as a spokesperson for several sports-related brands, including a helmet manufacturer. Life after racing looked much more promising to him these days.

Drew arrived at the meeting early, set his charm meter on high and wowed everyone in the boardroom. He headed back to Manhattan for his second appointment with seconds to spare.

“Drew!” Jade called out to him as he entered the lobby of the towering glass building on Sixth Avenue.

He jogged in her direction. “Hey.”

Jade looked at her watch. “You're right on time. I was afraid you were going to be late.” She stopped walking and tried to fix his tie. “How did your other meeting go?”

Politely, Drew moved her hands. “Very well.” He stepped aside for Jade to enter the crowded elevator first. They stopped their conversation until they reached their floor.

“I still think you should have let me join you for that other meeting. I could probably get you more money if they offer you the opportunity.”

“Thanks, but I think I did well.”

A tall woman with broad shoulders greeted Jade at the reception desk. “I was just coming out to see if you were here.” They embraced. “How are you?”

“I'm well, Victoria. You're looking good.” Jade turned to acknowledge Drew. “This is Drew Barrington.” Jade held his arm.

“It's a pleasure to meet you.” Victoria scanned him from head to toe. Her grin made Drew feel like she wanted to have him for lunch.

“The pleasure's all mine.” They shook and Drew gave her a polite nod. He glanced at Jade just in time to see the hint of a covetous smirk fall from her face.

“Well, let's get started.” Victoria led them through frosted-glass doors behind the reception desk into a room of several other women.

Once again, Drew paid close attention to how Jade handled the meeting with Victoria, taking mental notes. She was good at her job and always demanded the best options.

Even as he gleaned knowledge from Jade, he couldn't help but think about Alana. He couldn't wait to get to her office.

Victoria communicated her interest in working with Drew.

“So what are the next steps?” Jade asked, obviously anxious to move forward.

“I just want to make sure you understand,” Drew interjected. “I will have limited availability until my current contract ends next year.”

Victoria and her team assured him that wouldn't be a problem. “As long as we have your schedule we can work that out. Your endorsements will be helpful, as well,” Victoria said.

“Thanks so much for your time.” Drew stood. “I'm going to review all the information and get back to you with my decision.”

No one else stood or moved. Victoria looked to Jade and her staff and then back at Drew.

“You're not ready to move forward?” She looked confused.

“Today? I'm extremely excited about this, but I just want to consider a few things first. I've been presented with quite a few opportunities. I'd like a little time to know that I'm making the best decision.”

Victoria lifted from her seat. She was obviously disappointed. “Sure, I can understand that, but I assure you that we are ready to have you begin representing our clothing line right away. We're at the top of our game in this business.”

“Thank you. It was truly a pleasure, ladies.” He offered handshakes all around and flashed one more gleaming smile. Suddenly, he couldn't wait to leave the office. Pulling his suit jacket together, he strutted out the boardroom door.

A moment later, Jade scurried out behind him, catching him as he entered the elevator.

“I think we should definitely sign with this company, Drew. They can really get you into the spotlight. I thought that would happen today.” Jade sounded disappointed.

“This seems great. I just don't want to jump in too fast. We have more appointments and I really want to explore all of my first.”

“Sure, after our next set of meetings overseas, you should be in a better position to make that call,” Jade agreed.

When the doors finally opened, Jade hurried off. “I'll call you later about the meetings we have lined up in Spain next week.”

“Okay. See you then.” Drew hailed a taxi and gave him the address to Alana's office. He texted Cadence when he arrived at the building to make sure Alana was there. He ran inside the drugstore up the block and picked the best batch of flowers he could find to accompany the beautiful diamond earrings and matching pendant he had for Alana.

Bouncing off the elevator, Drew strutted through their offices with a song in his heart. He saw Cadence first.

“Drew.”

“What's up, sis? Where's Alana?”

“Well...” Cadence wrung her hands.

“What's wrong, Cadence?”

Before she could respond, Alana walked out of her office, stopped when she saw Drew and then looked away.

“Hello,” she greeted him with a cool tone. She handed a folder to Jennifer and asked her to file it before walking back into her office.

“What just happened?” Drew questioned. A gang of thoughts rumbled through his mind. Alana was obviously more upset with him than he realized. He had to find a way to fix this.

Drew stepped into Alana's office. She stood facing the window and didn't turn around when he entered.

“Hey.” There had to be more going on than just Alana being upset about him working with Jade. At this point that wasn't anything new.

Drew could see Alana's back lift and fall from the deep breaths she inhaled and exhaled. Finally, she turned around and began to speak.

“I have had a wonderful time over the past few months—magical even, but...”

Drew stepped closer. “But what?”

“I realize this is just not going to work. I'm not ready for all of this. I don't think you are either.”

Drew reared his head back. She obviously had no idea how ready he truly was.

She continued in spite of his reaction. “I think it's best that we...go our separate ways.”

Confusion masked his face. Drew attempted to speak, but the words jumbled. “Separate ways? Is this why you haven't called or returned my calls in days?”

“I'm sorry, Drew. I really do wish you well.” Alana turned to the window, giving him her back.

“Wish me well? Alana!”

“Please don't.” She didn't turn around. “This was hard enough.”

“Is there something you're not telling me?”

At first, Alana didn't respond. “I'm sorry. I need to get back to work.”

There was so much more to say, but the words wouldn't come together properly. Drew took in a sharp breath before continuing. “That's not good enough for me, Alana. What's really going in here?”

“I can't talk about this now. Not here.”

“If not here and now, then where and when? The least you could do is give me a concrete reason why all of the sudden you believe this can't work. What has changed in the past two days?” Drew felt his chest heave. Drew knew Alana wasn't being completely honest. There was more under the surface.

“I can't go into this here at my office. This is not the time.”

Alana had a point. This wasn't a conversation that should be had at work, especially when he became more upset with each passing moment. Drew turned to wrench the doorknob and paused. Gently, he turned the knob and walked out. The joy he'd felt all day had been siphoned from him in the small amount of time since he had arrived.

Cadence was waiting outside Alana's office. Her face was drawn, showing how upset she was by all of this, as well. Drew could clearly see Cadence's pain. She wanted this to work as much as he did. She hugged him and stepped aside so he could leave.

Wading through a storm of emotions, he finally credited himself for doing what he could to make a relationship between them work. Was there a way to salvage this? Maybe he needed to give Alana some time. Then he thought about just giving up.

Drew pulled out the gift box from his jacket pocket and placed the earrings and pendant on the floor outside her office. He wrote her a short note.
Drew looked at Alana's closed door one more time, shook his head and left.