Unexpected Ride (15 page)

A few short minutes later the doors were held open and the guests began to filter into the main gallery where a large portrait of Meredith hung on a faux wall.  Lights hung down and shone onto the painting making the shadows and colors stand out even more.  The wait staff, dressed more elegantly than Chuck and his friends, meandered around offering the guests champagne and hors d’ oeuvres. 

Sometime later Greg looked around for Carla and much like the first time he’d ever seen her, she was wandering around the gallery looking at Chuck’s paintings in wonder.  As soon as Trina spotted a young couple that she knew she let go of Greg’s arm and wandered off to mingle with them.  He took the opportunity to approach Carla.

“I went by the office earlier while you were out with the girls and Sergeant Miller asked if I’d mind bringing his sister, Trina, to the premiere this evening,” he said by way of explanation to her unspoken question.

Instead of looking relieved as he’d hoped for or forgiving as he expected, Carla’s facial expression didn’t change at all and as if she hadn’t heard a word he said, she turned and simply walked away. 

Something akin to panic settled in his stomach.   Normally he would attribute her actions to being jealous but the fact that she didn’t hurry away, act mad or any of those typical reactions he would have anticipated drove his anxiety over the situation up to a whole new level.  He found himself following her across the room while attempting not to actually chase her down.

Just as he neared her, Dickie stopped him by placing his hand on Greg’s arm.  “I heard what you said to her… just give her a minute to swallow the realization that she wants you enough to care that you’re here with another woman.  Step back from it and let her come to you.”

“She thinks…” he nearly whispered.  “When the reality is I want her so bad I can hardly think of anything else.  Trina really is just a favor to a friend… I swear.”

“I understand that, believe me… and yea… she does think
that
and it is bothering the hell out of her.  Not jealousy really… just the idea that she needs to decide if she is ready to feel like that again and if she wants you in return or if she should let you move on to someone else.  Give her time to make that decision on her own and it’ll be worth it,” Dickie replied, smacking Greg encouragingly on his upper arm. 

Then the older man turned and walked away from Greg leaving him staring after the thing he hungered for to the depths of his very soul. 
God this was killing him.
It was hard to be patient when everything about her made him want her… especially her earlier sensuality. 
Good God
!  Being with her was all he could
think
about… touching her… tasting her…
loving her
.

Deciding he should stop torturing himself and keep an eye out for Jarred Tompkins instead of panting after Carla, he was headed toward the front of the gallery when a disturbance caught his eye.  After all these years… even after the case against Lilly’s first husband… he hadn’t learned anything. 

He again had let something…
or someone
… distract him and now Jarrod Tompkins stood talking to Chuck and Meredith.  Meredith looked shocked and Chuck looked angry and like normal… Carla was one step ahead of him.  Make that several yards as she hurried towards where Chuck stood looking as though he was about to…

“No, Chuck!” Meredith said loudly, clutching Chuck’s arm and attempting to pull him back and away from Jarrod Tompkins.

“I’m telling you both the truth!” Jarrod insisted.  “Just ask her… they made me leave.  I swear to God!”

“I’m so gonna kick your ass if you don’t shut the fuck up and leave right now,” Chuck ground out between his teeth.

Carla stopped only a couple of feet from Jarrod and stared at Meredith who merely glanced at her and then went back to attempting to keep Chuck from laying the man out by standing between them.  Greg had always wondered how Chuck ended up with a criminal record for a violent crime since he was normally so easy going.  The fierceness of the young man now made the idea a little more believable.

As Meredith continued to try and push Chuck back, the rest of the guys in the group were suddenly surrounding Jarrod and just as he thought all hell was about to break loose, a couple of deputies he’d worked with came through the door. 

Greg watched them place Jarrod in handcuffs as a couple entered the gallery and pointed out Jarrod to another officer and proclaimed him to be the man who they had just given money to.  This was not how this was supposed to play out. 
What happened to quietly?

“I swear it to you, Meredith… it’s me… not Doug Johnson…
me!
” Jarrod said loudly as he was led out of the gallery followed by the latest couple to be taken advantage of.

Daniel followed the officers outside and after the gallery cleared out some, the guests, who already considered themselves above the law, continued on as though nothing had happened.  A couple of women in expensive designer gowns eyed Chuck and the other guys from the group as though they were a decadent desert.  Apparently being on the wrong side of the law was just as big of an attraction to women as wearing a badge… even to upper class ladies.

Chuck continued to eye the door that Jarrod had exited through as though struggling not to follow the police officers outside and pound Jarrod into the ground... regardless of the presence of law enforcement. 

Meredith held on to both of Chuck’s arms.  Sensing she wasn’t having the impact she needed to calm him down, she suddenly captured his face in between her hands and kissed him.  Quickly the kiss drew attention from onlookers as the young man went after Meredith instead of Jarrod… just in a different way.

After a moment, Dickie cleared his throat and then laughed at the expression on one man’s face who appeared to be completely shocked at the open display of affection between the young couple.

“Give it a try for yourself… she’ll appreciate it,” Dickie suggested to the man, pointing at the man’s date.

The man took his date’s arm and turned away from the group but the woman looked back at Dickie curiously before being dragged away.  Dickie was laughing at Chuck’s antics right along with Tommy and Bobby.  Greg started across the gallery toward the group after thanking the lead detective on the case and assuring that the man had his cell phone number to keep him informed.  Carla intercepted him about halfway to where they all stood.

Tears shimmered in her eyes along with anger and disappointment as she placed her fragile hand on his chest to stop him mid-step.

“I have asked you…
repeatedly
… not to interfere with my family… with my kids.  Now you have interfered in something that is
none
of your business.  I should never have told you
anything
about my life… about my past.  Now my own child knows how badly her mother screwed up and will be forever impacted by that man.  Do you understand that?  How dare you, Detective? 
How dare you?
” she hissed at him.

Before he could fully appreciate all the passion in her tirade at him, she raised her tiny hand and slapped him a good one.  The strike didn’t hurt but it effectively knocked out the remaining control he held where she was concerned.  Grabbing her by her upper arms, he did just what Dickie had suggested he
not
do. 

He kissed Carla… not the hesitant hopeful kisses from before but a declaration of his feelings for her… an insistent kiss that spoke of his hunger and intentions toward her.  His mouth forced hers to submit to him and open for his invasion.

The only thing that brought him back to his senses was the feeling of being watched.  That and Carla clutching his head between her small hands holding him to her while his mouth made its way down the delicious skin of her neck toward her shoulder and the sound of her whispering, “How dare you, Detective… how dare you do this to me?”

Chapter Nine

Releasing her arms he pulled back from her and she felt the loss just as she’d felt it when Doug had left…
died
.  This time was by choice… unlike Doug… Greg Sanders had
chosen
to do this to her. 

Greg’s gaze captured hers and he sighed before saying, “I only just signed my retirement paperwork this afternoon.  Up until that point my job
required
me to report any and
all
crimes happening in this state.  In Florida, I’m a guest… a visitor… with no obligation to get involved but here… I
am
obligated.  I didn’t interfere to hurt you, Meredith or Chuck!  I did it because I’m a cop and because I care about you… all of you… you and your kids.”

“You’re mouth looks so good and kisses incredibly well but it is by far the best at
lying
,” she said hatefully, forcing her gaze up to meet his hazel eyes.

Instead of arguing with her, Greg removed her hands from his shoulders and backed away from her.  She could see signs of anger and hurt, much like she was feeling, reflected in his eyes.  He had only himself to thank… she had nearly
begged
him to look the other way about this… but
no
. 

Now he wanted to be upset because it had worked out the way she somehow knew it would when she’d asked him to back off this case… not look into it too deeply.  He turned away from her and walked over to the gorgeous young woman he’d come with tonight, who stood looking at the group like quite a few of the other guests. 
He could take the woman home… it didn’t really matter now… did it?

He said a few words to the woman and then they just walked out of the gallery.  A sensation deep in her heart told her that it might very well be the last image of him she would ever see.  It couldn’t be helped… she had to look out for the kids first.  There would be time enough for her to live again when they were grown and out of the house.  Then she could find someone… hungry kisses that set her body on fire were
not
a necessity.

Carla watched Chuck say something to Dickie who placed an arm around Meredith’s shoulders and led her across the gallery and down a hallway leading to Cameron’s office.  Becca remained behind and quickly took Meredith’s place right next to Chuck who finally looked to be back in control of himself.  A few guests who had stood around with their mouths open staring at the group and all the commotion continued to stare at Chuck.

“What?” Chuck finally asked a couple of them defensively.

That seemed to be the motivation the guests needed to move away and continue touring the gallery. 
What could she say to Chuck?
  As though he didn’t have enough issues of his own, her past had shown up tonight to ruin the evening for not only him but the whole group! 
How did a person apologize for that kind of drama?

She was nearly directly in front of him before he actually noticed her there.  The tears were right there begging to be released but she didn’t deserve to give her emotions free reign… she needed to do what she could to make this up to Chuck…
somehow
. 

Chuck had become like another one of her kids over the course of a few short months and she hated disappointing him as much as she hated disappointing Meredith or the boys.  Unable to voice her feelings, she instead held her arms out to him.

He stepped forward and hugged her tightly, nearly lifting her off her feet and said, “I’d have fucked him up real bad for you back then, Hot Stuff… so he best be glad he only had to deal with Nathan and Doug.”

“I’m so sorry for all this, Chuck… this was supposed to be
your
day and I’ve ruined it,” she choked out.

“No, babe… you didn’t ruin anything, but let me give you a tip.  Sometimes when there are just too many skeletons to store in your own closet, kicking them back in and trying to hold the door shut doesn’t work.  You have to take a few out and pass them off to one of your buddies to hold for a few days,” he said, finally releasing her.  “Some hot ass chick I’m fixing to marry is hanging on to a bunch of mine so I got room to store a few of yours if you need it.”

Carla patted Chuck’s cheek as the first tear made its way down her face.  Turning away from him, she was approached by Dana who put a thin arm around her shoulders and led her across the gallery to the office that Meredith had disappeared into.  Carla could hear the clicking of Lilly’s heels on the tiled floor right behind them as if she was coming along for moral support. 

It was time to face her demons… clean out her closet a little bit.  However, Carla would never forgive Greg Sanders for forcing her to do so
tonight
of all nights.

Just as she stepped through the doorway of Cameron’s office and Dana released her, Chuck’s words hit her like the slap she had delivered to Greg earlier.  Thoughts of Greg’s lips moving against hers threatened to take over and she had to force them away. 
Never doing that again.
 

What she needed to focus on was the fact that somehow Chuck knew about her father and Doug having dealt with Jarrod before. 
How in the hell did he know about that?

The realization then hit that if Chuck knew then it was quite possible that Meredith did as well.  Carla brought her gaze up to look at her beautiful daughter’s face.  It was there in Meredith’s eyes that glistened with unshed tears… in the strength showing in her slender shoulders which she’d squared in preparation for this conversation… in the way that Dickie had his hand on Meredith’s upper back to show his support.  Who had told them? 
Greg Sanders!  That bastard!

“What did he say to you?” Carla asked in an effort to buy herself some time.

“Nothing I didn’t already know.  He just confirmed it and that explains why you and Daddy never told me about him,” Meredith said as a couple of tears spilled down her cheeks. 

“What do you mean you already knew?” Carla asked in shock.

“Come on, Mom!  You and Daddy weren’t even
dating,
let alone married, when I was born and there are no pictures of him holding me as a baby… only you, Grandma and Grandpa.  I figured it out in about ninth grade but I just thought you guys would tell me eventually,” Meredith explained.  “Then when college hit and I saw how proud Daddy was of me for going to the same school he did… I just stopped caring about who, what or why… especially after the accident. 
Doug Johnson
was my daddy…
is
my daddy… he always will be.”