Chasing You (Thirsty Hearts Book 4) (25 page)

T
wo days
in Dallas left Alexa feeling behind when she returned to work even though Melissa assured her everything was progressing.

After checking in with Melissa on the construction and then with Trista on the class schedule, Alexa focused on a piece of personal business—Taryn’s shower. The day before, Taryn’s friend, Micky, left her an odd voicemail.

Taryn didn’t think Alexa needed to come up early for the shower as planned. It sounded to Alexa like Taryn was taking on more for the party than she should. Taryn the control freak might need an intervention.

“Alexa, hi. What’s up?” Micky greeted.

“I got your voicemail. I wanted to make sure everything is okay. Taryn isn’t doing too much is she?”

“No.” Micky’s voice had that little dip that you hear when someone has more to say, but they’re trying to keep their mouth shut.

“Something’s up. What’s the matter?”

“I’m not supposed to say anything.”

“Let’s just skip to the part where you tell me.”

Micky waded into her answer slowly in a high-pitched tone. “Taryn asked me not to bother you with too many details about the shower. She knows you’re busy with work.”

“I told her it wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t get it.”

“I didn’t either, but I got the feeling that it would give Taryn more anxiety if you were still doing a lot than if I just handle things. I don’t want to stress her out.” Micky hesitated, then her voice pitched. “Maaay-be you should call her.”

“I will, and you can count on me to drive up Thursday like we planned. Let’s still meet for breakfast on Friday and go over what needs to be done.”

“Okay. Promise me that you’ll talk to Taryn beforehand. I don’t want her wigging out.”

“Calling her right now. Promise.”

Alexa rocked back in her office chair and dialed. After a few rings, Taryn picked up the phone. “What’s up, cuz?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you. Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine. Jeff and I went to the doctor yesterday, and we’re all good. Why?”

Alexa breathed deep to settle her fluttering stomach and tapped a pen on the desk like a metronome. “I talked with Micky. She said that I didn’t need to come up early. Are you worried about my work situation? Because things are handled.”

“Oh, hell. I wanted to keep things easy for you.”

“Are you sure that’s it? The last few times I called you and asked about the baby, you change the subject. You know you can tell me anything, right?”

Alexa stilled her seesawing pen, waiting for Taryn’s long string of silence to end.

“Look, I talked to Adam, and he said you were feeling a lot of pressure and that you might be anxious about…Whether you might ever have a baby or just where your relationships are headed and…I know I’ve been so focused on baby, baby, baby.”

“What precisely did Adam say?” Alexa threw her pen, and it skipped off the edge of the desk. Her skin tingled with fury.

“He said that all my talk about babies added to Melissa’s getting married might be making you feel bad about where you were in your life.”

“Why in God’s name would you believe that?” Disbelief launched her voice higher.

“How many conversations have we had lately about your wanting to settle down now? It feels like maybe you have been a little…I don’t know. Dissatisfied. He made it sound like you and he had some conversations about this, and that you didn’t want to say anything because you didn’t want to hurt my feelings.”

“That never happened. Yes, I’ve questioned my relationships, but how that translates into I’m not happy about the baby or don’t want to help you with the baby shower…That’s just bullshit. I can’t believe he’d say that to you.”

Taryn’s pitch shifted near a squeak. “I didn’t believe him at first but the more he talked, I started thinking. Plus, with everything going on with your dad, I didn’t want to add anything else to your plate.”

“I’ll manage my plate just fine. And Adam too, while I’m at it. I can’t believe him.”

Even if he thought she was so dissatisfied with her life that she couldn’t bear to hear about her cousin’s good fortune, why would he think it was his place to have a conversation with Taryn behind her back? Any conversation Alexa needed to have, she could have herself. Anyone who knew her would know that.

“I’ll tell you what I told Micky, everything is fine and I’ll be up that Thursday night. You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll always be there for you. Even if I had my own stupid issues, I never let that get in the way of helping you.”

Taryn’s drawl slowed. “I don’t mean to mean you feel uncomfortable or pressured or anything. I want you to be happy.”

“What makes me happy is to know what’s going on with you. I don’t know why Adam would say that I didn’t want to hear about the baby. But you and I are good. Baby talk me away!”

Inexplicably, a lump formed in her throat.

Taryn sniffled. “I know. I should have just talked to you. I can’t wait to see you. I love you.”

“Love you, too. See you then.”

Alexa hung up the phone and leaned back in her office chair, aghast. Despite the urge to call Adam immediately and demand an explanation, she took a beat.

This was a conversation best had face-to-face.

She sent him a text to see if he could meet her at her house at seven. He replied back with a thumbs up and a smiley face emoticon.

We’ll see how long that smile lasts.

* * *

A
lexa’s leg
bounced nervously as she squeezed a wedge of lime into her Tito’s and soda. Terminally punctual, Adam should arrive in a few minutes.

She looked over to the vase of black beauty roses sitting on her end table, looking darker in the shaded, early evening light of her living room. She reached over to the other table and clicked on the lamp.

When she called to thank him after the latest flower delivery, she moderated her tone, reserving her outrage for their discussion in person. She wanted to be able to read him when she asked about what he’d told Taryn. If he detected strain in her voice, he didn’t let on.

The staccato of his knock on the door sent her heart racing, but she stilled her leg and stood up.

Flipping open the door, Adam’s perfect smile highlighted his face, which was shadowed by the roof overhanging her porch.

“Hello. Those roses look more beautiful than I’d imagined. The deeply colored flowers are my favorite.”

She stepped aside in the open doorway to let him in.

He leaned in to give her a kiss but stopped short, searching. “What’s wrong?”

“You want to have a seat? I can get you a drink. What do you want?”

“Nothing for now. You seem upset.”

Her breath shortened. She paced to keeper legs steady. “I talked to Taryn today.”

“Oh?”

“Sit down.”

Alexa stopped and pointed to the overstuffed side chair, but Adam chose the couch. She perched on the edge of the chair and sipped the cocktail she made in preparation for this chat. “Are you sure you don’t want something to drink?”

“Do I need one?”

“That depends. How well can you explain why you told Taryn that talking about the baby upsets me and makes me doubt my life?”

Beneath the burnished gold of his skin, a blush emerged on his cheeks. “That’s not exactly what I said.”

Alexa kept her voice even, but her leg began to shake again. “Then, what did you say?”

“I told her that you were going through a lot, and that she needed to be sensitive to that.”

“Taryn doesn’t need lessons on how to deal with me. We’ve been friends our entire lives. She’s family.”

“I only wanted to help.” His accent took on a whining tone.

“I don’t need any help. Why would you think that I would want you to interfere with my relationship with my cousin? She’s one of my best friends.”

“Is she? I’m not sure she cares about your happiness the way that you think. I know she’s your family, but she seems more interested in lording over you with her obscenely wealthy husband and that eyesore of a house. Telling you what to do. Who you should date. I’m not the one interfering. She is.”

“What are you talking about?”

Alexa asked the question even though the vitriolic fury of his words already provided the answer.

“I heard her. Pushing you toward Graham. Telling you that you don’t need to be with me. It’s disrespectful.”

“It’s her opinion. And she’s entitled to it, and frankly, it’s none of your business.”

Adam’s face puffed with rage. “How is it none of my business when she’s trying to get between us?”

“The only one wedging himself into a relationship is you between me and Taryn. I get it if you don’t like what she said, but that doesn’t mean you go behind my back and drop poison in her ear.”

“I see,” Adam hissed his “s.”

She pitched forward, chin up. “I hope you do. If you have a problem with something, come to me. Don’t run around to other people making things up.”

“She’s working against us. And why? So you can start things back up with that philandering…I don’t even have a word for what he is.”

“You’re blowing the whole thing out of proportion.”

“Am I? ‘None of the above is an option.’ She wants to keep you single and alone, so she can be the darling. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s sabotaged other relationships you’ve had by planting seeds of doubt to keep you from being happy.”

“This is crazy! You’re twisting what she said and…God, you’re being ridiculous.”

Adam surged off the sofa and hovered over her. She pressed against the chair cushion, glaring up at him.

He leaned over and ground out his words. “This is what you do. This is why you can’t hang on to a relationship. A man shows you some consideration, and you turn it into a flaw. I love you, and I want to be with you. That is not ridiculous.”

Alexa’s awareness of his bulk sinking toward her put every cell of her body on alert. Her toes curled. Her skin prickled. Her vision narrowed on his snarling face.

To put distance between them, she scrambled up from the chair. She planted her feet in a wide stance, the left slightly in front of the right, and put her palms up to face him.

“Calm down. I don’t understand how we got from zero to insanity in a nanosecond. You’re overreacting.”

“I’m not overreacting. I’m reacting.” Adam took a long stride toward her, stopping just a foot away from being nose-to-nose. “I swear you wouldn’t know true love if it slapped you in the face.”

Alexa stood firm. Her fingers curled into fists. She brought her arms in close to her body and dropped her chin. “You underestimate me. I know what love is supposed to look like, and this isn’t it. You need to leave.”

Adam swept his open hands in front of his chest and stepped backward. His sudden downshift only made her heartbeat jump faster. “I’m sorry. Let’s talk about this. We should talk about this.”

“No. Go. We don’t need to say anything else to each other right now.”

When he didn’t move, Alexa barked. “Out, Adam. I’m not kidding.”

“I can’t leave until I know that you and I are going to talk about this.” A grating calm edged in his voice.

“You leave when I say ‘leave.’ I’d like you to go voluntarily, but if you won’t do that, I can make other arrangements.”

Angry energy sprang up in her legs. Her phone was somewhere in her purse, but she had an alarm system keypad at the front door and in her bedroom. Both had panic buttons.

Her stance and tone finally penetrated Adam’s fog. His shoulders and chest deflated. “I’m leaving. I’m leaving. I’ll call you.”

Alexa sidestepped to the front door, keeping him on her periphery, and threw it open. Adam marched toward it, opening his mouth to speak, but Alexa glowered at him.

“Not another word.”

He left, and Alexa closed and bolted the door.

What the fuck?

J
eans or slacks
? A nice T-shirt or something else? What else did he have besides dress shirts?

Graham retrieved another option from his closet and returned to stand in front of the full-length mirror in his bedroom. Holding up a multi-colored Robert Graham sport shirt—swirled with paisley and a faint dragon print—under his chin, he wasn’t sure. Too loud? Too metrosexual? Why had he bought this thing in the first place?

“You’re acting like a teenage girl.”

He threw the shirt onto the bed and reached for a previously discarded light grey, linen button-down, deciding to wear jeans and slip-on sneakers and call it a day. He rolled up his sleeves and put his game face on.

When Trista invited him to Alexa’s birthday party at her house, he RSVP’ed “yes” immediately with an embarrassing level of excitement.

“She mentioned to me yesterday that Adam wasn’t coming, so I thought you might want to.”

“She and I aren’t a thing anymore. I’m surprised you’re even inviting me. I wouldn’t think she’d want me there.”

Trista shrugged. “I think she would.”

“Should I bring anything?”

“Your own booze if you want something particular. I’m not shelling out for fancy single-malt so if want top-shelf anything, that’s on you. But that’s it. She specifically said no gifts.”

Graham decided on a mid-range bottle of bourbon from his liquor cabinet. He would never bring a single-malt Scotch to a house party. Some asshole might put it in their Diet Coke.

Then, he shoved his wallet in his back pocket and grabbed his keys and his gift for the birthday girl. He wouldn’t show up empty-handed.

He wasn’t the only one who disregarded the no-gifts policy. Once he stepped into Trista’s backyard, he spotted a table covered in cards and a handful of tissue-papered gift bags next to one offering up various forms of barbecue.

“Looking for me?” Trista smacked him on the arm.

“I am,” he lied. “I have to say hello to the host. Where do I put this?”

He held up the bourbon.

“In the kitchen, there’s a counter with all the drinks, mixers, and cups. Can’t miss it. Gifts and cards over there. She’ll open them in a few.”

“Thanks, but I’ll hang onto this and give it to her myself.”

Trista snickered.

“What?”

“I love seeing you like this. It’s like witnessing a miracle.”

“With a birthday present?”

“No. God. You know what I mean. Forget it. She’s over there by the margarita machine if you’re interested.” Trista flicked a finger toward a table in the far corner of the yard.

“I hate frozen margaritas.”

“No…never mind. When you come back out, find me at some point. I want to introduce you to my new boyfriend.”

“Absolutely.”

She punched his bicep and then wandered off, shouting to other guests. Graham headed into the house to fix himself a bourbon on the rocks. The booze counter was as easy to find as advertised. He set the gift bag temporarily on the counter and plucked a red plastic cup from the stack, questioning his adulthood before turning around to look for ice.

Their eyes flew together like magnets.

She wore an azure blue halter top and short denim skirt, which showed off the dark caramel length of her strong legs. He followed their lines down to her bright pink toes in leather sandals. Her curls were loose, and her eyes widened.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“Trista didn’t tell you?”

“I gave her a few names for the guest list. She and Melissa did everything. I didn’t realize—”

“Do you want me to leave? I don’t want to ruin your party.”

“No. Don’t. Stay. It’s fine.”

“I don’t have to worry that Adam might take a run at me?”

“He’s not here.”

His tongue practically itched to ask her why, but there was a world of explanation in those three words. Graham exhaled and grabbed another party cup.

A cooler filled with ice sat on the floor at the end of the counter, so he turned to scoop some into both cups.

“You don’t have a drink.” He grabbed one of the many bottles of Austin-distilled vodka lining the counter and began mixing her a cocktail. His gaze swept up and down the counter. “You may have to go without lime.”

“I brought some. They’re cut up in the fridge.”

“Aren’t you the regular Girl Scout? Arriving all prepared and shit.” He hoped his attempt at humor would unravel the tension his saw corded in her neck.

“I’m dedicated when it comes to my cocktails.”

Alexa opened the refrigerator to retrieve the limes and set them on the counter while Graham poured himself a generous portion of bourbon.

“Happy birthday, by the way. I got you a little something.” He gestured to the blue sparkled bag on the counter.

“People don’t seem to know what no gifts means. But, thank you.”

She plucked it off the counter. “Should open this now? Or with the others?”

“Now.”

She rifled through the obligatory tissue and pulled out a flat cardboard box. As she lifted the lid, the muscles in Graham’s legs tightened.

“Very cool.” He exhaled at the sight of her smile. “An Oregon Pinot wine-of-the-month club. Thank you.”

“You seemed to like it.”

“I did. Thanks.” A skittish laugh bubbled out of her. “I guess I already said that.”

Graham squeezed a lime into Alexa’s cup and handed it to her, then lifted his own drink. “Cheers.”

They brushed plastic and drank.

“You’re almost done with construction. That must be a relief.”

“It is. We’ll be open in a few weeks.”

“Planning a grand opening?”

“Yeah. Um, we just sent invitations out to some key clients for an exclusive spa party. We have reps from our organic skin care line coming in to do facials and demo the products. We’ll do a yoga for relaxation class. It’s shaping up.”

“I’m glad.”

“Thanks for all your help getting things done on time.”

“You’re welcome.”

“How are things with you?”

“Par for the course. I hear your dad’s doing well.”

One of her carefully arched brows dipped, creating a little wrinkle in her forehead.

“Sarah told me.”

“Oh. Yeah. He’s doing much better, actually. Internal affairs just cleared the shooting. He’s basically on leave until his retirement. My mom couldn’t be happier.”

“That’s a relief. I’m glad.” Graham ran out of tolerance for the elephant standing idly in the corner. “It’s none of my business. I’m sure you’ll say that, but no Adam at your birthday?”

The look in her eyes could have chilled their drinks. “Do you miss him? I could call him.”

“Oh, yes. Please.” Graham swallowed a stinging punch of whiskey.

“It’s nothing. Sometimes you have issues. We’ll work it out.”

She swiveled her head toward the back door, lips firmly shut. The ice crunched in her cup as she shook it and took another drink.

* * *

W
hy did
he need to press her on this now?

Alexa longed to run screaming from the room to avoid the line of questioning, but her legs didn’t move. Graham kept staring at her. No smugness or self-satisfaction. She detected more concern even, than curiosity.

“We had a disagreement.”

“It looks like more than that.”

“I can’t talk about this with you.”

“Why?”

“It feels disrespectful to discuss this with the one person that I know would drive Adam crazy.”

“I don’t care what drives Adam crazy.” His declaration rolled out in a steady, low-pitched rhythm.

Alexa stopped dancing away from Graham’s eyes. “What boyfriend wants his girlfriend’s old lover hanging around? I don’t blame him for that.”

“What
do
you blame him for?”

“Don’t go there, Graham. Adam…he cares for me. He wants to be with me, and I’m not going to mock him for the thing that drew me to him in the first place.”

“I’m not mocking him.”

Alexa moved to brush past Graham and leave. He touched her elbow, and she halted.

“I’m sorry. I worry about that guy.”

“Why?”

“There’s something in the way he is with you that’s too…much. He’s possessive.”

Alexa scratched an imaginary itch on the nape of her neck.

“You see it, too. I don’t know what he did, but my guess is that I’m right on the money. Be careful with him, okay?”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I know, but it doesn’t stop me.”

Graham’s eyes darted away. He sighed and rested his hands on his hips. She stared at his profile—the tightness of his jaw extended into his neck. Alexa longed to touch him and ease his tension. Resisting the magnetic pull between them expended more energy than Alexa had.

“I need to get back out there. I’m supposed to open my presents. Thanks for this.” She held up the wine certificate and turned toward the door.

“Alexa, wait.”

She kept walking and felt a tingle from her scalp to the heels. Then, the sensation faded. She looked back as she closed the door behind her to go down the steps to the back yard. Graham was gone.

Drink in hand, Alexa wandered across the lawn. The swooshing churn of the margarita machine mixed with reverberating conversations and atmospheric indie rock. The darkening yard frustrated the search for her hostess until a sudden pop of colors twinkled above. Criss-crossing strands of lights stretched away from the roofline, creating a trellis of color befitting Christmas.

“I’ve heard of Christmas in July, but May is a bit early.”

The familiar voice made Alexa spin around, smiling and giving the tall man a hug. “Hey, Kyle.”

“Happy, happy birthday!”

“Thanks!”

“Hey, Birthday Girl, come open your presents.”

Alexa found herself in the center of her partygoers opening gifts to a chorus of laughter. Her friends had ignored her request, but most of them did so with a heavy dose of wit and sarcasm. She immediately donned the plastic tiara, which read, “Diva,” and then opened up one of the many bags of candy and sweets.

“It’s like y’all won’t rest until I have diabetes.”

“You can’t eat healthy all the time!” One of her clients shouted from the back of the crowd.

“Thanks for coming, everyone. It’s been a tough few weeks, but if it’s taught me anything, it’s how important it is to have friends and family and to tell them that you love them while you can.”

“Oh, God. Are you going to get weepy on us?” Holly grumbled loudly.

“Hell, no. I’m going to toast all of you who came.” Alexa’s eyes settled on Graham, skirting the side of the yard. He hadn’t left. She smiled. “All of you. So, raise ‘em up, people. This party is about to go off. Cheers!”

Everyone whooped, and several of her old college friends hollered the obligatory, “Hook ‘em.” The music cranked, and Trista led people out to an open expanse on the lawn to start dancing.

Alexa kept finding Graham and saw him making his way over.

“I’m heading out in a bit, but I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier. It’s your birthday. I shouldn’t have brought up Adam.”

“It’s a hard topic for you and I to avoid, but I’d like to. I know how you feel about him. I appreciate your concern, but I just can’t go there with you. Okay?”

“Done.”

“Good. I am glad that you came. The last time we saw each other…things got ugly. Can we agree that we both said some stupid things and kind of acted like children?”

He grinned. “Something we agree on.”

“Why don’t you stay? The party’s just starting.”

“Tempting, but I think I’m going to call it a night.” Graham touched her bare shoulder, and her knees jellied. “Work out what you need to work out. And I’ll see you around.”

He stepped back, downed his drink, spun, and was gone—the imprint of his hand still tingling on her arm when she turned to the rest of her party goers and joined the celebration.