[WS02] Taming Alex (16 page)

“What in the hell are you doing? Don't you know it's a fifteen-foot drop?” She held
onto his hands and looked out the window. He was standing on a silver ladder. A very
tall silver ladder.

Just then Lauren and Chase came rushing in her room. Chase held a baseball bat, ready
to bash someone's head in. Lauren had her trusty revolver, cocked and ready to shoot
whatever or whoever had caused her sister to scream so loud.

“What is going on?” they both asked at the same time.

“It's okay,” Alex said, holding her hands up, laughing. “I'm okay.”

When they noticed Grant's head poking in through the window, they both relaxed.

“You have a very scary wife,” Grant said, hoisting himself over the windowsill and
looking down at the gun in Lauren's hand. Chase turned and noticed the gun just as
Lauren released the hammer.

Chase laughed. “You have no idea what that one hides under
her
bed,” he said, pointing at Alex. He nodded to Grant, then turned his wife around
and marched her out of the room.

Lauren called out over her shoulder, “If you need help, just holler.” Chase closed
the door behind him.

“Are you going somewhere?” Grant asked, looking around her room.

She turned back to him, her arms crossed over her chest. “Yes.” Her head was feeling
light from all the excitement, so she walked over and sat down on the edge of her
bed. “I'm going to my cousins’, remember.”

He looked around again. “Forever?”

She shrugged her shoulders.

“Because of me?” He walked over and sat next to her.

She refused to look at him. If she looked into those deep blue eyes, she might lose
her nerve. Going away was for the best. For both of them.

“Alex, would you please look at me?” he asked, taking her chin with just a finger
and pulling it towards him.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I can't. I can't do this.” She kept her eyes closed
tight.

“I'm sorry,” he said softly. Then his weight lifted from the mattress. She kept her
eyes closed tight and heard him walk back towards the window. She listened carefully
but didn't hear him leave, so she peeked out one eye and watched as he leaned out
the window.

“What are you doing?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“I have something for you, but the rope is stuck,” he said, grunting a little.

“Unless you're going to hang yourself”—she turned away from the window and smiled—“you
better just take whatever it is back. I don't want anything from you.”

“There,” he said, ignoring her. “Got it. Here we go,” he said as he pulled on the
rope, leaving a heap of it lying on her bedroom floor alongside her boxes.

Her curiosity finally got the better of her and she walked over to the window in time
to see him pull a small basket tied securely with the rope through her window.

“What is it?” she asked, leaning against her windowsill.

“You'll have to promise to listen to me. To let me speak and talk to you first.”

She shook her head, but couldn't put a lot of feeling behind it.

“Alex?” He looked down at her and held the basket to his side, turning his shoulders
so she couldn't see it.

“Fine!” She threw up her hands in frustration. How did he know she had a weakness
for surprises? She was sure that was all Haley's doing; her sister couldn't keep her
mouth shut. “I'll listen to you, but if I don't like what you have to say, you and
whatever is in the basket will go out the window, without the use of the ladder.”
She crossed her arms over her chest again.

He smiled. “Fair enough.” Then he turned and handed her the basket. At first she thought
he'd given her a brown towel, but then it moved and she almost dropped the basket
in shock. His hands came under hers to steady them, then he gently lifted the puppy
from the basket and handed it to her.

“You bought me a puppy?” she asked, looking down at the brown blob.

“I bought
us
a puppy,” he said, smiling at her.

She stared at him. “You think that by buying me a puppy, you'll make everything bad,
everything wrong between us go away?”

He frowned and looked down at his feet. “No, of course not. I thought of Junior here
as a peace offering and a means of getting my foot in the window, I mean door.” He
looked up and smiled a little, causing her heart to skip.

How had he gotten past her defenses so quickly? She'd prepared herself for this, or
so she’d told herself. She tried to hand the small bundle back to him, but he crossed
his arms and shook his head.

“I'm not doing this.” She walked over and set the happy puppy on her bed where it
started sniffing around and chewing on her quilt.

“Alex, I only needed to talk to you. Honest. If after ten minutes you don't like what
I've said, you can kick me and Junior out. Deal?”

She tried not to melt when his blue eyes turned sad and begging. She sighed and sat
next to the dog who immediately climbed up on her lap. She gathered him up and started
to pet his soft baby fur as Grant started pacing in front of her.

“Well, let's start at the beginning.” He turned and looked down at her. “Eighteen
years ago—” he began but stopped when she sighed and glanced up at him. He nodded
then continued. “Eighteen years ago, I walked in and caught you stealing a horse.
You know in Texas you can still be hung for that crime.” He gave her a weak smile,
then continued. “You were wearing a yellow sun dress, your hair was in two braids
down your back, and the sun was behind you.” He stopped his pacing long enough to
look at her again, sadness in his eyes. “I lost my heart in aisle three at the Grocery
Stop that day. I would have given you anything at that moment. Then you gave me my
very first kiss and I knew what I wanted in life. I wanted to someday become worthy
of having Alexis West, the girl of my dreams.”

She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. How could she have known? But
what was she going to do with this knowledge? Before she could say anything, he continued.

“Then in a flash we were in middle school, then junior high, and I was standing in
the corner at the dance watching you dance with every boy but me. In high school you
were there to stop the kids from calling me names, and you were kind to me even though
I was the class nerd and the chubbiest kid in school. I went away to college, all
along thinking that I'd come back into town and show you that I was worthy of being
with you. Every time I came home from the gym after Sam had destroyed me during a
session, I thought of you. Of being with you.” He squatted down in front of her. “Alex,
I've loved you since the first grade. I want to keep on loving you. Yesterday morning,
when you broke it off, I kind of went insane.” He frowned and shook his head. “Then
when I saw you with Travis and heard what he said, I felt, for just a moment, that
what he was saying was true. Remember, pleading insanity here.” He smiled and took
one of her hands. “I was wrong. I should have trusted my gut and not my knee-jerk
instinct. Can you ever forgive me?”

Tears were lightly flowing down her cheeks, and he reached up with one gentle finger
and brushed it aside. She didn't trust herself to speak, so she just nodded her head.

“Good, now comes the difficult part.” He took a deep breath and clasped her other
hand. “Alexis West, would you do me the honor of moving in with me?”

Her heart had skipped for a fraction of a moment. No! her mind screamed. Not again.
She was not going to get engaged again, and so soon. But then she replayed his words.
Move in with me. She didn't know what to say. She'd tried the engagement thing, but
this wasn't getting married, and it wasn't Travis. Looking up into Grant's blue eyes,
she knew without a doubt that he'd never cheat on her, he'd never raise a voice or
hand towards her. Besides, he'd just proclaimed that he'd loved her since she was
seven. How could she not say yes? Then it dawned on her. That had been the one thing
missing. The knowledge of her feelings for him. The idea of getting used to someone
day and night. Did she love him? She knew she hadn't loved Travis. She’d thought she'd
loved him, but basically she'd tolerated him to get what she wanted: marriage.

Was she going to use Grant that way as well? No. The answer slammed into her head.
Blinking back the tears, she knew her answer. Knew that she'd loved him since the
night he'd picked her up on side of the road and been kind to her. Since that first
real kiss many months ago, when he'd knocked her socks off. He was the only man that
made her stutter and feel shy. He was the only one she could see herself growing old
with.

“That's a long break there.” He smiled nervously at her.

“That was a pretty heavy question you asked.” She smiled and nodded. “But I've thought
it through, and I have some things to say first.” She handed him the puppy and started
pacing, much like he had.

“First I need to know, why me? I'm nothing special. I work in a greasy diner and have
no real education like you do. I'm stubborn and will always demand I get my way.”

He smiled and nodded. “You're twice as smart as most women I met at Harvard. More
beautiful than all of them. And I love that you're stubborn. I look forward to giving
you everything you'll ever want.”

She smiled. “Smooth talker.”

He chuckled at her. “Any more questions?”

She thought about it. “If I agree to move in with you…” She paused and could tell
he was holding his breath. “We are not naming him Junior.”

He blinked, then laughed and jumped off the bed to hug her, the tiny dog squashed
lightly between them.

W
hen they walked downstairs an hour later and entered the kitchen, everyone was there.
They were all sitting around the table drinking coffee and looking very worried.

“We didn't hear anything breaking,” Chase said and then smiled. He was rewarded with
a light kick under the table from his wife.

“Oh, look.” Haley got up and rushed over to take the small puppy from Alex's hands.

“It's okay,” Alex said. “We're okay.” She took Grant's hand and smiled at him. “I'm
moving in with Grant.”

Everyone was quiet for a second as it sunk in, then they flooded them with congratulations
and hugs. Everyone told them how happy they were for them.

Since Alex had to work the next morning, she packed a few things into a large bag
that Grant carried out to his truck. The puppy, whom she was thinking of calling Romeo,
was tucked in her lap fast asleep as she followed Grant to his house in her car.

When they arrived, he carried her bags inside, turned to her, and wrapped her in his
arms. “Welcome home.” He kissed her gently on her lips, melting the last part of her
defenses.

The next morning his alarm went off early and she flipped the pillow over her head.
She could have ignored the alarm and the sound of Grant whistling in the shower, but
when the puppy started whining, she wrapped the robe around her and slipped on some
shoes to let the little guy go out.

When she opened the back sliding door, she noticed the sun was just coming up. Her
eyes weren't all the way open yet as she watched the beautiful colors flood the sky
over the fall leaves. Romeo did his business, then shook off the morning dew that
he'd rolled in and came in the door. He sat on his bottom and looked up at her.

“I suppose you'll want some breakfast now.” She walked into the kitchen and scooped
out a cup of food and dumped it into the new dog bowl Grant had purchased for him.
The name Junior was scribbled in elegant letters, but Alex knew she would get the
final word on his name.

She flipped the coffee maker on just as Grant walked into the kitchen. He walked over
to her and wrapped her in his arms, giving her a kiss that told her she was right
where she belonged.

Just before noon, she was wondering why she hadn't called in sick at the diner. Her
head was throbbing and on several occasions, she’d had to sit down while taking someone's
order. Jamella kept trying to convince her to go home, but she had wanted to stick
it out until Grant and his parents came by for lunch around twelve thirty. They were
going to tell his parents together that she'd moved in with him. When Travis' parents
came in a few minutes later, she wished she'd taken Jamella's advice.

“Good morning. Do you know what you want to order?” She tried to give them a big smile.
She knew what everyone was seeing when they looked at her. The left side of her forehead
was still swollen and there was a butterfly bandage covering a small cut. The bruise
that ran from her hairline to just below her left eye looked nasty this morning, so
she could only imagine what it looked like now. Even though she'd expertly covered
it with makeup, she could tell by the way people were looking at her that they could
still see most of it.

“Should you be working in your condition?” Patty Nolan looked down her nose at Alex.
Patty had always looked prim and proper. Even when she was working in the yard, the
woman never had a hair out of place. Her perfectly manicured nails, her
pristine
clothing, even her hair was never out of place. Alex cringed when she thought of what
she might look like now.

“I'm fine.” She smiled and asked if she could take their order again.

“I don't know,” Patty said, setting down her menu. “From what I've heard, you've had
a lot going on. Is it true that you're going to be moving? Something about going to
your cousins’?” She looked at her through squinted eyes. There was a twisted smile
on her face, and Alex felt a shiver run down her spine.

“Oh,” Roy piped in, “is it true? Are you leaving Fairplay?” There was a sparkle in
his eye as well, and Alex felt all the air being sucked out of the room.

“No.” She'd known it would travel all over town, since she'd pretty much screamed
it at Grant the other day at the fairgrounds. But she hadn't thought about having
to explain that she was now living with him. “No, I'm staying in Fairplay.”

She watched as both of their faces sank and felt steam coming off her skin. How dare
these two make her feel inferior. It was almost as if they'd been happy to hear that
she'd be leaving. Well, let them choke on this bit of news.

“Actually, I've moved in with Grant.” She smiled big when she saw both of their chins
drop.

“Grant? But we heard…,” Patty started, only to be hushed by her husband.

“I suppose it's not true either that you're pregnant?” Roy asked.

Alex looked between the pair. The night Savannah had approached her at the Rusty Rail
popped into her head. She couldn't help it, she laughed so hard several people turned
their heads.

“No wonder everyone's been looking at me funny all week.” She laughed harder, holding
her sides. “No,” she said loudly, “I'm not expecting. But I'm happy to say that Lauren
and Chase will be welcoming their first child early next summer.” There, let the town
choke on that.

“Now, would you like to order something or did you just come in here to hear the latest
gossip about my life?” She smiled even more when she saw Patty's face start to turn
purple. “I'll give you two a few more minutes to look over the menu, shall I?” She
turned on her heel and walked away without another word.

Walking into the back, she waited until the door swung shut, then collapsed into Jamella's
relaxin' chair just inside her office.

“What da say to you dat has you upset?” Jamella walked in and took the seat across
from her.

“Nothing.” She closed her eyes for a moment, wishing the throbbing would subside just
a little. “Jamella? Am I smart?”

“What kind o' question is dat? Of course you're smart. You da smartest girl I knowed.
Why do you tink I kept you on so long?”

She shrugged her shoulders.

“Did da tell you dat you weren't smart?” She watched her boss rise no doubt to go
and tell the mayor and his wife off.

“Hang on.” She took her arm and held her still. “No, they didn't. It's just that I've
always thought of myself as just ordinary. I mean…” She dropped her hand and looked
down at her fingers. “I did okay in school. Made good grades and all, but I never
went to college. I've only been to two major cities my whole life. I've actually never
even been outside of Texas. I'm just afraid that Grant deserves someone better. Someone
smarter.” She sighed.

“Girl, none of dat stuff matters. You have what matters, in here.” She tapped her
chest and lightly put her fingers against her forehead. “And in here. Girl, you are
like my own, you and your sisters. My kids…” She grunted and shook her head. “Mmm,
dey took off and left me alone to all dis. But, you…” She looked down at her. “You
walked in dat day and filled a spot in my heart.” She patted her chest. “Girl, you
are worth eighty times any girl dat went to a fancy school.” She pulled her up and
gave her a big hug. “Now, stick dat chin in da air.” She smiled when Alex did. “Good,
girl.”

“Thanks, Jamella. Your kids don't know what they are missing.” She placed a kiss on
the woman's wet cheek and walked out front feeling better.

By the time Grant and his family walked in, Travis' parents had left. She was thankful
for that and sat down next to Grant.

“You look tired,” he said, frowning. “How's the head?” He brushed a strand of her
hair away from her eyes.

“I'm okay, now that you're here.” She leaned over and kissed him right there.

“You two look good together,” his mother said, leaning against his father's shoulder.
“Don't they dear?”

“Yes, I always knew you would get together.” He smiled then laughed when his wife
gently hit him in the arm.

“Alex is moving in with me,” Grant said, smiling at Alex. “Oh, and you have a grandson.”
Grant laughed when his mother's face turned a little pale.

“A puppy grandson,” Alex corrected and slapped Grant's shoulder. “Don't scare your
folks like that.

“Scare? My dear, I was excited. But a puppy will do for now.” She smiled.

She had laughed at them. Actually laughed at them in front of everyone at Mama's.
How dare she do that. How dare she ruin everything. Well, there was only one way to
handle this now. Looking down at what lay in the seat, a smile crept across lips slowly.

Taking everything she loved away from her would prove to her that she wasn't worthy.
Maybe then she would leave and never return. Maybe then she would understand that
you don't screw around with the Nolans.

Grant convinced Alex to head home with him after lunch. She'd really looked too tired
to continue her shift, and he could tell that she had a headache. After his parents
left, he stuck around until she closed out then drove her home in his truck since
she looked too tired to drive herself. He told her they'd get her car first thing
in the morning. She closed her eyes and rested her head all the way home. Their home.
He still couldn't get used to it. He knew this was just step one in his master plan
to convince her to marry him by Christmas.

Alex was down the hall, taking a nap, and Grant worked on the website, answering emails
from clients, since his license had been fully approved. He'd fallen into a pattern
of spending a few hours a day answering questions. He actually found it very enjoyable
and looked forward to getting more clients. His father helped out and took his share
of questions every day as well.

The doorbell rang, and Junior started yapping. Grant quickly scooped the little guy
up before he could wake Alex. “Shhh,” he told him as he walked to the door. “Hush
now or you'll wake your mother. Shall we see who's come to visit us?” He held the
small dog to his chest.

When he opened the door, he was smiling and had no time to react. He saw the smoke
at the bottom of the stairs first. It billowed out in a white puff, fogging his view.
Then he heard the loud crack as the air was ripped apart. He hit the ground before
he felt any pain. All he could feel was sorrow for what he knew was coming next for
Alex.