Say Yes to a Second Chance

by Kirk, Cindy

  “Wonderful. Would you be interested in meeting me at the Green Gâteau?”

  The small bistro on Scott Lane was one of Adrianna’s favorite places to dine.

  “I’d love to,” Adrianna said, then paused. “Will Tripp be joining us?”

  “No.” Kathy’s tone remained light. “Just the two of us. Will noon work?”

  “That will be perfect.”

  On the drive to the bistro, Adrianna almost wished it had been the hospital calling. At least she’d know what to expect. She hadn’t a clue why Tripp’s mother wanted to have lunch with her.

  At five minutes before twelve Adrianna walked through the door of the quaint bistro that was a favorite of the women in Jackson Hole. With an eclectic atmosphere that included stained glass, tin ceilings and mismatched pub chairs and tables, the place had a funky but homey feel.

  Kathy motioned to her from a small table by the window. Looking stylish as always in a wrap dress in muted celery-green and a light cotton sweater, her appearance made Adrianna glad she’d changed into a pair of linen pants.

  When she reached the table, Kathy stood and greeted Adrianna with a hug. “I’m happy you could make it.”

  “Thanks for inviting me,” Adrianna murmured, settling into the chair across the table. “You look nice today. I love that color on you.”

  “Oh, my dear, you’re the one who’s drawing everyone’s eyes.”

  Adrianna didn’t bother to glance around. She’d learned long ago that men simply liked to check out women. That didn’t mean they were interested in dating them. Her never-ending dateless status was proof of that fact.

  They chatted about the weather for several minutes, then ordered the special: a vegetable quiche with a side of fruit and mango iced tea. After the waitress had brought their beverages, Kathy’s expression turned serious.

  Her gaze searched Adrianna’s face. “I suppose you’re wondering why I asked you to meet me today.”

  Adrianna took a sip of tea and let a smile be her answer.

  “You know Frank has cancer.” A bleak look filled the older woman’s eyes. “While we’re hopeful he’ll have a good response to this latest round of chemo, he’s very ill.”

  Adrianna reached across the table and impulsively squeezed the woman’s hand.

  “Seeing Tripp settling down has made Frank very happy.”

  Adrianna started to nod. Then it hit her. Settling down? Something was very wrong here.

  “It was hard on everyone when Gayle and the baby died.” Kathy stared down at the cloth napkin in her lap for several long seconds before lifting her gaze. “Tripp was inconsolable.”

  “He loved her very much.”

  Kathy nodded. “I believe Gayle wouldn’t have wanted him to grieve forever. She’d have wanted him to move on.”

  Adrianna couldn’t argue with that. “He has to be ready.”

  “I believe he finally is.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Adrianna murmured.

  “Oh, he’s ready.” A pleased smile tugged at his mother’s coral lips. “Everyone at the party was commenting how he couldn’t take his eyes off you.”

  She wondered what Tripp’s mother would say if she told her the real reason she was there with her son.

  “Even though getting together today might seem to indicate otherwise, I want to assure you that I’ll never be a meddling mother-in-law.”

  “But Tripp and I—”

  Kathy waved her silent.

  “Please, let me finish. We don’t know how much time Frank has left, but it would make both of us extremely happy to see Tripp married before...” Kathy swallowed hard. “I’m just saying Frank would love to see his son settled down with you.”

  “Kathy, I—” Adrianna had been prepared to tell his mother everything. How she and Tripp were simply friends. How he’d invited her to go with him to the event at the country club so they’d both be free to network. How Jim Ferris had misunderstood and thought Tripp was settling down. The look of bald hope in eyes that were so much like Tripp’s made Adrianna reconsider.

  She’d heard the rumors that Frank Randall’s health was failing. There were few secrets in Jackson Hole, especially in the medical community. Everyone knew Tripp’s dad had been diagnosed with melanoma and hadn’t had a good response to the initial treatment.

  Adrianna had been shocked and saddened to hear the news. Not only because Frank had been a driving force for civic improvements and conservation in Jackson Hole for many years but because he was also Tripp’s father. She knew what it was like to lose your dad.

  “You were saying,” Kathy prompted, a smile trembling on her lips.

  “Tripp hasn’t proposed.” That much at least was true. Adrianna saw no need to tell Kathy that she was certain the thought had never entered her son’s mind.

  A look of relief crossed his mother’s face. She reached over and patted Adrianna’s hand. “I feel confident it won’t be long.”

  Once again Adrianna let a tiny smile and a slight lift of one shoulder serve as her response.

  The waiter brought out their food and the talk turned casual. Then, when a small boy at a nearby table created a ruckus, the lunch conversation shifted to children.

  “Have you thought how many children you’d like?”

  Adrianna breathed a sigh of relief. Although personal, it was a general topic she could handle. After all, Kathy wasn’t asking how many children she’d like to have with Tripp. “I always thought I’d like three.”

  “Frank and I had three.” A wave of sadness crossed Kathy’s face. “Our oldest, Frank Jr., died of SIDS at ten months. Then Tripp and Hailey came along.”

  “I didn’t know you’d had another child,” Adrianna said sympathetically. “I can’t imagine what losing him must have been like.”

  “We were devastated,” Kathy admitted. “Even after all these years the pain is still there. Just like I’m sure it hurts when you think about your parents.”

  Adrianna thought back to the phone call, the rush trip back to Wyoming from college, having to make the funeral arrangements, the two caskets at the front of the church...

  It wasn’t long until the tears welling in Adrianna’s eyes matched the ones in the woman’s eyes sitting across from her. She cleared her throat and blinked rapidly.

  “Like you said, when someone you love dies—especially unexpectedly—it’s difficult.” Adrianna pushed her plate aside, no longer hungry.

  “Well, don’t we make a fine pair?” Kathy gave a choked laugh. “We go out for lunch and end up crying. I’m sorry I brought up your parents.”

  “Don’t be,” Adrianna said with surprising vehemence. “No one mentions them anymore. It feels as if they never existed. But they did exist. I like talking about them.”

  “That’s how I sometimes feel about Junior. He was such a sweet baby.” A wistful look crossed Kathy’s face. “There are times I’m reminded of something he did and I’d like to mention it, but I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

  “Tell me.” Adrianna leaned forward. “I’d love to hear about him.”

  Emotion had Kathy’s eyes going soft. “Only if you also tell me about your parents. I don’t think I had the pleasure of meeting them.”

  The lunch that Adrianna had planned to last less than an hour ended up going closer to two. By the time Kathy looked at her watch and yelped that she had to get back home to Frank because Hailey had plans, Adrianna realized not only had they both eaten their quiches, but they’d also had dessert.

  The slight headache she’d started the day with had completely vanished.

  “I really enjoyed getting to know you better,” Adrianna said as they walked to their cars.

  “I feel the same.” Kathy looped her arm through Adrianna’s and gave it a squeeze. “Our lunch has solidified my belief.”

  Adrianna lifted a brow.

  “You are the perfect woman for my son.”

  * * *

  When Adrianna walked into Tripp’s off
ice Monday morning and shut the door, Tripp wasn’t sure what to think. His thoughts couldn’t help but rewind to Saturday night when she’d kissed him.

  Perhaps she’d come to apologize. Or to tell him the kiss had been great after all. He grinned at the thought.

  “Is this a good time?” she asked.

  “Depends on what you have in mind.”

  She must have taken that for assent because she crossed the room. He watched her cast a curious look at the bookshelves he’d had put in this week. He thought she might comment on them. Instead she met his gaze. “You and I need to talk.”

  Tripp inwardly groaned. He knew he should have told Jim Ferris that he and Adrianna were only friends. He also should have called her Sunday and thanked her for going with him to the party. That would have been common courtesy.

  He hadn’t told Jim because there hadn’t been a good opportunity and he hadn’t called Adrianna because he didn’t want to make whatever there was between them seem like more than it was...simply two friends attending a work-related function together. Of course, kissing wasn’t usually a part of those types of evenings, but there were exceptions to every situation.

  “May I have a seat?”

  He pulled his thoughts back to the brunette who stood before him in heels and a yellow dress topped by a white lab coat. Good God, she was beautiful.

  “Certainly.” He gestured to one of the two wingback chairs that faced his desk.

  She dropped gracefully into the nearest chair and crossed her long, slender legs. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

  “Look, I admit I should have called and thanked you for going to the barbecue with me.” Tripp ignored her startled expression and plunged ahead. He’d learned long ago the best defense was a good offense. “But I didn’t want to give the wrong impression.”

  The second the words left his mouth, and her lips tightened, he wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Or perhaps he should have started with why he hadn’t informed Jim as he’d promised.

  “You didn’t want to give the wrong impression.” She spoke slowly and distinctly, crossing her arms in the process. “What wrong impression would that be?”

  “Uh, that I was interested in you?” Instead of getting out of the hole he’d dug, he felt himself sinking deeper.

  “Oh.” Adrianna lifted a perfectly arched brow. “Because I’m desperate or because you’re such a hot guy?”

  “No. No.” Tripp couldn’t believe this conversation had gotten so out of control. “Not true.”

  “Which part?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Which part isn’t true?”

  “You’re not desperate.”

  “What about the other part?”

  He grinned. “Well, I am kind of hot.”

  To his relief, Adrianna smiled.

  “I think I’m a great kisser.”

  Her smile vanished.

  The ground beneath his feet that had started to solidify began to rumble and buzz.

  Adrianna pulled a phone from her lab coat and glanced at it for a second before dropping it back into her pocket. “I don’t have long, so I’ll get to the point.”

  Tripp shifted in his chair, disturbed by the seriousness of her expression.

  “Your mother and I had lunch yesterday.” Adrianna paused. “She believes you’re on the verge of popping the question and she wanted me to know that I have her and your father’s blessing. In fact, they’d like it if we got married as soon as possible. It appears seeing you settled is something that would make your dad very happy.”

  He took a moment to let the words sink in. Tripp couldn’t imagine his mother doing something like this. “What did you say?”

  “I told her you hadn’t popped the question.”

  Tripp raked a hand through his hair. “What kind of response is that?”

  “She took me by surprise. I didn’t know what else to say,” Adrianna said indignantly. “I like your mother. I didn’t want her to feel foolish. You’re her son. You should be the one to tell her that I’m only a friend.”

  It was the only solution, but Tripp already knew she wouldn’t take the news well. Gayle had been gone only a year when he’d started to receive pressure to jump back into the dating pool. Now, three years after her death, the subtle pressure had turned blatant.

  Adrianna was right. Honesty was the only option. And the clarification needed to come from him.

  “I’ll speak with them tonight.” His lips twisted. “I apologize for my mom putting you in such an awkward position.”

  “Your mother is a wonderful woman,” Adrianna stressed. “I really enjoyed visiting with her. I feel badly that we deceived her, even if it was inadvertent.”

  Tripp was surprised by her passionate defense of his mother. While Gayle and his mom had gotten along, in this case he had no doubt she’d have blamed his mother for putting her in the middle.

  Adrianna rose with a graceful elegance. “I need to get to L & D.”

  Tripp walked her to his office door. “Thanks for going to the party with me.”

  Her lips twitched. “I’d tell you I had fun, too, but you might take it wrong and conclude I’m after your hot bod.”

  “How could I?” He hid a grin. “Not after what you told me about my kissing.”

  “I like your books,” Adrianna said, not rising to the bait. “You might want to reread the one by Jim Collins. It’s a classic.”

  Her phone buzzed again. After glancing at the readout, Adrianna took off down the hall without a backward glance.

  When Tripp stepped back into his office, he headed straight to the bookshelf to look for the book she’d recommended. It didn’t take him long to find it.

  He lifted it from the shelf, read the title and laughed.

  Good to Great.

  Chapter Seven

  It was the day that would never end.

  After leaving Tripp’s office, Adrianna spent the rest of the afternoon in labor and delivery. Two of her patients had presented in labor at the same time.

  By the time the second baby finally made his appearance, it was close to nine o’clock and not only had Adrianna skipped lunch, but she’d missed dinner as well. She pulled into her driveway with a stomach growling so loudly it drowned out the country song on the radio.

  She didn’t notice the truck at the curb until she was at the door of her ground-floor condo and found Tripp sitting on the small iron bench.

  “Where have you been?” he said in lieu of a greeting.

  “Oh, honey, did I forget to call?” she said in a mocking tone, fatigue wrapping itself around her shoulders like a heavy blanket.

  “I’ve been waiting here for...hours.”

  She gave him a long, measured glance.

  “Okay, maybe closer to twenty minutes.” He stood, looking more like a rancher than a CEO in his chambray shirt, jeans and boots. “But I was worried.”

  “Two deliveries.” Adrianna pushed open the door and flipped on the lights.

  Tripp followed her into her condo. “Everything go okay?”

  “Two healthy baby boys.” Adrianna dropped into the closest chair and kicked off her shoes. “Something tells me you didn’t come all the way over here to ask about my day.”

  “I went to speak with my parents tonight.”

  Adrianna straightened in the chair. All evening she’d wondered how his conversation with his parents had gone. She hoped he’d been gentle and that he’d stressed to his mother that she’d genuinely enjoyed their conversation. “And?”

  “My dad was having a bad day.” Worry turned Tripp’s blue eyes a cloudy gray. “My mom had been up most of the night and was exhausted. I stayed with him while she took a nap.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Adrianna resisted the urge to reach over and touch his hand. “He looked so good at the barbecue.”

  “I wish I knew what’s going on.” Tripp closed his eyes for a second. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “H
e’s seeing the doctor tomorrow.”

  “It’s okay if you didn’t get a chance to do any talking.”

  “Oh, we talked plenty,” Tripp said with a humorless laugh. “Mostly about you. They’re very impressed.”

  “With me?”

  “Of course with you.”

  “What did they say?” Adrianna asked.

  “How wonderful you are, so nice and sweet.” Tripp looked at her with an odd look in his eyes. “What did you and my mother talk about?”

  “You mean other than you?”

  He nodded. “She must have told me a thousand times what a compassionate person you are.”

  Adrianna thought back to their conversation. She’d felt such a connection with Tripp’s mother. “We talked about my parents dying. Stuff like that.”

  She could tell Tripp sensed there was more, but he didn’t push.

  “My dad told me how happy he was that I’d found someone. He said he’d been worried about me.” Tripp turned away from her searching gaze, but not before she saw the sheen of tears in his eyes. “He said, he told me, that he could now die happy.”

  He jerked to his feet and moved to the window, staring out into the darkness.

  “Oh, Tripp.” Adrianna rose and went to him. “I’m so—”

  He whirled, his jaw set in a stubborn tilt, his blue eyes flashing. “I told him he’s not going to die. That he’s going to get better. That one day he’s going to dance at my wedding.”

  She saw the fear in his eyes and realized that Tripp loved his parents every bit as much as they loved him.

  “That could very likely happen,” she said in the soothing tone she usually reserved for women in labor. “I’ve heard good things about the new chemo regimen they have him on.”

  “I couldn’t tell them we aren’t together.” His gaze met hers. “I tried, but I just couldn’t do it.”

  “I understand.” She offered him a reassuring smile. “It sounds like tonight just wasn’t a good night for that type of conversation.”

  “No, I mean I can’t do it. It will break their hearts.”

  Adrianna could only stare as his words registered. “You have to tell them, Tripp. They’ll find out sooner or later we’re not together.”