Say Yes to a Second Chance

by Kirk, Cindy

  “Oh.” His mother blinked rapidly, her hand rising to her chest. “I didn’t realize I was interrupting—”

  Adrianna pushed Tripp off her and sat up, brushing her disheveled hair back from her face. The top button of her dress was unfastened. “We were just—”

  “I know what you were doing, dear.” Kathy offered Adrianna an understanding smile. “Frank and I have spent many a lovely evening doing the same thing on this swing.”

  “Where’s Dad?” Tripp asked, trying to banish that image of his mom and dad from his brain.

  “He wasn’t feeling well, so he went to bed.” A worried look crossed his mother’s face before her smile returned. “He said to tell you both good-night.”

  “Please sit,” Adrianna urged, patting a space next to her. “It’s too beautiful a night to be inside.”

  His mother glanced questioningly in Tripp’s direction. He shot her a reassuring smile. “Join us, Mother. There’s plenty of room.”

  Even though Adrianna could be shy with strangers, Tripp had never seen her be that way with his parents. In fact, she talked easily with both his mom and dad, and seemed to revel in their attention.

  He’d always wished Gayle and his mother had enjoyed a better relationship. His wife had been very close to her own mom and his mother’s overtures had been often mistaken as getting into her business.

  As Adrianna and his mother continued to talk, Tripp felt himself relax and his heart filled with hope.

  Hope that he might finally be able to bury the guilt and embrace a real relationship with Adrianna.

  Most of all, hope that this might be the beginning of something that would last a lifetime.

  No charade.

  No games.

  Starting now.

  * * *

  The next day, jazzed after delivering a healthy baby girl to a couple who had struggled with infertility for years, Adrianna decided to stop by Tripp’s office and see if he was free for lunch.

  It’s something a real girlfriend would do, she told herself, as she made her way down the shiny hallway toward the executive suites. She’d barely started out when she ran into Paula, Tripp’s personal assistant, headed in the opposite direction.

  They chatted for a few minutes before Paula glanced at her watch.

  “Sorry to cut this short, Adrianna, but I’m meeting my sister for lunch.”

  Adrianna glanced in the direction of Tripp’s office.

  “He’s just working on paperwork.” Paula smiled. “I’m sure he’ll welcome the interruption.”

  Adrianna was almost to the door of Tripp’s office when she heard voices coming from inside and realized he wasn’t alone. Someone must have stopped by after Paula left. Adrianna paused, unsure whether to knock or come back later.

  “I’m sorry you didn’t get the job, Hail,” she heard Tripp say. “You’d have done a fabulous job.”

  “They hired someone with more experience,” the female voice said, her words heavy with disappointment.

  Adrianna immediately recognized Hailey’s voice. Her heart sank. His sister was supposed to hear about the position at the hospital today. It appeared she’d heard and the news hadn’t been good.

  Knowing Hailey wouldn’t mind the interruption, Adrianna put her hand on the doorknob. Her fingers froze in place when she heard her name.

  “I adore Adrianna,” Hailey said in a sweet, earnest voice. “I hope the two of you stay together.”

  Even though Adrianna strained to hear, his response was a low rumble she couldn’t make out.

  “Gayle is gone,” Hailey replied in a firm tone. “This is now. I like Adrianna a whole lot more than I ever did her.”

  For a second Adrianna couldn’t hear anything, but did she really need to listen any longer? It was obvious Tripp had told his little sister he was still desperately in love with Gayle. His next words confirmed that impression.

  “Do you believe in soul mates?” This time Tripp’s voice came through loud and clear.

  Adrianna inhaled sharply. Turning quickly on her heel, she quietly slipped back into the hall where she paused, her heart thumping in her ears. After this weekend, she’d been hopeful things were changing between her and Tripp. It was as if they were standing on the verge of something spectacular. But the bit of conversation she’d just heard told her nothing had changed.

  Tripp was still hung up on Gayle. Perhaps always would be. Even if she and Tripp got together, would Gayle always be number one in his heart?

  More importantly, could Adrianna be content with being number two?

  * * *

  “I’m happy you stopped over.” Betsy settled her infant son into the stroller. “And that the weather cooperated so we could take a walk.”

  “It seems like forever since I’ve seen you.” Adrianna experienced a rush of emotion. She’d missed these chats with her friend. “You’ve been so busy with the baby—”

  “And you’ve been so busy with Tripp,” Betsy said with a sly smile, starting down the driveway, leaving Adrianna no choice but to follow. “Tell me, how’s that going?”

  “I love him, Betsy.” The words slipped past her lips before she could stop them.

  “I know.” Betsy turned the stroller down the sidewalk.

  “You know?”

  Betsy chuckled. “It is rather obvious.”

  “Really?” That blasted light in her eyes had betrayed her again.

  Betsy nodded and waved to an older couple walking on the sidewalk across the street. “I’m happy for you, Adrianna. I always thought you and Tripp would make a perfect couple.”

  “It’s hard to compete with Gayle.”

  Surprise filled Betsy’s eyes. “Gayle is his past. You’re his future.”

  “She was perfect for him.” Adrianna gave a heavy sigh. “They’d been together forever. They had all this shared history.”

  “One day you’ll have decades of shared history together, too.”

  Adrianna thought for a moment. She supposed Betsy did have a point. “I want to be with him so much it scares me.”

  Betsy jiggled the carriage when the baby started to fuss. Once he quieted, she turned to her friend. “What frightens you?”

  “That I won’t be enough for him. Or that I’ll always be second best. I think they were—” Adrianna swallowed hard “—soul mates.”

  The thought hurt far more than it should.

  As expected, instead of tossing off some platitude as other friends might, Betsy paused and met Adrianna’s gaze. “Those are serious concerns.”

  Adrianna had given the matter a lot of thought. She’d tried to convince herself she could be happy with just a tiny portion of Tripp’s heart, but she knew that wasn’t true.

  “I don’t believe you’ll be happy being second best,” Betsy said softly.

  The corners of Adrianna’s lips dropped. “I won’t.”

  “You need to speak with Tripp,” Betsy urged. “Tell him your fears.”

  “I don’t think I can.” After all, Tripp hadn’t even said he loved her. Or given any sign he wanted to be with her permanently. He certainly had no idea she’d overheard his private conversation with his sister.

  “You say you love him?”

  Adrianna nodded.

  “The way I see it, if you’re old enough to be in love with a man, to even consider a future with that man, you should be mature enough to talk to him about your feelings.” Betsy slipped her arm through Adrianna’s and gave it a squeeze. “Once you have all the facts, you can make your decision.”

  “Our thirty days will be up soon,” Adrianna murmured, wondering why that was even relevant.

  “I know you’re feeling discouraged. I had some of those same fears when Ryan and I were dating,” Betsy said with an understanding smile. “You know what I discovered?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Sometimes we do get what we want.” Betsy smiled at her son, then raised her gaze to meet Adrianna’s. “I did. Something tells me you will, too
.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Adrianna was fully prepared to confront Tripp about his feelings for her the next night. She planned to do it when they met for coffee after a chamber of commerce meeting they both planned to attend.

  But one of her patients showed up in labor at the end of the workday, and she’d had to cancel. When she’d called Tripp, he said no worries, they’d be seeing each other the next night.

  At first she thought he might have something special planned, but he’d simply told her his parents had insisted they come for dinner that night.

  Even though she enjoyed seeing his parents, Adrianna admitted—but just to herself—that she wished Tripp had planned something special involving just the two of them. Most of all, she wished he’d remembered her birthday.

  The staff at work had brought a cake. She’d received birthday cards in the mail from her friends. Tripp hadn’t mentioned her big day once. Not when he’d called to make the “date.” Not when he’d arrived at her place to pick her up with empty hands.

  They were driving up the lane to his parents’ home when she decided she was being ridiculous. While he’d promised at the country club party to make a mental note of the date, everyone knew men were notoriously bad about remembering special occasions.

  “Perhaps, on our way home tonight, we could stop at Hill of Beans and share a piece of cake,” Adrianna said in what she hoped was an off-hand kind of tone. “Their triple chocolate is my favorite.”

  “I believe you mentioned that to me once,” he said.

  “Because today is my birthday,” she said quickly, “and though I don’t often eat sweets, I do like to have cake on special occasions.”

  “Your birthday?” He slanted a glance her way, not appearing overly impressed. “Well, happy birthday, Adrianna.”

  “Thanks.” Her lips began to tremble and it was only with great effort that she managed to keep the smile on her lips.

  You’re not a child, she told herself sternly. Birthdays are just not that big of a deal to most people.

  Still, she found herself dragging her feet as they parked, then headed up the walk to his parents’ porch. She climbed the steps and suddenly made her decision. Once they reached the top step, she lightly touched Tripp’s arm.

  He tipped his head back and smiled.

  “Do me a favor,” she said, swallowing past the emotion clogging her throat. “Don’t tell your parents it’s my birthday.”

  Clearly puzzled, his brows pulled together. “Why not?”

  “I don’t want them to feel bad that they didn’t make a fuss.” Adrianna had gotten to know Tripp’s mother well. Kathy would feel terrible that not only hadn’t she realized it was Adrianna’s birthday, but she also hadn’t done anything special to help her celebrate.

  Tripp shrugged and reached around her for the screen door.

  “Tripp,” she said, urgency in her voice, “promise me.”

  He pushed open the door and gestured for her to step inside.

  “Tripp,” she said again, not bothering to conceal her irritation at his lackadaisical attitude. Didn’t he realize how bad his mother would feel? Kathy had enough on her mind without—

  “Happy birthday!” The words rang out from dozens of voices followed by laughter. Then the singing began, an off-key rendition but with much gusto.

  Adrianna widened her eyes, taking in the faces of friends and colleagues. Her heart skipped a beat. Then another. She smiled, a goofy grin that only got wider as the song progressed.

  When the chorus ended, Tripp leaned close, kissed her cheek, then whispered, “Did you really think I’d forgotten your birthday?”

  Tears of joy slipped down Adrianna’s cheeks. She hastily wiped them away as her friends crowded around.

  There were balloons everywhere and decorations celebrating the “Big 3-0.” Frank and Kathy Randall stood back with huge smiles on their faces. Adrianna rushed over to them and gave them each a hug. “Thank you for remembering and doing all this.”

  “Thank my son,” Kathy said proudly. “He orchestrated the whole thing, but we were very happy to help him put it together.”

  Adrianna’s heart swelled with emotion as she made her way through the crowded room, accepting more birthday wishes.

  There was a buffet table with all her favorite foods and a table full of presents. Looking around, Adrianna knew the greatest gifts weren’t the ones in brightly colored wrapping paper and gauzy bows. The friendship of each and every person in the room this evening was what mattered most.

  Tripp remained at her side the entire evening. When he brought in a triple-chocolate cake from Hill of Beans, decorated with thirty candles glowing brightly, Adrianna’s heart burst with joy.

  “Thank you so much, everyone,” she said, but her eyes were on him. On the man who had made this the best birthday ever. On the man she loved.

  * * *

  “I wanted to stay and help your mother clean up.” Adrianna turned to face Tripp when they reached the front door of her condo.

  “I heard you the first ten times.” A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “What was my response?”

  “That she has Hailey tonight and the housekeeper tomorrow,” she said a bit sulkily. “It was a fabulous party. I want her to know just how much I appreciate her going to all the effort—”

  “She knows.” He closed her lips with his fingers. “She’s also aware that your special night is far from over.”

  Adrianna met his gaze and something in her belly clenched at the look in his eyes.

  “I still have to give you my gift.”

  She couldn’t stop herself. Her eyes, which seemed to suddenly develop a mind of their own, zeroed in on the area directly below his belt buckle.

  Tripp chuckled, a low, pleasant rumbling sound. “Something in addition to that...”

  Adrianna’s heart did a backflip. Was he saying that tonight they would finally make love?

  What about Gayle?

  Even though the worry had consumed her waking hours for the past few days, she swept the thought aside as of no consequence. When she looked into Tripp’s eyes tonight, what she saw there had reassured her that she was the one he wanted. Her. Only her.

  Even if she was wrong, if she couldn’t delude herself on her birthday, when could she?

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

  Adrianna turned toward him, her pulse rioting. “If you promise to behave yourself,” she teased.

  “I’m not making any such promise, darlin’.” He bent his head and planted a hot kiss on the side of her neck. “I don’t think you really want me to.”

  With heart pounding, Adrianna squirmed from his arms, slipped the key in the lock and managed the door. “You seem pretty sure of yourself, fella.”

  “I am sure.” He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes boring into hers.

  “I guess that’s good.”

  “It’s very good.” He winked and followed her into the condo.

  She flipped on the lights, then turned. “I’ve got champagne. Or I can make some coffee.”

  He took the fingers of her hand and kissed them, featherlight. “There’s only one thing I want.”

  A shiver of anticipation traveled up her spine.

  “First, I need to tell you something.” His gaze met hers. “I care about you, Adrianna. This isn’t playacting for me, not anymore. The only woman I want to date is you.”

  Their eye contact turned into something more, a tangible connection between the two of them.

  Emotion strong and swift rushed over Adrianna. When she looked into his eyes, she saw something that looked a whole lot like love reflected back at her.

  Adrianna reached out and touched his cheek, one finger trailing slowly along the rough stubble of his skin until it reached the line of his jaw. “I don’t want to date anyone but you either.”

  “I don’t want to kiss anyone but you.” His mouth moved up and down her neck, scattering little kisses before his
hand slid up to cover her breast. “I don’t want to touch anyone but you.”

  Desire shot through her and her nipple hardened beneath his touch.

  “I don’t want to make love with anyone but you,” she whispered in a husky voice.

  His gaze met hers, strong and steady, his blue eyes as dark as the sky before a storm. “You want to make love?”

  There was a beat of silence.

  “Only,” she whispered against his mouth, “with you.”

  In seconds she found herself pressed against the sofa. They kissed with a feverish intensity that set her blood on fire. Her need for this man was a stark carnal hunger she hadn’t even known she was capable of feeling.

  Adrianna didn’t remember removing her clothes or him removing his, but soon they were naked and he was touching her and caressing her and she was doing the same to him.

  She’d been with only one other man in her life and she’d been disappointed. When Tripp’s lips moved down her belly and heat enveloped her, Adrianna knew this time would be different.

  “Are you protected?” he murmured against her throat.

  She stilled. “No,” she stammered, “I had no reason—”

  “No worries.” He closed her lips with his fingers. “I have condoms.”

  “You carry condoms?”

  “Only recently,” he said with a chuckle. “I picked up a box when I was in Idaho City.”

  He grabbed his wallet and pulled out several, keeping one and dropping the rest on the coffee table.

  She widened her eyes. “Do you really think we’ll need all those?”

  “Honey, the way you make me feel, I’m wondering if they’ll be enough.”

  Suddenly, his arms were around her again, and the intense pleasure was back, rolling like large waves propelling her to great heights. His lips were where no man had gone before.

  Adrianna told herself to hang on, to make the pleasure last, but the feelings were so strong she couldn’t stop it. She clenched the top of his head and bucked up against him, riding the waves until she shuddered.