Falling for the Texas Tycoon

by Karen Rose Smith

  “At this point, I think he’s just plain mad. He couldn’t scare me enough to pay him, or to get Brian and Carrie to pay him. So he’s simply out for revenge. When we were in school, if anyone crossed him, he made them pay.”

  “I think we should file for a restraining order against him.”

  “Do we have grounds?”

  “This article proves he harbors ill will toward you. I’ll see what I can do.”

  While they were talking, Robbie Logan and his wife, Nancy, approached Lisa and Jordan. Jillian and Marian had gone off to finish other work, but Brian and Carrie joined them now, too.

  After hellos all around, Robbie shook his head sadly. “The Children’s Connection can’t stand another scandal.”

  Robbie was head of the day care division of the facility. His story was a complicated one. After being kidnapped when he was a child and being raised by abusive parents, he’d gotten involved in the baby kidnapping ring. But his love for Nancy had turned him around. He’d helped the police find Timothy, and Lisa would be forever grateful for that. After he’d ironed out his own legal dilemmas, the Logans had brought him back into their family fold and he was now instrumental in running the day care center.

  “Hopefully, we won’t have a scandal over this,” Jordan concluded. “If this story doesn’t die down on its own in the next couple of days—and I do think it will—I’ll insist the paper run a rebuttal article.”

  “What if they won’t do that?” Nancy asked.

  “If they won’t, I’ll see that Lisa’s story gets told on the five o’clock news.”

  “I don’t want more publicity about this,” Lisa protested.

  “Hopefully, the situation won’t come to that,” Jordan assured her. “If you’d rather stay away from the media, I’m sure Marian will be our spokeswoman. She has public relation skills I only dream about.”

  Lisa relaxed a bit, and then she thought about Alan. Just how was he reacting to all of this?

  Did she even want to know?

  When Alan picked up the morning newspaper outside the penthouse door, he brought it in and tossed it on the coffee table. He’d been in a bear of a mood ever since he’d listened to Lisa’s story last night.

  And what a story it was.

  She’d given up her baby.

  Alan felt torn apart by everything she’d told him. How could she give up a child? Had she simply abdicated responsibility? Or had she done what was best for her baby? Would she really never consider doing it again? Those were all questions he couldn’t answer, and until he could, he needed distance from her.

  Every time he closed his eyes he saw that picture in the locket. He saw Timothy.

  Alan had tossed and turned and punched his pillow most of the night. Maybe a cup of black coffee would help. Maybe ten cups of black coffee would help.

  It seemed to take forever for the coffee to perk, but finally it did. He poured himself a mug and took it into the living room, where he sat on the sofa and opened the morning paper.

  When he saw the headline—Young Dad Forced to Give Up Baby—he skimmed the article. Lisa’s name popped out at him and he sloshed his coffee onto the table. What in the hell was this all about?

  He read the story three times, then, disgusted, he tossed the paper down again. His gut was telling him the article had it all wrong. Although Lisa had kept a big part of herself hidden, he knew her. She might have been rebellious. Granted she might have been a runaway. But she had a good heart and values that were a moral compass. There was no way she slept with men to make her way. And she definitely was sexually inexperienced. That wasn’t denial on his part. It was the truth.

  But Thad Preston obviously had an agenda.

  Alan went to the bedroom for his Palm Pilot. He had a friend who was a private investigator. It wouldn’t take long to get information on Thad Preston. It wouldn’t take long to find out what was really going on.

  Two hours later, Alan had dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and was pacing his living room. Finally his cell phone rang, and he got the rundown on Preston. After thanking his friend, he called Brian.

  Brian’s voice was cool. “What can I do for you this morning?”

  Apparently Lisa had confided in Brian that he hadn’t received her story well. “I got the lowdown on Preston. He was thrown out of the NFL because of drug use. He has little credibility. My guess is he’s threatening a lawsuit, hoping the Children’s Connection will settle for a nice tidy sum, or you will…just to quiet everything down.”

  “Well, he’s wrong. He’s not getting any money. The problem is I’m afraid Lisa’s going to leave Portland.”

  “Leave Portland? Leave Timothy?”

  “Lisa said she told you everything except…Preston tried to blackmail her.”

  Alan was quiet for a second. “To be honest, I suspected as much after seeing the paper.”

  Brian explained about the letters and Preston’s call.

  Even though Alan was still coming to terms with what Lisa had told him, he felt as if he’d done her some kind of wrong. She’d been dealing with all this and had kept silent. Why hadn’t she confided in him?

  That was easy enough to figure out. Because he would have reacted as badly as he had last night. Instinctively, she must have known that.

  He couldn’t keep from asking, “How’s Lisa holding up?”

  “She’s humiliated. She believes everybody will think the worst. She’s sure you do.”

  “I don’t. I’m just trying to accept that she gave away a child.”

  “Get past that, Alan,” Brian advised, frustration edging his words. “Think about what it cost her to do it…the emotional cost. Oh sure, she got to go to college. But each time she returned to Portland, she had to watch Timothy with Carrie. She had to know she could never be his mother. What do you think that did to her?”

  Alan really hadn’t gotten past her story to the feelings underneath. He was beginning to understand Lisa’s loss and her fears about telling him the truth. “I ruined everything between us. I didn’t accept her unconditionally, and she’ll never forget that.”

  There was a long pause, and then Brian admitted, “I did the same thing to Carrie. She kept a secret from me…for years.” After another hesitation, he continued, “She’d been the victim of a violent crime. When she was still traumatized, her mother coerced her into making a decision she still regrets. Because she believed I could never accept what happened to her or wouldn’t want her if I knew about it, she didn’t tell me about all of it until after Timothy was kidnapped. I reacted like you did. I needed time to process it, and I walked away. That was the stupidest thing I ever could have done. Fortunately, she forgave me. Women seem to have that gift.”

  Alan didn’t know what to say, but he did know what to do. The private investigator had given him the name of the motel where Preston was staying. “I’m going to take care of this,” Alan told Brian.

  “Take care of what?”

  “Preston.”

  “You’re not going to do anything stupid.”

  “No, not stupid. I’m going to do something smart.”

  “Alan…”

  “Trust me, Brian. Trust me to fix this for Lisa. Trust me to get my thinking straight in my own way.”

  Finally Brian grumbled, “All right.”

  When Alan hung up the phone, a plan had already formed in his head. He just had to make a few calls and then he’d be ready to confront Preston, face-to-face.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Thad Preston let Alan inside his motel room, appearing wary. “You said you want to do another story on me. What paper did you say you’re with?”

  Ever since he’d read the article, Alan had had to tamp down his anger. He knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere. “Yes, I want to do a story…a true story.”

  Thad was dressed in jeans and an oversize T-shirt. His brown hair was standing up all over and he had at least two days worth of beard stubble. He looked as if he needed help, and that’s what Ala
n was here to offer.

  “I did tell the truth.” The twenty-one-year-old’s chin jutted out belligerently.

  “No, you didn’t, because I know Lisa and I believe her. You have no credibility, Thad. The NFL kicked you out because of drugs.”

  “I got injured,” he said, seemingly outraged.

  “You got injured—a nonserious injury. That happened because you were on drugs. I have the lab sheet.” Alan took the faxed paper out of his pocket and waved it. “How about if I call a reporter to do a story on that?”

  Thad made a grab for the paper, but Alan pulled it away. “This isn’t my only copy. Along with this, there’s a witness who was with you when you signed the papers from the Children’s Connection and will testify that you were not coerced.”

  “Yeah—Chris. He’s a buddy. He’ll say whatever I need him to say.”

  “No, he won’t. Apparently you owe him money, and he knows he’ll never collect.”

  “Chris wouldn’t sell me out.” But Thad suddenly didn’t sound so sure.

  Alan just let reality sink in. “You’ve no basis for a lawsuit. You can’t even afford a lawsuit.”

  “My parents gave me the retainer.”

  “And what happens when that runs out? A lawyer won’t work for free, especially if he knows he doesn’t have a chance to win. You’re not going to get a settlement from the Children’s Connection, and you’re not going to get a settlement from Brian and Carrie Summers.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because I’m a friend of theirs, and I gave Brian a copy of this.”

  Looking deflated, but trying to find a bright spot, Thad sank down onto one of the beds. “Maybe if some L.A. director sees me on the news, he’ll want to make a movie out of my story.”

  “You’ve had your fifteen minutes of fame, Thad. That article is it. A spokesman from the Children’s Connection will be interviewed on Channel 6 tonight. Your version of the truth won’t stand a chance.”

  Thad looked worried and lost, as if he had no idea what to do next.

  “Do you want to turn your life around?”

  He glanced at Alan. “Just how am I going to do that with no money and no job? My parents said they’ve given me everything they’re going to.”

  “I might be willing to help.”

  Thad looked hopeful again. “Are you going to pay me to stay away from my kid?”

  “No. I’m not. No one is. Even if I paid you, the money would run out. You’d spend it on drugs or booze, and then where would you be?”

  “So just how do you want to help?”

  Using reason instead of emotion, Alan had considered what would be best for everyone. “I have a plane and a pilot ready to fly you to Arizona, to the best rehab facility in the country, all expenses paid. I also know someone who bought an orange grove in California who needs help renovating the ranch house and with general outside work. You can go there after rehab and prove you can stay clean. If you do that for six months, I have a friend in Sacramento who owns a software company. They design video games. I noticed on your transcript that you’re good with computers. A job will be waiting for you there if you get through the rest.”

  Alan could see Thad running all of it through his head before he asked, “Just why would you do this?”

  “Because I think everyone deserves at least one second chance.”

  Thad looked down at his hands. They were trembling a bit. “I don’t have any choice, do I? My folks don’t want me back home. My credit cards are maxed out. The manager is going to kick me out of here after tonight.”

  “You have to want this, Thad. You have to want a future. Otherwise, we’re both wasting our time and money.”

  “I thought my future was over when I got kicked out of the NFL.”

  “You thought wrong.”

  Thad stood, went over to the window and stared out at the parking lot. Then he turned around. “When do I leave?”

  “Get your gear together and I’ll take you to the airport now.”

  When Thad nodded, Alan breathed a sigh of relief. He also prayed that Lisa believed in second chances, too, because he needed a second chance from her.

  When Alan strode into the jewelry store, it was almost 7:00 p.m. He’d spent more time with Thad than he’d intended, driving him to the airport, talking with him some more and keeping his eye on him while the pilot went through the preflight check. Alan had to make sure Thad was serious about rehab, serious about starting over. The twenty-one-year-old had hit bottom and didn’t know what else to do. He’d latched on to the lifeline Alan was providing, knowing if he didn’t, he’d have no future…at least not one that didn’t involve jail or living on the streets. His plane ride to Arizona was a start. There would be a counselor from the facility in Phoenix to meet the plane and take him to the rehab center.

  A clerk looked up from her position at the cash register counter and smiled at Alan. He went straight to the glass cases with the engagement rings. Somehow, he was going to win Lisa back. He knew he had preparations to make. He wasn’t sure she could ever forgive him, but he was going to do his damnedest to court her and to convince her that he loved her. Because he did love her; there was no doubt about it. Brian had helped him see more clearly the monumental sacrifice she had made in giving up her child…because she’d put Timothy first.

  At the locked case, one ring stood out immediately. It was a heart-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. She seemed to like hearts—her heart locket, the heart-shaped earrings he’d given her. There was a theme here and he was going to go with it.

  “Can I see that one?” he asked, pointing to the ring he’d chosen.

  It took only a few minutes to get the information he needed—the clarity, carat weight, color and cut of the diamond. With the jeweler’s loupe, he studied it and moved it back and forth under the lights. It even looked as if it might be the right ring size.

  “A check okay?” he asked.

  “As long as you have your driver’s license,” the clerk assured him.

  He’d taken out his license and was writing the check when his cell phone rang. Finishing the check and sliding it across the counter, he answered his phone while the clerk packaged up the diamond ring. It was Christina’s cell phone number.

  “Hi, honey. What’s going on?” He took the bag the clerk handed him.

  “Oh, Daddy.”

  His daughter’s voice was full of tears and he began to panic. “Christina? What’s wrong?”

  “Daddy, it’s the car. You’re going to be so mad. It’s all banged up. The deputy asked if I’d take a Breathalyzer test and I did….” She dissolved into tears again.

  A Breathalyzer? His daughter had to take a Breathalyzer test? “Damn it, Christina, I don’t care about the car. Are you all right?”

  His anger, panic and fear must have upset her more because she didn’t answer him, just kept crying. Alan had never felt so helpless in his entire life. “Christina?”

  “Mr. Barrett, this is Deputy Moore.”

  He struggled to keep his voice even. “Is my daughter hurt?”

  “No, Mr. Barrett, she is not. She also wasn’t drinking, though the driver of her car was. Both were checked out by paramedics at the scene. The boy was taken to the hospital. The air bag broke his nose. Your daughter didn’t want to go to the hospital and since she was seventeen, we brought her here, the Rocky Ridge Sheriff’s Office. Apparently she can’t reach her mother, though she’s been trying. She also could not reach Neal Barrett. He’s your brother?”

  “That’s right. I don’t know if she told you or not, but I’m in Portland.”

  “Yes, sir, I know that, but under these circumstances, I can’t just let her go home alone.”

  “Oh, I understand that perfectly well.” Of course, of all days, his plane was on its way back from Arizona. “I’ll charter a plane and be there as soon as I can. It might be as late as midnight, though. My guess is she’ll get hold of my ex-wife or my brother before th
at.”

  “We’ll let her keep trying, Mr. Barrett. And if she does need to stay here, I’ll make sure I keep an eye on her. From what I can tell, she didn’t do anything wrong except have bad taste in boys.”

  “Can you put her back on the phone?”

  “I sure can. Here you go.”

  “Christina, don’t say anything, just listen to me,” Alan commanded gently. “I’m flying down. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Did you leave messages for your mother and Uncle Neal?”

  He heard a small “yes.”

  “Okay, then just sit tight. One of us will get there eventually. I love you, baby.”

  “I love you, too, Daddy. I’m so sorry.” She began crying again.

  “We’ll talk when I get home. Hold tight.”

  He hated to hang up but the sooner he did, the sooner he’d get to her.

  The clerk had walked over to the cash register to give him privacy. Now Alan didn’t even hesitate to speed dial another number.

  “Hello?”

  The sound of Lisa’s voice made him feel as if he’d come home. He just hoped she wouldn’t hang up on him. “Lisa, it’s Alan. I have a favor to ask. You have every reason in the world to say no and you probably should, but I’m going to ask anyway. Christina’s been in an accident. She’s not hurt, but she’s at the sheriff’s office. I need to fly down there and pick her up and take her home. She can’t get hold of Sherri or Neal. In case they can’t get to her first, I think she might like having you to talk to. Will you come with me?”

  This was a hell of a lot harder than he expected it to be and he wouldn’t blame Lisa if she said no.

  Instead of answering him, she asked, “Did you see the article in the Gazette this morning?”

  “Yes, I did, and we have to talk about that, but right now Christina’s my main concern. I think you can understand that.”

  The silence on her end seemed to go on forever. Finally, she said, “I understand. Do you want me to meet you at the airport?”

  “No, I’ll pick you up. My plane’s in use and I have to charter one. I’ll make my calls on the way over.”