She was quiet again.
“Lisa, thanks for doing this. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” When he clicked off the phone, he was still worried about his daughter, but he was terrifically pleased that Lisa was going to be by his side.
Lisa wore a headset in the corporate jet that Alan piloted to Rocky Ridge, but they didn’t talk much. She knew he was worried about Christina. After all, that’s why he’d brought her along. It was hard for her to tell what was going on in his head but she didn’t want to distract him while he was flying the aircraft. During the flight, Alan had called the foreman at the Lazy B, who was going to bring Alan’s SUV to the airport. He had told Alan that Neal had left that afternoon and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow, and that Maude was also away for the weekend.
When they arrived, the SUV was indeed there waiting for them. The keys were under the floor mat.
Tapping his hand on the hood of his SUV, Alan kept his eyes on Lisa’s. “I’m going to call Christina’s cell to see if she’s still at the sheriff’s office.”
She was.
“Sherri still hasn’t shown up,” Alan told Lisa. Then he added, “I know she’s going to feel guilty when this is all over because she wasn’t available.”
Lisa knew a bookful about guilt. “Guilt’s a terrible emotion. It’s so insidious it affects everything.”
After a silence filled with a replay of all she’d confessed to him, Alan asked, “Do you still feel guilty because you gave up Timothy?”
“Yes. I probably always will.”
Alan fell silent again, and Lisa wished she knew what he was thinking.
As he opened her door for her, their gazes collided once more. That connection she’d felt from the moment she’d met him was still there. Did he feel it, too? If he did, he didn’t acknowledge it. He backed away, climbed into the driver’s seat and took off for the sheriff’s department.
“Was Christina still upset?” Lisa asked.
“It was hard to tell. At least she wasn’t still crying.”
Five minutes later, they arrived at the Sheriff’s department, a one-story brick building, parked in the side lot and went in the heavy glass door. It was just after midnight, but there was a deputy at the front desk and another at one of the three workstations. He stood when they walked in.
“Mr. Barrett? I’m Deputy Moore.”
Alan introduced Lisa. “This is my…this is Lisa Sanders. She flew down with me.” Alan was already looking around the space. “Where’s my daughter?”
“I thought she might like a little privacy. The whole thing was catching up to her. One of the deputies got her something to eat before he went off duty. She’s in an office back here that has a couch.”
Lisa hurried to keep up with Alan as he followed Deputy Moore down a short hall. The deputy rapped on the door and Christina called, “Come in.”
As soon as his daughter saw Alan, she took off the earbuds from her MP3 player and ran to him.
He hugged her and murmured, “It’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Tears were running down her cheeks as she leaned away slightly. “Not the car,” she moaned. “And I have no idea where Mom is. I was supposed to stay overnight at Ginny’s tonight.”
“Can my daughter leave now?” Alan asked the deputy.
“I just need you to sign a form stating you’re her father and she’ll be in your care.”
Alan nodded.
Christina took Lisa’s hand. “Stay here with me, will you? Until Dad signs everything.”
“Sure, if that’s okay with Deputy Moore.”
“Fine with me.”
Christina looked miserable as Lisa sat beside her on the old leather sofa.
“Is he beyond mad?” Christina asked.
“He’s not talking a whole lot.”
Alan’s daughter shook her head. “That means he’s really upset. I’m going to be grounded for the rest of my life.”
Because Christina sounded so woebegone, Lisa joked, “He can’t do that. You have to shop for college.”
That brought a small smile to the teenager’s lips. “I’m so stupid, Lisa. I went to this party with Ginny, one we never should have been at. Our parents thought we were going to the mall, but we knew these really cool guys were supposed to be there. I think I’ve had a crush on Colin since I was a freshman. He never gave me a look. Then suddenly tonight, there he was, paying me all this attention, dancing with me. I didn’t realize he’d already been drinking before he got there.”
“Are you sure you didn’t realize it, or did you just not want to see it?”
Christina’s face flushed. “I didn’t want to see it. Being with him made me feel special. Anyway, he said he heard I got a new car. We went out to look at it and he asked me if he could drive it. I never should have let him.”
“But you didn’t want to seem uncool. You wanted him to like you. You hoped maybe he’d take you out after tonight.”
“Exactly.”
When Lisa looked up, Alan was standing in the doorway. Apparently he’d heard some of what Christina was saying. “So he drove your car much too fast. His reaction time was off, he swerved to miss a car turning left, and drove off the road into the base of a billboard. Does that about sum it up?”
“Yes. Daddy, I’m sorry. Nothing like this is ever going to happen again. I promise.”
With a scowl, Alan swept off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. “We’ll talk about it in the morning. I don’t know if the car can be repaired, but if it can, the increase in insurance will come out of whatever you make this summer working at the mall. If it’s considered totaled, we’ll talk about replacing it with a used one until you can afford to buy a new car on your own.”
Christina’s eyes were wide, maybe with surprise. Her lower lip quivered. Lisa imagined that Alan had always given her pretty much whatever she wanted. Now he was showing her the consequences of her actions, and that was a good thing.
There was a commotion down the hall and suddenly Sherri was standing there, looking flustered. She hurried to her daughter and hugged her. “Honey, are you okay? The deputy told me what happened.”
“Mom, where were you? I couldn’t reach you.”
“I was with…Russ. I had the cell phone turned off. I’m so sorry. I’ll never do that again.”
“Don’t be silly,” Alan said gruffly. “You deserve a life, too. But maybe you should check your messages more often.”
His ex-wife looked at Lisa. “What’s she doing here?”
“I asked her to come along because I thought Christina might need her. I didn’t know how long you’d be incommunicado.”
Sherri didn’t look happy about any of it, but that didn’t seem to bother Alan. In fact, he stepped close to Lisa and took her hand in his. “Lisa and I will be staying over at the Lazy B tonight.”
Ignoring him for the moment, Sherri looked Christina up and down. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine. Really.”
“I’ll call Dr. Cramer tomorrow and make an appointment to check you over.”
“All right,” Christina agreed. Then she added, “But tonight, Mom, I’m going to go to the ranch with Dad and Lisa.”
Sherri looked dismayed. “Why?”
“Because Dad’s been in Portland and I want to talk to him. And tomorrow, he and I have to get things about the car settled. But I’ll come home tomorrow night. I know you wanted me to have dinner with you and Russ.”
Whether because of guilt from not picking up her messages, acceptance of the situation or a desire to give Christina what she needed right now, Sherri didn’t argue.
Alan’s hand still enfolded Lisa’s. For the first time all evening, she actually felt hope blossoming again. Maybe Alan hadn’t dismissed her from his life. Maybe he hadn’t asked her along simply to help with his daughter. Then he let go of her hand and she was afraid she was reading too much into that simple hand clasp.
They all walked outs
ide together, and after hugging Christina again, Sherri drove away.
On the ride to the ranch, Alan switched on the radio. Lisa had the feeling he just wanted to give them all a chance to calm down and get back on an even keel. But she knew that wouldn’t be easy. He’d almost lost his daughter tonight. In a car accident like that, anything could have happened. She was just so thankful that Christina was unharmed.
At the ranch, they all ambled into the kitchen. Christina asked Alan, “Is there anything you want to know about tonight? I wasn’t drinking, Dad, not a drop. I didn’t intend to drink.”
Alan nodded. “That’s all I need to hear for now. But I want you to know that when you get to college, you’re going to have choices to make. Your mother and I won’t be there to give you direction. You can always call us, but for the most part, Christina, you’re going to be on your own.”
More subdued than usual, she nodded. “I know that now. I mean, I know a wrong choice can be wrong for a lifetime.” She gave her dad a hug and then she hugged Lisa, too. “Thank you for coming along to rescue me. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Stifling a wide yawn, she disappeared into the living room and up the stairs.
Alone with Alan now, Lisa felt jittery. She didn’t know what was coming next. She didn’t know if a tête-à-tête between the two of them would be good or bad.
He hung his hat on the rack by the door. “I have something to tell you.”
“Should I sit down?” she asked lightly, wishing he didn’t look so serious.
“It’s up to you. I just wanted to tell you I took care of Thad Preston.”
Shocked, Lisa just stared at him. “What do you mean, you took care of him?”
“Did you know he was kicked out of the NFL because he was using drugs?”
“No. How did you find that out?”
“A private investigator. After I got the information I needed, I made a few calls. Then I went to see Thad. Fortunately for us, he was ready for some help. My pilot flew him to a rehab facility in Arizona. That’s why I didn’t have my plane. If he sticks it out and gets clean and stays clean, I arranged for him to work on a ranch in California and then get a position in a software company. But he has to want it.”
Lisa’s heart was beating so fast she could hardly catch her breath. One word had stood out above all the others. “You said, fortunately for us, he was ready for help. Is there an us?”
Covering the distance between them, Alan took her hands in his. “Last night…” He stopped then started again. “I was so foolish last night, acting righteous like that, acting as if I had all the answers. I didn’t live your life, Lisa. I can only imagine what it was like for you, not having a home, feeling abandoned, being pregnant with no one to care about you or for you.”
When tears came to her eyes, she couldn’t blink them away fast enough and they fell down her cheeks. “I thought giving up my baby for adoption was the best thing to do for him. I knew Brian and Carrie could give him everything I couldn’t. Do I wish now I had made a different decision? Maybe so, but Timothy has a mother and a father whom he loves and who love him. The thing is, Alan, I can’t walk away.” Her hand went to her locket. “He’s part of me. He’ll always be part of me. If you can’t accept that—”
“I can accept it,” he assured her, pulling her closer. “I can accept everything about you, Lisa—from your tattoos, to your spirit of fun, to your career goals. Do you know why?”
“Why?” she asked in a whisper.
“Because I love you. I’ve been fighting it for all I’m worth. But not anymore.” Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a small velvet box.
There was no way she could stem the tears now.
Alan opened the box, took out the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen, and slipped it onto her finger. “A perfect fit, just like us. Will you marry me, Lisa? I promise you, I’ll give you all the time you need. You have to be sure that this is what you want, too.”
“Oh, Alan, I’m sure.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her lips to his.
Right before he kissed her, he asked, “Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” she murmured. Then his lips covered hers.
The long, deep, wet kiss went on and on and on until finally Alan broke away. He scooped her up into his arms. “Will you sleep in my room tonight?”
“With Christina in the house?”
“Christina’s going to be in the house during our preparations for the wedding. She’s going to be in the house when I want to kiss you. She’s going to be in the house whether we’re in Portland or in Texas. If it’s okay with you, maybe we can divide our time between the two. Isn’t it lucky I have a plane that can fly us back and forth?”
He’d meant to make her laugh, but instead she got choked up. “I’m the one who’s lucky. I never thought I’d find a man to love me for who I am—past, present and future.”
Alan smiled. “You found him and he’s never going to let you go.”
This time their kiss was a sweet promise of everything to come.
Epilogue
In the past ten days, Lisa felt as if she’d won the lottery, taken a trip to the moon and become queen of the universe! Okay, maybe she was exaggerating a little, but not much. As she stood in the ballroom of the Rocky Ridge Country Club, her hand in Alan’s, she was so happy she thought she was going to burst.
Christina rushed over from one of the many linen-covered tables. “Your dress is an absolute hit. All the women are talking about it. Even Mom.”
A few days ago, when Alan had flown them back to Texas to get ready for their engagement party, Christina had gone shopping with her to choose a dress. It was pink with a western-style bodice, long sleeves and fringed hem.
“Do I want to know what they’re saying?” Lisa asked.
Alan wrapped his arm around her waist. “I’m sure they’re commenting on how lovely you look. You’re beautiful tonight, Lisa. No woman here can hold a candle to you.”
Lisa stroked Alan’s jaw. “Thank you.”
She was thanking him for so much more than the compliments and she could see he understood that. Ever since he’d proposed, he’d made sure she knew exactly how much he loved her. On Sunday evening, when Neal and Maude had returned, he’d called a family meeting to announce their engagement. Sherri and Neal had been astonished. Maude and Christina, who had seen the ring the day before had just looked happy for them. The next day, they’d flown back to Portland to talk with Carrie and Brian.
Brian had looked Alan square in the eyes and said with a smile, “I know you’ll take good care of her.”
Carrie had added, “I know Lisa will take good care of Alan.”
Not only were Brian, Carrie and Timothy here today, but Jillian, Craig and Ariel were, too. Alan had sent his plane back for them. He didn’t want anyone important to Lisa to miss this happy celebration.
As Lisa’s gaze fell on Timothy, who was rubbing his eyes, she felt a surge of love for him. She and Alan had had several long discussions about him. Alan had insisted he understood the role Lisa would play in her son’s life, and that he’d support her one hundred percent. He’d apologized to her again for not accepting her past from the moment she’d told him about it. But she’d understood what a shock her news had been. She’d enjoyed showing Alan over and over that she’d forgiven him.
Now, stepping a little closer to Lisa, Christina said in a low voice, “I know Mom and Uncle Neal were shocked this afternoon when you told us about Timothy. But they came tonight, so I think they’ll get used to the idea.”
“Of me marrying your dad? Or of me giving up Timothy for adoption?”
“Eventually, both,” Christina answered honestly.
The band began to play. To Christina, Alan said, “Honey, if you don’t mind, I think I’m going to dance with my fiancée.”
His daughter grinned at him. “I don’t mind. But I do think I’ll talk to the band leader and make sure they play something up-to-date sometime tonight.”
&nbs
p; Alan laughed as Christina headed for the dais and he guided Lisa to the dance floor. When he drew her into his arms, their guests clapped.
“We’ve got to set a wedding date,” he reminded her. “How about June? Is that enough time for you to be sure you’re making the right decision?”
She could tell he was partly teasing and partly serious. “I’ve made my decision, Alan, when I accepted your ring. I’m sure I want to marry you and build a life with you. In fact, I was a little disappointed when I used the pregnancy test and found out I wasn’t expecting. I know you were relieved….”
“I was a little disappointed, too. I didn’t make a big deal out of it because I don’t want to push you into having children. I know you want to pursue your career.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Brian already found a replacement for me so I can start working with you. But there’s no reason I can’t do both, is there? I was thinking I could work part time until our kids are school age, then dig in more. What do you think?”
“Kids?” he asked with a grin. “Like in more than one…”
Suddenly she wondered if she’d read him wrong. “If you only want one…”
Disentangling their hands, he covered her mouth with his index finger. “I was teasing. I know an only child can be a lonely child. Christina has often told me she wishes she had a brother or sister. And I believe if you want to raise kids and work, too, you’ll figure out how to do what’s best for everyone.”
“The more I consider it, I guess I’d want to give my full attention to our baby for at least the first year…maybe two….”
He laughed. “The great thing about being married to me is that I can be flexible! And we don’t have to figure it all out this minute. We have until June. Unless you want to try to make a baby before then.”
“And shock your family even more?”
“They’ll get used to us shocking them.” He seemed to think it was inevitable.
Lisa cuddled closer to him as they danced.
When the song ended, he said, “We really should make the rounds of our guests. There are a few friends I haven’t introduced you to yet.”
Falling for the Texas Tycoon Page 18
