Adrianna liked that reaction, liked that he missed her, even if that was a little selfish. After all, she was feeling lonely herself and just wanted to curl up in his arms. Perhaps that was her way of trusting him. “I miss you, John.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, and she put it up to her out of control hormones.
He chuckled. “Now, that’s the first thing you’ve said that makes me truly happy tonight. I miss you, too, Addy. But I’m on my way home day after tomorrow, and we’ll go to your doctor’s appointment and get the first picture of our child.”
That sounded crazy to her, as if she was reading a novel about someone else’s life, and it floored her to think that she was going to be a mother. The words choked her up, and she swallowed past the lump in her throat so she could remain lighthearted as she spoke to John. After she hung up, she let the tears wet her eyes, but she still refused to cry. Her life was really just getting started, despite how long she’d worked to build it.
Maybe she’d visit her family tomorrow. She hadn’t seen her mother in months, had barely spoken to her because she never had time. But right now, she wouldn’t be flying out again for five more days, and John wouldn’t be back for two. She could easily rent a car and drive out to her mother’s place in Brooklyn and be back the same day. She knew Mamma would be proud, and this would be the first grandchild she actually got to see. After all, her two younger brothers had a couple of kids out there, but they weren’t exactly fathers.
Making up her mind, she felt better, and returned to her book, letting it erase everything else in her mind. One thing she would never get tired of was reading, and she needed to remember to warn John about her penchant for escape into literature when she was at her worst. Or best. Or, really, anytime she had a chance. She’d let him watch all the sports in the world, as long as he was okay with her reading to settle her nerves and stimulate her mind.
CHAPTER 22
The shack of a house looked worse than Adrianna remembered, and for a moment, her anger flared. How many times had she offered to put her mother into a nicer place, or to pay to fix this one up? But her mother’s pride had no boundaries, and she barely even let her successful daughter send her a gift every now and again.
Hearing several young men down the street arguing viciously and calling each other terrible names, she wrinkled her nose. She didn’t miss these digs, and while she still carried her street smarts because even Manhattan wasn’t absolutely safe from crime and gangs, she had forgotten just how frightened she’d been as a kid that an errant bullet would fly through her window or that one of her brothers would get into trouble.
To this day, the latter bothered her. After all, Adam and Arlen didn’t exactly make the best choices in friends, and they’d been involved in petty crimes in the past. But for now, she had to let that go. She had her own news to share with her mother, and she wanted it to be a joyous occasion.
She didn’t knock; she never had when she came back home. The inside of the house was clean, if cluttered, as it always had been, and her mother was stooped over what smelled like a pot of her chili, barely even noticing as the screen door squeaked shut. “Arlen, if that’s you, I swear, child, I’m going to knock your head right off that chubby body of yours for losing another job!” she called, not turning around.
Adrianna couldn’t help but smile as she leaned in the doorframe and watched the woman dump a lot of black pepper into the pot. “And if it’s not Arlen, and I haven’t lost my job, can I get a hug?”
Lorraine Meredith turned around with a spreading grin and laughed out loud. “Lord, child, you could give your own mama a heart attack, coming to see me so rarely and sneaking up on me when you do. Come on over here and hug my neck!” Adrianna threw her arms around her mother, and they rocked back and forth for a minute before she let go.
“How are you, Mama? You look tired.” She managed to drag her mother away from the food and sit her down at the scarred kitchen table in one of the rickety old chairs, and she took the seat next to her. “Are you doing okay?”
She shook her head, a little exasperated. “Honey, they had to fire one of the other maids at the old folks’ home. She’d been stealing the old ladies’ jewelry, and one of those rich young women came to check on her mama, found three pearl necklaces gone, and they asked all three of us where those things went. Now, I may be short money, but I’m no thief, and this little girl, she cracked under the pressure. But they haven’t hired no one else yet, so we’re all working overtime.”
Adrianna frowned. “I wish you wouldn’t work at all.”
“You know I can’t pay for this house if I don’t work. Your lazy brothers live in this place and eat in this kitchen, but Arlen done lost three jobs in the last two months on account of not showing up, and Adam’s still trying to get on the right path and go to school, but he can’t seem to get a decent job because he has a record. His money barely pays for his school.”
It made Adrianna sad to hear all that, but at least she had a ray of sunshine to share. “Well, Mama, I know you wouldn’t let me help before, but I just got a promotion that came with a great big raise. I would be more than happy to pay your mortgage if you’d finally take a rest and quit that job.”
“Now, I caught the good news in here, and I’m real proud of you, Addy. But I can’t just up and leave the old people without someone to help clean up after them.”
Resting her head in her hands, Adrianna counted to ten. Her mother was so stubborn! “Mama, they already have to hire someone, so they’re conducting interviews. If you quit now, they’ll just hire two people instead of one.”
But Lorraine slapped her hand flat on the table and stood her ground. “I’m not crippled, Addy, and there’s lots of folks out there who work till they’re seventy years old. That means I still got at least eighteen years in me. I appreciate everything you offer, and if something happens that I can’t work, I’ll take you up on it. Now, tell me about this big promotion.”
Letting it go for now but knowing she’d press her mother again later, she explained her new job, mentioning John as the reason she got the job in the first place.
Her mother gave her a secretive smile. “This John is something more to you than a boss, isn’t he? I can see that sparkle in your eye I had for your Daddy, God rest his soul.”
Adrianna blushed. Her mother had always been intuitive, and Lorraine could read her like an open book. “Well, yes, actually he is. We’ve been dating. But that started after he offered me the promotion. It’s not about gratitude or obligation or anything like that. He loves me, Mama.”
Her mother raised an eyebrow. “And how do you feel about him?”
This was the hard part, and she thought about her answer. Her mother had been one of the ones to help pick up the pieces after Tyrese broke her heart, and she knew the older woman would worry about her now, no matter how she answered. “He’s a good man, Mama, and I care a lot about him. I don’t know if I’m in love with him yet, but I’m not afraid of being with him. It’s something new for me, and I want to try to make it work. I really think we’re going to make it work. We’re even moving in together.”
She expected her mother to balk or look skeptical, but she simply smiled. “You look happy, baby, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. If this man makes you happy, I like him already. That other boy never did make you happy, even when you thought you were walking in the clouds together. And he was immature, too.”
“You’re right,” Adrianna realized. “And he does make me happy, even if my own emotions make me nervous.” She hesitated, wanting to tell her mother the rest of it, but it was still such a shock to her, she couldn’t imagine how Lorraine would take it. “Mama, I’m going to have a baby.”
The older woman was completely silent for several long, terrifying seconds, and then she started laughing and raised her hands in the air. “Well, praise the lord, I’m going to have a grandbaby! Oh, honey, that makes me so happy! Are you happy about it?”
>
Scared was more like it, but as she reached deeper, she realized she was happy. She nodded. “It does make me happy. I have no idea how I’m going to balance this promotion with a man who travels and a child to raise, but I’m excited to try it.”
With a look of adoration, her mother took hold of her hands. “Addy, baby, you are going to be a wonderful mother. You have a lot of love to give in that big old heart of yours, and it’s going to come naturally to you. It’s something that’s going to make your life full.” There were tears in her eyes as she said it. “You just promise me you’ll bring that child and that man of yours to see me all the time, okay?”
It was her chance. “I want you to be in your grandchild’s life on a regular basis, Mama. That’s why I want you to quit work and let me put you up somewhere nicer than this, closer to us so it’s easy for you to visit us or for us to visit you.” Her expression pleading, she asked, “Will you at least consider it for me?”
“Well, look at you, putting me in my place. You got good leverage there, baby girl. I suppose I can sleep on it for a couple of days and let you know what I decide.” She stood, drawing Adrianna with her, and gave her another long hug. “Now, you might as well be staying for some of my chili. It’s nice and hearty this time, and it’ll be good to help that baby.”
Nodding vigorously, Adrianna sat back down. “I would love some. I’m starving.”
CHAPTER 23
Smiling and holding hands as they left the doctor’s office, Adrianna and John strolled along the sidewalk, Adrianna fascinated with the first image of their child. She couldn’t believe she could truly grow human life inside her, and now more than ever, she was excited by the prospect, even if she was still frightened of how it would change her life.
John seemed in awe as well. “I think we should celebrate. How would you feel about some very greasy, fattening, messy Mexican food?”
Her mouth watered at the idea. “That would be fabulous.” She pouted at him. “I can’t have a margarita, but I’ll survive.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, chuckling softly. “We’ll get you a virgin margarita. It’ll taste fabulous.” They headed into the subway and took it to just outside of Times Square, John leading her to a tiny little place on the lower level, with no windows or anything. They stepped inside, and it smelled heavenly, and when the food was delivered, Adrianna shoveled it into her mouth.
John watched her. “That baby’s hungry.”
“I guess so,” she agreed as she wiped her mouth. As promised, the meal had been very greasy, and she was intensely satisfied. “I think I need some coffee on the way home to help soothe my stomach. I ate far too much.”
“Then we should get going so you can get some coffee, and then we’ll take you home, put you into a robe and slippers, give you a back massage, and put you on the couch with a good book while I rub your feet.”
She moaned at the scenario. “You are absolutely amazing.” She kissed him, and they headed to her apartment, stopping for coffee on the way. But as they stepped inside and Adrianna lumbered toward her bedroom to change, she heard John’s phone ring, and she cursed under her breath. She didn’t want any interruptions tonight, didn’t want to be alone. Both of them would be on their way out of town tomorrow, and she just wanted this one evening of glorious fantasy before they had to return to reality.
She peeked tentatively around the corner as he hung up and saw the lines of worry on his face. “Should I ask?”
He cut his eyes to her and looked apologetic. “I’ve got a problem in Atlanta. A big rock star just made national news, partying in our VIP suite with several prostitutes and hundreds of thousands of dollars in drugs. We’re going to get eaten alive by the press. They want me to fly out tonight to meet with the PR reps.”
Adrianna’s shoulders fell, and she couldn’t help being disappointed. “I understand. I can go to the airport with you, if you want.”
He shook his head and came over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he stared down at her. “I told them I already had a flight scheduled to Orlando in the morning and would rent a car and drive up then. The problem’s not going to change overnight, and there’s nothing PR or I can do tonight to stop the fallout. I’ll take care of business tomorrow. Tonight, I’m here to take care of you.”
Something in Adrianna’s stomach clenched, and her throat ached. She couldn’t believe he’d put something that huge on hold for her, and it made her wonder if she would have done the same. Maybe she wouldn’t have six months ago, but now, she knew she’d make the same decision. And suddenly, she understood that tightness in her chest, the pain in her throat. “I love you, John.” There, she’d said it. She’d admitted it.
His face grew solemn, but his eyes danced. “I love you, too, Addy.” He kissed her deeply, meaningfully, and for the first time, she gave herself over to it completely, not a passionate kiss but a loving, emotional one that shattered her heart into a million pieces and put it back together in a way that made it feel larger, fuller. When he finally pulled back, his face mirrored what she felt, and her security in their relationship sealed itself inside her.
His mouth quirking up at the corner just a little, he gestured with his chin toward the couch. “How about those massages we talked about?”
She smiled mischievously. “Let me choose a book first.”
CHAPTER 24
Adrianna sat in the rental car in front of the hotel in Virginia Beach, staring at it and not wanting to enter. She should have checked the schedule. She would much rather have come when she knew Andrew Gomez was off. After all, she could speak to the assistant manager, Dawn Inglewood, and it would be a much more pleasant experience.
But she had to do her job, and she hadn’t called ahead, mostly out of concern that she’d give Gomez the opportunity to clean up the situation and hide something from her. With a heavy sigh and a lot of reluctance, she climbed out and headed inside. She put on a fake smile as Andrew spotted her right away and came to her, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.
She pulled her hand away pretty quickly but not before she felt dirty from the contact. “Lovely to see you again, Adrianna. What can I do for you today?”
She didn’t take time for niceties. “I’d like to see if we’ve resolved the employment problem and hired replacements for the ones you let go.”
He gave her what she assumed was supposed to be a sheepish but charming look. “Come on, now, you gave me a lot more time than this. Even if I had found someone, the background check wouldn’t be back yet.”
She raised an eyebrow at him, having no mercy. “And are there any background checks out right now?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t found any viable candidates.”
Stiffening and rolling her neck to keep from growing angry, she asked, “And how many have you interviewed?”
He waved a hand in the air as if it was negligible. “I think Dawn’s interviewed three or four people.” He grinned at her. “Have a little faith, doll. I’ll have it taken care of by the deadline.”
Adrianna bristled. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t be so informal with me. I’m trying to be polite, but I am your superior, and we do have some significant issues here. You should take this more seriously.”
He moved closer to her and muttered, “I think you take yourself too seriously, and I would love to show you a little pleasure.”
She stepped back, and her eyes blazed. “You’re treading on thin ice, Mr. Gomez. If you don’t check yourself and behave like a respectful adult, I’ll have to file a complaint, during which time you would be suspended without pay and may even be relieved of your job.”
He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. “Listen, sweetheart, the company is about the numbers, and mine are phenomenal. You just caught this job, and I can easily make it look like you came in and ruined things here so you look like shit and I come out smelling like roses. I suggest we come to some sort of mutual agreement, or I’ll r
uin you.”
Seething, Adrianna refused to back down. “You couldn’t if you wanted to. Remember, I was in your position just last week, and I was chosen for the promotion. I bet you weren’t even approached. If you aspire to anything great, you have to work hard, stop cutting corners, and definitely back off the macho misogynistic comments. All you’re doing right now is digging yourself a deeper hole.”
With a devilish smile, he ran a hand down her arm. “I think it might put you in your place if I dig into your hole.”
Her patience gone, Adrianna slapped his hand away in disgust. “Mr. Gomez, until further notice, you are being placed on leave. You may use vacation time for pay, if you like, and a formal complaint will be filed. A human resources representative will contact you in the next few days. You have ten minutes to vacate the premises, or I’m calling security.”
Now, he snarled at her. “You miserable, hormonal bitch. You’ll regret this.” He stalked to his office, returning almost immediately and throwing the front door open as he stormed out of the hotel.
Flustered, Adrianna shivered and pulled out her cell phone. She needed to inform John of the situation before she called human resources. Unfortunately, she had no delusions about how busy John would be right now, with the whole celebrity scandal he was handling, and she didn’t think she’d reach him. Deciding to wait, she went to the front desk and smiled as sincerely as she could at the young clerk. “I need to speak with Dawn, please. Could you page her?”
The Boss's Baby (Interracial with Baby) (BWWM) Page 10
