Adrianna glanced over at Dante and could feel the tension emanating from his every pore from across the room. He wanted her to get along with Sage so she would make an effort. “Apology accepted, Sage.” She forced a smile.
“Thank you, you’re very generous.” Sage wasn’t sure she would have reacted the same.
“And believe me when I say that I have no intention of hurting Dante again. I care a great deal about him.”
“Glad to hear that because I will be watching you,” Sage said and headed over to the bar to pour herself a drink.
Adrianna had no doubt Sage would be eyeing her like a hawk. She had to pull herself together and not allow Sage to see just how baby Bella was affecting her.
Dante walked over to Adrianna with Bella still in his arms. “You okay?” he asked, giving her the once-over.
“Your family is a tough bunch to impress.” Adrianna inhaled deeply.
“They are, so I appreciate the effort you’re making,” Dante said.
“I can’t much blame them,” Adrianna whispered. “I hurt you once and they don’t want to see that happen again. How can I be upset with them for wanting to protect you?”
“That may be true, but Sage still has no right to be rude to you.”
“I’m a tough cookie,” Adrianna replied. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Do you want to hold her?” Dante asked. He was sure Sage was wrong about Adrianna. She’d always wanted children in the past and he couldn’t imagine that wanting a family now would be the one thing they didn’t share in common.
Adrianna shook her head. “I wouldn’t know how.” She didn’t think she could bear to hold the little girl in her arms.
“It’s easy.” Dante slowly eased the baby into her arms.
Adrianna looked down and was amazed at the lovely creation Quentin and Avery had made together. Bella was a testament of their love for each other. Her eyes misted with tears as she walked over to Avery and handed her daughter to her. “She’s beautiful. You’re truly lucky.”
Dante and Adrianna didn’t stay too much longer at Quentin’s after that and said their good-byes, much to Adrianna’s delight.
“So, where to?” Dante said. He hoped she would say his place. He was getting used to sleeping next to her.
It had been an emotional day and the only place Adrianna wanted to be was home. “Do you mind dropping me off in the Hamptons? I want to check on my father.”
“Of course not.” Dante was disappointed, but he tried not to show it.
“I’m sorry, but I really haven’t spent enough time with him.”
“I understand.” He notified the driver and away they went.
Dante noticed Adrianna was withdrawn and sullen on the drive to the Hamptons. There was a huge gap between them and she sat facing the window. Dante knew it had to do with Sage’s behavior toward her.
“Adrianna.” He scooted closer to her. “I’m sorry about Sage. I’ve warned her that I’m not going to take any more of her shenanigans.”
“It’s not just Sage,” Adrianna said. “Your entire family doesn’t want you to be with me. It’s hard to fight that.” From the moment they met, it seemed like everyone and everything was against them. First her father and now Dante’s family. “Maybe we’re just not meant to be.”
Dante grabbed her chin and forced her to face him. “I don’t believe that. We’ve just found each other again and I’m not going to let anyone get in the way of that ever again. Promise me you won’t, either.”
She gave a reluctant smile. “I promise.”
The way Dante said it with such conviction made Adrianna believe it, too.
Chapter 10
Dante and Adrianna taped half a dozen episodes of Easy Entertaining over the next several weeks. Some of the recipes were simple, like the lobster macaroni and cheese, and others were more complicated, like coq au vin or cassoulet. Due to her father’s failing health, Adrianna had taken a leave of absence as a Foodies magazine reviewer, so she could spend more time with him and Dante.
When they weren’t in the studio taping, Dante and Adrianna spent as much time together as possible, whether it was cooking at Dante’s, in-line skating in Central Park or just snuggled underneath a blanket watching a movie. Dante couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this happy, this content.
He didn’t care when Todd summoned them to review episodes back in the Lawrence Enterprises control room and noted items that they needed to work on because the easy rapport they shared and natural chemistry showed on-screen and off.
“These are really good, but there is still room for improvement,” Todd commented. “Adrianna, I need you to chime in more about your life experiences and cooking tips.”
Adrianna nodded.
“Dante, you’ve got cooking in front of the camera down pat. Occasionally, you forget to look up. We need the viewers to connect with you as a food authority.”
“Thanks, Todd. I appreciate all your comments, good or bad,” Dante replied.
“Ian and I think you are both doing an incredible job and we’ll be proceeding to the next phase, publicity. Mr. Davis took some excellent working photos of you at your first show. Now we’ll be having our photographer take publicity shots of you that will appear in the magazines, billboards and advertisements promoting the show. Then you’ll do some interviews for CRAZE, radio and one of the local morning shows here in New York.”
“Sounds great,” Adrianna responded. “When do we get started?”
“How does now sound?” Todd replied. “I have you signed up for a photo session in our studio downstairs, so you had better get going.”
With hair and makeup, the photo shoot lasted over two hours, but the photographer got some great shots of them.
“Our faces are going to be on billboards across New York,” Adrianna said excitedly. “Can you believe it?”
“Time is moving quickly,” Dante responded. “According to Todd, WTTG intends on premiering Easy Entertaining in a couple of weeks. Malik was right. Pretty soon we’ll be household names.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Adrianna replied.
Sage put down the phone receiver. She had all the ammunition she needed. Patrick, her detective, had found out the secret Adrianna had been carrying and perhaps the reason she hadn’t returned to New York before now. Adrianna had married her ex and suffered a miscarriage, four months into their marriage. If Dante ever found out that she’d been sleeping with another man while seeing him, it would devastate him.
Was that why she’d stayed away so long, so the memories would dissipate and she could finally face him? Sage wondered if should tell Dante the truth. He had a right to know. Yet on the other hand, he might not appreciate her meddling. Sage was conflicted, so she called Quentin and Malik for advice and asked them to meet her at Dante’s. She’d called ahead and Dante was still at Renaissance.
“So what do you think I should do?” Sage asked after she’d ordered them a round of drinks.
“Stay out of it,” Quentin stated.
“I agree. It’s not your place to tell him,” Malik added. “It’s up to Adrianna to tell Dante what happened back then.”
“Don’t you think I should call her out on it?” Sage asked.
“Absolutely not.” Quentin shook his head. “It’s just like you to be combative and in-your-face. But you have to stay out of this, you hear me?”
“Think about what putting yourself in the middle could do to your relationship with Dante,” Malik added. “He might not ever forgive you for meddling. Would it really be worth it just to say ‘I told you so’?”
Sage rolled her eyes. She hated when they were right, but they were. She had no place in Dante’s business. He was a grown man and had to learn from his mistakes just as she had when he, Malik and Quentin had warned her away from Ian. Dante would have to learn Adrianna’s secret from the lady herself. He would never hear it from Sage’s lips.
Just then, Dante walked through
the doors of his tapas restaurant. “What are you guys doing here? Did I miss a happy hour notice?” he asked.
“Well, someone’s been so busy these days that we hardly get to see you anymore.” Sage pouted, noting the suspicious lines at the corner of Dante’s mouth.
“Oh, c’mon, I fail to cook one Sunday dinner and I’m being roasted over the coals?” Adrianna had tickets to a Broadway show she’d been dying to see and he didn’t have the heart to say no.
“We understand, man,” Malik said. “When we first got together, Peyton and I were hot and heavy so much we shut out the world. So I ain’t going to hate on you getting some luvin’.”
“I hear you.” Quentin gave Malik some dap.
“Getting close to Adrianna again has completely floored me, guys,” Dante said, scooting a stool underneath him. His bartender immediately came over and slid a bottle of beer his way. “Thanks, Mike.”
“Are you saying you’ve fallen in love with Adrianna again?” Sage inquired.
Dante nodded. “I think I have. I certainly haven’t felt this way in a long time.”
“Since the first time you were together?” Quentin offered.
“So it’s gotten serious between you two?” Malik asked.
“I can definitely see a future with Adrianna.”
Sage nearly choked on the apple martini she was drinking and Quentin had to pat her back.
Dante glanced in her direction. “You okay?” He doubted she was too happy to hear those words come out of his mouth, but they were true. He was falling in love with Adrianna.
“Oh, I’m fine,” she said even though she really wasn’t. She hated to keep vital information from Dante, but she couldn’t interfere, especially now that he was back in love with the woman.
“Good,” Dante replied. “Because who knows? There might be a new addition to our clan real soon.”
“I’m sorry, Adrianna, but your father isn’t getting any better. I’m afraid his health is going to deteriorate rapidly from here on out,” Howard’s physician had stated in mid-June.
“Isn’t there anything more you can do, Doctor Baker?” Adrianna had asked. She was spending as much time as possible with her father while still balancing her career and budding relationship with Dante.
“Adrianna, I wish there were,” Dr. Baker replied, “but your father has stage four colon cancer. Nothing more can be done except to make him feel more comfortable.”
“So I’m just supposed to watch him die?” Adrianna murmured.
“You have to be strong,” Dr. Baker had replied. “If your father sees you fall apart, it will only make him hurt worse. Remember, stiff upper lip.”
Stiff upper lip. Those words resonated throughout the morning in Adrianna’s mind. Isn’t that what her father always said even when the tabloids or papers would come after him as governor? So what if the press was calling her father names. Don’t bow down to their level, her mother would add.
And when the time came for her to marry Phillip, her father had walked into the church where she was getting dressed and told her again to have a stiff upper lip. “What you’re doing is best for your child,” he’d said. “Remember that.” She was so used to holding things inside that she was uncertain if losing her father was supposed to be any different. He was the only family she had left and he was dying.
“Ms. Adrianna, are you okay?” Nigel asked when he found her sobbing in the study.
Adrianna wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and blinked several times. “I’m fine, Nigel,” Adrianna said, turning around. “Is Father okay?”
“Yes, he has been sleeping soundly since Dr. Baker gave him some morphine. Is there anything I can do for you?” Nigel inquired.
“No.”
“Do you need me to call Mr. Moore?” Nigel asked. He knew how important the young man was to her.
Adrianna shook her head adamantly. “No, that’s not necessary.” Why would Dante want to come and comfort her when her father was the man who had kept them apart a decade ago?
“As you wish,” Nigel said and quietly left the room.
Adrianna walked over to the bookcase and pulled out several photo albums. There were pictures of them as a family when her mother was alive. There were photos of her dad on the campaign trail. And who was always by his side? Her and her mother. In some of the photos you could see the bored look on her face because they were always trotted out when it served his purpose.
Then she came across a few family vacation photos. She especially enjoyed seeing the trip to Jamaica. It was one of the rare moments when her father had let his guard down. The photo showed the two of them in the air parasailing. Her mother had been scared to death, but what fun it had been. Despite herself, she felt tears start to trickle down her face. She was reaching for a tissue when she felt someone’s presence behind her.
When she looked up, Dante was standing in the study. Tears blinded her eyes and her voice was hoarse. “Wh-what are you doing here?”
“Nigel called me. He said you needed me. Is everything okay?”
Adrianna shook her hand and rushed into Dante’s arms. “No,” she cried, “my father is dying, Dante, and there’s not a thing anyone can do.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Dante hugged her tighter as sobs began to wrack her body. He stroked her hair, trying to calm her.
When she quieted, Dante helped her to the sofa near the window. “Did something else happen today to make you so upset?”
“Nothing more than usual,” Adrianna answered. “Except I guess this time I finally heard the doctor. There is no hope for recovery. My father is terminal. And once he’s gone I’ll be all alone.” She still would have her cousin Madison and Aunt Mimi, but her immediate family would be gone.
“I’m truly sorry, Adrianna. It must be difficult knowing the end is coming. But you must know that whatever happens you are not alone.”
“I know that in here.” Adrianna pointed to her head. “I just feel so powerless.” She sat up and wiped her eyes. “The only thing I can do is make him comfortable and spend time with him, but you know what?”
“What?”
“I feel like a fake,” Adrianna spat. “My father and I haven’t been close in years. It seems so disingenuous to act crestfallen now in his final days.”
“He’s still your father.”
Adrianna turned and stared at Dante, shocked that he was even taking up for the man. “How can you stand up for him after everything he did to keep us apart all those years ago?”
“Because what’s done is done, Adrianna. We can’t go back and change the past. We just have to accept it.”
“That’s very magnanimous of you.”
“I don’t wish the man ill, Adrianna. He’s a part of you and seeing how much this is hurting you, hurts me.”
Adrianna rose from the couch and kneeled down to grab his large masculine hand in hers. “I am so lucky to have found you again,” Adrianna said. “I truly don’t deserve you.”
Dante frowned. He reached out and bracketed her face in the palm of his hands. He probed her eyes for a moment. “Why would you say something like that? You absolutely deserve happiness now even more than ever.”
Adrianna lowered her head to his lap. “I’m so glad to have you in my life.”
“And I’ll always be here.”
Adrianna certainly hoped so because if the secret she’d been carrying ever came out and she lost Dante it would destroy her.
To cheer Adrianna up, Dante invited her to a charity gala at the Carlyle the following Saturday. Malik’s organization, the Children’s Aid Network, was hosting the event to raise funds for their community centers. Dante was hoping a night away from her father would be just the ticket to help Adrianna relax.
This time Adrianna drove herself into the city and met Dante at his condo as she intended to drive herself back that evening. They would only spend one night together, but every minute spent with him was thrilling.
She arrived simply dressed,
wearing a tea-length chiffon dress with beaded halter straps accompanied by a clutch purse. Her hair was pulled back in a loose side ponytail.
“Are you ready for a fun night?” Dante asked. He looked spectacular in a black Italian crafted two-button suit and white tuxedo shirt.
“Oh yes.” Adrianna sighed. “I’ve been looking forward to it all week.”
When they arrived to the gala, Malik was standing outside the ballroom with Peyton. He looked dapper in a white tuxedo and his very pregnant wife, Peyton, wore a one-shouldered draped purple sheath.
“Peyton, you’re looking lovely tonight,” Dante commented, giving her a hug.
“Oh, you are too kind,” Peyton said, rubbing her growing belly.
Adrianna kissed both of her cheeks. “He’s right. You’re glowing.” Peyton’s mocha-colored skin shone brightly.
Peyton beamed. “Thank you.”
“How about a dance?” Dante asked Adrianna. A little fun on the dance floor would keep her mind off her father back home.
“Tango?” Adrianna winked.
“Absolutely, but hold on a sec.”
Adrianna watched Dante rush over to the band and whisper something to them before he returned to her side and offered her his arm. “My lady.”
Strands of “Assassin’s Tango” began to play just as Dante took her right hand in his. Soon they were stalking across the dance floor in slow, slow, quick, quick movements. Adrianna remembered to turn her shoulders slightly as Dante did when they reached the promenade.
Dante walked her forward, swiveled around and then slowly rocked her back and forth before turning her sharply toward him. Adrianna didn’t realize she was laughing until Dante smiled at her. Getting out of the house was exactly what the doctor ordered.
When the dance ended, they returned to find Malik and Peyton smiling at them from the sidelines. “Wow, that was incredible,” Peyton gushed. “I would love to be able to tango, but with this belly there’s no way we could get that close.”
Two to Tango Page 12
