“What do you mean?” Dante asked. His eyes darkened with emotion. “We’ve fulfilled our obligation to tape twelve episodes.”
“True.” Ian rubbed his jaw. “But I was thinking of something more permanent.”
“Are you serious?” Adrianna’s mouth dropped open.
“Absolutely.” Ian laughed at her surprised expression. “I’m convinced that you have what it takes to make Easy Entertaining a success and coincidentally make you both household names, which is why I want you to continue the show. How does that sound?”
“That sounds fabulous!” Adrianna was thrilled.
Dante remained quiet.
“Is there a problem?” Ian asked, noting the stern look on Dante’s face. “I thought you would be excited by this news. This is what you wanted, yes?”
“It is, but at what cost?” Dante wrung his hands in his lap.
“I don’t understand.” Ian was perplexed by Dante’s less than enthusiastic response.
“It’s simple,” Dante replied sharply. “I never wanted this arrangement to begin with and now that I’ve fulfilled my obligation, there’s no point in continuing.”
“Dante, please…” Tears welled in Adrianna’s eyes as she saw her dream slipping away. “Please don’t do this.”
Dante ignored her pleas. “Doing this show was a great learning experience, Ian, and it has shown me that I have the chops to do this. And with a little time and patience, I can have my own show.”
“I see.” Ian’s vexation was evident by the bridled anger in his voice. “You do realize that there’s a clause in your contract which expresses that LE has the right to pick up an option on the show.”
“You’re welcome to try and exercise it,” Dante returned. His voice was firm and final. “But I think you’ve seen what it’s like when Adrianna and I don’t connect. It’s utter chaos. Imagine if you force us into the arrangement for an entire season.” Dante rose from the sofa without touching his champagne and placed the glass on the cocktail table. “And before you even mention money, don’t bother because in case you didn’t know, Ian, money can’t buy everything. Excuse me.” Dante marched past them and out the door.
“Wow! I knew you two had a disagreement,” Ian replied, “but after the last week promoting the show I thought you’d gotten past it.”
Adrianna shook her head and reached for her purse to grab a tissue. “I knew better,” she murmured. “And now watching him walk out the door, I know that it’s truly over between us.”
Chapter 14
Adrianna thought she’d reached her limit when Dante had walked out of Ian’s penthouse and never looked back. She’d thought that was the worst life had in store that day. She was wrong.
When she pulled into the driveway and saw Dr. Baker’s car, she knew it was time.
Her father had struggled to stay alive for as long as he could but the end was here. The realization shot an aching pain straight to Adrianna’s heart and her anguish peaked to shatter the last shreds of her control. Before she knew what she was doing, she was beating the steering wheel in frustration.
After she’d let it all out, Adrianna knew what she needed to do. Taking a ragged breath, Adrianna took a long, deep breath and then went inside the mansion to say good-bye to her father.
Nigel was outside the bedroom door sitting on a bench. Too caught up in his own grief, he jumped when he heard her approach.
“It’s going to be all right, Nigel,” Adrianna found the inner strength to touch his shoulder and say. “We’ll get through this.”
Nigel was so overcome he couldn’t speak, so Adrianna went inside without him. She found Dr. Baker and the nurse at her father’s bedside.
“Adrianna, I’m so glad you’re here,” Dr. Baker said, reaching for her hand. “I’m not sure how much longer he could have held on.”
“Thank you, Dr. Baker, for being here.” She squeezed his hand.
“It’s time, Adrianna,” Dr. Baker whispered in her ear, “to say your good-byes.”
Adrianna nodded and kneeled down by her father’s bedside.
“I love you, baby girl,” her father managed to eke out. “I know I may not have always been the best father, but one thing has never altered and that’s my love for you. You are and will always be the light of my life.”
A lone tear slid down Adrianna’s cheek. “I love you, too, Daddy,” she whispered, grasping his frail hand in hers. “And you can leave this earth knowing that I forgive you, Daddy. Okay? I forgive you.”
Seconds later, his eyes closed and Adrianna dropped her head to his chest and sobbed.
Dante was deep into cooking for a catering event when Malik stopped by. He’d accepted a last-minute wedding for one hundred fifty people just to keep his mind off Adrianna and his career. The only way he knew how to not think about her was work. Hard, demanding work.
He was roasting several racks of lamb, making trays of homemade scalloped potatoes and grilling bunches of asparagus for the wedding. He’d been prepping in Renaissance’s kitchen for the past forty-eight hours and had tuned out the world. It was a daunting task, but it would keep his mind off what he might never have. Quentin, Malik and Sage had called him several times, but he’d ignored them. He knew they wanted to talk to him about the end of his relationship with Adrianna or perhaps his turning down Ian’s offer to continue the show. Either way, he hadn’t wanted any advice or suggestions on his love life or career or lack thereof.
“Hey, man, what are you doing here?” Dante asked when Malik popped his head in and saw the kitchen in utter chaos. “Shouldn’t you be at Peyton’s side? Isn’t she due to deliver any minute?”
“No and yes,” Malik replied. “My purpose here is dual fold. First, you forgot our standing gym date.”
It was then that Dante glanced up from wrapping up the scalloped potatoes to see Malik wearing jogging pants and a T-shirt.
“I’m sorry, Malik. I got completely caught up in preparing for this wedding,” Dante responded. “My apologies.”
“I figured as much,” Malik said, walking toward him. “It’s not like you to stand me up which is why I came. Sage told me that you turned down Ian’s offer to continue Easy Entertaining after the twelve episodes air. Are you sure that’s the way you want to go?”
“Turning it down wasn’t easy,” Dante said. “None of this is, Malik. I’m just having a hard time reconciling the woman I thought I knew back then with the woman I know today.”
“I understand you’re upset with Adrianna, but I have a feeling she’s going to need you now more than ever.”
“What do you mean?” Dante immediately stopped what he was doing and wiped his hands on his apron.
“You mean you haven’t heard?”
Dante frowned. “Heard what?”
Malik pulled out a copy of the New York Times from his jogging pants pocket. “Adrianna’s father, Howard Wright, died two days ago.”
“Whoa!” Dante covered his mouth with his hand. “I knew it was coming, but it just seemed like the old man had a steel will. Even after his deathbed confession to me, he’d been holding on for weeks. Why didn’t anyone bother to call me?”
“We tried and you didn’t return any of our calls,” Malik responded. “Sage assumed that your non-response meant that you didn’t want to have anything more to do with her, but when you didn’t show up at the gym, I realized I had better take matters into my own hands. I just couldn’t picture you being this cold and unfeeling.”
“Christ!” Dante rubbed his head. “Adrianna must be devastated. She may not have been close to her father, but she’d tried to make that up by moving back to New York. Do you know when the funeral is?”
Malik glanced down at the paper. “Day after tomorrow. Are you going to go?”
Dante didn’t hesitate before answering. “Of course.”
Malik smiled. Now there was the Dante he remembered.
“Have you heard from Dante?” Madison asked Adrianna as she helped her select a black s
uit to wear to her father’s funeral that day. Adrianna had tried on half a dozen already until she’d found one that was acceptable.
Adrianna shook her head. “Not in person, but I did receive flowers.” And it had hurt. Flowers? How impersonal! She knew he hated her for what she’d done, but to not even call to pay his respects? It made the loss of her father all the more unbearable.
All the arrangements had been made for the funeral as her father’s will was quite clear on the type of service he wished to have. It made Adrianna’s life very simple. Follow instructions. Put one foot in front the other. Don’t think about all you’ve lost.
“I just can’t believe that Dante would behave this way.” Madison was stunned. “He never struck me as the type to hold a grudge. He was always so kind and caring.”
“I guess that’s what happens when the woman you love breaks your heart twice. It turns it into a block of ice,” Adrianna said coldly, twisting her hair into an unsophisticated bun. She didn’t care how she looked. She just wanted to make it through the day without falling to pieces.
“Well, don’t you worry,” Madison replied. “If Mr. Dante Moore can’t bother to be here, you’ve got me, kid. You remember that. You always got me.”
“Thank you, Maddie,” Adrianna cried, and gave her a hug.
Dante tightened the tie on his charcoal suit and glanced in the mirror. How had he gotten here? How could he be going to Adrianna’s father’s funeral and yet feel so far removed from the woman herself?
He hadn’t called Adrianna because he hadn’t known what to say. The usual platitudes of “I’m sorry for your loss” just didn’t seem to cut it after all they’d shared. He felt helpless and unsure of what to do.
He was berating himself when the doorbell rang. When he opened it, Quentin, Malik and Sage were on the other side. They were all dressed in black suits and Sage was wearing a big black hat.
“You guys didn’t have to do this,” Dante began, but Sage silenced him with a finger to his lips.
“Don’t you even go there,” Sage replied. “This is what families do. We stand by each other’s side.”
“That’s right,” Quentin replied. “We’re here to drive you to the funeral and service.”
“We didn’t want you to be alone,” Malik added.
Dante nodded. “From the moment I met you guys, I have never been alone. And I thank God for it.”
“And you never will be,” Sage returned. The foursome crowded into a group bear hug.
They arrived at the church just before the service began. Dante chose to sit in the back podium as to not intrude on Adrianna and her family. He wasn’t sure she would even want to see him as he’d been less than kind to her the last few times they’d seen each other.
It was an elaborate service with members of the House and Senate speaking on the former governor’s behalf as well as a beautiful spiritual montage by a member of his church. Adrianna got particularly choked up when their butler, Nigel, went to the podium and spoke such kind words about her old man. She was keeping it together pretty well until she decided to speak the eulogy for her father.
“As the last member of my father’s immediate family,” Adrianna began, “I only felt it proper to speak on his behalf. My father, Howard Wright, was a proud family man. He was dedicated to serving the community and the great state of New York, but he loved his family even more. He loved his wife, my mother, Vanessa, deeply and only wanted the best for me, his only daughter. He wasn’t without his faults because the old man knew how to push my buttons.” Adrianna attempted to laugh, but instead it caught in her throat and she began to cough uncontrollably.
From the back of the room, Dante watched Adrianna struggle with her speech. He knew how important it was for her to speak, but he wasn’t sure she could handle the grief of standing in front of a roomful of people, many of whom were strangers, and speak about her father in the third person.
Somehow she managed to continue to her speech. “But what I never doubted was his unwavering love for me.”
Tears began to stream down Adrianna’s face in earnest and it was then that Dante knew what he had to do. He rose and walked up the aisle toward her. He couldn’t let her stand up there alone. Despite everything they’d been through, he’d promised her that she wouldn’t go through her grief alone—at least not now.
“What are you doing?” Sage had whispered from his side as he left his seat, but Quentin quieted her.
“Let the man do what he’s got to do,” Quentin had said.
“He’s got to protect his woman,” Malik had replied. He knew the feeling. When Peyton had been hurt after an abused student assaulted her a year back, Malik had seen stars, so he could only imagine the thoughts running through Dante’s mind as he saw the woman he loved in pain.
Adrianna tried to stop herself from crying and continue the beautiful speech she’d spent the past two days writing, but the grief just seemed to overtake her and a sob escaped her lips. It was then as she wiped her eyes with her father’s handkerchief that she noticed a lone figure walking toward the podium. As the person got closer, through the mist of her tears, Adrianna recognized it was Dante.
What is he doing here? Why has he come?
Those weren’t the questions she was thinking of; instead she was relieved, relieved to see the man she loved coming to rescue her from public embarrassment.
Without a word, Dante walked to the podium, wrapped his arms around Adrianna and led her off the stage. The minister took that as a sign that she was done and to continue with the service.
Dante led Adrianna to the first pew where Madison and her mother, Mimi, sat. They made room so Dante could sit beside her. And that’s what he did. He sat next to Adrianna and held her hand for the duration of the service.
“I thought you weren’t going to come,” Adrianna spoke in a weak and tremulous whisper.
“Of course I’d be here. Where else would I be?”
Dante’s voice had an infinitely compassionate tone. Adrianna glanced up and looked into Dante’s warm brown eyes and found comfort in his inherent strength. He didn’t have to come to the funeral. He owed Adrianna absolutely nothing, yet he’d come to hold her hand during one of the most devastating moments in her life. “Thank you.” She squeezed his hand in recognition.
“You’re welcome.”
When it was time to walk down the aisle in the funeral procession, Dante was right by Adrianna’s side. She leaned against him for support as she glanced around and saw all the sympathetic faces staring back at her. She was Howard and Vanessa Wright’s only heir and would inherit a fortune, so the world was watching her, but Adrianna didn’t care about the money. Because she would give anything to have her mother and father back with her.
When the limo pulled up to the curb for the family, Dante didn’t hesitate for a moment to jump inside with Adrianna.
“We’re so glad you’re here, Mr. Moore,” her Aunt Mimi said once the door had closed behind him. “Adrianna needed you.”
“Glad I could be here,” Dante said.
“It was a beautiful service,” Madison commented, offering a weak smile to Adrianna.
Adrianna nodded and blankly stared out the window.
Later, she wouldn’t remember much about the day. How sunny the sky was as they laid her father into the ground, or how white the gloves were that her father’s pallbearers had given her or how good the food tasted at the repast. She would just remember that Dante had come through for her.
Once back at the mansion in the Hamptons, family, friends, colleagues and onlookers came to pay their respects to Adrianna. She stood there and accepted their condolences gracefully, but Dante could see she was torn up inside. He didn’t know what to do except stand there. Nothing he could say would take away the pain she was feeling.
Quentin, Malik and Sage were some of the first to offer their condolences.
“We’re so sorry for your loss.” Quentin spoke first and leaned forward to give Adrianna a hug
and kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you,” Adrianna murmured, “for…for coming.” Dante squeezed her hand.
“I know I’m the last person you might want to accept help from,” Sage spoke next, “but if you need anything—either of you—” she glanced in Dante’s direction “—we are a phone call away.”
“That’s right,” Malik added from behind her. “You’re not alone.” Malik patted Dante on the shoulder before the trio dispersed among the crowd.
Dante didn’t know how long he and Adrianna stood there, shaking hands, receiving hugs and accepting condolences. When it was over, he was exhausted, so he could only imagine how emotionally drained Adrianna was. Once the crowd had finally begun to taper off, Dante decided to take Adrianna upstairs.
“I’m going to put her to bed,” Dante told Madison.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Madison said. “The poor thing must be exhausted. I’ll bring up a plate, too, in case she should get hungry.”
“Thanks, Maddie.” Dante patted her shoulder.
Instead of trying to walk Adrianna up, Dante lifted her limp body in his arms and carried her up the stairs. Dante found her room easily as it was covered with several different black dresses and suits. Dante shifted Adrianna in his arms and pushed the clothes off the bed. They landed in a heap on the floor.
Gently, Dante laid her down on the bed and Adrianna curled up in a ball. Dante reached down to the edge of the bed and pulled up a blanket to cover her trembling body. He was about to leave, so she could sleep, when Adrianna’s hand peeked out from underneath the duvet and he heard her shaken voice. “Please don’t go.”
Those were the only words Dante needed to hear. He kicked off his loafers, removed his suit jacket and slid underneath the covers with her. He curled up behind Adrianna and spooned her in his arms until she fell asleep.
Dante awoke to the sun streaming into the windows and Adrianna in his arms directly facing him. Her legs were intertwined with his and her arms were wrapped around his midsection. Dante pushed a wayward curl out of her face and stared down at her. Losing a parent had to be difficult, but losing both had to be unbearable. He’d learned long ago to live without them because he’d never known his parents. He could sympathize with Adrianna’s plight.
Two to Tango Page 16
