Wyatt's ruthless tone made the clerk back up a step. "Got it."
"Good." Wyatt strode briskly out of the lobby.
Adrianna followed, happy to be back in the sunshine. She hadn't imagined that helping Wyatt would take her back to places that reminded her of her own past.
Wyatt walked down the path in front of the motel and around the corner where two machines offering ice and drinks were located. The motel was shaped like a U with the parking lot in the middle. There were three cars in the lot and an old man sitting in a folding chair in front of his room. When he saw them staring, he got up and went inside, as if he was afraid they were going to ask him questions.
"I feel like knocking on some doors," Wyatt said.
"I doubt many will answer," she said. "But you can try."
He shot her a quick look. "I've got nothing to lose."
She shrugged. "It's your call."
As she'd predicted, only one person answered his knock, an older, confused woman who seemed to think they were going to give her a ride to the drug store. It took a lot of explanation to convince her otherwise. In the end, she finally just went back inside.
"Okay, now you can say, I told you so," Wyatt said as they circled back to the front of the building.
"Can I say I'm impressed instead?"
"Impressed by my failure?"
"No, by your determination. You're relentless."
"The stakes are high," he said.
She nodded. "Did one of the women the clerk described sound like your ex-wife?"
"The long legs could have been hers, but who knows?"
"What did Jennifer do? Did she have a job?"
"At one time, she wanted to design clothes. But after we married, she got pregnant, and that seemed to be the end of that. One time, when we were arguing, she told me that I'd stopped her from having her dreams, because I'd wanted a kid."
"So she didn't want to get pregnant?"
"Oh, she wanted a baby. That was part of the fairytale, until she actually had a baby and realized the fairytale literally stunk. She used to say she didn't have time to work because she was taking care of a baby, but her parents got her a nanny, and she spent more time having lunch with her friends than pushing a stroller to the park." He let out a sigh. "This was a waste of time."
"It was a good place to check. It's more than likely that the kids are staying in a place like this and that it's close to Vincenzo's. Maybe they'll come back here."
"I hate to say I hope so, because this place is a dump."
"Yeah, it is," she said. "But for a lot of people it's home."
His gaze met hers and he gave her a questioning look.
"I used to live in a place called the Oceanview Lodge," she said, answering his unspoken question. "It didn't have a view of the ocean. Our room overlooked the dumpsters behind the strip clubs. The clerk was just like the guy inside. He didn't care who was staying there as long as they paid cash, and I doubted if he could have described anyone who came through the door. He made a point of not looking. I was actually happy about that at the time. It was the ones that looked at me that made me nervous."
"What a shitty life you had," he said, shaking his head. "I don't understand why someone wasn't looking out for you."
She was taken aback by his passion, by the anger in his eyes. "My mom was sick."
"What about the rest of your family? Someone should have tracked your father down. And weren't there any grandparents, any aunts, any cousins?"
"They did look for my father, but I didn't have any information for them to go on. He wasn't listed on the birth certificate. I only knew what my mom had told me, and I was twelve. I was in shock after her death. At first, I didn't care if they found him. He would have been a stranger to me, too, but then when I ended up in really bad spots, I used to dream that he'd come looking for me and turn out to be this great guy. That didn't happen. And as for the rest … I had a grandfather, but he was in a nursing home, and my grandmother was dead. So it was just me. It took me a long time to accept that fact. It was actually easier when I let go of the hope."
"I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault."
"No, but you just made me realize how lucky I was to grow up with a family."
"You were lucky. My mom was my family, and I don't want you to think badly of her. She did the best she could under terrible circumstances. Anyway, when I was about fifteen, I ran into Josephine, and she took me in, made me realize I could fight for something better or I could give up, but it was my choice. It was the first time I felt I had any control over anything."
"And you chose to fight."
She nodded. "Yes, and I thought I was doing really well. I had a good job, friends, a boyfriend, and then my life went spinning out of control once again."
"Sounds like you're going to have to make the same choice -- give up or fight."
She took a breath and slowly exhaled. "I'm tired, Wyatt. I've been fighting a long time."
"You just need to regroup."
"I need -- something."
He glanced down at his watch, and she suddenly realized the sun was going down.
"I didn't realize it was so late," he muttered.
"You have somewhere to be?"
"Actually, I do. Some place I don't want to be."
"Ah, so you're using me to stall. No wonder you're so interested in my life all of a sudden," she said with a smile. "I was doing the same thing yesterday by the fountain."
He smiled back. "Guilty."
"What do you have to do?"
"Have dinner with my family."
"Well, that doesn't sound so hard."
"It wouldn't be normally, but the last two years …"
"Oh, so the problem is -- they ask a lot of questions or they don't ask any."
"How are you so perceptive?"
She shrugged. "Am I right?"
"Yes, it's awkward as hell when I'm around. You should come with me."
She was shocked by the invitation. "I don't think so. I'm not in the mood for a family dinner. In fact, I'm not good with families. I never know what to do or say. Talk about awkward. I can't tell if people are teasing or angry with each other. I don't get the whole bickering thing. It's like a foreign language to me. Will took me to his parents' house once, and I swear I was so uncomfortable I was actually sweating, beads dripping down my face."
"Why was it so bad?"
"Because his parents scared the crap out of me. And they had all this silverware on the table. I'm a chef, and even I don't know why someone would need four different sized forks for a meal made up of salad, steak and dessert."
"Well, my family is big on paper plates and plastic silverware, so you don’t have to worry."
"Why would you want me to come?" she asked.
"Well, I'm thinking dinner is the perk to the favor I'm going to ask of you."
She gave him a suspicious look. "I'm here. I'm already doing you a favor."
"This is something else. I've been thinking, and the kids came by the restaurant on the weekend nights at closing time. It's Friday night."
"You want to stake out the alley at Vincenzo's tonight?"
"Yes. They saw you by the fountain. They might think you're back at work."
"So I'm the bait?"
"You're the link to the kids. I need you to bring them out of the shadows."
"If your daughter saw you, don’t you think she'd run to you?" she asked. "Why would you need me?"
Wyatt gave her a pained look. "Because I'm not really sure what Stephanie would do if she saw me. I don't know what Jen told her about me."
"But she lived with you. She knows you."
"We had some loud fights," he said. "Jen was a screamer. She loved to shout. Stephanie was in her room, but I don't know what she heard, what she thought. Even when Jen started the fight, she'd be in tears by the end. Did Stephanie think I was the one who made her mother cry?"
Adrianna hesitated. Just when she thought she was s
tarting to trust Wyatt, he said something that made her pause. Was he the good guy he said he was?
"I don't know, Wyatt."
"Because I've given you doubts again," he said flatly. "You need to trust me, which is why you need to meet my family."
"They would only support you."
"Not if I was doing something wrong. They'd be the first to call me out. Come with me to dinner, Adrianna."
"I'm not dressed," she said half-heartedly. Actually, the idea of spending another night alone in her apartment was very unappealing. However, the idea of meeting a bunch of strangers was equally unexciting.
"We'll stop by your apartment, and you can change."
"It's your family, Wyatt. I'm sure they don't want a stranger there."
"I need you, Adrianna."
He was only speaking about needing her help, but for some reason his words touched off a cord deep within her. His bright blue gaze burned her with its intensity. Even if she wanted out, she doubted he'd let her go. That thought shook her a little, because she had the strange feeling she didn't want him to let her go.
That was crazy. They were practically strangers, and she couldn't be interested in anyone. It was too soon. It was the wrong time. It was a ridiculous thought.
She intended to say no, but yes came out instead.
"You won't be sorry," he said.
"I hope not."
Chapter Six
"So are you one of those women who says she'll be ready in ten minutes, and it's like an hour and a half?" Wyatt asked as she ran into her bedroom to change.
"When I say ten, that usually means five. I'm habitually on time. But give me an actual ten."
"No problem," Wyatt said as he paced around Adrianna's living room. He was having second thoughts about inviting her to dinner. Her presence would no doubt generate more questions he didn’t want to answer. On the other hand, she would be a distraction. He didn't want to ruin his sister's night, and when he was around, everyone toned things down -- their conversation, their laughter, and their smiles. They did it out of respect, but he was tired of being pitied. He didn't need them to stop living their lives. He just needed to start living his again.
He had a feeling that Adrianna was his lucky charm. He didn't know why, but every instinct told him that he needed her to get his Stephanie back. It made no sense. It wasn't logical, but still he felt sure that meeting her by the fountain was some sort of omen. Their coins had collided. She'd seen the kids – and one of those kids might be his child. He was going to keep her close – until she shoved him away.
She didn’t completely trust him. Hopefully, this trip to his parents' house would change her mind. If there was one thing his parents did well, it was to charm the people around them. Especially his father. He had always had a way with the ladies.
Wyatt smiled at the thought. Not that his mother let his dad get away with too much flirting. She knew just exactly how much space to give him before she reeled him back in. Their relationship worked. Next year they'd be married thirty-seven years. They'd done it right.
He glanced again at the picture of Will and Adrianna at the ski resort. Will had light blond hair and fair skin. He was tall and lean and had a lazy arm around Adrianna's shoulders. They were opposites in appearance, but they looked good together, comfortable and relaxed. He had yet to see that stress-free smile on Adrianna's face, but that wasn't surprising. She'd lost someone she loved in a violent crime. It would take some time to get past that.
He moved over to the side table, his gaze catching on a magazine that was half open. The article named the winners of the James Beard Foundation award for Rising Chefs and there was Adrianna's face. "Hey, you won an award," he said loudly. "It says you're a rising star."
He read through the announcement, gaining more respect for her by the moment. He'd known she was good when he'd tasted her food. But now he knew just how good. She'd certainly come a long way from her troubled childhood.
"Okay, I did it in nine minutes," she said, returning to the room in a short, sleeveless floral dress that showed off her curves.
Her face was pink with color, her eyes bright, and her beautiful hair fell in shiny waves along her bare shoulders and arms. His gut clenched. And for a moment he couldn't find his breath.
"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "Should I wear pants? Something fancier or more casual? I told you I wasn't good at family gatherings."
"You look fine," he said finally cutting off her nervous ramble. "You look – pretty."
"Oh, well, thanks. This is probably the first time I've put on make-up in a couple of months."
He cleared his throat. "It sounds like you need a night out."
"Yeah, I think I do," she said.
He held up the magazine. "Can I brag about this to my family?"
A flood of pink spread across her cheeks followed by an embarrassed smile. "You don't want to do that. No one outside the cooking world cares about that award."
"You're too modest."
"I'd just rather let my food speak for itself."
"It speaks quite well -- in my brief experience."
"Thank you again. We could skip your family dinner, and I could cook for you," she offered.
"While that would be a lot less stressful for both of us, this is something I need to do."
"But I don't need to do it."
"You'll like them. Trust me."
"I guess that's what this evening is all about," she said.
* * *
"Where are we going?" Adrianna asked Wyatt as they drove across the Bay Bridge. "Your parents don't live in the city?"
"No, they live in the Berkeley Hills. It's not far."
She was actually happy that they had a bit of a drive ahead. She was feeling a little too nervous, and she needed to calm down. It didn't matter what Wyatt's family thought about her. She wasn't trying out for them. They weren't involved in a romantic way, although, they were definitely involved in something. She just wasn't quite sure what it was. Ever since they'd met, she'd felt a pull in his direction, and he seemed to feel the same thing.
That damn fountain, she thought. Maybe it had more power than they realized.
Wyatt reached out and put his hand over hers. She suddenly realized she was tapping her fingers against her leg.
"Nervous habit," she said, meeting his gaze.
"My family is really not that bad."
"I'm sure they're not. I'm just not good at this."
"Were Will's parents that judgmental? I can't imagine what they wouldn't like about you."
"They didn't like that I was poor, that I had no family. They thought I was dragging Will down, that I had convinced Will that he should be a bartender instead of a lawyer. But in truth, I had little influence on Will. He was a free spirit. He had quite a few different jobs, and bartending was just one of them. He liked serving drinks, chatting it up with people. He was the king of the bar, and I was the queen of the kitchen."
"Sounds like you were a good match."
"Yeah," she said a little heavily, not really wanting to get into a discussion about Will.
"I'm surprised his parents couldn't see that."
"To be fair, we only spent the one evening with them. I saw them briefly after he died, and they acted like I was a stranger. I don’t think he ever talked to them about our relationship." She paused. "But when I said I was bad at meeting families, I was actually talking about when I was younger, when I had the chance to be adopted after my mother died. I met with two families on two different occasions, who were thinking they might take me in, but after meeting me, they said I wouldn't fit in. Apparently, I didn't make a good impression."
"Their loss."
She appreciated the compliment. "Thanks."
"But you're not trying out for anyone tonight. Believe me, the focus will not be on you."
"That's good." She took a moment and then said, "Did your parents like your wife?"
"In the beginning, yes. My mom lost a little
patience with Jennifer after Stephanie was born, but she still tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. She used to tell me that she thought Jen had postpartum depression and that I should make sure to pay special attention to her, see if she needed help."
"Did she have that?"
"I think the depression started when she got pregnant. She didn't like anything about having a baby, the pregnancy, the delivery, the nursing. She didn't want to hold Stephanie after she was born. She saw her doctor, and I think she got some antidepressants, which we didn't know at the time were a very bad idea. It wasn't until Steph was about a year and a half that Jen felt comfortable being with the baby on her own. I had to take over a lot of the care in the early days, the diapers, getting up at night, bottle feedings." He looked over his shoulder, then changed lanes. "But the real turning point was when Jen got into a car accident a couple of years later. She hurt her knee, and she had a lot of pain. That's when the painkillers came into play. Long after her injury healed, she seemed to need them. After that, it was a spiral that just didn't end. Whatever was going on in her life was too much. Every problem had to be medicated. There came a point where I barely recognized her; she was so different from the woman I'd married."
As Wyatt spoke about his ex-wife, his tone seemed to vary between anger, guilt, and bitterness. But however it had ended, it seemed clear that Wyatt had loved his wife at one point in time.
"It's strange how love can go so wrong," she murmured.
"Has there been anyone else in your life besides Will?"
"No one serious. I was too busy surviving to do the usual teenage stuff, and when I got older, it was still about making my way in the world. I couldn't let myself be distracted. I was too serious for most boys. I was too serious for Will, but he kept telling me he knew I had a fun side, and he was determined to find it."
Wyatt gave her a small smile. "Did he find it?"
"Well, it was more like he helped me find it. I'll always be grateful to him for that."
"He sounds like a wonderful person."
She let out a sigh. "Let's not talk about Will."
"Sorry."
As they crossed the bridge between the city and the East Bay, she gazed out the window at the big ships in the Oakland harbor, and the smaller boats returning home from a day's fishing or a sail under the two bridges that connected San Francisco to the rest of the world. It felt good to be away from her apartment, from the restaurant, from all the familiar streets. She'd been feeling claustrophobic, and now she felt like she could breathe again. "It's a nice night," she said. "No fog yet."
When Wishes Collide Page 7
