“Hmm. Must be nice being a lady of leisure,” Gayle teased. “So what’s the problem?”
“Alex.”
There was a long pause, then Gayle said in a quiet, strained voice, “Oh?”
Sierra could imagine the other woman’s red lips pursing with disapproval. “Yes. We—uh—had an argument. And I really don’t want to sit across the table from him right now. If you know what I mean.”
“Dear God. It must have been an awful one,” Gayle exclaimed. “What happened? I saw you two together out in the parking lot talking after our last lunch. Is that when you argued?”
Bowie was eating his fist and beginning to put up a fuss for his bottle. In an attempt to pacify him, Sierra gently bounced him against her shoulder. “Gayle, it’s a long story. And I really don’t want to go into it over the phone.”
By now Bowie was letting out a squall of impatience and naturally Gayle picked up on the sound.
“Sierra, do I hear a baby in your house?”
Sierra sighed. Maybe it would be good for her to meet with Gayle and get some of this awful weight off her shoulders, she thought. She’d always shared her personal life with the other woman, it shouldn’t matter that Alex was their mutual friend. Talking to Gayle would be much easier than facing her mother or sisters right now. The last thing she wanted was for her family to find out she’d already lost another man.
Oh well, at least there was one good thing about Alex’s leaving, Sierra thought glumly: she wouldn’t have to do some heinous task for her sisters now.
“Yes. That’s Bowie,” she answered Gayle. “He’s three weeks old and I’m a foster mother now.”
“Sierra!” Gayle shrieked with surprise. “When did this come about? And why haven’t you called me?”
Just like a waiting man, Bowie’s patience had worn completely thin. His face was as red as a cowboy’s bandana and he was screaming so loudly in Sierra’s ear she could hardly decipher Gayle’s words.
“Sorry, Gayle. I’ve got to get off the telephone. I’ll meet you at the burger hut around twelve, okay?”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away,” Gayle assured her.
It would be raining, Alex thought grimly, as he pulled into the covered parking area of San Antonio International Airport. He didn’t like to fly when it was raining, even in a big jet. But for the first time in ages, he’d managed to clear the weekend of work, and since he had nothing else to do, he’d decided to fly up to Dallas to see his parents. His father’s birthday wasn’t for another week, but he’d called and warned his mother that this would be the only time he could make it.
Inside the airport terminal, Alex waited until the last minute to go through security and board the plane. Later he was glad he’d not been too eager to get into the confines of the airliner. The flight was grounded for forty minutes due to lightning. A delay that was longer than the amount of time it took a jet to fly to Dallas.
To pass the time, Alex rested his head on the back of the seat and tried to sleep. He’d had a trying week at work with everything from taking on a client accused of murdering his wife, to thugs begging for his help to keep them out of prison, to a woman who wanted to sue her ex-husband because he’d taken her cat.
Who the hell was he kidding? Alex asked himself. He had that sort of stuff waltz in and out of his office every week. Normally he thrived on the chaos and even enjoyed Pauline’s tirades. She gave him something to laugh about. But this week, his secretary had stretched his nerves to the breaking point and he’d ended up yelling at her every fifteen minutes.
He realized he was a temperamental man and he’d never understood how Pauline put up with him. But he was thankful that she did. He’d have to give her a raise or send her on some special cruise or something. His devoted secretary was irreplaceable and he didn’t want to lose her.
Suddenly from somewhere behind him a baby’s cry pierced the plane’s interior.
Bowie!
Like a fool, he twisted around in his first-class seat to look. Several rows behind him, he spotted a woman holding a baby against her shoulder. The child was wearing tiny bib overalls and the woman was patting his back in an effort to soothe and quiet him.
The sight caused Alex’s gut to clench with regret and he jerked his head back to the front of the plane and tried to push the image out of his mind. Damn it, one of the reasons he’d come on this trip was to make an effort to get Sierra and Bowie out of his mind. But he should have known that was stupid, wishful thinking. Everywhere, everything reminded him of the two of them.
The past week had been more awful than he could have ever imagined. He’d never felt pain like this in his whole life. Not even when he’d found his adoption papers and he’d discovered the truth of his birth.
The night Alex had walked out of Sierra’s house, he’d never expected to feel the sort of misery that was now weighing him down. He’d expected to feel a bit glum for a day or two, then his head would clear and he’d realize he was relieved to be disentangled from the family situation he’d created by being with Sierra.
Unfortunately it hadn’t worked the way he’d expected. So far, he’d never experienced anything remotely related to relief. He ached to see Sierra. He wanted to hold her, make love with her, the way they’d made love before. He wanted to see little Bowie, hold the baby against his chest and kiss his smooth cheek.
“Sir?”
A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up to see a young woman with curly black hair bending over him. For a split second Sierra’s face swam in front of his vision.
“Sir, I’m sorry to disturb you. Would you like something to drink once we get in the air? A soda, water, a bourbon and Coke, perhaps?”
Alex mentally shook himself and looked up at the flight attendant. She was a young beauty with a wide smile and blue eyes that were twinkling brightly back at him. Any other time, he would have been taking advantage of the situation. But today the woman didn’t spark even a tiny interest in him. He felt dead and empty inside and he was smart enough to know that the void couldn’t be filled by just a pretty face.
“No, thanks,” he told her. “But could you tell me when we might be taking off?”
“I believe the weather system is almost past us now, sir. We should be taking off shortly.”
She moved on down the aisle of passengers and Alex let out a heavy sigh. No doubt about it, he thought grimly. He was a ruined man.
Two hours later, Alex’s flight set down at Dallas-Fort Worth International. Since he only had a carry-on bag, he walked straight to the outer terminal and began to search through the crowd for his parents. The two of them had insisted on picking Alex up at the airport instead of allowing him to take a taxi to their home in north Dallas.
Thankfully he spotted his mother rather quickly and called to her over the heads of several rambunctious boys pushing and fighting their way toward the next terminal.
Where were the little heathens’ parents? he wondered. Never, under any circumstance, would he allow Bowie to behave so wildly in public.
Don’t worry, Alex. It’s not going to be up to you to see that Bowie is taught manners and respect. Some other man will come into Sierra’s life and help her guide the little boy into manhood.
“Alex!” his mother shouted excitedly.
She started toward him and Alex increased his long strides to pass the rowdy boys and meet up with his mother.
“Hi, Mom. You look great.” He hugged her close and kissed her cheek and she beamed up at him with a joy that left him somehow ashamed of himself.
“Gosh, it’s so good to see you, son.” She kissed him back, then turned to her husband who’d stepped up behind the two of them. “Doesn’t he look wonderful, darlin’?”
A wide smile split Mitch Calloway’s face as he stepped forward and reached for his son’s hand. With a firm grip, Alex shook his father’s hand. Then, at the last moment, before he released his hold, something made Alex move even closer and give his dad a hug.
Mitch, a tall, ruggedly built man with iron-gray hair, patted Alex’s shoulder with obvious affection. “It’s wonderful to have you home for a few days, son.”
The older man’s gaze left Alex to look at his wife and even though a word wasn’t spoken between the two of them, Alex could see they were silently communicating, the way couples did after they’d been together for many, many years. And they were both expressing their surprise over Alex’s warm greeting.
The whole idea left Alex feeling a little awkward and he reached down and picked up the leather bag sitting next to his feet.
“Well, if you two are ready, let’s get out of here,” he suggested. “This has been a heck of a flight.”
“We were beginning to get worried,” Emily said as the three of them headed toward the nearest exit. “Especially after we heard the flight was delayed due to thunderstorms. I don’t even trust these planes in dry weather, much less in a storm.”
“Well, he’s here safe and sound now, dear. You can quit chewing your nails,” Mitch teased.
Emily laughed as she looped her arm through Alex’s. “Your dad is trying to be amusing,” she said to Alex. “He knows I couldn’t chew these acrylic things even if I had beaver teeth.”
Alex’s mother was always graciously dressed in feminine clothing and her hair, makeup and nails groomed to a tee. She was the epitome of a Dallas lady and Alex couldn’t help thinking how different she and Sierra were in their outward appearances, but how alike they were in matters of the heart. They were both loving, caring women who put the needs of others before their own. How many men in the world were lucky enough to be loved by women like that? he wondered.
Whoa, Alex. You don’t know that Sierra ever loved you. She made love with you. But that could have been just sex. And even if it had been love, you blew it. You showed her what a selfish bastard you really are.
Thankfully his mother began to chatter and Alex was forced to thrust the miserable thoughts from his mind as best he could. But later, as he and his parents drove to the Calloway home, the accusing little voice inside him kept coming back again and again.
Two days later, on Sunday morning, Sierra took Bowie and herself to early mass, then drove out to her parents’ home for breakfast. She’d not seen any of her family since Alex had moved out and dread was boiling in the pit of her stomach. Even though she doubted any of them was aware how much she and Alex had shared those two weeks, she knew that her mother had her mind set on the two of them getting together romantically.
That idea was enough to make her groan out loud. If her mother only knew just how close she’d been with Alex, she’d be shocked. Or would she? Her mother wasn’t a prude. She understood what it was like to love a man with all your heart. And that was the way she loved Alex. She might as well face the dismal fact.
When Sierra walked into her parents’ kitchen, she was surprised to find her two sisters sitting at the breakfast table. Both Gloria and Christina got up from their chairs to greet her with a hug and a kiss.
“Let me hold Bowie,” Gloria said, already reaching to take the baby from Sierra’s arms. “My, my, he’s growing in leaps and bounds. And he’s so bright eyed. I think he’s actually picking up our images.”
“He’s probably picking up all that cackling you girls are doing,” Jose teased from the end of the table where he was trying to read the Sunday morning paper.
“Oh, Daddy, that’s awful,” Christina scolded him. “Your daughters have always been quiet and refined.”
As Gloria took a seat with Bowie carefully cradled in her arms, Jose eased down his paper and laughed.
“Quiet and refined? Honey,” he called to his wife. “Do you hear your daughter? Maybe we should bring out some of the old home videos.”
Maria approached the table with a platter of chorizo sausage and eggs. As she placed it next to a stack of warm tortillas, she said, “Jose, if we let them see what a handful they were to raise we might never get grandchildren. Just let them keep on thinking they were quiet, obedient girls.”
Except for Sierra, everyone around the table laughed. But she wasn’t in the mood for laughter. She’d hoped that being with her family would lift her spirits. She’d thought the visit might actually help rid her heart of the misery she felt over Alex. But being here with her parents and siblings was only reminding her of all that she’d lost when he’d walked out the door.
Picking up Bowie’s diaper bag, she headed to the cabinet counter. “If we’re ready to eat,” Sierra said, “I’d better heat up Bowie’s formula. I don’t think he’s up to chorizo yet.”
“Oh, yes, Sierra, and let me feed him,” Gloria called over to her. “I need the practice. And he needs to eat more than I do.”
Christina shook a finger at her sister. “Gloria, when are you going to remember that you’re eating for two? You can’t have a healthy baby eating like a bird.”
“A bird,” Gloria said with a laugh. “I’ve gained five pounds already! You just want me to look like a sow at my wedding, so that you’ll be the most beautiful bride when your wedding comes around.”
Christina groaned with amused disbelief. “Bologna! Derek and I will probably wind up eloping. Planning a big, grand wedding is such a bother.”
Maria stared openmouthed at Christina while Gloria laughed loudly.
“Oh, sure, Christina, that’s the biggest whopper you’ve ever told.”
Sierra glanced over at the two of them just in time to see Gloria patting her thickening stomach and Christina giggling with amusement.
A pang of envy hit Sierra hard. But on the other hand, she could acknowledge that she was happy her sisters had found love and happiness. Maybe the same sort of joy would come to her someday. But she couldn’t imagine loving anyone other than Alex. So where did that leave her? Single for the rest of her life?
With everyone lingering around the table to finish their coffee, breakfast lasted more than an hour. Sometime during the meal, Bowie fell asleep in Gloria’s arms and she carried the child to the couch and carefully covered him with a light blanket before she returned to her seat next to Sierra.
Eventually Jose announced he’d had enough female conversation to last him awhile. He left the table and went outside to get the riding lawn mower out of the garage.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Maria turned a worried look on her youngest daughter. “All right, my little one, now that your father is out of hearing range, what is wrong with you this morning? We haven’t seen or heard from you in days and now that you’re here you act like the world is coming to an end.”
Her world had come to an end, Sierra thought sadly. Maybe the sooner she admitted her fate the sooner she could accept it.
“I don’t know why you think there’s anything wrong. Daddy didn’t.”
Maria pursed her lips as she tore off a piece of flour tortilla. “There are some things that fathers just can’t read in their daughters. And I didn’t bring this up in front of him because I knew it would worry him to think you’re having some sort of trouble.”
Sierra studied her half-eaten breakfast while wondering if she was really that transparent or if her mother was the only one who could see the pain tearing through every part of her.
“There’s no trouble, Mom,” she did her best to deny. “I’m just a little wrung out from caring for Bowie. And I’ve been having more insomnia lately.”
Maria was hardly convinced. “You’ve always suffered from insomnia, Sierra. And a few minutes ago, you told us Bowie was a wonderful baby. You said he rarely cried unless he was hungry and that he woke up only once during the night. It doesn’t sound to me like he should have you all wrung out. Maybe you should go to the doctor and see why you’re feeling so tired.”
Sierra sipped at the last of her coffee. “I don’t need a doctor, Mom. I’m fine. Just fine.”
Her voice was so brittle the sound of it caused both her sisters to stare at her.
&nb
sp; “Sierra!” Gloria gasped.
Christina leaned toward her youngest sister and placed a concerned hand on her shoulder. “Honey, what’s the matter? Are you sick of hearing about Gloria and me getting married? Does that bother you?”
Feeling awful, Sierra bent her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “No—it’s nothing like that. I’m happy for you two. Really—very happy.”
In spite of Sierra’s struggle to appear normal, her voice broke on her last words, causing the other three women to exchange worried glances.
“All right,” Maria spoke up firmly. “This is not like you, Sierra. Tell us what’s happened. Is it Bowie? Is someone trying to take him away from you? The mother?”
Shaking her head fervently, Sierra lifted her head and sniffed at the tears threatening to pool in her brown eyes. “No. Nothing like that has happened. At least not yet.”
“You’re expecting it to?” Gloria spoke up.
Sierra looked at her. “Maybe. Hopefully not. I can’t be certain, though.”
“Dear God,” Christina said softly, “that’s enough to make you a nervous wreck.”
“Yes. But—” Knowing she couldn’t keep the truth from her family any longer, she paused to draw in a deep, bracing breath. “That’s not the thing that has me so—miserable. It’s Alex. He’s—he’s broken my heart.”
Chapter Twelve
Maria grimly jerked her head up and down while Christina and Gloria looked at each other with arched brows.
“You’ve had an argument?” Maria questioned.
Sierra choked on a sob. “No, Mom. It’s worse than that.” Before she could change her mind, she began to blurt out everything from Alex staying with her, to how she’d fallen in love with him, to their argument, and finally his leaving.
By the time she was finished, her mother was quietly crying while her two sisters were ranting and raving about no-good men.
“Sierra, this is awful,” Maria said with a sad sniff. “So awful. I had hoped that you and Alex were going to get together. You seem so right for each other.”
In a Texas Minute Page 15
