"Yes, are Kaci and Brent coming?"
"I think they're planning to. I don't think they'd want to miss this."
"Oh, Mom," she said with a laugh. "I've got to run. I'm meeting Beau for dinner."
"I see. Well, have a good time."
She shook her head as she hung up the phone. She grabbed her purse and slipped her feet into her pumps, then she went down to the lobby to wait for Beau. He was already there, chatting with Camille when she arrived.
"Hello," she said.
"Oh, hello," Camille said. "I've been discussing having Beau do some work for us."
"That's great! I hope he's agreed to it."
"I have agreed to do some freelance covers for some of your newer authors," he informed her.
"Haven't talked him into being on one of those covers, have you?" Audrey asked with a wink.
"No, not yet, but I'm not giving up on that," Camille teased. "You two have a nice dinner. I'm going up to the suite and order room service."
They said their goodbyes, and Audrey suggested they take a taxi to a nearby Italian eatery.
"This is your town. I'll go wherever you say," he said with a smile.
After they were seated at the restaurant and enjoying a glass of wine, she told him about the phone call to her mother.
"So, we're on for Wednesday night, eh? Should I be nervous?"
"Well, I'm sure they'll be sizing you up, but deep down my folks are nice people. They may seem a little different than what you're used to, however."
"I think I can hold my own. Besides, I'll have you, Cora, and Dale on my side."
"Oh, I think you'll have a few people on your side. You don't realize how many are rooting for us."
"You sound surprised."
"I am. I really didn't think my family would take to the idea so readily. But first Kaci, then Dad, then Mom, even the housekeeper Mabel, all seem to think I should follow my heart, even if it means making big changes in my life."
"It sounds to me like they want you to be happy."
"Well, we'll see how they all feel after they meet you and see us together."
"Doubts?" he asked.
"Not really. I just still find it hard to believe they're so accepting. They haven't always been so quick to agree with my choices."
"Maybe they see something in you that they didn't see before."
"Do you think so?" she asked.
"Could be," he said as he took her hand.
The dinner was romantic and enjoyable. Beau raved about the food. The atmosphere was perfect, and when it was time to go back to the hotel, he suggested they walk the few blocks rather than take a taxi.
"Okay, we can do that," she said.
"Is it safe?" he asked.
"There are lots of people milling around and walking. We'll be fine. I wouldn't do it alone, but a couple will be safe enough."
As they were walking, he spotted a horse-drawn carriage with another couple riding inside.
"Want to go for a ride?" he asked.
"I'd love to. We can wait here for the next available carriage."
As they rode through the streets of the city, she snuggled against him. He held her close and pulled the carriage blanket over them to keep them warm in the chilly November air. It was the perfect ending to a wonderfully romantic night. The driver took them to their hotel, and when they walked inside, Beau took her hand and led her to the elevator.
"Where are we going?" she asked as the elevator door closed.
"To my room, just for a little while," he answered in a low, husky tone. "I'm just not ready to say goodnight to you yet."
They walked into his room together. She sat down on the edge of the bed as he loosened his tie and threw it on a chair. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt, took off his shoes and sat down with her.
"I had a wonderful time," he said as he gently caressed her cheek.
She kicked off her pumps and folded her legs underneath her skirt. As her hand gently touched his lips, she replied, "It was perfect. I love you."
The kiss that happened between them after that was the most passionate they'd shared yet. Her arms wound around his neck, and as he gently pushed her down on the bed, he continued to kiss her, awakening feelings she'd never before experienced. Every nerve ending in her body was at attention, a heat building deep inside her, craving more, needing more. As the kisses continued, his lips moved to her neck, and he placed light, tender kisses there before moving down to her breasts.
He stopped and pulled her into an upright position.
"You're stopping?" she asked breathlessly.
"Audrey, if I thought it was the right time, nothing would stop me from making love to you, but it's not time yet. I think you know that."
"Have you always been such a gentleman?" she asked as she touched his cheek.
"No, I haven't. What you and I share is not like anything I've had with anyone else. I want to do this the right way, at the right time."
"I love you, cowboy."
"Oh, I love you, uptown girl, more than you know."
"Come and walk me to my room. It's time to say goodnight," she said as she stood up and pulled him up with her. She slipped her shoes back on and waited for him to put his back on and tie them.
"Let's go before I change my mind," he said as he took her hand. He leaned down for one more kiss before he opened the door. Outside her suite, he kissed her sweetly and told her goodnight. She watched as he got back on the elevator and disappeared. She touched her lips and smiled.
When she entered the room, she was surprised to see Kayla and Camille up and watching a movie.
"Hey, we didn't expect to see you at all tonight. Go get into your comfy clothes and come tell us all about your night," Kayla said.
"Just give me a minute," she said as she went into the bedroom.
When she returned, the three of them sat up for hours, talking. Kayla talked about the man in her life and how serious their relationship was becoming. Audrey talked about Beau. She told them about her evening and how it had ended. They talked about the upcoming dinner at her parents' house, and Camille listened as the other two talked. She smiled and offered opinions occasionally, but when she divulged a shocking secret about her own life, the other two girls were speechless.
"I don't know what to say, Camille," Kayla finally said.
"It's all right; you don't have to say anything. You both knew something was going on. I just wasn't ready to share yet. Cora has known for quite some time."
"Is there anything we can do?" Audrey asked quietly.
"Just be there for me in the coming months."
"You know we will be," Audrey replied as Kayla nodded in agreement.
And yet again, a crisis in her New York life might have to take precedence. How could she desert Camille at a time like this?
Audrey was reeling from the news Camille had told them the night before. How had the woman been functioning over the past few months? It only proved what she'd known all along. Camille was a very strong and courageous woman.
She didn't say anything to Cora or Kayla. She went about her day as though she hadn't been given the shock of her life. That night, they were attending the dinner for Cora's authors, and they would all put on a professional face and act as though life was grand. And that's exactly what they did. The dinner was a huge success. Audrey enjoyed meeting some of the authors she might be working with if she chose to accept Cora's offer. She and Beau sat next to each other and held hands under the table.
On Wednesday, the initial shock had subsided a little, and she attended workshops, worked the booth and marveled at the way Camille carried on in spite of the shambles her personal life was in.
That night, they would be having dinner with her family, and she had to pull herself together. This was an important night, in more ways than one.
She met Cora, Dale and Beau in the lobby. She had offered to drive to her parents' house and enjoyed pointing out places of interest to Beau
on the way there. If he was apprehensive about the meeting, he didn't let it show. Cora talked to him about Audrey's family, telling him a little about each one of them. Dale had already met them on a few occasions in the past. By the time they arrived, the butterflies in Audrey's stomach had subsided somewhat, and she was ready to face the evening head on.
She opened the front door and stepped into the foyer, with the others following. "Anyone here?" she called out.
Kaci appeared and said, "Let me take your coats. Cora, Dale, it's great to see you both again. I can't wait to see pictures of your kiddos."
"Thank you," Dale said as he handed her his jacket. "It's good to see you again too, Kaci."
Once she'd hung up their jackets, she said to Beau, "Hello, Beau. I'm Audrey's sister, Kaci. It's nice to finally meet you."
"Hello, I'm pleased to be here."
"Let's go find Mom and Dad. I think they should be down by now." Kaci led them to the formal living room, and sure enough, the Carters were seated by the fire.
Mrs. Carter stood up and went to Cora. "Oh, Cora, you look wonderful. Marriage and motherhood certainly agree with you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Carter. You're looking lovely, as always."
"Dale, how are you? Are they keeping you on your toes at the conference this week?"
"It's been an experience, that's for sure. How have you been?"
"We're doing fine, just fine. Now, Audrey, aren't you going to introduce me to this handsome young man?"
Audrey laughed. "Mom, this is Beau Birch. Beau, meet my mother, Carol Carter."
"Mrs. Carter, it's a pleasure. Thank you for inviting me to your home, tonight."
"Come on in and meet Audrey's father and brother-in-law." She led him into the room.
"John, this is Audrey's friend, Beau."
Audrey's dad stood and shook his hand. "Welcome to our home. I hope you're enjoying your visit to the Big Apple."
"Thank you, yes, I am enjoying it quite a bit."
"And I'm the brother-in-law, Brent. Glad to meet you." The two men shook hands.
"Everyone sit down. Dinner's not quite ready. Mabel will let us know. She's been fussing around in the kitchen, all afternoon."
Mr. Carter said to Cora, "It's good to see you again, my dear."
"I hope you're feeling better, sir."
"I'm much better, thank you. Once I get my radiation treatments over with, I should be back to normal. Dale, my boy, it seems we may have some things to discuss, after dinner. Audrey tells me your wife's made her quite an offer."
"I'll be happy to discuss that with you. We'd love it if Audrey decided to join us."
"Beau, tell us a little about yourself. I understand you have left your position to work for Cora full-time. How's that going?" Carol asked politely.
"So far, it's going well, ma'am. It's what I've wanted to do for quite some time; my degree is in graphic arts. I also made a few contacts this week at the conference, and Audrey's employer, Camille, has offered me a chance to do some freelance work for her company."
"It sounds like you're on your way, my boy," John said.
The group engaged in small talk until Mabel announced that dinner was ready. They made their way into the formal dining room, and after Mabel had hugged Cora and Dale and introduced herself to Beau, she served the meal.
The dinner conversation was light and centered on the conference, Mr. Carter's recovery and Cora's children. Carol asked about Cora's family.
When they'd finally finished with dessert and coffee, John and Dale went into the den to discuss the particulars of the offer Cora had made to Audrey.
Brent engaged in conversation with Beau, trying to put him at ease while the women discussed Cora's growing business.
When Dale and Audrey's father emerged from the den, an hour later, Mr. Carter said, "Audrey, Dale and I've reached an agreement. The rest is up to you. I've agreed to invest in the company, should you and Cora decide to become partners. Consider it a gift, my dear."
"Dad, I don't know what to say. That's very generous of you and certainly unexpected."
"Dale has shown me some figures, and I must say it's impressive what Cora's done in such a short time. It's a wise business move. But, of course, it's ultimately your decision, whether or not you take Cora up on her offer."
Cora spoke up. "Thank you, Mr. Carter. I appreciate the vote of confidence."
"Well-deserved, young lady," he replied. His glance moved to Beau. "Son, I believe you're up next. Let's go have a chat, why don't we?"
Beau looked at Audrey, who nodded. "Go ahead; he doesn't bite."
After Beau had gone into the den with Mr. Carter, Kaci said, "I like him, Audrey."
Cora answered before Audrey had a chance, "He's a good man. He will treat Audrey well."
Mrs. Carter spoke up then. "I have to say, I'm impressed as well. Audrey, don't let us pressure you. This has to be your decision. Whether you go into business with Cora and move to Texas, or if you make a life with Beau, it's all up to you. Don't let anyone influence you. These are the most important decisions you will ever make."
Brent added, "I know my opinion probably doesn't count, but I like him too."
Audrey smiled. "Of course your opinion matters to me. All of your opinions do. Right now, I have to think about Dad's recovery and some issues I was made aware of the other night with Camille. I will make my decision in time, though. I promise I won't keep everyone hanging."
"What's wrong with Camille?" Carol asked.
"It's personal, and I'm not at liberty to say, but she needs me right now."
Cora nodded. "She told you, then."
"Yes, Monday night in the suite."
"I've been after her for a while to let you know what was going on. I'm sorry," she said to the others. "It's just that it's a very private matter, and we can't tell you anything other than Camille is going through a very rough time at the moment. The company is fine. It's personal."
"I understand. She's very lucky to have all of you. I hope it gets resolved soon. She's such a lovely woman," Audrey's mother replied.
When Beau and John joined them, a short time later, the two were laughing together. That was a good sign. Audrey's dad slapped Beau on the back. "I think you've got yourself a fine young man in this one, Audrey. He's a keeper."
Surprised, she replied, "Uh, thank you, Dad. I think he's a keeper too."
The evening ended early, as Audrey's dad still tired easily.
"I'll call to check in on him sometime tomorrow. We have our big dinner tomorrow night, with our authors. Goodnight, and thanks for everything, Mom."
"I'm glad you all could make it. I've enjoyed it, and I'm sure your dad did too. Cora, Dale, enjoy the rest of your stay. Beau, come back anytime."
Outside, Dale offered to drive back to the hotel. "I think I can find my way with Cora giving directions."
"Thanks, Dale," Audrey said as she got into the back seat with Beau.
As he pulled out of the driveway, Dale said, "I think it's safe to say the evening was a success all the way around."
Cora agreed.
Audrey said, "I'm a bit surprised at Dad's offer. It was very generous of him."
Beau spoke up next. "Your dad is a great guy. We had a good talk. He really wants you to be happy. He also mentioned the career move to me. He thinks it's a sound idea."
"What all did the two of you talk about, anyway?" Audrey asked.
He chuckled. "We talked about a certain young lady whom we both know and love."
"That's scary," she said.
"Not at all," he replied. "We both want the same thing. We want you to be happy. If moving to Texas with me and working with Cora makes you happy, your dad is all for it. If, on the other hand, you decide not to, he'll accept that decision and hope you find happiness elsewhere."
"I'm just glad this dinner is over with. By the way, you got the seal of approval from Mom, Kaci, and Brent, too."
"Brent's an okay guy. What does he do for a living
?" Beau asked.
"He's a stockbroker."
"Really, huh, wouldn't have figured that."
"Kaci works in real estate."
"Now, that I can see; she's very personable," he said.
"Yes, she is. She has all the right connections, too."
Cora spoke up. "I'm surprised they don't have children. Is that not on the agenda?"
"They've never mentioned a baby. I'm sure, at some point, it will happen. I just don't think they're in any hurry, although she's thirty-four."
"Ah, here we are, back at the hotel. It's been a long day. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to call it a night," Dale said as he pulled into the parking garage.
"I'm pretty beat too," Audrey said in agreement. "Tomorrow will be another long day. I'm sure the party tomorrow night will be a late one."
As they got out of the car, Dale handed the keys to Audrey. "See you tomorrow, hon."
"Goodnight, you two," Cora said as she took Dale's arm.
After saying goodnight to their friends, Beau turned and kissed Audrey. "I'll walk you to the suite. They're right. It has been a very long day."
They said goodnight at the door again, and she watched as he got on the elevator. When she entered the suite, Kayla was waiting to hear all about her night.
"Where's Camille?" Audrey asked.
"She met a friend for dinner. She'll be back soon, I'm sure."
"Let me get changed, and I'll give you the scoop on dinner at the Carters'."
By the time she was ready to talk, Camille had returned and was smiling, for a change.
"Did you have a nice dinner with your friend?" Audrey asked.
"Yes, it was very relaxing. How was your night?"
"Get comfy, and I'll tell both of you. It was a very interesting night in many ways."
When the three of them had settled in the living room of the suite with a bottle of wine, Audrey told them about the dinner with her family. They were pleased to hear that Audrey's family had given Beau the Carter stamp of approval.
When she informed them of the offer her dad had made, Camille commented, "Audrey, that's wonderful. That would be such a boost for you and Cora."
"I feel funny, discussing this with you."
"Audrey, we are friends. I may be the owner of the company you currently work for, but I've told you before, if you leave, we'll always be friends."
Her Texas Dom (Dominant Men Book 4) Page 15