Love After War

by Cheris Hodges

  Adrian chewed on his bottom lip. “You know, I . . .”

  She threw her hand up. “What? Adrian? Are you going to tell me that you didn’t mean to lie to me again? Or are you finally going to tell me why you don’t trust me enough to be a part of your life for real?”

  “That’s not it at all, Dana. You are more than just a part of my life, and honestly, I worried that this would scare you away.”

  Dana shook her head and fought back the urge to laugh. But she had to hold back because her phone rang. Pulling it from her pocket, she saw it was a New York number she didn’t recognize. “This is Dana.”

  “Dana, it’s Marion Lloyd from Wainwright Publishing.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Lloyd,” Dana replied, her brows furrowed in confusion. She had queried the company about her photo book idea months ago and hadn’t heard a word from them. This call was totally unexpected. “What can I do for you?”

  “Well,” the woman said, “I’ve been going over your proposal and I have to say I’m impressed. We had another photo project that was scheduled for next fall. However, due to recent developments, we’re going to shelve that project and a space on our production calendar has opened up.”

  “Really?” she replied, feeling slightly guilty that the Crawford’s misfortune might be the break she had been waiting for.

  “I noticed that you didn’t have an agent representing your work, and normally we don’t take unsolicited proposals, but you came highly recommended and your work is very recognizable. Are you available to meet next Tuesday?”

  “Well, I’m in Los Angeles right now. I should be back in New York by next Thursday. Would that work for you?”

  “That works perfectly, if we can make it after two p.m.”

  “That will be even better. By then my body will be back on East Coast time.” Dana laughed, then caught Adrian’s eye. He looked as if he was thoroughly disappointed to hear her happily talking about returning to New York.

  “I look forward to speaking with you and getting this project started.”

  “See you then,” she said. Dana stopped herself from doing a fist pump and her own version of the happy dance. Looking at Adrian, she saw he had questions.

  “What was that all about?” he asked.

  “A publisher is interested in my book. My unfinished book. I can’t believe it.”

  “Good for you,” he said. “So that means you’re going to be leaving soon?”

  “I guess so. I have to call Edward Funderburke. Maybe he can act as my agent when I meet with the publisher.”

  “Who is Edward Funderburke?”

  Dana smiled. “Hopefully the man who is going to get me the deal that I truly deserve.”

  Adrian raised his right eyebrow. Dana shook her head and said, “He’s an agent, silly. And dropping his name these days has a lot of clout in New York.”

  “Thought he was another Hollywood type I’d have to compete with. What happens when you go back to New York and start this project? I thought you wanted to shoot some more here.”

  “I do,” she said. “But I have to get the deal first.” Dana started dialing on her cell phone. “I have to talk to Edward now.”

  Nodding, Adrian headed toward the hot dog stand so that Dana could complete her call. He had mixed emotions about this project. He knew it was something that Dana wanted, but she’d have to leave and he wasn’t ready to let her go. Maybe he needed to go back to New York with her. Glancing at her, he took note of the wide smile on her face and he knew that a trip to the Big Apple was in his future if he planned to make Dana a fixture in his life. Was he ready to go to the place where his mother’s heartache began? Sighing, he knew the answer. He was going to have to take a trip east.

  Dana listened to Edward as she watched Adrian at the counter. She was a little too excited to notice the pensive look on his face.

  “Well, Dana, I don’t generally represent literary works,” Edward said. “But for you, I’ll do it.”

  “Thank you, Edward.”

  “Now, you know I owe you. Will any of my clients make the book?”

  “You know it,” Dana said with a smile. “I’ll give you a call when I get back to the city.”

  After hanging up, she walked over to Adrian, who’d gotten a hot dog and a lemonade. “Couldn’t resist.”

  “Let’s sit down while you eat. How are you going to handle this?”

  “The hot dog?” he asked as they headed for a table.

  “Adrian, be serious. You have to fix this with your family. I don’t care how you feel about your father, but what about your brothers? They’re innocent victims just like you.”

  “Yeah, right. They grew up with the money and a father.”

  “And were fooled just as you were. Maybe if things were—”

  “That man said he stayed for the money. That must mean that it was his wife who held the purse strings. I can’t help but think they all got a big laugh about it while my mother and I suffered.”

  “You really think that man laughed with his sons? They wouldn’t have understood what was going on any more than you would’ve had your mother laid it out for you.”

  Adrian took a big bite of his hot dog as if he was trying to stop himself from responding to her.

  Dana grabbed his lemonade and took a sip while he chewed. “Since you’re done with the publicity shots for Sony, what are you going to do next?” he asked after swallowing.

  “Go back to New York. I’m going to see if this book deal is legit. This is something I’ve wanted for a long time.”

  “Or you could stay here with me.”

  Dana gulped. “Adrian, you know we aren’t ready for that yet.”

  “Why not?”

  She stared into his sparkling eyes, wishing they weren’t so hypnotic, wishing she could tell him why she wasn’t ready to risk her heart to him again. “I don’t know.”

  “Then you can’t say no. Dana, I love you and I know you love me too. We’ve allowed too much time to pass and I don’t want to let any more slip away.”

  “Adrian, you hurt me. You hid things from me and made it seem as if you had a problem trusting me.”

  “I told you, it wasn’t about you. I didn’t want you to be caught up in my vendetta.”

  “So you wanted me to believe you were a cheating bastard? Where’s the logic in that?”

  Adrian smirked. “I never said my plan was foolproof.”

  “Where’s this plan now?”

  He shrugged, then finished his hot dog. “Maybe it’s time for me to take your advice and deal with this family of mine as an adult.”

  “And while you’re doing all of this, where will that leave us? I think you need to focus on your family. This has been nice, but, Adrian, we can’t get back together.”

  He took her hand in his and focused his emerald stare on her. “I know I don’t deserve it,” he said. “But I’m asking for a second chance. I love you more than you’ll ever know and I have a lot to make up for. But you have to let me do that.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that,” she replied honestly. “Do you know how hard it was for me when I walked out of your penthouse that night? How many nights I cried because I thought you’d given in to that LA club promoter trap of easy sex with any woman willing to spread her legs? What’s really changed?”

  “I’ve never been that guy and I thought—”

  “You’re still the man who lied to me and is still lying! Why did I have to find out about your family secrets on the news? If you love me, that means you want to share things with me, good or bad.”

  He sighed, wishing she understood that in the midst of his war with the Crawfords he wanted her to be his salvation. He wanted her to be the one thing that hadn’t been touched by it all. Adrian knew he could explain that to her until he was blue in the face, but he had to admit, if the shoe was on the other foot, he wouldn’t be hot for a second chance either.

  “How can we fix this? We’ve been together here and I thought we were w
orking our way back to being us.”

  “Define us.”

  Adrian kissed her hand. “You know what it was like when you were here. Late-night trips to the beach, looking toward our future and making love in the sand.”

  She crossed her legs tightly at the memory. Adrian leaned closer. “You make me want to be a better person.”

  “I wish I believed that,” she replied. “It’s time to go.”

  The duality of her words struck him like a fist enclosed in brass knuckles. “All right,” he said. “So, I guess you’re going back to New York soon.”

  She nodded as they walked to the car. “I’ll probably leave in the next two days.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Dana’s mouth dropped open. “Why . . . what?”

  “If I’m going to win you back, I guess I have to do it on your turf.”

  “You’re coming to New York?” she asked, trying not to smile.

  He nodded and opened the passenger side door for Dana. “You’re not going to get away from me again. If that means I have to go to New York to show you that you belong to me, then that’s what I’ll do.”

  “What about your family?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll get to that.”

  “You know that’s important.” She slid into the car and strapped her seat belt as he closed the door.

  “Right now, there’s nothing more important to me than you,” he replied as he got behind the wheel. She turned her head and looked out the window. Though this was the Adrian she remembered and loved, his dark side still scared her. What would this trip to New York prove? How would he react to seeing all of the Crawford riches? Hell, Dana lived right up the street from a new boutique Crawford hotel. Would seeing that make him hop back on the revenge train?

  They rode in an uncomfortable silence, and when they arrived at the hotel, Adrian turned to Dana as he put the car in park. “Let me know when you’re flying out.”

  “I will,” she replied, then leaned over and kissed his cheek.

  Adrian cupped her face and captured her lips in a hot kiss that he hoped conveyed how deeply he needed her. Slipping his tongue between her lips, he heard her moan slightly. She tasted sweet like honey and it took everything in him not to rip her clothes off and make love to her in the car. When her hand dropped to his lap, Adrian nearly went weak. He pulled back from her, his eyes focused on her swollen lips.

  “I’ll come back later and help you pack.”

  “How about you come back later and help me out of my clothes?” she replied saucily.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice,” he said with a wink.

  Dana exited the car and waved good-bye to Adrian while her heart rate slowed to a normal beat. She had to be honest with herself and decide if she was willing to risk her heart and soul with Adrian again. Did she love him? Yes. Did she believe he loved her? Some days more than others. But if he was willing to come to New York, to be a part of her world, then she should look at this as an opportunity to start over. Yes, that’s what she needed to do.

  Chapter 13

  Adrian drove to the Crawford Towers construction site. Part of him expected the place to crumble and for his family to be laughed out of Los Angeles. However, the work continued. The protesters lingered, but the numbers had dwindled since the story about Richmond and the hooker broke. It wasn’t as if Los Angeles was the center of family values. After all, the scandal would probably put more people in the hotel when the doors opened. What would going to war with the Crawfords change?

  “What in the hell are you doing here?” Richmond boomed when he spotted Adrian on the sidewalk. “Thinking about burning this place down? Or are you trying to come up with some more lies to spread about my father?”

  “So, this is how it’s going to be every time I run into one of my brothers?” Sarcasm dripped from his words like honey.

  Richmond glared at him. “I’m not your damned brother. My father was devoted to my mother and for you to spread these lies because your—”

  Adrian grabbed Richmond by the lapels, causing a few of the workers to stop and look at the scene. “If your next words were going to be about my mother, you’d better consider how much you want your teeth.”

  Richmond snatched away. “But you can badmouth my family in the press and I’m supposed to keep silent about it?”

  Adrian was about to unleash a torrent of profanity when he saw Solomon and Elliot walking toward them. “This is a family reunion for real now,” he muttered.

  Richmond turned toward his father and Solomon. “Is this a setup or something?” he shouted. “I hope you two are here to get this loser out of our lives.”

  Elliot held his hand up and shook his head. Solomon stood in a stoic silence. “This is a serendipitous event, having you all here.”

  Adrian gritted his teeth and shot daggers at his father. Solomon locked eyes with him and seemed to have a moment of recognition. Studying his brother, Adrian realized how much he and Solomon looked alike and how they shared similar mannerisms. Richmond really seemed to be the odd man out.

  “Is what he’s been telling the media true?” Richmond demanded.

  “Let’s go somewhere private and talk,” Elliot said calmly.

  Richmond tossed his thumb at Adrian. “What does it matter if we talk in private? He’s probably going to run straight to the media when we’re done.”

  Adrian rolled his eyes and groaned. “I don’t want to sit in a room and hear you spew more lies.” He focused his cold stare on Elliot. “After all, you denied being my father.”

  “And I was wrong.” He looked back at Solomon. “He made me see that. I owe all of you the truth. I can’t change the past, but I would like for the three of us to have a future.”

  Elliot’s two sons exchanged confused glances. “This bullshit he said on TV was true?” Richmond asked incredulously.

  “Let’s take this inside.” Elliot nodded toward the finished restaurant at the bottom of the towers and they followed him inside. The restaurant was almost completely furnished, hardwood tables arranged in a U shape facing the bar. Two seventy-five-inch flat-screen TVs were attached to the wall, looking as if it would be a great place for hotel guests to catch sporting events or presidential debates. The club owner in Adrian was impressed, realizing that the U-shape arrangement also opened up a small dance floor.

  The men sat down. Elliot crossed his legs as he moved his chair back from the table a bit. Three pairs of eyes stared at Elliot, silently asking him a million questions while waiting for him to say one word.

  Finally, Elliot spoke. “I’ve wronged all of you. I’ve hurt your mothers and allowed money to change me.”

  “Meaning?” Solomon asked.

  Elliot looked at his son. “Meaning that I didn’t grow up in the lap of luxury like your mother. It’s probably what brought us together. When we met in college, Cynthia was trying to be rebellious. Your grandparents sent her to Howard to find a suitable husband. But the freedom she experienced allowed her to make her own decisions. I’m not proud of this, but I allowed myself to become a kept man.”

  Adrian cringed, then glanced at the disappointed looks on his brothers’ faces. Elliot continued. “I wanted to create Crawford Hotels, just one luxury hotel in New York. I needed money and your mother dangled it in my face. All she wanted was heirs, a suitable husband who would get your grandparents off her back and no divorce.

  “I was young, wanted to take the easy way out, and I agreed. Cynthia molded me into what she thought a husband should be. Had me join the right organizations, helped me cover up my impoverished Maryland roots, and your grandparents bankrolled the first Crawford Hotel. Right after construction started, your mother got pregnant. But she suffered a miscarriage. When she got pregnant with you, Richmond, the hotel was opening. Seeing the pain and hurt Cynthia carried after the miscarriage, I put my foot down and told her that she was going to rest and be pampered for nine months. We started hiring staff at the hotel, even though we
were so far in the red, the books looked as if they’d been attacked.” Elliot chuckled at the memory, but no one else shared in his laughter.

  “Anyway,” he said, looking at Adrian, “Pamela Bryant walked in for an interview and when she opened her mouth, I heard that Southern accent. She was stunning.” Elliot’s sons twisted uncomfortably in their seats. Elliot cleared his throat. “And she was smart. Too smart to just be the front desk clerk. When I hired her, I knew that she’d be a great addition to the company. A month later, we were sitting in my office laying the groundwork for Crawford Hotels Inc. She was such a huge part of this company. She had so many great ideas. If it wasn’t for Pamela, I—we—would’ve never moved into Manhattan, Coney Island, or rebuilt the Harlem hotel after that fire in 1972. At first, it was strictly professional. I wanted to be the family man your mother expected me to be. But she constantly reminded me that I’d be nothing but a poor country boy without her. But when I was with Pamela, she made me feel like a man. Made me feel like she needed me and valued what I had to say.”

  Adrian slammed his hand on the table. “You needed your fucking ego stroked because you married a woman for money and she wouldn’t let you forget it?” Richmond shot Adrian an angry glance and Solomon smirked.

  “He has a point,” Solomon murmured.

  Elliot, for the first time since he sat down, seemed to get a bit emotional. “This wasn’t about my ego. I wanted to love my wife as much as I ended up loving Pamela. When I was with Pam, it was as if I’d entered another world. She was kind, gentle, and—”

  “Then why didn’t you just divorce my mother?!” Richmond blurted out. “Here’s what you don’t know—Mom cried many nights over you. I heard her and it tore me up because I didn’t understand why my mother was sad all the time.”

  Elliot looked at his son, feeling as if he’d been sucker punched. “I . . . I didn’t know.”

  “That seems to be your standard line when it comes to the women you’ve screwed over,” Adrian retorted.

  Solomon watched in silence, but his face expressed his anger and disappointment.