“Iz Jeian,” she said, her ‘L’s missing.
“Jillian! What a beautiful name. Can I have a hug?”
She nodded and went into his arms.
Alex’s hand came to rest on the top of Angel’s shoulder, and when he squeezed the muscle at the base of her neck, her arm snaked around his waist.
“Thank you for that nice hug.”
“Can we see da horsies?”
“Sure! We’re going to have a barbeque on the farm with the horses. Let’s get your stuff inside the house, then we’ll go.”
Alex left Angel and went to the trunk. He wasn’t sure what Angel had told her father about the past week, so he quickly took out his duffel, her gym bag, and Becca’s one suitcase. The trunk closed before Angel’s father came and lifted the suitcase.
“This way, Alex.” He nodded toward the house. It was a nice, older home that had been maintained well. The hardwood floors were a bit worn, but it was clean and the paint was fresh.
It was a three-bedroom house, and he wondered about the sleeping arrangements. Though they were adults, he wasn’t going to disrespect Angel’s father by assuming they’d be sharing a room.
“Angel’s old room is upstairs, as is the spare room. You can put all of the things in there.”
Alex’s eyes met Angel’s. “Will you lead the way?”
She picked up her bag, preceding him up the stairs while Joe did some catching up with Becca. The spare room was decorated with an old white chenille bedspread, the bedroom set equally dated, though again, it was spotless. He set his duffel on the bed in the spare room.
Angel’s eyebrow shot up. “Planning on bunking with Becca and Bean?”
He shook his head. “No, but, uh, I’m not sure where I’m bunking, but it’s not with you. Is that your room?” He nodded in the direction of an open door that led into a room decorated in dark plum and white. It wasn’t frilly like some of his high school girlfriend’s rooms had been. Instead, it was understated and functional. Aside from a few posters, a bookshelf filled with young adult books, and a few picture frames, the room consisted of a dark wood bedframe, dresser, and matching desk. It was clear these were much newer and of good quality; evidence where Joseph Hemming’s priorities lay. Alex’s respect for the man was already solid because of the woman he had raised, but to see it with his own eyes added another dimension.
“Why?” she asked.
“Come on. Just…” Alex paused. He felt embarrassed having to explain himself, and certainly, this was the first time in his life it would even occur to him to sleep apart from his lover, regardless of where they were. “I don’t want to be disrespectful. And I don’t want him to think I disrespect his little girl.”
Angel smiled softly, as she set her bag in the corner of her room. “He isn’t ignorant, Alex. He doesn’t think I’m a virgin; I promise. But, if what you do to me is disrespect me, then disrespect me some more.” She nudged him playfully.
“Don’t make it hard.”
Angel giggled. “That’s not what you usually say.”
He laughed. “Stop. Please, don’t argue.” He bent to kiss her mouth. “I’ll be suffering enough as is, but it’s worth it.”
She kissed him back. “You know how I hate to see you suffer,” she whispered against his mouth.
“I’ll find a way for you to make it up to me.”
She giggled softly. “Promise?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t think my bed will hold Becca, Jillian, and me. I might have to get a sleeping bag.”
“Is there a couch? I can sleep on that.”
“Wow. Pinch me.” Angel’s tone was sardonic, but inside she was soaring. Alex really wanted her father to like him, and that meant the world to her.
Alex’s hand curled around hers, and his forehead rested against hers. “I don’t want to screw this up.”
“I love you a whole lot.”
“I know. I’m counting on that.” He kissed her again, letting his tongue push inside her mouth and rub against hers in a sensually slow caress. When he pulled back, Alex sighed and nodded toward the stairs. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
She cocked her head, one eyebrow shooting up as a devilish smile danced on her lips. Despite her bruises, she was so beautiful; it took his breath away. He was still holding her waist, and her hands wrapped around his forearms, careful not to hurt his wrists, though she had to touch him. “And?”
His white teeth flashed in a brilliant smile, and he looked down into her face. “And… barbeque sounds really good.”
God, he was gorgeous. It was all she could do to keep her wits about her.
“Hmmph!” Angel snorted, biting her lip in an effort not to laugh her ass off. “Dad didn’t say it was barbeque, ding-a-ling. He said it was a barbeque. Which means just meat. You know, meat? She looked at him in mock coyness as she flirted with him. “Wonder if they’ll have any sausage? Since you won’t give me any, I mean.”
Alex burst out laughing, and Angel couldn’t stop herself from giggling. “Is ding-a-ling slang for sausage?”
“Nope. For man banana,” she said, tongue-in-cheek.
He laughed even harder. Fuck, he’d missed her, and thankful couldn’t touch how he felt.
* * *
Later, they went in Joe’s old Ford truck to William’s farm, about ten miles west of Joplin. Alex and Joe sat in the front, Angel and Becca sat on either side of Jillian’s car seat that had been moved from Alex’s car into the back seat of the F150.
It was dusty and dirty inside, but her dad used it for fishing and camping trips. Alex still looked slightly out of place in his designer clothes and immaculately groomed hair. Angel had shoved her hair into a topknot on her head, and Becca’s blonde locks were held back by a red and white bandana. Alex was relaxed and thoroughly enjoying the day.
The dirt lane of the farm was lined with trees, now losing their leaves as fall colors filled the landscape. A white fence replaced the trees about half way in, and there were four horses grazing in the pasture.
“Horsies!” Jillian screamed. “Horsies!
All of the adults smiled.
“Do you want to ride one of those horses, sweetie?” Joe asked.
Jillian clapped her hands excitedly. “Yep! Zander said he’d ride wit us, too!”
Angel’s father glanced at Alex and grinned. Joe had graying dark hair, and Alex could tell it used to be the same dark chestnut of his daughter’s. She didn’t look much like him in the face, other than the color of her eyes, so she must resemble her mother. Alex felt bad for the man. Looking at the face of his wife who left him all these years ago must have been difficult. Some men might have resented the child and not lavished love on her the way Joe had. It was obvious the sun rose and set on Angel.
The minute the truck stopped, another older man with a fluffy white beard stepped out of the large house. It was a ranch style and newer than Joe’s house, dark brown with a lighter tan roof. Angel scrambled out of the truck and into his arms.
“Uncle Will!” she squealed.
“Will and Ben are like our family, and both those boys adore Angel. She was everyone’s little girl,” Joe explained.
“Even Ben? I thought he was her age.”
Becca was unbuckling Jillian from the car seat. “Hurry, Mama! I want to pet the horsies!” The minute she was free of the confines, Jillian slid from the seat and hurried after Angel, not waiting for her mother.
“Careful!” Becca called after her. “Don’t fall, Jill!” She followed Jillian and was soon greeted by William.
Joe and Alex remained in the truck for a moment. “Don’t worry, son. Angel is head over heels for you. I can see it.”
Alex smiled. “Yes, I guess it’s natural curiosity, and I want to know what to expect when Ben gets here.”
Joe nodded and opened his door. “Come on.”
“Joe?” Alex asked to stop him. “I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes alone at some point. Would that be possible?”<
br />
Joe nodded knowingly. It hadn’t been long since Angel had been telling him about Alex, but it was clear the two were smitten with each other. “Sure thing. We’ll get the girls set up on the horses, and they can take a spin while the pig finishes on the barbeque.”
Alex and Joe got out and walked the thirty yards to the house, which was surrounded by a lawn as manicured as if it were in the city. If it weren’t for the pastures and cornfields, Alex would have sworn they were in one of the more modest suburbs in Chicago.
A slow smile slid across his face. “Angel said it might not be actual barbeque, but it smells delicious.”
“Oh, no. We used to smoke whole pigs when Angel was growing up. Will knew she was coming home, so he wanted to surprise her. We’ll pack some of the meat up to take back to my place. Nothing goes to waste, and that’s what Angel likes.”
“Yes, I know. I’ll tell you about our first date later.”
They approached the women and the other man.
“Uncle Will, this is Alexander Avery. He’s my… um, he’s my…” The word boyfriend could not describe the hunk of hotness that Alex was, and she couldn’t introduce him as her lover.
Alex stepped up, offering his hand with a smile. “Just Alex is fine. And we’ve been seeing each other for several months.”
William smiled graciously through the long beard. His teeth were yellowed, no doubt from years of smoking the pipe that stuck out of the pocket of his denim overalls. He looked somewhat like Alex had imagined “The Farmer in the Dell” looked when his mother had told him that story as a child. “Nice to meet you, Alex. Sorry it’s so dusty out here. Those duds of yours are too nice for the likes of this place.”
“They’ll wash,” he dismissed with a smile.
“Okay. I got beer and snacks out back.”
Jillian was tugging on the leg of Angel’s jeans ferociously and looking up at her. “Anga, pees can we go to the horsies?”
Angel looked at the men and shrugged. “Sorry! We have business to attend to.”
“Okay, honey. I’ll ring the bell when Ben gets here.”
“Yes, do. How’s he been?”
“He’s got himself a girlfriend, finally. I think he’s bringing her.”
“Great! I can’t wait to meet her.” She picked up Jillian and perched the toddler on her hip. “Come on, monkey. Will, are the saddles and tack still in the same place?”
“Nothin’s change around this old place,” Will noted.
As they went away, William handed Alex and Joe a beer. There was a picnic table set up around the back of the house inside a three-sided covered porch. It had had several large windows with screens, and three of the eight were open. There was a wood-burning stove inside that kept it comfortable.
Alex liked it and made mental notes of the fire pit outside. The patio was linen with what looked like a native rock wall, and the fire pit was built in to one side. It was rustic and comfortable.
“This is a great place,” Alex murmured.
“We want to know about you and our little girl,” William said, grinning. He’d been checking the pig but came in and sat down at the table across from Joe and next to Alex.
Alex laughed. This was new to him. He’d never met any family of his previous relationships. The closest he came was when Whitney invited her parents to a benefit at the Museum of Natural History, which Avery gave a shitload of money to. He’d said hello and left Whitney to them. “Um, well, we met at a Home Depot, but we didn’t speak.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I had laryngitis and a girlfriend, so I couldn’t pursue her. But I saw her and bam! She was beautiful, and I was pissed.”
“So you were dating someone else?” Joe asked, concern filling his face.
Alex shifted, leaning both elbows on the table, his beer in one hand. “Well, I’m going to be completely honest because Angel means the world to me, and I want to tell you the truth. I’m not sure what she told you about my background, but I run a company for my family, but that wasn’t my dream. My brother was supposed to take the reins, but he wasn’t up to the task. I was at Juilliard.”
“That’s quite an accomplishment, young man,” Joe said, and Will nodded. “Maybe you can play Angel’s old piano for us later? It isn’t much, but I keep it tuned.”
“I’d love to.” Alex cocked his head and smiled. “Now I’m responsible for much more. The company employs thousands of people, so I reconcile it is a greater calling, beyond what my family needed from me.”
Both of the men were intent on what Alex was saying and didn’t interrupt him.
“That said, I’m very focused, and when I first came into the business, I had a lot to learn and a lot to get my head around. When I dated women…” He paused and took a breath. “Well, let’s just say I wasn’t in it for love.”
“I can understand.”
“Yes, well, Angel was beautiful. I was stunned the first time I saw her, and she barely had any make-up on and she was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Not typically my type.”
Joe smiled a knowing smile.
“She sort of blossomed in college. She was always such a tomboy, but the first time she came home from Chicago, damn, what a change,” William chuckled. “We took her to the VFW and all of the boys were stumbling over themselves. It was funny as hell.”
“But you didn’t meet?” Joe asked.
Alex told them the story of Whitney calling the show, and Darian being Angel’s producer. “Darian kept telling me how amazing she was, but I had, if you’ll believe it, this schoolmarm-ish picture in my head.”
Joe and Will laughed at the obvious absurdity of Alex’s ‘vision’.
“I bet you got a surprise,” Will said.
Alex nodded and smiled. “Yes. It was fate, I suppose, though I’d never been a believer in it. I called the show because I was intrigued just by her voice and her words as she counseled the callers. Darian arranged for us to meet, and I realized she was the elusive beauty from the Home Depot. It was fate. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, and for the first time in my life, I actively chased.” His eyes were contemplative and his lips twitched at the corners. “She didn’t make it easy.”
Joe sat back and took a long pull on the longneck in his hand. “No, she wouldn’t,” he agreed with a grin.
The other two men laughed. “Did she beat you into submission? That’s quite a shiner she had, and you’re a little worse for wear.”
“That’s another story, which I have no problem telling you later.” Alex didn’t know how long the girls would be gone, and he needed to get to the point.
“But I can tell she loves you,” William said. “She’s glowing.”
“I adore her. I’m head over heels in love,” Alex admitted, a little embarrassed. “I’ve never said anything like that before, except to her and my own father. Both times, it’s been about Angel.”
“I can see that you do. I’m grateful that Angel has you, Alex,” Joe said.
“I’m glad you feel that way…” He hesitated and met the other man’s gaze unflinchingly. “Because I’d like your permission to propose to her. I promise I’ll take care of her and keep her safe.”
Joe looked at Alex seriously and placed a hand on his heart. “You’re an honorable man, Alex. That’s all I could ask for my little girl. Of course, I’ll give my permission.”
William was grinning from ear to ear. “This calls for something stronger than goddamned beer!” he said happily. “What’s your poison?”
“Anything is fine.” Alex sighed, and any apprehension he had left his chest. Thank God.
William got up and went into the house.
“When were you going to propose?”
“I have the ring, and I was hoping on my birthday. I’m going to take her to the restaurant where we had our first date.”
“You’re a class act, son. Welcome to the family.” Joe reached ou,t and Alex gave him his hand. “I can’t hug you or Angel will think something up.” He nodd
ed behind him to the pasture where the girls were riding two horses. Angel was riding a black stallion, and Becca was on a gray mare. Jillian sat in front of Angel, and she started to gallop. Jillian squealed happily. Alex watched the woman he loved; mesmerized at the many sides to her. She was magnificent, and she was his.
“Hey, Zander!” Angel called from the big pasture across the road. “Wanna come with us? We’re going into the woods!”
“Go ahead, son,” Joe said.
William brought out a bottle of Jack Daniels.
“Will, I’ll have a drink when we get back,” he told the older man then answered Angel. “Okay, babe!”
“Yay, Zander,” Jillian hollered. “Zander! I want to ride wit Zander, Anga!”
“Meet me in the barn, Alex!” Angel called, turned her horse around, and took off at a run.
Alex looked at Joe apologetically, not sure the other man was finished with their conversation.
“When a woman asks you to meet her in the barn, you go.” Joe winked at Alex.
Alex laughed and got up from the picnic table and started to leave.
“By the looks of things, you’ve got quite a way with the little one.”
“She’s a doll. I adore her.”
“Then I’ll expect some babies in the not-too-distant future.”
“Yes, sir. That’s the plan.” Alex flashed a brilliant smiled.
“Good plan.”
19
The Man Who Has Everything
The time with Angel’s dad had been amazing. Things had gotten back to normal; they were both back to work, and Angel was doing her Friday night stint at the station. Kyle had contacted them both a couple of times and reiterated his wish that she come back to Archangel. Alex had to admit, he liked the idea more than her involvement with criminals on a day-to-day basis, but Angel wasn’t so easy to convince. Besides, when they were married, would he want her traveling? He traveled enough for the two of them combined, and they’d never see each other. That was something they’d have to work out.
Cole was recovering nicely and would soon be back to work. For the time being, Alex would have him take Bancroft’s place, with Wayne and Sid in place with him. Eventually, one of them would take over local security, and Cole would oversee it for Avery Enterprises as a whole. Charles couldn’t be happier to have both his sons involved with the business. Alex was the right one to be at the helm, though, when it came to the money and longevity of the company.
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