Running To You

by DeLaine Roberts

  “Harrison, thank you for offering your apartment and your car. It will be of great help to me, but I am kind of stubborn in the handout department. I would like to pay you rent, if that is okay with you?”

  “Alex, it is a corporate car and apartment. If we go the rent route, it screws up the accounting, so for once, take the handout!” Offering his hand, he gave me a big hug and helped me get into the car. I could tell that it gave him great joy to feel like he was helping me out. I am sure that he probably had already run the idea past Dad and got his blessing, otherwise he wouldn’t have known about my issue with handouts. As I drove Harrison’s Lexus 450 back home, my mind drifted, comparing the Brooks brothers and I could feel the tension welling up in me. It was the first time since Harrison had picked me up off the sidewalk that I had thought that deep about Grayson. The evolution of the story continues...evil plastic bitch Olivia Balcone, the root of all that is evil. She apparently has hurt both of them very much.

  Chapter 8

  Coop would be able to help me put some perspective on all of this. We hadn’t actually had the opportunity to catch up or dissect everything that has occurred. I sent him a text, but he didn’t respond. He must be on a plane or busy at the moment.

  I miss Coop, I miss our daily exchange and him putting me in my place in that enjoyable way of his, and I miss his brutal honesty. I can always count on him to tell me what I NEED to hear, not what I WANT to hear. Our problem is going to be that he has faith in Grayson, and I don’t. Grayson is as guilty as I am in the running department, but I do have to give him credit for coming after me post-gala and then flying to Chicago, which is more than I expected. When he left, he left without telling me how he felt about me. He told me what happened, but he didn’t say he loved me, I think that stung the most. He shuts me out of his thoughts, keeps me at arm’s length when it comes to emotions. It’s amazing how I can feel so close to him when we are dancing, but the minute I want to know how he feels about me, I feel further away from him.

  Walking into my dad’s house, I found that he and Gretchen had just returned home from a social event. Calling out to me from the den, “Alexandra, did you enjoy the game with Harrison?” He asked with a little chuckle in his voice, so I walked in to visit with them. “Yes, Dad, we had a great time, but we are just becoming friends, nothing more. By the way, I understand from Harrison that you are friends from several years back. You must respect him and his business dealings?”

  “Alexandra, Harrison is a savvy business developer and attorney. He makes his mind up quick in business and goes after it, making good choices and uses ethics, we don’t see very often. However, when it comes to women, he is quite the prowess and very experienced in that department. Please be aware, he isn’t the right relationship for you, not that his brother seems to be any better these days!” By now, he is standing with his hands on his hips, speaking to me in that fatherly, authoritative voice.

  “Daddy, the Brooks brothers are off limits to me. I have no desire for a further entanglement with either of them at this point. I sent Grayson home and although he and I have much to discuss, I am not ready to get into that. Harrison on the other hand, wants to be the big brother to me. He offered to loan me his car and his corporate apartment at the Millennium so that I can use the facilities and the trainers. Would you have an issue if I stayed over there, especially since you and Gretchen will be leaving town?”

  “Alexandra, I would be happy that you’re there and Harrison would be looking after you. I have quite a few tense business dealings going on right now and he, or his team, would be around to keep you safe. We spoke about it this morning. It makes better sense and I feel that you would be more comfortable, I know I would, since Gretchen and I will be on our fall cruise starting next weekend, but only if you are okay for us to leave town?”

  “Sure, Dad, that will be great. His building seems very secure. By the way, care to fill me in on these tense business dealings? Something I should be concerned about?”

  “Just normal business darling, you know how it is. I am an old man, so many vultures out there thinking they can take over or try to undermine a steal of my business. However, my mind is still sharp, I am on to them. I just want to know that you will have someone with you to see about you.”

  “I will Daddy, you and Gretchen just have a great time.” I ran to Daddy to give him a hug and encourage him and Gretchen to take the trip, “Daddy, don’t let me stop you from taking the trip. I will be fine, I promise. No more drama from me, you have my word! Take the trip and I will stay over in town! I love you, Dad.” Holding me close, closer than I have felt with my dad in years, I felt my eyes well up with tears and I could see the comfort in Gretchen’s eyes. I hugged them both and thanked them for their hospitality and we agreed to spend some time together before they left for their annual month-long cruise to the Caribbean.

  Phone ringing, I excused myself and made my way to my room to chat with Cooper. “Coop, I miss you! I am so glad you called, how are you?”

  “Alex, I miss you, but I am glad to hear from you. I’ve been pacing the floor wandering how you were and what was going on. So I finally was able to catch up with Doc and he filled me in on his part. I have been with him for several hours. He’s beside himself. Why did you send him packing? You know you love him and you have to work this out, Alex! He says that you were there with Harrison. Care to tell me how in the hell that all stacks up?”

  “It is totally innocent, I swear. I bumped into him at the coffee shop. He extended the big brother routine and invited me to dinner. Just as I was getting ready to leave, Grayson shows up. I thought it was Harrison, then Harrison arrives, what a tricked up web they weave. I don’t think that will be happening again, since I can now tell them apart. Grayson gave me his spiel and to be honest, I feel horrible for him and it will be hard for him to go through alone, but I can’t fix what ails him. The plastic bitch Olivia should have her head on a silver platter. I am just not ready to go through all of that with him, he needs to process it himself before we can think of anything else. He has to move on from her and I don’t think he really has. His secrecy is something I’m having trouble getting past and then, he left me hanging after we made love. You know what that weekend was like for me, but I don’t want to talk about that. I get what happened at the Gala, that wasn’t his fault.”

  “So I am curious, Alex, how does Harrison fit into this triangle?”

  “He dated Olivia and introduced her to Grayson, who then stole her away. Harrison said she had an insatiable sexual appetite, wasn’t surprised when she cheated on Grayson. He isn’t interested in a relationship with anyone. His preference is more like one-night stands. We went to the game and had dinner at his place, watching the post game commentary. He offered to loan me his corporate car and corporate apartment at the Millennium so that I would be close to town and also have training facilities with trainers for rehab. Plus, Dad and Gretchen are leaving for their vacation next weekend and didn’t want me to be at the house alone. He and Dad are personal friends from years ago, so his intention is strictly like a big brother.”

  “Do you feel that you will ever come back to Dallas, Alex? I know it is a hard question, but I think you are going to have to address it, not run from it!” I could feel the disappointment in his voice and I hadn’t even given him an answer yet.

  “I can’t answer that right now Coop except to say that I am not ready to come back just yet. Drew has it worked out for me to be here for at least three more weeks, and then I will need to make a decision about my position in Dallas. Things have been going great with the assistant working the backside of things, but I know eventually I will have to make a decision. I am just not ready to work with him every day, Coop!”

  “Alex, you wouldn’t be working with him every day. Look, there are tons of hospitals and surgeons that need your equipment. So what if he signed on to do speaking for your company and perform beta testing? That doesn’t mean that you will see him. Besides, don’
t you get the same feeling when you are with his twin?” I could hear the unspoken argument that Cooper was trying to convey, that somehow being with Grayson’s twin was giving me the same feelings that I had for Grayson.

  “Coop, not to spoil your debate, but it is totally not the same. Believe it or not, I can now tell them apart, not physically, but when they talk, when they smile. I can tell them apart and they could not act more opposite! Believe me; I had to find a way to distinguish them. I love you for trying to take care of me. I know that this is as hard for you as it is for me.”

  “Alright, get some sleep and I will talk with you tomorrow, but if you need me?”

  “I know, you’ll be right here, I got it. Say hello to Mark for me. You are still seeing him, right?”

  “Alex that is another story for another time. Just be well and call me tomorrow. Hugs!”

  I put my ear buds in and started making a new playlist listening to You Give Me Something by James Morrison, riveted my thoughts about Grayson. Yes, he gives me something alright, but is it enough? Some of the song’s lyrics hit so close to home it scares me:

  You want to stay with me in the morning

  You only hold me when I sleep

  I was meant to tread the water

  Now I've gotten in too deep

  For every piece of me that wants you

  Another piece backs away

  I am not sure that I'm willing to give it any more time and continue the pain of something that can’t possibly work. So once again, I cry myself to sleep.

  Working remotely from Chicago was a bit tougher than I had imagined. There were more hours spent on the phone than what I had initially anticipated. It made me appreciate the downtime I would have with my physical training. I would be training in the later afternoons, early evenings, so that I miss the traffic and can get my assignments done in the morning. The training team was very willing to continue the plan that the Dallas folks had started, with weights, running and swimming. I would have a full, varying workout every day.

  After my workout, I ventured over to the coffee shop to get one of their green-teas, just a comforting place for me to be. I enjoyed being back.

  I so enjoyed my week with Dad and Gretchen, never having had much time with them. I suppose I see them from an adult’s eyes, rather than a withdrawn teenager, who has never surpassed grieving for the loss of a mother. I will never get over losing my mom; I miss her terribly every day. I know if she were here, she would have just the right things to say to me and she would remind me, that the heartbeat has two sides to it.

  As I said good-bye to Dad and Gretchen, I realized that I had now made it a week without any interruptions from the Brooks brothers. Admittedly, although I missed Grayson terribly, I wasn’t missing his drama at the moment, and to be honest, he deserved some downtime to fine tune his feelings. If he had any real ones for me, they would be there when the right time came. If the right time never presented, then it meant that we were in the past and didn’t have a future.

  Arriving at the Millennium, I saw a familiar face. “Hi Vinnie, is the apartment ready for me tonight?”

  “Yes, Ms. Morrison, Mr. Brooks has arranged everything for you and also, just so you know, the chef filled the fridge. He wasn’t certain what you liked, so he said to let me know of any special requests that you have. The trainers sent over a message that you need to eat a few more small meals a day than you currently are, something to do with your blood work indicating low iron. They asked that I give you this number to call for the Physician referral, said you would know what that meant?”

  “Ah, yes, I do. Seems that my records from Dallas indicate that I must have another check-up from a recent injury. Thank you for letting me know.”

  “I’ll show you to the apartment, Ms. Morrison. Right this way.” Led away by Vinnie, I had a flashback to all the tests while I was in the hospital and immediately afterward. It is hard to believe that a couple of months had already gone by since my head injury and I thought only time flew when one was having fun?

  The apartment was just as luxurious as the penthouse, with a view facing the east for the beautiful sunrise. I am so grateful to Harrison for providing me this comfortable place. It feels more like a hotel than an apartment. This particular model has one bedroom, a study/den, a dining room and two bathrooms. The kitchen is modern and complete with all the amenities; the only item missing was Cooper.

  A text message from Harrison:

  Just checking to see if u are all comfy? Please call me if u need anything

  Replying:

  Harrison, the apartment is breathtaking! Thank u for the hospitality. I will return the favor and cook dinner for u soon.

  His response:

  Sounds good

  Checking in with Coop, “Hey Coop, I am all moved into the Millennium. I wish you were here. It’s Saturday, I bet you are at Sambuca’s. Call me!”

  I am really tired and lack energy. Not sure what that is all about, but a hot bath will do me good. I have tomorrow to unpack everything and then a long day with Drew on Monday going over sales plans. Time is passing, not sure of where it is going, it feels like it is leaving me. I drift off to sleep in the bath and when I awake, I am startled, forgetting where I am. Getting settled will take some time. I make some tea and it helps me relax and calms my nerves down. I barely recall lying down; when I am startled awake with nausea. The tea really didn’t sit well on my stomach and is making its way back up.

  After what seemed like hours on the bathroom floor, I managed to make my way back to bed and get comfortable again. It is now just beginning to break daylight. When I woke back up it was 2:00 in the afternoon. What, how on earth did I sleep that much? The physical therapy training must be kicking my rear end. No energy, lethargic feeling, maybe this is why they have recommended the extra small meals. I am concerned about the iron deficiency and my clothes are really too big for me, I just didn’t realize I had lost that much weight.

  The chef really did a great job picking things that I liked. I made an omelet and drank some juice. Just hoping the food stayed in my system, as I am still slightly not feeling it, my body still feeling a little run-down. I tried hard to eat as much as I could and then I worked on unpacking my clothes and getting them arranged like Coop would if he were here. Funny, just thinking about all of his stylist’s duties and just wishing he were here. I realized that I had not heard from him. Grabbing my phone, I discover that I had not put it on a charger. Once the battery comes back up there are several messages from Dad, Coop and Harrison. All of the nosey men in my life checking to see if I am okay. I think I will do a blanket text to all of them and tell them to stop worrying, if that is possible!

  Just as I hit send, Coop is calling, “Hey Alex, you just got out of bed, didn’t you? Should I come kick that tall, tight-ass out of bed each morning? What have you become, sleeping in all afternoon?”

  “Well, good morning to you Sergeant! For your info, I didn’t just get out of bed. I actually woke up before the sun this morning. Although, I did forget to charge my phone last night, oops!” Okay, so I left the sickness part of it out.

  Trying to change the subject, “How are things in Dallas, Coop? Did you go to Sambuca’s last night with Mark?”

  “Yes, Alex, we went and hung out with a few of the stylists from one of the shoots last week. We’ve had a good time, but we aren’t really together right now. All the drama that’s been happening, Mark thought I would pack up and follow you, so he wanted to give me time to see what I wanted to do. I got my real estate license and now with all the modeling, I am looking at what my options are. If you aren’t coming back, I may commute, break the lease, or at the very least, sublet the apartment, if I can. We’ll see what you decide in the next few weeks. How is your training going?”

  “The training is kicking my butt. They have requested that I add more small meals a day. It seems I am losing too much weight and have no energy. Something to do with my iron count on my blood work.”
/>   “Are you seeing a doctor there? That makes me worry more about you, if that is possible?”

  “I am calling on Monday to make an appointment. I will let you know. They sent all my records up and I will take them with me.”

  “Do you want me to come up and go with you?”

  “No, Coop, I am a big girl. I think after everything, I can handle it! You worry too much, just like a mother hen!”

  “Well, somebody’s got to do it. So it might as well be me, right? But, I can still make you look good. I bet you haven’t gotten out of that Bears t-shirt all day have you?”

  “Are you peeking on me? Well, it is comfortable, what can I say!”

  “Love ya, girl!” and abruptly, he was gone, off to do his thing.

  I settled in with my things unpacked and got ahead of my paperwork for the week. By this time, it was evening and I wanted to go for a swim. I made my way to the pool and took in a few laps, but energy just wasn’t with me. I think that I am ready for that Dr.’s appointment after all. This tiredness is so unusual for me, right after the accident maybe, but I had begun to gain strength, not lose it. Maybe I am just over thinking things and I have been eating poorly.

  As my Monday morning came to a close with Drew, I remembered that I needed to make the appointment with the doctor. I looked up the referral that the training team had given me. The receptionist remembered receiving all of my information from Dallas and asked me come in on Friday. The timing was good for me and allowed for me to keep my training schedule that afternoon.

  Friday, it's Friday already! Where did this week go? Today is my appointment with the new physician that will take over for my head injury and physical therapy training. As I filled out all of the paperwork, I was grateful that the team in Dallas was so thorough with sending all the information. This made my acclimation a little easier.