New Beginnings : A Novella (Men of Whiskey Row Book 2)

by D. A. Young

  “This year has been a very special one for me. I have all of you in my life, and though we are missing dear friends who are traveling, I just wanted to let you know how special all of you are to me. So I had a good friend help me to express what escapes me with words. Jack, will you please help me?”

  He helped her to distribute the packages, and as the group opened them, they were left speechless. For Jack and his brothers, they received paintings of them with their mother. Ian’s was one of him and Harvey. Vivienne and Alexei received the same one of them with Kat as a newborn. Avery and Sidra’s were of the three of them in third grade. Noelle walked up to Kat and placed a smaller package in her hands. In a low voice she spoke to her, “At first I thought this was a crazy thing to do, but the expressions on their faces don’t lie. I noticed it at my wedding and several times this year when they were around each other. A love like that doesn’t die. Jack told me about your conversation the other night, and you really should have a little faith, Kat.”

  She hugged the younger woman tightly, before walking away. Kat opened it and gasped. It was a picture of her parents on their wedding day. They looked so in love that she could feel it emanating from the portrait. Glancing up she watched them, as they stared at their portraits. Then they looked at each other, and Kat smiled; Noelle was right. It was the exact look they had exchanged on their wedding day all those years ago.

  Jack was staring at the painting of his family when Noelle walked up behind him. “Is there anything you can’t do, woman?”

  “There’s nothing that I won’t do for my family. Do you like it?” she asked hopefully as he slipped an arm around her shoulders.

  Jack lovingly touched the painting and cleared his throat. “I don’t just like it, I love it.”

  Noelle gave a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, because I have another one to show you later on.”

  “So, I have to ask,” Jack said, striving for casualness. “Was it Theo who painted these?”

  “Yes it was,” she said firmly, “and you know you have nothing to worry about, right?”

  Grudgingly he answered, “Yes, I do know that. Just like Theo knows I would give an encore performance of our last meeting if I thought he was up to somethin’, right?”

  Before she could respond, they were distracted by Kat’s cry of pleasure. It was soon followed by Vivienne’s. Everyone walked over to see what the fuss was about. Nestled in Kat’s lap was a beautifully designed, wooden jewelry box. It was a polished Manzanita log about twelve inches long. Carved intricately on the top part was Kat’s company logo of a black feline along with the word ‘Vixen’. The center clasp was a jeweled clasp, and when she unlocked it and lifted the top, it revealed a carefully designed compartment that held plenty of room to store jewelry. Inscribed inside of the lid were the words ‘You were born to sparkle’. It was a time-consuming work of art, and the designer definitely put a lot of time and thought into the project. Tears filled Kat’s eyes, because this was Holt’s declaration to her long before the other night. Darby whistled in admiration as the women exclaimed over it.

  Observing his daughter’s joy, Alexei felt he could no longer ignore the inevitable. His baby was a woman now, a very beautiful woman with an admirer. As he watched her lovingly trace the design of Brammer’s gift, he knew he had a choice to make. He could find a way to ensure the Swede met with an ‘accident’, or he could step aside and let her be happy. After the other day, he knew he’d rather die than cause her another ounce of pain.

  “Give in, old man. It’s happenin’’,” Jack said coming to stand beside him. “You know he’s a good man, and he’ll do right by her. If not, he’ll answer to us.”

  Casey joined them, “Think of the happiness you’ve been denyin’ yourself. Do you really want her to live that way, just to please you?”

  Alexei was saved by the ringing of the doorbell. “It’s time to go.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Four vans pulled up to the Whiskey Row Recreation Center, honking their horns. The four drivers were dressed like Santa Claus and his three elves. They hopped out and opened the back double doors. The inside of each vehicle was filled with presents. The building doors opened, and families spilled out, children racing towards the vans, screaming with joy.

  This was the first act of kindness from the Take a Stand foundation. Although the town had more than its share of wealth, there were still plenty of families experiencing hardships during this time of the year. The Sullivans knew firsthand how financial stress could affect a family emotionally and physically, how a mistaken word or action could ignite an already volatile situation and cause irreparable damage. So they partnered with family services, schools, churches, and social workers to make today’s event a memorable one for those in need.

  There were gifts for kids of all ages, along with food, shoes, and clothes for entire households. Romankov Industries organized a holiday buffet for everyone to enjoy as gifts were handed out.

  Alexei was supervising the dessert station, when Vivienne joined him. Surprised that she would seek out his company, he was at a loss for words. She smiled as she handed out plates, and even after all these years, his heart fell a little deeper. Her long-sleeved, raspberry sweater dress complimented her complexion perfectly and clung to her curves. He didn’t know what to say, so for once, he said nothing; deciding to take his cue from her

  “I’m sorry that I was such a bitch to you the other day,” Vivienne offered.

  “Is this where I’m supposed to apologize for bringing the bitch out of you?” he asked dryly. She looked startled by his comeback but then gave a peal of laughter.

  “Good one. No, but it’s a one-time thing, so I’d accept it if I were you,” she said with a grin.

  Pleased with himself, Alexei grinned back. “I’ll take it then.”

  “You do know that she’s our baby but no longer a baby, don’t you, Lex?” Vivienne asked conversationally, and he sighed tiredly.

  “I do. But I also know she’s all I have left. Maybe I’m resisting so hard because I didn’t before, and it cost me almost everything,” he said gruffly, looking ahead as he made the painful admission.

  “I was so angry and hurt, but also full of guilt for the part I played. I shouldn’t have turned my back on you. I cut my nose off to spite my face,” Vivienne turned to him, with an earnest expression. “Do you think I want that strong, virile, sexy-ass man sniffing around my baby? I like the idea even less than you do. But we have to let her go, before we lose her. If something happens, we’ll be there together to see her through it …and then we’ll dispose of his body.”

  “You do know that you could have just said the fucker’s name instead of using all those adjectives?” he said with a mock-scowl.

  She smiled playfully, “I do, just like calling him Holt instead of fucker would suffice, but getting your goat is so much more fun.”

  Reluctantly he smiled, “I’m sure it is for you. Vivienne?”

  “Yes, Alexei?”

  He cupped her cheek and quickly lowered his head; his lips brushed hers sweetly in the briefest of kisses. “Thank you.”

  ***

  Avery was gathering trash from empty tables when she saw Jenny sitting by herself. She decided to walk over and say hi. Just as she reached the table, a tall black man with wire-framed glasses and a small afro, carrying a plate of food and a cup of juice, walked up to it.

  “Hey babe, I got you another slice of ham and some more green beans.” Avery heard him say. They both turned to look at her approaching, and Jenny’s face was nervous as she tried to smile. The man looked at Jenny, and then Avery, and went silent. It was an awkward moment as Avery tried to figure out what was going on. Was Jenny in trouble? Maybe she would feel try to feel them out.

  “Hey, Jenny! Merry Christmas!” she said brightly.

  Jenny smiled, “Merry Christmas, Ms. Avery.”

  Avery looked at the young man who was silently eating, but staring at something behind her. Then she l
ooked back at Jenny who remained silent. The bad vibes Avery was getting were growing stronger by the minute.

  “Hi, I’m Avery Monroe, Jenny’s boss. And you are?” she asked pointedly, holding out her hand. The man looked at her hand and then Jenny, who nodded her head. With a sigh, he reached out and shook Avery’s hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you; I’m Odell, Jenny’s boyfriend. Are you enjoying your Christmas?”

  “I am, thank you. What about you guys?” Now Avery was confused. Odell looked like a good guy, was polite and well-mannered, so why was Jenny acting like she was in trouble?

  “Oh, it’s goin’ real good, Ms. Avery. Well, don’t let us keep you. I’ll see you tomorrow mornin’!” Jenny said brightly, but Avery was fed up.

  “Jenny, may I speak to you for a moment?” she asked firmly. Odell looked at her again and then back at Jenny. Reluctantly Jenny got up, and Avery walked away from the table. When they were about ten feet away, Avery turned to face her. “Is everything alright, Jenny?”

  “Whatever do you mean?” Jenny asked fretfully. Avery grabbed her hand, it was cold and clammy. She turned to look back at the table and so did Avery. Odell was staring straight ahead with his back to them.

  “I mean, are you okay? Do you need help with your boyfriend? You seem so jumpy and anxious. I just want to help you, if you need it,” Avery spoke gently, hoping to put her at ease, but it had the opposite effect.

  Cheeks stained red and brown eyes snapping with fury, Jenny was livid. “How dare you? Are you tryin’ to accuse Odell of beatin’ me? Let me tell you somethin’, Ms. High and Mighty; Odell Pitman is the finest man I know! He would never raise a hand to me! Who do you think you are to insinuate somethin’ like that?”

  Now Avery just felt plain stupid. Jenny was right. Who was she to make assumptions like that? But still her instincts told her something wasn’t right. For the time being she would keep quiet. “I apologize, Jenny. You are absolutely correct. I don’t know your situation, so I will stop trying to interject myself into your business. But please know the offer still stands, if you do need help.”

  Jenny took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. “Look, I’m sorry for snappin’ at you like that. It’s just Odell is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and we’re just tryin’ to figure ourselves out, ya know?”

  No, Avery did not know, but she would respect Jenny’s word. “Merry Christmas, Jenny. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She watched Jenny hurry back to her table and take her seat. Odell pulled her close and she laid her head on his shoulder. Now she felt like a bigger fool.

  “Great, that’s just great, Avery. You really need to think before you speak and pull your head out of your ass,” she told herself out loud.

  “Hey now, I won’t stand for anybody talkin’ shit about one of my favorite people,” Darby said from behind her. “Even if it’s her talkin’ about herself.”

  His scent surrounded her, bringing her warmth and comfort. “Yeah, well lately she’s been acting like a real jerk and pissing people off.”

  He was right behind her now, so she turned around and looked up at him. “Yeah, but she’s been havin’ a rocky time. Besides, everyone knows how lovable she is, so all is forgivin’.”

  “I’m so sorry for making that terrible assumption about you. That was me being insecure and stupid. Besides, what I know about men could fill an index card,” she said apologetically.

  His gaze was thoughtful as he held out his hand. “I think we’re good here. Let’s go have some fun.”

  ***

  Fun turned out to be a horse-drawn sleigh ride. After making sure they were tucked in warmly, the driver got in the front and gently commanded the Clydesdales to move.

  “Let’s go real slow, Marty!” Darby called, “We don’t want to spill these drinks.”

  “I hear you, Darby!” Marty called back to him.

  Avery took a sip of her hot buttered rum, loving the taste and how smooth it went down her throat. Warmth spread through her, leaving her giddy. “Mmmm, that’s really good, Darby.”

  Happily, she enjoyed the view as they trotted through town. Whiskey Row was covered in a fresh coat of snow. Some of the houses had snowmen outside of them, and kids were having snowball fights. “This is awesome. Thank you for taking me out, Darby.”

  He grinned down at her, loving how her brown eyes sparkled and her flawless, brown skin glowed with happiness. “I’m glad you’re enjoyin’ it. Now you wanna tell me what’s got you so down in the dumps?”

  “Well, there’s this girl...” Avery quickly filled him in on Jenny and her suspicions, loving how attentively he listened to her.

  “So we ran a background check and she came back clean. But the boyfriend doesn’t work for you guys, right? So I’ll need to know his last name and then we can check him out.”

  “Okay, it’s Pitman. First name Odell. I’m not sure how it’s spelled, but they’re from a small town in Mississippi she said,” Avery replied helpfully. She tried to concentrate on what they were talking about, but the hot buttered rum and the way his fingers stroked his jaw were getting to her. That beautiful jaw covered with a fine, red beard that framed his beautiful mouth…

  “Now that we got that outta the way, you wanna tell me what’s really botherin’ you?” he drawled, and she shivered. Between this drink and his southern accent, Avery was really starting to feel it. Darby shifted to put his arm around her and drew her close to him; his gorgeous green eyes were filled with concern as he gazed down at her. With a sigh, she realized how perfectly she fit in his arms.

  “Are you cold?” he asked in a low voice, and suddenly Avery knew it wasn’t the drink that was fucking with her or the romantic ride; it was him, pure, unadulterated, one hundred percent, Darby Sullivan—his intelligence, humor, and caring nature all wrapped up in an extremely appealing package.

  “No, did you mean what you said the other day?” At his questioning look, she elaborated, “About wanting the happy home fantasy?”

  “I did. You know we had a messed up childhood, and everyone tried their best, but we got shuffled around a lot. A stable, happy home is very important to a kid. So are lovin’ parents.” He looked away, and Avery could see he was thinking about his next words carefully. “I’ve had a lot of sex, Ms. Avery. I’ve done a lot of things, because I could, and some I did twice just to make sure I really didn’t like it.”

  “I was young, wild, and stupid. Always protected, but stupid. I made an obscene amount of money in the NHL and didn’t give a fuck about anything, but family and livin’ the good life,” Darby said honestly. After their conversation the other day, he wanted to make sure that he and Avery kept all lines of communication open. He normally didn’t discuss his past, but life was funny like that. It had a way of sneaking up on you and evolving when you were paying attention to the wrong things and putting the right people in front of you.

  Darby always thought he and his brothers would be confirmed bachelors. But the last two years had been a wild adventure for them, and the best was yet to come. As sure as he knew his government name, he knew Avery Monroe was the one for him. In his mind, they’d already kissed too many times for him to count. She was the star of his raunchiest, sexual fantasies as well as the purest ones, like meeting at the altar or encouraging her to push in the delivery room. It was just a matter of making her see that he was worthy of being given a chance to prove his intentions were good.

  “I see,” she whispered uncertainly, and he shook his head in frustration.

  “Nah, I don’t think you do,” he said slowly. “All that shit didn’t mean a damn thing, because I had no one to share it with. I came home to an empty house with no wife or kids to talk about the day with, no one to make my favorite meal if I asked. My married team members were fucking around on wives that put them on pedestals. Back then those guys were envious of me because I had no responsibilities to anyone, but they had it all fucked up. Do you understand?”

  S
uddenly Avery couldn’t resist him anymore and pressed her lips to his. He reacted instantly, hauling her against him and thoroughly claiming her mouth. His large hands slid underneath the blankets and slid down to cup and caress her ass. Avery dropped her empty cup and yanked on his hair as his tongue plunged into her mouth, and she sucked on it. Quickly he shoved the blankets aside and Avery straddled him. The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced; and Lord she wanted more.

  “Ms. Avery?” She blinked and saw him watching her with alarm. “Is everything ok? It’s the drink, isn’t it? Noelle warned me that you couldn’t handle liquor.” He raked his hands through his red hair. “She’s gonna kill me.”

  Avery opened her mouth to reply, but Marty beat her to it.

  “Rides over folks! Have a Merry Christmas!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The ball was in full effect, and everyone was having a great time. At first Noelle was a little apprehensive about going along with Avery’s Christmas theme, but everything had turned out spectacularly. Each table had a four-foot-tall, sandblasted Manzanita branch that stood upright as a center piece from which sparkling white ornaments hung from tartan plaid ribbons. Tiny, clear lights were woven through each tree. The tablecloths were white with tartan plaid runners and matching napkins. The placemats were square cuts of Manzanita wood. Arrangements of red and white poinsettias and lemon cypress in rustic boxes were strategically placed throughout the ballroom. Guests were encouraged to indulge at the gourmet chocolate bar or utilize the photo booth, ice rink, or sleigh rides.

  “It’s too bad Guy isn’t here. Any idea when he’ll be back?” Noelle asked with concern.

  Jack’s jaw tightened. “He said he had a lead on his family. I just hope it’s not another dead end. I don’t think he can bear too much more.”

  “How much do you think the silent auction raised?” Noelle asked her husband as he whirled her around the dance floor?” He shrugged, looking down into his wife’s beautiful face and then lower with a slight frown. Jack still couldn’t decide if he was excited or irritated about her dress. Noelle was wearing a maternity dress that was entirely too sexy in Jack’s opinion for a mama-to-be. It was navy chiffon with long sleeves and a V-neck. The lower part of the dress had slits that showed her sexy ass legs whenever she walked.