Center Stage (The Keller Family Series)

by Marie, Bernadette

  Zach hurried to him. “Rookie. C’mon, let’s go see this princess of yours before the rest of the family wakes up.”

  “Curtis.” Arianna waited for him to turn toward her. “What is her name?”

  “Oh. Yeah. Avery. Avery Emily.”

  “I’ll be down there next to meet my niece.”

  He only nodded again and let Zach help him out of the room.

  Regan laughed. “He’s doomed. Absolutely doomed.”

  “We think Simone has him wrapped around her finger. Just wait until Avery needs something.” She held Spencer’s little hand. “I can’t believe you both had your babies on the same day.”

  “That will be a special bond between them.”

  The door opened again, and this time their parents walked in with Tyler holding tightly to his grandmother’s hand.

  Regan reached her arms out to him and tears rolled down her cheeks as Tyler ran toward her. His grandmother helped him onto Regan’s bed and she wrapped her arms around him. “Look, Tyler, you’re a big brother.”

  Tyler lifted his head and looked at the baby in Arianna’s arms.

  “His name is Spencer,” she told him as he rested his head on his mother’s shoulder and quickly fell asleep.

  Their mother held out her arms. “Let me see my grandson.”

  Arianna handed her nephew off to her mother and turned to hug her father. “I’m going to go meet my niece and then head home. I’m exhausted.”

  “Thank you for being here,” Regan whispered as not to stir Tyler or Spencer.

  “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I’m very lucky to have made it for both.”

  Arianna walked out to the hallway and followed the sounds of her brother’s voice.

  Curtis was seated in a chair, his arms resting on his knees, and Zach hovered over him with a glass of water.

  The sight nearly had her busting out in laughter.

  Simone shook her head. “You would think he did all the work.”

  Arianna wondered if Simone had seen a mirror. Her long, black tresses were matted down to her skin. Her face was still flush, and her eyes were bloodshot. However, Arianna thought she’d never looked better.

  She walked to Simone’s bedside and took her first look at her beautiful niece. “Hello, Avery.”

  “Is she not the most beautiful girl in the world?”

  “She just might be. May I hold her?”

  Simone was not as quick to give up her first child to her doting auntie as Regan was, and that was expected.

  “Oh, Simone, she is just wonderful.” She looked up at Curtis who was now sitting upright. “You can mend severed limbs, but a baby does you in?”

  “Don’t give me your grief. You weren’t here.”

  She looked down at Simone. “Was it that bad?”

  “They have drugs for mothers, not for fathers.”

  Arianna laughed, but kept it quiet. “I never thought you were a wimp.”

  “In my defense,” he said as he stood, “I didn’t like that it caused her pain. I caused her that pain.”

  Arianna felt the sting of tears now. Her brother had sincerely meant what he said, and it moved her.

  She gave Avery a kiss on the top of her head and handed her back to Simone.

  “Congratulations. I’m so very happy for you.”

  It was six o’clock in the morning when Carlos dropped Arianna off at her house. She was sure that was the longest day of her life, and she knew long days.

  She pushed open the door to her house and looked around. Whose stupid idea had it been to rent out the house and get rid of the furniture? Oh, yeah, hers.

  The door closed behind her and she turned to lock it. Her footsteps echoed as she walked toward the kitchen. At that moment, she wished she’d stopped by McDonald’s for a coffee. And, in that instant, she realized not only would her coffee maker be another few days out from arriving, but she had no bed.

  Carlos certainly wasn’t going to turn around and head back to pick her up and take her to his house. And she was so tired she didn’t even care. She’d sleep on the pile of clothes in her suitcase if she had to.

  With that thought, she wondered where John had left her suitcase. She walked toward the stairs and could see it at the top. How generous of him to have carried it up because, at this point, she was so tired she didn’t think she could have made it.

  She climbed the stairs slowly. When she reached her bedroom, she noticed the door was open and someone had taken the time to put a blow up bed in there and make it up with sheets and blankets.

  A chair sat next to the bed with a lamp, a small digital clock, and a note.

  She walked in and picked up the note.

  I realized you didn’t have any furniture. This bed is yours for as long as you’d like. I also left some beer in the fridge and a cold pizza. John.

  She held the note to her chest and breathed in. Could he be more amazing?

  She looked down at the note again and ran her finger over the words.

  He’d been thinking of her enough to do something so thoughtful. Was it possible he’d been thinking of her as much as she’d been thinking about him? Perhaps—but had he been thinking the same thoughts. Arianna knew her thoughts had kept her up nights in need of a cold shower.

  Her stomach grumbled. As much as she’d like to just fall into the bed covered in John’s sheets, she really wanted a piece of that pizza, and perhaps a beer would help her fall asleep. After all, her body was so tired it wouldn’t know it was only six-thirty in the morning.

  Chapter Three

  John scrubbed his hand over his face and zipped up his coat. The only part about working construction that he didn’t like was that damn trailer he called an office.

  In the summer he baked, and in the winter he froze. It didn’t really matter if you had air conditioning or heat. The temperatures just got to a man once in a while.

  The door opened, and he looked up. He hadn’t expected to see a friendly face, and he was ready to throw his frozen mug of coffee at the person who let more cold in.

  “Zach Benson, what are you doing here? You’re on maternity leave, and my guess is your assistant doesn’t know you’re here or she’d be dragging you back to your wife.”

  Zach laughed and held his hand out to him. “Let’s just say I came by with photos of my new son.”

  John shook his hand. “Nice way to make an excuse to check on the build.”

  “Whatever it takes.” Zach pulled his iPhone from his pocket and brought up the picture. He handed it to John. “There are my boys. His name is Spencer.”

  “Congratulations, my friend. He looks healthy.”

  “He is. Tyler isn’t so sure of him, but something tells me they’ll be pals soon enough.”

  John handed him back his phone. “They’re close enough Tyler will never remember not having Spencer around.”

  Zach gave a glance at the plans on the wall. “Looks like you’re still on time and under budget.”

  “I don’t run builds any other way.”

  “From the seat I sit in, I thank you for that.” Zach slid his phone back into his pocket and bundled up his coat. “So how was Arianna this morning?”

  “I didn’t see her. I got here at six, and she still wasn’t at the house.”

  “Things could get very cozy with you two living within feet of each other.”

  “I’m sure they could, but they won’t. I respect your sister-in-law. She’s safe with me around.”

  Zach nodded. “You do know I get my share of gossip. Regan and Arianna are very tight.”

  “And there is gossip where I’m concerned?”

  “Just that Arianna took a liking to you.”

  “Well, she’s a nice girl. Trust me, the last thing she needs is some old man, and I certainly don’t plan to hit the dating pool again.”

  Zach shrugged. “At least she’ll have you close.”

  He turned and left the office, and John rubbed the tension from his tem
ples. He guessed it was time to find a new place to live.

  It was past four in the afternoon when Arianna finally woke. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept that long. But she needed it.

  For the past fifteen years she’d been burning the candle at both ends trying to make a name for herself. She’d done that, but there had to be more.

  She rolled off the air mattress John had left her and headed downstairs for another piece of cold pizza. Perhaps she could arrange for someone to give her a lift to her sister’s house to pick up the car she kept there. There would need to be some groceries purchased. After all, a woman couldn’t live for long on cold pizza and beer.

  By five o’clock she’d showered and changed her clothes. She made the little bed on the floor and arranged her suitcase just right. Housekeeping was easy if you only had one bed and one suitcase.

  She pulled her phone from her pocket to call her brother when the doorbell rang. She hurried down the stairs to the door, and when she opened it, she certainly wasn’t disappointed. There stood John with a bag of groceries in his arms.

  “I knew you didn’t have anything in your fridge yet so I brought a few staples.” He handed her the bag.

  “How is it that in two days you’ve become my knight in shining armor.”

  “I come with gray hair only, no armor.”

  There was a flirtatious flutter in her, and it was going to surface. She couldn’t help it. The man did something to her.

  “Some women find gray very sexy,” she said as she turned and walked toward the kitchen. “C’mon in for a bit.”

  He shut the door and followed her.

  She watched him walk slowly through the living room. She’d ruffled his feathers. But what she’d like to do is ruffle that hair he was complaining about.

  She opened the door to the refrigerator and ducked behind it to keep her smile hidden. She was desperate. Maybe she should head to a bar, pick up a guy, and bring him home for a bounce on the air mattress. John wouldn’t be the guy to take her up on such, but he was certainly stirring her up.

  “I figured you could use a ride to your sister’s house to get your car.”

  Arianna closed the door to the refrigerator and nodded. “I had just picked up my phone to call Carlos and ask him to come get me when you showed up. So, yes, I could absolutely use a ride.”

  “Then I’m your guy.”

  He most certainly was.

  She grabbed her coat and locked the front door. She followed him to the beat up truck in the driveway. “How come Zach doesn’t give you a company truck?”

  John opened the door for her and waited for her to climb in. “I have one.” He shut the door and walked around to the other side.

  “Then why don’t you drive it? This truck has to be as old as Tennessee.”

  He gave a shrug and started the engine. It protested and finally growled into commission. “I never needed anything better. My tools are in the back, my name is on the title, and she’s paid for. What more does a guy need?”

  “How about dinner?”

  He turned and looked at her, his eyes questioning.

  “Let me take you to dinner. This is the second time in two days you’ve come to my rescue.” She shook her head. “No, wait, the fourth.”

  “Fourth?”

  “I forgot to thank you for the bed.”

  He chuckled. “My pleasure. Figured you’d rather have something to sleep on than the floor.”

  “It was very appreciated. And thank you for the groceries.”

  “My pleasure.”

  She clasped her hands together and put them in her lap. She hoped the heater would start warming up. “So what do you say? Dinner?”

  He bit down on his lip, and she figured he was going to turn her down. John Forrester wasn’t one to get mixed up with a woman, and here she was offering dinner. Oh, she was going to make him her pet project. She’d have her way with the man if it killed her, just to say she’d broken him.

  “I suppose I could eat. What did you have in mind?”

  “Bar-b-que.”

  “Missed home, huh?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He wasn’t sure what he was doing driving her downtown for dinner. He should have told her no. It was bad enough he hadn’t found a new apartment yet and he was going to have to tell her he lived in the same house, and living under the same roof didn’t seem like a sound idea. The woman had him thinking thoughts he hadn’t thought in years. There was no way he was getting involved with the boss’s sister-in-law, for one, and he didn’t need another woman in his life. One had been enough.

  John pulled the truck into the lot at Steve’s BBQ Pit and Beer. Immediately Arianna let out a snort.

  “Regan told me about this place.”

  “Did she?” He opened his door and climbed out. He would have helped her out of the truck, but she was already closing the door and walking toward the restaurant. His ex-wife would have needed the pampering, but not this one. She was as strong headed as they came.

  “I think this was the first place Zach brought her when he was trying to make his moves on her.”

  John stopped walking. He’d forgotten about that. He sure hoped Arianna wasn’t thinking the same thing.

  She turned back and looked at him. “You comin’?”

  He gave her a nod and followed her inside.

  The greeter at the front walked them to a booth in the corner. He’d thought about requesting two seats at the bar, but Arianna bounced into the booth and pulled out a menu.

  “I haven’t had good ribs in a long time.”

  “This is the place to get them.”

  When the waitress came to the table, they each ordered a beer and placed their dinner order. Arianna tucked the menu back into its place behind the salt and pepper shakers, laced her hands on the table, and looked right at him.

  “So, anything new since we last dated?”

  John cleared his throat and wished his beer would arrive quickly. His mouth had gone dry.

  “Dated?”

  “Just kidding.” She sat back against the booth. “Why are you all worked up having me around?”

  “Am I? I didn’t notice.”

  She nodded. “C’mon, I didn’t make any plays on you at Carlos’s last wedding. We just had a good time.”

  “We did.”

  The waitress set their beers down, and John took in after his. Of course he’d only have one if he was driving, but he might have to have an entire six-pack when he got home.

  “I’m glad Madeline and Carlos are back together. I liked Kathy, but Madeline was the one for him always.”

  “And Curtis and Simone? When are they getting married?”

  “When she can fit into a dress again.” She leaned over the table on her elbows. “What do ya say? Be my date?”

  “People will start to talk.”

  “Let ‘em.” She leaned back and took a sip from her beer. “One thing you won’t find me doing is getting married and having babies.”

  He felt his body heat rise. “Really? All these babies being born and you’re not getting baby fever?”

  She shook her head. “No way. I have other plans in my life.”

  “Like what?”

  She shrugged. “I think I’d like to teach theater. Maybe even own a theater someday. You know, community theater. Perhaps write some plays.”

  He nodded slowly.

  Arianna took another sip of her beer. “You think it’s stupid, don’t you?”

  “Not in the least.”

  In fact, he knew of a theater that was slated for demolition if it wasn’t purchased. He’d look into it and see if it was worth saving. Then maybe he’d tell her about it. After all, she seemed safe enough. She didn’t want marriage or kids. Maybe they could just share a meal and a beer after all. Then again, what came after that?

  Chapter Four

  It was later than John had thought when he finally pulled up to Zach’s house. Zach’s office lig
ht was on. He wanted to laugh at the man. He was brought up all business, and it didn’t seem as though much had changed, but John knew the family he was building was more important than any business venture. He’d seen it in Zach’s eyes the moment he’d fallen in love and again when Alexander Hamilton had approached them at a business meeting and threatened Regan.

  John’s fingers tensed around the steering wheel. Zach would go to the ends of the world to protect his wife and, now, his children. Losing multi-million dollar builds didn’t matter when you loved someone.

  Zach loved what he did. But he loved his family more.

  John stopped the truck and turned off the engine.

  Arianna looked at the house and then back at him. “Thank you for the ride and for dinner.”

  John gave her a slow nod. “My pleasure.”

  “But I still owe you a meal. I think I had said I was taking you out.”

  “I’m very southern. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to let you pay for my meal.”

  Arianna let out a grunt and shook her head. “Get over it, Forrester,” she said as she zipped up her coat.

  “I’ll do my best.” He opened his door. “I’ll get the door.”

  He shut his door behind him and walked around the front of the truck to the other side. She already had it open when he reached for the handle.

  “You are a good-ole-boy, aren’t ya?”

  “I try.” He held out his hand for her to take as she climbed out of his old truck.

  When she landed on the ground, she was close enough that he could feel the heat from her body. He deliberately took a step back.

  “Do you want me to wait for you and follow you back to your house?”

  Arianna laughed and rested her hand on his chest. He was glad he had a heavy coat on so she wouldn’t feel the rise in his heart beat when she’d touched him.

  She shook her head. “I’ve been around these roads my whole life. I’ll be fine.” Arianna lifted herself up on the balls of her feet and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks again for saving me all the time.”

  He cleared his throat and tried to clear his mind. “Always my pleasure.”