Harts of Arizona Series

by Yahrah St. John

  “It’s important.”

  “Aren’t they all?”

  “Don’t sass me.”

  Out of respect, Addison remained silent. “What time shall I be ready?”

  Two hours later, they were in the Lincoln Town Car being driven to the Fairmont Hotel. Addison had donned her usual charity event attire of classic sheath dress with a loose chignon and a few tendrils dangling on the sides of her face.

  Whenever she was with her father, she had to dress older than her twenty-three years. When she’d been a teenager, she’d been happy to accompany him to such events because she’d felt like an adult, sitting at the adults’ table and listening to adult conversation. But she’d long since become bored of these events and was not looking forward to tonight.

  The driver opened the door, and Addison stepped out onto the red carpet as several local photographers snapped pictures of her for the society pages. Her father tucked her arm under his, and Addison smiled on cue. Seconds later, the doorman was leading them inside.

  The hotel lobby and upper floors were already teeming with charity eventgoers. Benjamin Walker paused to speak with several guests while Addison went to make herself invisible. She made a beeline for the bar.

  “Glass of Pinot Grigio.”

  “Sure thing,” the bartender replied.

  Addison turned to survey the crowd. She sorely wished Collette were here to offer her some comic relief. It was how they’d first met when she was thirteen years old. Addison had been on the sidelines of one of her father’s endless social events, waiting for him to finish his business talk when the redhead with the freckles had approached her. She’d offered Addison a smile and a cigarette. Initially, Addison had been appalled, but eventually they’d snuck off to the balcony to indulge in Addison’s first and last cigarette. She hadn’t liked the taste of it, but she had liked Collette’s ballsy nature, and a friendship soon formed.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” a deep baritone voice said from behind her.

  Addison didn’t need to turn around to know the owner of that voice. She remembered its smooth tone from when she’d passed out in his suite and he’d told her to sit up for a bit to have some club soda and aspirin. Her hangover would have been much worse if it had not been for him.

  Slowly, she turned around to stare at none other than her aborted one-night stand. She offered a bemused smile. “Hello.”

  “Hey, didn’t mean to disturb you. You looked deep in thought.”

  “I was. Recalling a childhood memory.”

  “Good or bad?”

  She grinned when she thought of Collette. “Definitely good.”

  He stared back at her for several moments, and Addison wasn’t sure whether she should speak or wait for him to do so. He seemed just as uneasy and stuck his hands in his pocket. That’s when she noticed he was wearing a tuxedo jacket over jeans.

  She raised a brow. “Interesting attire for a formal gathering.”

  “Never cared much for formal.”

  “I can see that. If I recall correctly, you like to go against the grain.”

  “Good memory.”

  “Some things aren’t easy to forget.”

  He flashed a devilish grin. “Would I be one of them?”

  Damn! She’d stuck her foot in her mouth and walked right into that one. “It would be pretty hard not to when I got sick in your bed.”

  “A gentleman would never bring it up.”

  Addison cocked an eyebrow. “Are you a gentleman?” She would think not. Caleb struck her as a bad boy who liked to live life on the edge.

  He laughed. “Wow, how you gonna call a brother out like that?”

  Addison shrugged and smiled. “If the shoe fits.”

  “Well, try this on for size—you owe me another date.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Caleb looked at the beautiful woman he’d been thinking about since the day she’d snuck out of his hotel room in Vegas. He’d been disappointed to find out she’d gone, but fate had just given him another chance. What were the odds that two people hooking up for a one-night stand in Vegas would attend the same charity event in Dallas?

  When they’d arrived, his uncle had been besieged by several women looking for a wealthy man, leaving Caleb to fend for himself. He’d never much cared for these sorts of events, even in Tucson when his parents had sponsored them. But just when he’d been ready to write the night off as a complete and utter loss, he’d spotted her leaning against the bar looking just as bored as he was. It might appear too good to be true, but he had decided to go for it.

  “You heard right. If you recall, you conked out on me right when we were getting to the fun part and I think you owe me a raincheck.”

  “Haven’t you heard what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” Addison responded coyly.

  “Since nothing happened, I think we need to remedy that.”

  “Has anyone ever told you you’re pretty cocky?”

  “Mighta been told that the odd time or two, so what’s it going to be?” He knew he was pressing her, but he had to find a way to spend more time with her. Something in his gut told him she was worth getting to know.

  “Hmmm ...” Addison paused for several long beats before replying. “I could be persuaded, but perhaps it might not be a bad idea to start with your name.”

  Caleb rolled his eyes; he could have kicked himself. He’d been so busy trying to seal the deal that they hadn’t exchanged names again. Why would they when it would have been a mysterious one-night stand? But now, she wasn’t so mysterious. She was standing right in front of him, and he had a chance to find out if she was truly as special as he’d envisioned. “Caleb,” he said, offering her his hand, “Caleb Hart.”

  “Addison Walker.”

  Caleb grasped her soft fingers. “Pleasure to meet you, Addison.” He wasn’t eager to let her go. She was just as beautiful and alluring as she’d been a week ago in Vegas, if not more now. And those eyes, so innocent. And the sparks ... they were flying off the charts at the slightest touch of her hand. He could only imagine the chemistry they’d have in bed. He was imagining just that when someone called her name.

  “Addison?”

  She blinked, breaking the spell, and spun to face an elderly African-American gentleman. “Dad?”

  “What’s going on here?” The man looked Caleb up and down suspiciously.

  Caleb knew that look. It was a fatherly overprotective look and told him that Addison’s dad was none too pleased to see her cavorting with him. He knew he didn’t fit the bill of most men at the event, with his jeans and tuxedo jacket. He was a father’s worst nightmare.

  “Daddy.” Addison walked over to him and curled her arm around one of his. “I’d like you to meet Caleb Hart. Caleb, this is my father, Mr. Benjamin Walker.”

  “Sir.” Caleb offered his hand, which Mr. Walker shook while summing him up.

  “What brings you to Dallas, Mr. Hart?”

  “I’m here visiting Duke Hart, my uncle,” Caleb replied. “You might know him?”

  “Ah, yes, who doesn’t know Duke in this community?” Benjamin Walker said with disdain. Clearly, Caleb’s uncle wasn’t high up on Mr. Walker’s list of favorite people.

  A glass clinked and everyone in the lobby turned to see the mistress of ceremonies beckoning everyone inside the ballroom.

  “Time to go in.” Addison’s father began to lead her away, but she put a hand on his arm.

  “Why don’t you go on in,” Addison said. “I’ll find you—”

  “Addison—”

  She cut her father off. “Caleb and I haven’t finished our conversation. It would be impolite.”

  Her father gave him the once-over again. “Of course. I’ll see you inside, baby girl.” Reluctantly, he walked away, leaving Addison and Caleb alone.

  Caleb smile
d. He liked that she was willing to stand up to her father for him. That told him she had some gumption despite her soft demeanor. “Thanks for that.”

  Addison shrugged. “My father can be a bit overprotective, seeing how it’s only been the two of us for some time.”

  “Your mother?”

  Addison’s head lowered for a moment before she looked up. “Died when I was four years old.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Caleb said. “Must have been difficult to lose her so young.”

  “It was.” She removed the small purse she’d been holding on her wrist to take out a business card to hand to him. “Call me.”

  And without another word, she walked away leaving Caleb standing there smelling the sweet scent of her perfume and admiring her rear-end as she sauntered into the ballroom.

  Chapter 4

  Benjamin Walker waited to bring up the subject of Caleb when he and Addison were in the car on the way back home from the event. “So where did you meet this young man?”

  Addison didn’t appreciate being questioned on who she was dating. It was none of his business. “Does it matter?”

  “Don’t be smart with me. Clearly you’re on a quest to show your independence as evidenced by your Vegas weekend and now this young man. What is going on with you, Addison? Are you having some post-adolescent crisis?”

  Addison counted from one to ten before responding. If she had spoken her mind just now, she would have been disrespectful, so she took a deep breath and reminded herself that her father was only looking out for her best interests, even if he was overbearing at times.

  “I am not in the midst of a crisis,” Addison said calmly. “I am, however, asserting my independence. Even you must know that I have to grow up eventually, but by God you have to allow it. Stop treating me like a child. I’m twenty-three years old and quite capable of making my own choices. Good or bad. And if I should falter, it’s my,” she said, pounding her chest, “my mistake.”

  Her father stared back at her, stunned. He’d been prepared for an outburst to prove that she still had a lot of growing up to do, but instead she’d given him a sound argument. She could see he was impressed when his stern facial features softened.

  “I’m sorry, Addy. You’re right. You’re well past the days of needing my advice, but at least let me give it, then you can do with it as you will.”

  “Okay, speak.”

  “Duke Hart is a ladies’ man. He’s been breaking hearts all over Dallas for a long time now. If Caleb is related, the apple may not fall far from the tree.”

  “Daddy ...”

  Her father held his left hand up. “I know they are not the same person, so my best advice if you intend to proceed down this path is to be careful. I don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”

  “That’s the thing, Daddy. That’s a part of being an adult, and even if I do get my heart broken, I doubt it’ll be the last. It’s all a part of growing up.”

  “Has anyone ever told you you’re grown beyond your years?”

  She smiled as she leaned forward to take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. “Umm ... I’ve been told it a time or two.”

  “I love you, baby girl.”

  “And I love you.”

  “When are you going to be back?” Rylee asked Caleb from the other end of the line in Tucson. She was at Golden Oaks watching their mother’s last dress fitting, and Caleb was nowhere to be found. “You do realize my wedding is in a week.”

  “I have not forgotten,” Caleb said. “How can I with the constant daily reminders?”

  “Hey—”

  “You know I wouldn’t miss your big day for anything in the world, Rylee,” Caleb interrupted, “but I do have a life of my own, you know.”

  “If you’re talking about riding those bulls, that’s not going to last forever. You’ve got to start thinking about your future. You’re not as young as you used to be.”

  “Thanks a lot, big sis. But if you must know, that’s why I’m here in Dallas with Uncle Duke.”

  “Oh, yeah? And?”

  “And nothing. When I’m ready to talk about it, I will. In the meantime, I have to run. I have a date.”

  “A date? You’ve only been in Dallas for a hot minute, and you already have a date?”

  “Don’t hate, big sis. Just appreciate that your little brother has a way with the ladies.”

  “Don’t go breaking no hearts over there.”

  “Me?” Caleb touched his chest in the mirror. “Never.” Seconds later, he ended the call.

  He was looking forward to his date tonight with Addison. When he’d phoned her, he hadn’t known what to expect. He hadn’t been sure if her father’s disapproval might have swayed her against spending more time with him. He was so glad he’d been wrong.

  Addison Walker wasn’t his usual type. She was beautiful and sexy, but in an understated way. She didn’t come across as flirtatious and bold like most of the women he usually spent the night with. He was used to women who told him what they wanted and how they wanted it. Addison struck him as much more reserved, even though in Vegas, she’d been fighting that impulse. He suspected her friends had dressed her up. He sensed the hip-hugging dress she’d been wearing didn’t reflect the real her. The wisp of chiffon she’d been wearing at the charity event had suited her much better. It was elegant and regal, much like Addison herself, which is why he was choosing something Addison had probably never done and would make the evening all the more exciting.

  He’d just finished shaving and showering and had donned his usual fare of jeans and cowboy boots when Rylee had called. Instead of his standard plaid shirt, he’d stepped it up a notch and was wearing a Bourdeaux cotton button-down shirt. Splashing on some cologne, he surveyed himself in the mirror. He cleaned up pretty good when he put his mind to it.

  Grabbing his keys, he headed out the door. The drive to the Walker estate was about forty-five minutes from Duke’s place, but that was just fine with Caleb. It would give him time to prepare to face Mr. Walker. He was sure Addison’s father wasn’t too happy about them seeing each other, but Caleb wasn’t a coward by any means and would stand his ground with her old man.

  Before Caleb knew it, he was in front of the estate. He was surprised tons of security weren’t around given the amount of land. Caleb surmised it was in the neighborhood of a hundred acres or so. He parked the Ford Super Duty F-450 XL pickup he’d borrowed from Duke’s stable of cars and trucks and stared up at the impressive mansion. It looked to Caleb like there had to be at least twenty rooms. What the heck did Addison and her father do with all that space?

  He walked over to the door and pressed the bell. Instead of a butler appearing as he had anticipated, Addison was on the other side with a warm smile. Caleb smiled back.

  “Hey there.”

  “Hi, yourself,” Caleb said as he walked into the foyer. The house was as grand as he had expected and elegantly decorated. But none of that mattered now because the only thing he was interested in was Addison.

  She was looking sweet yet sassy in some faded blue jeans, tank top and a tunic with the shoulders cut out. She was wearing some sort of shoes that weren’t quite boots because her red toes peeked out of them. He especially liked her curly, unruly hair. He intended to run his fingers through it before the night was over when he finally cashed in on his raincheck.

  “Are you done looking?” Addison said. “If so, we can go.”

  “No Spanish Inquisition?” Caleb asked, looking over her shoulder and behind him.

  Addison smiled. “You were expecting my father to grill you?”

  “Considering his less than pleasant expression when he met me, yes.”

  She chuckled. “We had a talk after the event, and we came to an understanding.”

  “Which was?”

  “I’m an adult and will make my own decisions.
”

  “Good for you. So you ready to get this evening going?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “So where are we going?” Addison asked, hazarding a glance in Caleb’s direction as he drove. When he’d showed up to her doorstep, she’d lost her breath and nervous tension had filled her belly. The old Addison would have wanted to run and hide, but the new Addison was determined to face her attraction to this tall, sexy man. And sexy he was. It oozed out of his every pore, even though she knew he wasn’t one of those men that spent hours in the mirror. He was a man’s man, and it showed. He had a confidence and swagger that she’d never seen in any other man she’d ever dated.

  “It’s a surprise,” Caleb responded.

  “Really? Sounds like fun.”

  “I think you’ll like it. So tell me, Addison, why hasn’t some upstanding young man snapped you up?”

  “You mean why aren’t I married and settled down with a husband and starting a family?”

  “Something like that.”

  “It’s still a little early for that.”

  “You’re what, twenty-three, twenty-four?” Caleb surmised. “I would have thought that most Southern girls would have been raised to go looking for a husband right outta high school.”

  “Ah, you think very highly of us Southern girls, do you?” Addison smiled. “Well, some of us have higher aspirations than just being a Mrs.”

  “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

  “You didn’t because there are many Southern girls that go to college with that expectation. I just don’t happen to be one of them.”

  “So what do you do, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  Addison was surprised that their conversation was turning more personal. She’d expected with the chemistry between them that the evening would be highly sexual, but Caleb wanted to get to know her.

  “I work at my father’s oil tanker company. Been working there since I graduated. I’m working with his COO.”

  “Your father’s in the oil business? Interesting. I bet you’ll be there be in the COO’s chair before long if your father has anything to say about it.”