Red’s barking was met by the doorbell ringing. Andie wiped her hands and went for the video intercom.
Crap. It was Declan. This was not good.
Maybe she shouldn’t answer it. Just wait it out. Andie turned off the lights. Oops. That was dumb. Real dumb. Now he knew someone was home.
The doorbell’s continuous tone clanged in her ears. Declan had the button depressed without letting go. Both dogs aimed themselves at the door and barked. While Red had his ears down in defensive mode, silly Gollie was wagging her tail, yelping as if her playmate had arrived with a Santa sized sack of doggie biscuits.
Andie had to be the only person in Hollywood with the friendly dog who couldn’t tell if someone was good or bad.
A minute passed. Two minutes. Five. Declan turned to pounding and yelling, “Andie, I know you’re in there. Come on, open up, or I’ll stay here all night.”
Andie’s heart thumped deeply, and nausea squirmed in her belly. It was only a matter of time before Cade got here and then what?
She wanted to tell him herself. Needed to. Saturday, when she’d met Declan at the Chinese Theater admiring the hand- and footprints of the stars, she’d evaded Cade’s question of who Declan was with a simple, oh, just someone who was interested in Matt Damon—a stranger she’d had a conversation with.
Why had she lied?
Because she didn’t think. Or she thought she’d get away with it. She didn’t want to believe anything could get between her and Cade, and she wanted the evening to be magical and beautiful, everything she’d dreamed of.
And it had been. The concert at the Hollywood Bowl, the kisses and then later, the love they’d made in bed. All had been perfectly enchanting. And now? It could all be ruined by the maniac at the door.
Sweat poured down her face, and she shuddered to catch her breath. Declan was obviously not leaving. She pressed “talk” on the intercom and shut the video feed. She didn’t want to see his face as he pleaded with the camera. Didn’t want to remember how his lips felt or the way his eyes pooled deep and lustful, didn’t want to be reminded of his gestures, the way he’d tilt his head, or the lopsided grin with the dimple on one cheek. Worst of all was the way he’d strut and swagger like a little Napoleon, her model of King David, because as much as she tried to replace King David with Cade, it didn’t work. Cade was too big, too powerful, too overwhelming to be the trickster king. Cade would be more like Jonathan, a straight shooter and a loyal friend—the prince who lived and died honorably at the side of his father whom he could not betray.
Sheesh. What the hell was her mind doing? It wasn’t as if she were the casting agent for The Love Lives of King David.
Meanwhile, this David-wannabe needed to leave. She hardened her voice, while Red growled behind her. “Please leave. I can’t talk to you right now.”
“I have to see you, Andie.”
“Only if you’re signing the papers.”
“Why are you in such a hurry to end what we had?”
Andie gritted her teeth. She wasn’t getting through his thick head. The arrogant ass still thought of himself as a contender, or maybe he was only here to extort money from her.
“We haven’t kept in touch these last two years. We agreed to the divorce. You wanted it before your big Romeo and Juliet contract.”
“When you never returned the papers, I changed my mind. I missed you. Can’t blame me there, can you?” His voice took on a flirtatious lilt.
“You saw the envelope. It was never delivered. Why didn’t you call me to find out if I’d mailed it?” Andie rubbed her eyes and dragged her hand over her face. This was useless. Arguing over spilled milk. He was obviously trying to make things difficult for her. She’d try another angle. “What happened to all the models and movie stars you were dating, or should I say screwing?”
Declan sighed loudly. “They weren’t you. Seriously, you know that. They open their legs for anyone. It wasn’t fun anymore, and you know? I’m glad you thought we were divorced, because I’m sure it would have hurt you more if you thought we were still married.”
“We’re all but divorced. You just have to keep to the original agreement. No fault. No one owes anyone anything.”
“I don’t want to walk away, and I know you’re not a gold digger. You’re too honest. Open the door.”
Andie’s throat tightened and she gripped her fists. She hated to do this, but she had to make him leave. “Okay, so I’m not gold digging, but what about you? How much money do you want? Tell me, and we’ll make a deal. You sign and I’ll pay.”
“You’ll pay all right.” Declan laughed. Laughed in that rolling way of his that used to give her goosebumps, of the good kind. Only today, they gave her horrors. He was crazed—playing with her. She had to figure out his angle. It didn’t sound like it was money he wanted her to pay.
Frustrated, she screamed, “Go away. Go away, and leave me alone. Go, or I’ll call the police.”
Red and Gollie joined in on the commotion, their claws scrabbling on the floor and against the door as they pounced and lunged.
“Who the hell are you?” Cade’s deep voice thundered through the intercom. “Get off my property.”
Andie switched on the video feed.
Cade lifted Declan by his armpits and shoved him against the wall. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see Andie. I’m her husband.”
# # #
“Andie never mentioned being married,” Cade all but growled, even though a spear of shock stopped his heart cold. Could this be Declan? Oh, he was movie star handsome, all right, clean cut, all-American, picture perfect features, but a wimp.
Cade still hadn’t let the douche go, still had him pushed up against the wall, off his feet. But his legs felt like jelly and his head swirled. Why didn’t Andie tell him that she was married?
“If you’ll let me down, we can make the proper introductions,” the man said in a clipped, high-classed accent.
Cade let go of him, and he dropped to his feet, stumbling, before righting himself. The urge to plunge his fist through the pretty-boy face raged in Cade’s chest, but this wasn’t the football field and he was under contract with the Flash not to get into brawls.
The front door whooshed open, and Andie, Red, and Gollie tumbled out. Red took a defensive posture and cornered the intruder while Gollie swished around his and Andie’s legs, wanting to be greeted.
“Cade, let me explain.” Andie threw herself into his arms. “There was an envelope. It was missing in the mail for two years. I didn’t know until this morning.”
“Wait, wait.” Cade’s head felt light and about to explode, and his body wanted to levitate. “It’s true? This man’s your husband.”
“He was supposed to be my ex, but he never signed the divorce papers. I ran into him at the studio at the same time I got my envelope back—returned to sender, and my mom forwarded it to the studio after I left New York.” Her words tumbled like the bouncing fake rocks careening down the hillside of old Hollywood westerns.
“Can you call off the dogs, and we can all go inside and talk?” The actor who had to be Declan Reed eyed Red suspiciously.
“No, Cade. I want to talk to you first. He’s harassing me. He won’t sign the papers, and he wants money.”
Confusion was quickly replaced by anger. Cade pulled Red back and glared at Declan. “Get off my property. Now. We have nothing to talk about.”
“That’s what you think.” Declan straightened his lapels as Red gave him room to leave. He shrugged and tilted his head, not that he could have possibly looked down his nose at the taller Cade. “Andie and I have a lot of catching up to do. She never mailed the divorce papers, or if she did, she never followed up. I still love her, and I’m sure she has feelings for me.”
“Don’t listen to him. He’s lying. He’s a trickster. He’s just like King David. Did you know David pretended to be a madman once to trick the Philistine king who wanted to kill him? He pretended he was cra
zy. That’s what this man is. Crazy.”
“Crazy in love, honeybuns.” Declan winked.
Cade growled. “Go. Now.”
“Sure, fine. I’ll leave. But without my John Hancock, your girlfriend’s still my wife. Wouldn’t want to make an adulteress out of her, would you? In ancient Israel, adulteresses were stoned. You should read the bitter water test.”
“Fuck off.” Cade roared as Declan sauntered up the driveway with a jaunt in his step. “And don’t come back.”
Chapter 6
“I’m so glad to see you.” Andie trembled inside Cade’s arms as they walked back into the house. If he hadn’t been holding her up, she would have slipped to the ground. “How’s Roxanne and the baby?”
She had to keep her cool, explain everything thoroughly, but only if Roxanne were okay. Cade had enough on his shoulders.
“Found her at Rob’s. She’s fine and still pregnant.” Cade’s voice was tight. “What’s going on here? Are you really married to that guy?”
“It’s all a big misunderstanding.” Andie disengaged from Cade and rushed to her messenger bag. It was lying on the floor at the entry way. She pulled out the worn and well-traveled envelope. “Here, look.”
Cade held his hands up on both sides. “I don’t want to look. All I know is you’re not who you say you are.”
“I’m exactly me. I told you about Declan, that he was my ex.”
“Yes, ex. But I assumed ex-boyfriend. You never told me you were married.”
“I didn’t know when to tell you. It wasn’t like it was important. I thought I was divorced.” Andie shook the papers from the envelope. “Look. I signed it. See?”
Cade’s hands shook as he took the papers, scanning through it. His eyes bulged, and a fierce red burned in his face. “Antoinette Marie Wales. That’s your name?”
She shook his upper arm. “Yes, but I signed it. I thought we were divorced. He was supposed to file the papers. See? He prepared them. This is the cover letter telling me to sign and return them.”
Cade threw the papers, scattering them over the foyer while Red and Gollie took turns sniffing them. Red growled while Gollie wagged her tail.
Andie’s throat thickened, and she fought for control. “I’m sorry, Cade. I didn’t mean for you to find out this way.”
Without looking at her, he strode to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. A vein throbbed in his temple, and his lips were pressed in a thin line. If this were a cartoon, steam would be hissing from his ears.
Andie wrung her hands and followed, her every muscle jittery as adrenaline threaded through her veins.
“Tell me everything’s going to be okay. Cade, please. I know you’re angry. Tell me what you’re thinking. I can’t take this.” She reached to touch him, but withdrew her hand, stiffening herself. He’d already walked away from her and turned his back. His hands gripped the kitchen counter, white knuckled and tense.
“Look, Andie. I have a lot on my mind. Let’s forget about it for now.”
“Sure, yes. I know. Roxanne, the baby. I … will be in my room, maybe not. Do you still want me here?” Andie couldn’t help her tongue from running wild. Inside, her heart was crumbling like a drying sand castle in the wind. Her hopes and dreams blew away, leaving her tumbling into a sinkhole.
“You can stay.” Cade slammed the empty water glass after draining it. “I’m going to my room.”
“Do you still want to talk to me?”
“Not now.” He avoided her gaze.
“Then, should I move out?”
“If you want.” His wide body brushed by her, forcing her to back up against the refrigerator as he swept out of the kitchen, followed by his dog, Red.
Like a lost waif, Andie trailed them through the great room, watching in despair as he and Red disappeared through the double doors to the room he’d been staying at.
She stared after him, tears pooling and finally spilling down her cheeks. Beside her, Gollie licked her fingers.
“Oh, Gollie, what am I going to do?” She hugged her dog and wept into her soft fur. “I love that man. Love him so much.”
“Who do you love?” A hand touched her shoulder. How long had Cade’s mom, Barbara, been lurking?
“Cade. I love Cade,” she spoke into Gollie’s neck.
Barbara rubbed her back. “I found those papers scattered everywhere. The dogs were making a mess of them.”
“Oh, no. I need them.” Andie lifted her face from her dog and wiped her eyes. “I need to get them signed and filed.”
“Well, here they are, a little crumpled.” She packed them into Andie’s hands. “You want to talk?”
“I don’t know. You’re Cade’s mom.” Andie stacked the papers as best she could and shoved them into the now torn envelope. “I barely know you, and now you must think the worst about me.”
“If Cade told you anything about me, what must you think about me?” the older woman drawled. “Why don’t I fix you some hot chocolate, and we’ll watch the city lights from the living room.”
She flashed Andie a smile, her mouth full of eroded, yellowish-brown teeth. The lines under her eyes probably made her appear older than she should, and the skin on her arms was pitted and blotchy, scarred with healed track marks and needle pricks.
Andie couldn’t say ‘no’ and hurt her feelings, especially since she was reaching out to her.
“I don’t think badly about you. I mean, I felt bad for both you and Cade, but I’m glad you’re here for Cade and his baby.”
“If it’s his baby …” Barbara’s eyes narrowed. “Come, let’s get that hot chocolate. I’m sober these days, so if you want to spike it, just don’t let me sniff it.”
“Oh, no. No spiking.” Andie said. “I like mine with cinnamon and a pinch of salt.”
“Cool. I take cayenne and vanilla powder, no alcohol in the powder you know.”
She seemed to be trying really hard for Andie to not think badly of her. How sad it must be for her to have hurt Cade when he was small and vulnerable. At least, she was making up for it now.
Tears welled in Andie’s eyes, and she sighed, shuddering. She had also hurt Cade tonight while he was vulnerable—worried about his baby.
“What did you mean if it’s his baby?” Andie asked, pulling up a bar stool to sit, as Barbara measured the cocoa powder and spices.
“When Cade and I went to visit the baby doctor, there was some black guy who’d been there too, apparently asking about Roxanne’s pregnancy.” Barbara raised her eyebrows. “Course it’d be easy to tell once the baby’s born, so I don’t see why Roxanne would insist the baby’s Cade’s. Something’s not right there. I didn’t survive thirty years on the streets and not pick up vibes.”
She heated milk over the stove and wrinkled her brow as if she were figuring out a puzzle.
“Maybe that’s why Roxanne decided not to come live here,” Andie surmised. “Except if the baby isn’t Cade’s, I don’t see what she hopes to gain.”
“Exactly. I don’t know what it is, but I smell a fish, like she has something to hide. I bet it’s nosy me she doesn’t want to be around.”
“Or maybe it’s me,” Andie finished. “Think I should move out? I mean, you heard right? I’m still married to my ex.”
“Yeah, I heard. I was in the living room enjoying the sunset, and I didn’t want to disturb you guys.” She poured the hot chocolate into mugs on a tray. “I suppose I should move out now that Roxanne’s not coming by.”
“No, you stay. Someone’s gotta watch out for Cade.” Andie followed Barbara to the living room, trailed by Gollie. It wasn’t like she wanted to move out, but if Cade wasn’t going to speak to her, it would be awkward and painful. Maybe having his mother, no matter how belated, would be a comfort to him while she figured out how to get rid of Declan.
The three of them made themselves comfortable on the couch. Gollie rested her head on Andie’s lap. Below them, the night lights of downtown Los Angeles glittered like spa
rkling jewels, along with the mesmerizing red and white opposing ribbons of traffic streaming by.
“I could get used to this,” Barbara said. “But I don’t deserve to be sponging off Cade. He’s bought me a house already. I insisted on a small one in Wilmington, down south where I grew up.”
“Wilmington? Not Delaware, I bet,” Andie mumbled and sipped the chocolate. Why was she always a babbling fool when she was nervous? Of course, not Delaware. Duh.
“It was named for the one in Delaware. I’m descended from one of the founders of the town, or so I’ve been told. I love it down there—the heart of the harbor, and everyone’s so friendly and laid back. It’s a working class neighborhood and doesn’t have the view Cade has up here.” She studied the city lights below, holding her mug in front of her chest. “Anyway, enough about me. What are you going to do about this situation?”
Andie wiped her palms down her face. “I’m trying to get Declan, my ex, to sign the divorce, but he won’t. California’s a community property state, and he probably wants fifty percent of my money.”
“You have a lot?”
“No. I mean, I have some savings in New York, but my father’s very ill, and everything I’m making here goes back home to help with his health care. That’s why Cade’s letting me stay here rent free. I feel like I’m mooching off him, too.”
Barbara set her mug on the coffee table and put her hands behind her head, resting. “He’s always had a soft heart for people in need. I’m surprised there aren’t more hangers-on, but I think his friend Ronaldo investigates a lot of his friends and vets them—keeps him from being taken advantage of.”
Uh oh. Andie’s heart squeezed in on itself. Ronaldo must disapprove of her. Hadn’t he warned her not to hurt Cade?
“You’ve met Ronaldo?” she asked Cade’s mom. “How did he and Cade become friends?”
“Met him and got the third degree. He wanted references from my drug counselors, tax returns showing I could hold a job, background check, no more using, drinking, or even friends who used. The only exceptions were Cade’s brother and sister. They aren’t clean. His sister’s in jail for gambling. Running money for the mob, putting in bets for unnamed guys behind the scene. She almost got Cade banned from football, except the commissioner spoke to the investigator and determined neither she nor Cade had any way of knowing Cade would play in the Super Bowl, since he wasn’t the starting quarterback. That was a close call, but Ronaldo wants to shield Cade from anyone who could hurt him.”
Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six Page 24