Crossroad To Love (Fab Five Series)

by Kristell, Anna

  Marianne would be taking Katy to the airport since it looked as if Ryan would not be. Katy would fly home on Saturday and begin working on her designs. There she would wait for Ryan’s call so she could make arrangements to come back to Dallas. She was glad Marianne had invited her to stay with her and Jon when she came back. She was sure she would need the support of her friend during that stay. Katy also would be making a trip to Iowa to meet with Angie. So she would have work and travel to fill her time while she recovered from this traumatic trip to Dallas. Would it be enough?

  Marianne would be returning home to get her life back on track with Jon and was looking forward to a romantic getaway in San Antonio. Feeling slightly sorry for herself, Katy wondered when she would get a romantic getaway.

  They had all promised to stay in touch with Chloe and to include her in their next get-together. That might be difficult. Katy would be the fifth wheel, so to speak. When those plans had been made, Katy thought Ryan would be at her side for all the future get-togethers.

  What a week it had been, with each one of them at a crossroad in their lives. Marianne, Lizzie, and Angie had all chosen the turn in their road and were happy. Now that the week was winding down and they only had one more night together before heading back to their lives, it would be a special night for each of them. They savored their times together and looked forward to the next. They each had their own private thoughts and favorite times to remember. But this time, Katy would be going home with a heavy heart. She was still at her crossroad, unsure of which turn to take.

  She finally forced herself to get out of bed, showered, dressed, and, bracing herself for the onslaught of questions from her friends, walked into the kitchenette. She helped herself to the coffee and rolls and sat down on a barstool to eat, looking around for the others. Lizzie must have left already for her meeting. Angie was on the phone. Marianne rose from the couch and joined Katy at the bar. Marianne patted her hand and asked quietly, “Did you get any sleep at all, honey?”

  “A little, I think I dreamed a lot, but they were all mixed up,” Katy replied.

  “If you want to talk, know that I’m here. But if you’re not ready, I won’t push. We’re going shopping at the mall later. Do you feel like going?”

  “Not really, but I’ll go anyway. I want to pick up something for Alex from Texas. I can’t sit around moping forever. I might as well get on with my life. I met a man and it didn’t work out. No big deal.”

  “Oh, I think it was more than that, don’t you, Katy? I think this was a very big deal for you. Don’t underplay it.”

  “Let’s head to the mall, or are we waiting for Liz to get back?” Katy asked, changing the subject abruptly.

  “No, I think we can go without Liz. She may be gone for a while.” Angie walked in. She had finished her phone call to her secretary, Lynne, and had heard part of the conversation between Mari and Katy.

  The three women walked through the mall, window shopping, and just enjoying their time together. Katy picked up a Texas tee shirt and a keychain for Alex, bought herself some jasmine-scented bath beads and watched as Angie scoured the entire Victoria’s Secret store for the perfect negligee for her honeymoon. Katy realized that evidently the wedding was going to be sooner rather than later from the sounds of it. That was wise. Those two had wasted enough time. Grab the golden ring while you can. You may never get the chance again, she thought wryly. They lunched in the food court at the mall, deciding to go back early to the suite and wait for Liz. Katy was anxious to hear about Ryan.

  As they were walked into the lobby, Michael was entering from the direction of the elevators.

  “Hi there, girls, are you enjoying the Texas sunshine?” he asked as he approached them. He leaned over and gave Angie a peck on the cheek and smiled at Marianne and Katy.

  He certainly is a happy man these last few days, Katy thought enviously. Normally she would have been happy for him, but her senses were dulled by all that had taken place in her own life recently.

  “We thought we had better check on Liz and see if she’s back yet.”

  “I just came from the restaurant. I had some things to go over with the O’Gradys before I leave town. Rex and Liz were still there. I don’t know what was wrong with Ryan this morning. He looked pretty rough. I asked him if he wanted to talk about it, but he said he’d rather not.”

  “That would be my fault, Michael. I told him some news last night that pretty much ended us before we began,” Katy explained and walked to the elevator. She got on and went ahead to the suite, leaving the others in the lobby.

  “Do you think they’ll ever be able to work through this?” Angie asked with concern in her voice.

  “Look at us, Baby, if we can do it, anyone can do it. Just give them some time. Ryan seems like a good guy. I got good vibes from him from the start.”

  “I hope you’re right. It took Katy so long to find someone special. I just hate that it’s not working out for her.”

  “They have to deal with it on their own. It would be a pretty bitter pill to swallow, finding out the connection they had in the past.”

  “I still think it was fate that brought them together,” Marianne ventured. “But for what reason is the mystery.”

  “You and your fate, I swear, Marianne.” Angie and Michael both laughed as they hugged their friend.

  “Well, you girls had better go check on Katy. I may go back and see if I can buy Ryan a drink and get him to open up to me after his meeting with Lizzie and Rex this afternoon. He might welcome a friendly ear about now,” Michael offered. He wanted to help Katy in any way he could. She’d been a sympathetic listener and a good friend to him throughout the years.

  “That would be so sweet of you, Michael.” Angie blew him a kiss as she headed for the elevator, trying in vain to hide her purchases from him. He pointed to the Victoria’s Secret package and gave her the thumbs up, causing her to blush again.

  “Well, ma’am, I aim to please.” He winked at her as she got on the elevator to meet her friends. “And looks like you do, too. Honeymoon shopping is a good sign.” He smiled as he walked out into the autumn sunshine, whistling as he put on his sunglasses.

  CHAPTER 25

  At a corner table in the private dining room of ‘Chloe’s Place,’ Lizzie, Rex, Chloe, and Shane were busily going over all the ads and the contracts, when Ryan sauntered in to join them. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “Quite all right, Ryan.” Lizzie glanced at him as she spoke. He looked a little rough around the edges, like he had not slept well and maybe had one too many drinks the night before. Even so, he was still a very handsome creature. She could see why Katy was so drawn to him.

  Chloe exchanged glances with Lizzie and rose to pour Ryan a mug of hot, black coffee from the server. She handed it to her brother-in-law and said, “Drink it, bro, you look like you could use it this morning.” It was not like Ryan to drink too much, but if Chloe did not know better, she would swear he was nursing one heck of a hangover this morning. He must have tied one on after he got back to the condo last night.

  Ryan was silent for most of the meeting, letting Chloe and Shane handle much of the details. He gave his opinion when asked and signed his name on the contract, then excused himself politely, apologizing again for his tardiness. He had met with Michael earlier and had gone for a walk to clear his head, resulting in his being late for this meeting. He was not normally a drinker and he was not normally late for meetings, but last night and this morning were an exception to both rules.

  “Ryan, if you need to talk…” Rex offered politely.

  “Thank you, Rex. Actually, Michael sent me a text a few minutes ago. We’re meeting for drinks later. If you’d like to join us, you’re more than welcome. I am meeting him at the hotel bar. He said the girls have a big evening planned for their last night in town together and he was at loose ends for the evening. I could really use the distraction, myself. We’re meeting at seven.”

  “I’ll plan on it, then. Se
e you later.” Rex looked at Lizzie and shook his head after Ryan had left the room.

  Lizzie had managed to grab a few minutes alone with Chloe while Rex was talking to Ryan. She learned that Ryan had confided in Shane and Chloe a little last night. He had stopped by their place after dropping Katy at the hotel. He was, just as Katy had said, very confused and very torn. Chloe felt that in time, Ryan would be able to overcome his guilty feelings. She only hoped he would not wait too long. Katy was very special and Chloe would hate to see him lose her needlessly. Lizzie reassured Chloe that Katy was not the type to rush into things and maybe it would just be a matter of time before the two realized what they could have. She related that she knew Katy had strong feelings for Ryan, just in the short time that she had known him. The two friends said goodbye with a pact to see Katy and Ryan through this. Lizzie would be flying back to Dallas in a month to work on ads, so maybe things would be better by then.

  As Lizzie and Rex headed back to the hotel, they discussed their friends’ situation.

  “Do you think you can get Ryan to open up tonight?” Lizzie asked her husband.

  “I don’t know. I’m sure that’s what Michael had in mind when he suggested they meet. But we don’t know Ryan all that well, yet. We’ll just have to let him make the first move, if he wants to talk. It will nice just to have a guy’s night out, anyway. Do you think Jon would want to join us?”

  “Maybe, I can have Marianne call him when I get back to the hotel.”

  They drove the rest of the way back to the hotel, enjoying their last day in the beautiful Texas sunshine. When they returned to Ohio, it would be to crisp, cool autumn weather.

  When Lizzie entered the suite, she immediately told the girls about the men’s plan and asked Marianne if she thought Jon would want to join them. “I’ll give him a call right now. It’ll be nice for all the guys to get together.”

  She called Jon. He was delighted to hear from her and agreed to meet the others at the hotel bar at seven. “And Mari,” Jon said as she was about to hang up the phone, “I love you. Thank you for including me.”

  “Love you, too,” she said softly as she hung up. The words had come out much more easily than she would have imagined. Maybe they did have a chance to repair the damage that had been done to their marriage after all.

  “It’s all set,” she said as she entered the living room of the suite. “Jon will join the others.”

  “That’s good,” Angie said.

  “Marianne, we were just wondering if we should invite Chloe over tonight. Do you think she could get away from the restaurant?” Lizzie asked.

  “Well, that is what they have managers for, isn’t it? I think it’s a splendid idea, since she is an honorary member of the ‘Fab Four’… ‘Fab Five’ now. It would make her feel like she really is one of us.”

  “I’ll call her right now.” Lizzie picked up the phone and began dialing.

  “What about Shane? Should we tell her to send him with Ryan?” Angie asked as she remembered Chloe’s handsome hubby.

  “We wouldn’t want him to feel left out,” Katy agreed.

  Chloe was touched to be included in the girls’ last night in Dallas. She quickly agreed to meet them at the suite. They had explained to her that it was going to be girl’s night in, with room service, lots of conversation, and maybe a chick flick.

  “I’ll bring the dessert. See you later.” Chloe turned to find Shane and fill him in on the evening’s plans.

  Now that everything was in place for the evening, the girls sat down to relax while waiting for Chloe to arrive. They would order dinner when she got to the suite and then the fun could begin.

  At seven o’clock, the five men met at the hotel bar and found a table. They ordered a round of drinks.

  Shane was the first to speak, “Thank you all so much. This is great. I haven’t had a guys’ night out for a long time. It feels good to get away from the restaurant for a while, right, Ryan?”

  “Sure, bro. I really needed this male bonding, even though I’m not in the most talkative of moods tonight,” Ryan replied with a sigh.

  “Ryan, whatever you need, we’re here for you. You’re one of us now, man,” Michael offered with a smile.

  “Yeah, we know what you’re dealing with. It’s tough, but you’ll get through it. We’ll see to that,” Rex replied.

  “We have all had a rough week, Ryan, but the ‘Fab Four’… ‘Five’ is worth it,” Jon said. “Rex, Michael, and I have known that for a long time.”

  “I appreciate it more than you know, guys, but this is just something I never imagined in a million years. It’ll take me some time to come to grips with it.”

  “Understood, just know that we’re here for you. You and Shane are welcome members to our group and we don’t include just anyone. You’re one of us now.”

  The men spent the better part of the next few hours getting to know Ryan and Shane, and discussing the past week and all of its high and low points. They gave each other advice and shared a few laughs. Ryan actually felt much better when the evening had ended. He and Shane both felt like part of the crowd by the time the last round of drinks had been downed. He had Katy to thank for introducing him to such a great group of friends. They certainly had each had their share of problems with their lady loves this week. It felt good to be able to share with them. He and Shane discussed the other fellows on the ride home.

  “Great group, aren’t they? And they’re all so close, for not seeing each other all that much,” Shane ventured. He hoped the evening had been good for Ryan. His brother deserved to be happy. And he deserved to have Katy in his life. If only he would see that.

  “Yes, they are. The men in that group are just as special as the women. They are all just wonderful people.”

  “Are you feeling any better about things, bro?”

  “I know Katy thinks she wants to have a relationship with me. I’m just afraid that she will change her mind after she has had time to think about it all. It’s better to give us both some space than to rush headlong into something that might not last, because if we decide to move forward, I definitely want it to last. She is the woman I have been waiting for. I want us both to be sure. We have to see if this accident is going to come between us or not before we start anything.”

  “I see your point, but Ryan, don’t keep her waiting too long. She’s a special lady and I would hate to see you lose her because you waited. I think she’s pretty sure of her feelings, from what she’s told Chloe.”

  “She’ll be coming back to Dallas. We’ll have chances to talk again. But for now, I just need to keep my distance, as hard as that is to do. It’s the best thing for both of us.”

  “Not going to see her off at the airport tomorrow?” Shane looked at his older brother.

  “I can’t. It would be too hard to see her get on that plane, knowing I may not see her again, other than on a business level. It’s better this way.”

  “If you say so, just remember what I said.”

  “I will.” Ryan sighed as he looked out the car window, obviously deep in his own thoughts.

  Earlier in the evening, the girls had ordered room service, and enjoyed Chloe’s dessert while giggling like schoolgirls all evening. This was their night and they intended to enjoy it. Chloe was amazed. She envied them their years of closeness and wondered what it would have been like to have grown up with this bunch. She was grateful to be included now and intended to have as much fun as the rest of the girls. She told them a little about herself, and they filled her in on their lives. They talked of the restaurant, of the plans she had. They talked of their week in Dallas and all their personal dramas. The conversation eventually worked its way to Katy and Ryan.

  “All I can tell you, Katy, is to be patient with my brother-in-law. He has been through a lot and so have you. You two have a special bond in more ways than one. Give him the time he asked for. That’s all you can do. And don’t give up on him. I hope to have you for my sis-in-law someday.�
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  Katy replied sadly, “That would be great… if it ever comes to that, Chloe. Rest assured, I don’t intend to give up on him. I’ll give him however much time he needs. I’m not going anywhere. He’s in my heart and that is where he’ll stay. Whether we go any further is something only time will tell.”

  “I am so glad to hear you say that. I’ll do my part on this end to try and get him to come around. We’ll be seeing you again soon for work anyway. It’s not like you’re going back to Chicago and never coming back,” Chloe offered enthusiastically.

  Lizzie, Marianne, and Angie listened to the conversation with interest. It was good that Katy had Ryan’s family in her corner.

  The girls ordered a movie and spent the rest of the evening laughing and crying over the sappy chick flick. It was the perfect way to end their week together.

  When the movie ended, Chloe hugged each of her new friends and thanked them again for including her in the festivities.

  “Keep in touch. Marianne, you and I will have to get together for lunch sometime.”

  “We definitely will,” Marianne answered with a smile.

  “Angie, take care of Michael. We’ll try not to keep him in Dallas for too long when he comes back to work on the expansion.”

  Angie laughed as she hugged Chloe. “At least I’ll know he’s in good hands.”

  “Lizzie, I’ll see you in about a month. Keep up the good work on the ads.”

  “You can bet on it, I can’t wait to get busy. It’ll be good to see you again so soon, too.”

  “And Katy, please, keep your chin up. It will all work out. You and Ryan are going to be together. I just know it.”

  “Thanks for everything, Chloe. I’ll see you soon with some more designs.” The two girls hugged and vowed to call each other often.

  With that, Chloe was out the door and headed home. The other four went in to pack and prepare for their departure tomorrow. Lizzie’s cell phone rang as she was closing her suitcase. It was Cara. Lizzie had left her a message earlier to tell her that she and Rex would not be home for a few more days. Her daughter was returning the call.