Chasing You (Thirsty Hearts Book 4)

by Jayne, Kris

  “Do you want some company? I can ride with you.”

  “No, no. You don’t have to do that. I’m pulling it together. I am. I’m my mother’s daughter. We do what needs doing.” Alexa sat back on the couch, pressing the cold, sweating glass to her temple. “Could you stay for a little?”

  “Of course. Do you need help with anything?”

  “No. I just need to pack. You can keep me company. Talk to me about something stupid.”

  “You’re in luck. Stupidity is my expertise.” Graham’s soft grin reassured her. “Did I tell you that my friend’s wife is on the Real Housewives of Dallas? I can’t believe he agreed to have cameras in his house. Her, I can totally believe. Sometimes, I think her big, blonde Dallas hair is ingrown.”

  Alexa managed a breathy chuckle and went back to the bedroom to pack. Graham followed, regaling her with tales of Dallas’ not-so-high society.

  Once packed, she dropped onto the bed in a daze. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  Graham leaned over her and pulled her curls out of her face. “You should try to sleep a little before driving.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Just past eleven.”

  Her nerves jangled. “I’m not going to get any sleep.”

  “Then, lie down at least.” He moved her bag to the floor.

  Alexa rolled to her side and scrambled back on the bed. Flat on her back, she stared at the ceiling.

  “Come on.” Graham walked around the bed and yanked back the quilt as far as it would go with Alexa sprawled on top of it. “Under the covers.”

  She obliged him. He pulled the quilted bed covering to her chin and sat on the edge of the bed. Their brown eyes met and held as he lowered his head and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Alexa closed her eyes, lifting her hand to the light stubble of his cheek.

  His lips grazed hers, and she froze, suspended somewhere between yearning and guilt. Graham pulled back and ran the pad of his thumb over her eyebrow. She sighed, and he jerked his hand back as if he’d been burned. Alexa’s eyes snapped open.

  “Good night.” He stood, still staring at her.

  “Are you headed home?”

  Graham shook his head. “I’ll be on the couch if you need me.”

  Relief flooded her. “Thanks, Graham.”

  “No problem.”

  Their eyes bored into each other, and she lost her breath. The taste of his kiss clung to her lips. He stepped back and turned. All the things Alexa wished she had the energy to say died in the air between her and Graham’s retreating back.

  * * *

  Alexa’s couch offered Graham little comfort. He wriggled and stretched and couldn’t relax. Except for the surge of the air conditioner turning on, silence blanketed the house, and he wondered if Alexa had been able to fall asleep.

  He certainly couldn’t. So, he got up and tiptoed down the hall to Alexa’s open bedroom door. He halted with a creak on the hardwood, feeling like a creep.

  She’d flung off the quilt and lay on her side with her knees tucked nearly to her chin. The childlike pose made his chest ache. He hoped her father would be all right. He didn’t know what was worse, losing a parent slowly and painfully or suddenly and violently. The heartbreak of both pained him.

  He stepped away from her door and ventured back to the living room sofa. The sight of Alexa forlorn was a vision he never wanted to see again. The Alexa he knew stood tall, staring down any challenge and laughing at the notion of defeat. That was not the woman who opened the door to him a few hours earlier.

  Nothing compelled him more than the helplessness in her voice when he’d called, but now that he was here, wide awake on the couch at two in the morning, he wondered if he shouldn’t have come over.

  If Adam had been in town, he wouldn’t be here. If she’d been able to reach Melissa, he wouldn’t be here. If her cousin lived in town, he wouldn’t be here. A surrogate boyfriend and surrogate friend—that’s what he was tonight. A stand-in.

  He inhaled sharply—her scent of vanilla and musk clinging to his memory. Her warm, tired body against his had sparked something inside him. Not lust. Not when she shook with fear and tears. Something better. Something worse.

  He shouldn’t have come. The thought plagued him into a light, unsatisfying sleep until he saw the pop of light from her room down the hall and heard the soft thump of footsteps.

  “You’re still here.”

  The pleasure in her voice made him never want to leave.

  “Yeah.”

  He yawned and blinked, trying not to absorb how beautiful she looked in her giant T-shirt, faded denim, and bare feet. She’d pulled her hair up on her head into a lopsided pile. The cloud of curls looked like a billowy hat perched on the side of her head.

  “I’m going to make some breakfast and get on the road. You want anything?”

  “You’re cooking?”

  “I can scramble eggs,” she said with insistent pride and the hint of a smile.

  Apparently, they were simply not going to speak of what passed between them the night before. Her emotions got the better of her, and now, she would pretend they hadn’t. Graham had a harder time putting on the act.

  “I probably should get going.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  He swung his feet to the floor and grabbed his left sneaker.

  “How about some coffee? I can at least make you some coffee. I have an espresso machine. Best espresso within at least a hundred feet or so.”

  Her humor tugged at the corners of his mouth, and Graham felt a pull in his gut.

  “Another time.”

  “Okay,” she repeated. “Thanks for staying. I was a mess last night. It was good to have company.”

  He ran a hand through his hair and finished tying his right shoe. “Give me a call when you get to Dallas. And keep me posted on your dad.”

  “I will.”

  Graham snatched up his keys and hurried to open the door. She padded after him, putting her hand on his shoulder. It slipped off as he stepped outside. He wanted to sprint to his car, but turned around instead. Her eyes, tired and slightly swollen, leveled with his.

  “Thanks again.”

  “It’s nothing. I’ll talk to you later.”

  He jogged down the steps and didn’t look back.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Other than the usual crawl out of Round Rock and then again on the other side of Waco, Alexa reached North Dallas in good time. She almost wished for more traffic to consume her mind, so she wouldn’t have to think about Graham.

  Before heading to Taryn and Jeff’s, she stopped to get gas and phoned Adam. A knot curled in her stomach as she steeled herself to go through the story again.

  “Alexa, darling. Hello. I didn’t expect you to call so early.”

  She pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time. It was six forty-five California time. “I know. I wanted to catch you as soon as I could. My mom called me last night, and—” She lingered over what to say next and decided to spit it out. “My dad was shot. He’s fine. He was only shot in the arm, but I’m heading up there. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. Maybe just the week.”

  “Oh, my God. Is he in hospital?”

  “Yeah. They had to do surgery. My mom left a message overnight that he’s already in recovery. Thank God for trauma surgeons like Kyle.” Alexa paused to catch her breath. “Anyway, I just got to Dallas. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

  “Okay. Should you be driving all that way? How far is that?”

  “About six hours total from Austin. It’s not too bad. I’m picking up my cousin Taryn in Dallas, and I’ve driven this stretch probably a hundred times. Straight up 35. I’ll be fine.”

  “It doesn’t seem like a good idea for you to drive that far by yourself.”

  “I’m already half-way there. Maybe in England the distance a big deal, but it’s not here—especially in Texas. I don’t have the energy to argue.”

  �
�Then, maybe you really shouldn’t be driving. And Taryn’s pregnant, isn’t she? The two of you driving—”

  “I’ve got to go Adam. I’m on my way to Taryn’s, and we’ll want to get on the road. I’ll talk to you when I get back.”

  Alexa didn’t wait for Adam’s affirmation. She tapped the END button on her phone and started the car.

  A few minutes later, she rounded the circular drive in front of her cousin’s massive home and saw the front door fly open before she could even get out of the car. She opened the car door, and Taryn launched.

  “Hey! We’re ready to go. Jeff insisted on driving.”

  “He doesn’t have to do that. Who’s going to stay with Olivia?”

  “Her mom came to get her this morning. It’s fine.”

  Taryn toddled toward her. At seven months pregnant and only five-foot-two, she was beginning to resemble a walking basketball.

  Alexa climbed out of her car, reaching across the front console to get her purse. As soon as she turned around, Taryn sidled next to her and hugged her sideways.

  “I’m so glad your dad’s going to be all right! I talked to your mom an hour or so ago. He’s still a little groggy from the surgery, but she said he’s talking and joking.”

  “Did you get to talk to my dad?”

  “No. He was resting.”

  The sound of grinding metal scratched through the air as the iron gate next to their house cranked open. Taryn’s husband, Jeff, eased his SUV out into the drive, pulling forward to leave room behind him.

  “Do you have a bag?” Taryn asked Alexa, looking through the car window.

  “I have a suitcase in the trunk.”

  His tinted window slid down. “Let’s get it in the car, and then you can pull your car into the garage.”

  Alexa transferred her luggage to Jeff’s SUV and hopped back in her car, comforted by doing what she was told. Taryn was now in charge, and she could relax.

  Jeff guided them through a series of highways until they were on track for Oklahoma City. Alexa stretched her legs across the back seat, propping her against the driver-side door.

  “You know what I was thinking of, Taryn? That time you came to visit over the summer. You were maybe seven or eight.”

  “I remember that. I was seven. You had to have been twelve. I trailed after you and your friends every day, riding bikes or going to the pool. I think I maybe annoyed you.”

  Alexa laughed. “A little, but my mother made me promise to be nice.”

  “I thought you were so cool.”

  “Thought I was cool? I was the bomb.”

  A trickle of Taryn’s laughter rolled into the back seat. Alexa closed her eyes. She could feel the intense heat of the Oklahoma sun on her face and hear the screech of kids laughing as they popped wheelies on their bikes.

  “On the weekends, my dad would wake us up really early in the morning to either go fishing or just wandering around the woods. Dad’s always been a country guy. He loves getting outside.”

  “He taught me how to bait a hook. Still, I stunk at fishing. All that sitting still and being quiet. My chatter drove him crazy.”

  “He loved it. I don’t think he had any illusions about catching any fish with two girls giggling and rocking the boat.”

  “Your mom and dad were like a second set of parents to me. I loved those summers in the big city.” Taryn turned toward Jeff in the driver’s seat. “Oklahoma City was the big city to me in those days. They had real malls and more than one movie theater. Big-time stuff.”

  “Mom and Dad loved having you visit. They always wanted more than one kid. I think when you came, they could see what it would’ve been like to have a larger family.”

  The car fell silent.

  Both sisters, Brenda Stevens and Taryn’s mother, Annabelle, had tried for more kids with heartbreaking complications. Alexa’s parents had a lifelong sadness over the children they’d lost—even as they put on happy faces.

  “Mine too,” Taryn said after a minute.

  Neither one of the younger women had siblings, but they had each other. Now, Taryn was pregnant herself. Seeing her waddling and aglow warmed Alexa’s spirit.

  She let her mind wander to the idea of being pregnant. Taking on a family sounded like nothing but stress. Recalling the warmth of her childhood memories, however, tickled a part of her brain she assumed would lie dormant forever.

  Taryn’s voice broke into Alexa’s thoughts. “Family is everything.” She twisted in her seat and sent Alexa a sweet, comforting smile.

  “Have I told you how excited I am about you and the baby? I’ll have to make a trip up to Dallas just to see your nursery. It sounds like it’s going to be beautiful.”

  Taryn and Jeff—though mostly Taryn—hired a muralist to paint a jungle scene on the wall. The sketch featured friendly lions, a fat monkey swinging from a tree, and assorted other creatures.

  “It is! We bought our crib the other day and went through the baby shop to pick the registry for the baby shower.”

  “Micky just sent the invitations out over the weekend. She also sent an email invite to everyone,” Alexa said.

  Taryn’s best friend, Micky, asked Alexa if she could come up early and help set up everything for the shower—mostly to keep Taryn from stepping in and taking over the planning.

  “Good. It took me a while to get her all the email addresses she needed for the invitations. And then there’s food and games. I finally talked someone into doing a co-ed baby shower.”

  Jeff had his limits, and he interjected in a tone that walked a careful line of diplomacy. “We’ll have to talk about games. I love you, but my friends don’t want to pin the tail on the diaper or whatever people do. We should make it more of a barbecue.”

  Alexa snickered. “Micky and I will make sure that happens. And, we’ll make sure Taryn just shows up as the guest of honor.”

  A loud huff came from the front passenger seat. “I know. It’s just killing me.”

  Since Taryn planned events for a living, Alexa knew that leaving the details to other people would be a struggle for her.

  “We’ve got it under control. Jeff, I promise no silly games. Taryn, relax.”

  Jeff chuckled. “Good luck. She’s freaking out about the shower, the nursery, everything.”

  “I’m a control freak, and you love it, mister.” Taryn smacked him on the leg and then pointed at Alexa. “Let’s talk about what’s going on with you. How are things with Adam? When do I get to meet him?”

  “Things are good. I like him. We’re hanging out. It’s good.”

  “You like him? Every time I talk to you, he’s done some other incredibly romantic, relationship-y thing. Since you haven’t run the other way, I’m assuming that you more than ‘like’ him.”

  Alexa sighed. “I do. It’s a new thing. I’m giving this a chance.”

  “The guy from New Year’s is totally history?”

  “Yes, but not totally, totally. He’s still my landlord. We’re still working on a benefit for my friends, Toby and Sarah. And, actually,” Alexa paused, clearing her throat. “He called right after I got off the phone with my mom and ended up coming over to check on me.”

  “You invited him over?”

  “No. He called, and I was upset. So…he just came over.”

  Taryn exchanged a glance with Jeff, and Alexa continued. “As a friend. That’s all. He was worried.”

  “You’re not interested in him, then?”

  “No. Graham is not the best prospect. Adam is… steadier. He’s gentlemanly and kind of traditional about romance and courtship. Sort of.”

  “You like that?” Jeff queried. Alexa could see his eyes bounce up to the rearview mirror.

  “He’s not that traditional. I mean, he’s an artist, and he paints nudes. He’s traditional in that he wants to date, and he’s pursuing me. Who doesn’t want to be wooed?”

  Taryn gave Alexa a thumbs up. “I’m glad, and again, I need to meet this guy.”

 
“We’ll come back up in a few of weeks. Scout’s honor.”

  “Good. Just watch out for this Graham situation. If you’re attracted to him, and he’s hanging around, it’s easy to start thinking that the grass is always greener.”

  “Trust me, I know he’s not greener.”

  Alexa spoke with a confidence that didn’t quite reach her gut. When she forgot that Graham was a player, it was easy to be attracted by his game—handsome, funny, and caring when he wanted to be.

  Of course, she couldn’t forget he was a player. It would be all too easy to slip back into her usual mode of avoiding relationships altogether.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Dad?”

  His coloring shocked her, but Carlisle Stevens’ ashen face brightened as Alexa touched his hand. She leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead, taking comfort in the warmth of his skin.

  “Hey, Lexie Lex. Come to join the party?”

  “Is that what this is?” Her voice cracked along with her resolve to not cry. A burst of teardrops slid down her face. Her chin tickled as they hovered there. She snagged a tissue from the bedside table and dabbed them before they fell.

  “Every day, it’s a party, Lex—especially since you came all this way to see me.”

  She stroked her dad’s cheek and perched on the edge of the stool next to bed, clutching her handbag to her stomach with her other hand.

  “You didn’t have to go through all this trouble if all you wanted was a visit, you know. You could have just called.”

  “Good to know. No bullets next time.” Her chest squeezed. “I don’t want to talk about bullets.”

  “Me either.”

  “Where’s Mom?”

  “She went out to Shakey’s to get some real food.”

  Shakey’s had the greasiest, cheesiest burgers in town, always served with a side of crispy, sweet, and salty onion rings in an oil-soaked brown paper bag. Alexa sniffed, almost able to smell the savory joy of fried onions.

  “Should you be eating that?”

  “Don’t worry. She’s not bringing me any, and I begged. You’d think in my sorry state that she’d be more sympathetic. She said that you hadn’t stopped to eat lunch, so she’s getting it for you. It’s true what they say. Once you have babies, it’s like the husband doesn’t exist.”