Chasing Strength: A Harper Family Romance

by Stopper, Nancy

  The man was good-looking enough, but he wasn’t Chris. While she wasn’t sure exactly what was going on with him, or what direction their relationship was headed, the one thing she knew is that she wasn’t interested in this guy.

  “So, what’s your name?” The dark-haired man leaned close, his face hovering beside hers.

  Alexis popped out her hip and threw her hair over her shoulder. She might not be interested in the guy, but she still knew how to flirt. “I don’t think I know you well enough to tell you that.”

  He rested his hand on her hip. “What do I need to do to get to know you better?”

  Alexis stepped away. His touch felt wrong. He crowded her and she retreated—again and again—until her back smacked against the wall.

  He propped his hand beside her head and leaned in until his body pressed against hers. The hairs stood up on her arm and her stomach churned. This was all wrong. But when she tried to duck under his arm, he tightened his grip on her waist.

  She shoved his hands off her body. “I said I’m not interested. Now back off.” She ducked beneath his arm. He probably thought he was being all charming, but instead he was just being a creep.

  “Hey, Alexis. Want another drink?” Jessica stepped up beside her, and thankfully, the guy retreated. But he didn’t go far enough for Alexis’s comfort.

  Alexis latched onto her friend. When she returned to her table, she grabbed her drink and tipped it up, finishing half the glass in a single gulp. That guy had seriously freaked her out.

  * * *

  Chris glared across the room. He hadn’t expected to see Alexis when he’d come into FitzGeralds. When he stepped through the door, he’d wanted to be here, close to where Robin had drawn her last breath. But he had to admit, he hoped Alexis would show up.

  When he spotted Alexis on the dance floor, he almost joined her. But something held him back. He watched her for a moment, mesmerized by the movement of her body and the freedom with which she gave herself over to the music. By the time he decided to join her, she and her friend Jessica had commandeered a table in the corner. They looked as though they were having a good time, and he didn’t want to interrupt that. She deserved to have fun, especially if she was celebrating some great news.

  That didn’t stop him from watching her. And the several drinks that she downed.

  And the man who cornered her. Chris’s heart raced and he was off his stool and halfway across the floor when Alexis freed herself and turned away from the jerk. Alexis may have rejected the asshole, but Chris would keep his eye on the bastard for as long as he was here.

  Maybe if he’d responded to her text in time, he’d be over there with her instead of sitting alone. But the baseball game had gone into extra innings and when Justin had called him over, he couldn’t really decline. It was well after eight when Chris grabbed a quick minute to dash off a few words.

  That text was still marked “Delivered” and not “Read”.

  But that didn’t mean he had to sit here alone, sulking, did it? She’d told him she had good news. She clearly wanted to see him even though he’d pulled back from her recently.

  No time like the present. He crossed the room and tapped her on the shoulder. “Alexis?”

  She spun around so fast that she practically fell off her heels. He caught her in his arms, her soft curves pressing against him and his body tightening in response. Her eyes widened and then a huge smile grew on her face. “Chris, hey. I’m so happy to see you.”

  He tightened his grip. “You are? Why is that?”

  She swung her arm wide at the table behind her. “Because we’re celebrating. Someone get Chris a drink.” She turned back to him. “What did you want? A beer? Cocktail?”

  “No thanks, I’m good.”

  She patted him on the chest, her hand stilling over his heart. “Yes, you are good. Always so good.”

  He didn’t miss the double meaning in her words or the way she slurred. “What are we celebrating?”

  Alexis fumbled for a glass behind her and stopped short when the glass was empty. “Me! I got a call from my publisher today. They got an offer for a movie for Silent Predator. A freaking movie!”

  Jessica yelled from the other side of the table. “Woo hoo!”

  Everything Alexis had worked so hard for was paying off. She deserved it. Now he really regretted not responding to her text. “Congratulations. That’s great. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thanks.” She kissed him. At first, it was a quick peck, but then she came back for more, her tongue darting out and exploring his mouth as her hands rounded his back and held on tight. She tasted of sweetness and Alexis as she melted against him. She finally broke away and sucked in a huge breath. “Damn, that was hot. I think I need another drink.”

  She motioned to the waitress, but he grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth. “Haven’t you had enough?”

  Dammit. He regretted the words as soon as he said them. She stiffened and stepped out of his arms. “What’s it to you? Hey, Sydney, how about another one?”

  Time to backpedal. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I just didn’t want, oh, never mind.”

  “Don’t ‘never mind’ me. You did mean something by it. Are you trying to tell me that I’ve had too much to drink?”

  He didn’t answer. He’d already dug himself deep in this hole. He knew when to shut up.

  She jabbed him with her finger. “Well, I haven’t, Mr. Tee-totaler. I’ve had just the right amount, and if I want more, I can have it.”

  He may not be able to stop her from drinking, but he could at least make sure she was safe. “Did you drive?”

  “As a matter of fact, I didn’t.” She motioned to Jessica, who wavered on the other side of the table, in not much better shape than Alexis was. “Jessica did. This is my celebration.”

  Yeah, that wasn’t happening. “How about I give you guys a ride home? I can bring Jessica back tomorrow to get her car. Or at least let me call you an Uber.”

  “I don’t need you handling me, Chris Kennedy. I can take care of myself. And I am not at all ready to leave, right, Jessica?”

  Jessica’s head flopped down on the table. She wasn’t answering anytime soon. Hopefully Alexis would take that as a sign and accept his offer. “I don’t think she’s ready to drive anywhere. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  “I said…” She poked him in the chest. “I don’t need.” Another poke. “Any help.” A stab with her finger. “From you.” She threw her hair off her shoulder. “Besides, I am not your sister.”

  He reeled back as though she had slapped him across the face. She might as well have. She knew exactly where to cut to hurt him the most. He didn’t blame Robin for what had happened to her any more than he blamed Alexis for the asshole who’d tried to take advantage of her. But that didn’t assuage the fear that it would happen to Alexis or some other woman again. “No, you’re not. You’re… oh, whatever.”

  He spun on his heel and marched himself back over to the bar before he said something he regretted. While he knew he didn’t mean the words on the tip of his tongue, he wasn’t sure he could stop the anger-filled rebuke. Just when he was ready to push past his grief and consider a future with Alexis, she poked his pain in a way that only someone he loved could.

  “Hey, man, can I get you anything else?” Dylan asked.

  Alexis might not want him to protect her, but he was damned sure gonna make sure that nothing happened to her. He gestured to the corner table where Alexis was propping up a barely conscious Jessica. “See those two women over there?”

  “Alexis and Jessica. They’ve been regulars for a while, although I haven’t seen Alexis as much recently. Looks like it’s about time to cut them off.”

  “Yeah, that’s them. Can you make sure Carl gets them into an Uber? And don’t let any of these assholes try to take them home.” Chris slid two twenties across the bar.

  Dylan waved off the cash. “You got it, man. Wish we had more guys like you.
Carl just can’t be everywhere all the time.”

  Didn’t he know that. “You remember the woman who was killed out back last year?”

  “Sure I do. Nothing like that had ever happened here before.” His eyes widened. “Oh, man. That’s right. She was your sister.”

  Chris threw another glance across the room. “Yeah, I don’t want to see that happen to anyone else.”

  Chris tapped the bar twice and slid off the barstool. As he headed to the door, he checked on Alexis one last time. Alexis locked gazes with him and for one minute, her smile faltered. But then she thrust her glass in the air in a toast as he stepped out of the door.

  Goddammit. Getting involved with Alexis had been a bad idea. It was one thing to lose someone he loved. It was another thing altogether for the woman he loved to lash out at him.

  He wanted to blame the alcohol, but it was hard for him to see past her ugly words to the Alexis he knew. The question was, how much of Alexis’s anger had he brought on himself thanks to his chilly treatment?

  He stalked to his truck, pulled open the door, and climbed in. His hand hovered over the ignition, ready to start the engine and tear out of the parking lot. But did he really trust Carl to protect Alexis? He’d been on duty the night Chris and Alexis met, but the minute Carl had disappeared to handle another issue, that asshole had practically dragged Alexis out the front door.

  Sure, he was angry at Alexis, but more than that, he was worried about her. She’d probably gotten home safely a thousand times while she was drunk, but that was before. There was no way he was leaving until he knew she was safe, even if his sticking his nose in when she didn’t want it meant losing her in the process.

  He pocketed his keys and slumped in the seat, his eyes locked on the front door. From time to time, it would swing open, the lights from inside spilling into the dark night. But no Alexis. First it was a couple, then the group of guys who’d been eyeing the girls from the next table. At least they were gone and weren’t bothering Alexis and Jessica.

  After about an hour, a car pulled into the parking lot. This time, Alexis and Jessica spilled out the door, Carl between them. He motioned to the car and opened the back, pouring the two women in the seat and speaking to the driver through the open door.

  Chris started his own truck, and before he realized what he was doing, he followed the Uber at a safe distance as it headed to what he presumed was Jessica’s house. A few minutes later, he watched from the cab of his truck while Jessica clambered out of the back of the car and stumbled her way into her house.

  When the car pulled away from the curb, Chris followed the familiar route to Alexis’s house. Thankfully the driver didn’t head in another direction. A few short minutes later, Alexis’s leg poked out of the back door of the Uber. She righted herself and staggered up her walk toward her own front door.

  It was all Chris could do to watch from the shadows. He wanted to hurry up the sidewalk beside her, wrap his arm around her, and feel her body against his. But she didn’t want his help.

  He should have been the one celebrating with Alexis, but he’d been an idiot and not answered her text in time. He should have expected her to go out on her own. Seeing her drunk tonight scared the crap out of him. It reminded him of the day they’d met when all he could imagine was another body being dumped behind the bar.

  That wasn’t going to happen to anyone else he loved.

  With his window open, he heard Bandit bark from the back yard. A few minutes later, Alexis called him in. And then her lights went out.

  Chris sat at the curb outside Alexis’s house for a long time, staring at the dark windows. If tonight hadn’t gone south so quickly, he’d be with her right now. She’d be curled up in his arms, his fingers stroking her petal-soft skin. But instead he was sitting in the dark in his truck, wishing for something that he might not deserve.

  Chapter 23

  Alexis wrenched her eyes open and then snapped them closed as the bright light blinded her. She flung her arm over her face and sank back into her pillow. Pain shot through her head… and it wasn’t from the sun.

  She groaned and rolled over, flopping her head on the pillow and wrapping her arms around it, breathing in deep so she didn’t throw up. What in the hell had she been thinking? She hadn’t planned on getting wasted—she’d just wanted to celebrate her movie deal. But one drink had turned to two, and before she knew it, the room had been spinning in front of her and she’d landed right back where she had been before.

  Before she had met Chris.

  He had never once said a word to her about drinking. Until last night.

  She was having fun and then… she searched her mind until a memory came into focus. A dark-haired man crowding her against the wall. Her heart racing when she realized she was trapped. But she wasn’t the helpless woman she used to be and refused to allow herself to be taken advantage of again. Chris had helped instill that confidence in her.

  And then he was there.

  She was so happy to see him, she couldn’t even express it. Despite his shutting her out recently, he was the one she wanted to be with. But what had she done… lash out at him? She’d turned her back on him when all he was doing was looking after her. He’d offered to bring her home and she’d refused. If she hadn’t been such an idiot, he could be with her right now.

  But he hadn’t answered her text… and that triggered her insecurities. Maybe he didn’t love her the way she loved him. But he’d been ignoring her, rebuffing her attempts to help him. That wasn’t her writerly imagination.

  She groaned and shoved her head under the pillow. What a mess this was.

  Bandit barked from the hall and his nails clicked on the hardwood floor as he scurried into her room and leapt onto her bed. She was too tired to remind him he didn’t belong on the bed. Hopefully he’d give her a few more minutes to wallow in self-pity, nausea, and migraine before she had to get up and put him out.

  No such luck. Bandit jumped on her back, yipping and bouncing.

  She dragged herself out of bed like she had so many days before. Days that she thought she’d left behind. Her head pounded with each step she took toward the kitchen, Bandit circling in front of her to make sure she didn’t forget where she was headed. When she rounded the corner, she was smacked in the face with a memory of another morning when she’d dragged herself down the hall and found a note from Chris.

  “Oh, damn. I really screwed up, Bandit.” She talked to the dog as if he cared what she said. Right now, all Bandit cared about was shoving his nose into every bush, finding the best one to water.

  She unlocked the back door and shooed Bandit out before scrambling in the cabinets for the bottle of aspirin. After downing four with a huge glass of water, she slumped into a kitchen chair. Please go away. Please go away. If only willing it made it so. But the pain in her head was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. And that wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  She had no business talking to Chris like that. It was bad enough that she’d told him off, but even as drunk as she had been, she would never forget the look on his face when she’d brought up his sister. The fact that his disapproval had made her feel like she was a little girl again, about to be yelled at by her father, was no excuse. She’d lashed out in a way.

  But that didn’t let him off the hook. If he expected her to be waiting at home for him to get his act together and decide whether he wanted to be with her, he had another thing coming. She wasn’t letting someone else decide what happened in her life and that included Chris Kennedy. She wanted a relationship where she was an equal and wouldn’t settle for anything less.

  She snatched her phone off the kitchen table. She didn’t even remember leaving it there last night. When she activated the screen, she saw a text from Chris. Her heart leapt. Maybe it hadn’t been as bad as all that. But no, the message was from last night. A belated reply to her text.

  Too little, too late. If only she’d seen it last night. She thumped her head on t
he table. “What in the hell am I going to do now?”

  Her phone buzzed on the kitchen table. Maybe Chris was calling, and she could start groveling. But no, it was Serena.

  Alexis swiped to accept the call. “What?”

  She was greeted by the sound of Serena’s sucked-in breath.

  Dammit. Now she was acting like a bitch to her sister. “I’m sorry. It’s just been a bad morning.”

  “I was calling to see if you were alone. If it’s a bad morning, I guess you are.”

  She was right about that. “Worse than you can imagine.”

  “Well, then, open the door because I’m here.”

  Of course, Serena knew exactly when Alexis needed her the most. Alexis plodded across the house, phone still up to her ear, and threw the front door open.

  Serena pranced in as if she didn’t have a care in the world. And she probably didn’t. “You look like hell.”

  “Nice to see you, too.” Alexis threw herself onto the couch.

  Serena closed the door behind her and bounded across the room.

  “Why are you in such a good mood?”

  “The better question is why aren’t you? You should be on top of the world after that news yesterday.”

  It wasn’t as though she’d forgotten the movie deal, but her good news had been superseded by her monumental stupidity. “I was. I mean, I am. Of course, I am. It’s just…”

  Serena’s smile flattened and she sighed. “What’d you do?”

  Why did she assume Alexis had done something wrong? Oh, yeah, because she usually had. “I went out with Jessica to celebrate.” And boy, did they celebrate. But in the bitter light of this morning, regret had settled in like a bad relative who wouldn’t leave.

  “I thought you’d be celebrating with Chris. That’s why I waited to call this morning.”

  “It didn’t quite work out that way.” And therein was her biggest regret. If she’d just waited for Chris to answer her text, she wouldn’t be here right now, wondering if she’d ruined the best thing in her life. Second printings, movie deals—it all meant nothing if she didn’t have someone to share it with.