Love After War (15 page)

“Hey,” Solomon called after him. “We really need to talk about this.”

“I'm done talking,” Adrian said; then he got into his car. Dana was more important than family ties right now.

Imani's eyes rolled in the back of her head as she took the last bite of her hot dog. “God that was so good!”

Dana laughed, looking down at her half-eaten frank. It wasn't that it didn't taste good; her appetite just wasn't there. Imani caught the blank look in her friend's eye. “You're thinking about him, aren't you?”

“That obvious?”

Imani nodded. “You never let a good hot dog go to waste and that is a lot of hot dog on that tray. Why don't you just call him?”

Dana cocked her right eyebrow. “Seriously? You were just talking big shit about him.”

“But you're my friend and I want you to get over this funk of yours. Besides, that fool owes you answers.”

Dana nodded and picked at the bun on her hot dog. “You're right. He does owe me answers.”

“And I'm going to get another chili dog,” she said. “I'm pregnant and I can eat two hot dogs without worrying about what the press will say.”

“I can't believe you're having a baby and still filming that spy movie.”

Imani shrugged. “It's a great role and I have a wonderful stunt double.”

“I'm sure Dr. Thomas has checked everything out for you and your bun in the oven,” Dana said as she crumpled the rest of her uneaten hot dog.

Imani nodded and smiled brightly. “I hope this is a boy with eyes like his dad.”

“As long as this boy or girl doesn't have an attitude like his or her mom, that kid will be perfect.”

Imani thumped Dana on the shoulder. “I don't have an attitude.”

Dana rolled her eyes and laughed as Imani headed back to the stand. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Adrian's number.

“Dana,” he said.

“We need to talk.”

“I'm on my way to your hotel.”

“I'm not there. I'm at Pink's.”

“Wait for me. I'll be right there.”

Dana clicked her phone off and crossed her legs. Was she ready to hear what Adrian was about to tell her? Imani sauntered back to the table, smiling for a few fans with camera phones before joining her friend.

“When is that going to get old?”

Imani shrugged. “Do you know how long I've waited for people to recognize me for something more than being ‘flop diva'?”

“A long time,” she replied.

“Well lookie here,” Imani said. Dana glanced over her friend's shoulder and saw Adrian approaching their table. “Do you want me to—”

“Leave? Yes, I do.”

“We rode together, remember?” Imani said incredulously.

“Yes, but Adrian and I need to have a conversation without your comments.”

Imani stood up, taking her hot dog with her. “Just talk,” she warned.

Dana nodded, then shooed her friend away. Adrian nodded at Imani, who greeted him with an eye roll as she walked away.

“She's still not a fan?” Adrian said as he took a seat across from Dana.

“At the moment, neither am I. How could you keep this from me?” she demanded, not bothering with small talk.

“I wanted to shield you from this. When I found out about my paternity and how my mother loved this man who didn't give a damn about her, I wanted to go to war. My plan was to bring them down to nothing. My mother loved New York and that bastard exiled her here. You've often asked me why I hate New York. Well, it's because I knew it was a source of pain for my mother.”

Dana nodded, still not understanding why he kept this from her. “Why would you want to go to war with your family instead of getting to know them?”

“Did that bastard make any effort to get to know me? I needed a father and I got nothing.” Tears welled up in Adrian's eyes. “And my mother loved a man who didn't give a damn about us.”

“Did you at least talk to the man?” Dana asked softly.

Adrian snorted. “He's still denying me and his relationship with my mother. That's why I went to the media.”

“What do you want from him, Adrian? Your mother raised you well without him and if he was stupid enough to allow you all to be his secret, he lost out. But you can't let this need to get even with him destroy you.”

Adrian studied her face and started to tell her that she had no idea what it was like for him, always wishing for a father to show up and teach him how to throw a football, how to dunk the basketball like Michael Jordan, and how he could make his fast ball more effective. There had been nights when he prayed that Paul Wallace would take him to a Cub Scouts meeting and tell the other people in the troop how proud he was of his son. But how could he be proud of a child that wasn't his?

Dana lifted her hand to his cheek. “You can't change all the basketball games he missed. You can't make up for him not being there for you. But you can show him that you're a better man because he wasn't in your life.”

“How did you know what I was thinking?” he asked as she took his hand.

“Because I understand how this has to hurt. What I don't understand is why you felt that I wouldn't have had your back.”

“I don't know. This was something I needed to do on my own. You were busy with your work for Sony and—”

“I'm talking about two years ago, Adrian. Was that ruse of yours necessary? What did you think I would've done?”

“Exactly what you're doing now. Talk me out of being bitter and tell me to be the bigger person,” Adrian said. “That's why I wanted you far away from this. I wanted to bring them down, and every time I had a plan to do something, there you were.”

“What do you mean?”

Adrian chuckled. “The first night I saw you with Hollywood Ken, my plan had been to leak a story about Richmond being with a hooker. Then the night of the premiere, I had made sure Heather and Solomon ran into each other, hoping for some fireworks.”

Dana frowned. “What would that accomplish?”

“Nothing, everything. The world needed to see the headlines and know that this family isn't perfect, like they want the world to believe. I want them to hurt.”

“Again, what does that accomplish? What does it change?”

Adrian dropped his head for a second as if he was thinking about what Dana said. She had a point. He hadn't changed a thing. Hadn't caused them an eighth of the pain that he'd felt all of his life. “I don't know. It's not as if they had anything to do with what their father did.”

“Precisely,” Dana said, stroking the back of his hand. “You need to get past this.”

“I wish I knew how.”

“You need to have a real conversation with your family. Away from cameras and without the threat of going to the media.”

Adrian sighed. He knew she was right, knew that the right and adult thing to do was just what she said. However, he still had the urge to get a pound of flesh. He still wanted Elliot Crawford to suffer and hurt as his mother had.

“What's that look?” she asked, taking note of his scowl and furrowed brows.

“What look?”

Dana tilted her head to the side and shook her head. “Can you stop acting as if I don't know you, Adrian? Even when you try to hide something, your eyes give everything away.”

“Is that so?”

She nodded, silently telling herself that she should've looked into his eyes that night two years ago and maybe things would've been different. “Maybe I should let it go. After all, who wants to be a part of this family circus?” Adrian said.

“Don't deny that you actually want to get to know them. Maybe you can get the answers you're searching for.”

He grinned and brought her hand to his lips. “When did you get so smart?” he asked before kissing the back of her hand.

“I've always been a genius. You just never took note of it.”

“Did you ride that motorcycle of yours here?”

“Nope,” she said. “Imani and I came together. I'm sure she's gone by now.”

“Let me take you back to your hotel.”

The couple stood and Adrian drew Dana into his arms. “I love you, Dana.”

His admission caught her off guard and sent a shiver throughout her body. She wanted to bask in the glow of his love, but she still felt as if she had to look over her shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop. What if he didn't give up his quest for revenge, and what if he let it consume him again? She knew what was going on this time, but would it make a difference?

Adrian stroked her cheek. “I mean it,” he said. “And I'm going to earn your love back.”

“Adrian—”

He cut her off with a smoldering kiss, coaxing her tongue into his mouth, savoring her taste and making her purr. Dana gripped his shoulder, not sure if she should pull away or draw him closer. She wanted and needed him, but could she truly trust him? Finally, she pushed back.

“Let's go,” she found the raspy voice to say. “I have some work that I need to finish up and I can't . . .”

Adrian chewed on his bottom lip. “You know, I . . .”

She threw her hand up. “What? Adrian? Are you going to tell me that you didn't mean to lie to me again? Or are you finally going to tell me why you don't trust me enough to be a part of your life for real?”

“That's not it at all, Dana. You are more than just a part of my life, and honestly, I worried that this would scare you away.”

Dana shook her head and fought back the urge to laugh. But she had to hold back because her phone rang. Pulling it from her pocket, she saw it was a New York number she didn't recognize. “This is Dana.”

“Dana, it's Marion Lloyd from Wainwright Publishing.”

“Hi, Mrs. Lloyd,” Dana replied, her brows furrowed in confusion. She had queried the company about her photo book idea months ago and hadn't heard a word from them. This call was totally unexpected. “What can I do for you?”

“Well,” the woman said, “I've been going over your proposal and I have to say I'm impressed. We had another photo project that was scheduled for next fall. However, due to recent developments, we're going to shelve that project and a space on our production calendar has opened up.”

“Really?” she replied, feeling slightly guilty that the Crawford's misfortune might be the break she had been waiting for.

“I noticed that you didn't have an agent representing your work, and normally we don't take unsolicited proposals, but you came highly recommended and your work is very recognizable. Are you available to meet next Tuesday?”

“Well, I'm in Los Angeles right now. I should be back in New York by next Thursday. Would that work for you?”

“That works perfectly, if we can make it after two p.m.”

“That will be even better. By then my body will be back on East Coast time.” Dana laughed, then caught Adrian's eye. He looked as if he was thoroughly disappointed to hear her happily talking about returning to New York.

“I look forward to speaking with you and getting this project started.”

“See you then,” she said. Dana stopped herself from doing a fist pump and her own version of the happy dance. Looking at Adrian, she saw he had questions.

“What was that all about?” he asked.

“A publisher is interested in my book. My unfinished book. I can't believe it.”

“Good for you,” he said. “So that means you're going to be leaving soon?”

“I guess so. I have to call Edward Funderburke. Maybe he can act as my agent when I meet with the publisher.”

“Who is Edward Funderburke?”

Dana smiled. “Hopefully the man who is going to get me the deal that I truly deserve.”

Adrian raised his right eyebrow. Dana shook her head and said, “He's an agent, silly. And dropping his name these days has a lot of clout in New York.”

“Thought he was another Hollywood type I'd have to compete with. What happens when you go back to New York and start this project? I thought you wanted to shoot some more here.”

“I do,” she said. “But I have to get the deal first.” Dana started dialing on her cell phone. “I have to talk to Edward now.”

Nodding, Adrian headed toward the hot dog stand so that Dana could complete her call. He had mixed emotions about this project. He knew it was something that Dana wanted, but she'd have to leave and he wasn't ready to let her go. Maybe he needed to go back to New York with her. Glancing at her, he took note of the wide smile on her face and he knew that a trip to the Big Apple was in his future if he planned to make Dana a fixture in his life. Was he ready to go to the place where his mother's heartache began? Sighing, he knew the answer. He was going to have to take a trip east.