Never Enough (7 page)
“You’d better go! If I see your face again or you contact any of my family, I’ll have you arrested for attempted blackmail.”
Gillian Forrester paused at the door and sneered. “You’re a pathetic little man. Never you worry, I’m done with you and it’s all your loss.”
Adrian did have to admire the way she sniffed at him and flounced out.
“Shall I call the police?” the server asked.
Brody spoke from where he’d been standing at the doorway. “No. It’s fine. Adrian, with me.” He indicated the tattoo shop and Adrian headed after his brother, ready to punch something.
She sat in her car, her hands shaking. Impotent anger, a familiar, bitter cocktail, sliding through her system as she fought tears of frustration.
What on earth was his problem? She’d given him Miles. What gift on the entire planet could mean that much? Surely the man had stuck his dick in more than one woman over the years. And yet he had the nerve to attack her?
Humiliation burned at the back of her throat, threatening to choke her. How many times had she had to face such a thing? Public ridicule had been something she’d dealt with on a regular basis back in Newham.
He hadn’t taken one second to think about what she’d told him. He didn’t know her and yet he’d judged her. How dare he? Adrian Brown with his carefully constructed wardrobe of clothes that probably cost more than her couch. He found
her
wanting? Oh ho! Who the fuck was he?
her
wanting? Oh ho! Who the fuck was he?
He’d shown his true colors, the spoiled idiot. And now she’d kept her promise and could go on with her life. Just as she had before.
Taking a long, steadying breath, she headed toward Phinney Ridge. Mary said they’d have Cuban sandwiches today and that sounded very good.
She’d tried. She really had. But she’d done her duty and there was nothing that would make her take any more abuse because the person was too blind to see the greatest gift life ever gave you.
He was a git. A bloody idjit and to hell with him and his pretty, sexy eyes and that drawl.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Brody pushed him into a chair.
“Did you hear that?” Adrian surged out of the chair to pace.
“I heard her tell you you had a thirteen-year-old son. I didn’t hear her ask you for money. Not once. I heard you call her a whore though. I’m sure everyone in the café did.”
“What the fuck is wrong with people, Brody? Huh? What did I ever do but be nice to people and look what it gets me.”
Anger burned in his belly that this woman could get under his skin so deep and then use it to hurt him with what he wanted so much.
“What if she’s telling the truth? Have you thought of that for one second? My god, Adrian, are you going to try to tell me you never fucked random women you don’t remember?”
“I think I’d remember if I had a kid, for fuck’s sake! You remember the last one. It was a baby then. We were just lucky I was on tour in Europe for six months and couldn’t have been the father. All the money I had to throw at lawyers and then the fucking label was all up in my face about publicity and media this and that to make me look nice. I was hung out to dry on all the gossip sites. People called me a deadbeat, for fuck’s sake. All because some stranger needed some cash and decided to pretend some other guy’s kid is mine.”
Brody sighed heavily and sat on the edge of his desk. “Shut up. Just stop talking for a second and
listen
.”
listen
.”
He did stop because he rarely heard that tone in his brother’s voice. Displeasure and disappointment. In Adrian.
“You can’t look at the world like this. You can’t just suspect everyone because of what some people did. I’m not saying you should automatically believe her. But you’re not even paying attention to what happened.”
Adrian tapped his thumb and then his pinky to his thigh, over and over, faster and faster.
“She came here to tell you the details and you didn’t let her speak. No, you flirted with her and all. She’s lovely so I get that. But then she tries to explain and instead of getting more detail from her you yell insults at her in a crowded café.
“She said—and I heard because I was listening—that her sister didn’t tell her for the boy’s whole life who the father was. She found out a week ago and she came to you pretty quickly.”
“How the fuck can I believe her? Huh?”
“You’re a stupid asshole sometimes, Adrian. Yes, some nasty skank tried to extort money from you with the daddy card in the past. But the guy I know and love surely understands he can’t judge all and sundry by the acts of some dumb bitch.
“You’d just turn your back on this because why? Huh? Do you think I’d just sit here knowing I could have a nephew out there, not even thirty miles from here? Do you think I could turn my back on a boy who was yours? Huh? And the real question is, can
you
?”
you
?”
Chastened, Adrian sat, hard.
“If she’s telling you the truth, do you realize what she just risked? If she’s telling the truth, don’t you want to know? If you have a kid, how can you not follow up? Are you saying you don’t care?”
He heaved a giant sigh. “I’m afraid.”
His brother just listened.
“I’m afraid to hope that it’s true and then what if it isn’t? Chances are it’s not. That’s not how this works.”
Brody’s anger softened and he blew out a breath. “I get that. But you can’t ignore it. Look, she contacted you. She gave you personal details. She gave you her attorney’s card. There is no reason we can’t get an answer. The boy can get a DNA test and that’s all you need. If she’s lying, we can figure out if she’s trying to extort money from you, or if her sister duped her too. If our kin is out there in the world, we need to know. You’re a good man, Adrian. Strong. Loving to your family and friends. I know you better than anyone in the world. I love you and I believe in you. You can be a good father too. I’ve seen you with my kids, with Alexander and I know this with every part of my being. You have so much love in you.”
“I know! I want that so much it’s not funny. I’ve been wondering about contacting an agency to adopt if I can’t find the right woman in a few years and do it that way. I want children.”
He sighed as Brody sent him that damned knowing raised brow of his.
“All right. I’ll call Cope, see what he’s found out and we’ll get my attorneys on this. I don’t have to deal with Gillian Forrester at all. Not until we know answers.”
“I’ve got your back on this. You know that. I’m here for whatever you need.” Brody clapped his shoulder.
5
Gillian waved good-bye to one of her students, watching her pull down the long driveway to the road. She had students ranging in age from six to fifty-four. Most were just learning, but a small group were exceptional. She’d been encouraging the one who’d just left to audition for a spot at Berklee.
They had an excellent program on scoring and composition and the girl had a lot of promise.
Halloween was now less than a month away. Funny how fast the fall had taken hold. Tina had been dead nearly a month and though it was sad, Gillian was grateful Miles wasn’t much bothered by the death of his biological mother.
They hadn’t been close. Tina had simply given Miles to her sister, signed the papers and moved on with her life. She never remembered birthdays and rarely Christmas. Never asked after Miles on the rare occasions she managed to call.
But Gillian had sent her sister pictures anyway. Sent pictures of first smiles and emerging teeth, of steps and first days of school. Had sent handbills and poorly photocopied cast lists of every musical performance and play.
Of her blood family, only Gran had ever cared about Gillian and Miles. And Miles had been inconsolable after her death. For months he’d just burst into tears or would be in a bad mood. Gillian had been similarly bereft. But keeping Miles emotionally healthy had helped her deal with her own grief.
Tina had refused to allow him into her hospital room so he’d stayed with Jules while Gillian was in Portland. No use dragging him down there only to be rejected by Tina.
Throughout his childhood she’d talked to him about Tina. She wanted to be sure Miles knew Tina in some way. But Miles was
her
son. Period. It did not matter where Miles came from, only that he’d come and that was that. She simply accepted that he needed to understand the dark sides of Tina as well or he’d be vulnerable should she ever try to manipulate Miles.
her
son. Period. It did not matter where Miles came from, only that he’d come and that was that. She simply accepted that he needed to understand the dark sides of Tina as well or he’d be vulnerable should she ever try to manipulate Miles.
It burned in her belly even then, thinking about her sister and the way she’d simply wasted her life like she had an unlimited supply. Gillian stood there in the cold on her porch, looking out over the life she’d built for her family. She’d built it and no one would tear it apart.
So Miles had assured her that he felt bad, but almost like it had happened to a stranger. He’d been true to his word, bouncing back quickly to his normal behavior. Hanging out with his friends, going to school, passing his classes, though she had to keep on him about turning his assignments in for his humanities class. The boy had actually done the work but just hadn’t bothered to turn it in. Oy! She’d been right annoyed at the little monkey over that one.
She’d taken away his computer, his phone and his television and he’d suddenly remembered how to turn his work in.
Tina was a stranger to him and the ache of that lived in Gillian’s heart. That her sister had given up this incredible person and had lost out on what had kept Gillian excited to wake up each day.
She had this life. With this house and her son. The vegetable garden they’d put in three years before. The paint on the kitchen walls they’d just chosen on a whim while at the hardware store. The trees all around. This was home and she’d been blessed something fierce to have it.
She went back inside and headed to her piano, pausing to turn the music back on. Benny Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” filled her house and made her smile.
She cleaned up the sheet music, tucking it away for the next lesson. That month she’d taken on two new students, which would pay for the vacation she was planning to go on with Miles to Washington, D.C., in February. They’d swing up to New York after to see one of her old school friends play the Met.
She decided to catch up on some work e-mail before Miles got home from school. Maybe they’d go get milk shakes and see Cal’s game.
Instead she’d opened her door to find Cal standing there. “What? Is everything all right?” She pulled him inside. “Cal?”
“I’ve just had a conversation with and then paperwork verifying that Adrian Brown wants Miles to submit to a DNA test to ascertain if he is indeed the biological father.”
“Fuckitall. I thought I was done with him forever.”
Cal laughed then, relaxing. “I’m glad you’re taking this so well. I wasn’t sure how you would after the way you two parted the last time.”
“Oh, I’m right murderous, don’t mistake me. This is what happens when you try to do something good. But Miles will be home soon and I can’t lose it. I started this stupid fucking thing, now I’m stuck.”
“I’m sorry. But this way it can move forward and you don’t have to deal with any abuse from him. All communication is to go through his legal team. You’re not to contact him in any way.”
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