New Beginnings (7 page)

His friends and family thought he was crazy to keep the house after the divorce, but to sell it would have meant letting go of the only thing he had left from their marriage, that and the diamond wedding band he still wore.

He wondered if she’d noticed the ring last night, understood the significance of it. It was more than a band of gold to him. It represented a life he hadn’t been able or willing to relinquish.

Trey stopped short at the sight of the unfamiliar car parked in front of his studio. A dark blue Mercedes sedan didn’t seem like the kind of car Sierra would drive. Unless he was sorely mistaken, a social worker didn’t make enough money to afford the rims on one of these cars. Even when they’d been married and he offered to buy her the wheels of her choice, she’d opted for practicality in favour of flash. So, who did the expensive car belong to, and how did its owner get past the security guard at his gatehouse?

Before he could approach the car, Sierra was getting out of the passenger’s seat. A distinguished-looking man in a dark suit walked around the rear of the car to claim her hand. He smiled down at her and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm before turning toward Trey.

He extended his hand. “Trey Turner, I presume.”

Trey acknowledged the man, taking the hand he offered. He sized him up: late fifties, well built, designer suit, Rolex watch, none of which bothered him.  What irked him was the fact that Sierra was looking up at the man with a familiar affection that she used to reserve for him.

“And you would be?”

The older man chuckled, looking down at Sierra. “I’m Sierra’s fiancé, Judge Eric Cortright.”

Trey didn’t know whether to be amused or concerned. He imagined Sierra’s fiancé would be someone much younger, maybe a social worker who shared her passion for helping people. He could have handled a man like that. The judge, on the other hand, looked like a man ready to be reckoned with.

Not that Trey could blame him; he would have done the same in his situation. Hell, he would never have allowed Sierra to agree to this cozy working relationship with her ex in the first place.

“Trey, was that Val’s car I saw when we drove up?” Sierra asked.

“Yeah, she’s in the kitchen.” He crooked a thumb toward the house. “You should go on up and say hello before we get started.”

Sierra grinned. “I think I will.” She looked up to the man at her side. “Eric, would you like to come? I’d love for you to meet Val.”

He glanced at Trey. “I think I’ll give you ladies a chance to catch up. I’ll join you in a few minutes, sweetheart.”

She squeezed his arm. “Okay, I’ll see you soon.”

Trey watched her walk away. Damn, taking things slow was not going to be easy. Not when he wanted her even more than he had when they met all those years ago. Only then, she was single. Now she was engaged and he had a lifetime of sins to atone for.

“I know what you’re up to, Turner.”

Trey turned to see the judge glaring at him. “What do you mean?”

Eric folded his arms across his chest. “You’re trying to make inroads with my fiancé and you’re using that damn charity to do it.”

He considered his response. Should he tip his hand or was it too soon? “I admire Sierra’s commitment to The Rainbow Fund, Eric. I’d like to help if I can.”

“Is that why you offered to donate $100,000 to the cause? Or was that a pathetic attempt to impress your ex-wife?”

Trey struggled to repress his raging temper. He hated this situation, hated being called to task by this arrogant jerk, but if he fought with Sierra’s fiancé, their working relationship would no doubt end before it began. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

Trey stalked past him and opened the door to the studio.

“The hell you don’t. She’s my fiancé. Anything that affects her, affects me.” Eric pushed the door open and followed behind him. “Can’t you see that she’s moved on with her life?”

Trey chuckled. “If that were true, you wouldn’t be here.”

The judge’s cell phone rang, but he chose to ignore it. “Excuse me?”

“Why the hell are you here? Sierra’s capable of making her own decisions, and she’s already decided to work with me.”

“I need to know more about this project before I can allow that.”

Trey laughed. He knew Sierra well enough to know she wouldn’t allow anyone to make decisions on her behalf.

He claimed a stool, hooking his cowboy boot over the rung. “Sierra and I are going to be co-writing songs for my new album. In exchange, I’ve offered to be a spokesperson for her charity. End of story. Are you satisfied?”

“You’ve got a smart mouth, boy. I can’t say that I care for your attitude.”

Trey smirked. “I can’t say that I care what you think.” He propped his elbows up on the bar top behind him. “Now, it’s my turn to ask a question. Why are you marrying Sierra? I mean, you must have twenty years on her.”

Eric glared at him. “I don’t give a damn about the age difference, and neither does she. Sierra is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. But I don’t have to tell you that now, do I?”

Trey was well aware of his former wife’s attributes, which is the reason he’d never been able to get over her. “Have you ever been married?”

“For twenty-three years. My wife died of cancer seven years ago.”

Trey lowered his head in deference. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“She was a good woman, gave me four beautiful children. I never thought I’d fall in love again, but then I met Sierra and everything changed. She gave me a new lease on life.”

Trey understood how that could happen. Sierra had come into his world and turned it upside down. “How’d you two meet?”

“I’m something of a philanthropist. I attended a fundraising event for her charity. I was awestruck when I saw her, even more so when I heard her speak about the cause.”  He smiled at the memory.  “I knew right then and there that I wanted to make her my wife.” He chuckled. “Of course, it took me almost two years to convince her.”

Trey had fallen in love with her at first sight, too. It had taken only a year to convince her to be his bride.

“I wanted to marry her right away. She wanted to wait,” Eric said.

“Why?” Was she having doubts about the relationship?

“She has a lot of benefits planned for the charity this year and the idea of planning a wedding seemed like a daunting task. Of course, I offered to hire a wedding planner, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Hell, I offered to fly her to the island of her choice, whatever it takes to make her my wife.”

Trey thought back to their own wedding, simple and elegant, with their closest friends and family. She had fussed over every detail for months. It was a magical day and she’d been happier than he’d ever seen her. What a fool he’d been. He should have done everything in his power to make her that happy every day. If he had, she would still be his wife.

“Why the rush to get married?”

He scowled. “I’m not getting any younger, boy. I know what I want. Why wait?”

“Perhaps there’s a reason Sierra’s not in a rush to walk down the aisle again.”

The judge chuckled. “Given the way your marriage ended, I can certainly understand why she would feel that way.”

The man had a pair; Trey had to give him that. “You don’t know anything about my marriage.”

“I know everything I need to know. Sierra and I were friends long before we were engaged. She told me about the lonely nights she spent in this house while you were busy promoting your career. She told me about the partying, the drinking, and the women.” He looked at him pointedly. “You were a damn fool. You sure as hell didn’t deserve a woman like Sierra.”

Trey folded his arms across his chest. “If you think I cheated on my wife, you’re dead wrong.”

“Maybe you did. Maybe you didn’t.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is that your wife was sitting home alone every night, reading about your escapades in the tabloids.”

Trey glanced at the carefully arranged bottles of liquor. Day one and he was already itching for a drink. “Look, I know that I made mistakes with Sierra, but I loved her more than anything.”

Eric walked to the window, his hands in his pockets. “If you’re holding out hope for a reconciliation, you can forget it. Sierra’s committed to marrying me.”

“Is that why she hasn’t been willing to set a date?”

Eric walked toward him, giving him a look that probably intimidated defendants and lawyers alike. “If you think that means she’s having second thoughts about marrying me, you’re dead wrong, boy.”

Trey smirked. “If you say so, man.”

Eric took a step closer. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but if this is a bid to win Sierra back, you can forget it.”

Trey decided it was time to lay his cards on the table. “I’m not gonna lie to you. Allowing Sierra to divorce me was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life.” He stood up, standing toe-to-toe with his adversary. “The only mistake that could rival that would be letting her marry another man.”

Eric clenched his fists at his sides. “Are you telling me you’re still in love with her?”

“Damn straight.”

“Bloody hell.” He turned on his heel and began to stalk the room. “You had your chance with her, and when the going got tough, you ran away like the coward you are.”

“I don’t give a damn what you think of me.” Trey reclaimed his seat on the stool and tried to control the urge to lash out. As much as he hated to admit it, the man was right. He had been a coward. He walked away when he should have fought to save his marriage. “The only opinion that matters to me is Sierra’s.” He sighed. “Look, I’m not proud of the way I handled things, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn a second chance with her.”

Eric glanced at the bottles in the cabinet above the bar. “You still drinkin’, boy?”

“Not that I owe you an explanation, but I was sober for several years. I had a setback, but I plan to quit, startin’ today.” God willing.

Eric slid into a leather club chair, looking weary. “I see at least a dozen men pass through my courtroom every day because they can’t control their addictions. Sierra doesn’t need that in her life. She grew up with an alcoholic father. She sure as hell doesn’t need the stress of living with another good-for-nothing alcoholic. You’re no better than her father, you know. You may be rich and famous because you were born with a good singing voice, but underneath it all, you’re still a worthless drunk.”

Trey clenched his teeth so hard he was afraid he may crack a molar. “Why don’t we let Sierra decide whether she thinks I’m worthless?”

Eric glared at him. “I think she sent that message loud and clear when she divorced you. I know you may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even you should be able to understand what that means. She’s done with you.”

“A million bucks says she calls the wedding off inside a month. Are your pockets deep enough to accept that kind of wager, old man?” Trey wasn’t used to wielding money like a weapon, but this man had a way of zeroing in on his deepest fears and insecurities.

“If you were my son, I’d whoop your ass, boy.”

Trey chuckled at the older man’s audacity. “Good thing I’m not, ‘cause you’re not man enough to take me on.”

Eric withdrew a cigar from his pocket. “Didn’t your daddy ever teach you to steer clear of another man’s woman?”

Trey nodded. “He did.”

“Well?”

“Sierra was my woman long before she was yours.”

“That was then. This is now.” He snipped the end of the cigar and set it between his teeth.

Trey laced his fingers behind his head. “We’ll see about that. I’m always up for a challenge. May the best man win.”

“What the hell am I, a blue ribbon at the county fair?”

Trey glanced over to see his former wife standing in the doorway with a murderous look in her eye. That look used to mean he had two choices: beg forgiveness or carry her off to the bedroom and make her forget his indiscretion. Since he was pretty sure the judge was packing heat, he chose the former.

Trey had the gall to smile at her. She remembered that smile too well. It meant,
Busted, but let me make it up to you.
She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, not this time.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Obviously, we were out of line,” Trey said, glancing at his adversary. “I think Eric and I can agree to disagree.”

Sierra took a deep, steadying breath. She felt like she was dealing with two petulant children instead of grown men. She turned toward her fiancé. “I’m only going to say this one more time, Eric. I’m working with Trey on this project because it will benefit the organization. He understands the ground rules.” She turned toward her former husband. “Isn’t that right, Trey?”

He shrugged his broad shoulders, feigning indifference. “I think after last night I know exactly where we stand, sweetheart.” He winked at her.

She wanted to smack that smug smile off his face. This was her life, her future, he was toying with, and she’d be damned if she’d let him get away with it.

Eric pointed his finger at Trey, his carefully controlled façade slipping. “Goddammit, Sierra. Can’t you see this man for the opportunist he is?” he shouted.

Trey got up off his stool and stepped between them. “I don’t think I appreciate your tone. You’ll speak to her with respect or you can get the hell off my property.”

She recognized the fury radiating from Eric. He was an intimidating man, used to getting his own way. In his world, his word was law, and he resented anyone who challenged his authority.

“That’s enough, both of you.” She grabbed Trey’s arm, forcing him to turn toward her. “Eric and I need a moment alone. Please.”

Trey turned his head to glare at the other man, considering her request. “I’ll be down by the pool. Just shout if you need me.”

Eric watched Trey walk out the door before directing his anger at her. He threw his hands up in the air. “How do you expect me to rest knowing you’re here with that… that snake?”

She took a deep breath, trying to diffuse the situation. She knew Eric was furious with her. They’d spent the better part of last night arguing about her decision. He finally relented when she told him he either trusted her enough to make her own decisions or she wouldn’t be able to move forward with their wedding plans. “You know why I have to do this, Eric.”