Second Chance at Forever (Forever Book 2) (32 page)

“Sir, what about Mrs. Briggs? Will she be joining you?”

“I hope so, but I can’t be sure until I have a chance to speak with her. Stephen, she doesn’t even know what new information I learned since my second visit to the Hamptons. Now to deal with what has happened with her husband, I’m not sure if she can take much more.”

Our flight landed smoothly in Baltimore/Washington International Airport. After I wrapped up my meeting with Stephen, I re-joined Reese for the remainder of the flight. She was so quiet and hard to read. My girl wasn’t giving anything away. We landed and prepared to deplane.

Samuel said his goodbyes to his daughter and shook my son’s hand. He entered the waiting car and never once looked back at Reese. From the look on Reese’s face, I knew she wasn’t staying with me tonight. All the light in her had now turned dark. I couldn’t allow her to blame herself over this.

“Walker,” she breathlessly said my name, “I need to take Riley home and get her settled back into her routine.”

I folded her into my arms and closed my eyes, breathing her in and committing every bit about Reese to memory. I will never cross fate again. I am a Forever believer. I have her back, and I will move heaven and earth to keep her with me.

“Reese, please stay with me tonight, we can work everything out tomorrow. Just come back to the hotel with me, and we can talk, sleep, whatever you want. But please just stay with me. I need to be alone with you.”

“I can’t, Walker. If it was just me, I would go with you in a heartbeat, but it’s not. I have to put my daughter first and make sure she’s okay.”

“She’s fine, baby. Just look at her. She’s smiling and laughing with Jackson.”

“Appearances can be deceiving. Please don’t pressure me, Walker. You know I want nothing more than to be with you, but I need some time.”

“Are you planning on staying in your house tonight?”

“Yes, I am, and with Riley. Samuel already told me that he will leave the house and not return until I have moved out. Please, Walker, you have to trust me to know what I’m doing.”

“Reese, I do trust you. I just don’t trust your husband after everything that happened here today. If I can’t be with you tonight, then one of Stephen’s men will be. You’re not returning to that house unprotected.”

I lifted her chin, and kissed her softly. “Are we okay?” I asked.

She said nothing. Held back tears finally began to fall as I tightened my hold around her body.

“God! I want to just bury myself inside of you for days, and remain there. I love you so much, Reese. Why do I get the feeling that this is it, and I’m never going to see you again?”

“Oh, Walker, you know that’s not true. After everything we’ve been through today, how can you doubt my feelings for you?”

“Reese, you left me once, and it nearly destroyed me. I just got you back. I don’t think I would survive it again.”

“Walker, I told you that I’m not going anywhere, and I want to be with you, only you. All that I’m asking for is some time to process all of this and take care of my daughter. Her senior prom and graduation are right around the corner. I can’t have her life totally disrupted because of my feelings for you.”
Ugh!!! She made perfect sense. I always put my son first. How can I not expect her to do the same with her daughter?

“Okay, love. Do what you have to do, and then you will join me in California. Reese, I want to marry you and have the life that we always dreamed of having. Please tell me that you want that too?”

“You know I do, Walker. This is our second chance at forever, and I will not give up so easily again. I love you with all of my heart.”

“Say it, Reese,” I said as I stared into her beautiful eyes and gripped the back of her hair. “Say it, Reese. Say it with all your heart, soul, and love that you have for me. I need to hear it.”

“I. Am. Yours.

I. Love. You.

I. Am. Yours. Forever!”

Her words were my undoing. I swept Reese up into my arms and crashed my lips down onto hers. I couldn’t hold back any longer. She said what I needed to hear: the same vow that we made to each other all those years ago.
Reese saying them to me now…means so much more. It means that she is here with me now and forever. No amount of time apart has changed our love. Fuck you, father!
I held her beautiful face in my hands and wiped away her tears.

“I love you, Reese. You. Are. My. Forever.”

“I love you too, Walker. You. Are. My. Always. We will be together soon. This I promise you.”

Jackson and I waved goodbye to the women that held our hearts. Riley was leaning out the window blowing kisses to him. He was catching all of them. It was a beautiful sight to see my son so happy. Reese followed suit and did the same for me.
How did she know that this was exactly what I needed?
I never held back what I felt for her. My feelings for Reese were always intense, but to hear the same intensity come from her delectable mouth fed my everlasting desire for her. She knew what I craved. Her hesitation only fueled my desire, but that was her way of teasing me before giving me what I needed. She always knew what I needed. The car drove away and was out of sight.

Leave it to Jackson to lighten the mood. “I don’t know about you, dad, but I’m starving.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more, son. How does a lobster and steak dinner sound to you?”

“Sounds great! Let’s go.”

Jackson and I dined down at Inner Harbor, and then checked into our hotel for the night. After our long flight and all the drama we went through today, we were both ready for sleep. Jackson went right to bed, while I stayed up to work. I had endless e-mails to answer and reports to go over. I was doing everything in my power to focus, but my mind was completely on Reese. I promised not to call her, but my fingers were rolling over the keys on my phone. I hung up before my call connected. To hear her voice would calm my nerves, but I also feared I would push her away. Stephen had joined me in my suite to go over the papers he had delivered earlier.

After learning about Henry Townsend and his involvement with my father to push Reese out of my life, I was beyond angry. My first thought was to destroy him, starting with his company. I would dismantle it piece by piece and leave him with nothing. He was retired to a degree, but he kept an active role on his board. Reed Global was a privately owned company. Although I had taken over, my father was still actively present in the day to day until he officially retired. He tried to keep his hands in some of the pots, but I kept him on a very short leash.
Not short enough
, I now realize. Now back to Henry. For years I had been blinded by this man and kept in the dark to what he did to me and to Reese.

It would be completely justifiable on my part to seek my revenge on him. He deserved it and he wouldn’t give it a second thought if the roles were reversed, but at what cost? I would only be hurting Jackson. He loved Elizabeth’s parents very much. Having to explain to Jackson about Phillip already tarnished my father’s image and the good memories he had of him.

Henry and Gail were alive and well. I couldn’t take Jackson away from them, but Henry needed to know that I finally knew the truth.

“Walker, how do you want to proceed?” Stephen interrupted my train of thought.

I looked up at Stephen and simply answered, “I’m not going to follow through with my original plan.”

Stephen’s eyes widened as he sat there in shock. I was never a man to change my mind especially when it came to business, but this was personal. To act on my first impulse would hurt many people, and I would never become my father. He wouldn’t think twice about crushing his enemies. He treated Reese like one, and because of him, I lost those years with her. Years that could have been spent happily being together, raising our children, and being in love with one another. I have her back now, and I’m not going to waste one precious second.

“What about Ralston? Have you changed direction with him as well?”

“No fucking way. Proceed accordingly per my instructions, and status with me when it’s done.”

“As you wish, sir.”

“Stephen, we will fly to Arizona first thing in the morning and have a talk with Henry. The last thing he’s expecting is a visit from me. I haven’t told Jackson about our stop yet. I don’t want him tipping off his grandfather. I have to tread very carefully tomorrow because of my son. I can’t predict on what will happen when I finally come face to face with Henry. I will not allow my hate for Henry to transform me into the one thing I worked so hard to not become: my father…Phillip Reed.”

“Walker, you’re so much more than the man your father ever was. You must know this. Just look at what you built, and the son you raised. You’re not your father.”

“Thank you, Stephen, but this I know. I’ll cut off my right arm before I ever succumb to be like that bastard.”

I dismissed Stephen and finished up with my work. I managed to get through my correspondence and draft what I would need from Jenny upon my return. I managed to sleep for a few hours and then take in a morning work-out. Running always helped me clear my head.

When I returned, Jackson was awake. “Good morning, dad. When are we leaving for home?”

“Good morning. I’ll be ready to leave in about thirty minutes. Just to let you know, we are not directly flying home. I need to stop in Arizona to visit with your grandfather first.”

“Dad, I need to get home today. Why the sudden trip?”

“Jackson, I have some business with your grandfather that will not wait. While I visit with Henry, you can spend some time with Gail.”

“Can I ask what your business is about with Grandpa Henry?”

“No, you may not, Jackson. Please trust me, and don’t worry about things you cannot change.”

“It’s bad, isn’t it, dad? Did Grandpa Henry do something to you?”

“Jackson, what did I just say?” I raised my voice a bit louder than I intended to. “I have already told you too much already about my father, and I will not go down this road again with Henry. I just need to speak with him about a few personal matters. Once I do, my business with your grandfather will be finished, and I will put it behind me. Please don’t ask me again.”

I hated getting angry with Jackson, but the way he was looking at me when he mentioned his grandfather disturbed me. He wore a look of mistrust, a look I was not used to seeing ever from my son. It had taken me his entire life to tell him about my history with Reese, and sadly his mother. The past 48 hours had been difficult for Jackson to come to terms with. I turned his world upside-down. I feel he had to suffer all over again with the loss of his mother. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it was to listen to me profess my love for another woman. And I divulged to him how evil my father was. I wasn’t going to add any more stress to his already filled mind of worry.

“Dad, I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Good. Because I don’t want to fight with you either.”

“Dad...”

“Jackson, what is it? If you have something to say, then just say it.”

“Okay, I will. I was only asking because of everything that happened with Grandfather Phillip. Grandpa Henry is all I have left of mom. I know that look on your face, dad. You look like you want to hit something right now. If you don’t want to tell me anything more, can you at least please promise me something?”

I sighed in frustration and looked back to my son. “I will if I could…you know that.”

“Please don’t hurt my grandpa.”

His request shattered me.

“I know you’ve been hurt, dad, but what will it solve seeking revenge on something that happened years ago? You may not think that I pay attention to how you run your business, but I do, dad. I know how intense you can be, and you use your power to get what you want. Please don’t use that today with Grandpa Henry.

Please, dad. Whatever he did to you and Riley’s mom, please let it go. Let it go for me. Will you promise me, dad?”

I took in a deep breath before answering him, not wanting to believe that this was Jackson, my son, begging me for mercy for his grandfather.
How the hell did I get here?

“I am not Phillip Reed. Jackson, you have my word that I will not do anything hurtful to Henry. I do need to talk with him and get some answers to my questions. It will be nothing more than a tense conversation. I promise.” Once again, I couldn’t believe I was there at that moment, having to deal with my son being afraid of me. I had never been out of sync when it came to my son. I didn’t know how to shut off my hatred for the two men that were responsible for this situation that I was now left to deal with.

MY SON NODDED and left the table without finishing his breakfast. If I had the time, I would run another ten miles to alleviate my tension, but we needed to go.

We arrived in Arizona, just under four and a half hours. Jackson was quiet and didn’t say much to me. I worked on my laptop and talked with Stephen. I had so much to return to in California, and of course most of my thoughts were on Reese. I didn’t hear from her as of yet, but again this was me giving her space.
I fucking hate this! She should be with me in my arms, and not miles away from me.
My heart hurt and ached for her so badly.

Our car pulled up in front of the gates to the Townsend property. We were granted access as we descended onto the big house. There he stood, Henry Townsend, smiling at his grandson as we stepped out of our car. Gail had her arms opened as Jackson ran to greet his grandmother. To look at Gail was like looking at an older Elizabeth. For a woman in her sixties, Gail was beautiful. She had kindness that radiated throughout. I walked over to Henry, as he stuck his hand out for me, but I knew what was coming next. Henry always shook hands first and then pulled me into a hug, but I vowed to remain calm and keep my wits today.

“Walker, I can’t believe it. Why didn’t you phone us and let us know you were coming? We would have been more prepared and had lunch ready. This is a great surprise.”

“I’m afraid we can’t stay long. We are traveling back from Maryland. I needed to speak with you before heading home.”

“Sure, Walker, no problem. Jackson, why don’t you visit with your grandma over here, and I will spend some time with your dad.”