Romancing My Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens) Contemporary Romance Read online

  What was it about her that made him talk about his father? Christ Almighty, Buddy wasn’t a guy Pierce wanted to give any of his emotional or mental time to, and there he was, telling her about when Buddy had left. As if Buddy mattered, when in reality, Buddy leaving had been the best goddamn thing that could have ever happened to their family. The guy was a low-down thief, the way he came back twice asking their mother for money. And she’d given it to him at first. The Braden family wealth had been handed down for generations. He and his siblings had significant trust funds, though they’d each made their own careers separate from those funds. The measly twenty-five grand Buddy had demanded from his mother was a pittance, but it was the demand of money in exchange for his children that had Pierce breathing fire. Pierce didn’t know the whole story, but his uncle Hal had intervened and finally put a stop to Buddy’s coercion for good. The truth was, he didn’t care how his protective uncle had done it; he was just damn glad he had, because Buddy was more than a thief. He was a cheat to boot.

  That skeleton in his closet was what had him running faster than normal on his morning run, as he circled back down the private road that led to his modest, stone home. He couldn’t outrun his past, no matter how hard he pushed, and thinking about his past threw him into a tunnel of introspection. Pierce wasn’t a one-woman man, never had been. And although he’d had moments of wondering what he was missing out on as he watched Luke and Wes fall madly in love with Daisy Honey and Callie Barnes, until last night, he’d almost been proud of that fact that he was, for lack of a better term, a player. There wasn’t a woman alive who he believed could make him think twice about giving up the freedom to enjoy the company of whomever he pleased. Relationships took time and attention, but more than that, they took heart. A person had to care to be in a relationship, and sure, he’d cared about women in the past. He just hadn’t cared enough to want to put that kind of effort into them. He wasn’t a low-down, dirty bastard. But last night all of that surety came tumbling back at him, and he began to pick it apart.

  There was something in Rebecca’s eyes that took what he’d thought he was proud of and twisted it into a knot of clarity. She’d woken up that sleeping heart of his, and he’d spent the rest of the night mulling over the real reasons he enjoyed his bachelor lifestyle. He might have only been six when Buddy left, but his six-year-old mind was sharp, and he had a painfully accurate memory. He’d watched his mother’s heart break, and even though his father hadn’t been the best father on earth, and even though he’d hurt their family and abandoned them all, Pierce’s heart had been broken, too. Hell, he’d not only seen his mother’s heart get crushed; he felt the earth shift beneath them when his father left.

  Pierce knew all about calculating risks and valuing effort. Love was a gamble, and he knew the payoff could be astronomical, or it could be devastating. That was a risk he wasn’t willing to take. And if he didn’t take the risk of falling in love, there was no risk of being hurt.

  By the time he reached his house, he was out of breath and dripping with sweat. And he had no better answers to what it was about Rebecca that made him question what he’d always believed.

  After a grueling weight workout in his fully equipped home gym, he headed to the casino. At seven thirty he was driving through the parking garage, slowing as he reached the fifth floor, and remembering the hunger of Rebecca’s kiss and the way she’d clutched at his shirt. He’d behaved himself last night, and he knew damn well that keeping things casual tonight was going to be hard as hell. Who was he kidding? He was getting hard just thinking about kissing her again.

  Inside the Astral, Pierce passed the elegant, handcrafted furniture in the lobby and paused at the reception desk to greet Patricia, an attractive brunette who ran the front desk.

  “Good morning, Patricia. How’s Larissa?” He made a point of getting to know his staff. He didn’t like the idea of being known as that Braden guy who owns the place. Pierce liked to be more hands-on, and he knew Patricia had been out last week for two days because her five-year-old daughter had been sick.

  “Good morning, Mr. Braden. She’s much better, sir. Thank you for asking.” Patricia smiled as he passed on the way to the executive elevator.

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  He rode the elevator to the tenth floor, where Kendra Peterson, his executive assistant, stood by the reception desk in her superbly fitted Chanel suit. She held a day planner in one hand and had a pen tucked above her ear.

  “Good morning, Pierce. You just missed a call from Treat. He said he tried your cell but was unable to reach you.”

  Pierce pulled his cell from his pocket. “I forgot to turn the ringer on again. I’ll call him now. Thank you.”

  Kendra shook her head, and her dark eyes filled with a look he’d seen too often in his mother’s eyes.

  “You really need a woman in your life, Pierce. Women remember to take care of things like that.” Kendra was in her midfifties, as tall as Iman, with skin as smooth and rich as melted chocolate. She’d been married for twenty-five years. Her efficiency was unmatched, and her pushiness in the relationship department was relentless. Pierce’s mother, and his older, engaged or married cousins, had also joined in on the push-the-relationship wagon recently. Luckily, Pierce was adept at ignoring their efforts.

  “Thanks, Kendra, but I think I can handle it.” He held up his phone and showed her the volume bar spreading across the screen.

  She shook her head in that way that said, You don’t get it.

  After spending just a few hours with Rebecca, she had him viewing his thoughts on all things women related differently. He wondered if maybe all women weren’t just looking for an easy step to wealth. Pierce knew he was an easy ladder to climb, which was one of the many reasons why he kept a wall between his heart and what lay between his legs.

  He dialed his cousin Treat’s number on the way into his office. Treat was a few years older than Pierce and was also in the resort business. Like Pierce, he was a keen negotiator with a nose for bullshit. Treat, his wife, Max, and their daughter, Adriana, lived in Weston on the property adjacent to Hal Braden’s ranch. Treat was the oldest of Hal’s six children.

  “Pierce, I just called you five minutes ago.”

  It was good to hear Treat’s familiar deep voice. People who knew them often wondered if they were competitive, since they were both in the resort business. Pierce’s standard answer was, Not with each other, while Treat’s standard answer was a hearty laugh. They, like all Bradens, were fiercely loyal to their families, and when properties came up for sale, they often consulted each other first, to ensure they weren’t bidding against family.

  “I forgot to turn the ringer on. Sorry about that. How’s Adriana?”

  “Cuter than hell. I swear, even at almost two, she can get anything she wants with a smile.” Treat laughed. “How are things with you? Are you making any headway with the Grand Casino?”

  “We’re scheduled to begin due diligence next week. The guy’s shady, at best. I can feel it in my bones.” Pierce and Treat had spent their early years as close as brothers, but after Pierce’s father left, his mother had moved their family to Trusty, where she and most of Pierce’s siblings still lived. He and Treat remained close despite the distance, and made a point of visiting each other as often as they were able.

  “Well, you know how to handle shady,” Treat said.

  “With laser-beam focus. I’ve got it covered.” Pierce checked his watch. He had a meeting at eight fifteen with the financial team handling the due diligence for the potential acquisition.

  “I heard that Luke’s engaged. Did you hear that Josh is finalizing his wedding plans?” Josh was one of Treat’s younger brothers, a world-renowned fashion designer. He was marrying his childhood crush and business partner, Riley Banks.

  “Man, Treat. Everyone’s heading down the aisle. Did Josh set a date yet?”

  “No, not yet. But they’re working on it. You know, Pierce, you’re getting older;
you might consider settling down yourself sometime soon. I highly recommend it.” Like Pierce, Treat had been a workaholic and a bit of a player himself before meeting Max, but as with Wes and Luke, the right woman had come along and he couldn’t live without her.

  “You’re like a drug pusher, but with commitment.” Pierce laughed, but he was replaying the conversation with Kendra in his mind. He wondered if she and Treat could sense something different in him since he’d met Rebecca. He certainly felt different, and he was thinking differently. He supposed it was possible they’d pick up on something.

  “What can I say? Marrying Max was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Speaking of my gorgeous wife, she has a meeting with a sponsor for the film festival next week out your way. I thought I’d join her and we could get together for dinner.”

  “Sure. Tell me when and I’ll clear my schedule. Are you bringing Adriana?”

  “Jade’s watching her. I think she’s getting itchy for marriage and a baby.” Jade Johnson was Treat’s younger brother Rex’s fiancée.

  “Adriana’s so damn cute, she could make me want a baby. I’d imagine Rex will be an easy sell. He’d do anything for Jade. They’ll be the next ones down the aisle. That’s my bet.”

  “Maybe I should bring Adriana so you start thinking about it.”

  “I’ll tell you what, Treat. Why don’t you start working on Ross?” Ross was a year younger than Pierce and was a veterinarian in Trusty, Colorado. His veterinary practice was so busy that he rarely had time to date. “He lives in the next town over from you. He’s an easy target. Hell, I’m sure you know a hundred women to set him up with.”

  Treat laughed again. “You know he’s on Jade and Max’s list of Men to Introduce to Single Women, right? If Jake lived in Colorado, he’d be on there, too.”

  “I don’t think either of them has a hard time finding women.” The Bradens had a running joke among themselves about the Braden curse. They were all tall, dark, and handsome, and the women were crazy beautiful, smart, and strong willed. They would be an intimidating group if they weren’t also down-to-earth and generous to a fault. While none of the Bradens had trouble getting dates, settling down hadn’t come easily or quickly for any of them. Treat and his five siblings had been well into their thirties before settling down, and while Emily, Ross, Jake, and Pierce were in their thirties and still single, two of their siblings had already dropped off the market.

  “Yeah, Max gets a kick out of seeing Jake in the rag mags with actresses on his arm. Reminds me of how Hugh was before he married Brianna.” Hugh, Treat’s youngest brother, was a professional race-car driver, and before marrying Brianna and becoming stepfather to her daughter, he’d also been a major player.

  “Hugh took me by surprise. I never thought he’d settle down.”

  “See? If Hugh can settle down, I have hope that you will one day, too. Don’t you ever look at my dad and wonder what you’re missing?” Treat asked with a serious tone. Treat’s mother, Adriana, had died when he was eleven, and his father, Hal, still exuded love for her with every breath he took.

  “Only every time I see him, Treat. If ever there was a man who deserved more than life handed him, it is Uncle Hal.” His throat thickened just thinking about the sadness in Hal’s eyes when he spoke of missing his wife.

  They made plans for dinner the following week, and after they ended the call, Pierce’s mind shifted from his cousins to Rebecca and the look in her eyes when she spoke of missing her mother. Pierce texted Rebecca before going into his meeting.

  Hey, gorgeous. Can’t wait to see you. P. He read the text a few times and decided it sounded cheesy. He deleted it and typed another one. Who’s meeting me tonight? Ronda or Rebecca? P.

  AFTER HITTING THE gym and thanking Andy profusely for connecting her with Chiara, Rebecca filled out a handful of retail applications, then headed across town to meet with Mr. Fralin, her previous landlord. She read the text from Pierce for the tenth time since it came in that morning. She’d been trying to think of a sassy response, but ever since they kissed—correction—ever since she kissed him, her thoughts had been one tangled mess. She wasn’t in a position to date. She was in a position to find a job and to collect her last paycheck so she could start looking for a room to rent.

  She stared at the phone and decided not to respond until she had more time to think. She was pretty sure, Both. Ronda can hold you down while I kiss you, wasn’t the most responsible answer she could give, even if it was what she wanted to say and do. Sorry, Mom. I know you must think I’ve turned into a slut, but he’s like a decadent dessert at a fine restaurant, incredibly tempting and probably worth every bit of guilt that is sure to follow. She sighed at the thought of not kissing Pierce again, then smiled, thinking of how her mother might really respond. Her mother believed in love, even if her love life had never panned out. She would never think Rebecca had turned into a slut. Mi dulce niña, don’t be silly. Enjoy the man. You deserve him.

  Okay, maybe the thoughts about not being silly were her mother’s, and the part about enjoying him was all Rebecca. But who was keeping track?

  Thinking like that just might get me into trouble.

  She shoved the phone in the glove compartment and headed into the apartment building.

  Village View Apartments weren’t located in the nicest part of town, and the banged-up, rusted cars in the parking lot were a testament to the inexpensive rent. But those things had nothing to do with what made a home for Rebecca and her mother. Their home wasn’t defined by its location or the material items within. Home was wherever they were, as long as they were together. Where they could relax and let their hair down. For Rebecca, hearing her mother’s easy, contagious laugh and the clank of dishes at odd hours when her mother got up with a dire need for sweets were some of the pleasures she associated with their home, along with smelling her mother’s perfume as she tucked Rebecca into bed when she was younger. After her mother became ill, the scent of disease and the sight of prescription bottles and salves became a hallmark of home.

  They’d lived in the same apartment complex since she was five years old. It still felt like she was coming home. She opened the door to the building, remembering how easily they’d given up their two-bedroom apartment when her mother had gone on disability. And later, when her mother’s illness took a turn for the worse and Rebecca hadn’t been the most reliable employee because of caring for her mother, they’d had to cut expenses even further and moved from the one-bedroom to an efficiency. Rebecca had never minded sleeping on the couch. She’d have slept on the floor if it came to it, as long as her mother had a warm bed and a comfortable place to spend her last days.

  She inhaled deeply before entering the office. It occurred to her that breathing deeply, gathering courage and strength, had become such a way of life to her that she barely noticed the habitual breaths she took throughout the day.

  Mr. Fralin was a short man with hair the color of Pepsi and eyes as vivid as the sea. Even in his midsixties he still had the body of a prepubescent boy, soft, with little facial hair to speak of, save for the dark peppering on the peak of his pointy chin. He stood from behind his desk and held a hand out, palm up.

  “Rebecca. How are you, dear?”

  Rebecca took his hand and her heart warmed. He’d been so good to them, and she was so thankful, that the empathy in his eyes caused her throat to thicken. She swallowed, trying to keep a lump of emotions from clogging her throat.

  “I’m good. Thank you for asking.”

  “Please, sit down.” He motioned to the chair across from the desk, and then he sat down beside her. He crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands in his lap. “Tell me, Rebecca. What can I do for you?”

  That was just like him, always willing to help. “Mr. Fralin, you’ve done so much for me already. I wanted to come by and thank you again and let you know that as soon as I have permanent employment, I plan on paying you back for the last few months’ rent.”

  “Nonse
nse—”

  “No. I insist. Allowing us to stay here when we couldn’t afford it during the last two months of my mom’s life and then allowing me to stay for almost six weeks after that was beyond generous. I’m not sure I can pay much until I’m back on my feet, but I would imagine that I’d be able to afford twenty dollars a week. I know it will take a long time to pay off three and a half months’ rent at that rate, and if I can pay more, I will.”

  “That is unnecessary, Rebecca. Your mother was a good woman, and it was my pleasure to help you both. I only wish that I could have allowed you to stay longer.”

  “That’s very generous of you to say, but you went above and beyond what anyone else would ever do, and we appreciated it greatly. I appreciate it. You allowed me to stay here for almost six weeks after my mother passed, Mr. Fralin, and you have her urn in your safe. You’ve done more for me than I could have ever hoped for.” It had been Rebecca and her mother against the world for so long, trying to survive from day to day and to make ends meet, that she was trying her damnedest not to remain in that needy of a position. She was determined not to depend on anyone for a place to live or to put food on the table.

  “Have you found another place to stay?”

  “I’m just waiting for the approval to come through.” The little white lie was not just to save her pride, but she didn’t want him worrying about her, either. “I’m between jobs right now, but I hope to have a new position soon, and when I do, I’ll be in touch.”