A Home for Christmas (10 page)

Wade looked up when she walked in, glaring at
her.  She closed the door and then just leaned back against it for a
moment, staring at him.  To his credit, he sat quietly, regarding her as
well.  She thought maybe he was coming down off his high.  His
demeanor was much calmer.  There was a mug of coffee cradled between his
hands on the table; hopefully that had helped bring him down.

“Wade,” she began but he held a hand up to stop
her.

“I’m sorry, Jenna,” he breathed.

With that, she felt a bit of the tension leave
her shoulders.  She still didn’t move from the door.  Wade had never
intentionally hurt her before, but she wasn’t taking any chances, even with
Riley just in the other room.

“What’s going on with you?” she asked
quietly.  “The last six months, you’ve flat out ignored Cam.  He’s
mature for his age but he is still a kid who wants his father’s approval. 
He wanted you at that final race so bad and you just blew him off.  How
could you do that?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose.  “I’ve
had some shit going on that I had to take care of.”

“That was more important than your son?”

“It was time-sensitive.  There wasn’t
anything I could do.”

She nodded.  “I see.  You know, one
day, Wade, you’re going to want to try to be back in your son’s life, and he’s
going to say, Gee, Dad, I’d really like to, but I’m really busy.  These
years go by so fast and you’re just letting him slip through your
fingers.  Do you know how hard it is for him to be your son?  To go
to the track and have the shadow of Wade Blackwell looming over him?  But
in spite of that, he is really good.  His instincts are yours times
ten.  And he so desperately wants your approval.  But it’s been over
a year since the last time you saw him race.  I understand your schedule
limits you.  He gets that, too.  But times like this last race when
you were open…he needed you to be there.”

“God, enough, already!” Wade spat out.  “You
think I don’t already feel like shit about that?”

“No, Wade, I don’t think you do.  I think
you feel guilty right now in this minute because I am making you, but other
than right now, I don’t think you’ve even given it one single thought.”

“Yes, I have.”

“Then why didn’t you pick up the phone and call
him?” she shot back.  “And what is today all about?  Why did you show
up at my house, stoned, demanding your weekend with him?  Do you really
think I would have turned him over to you while you’re in that state?”

“I’m his father.  You got no choice.”

“The hell I don’t.  I have full custody,
Wade, don’t you ever forget that.  And after this stunt, I don’t think any
judge would have a problem reducing your rights even farther.  How would
that play out for your little publicity campaigns?  And don’t think that
those commercials aren’t like a knife in your son’s heart every time he sees
them.  You out there riding with a group of kids.”

“They’re actors,” he grumbled.

“Do you really think that matters?  You know
that kid who won your contest last year, the one you spent a day riding with?”

“Yeah.”

“He holds that over Cam’s head every time they
meet up in a race.  Do you remember when the last time you took your own
son riding?”

Wade picked up his coffee mug and slung it across
the room, shattering it against the wall.

“I said enough!!!!” he roared, surging to his
feet.

Jenna merely stepped aside when Riley came
through the door, standing in front of her like a shield.

“It’s all right, Riley.  I was just
leaving.  I called Gary, Wade.  He’s arranged for you to enter a
rehab facility here in Dallas.”

“I want to see Cam.”

“Not until you’re done with rehab.”

“That’s bullshit, Jenna!  You can’t keep me
from my son!”

“Yes, I can.  Go get yourself clean and
sober.  When you’re done, and you’ve proved to me that you’ve changed,
then I’ll let you see him.  Not a minute before.”

She turned on her heel then and left him standing
there glaring at her.  Riley stayed, giving her a few moments to herself,
and giving him a moment with Wade. 

“What?”

“You have a really good son.  Any man would
be proud of him.  Clearly, it’s all due to his mother.  Take her
advice.  Go get sober.  Then come back and be a father to your son.”

With that parting shot, he left the room, finding
Jenna back up in the lobby, talking with Mike and two other men he assumed were
from the rehab facility.  Jenna asked a few questions about how long they
would keep him, if she should bring Cam to visit him there, then turned to
Riley.

“I don’t want to be here when they bring him
out.”

“All right.  Let’s go.  You got this?”
he asked Mike.

“Absolutely.  See you later.”

“Thank you, Mike,” Jenna told him, then wrapped
her arm around Riley’s waist as he led her to the elevator.

When they were safely in the elevator, Jenna
turned into his arms and clung to him.  Riley hadn’t seen that she was
upset, but now he felt her trembling and it made him want to head back up to
the offices and beat the daylights out of her ex.  He reached over and hit
the stop button on the elevator and then just held her tight, kissing the top
of her head and her brow.

“I’ve been wanting to unload on him like that for
a long time,” she said softly.

“I can imagine.”

“I hate seeing what he’s done to himself; what
he’s become.  He wasn’t always like that.  He used to be really good
with Cam.”

“I’d imagine he was.  Cam rides really
well.  Someone had to have taught him.”  Jenna pulled back then and
looked up at Riley, a cross look on her face.  “What?”

“I used to ride,” she told him.  “When he
was little, I rode with him more than Wade did.”

Riley laughed, reaching out to restart the
car.  “Get out!  You used to ride?”

“I loved riding.  I still have a bike but
with me being the only source of income for us, I can’t afford to get hurt.”

“You are full of surprises, Jenna Blackwell.”

“Honey, you have no idea,” she said with a wink
when the doors opened. 

***

Upstairs, Wade was not happy about having to go
with the two escorts to the posh rehab facility Gary booked for him.  He
knew he needed help, but going into rehab for an undetermined amount of time
would put him in serious jeopardy.  He owed money to some not-so-very
understanding sorts.  If he couldn’t get out to arrange payment, things
could get dicey.

He looked up when the one who identified himself
as Mike Casiano came into the room.  Wade felt a frisson of fear run
through him from the other man’s presence.  Casiano didn’t speak for
several moments, just stood staring a hole through him to the point that Wade
began to shift uncomfortably. 

“Do you plan on taking your time in rehab
seriously?” Casiano asked him, his voice soft and menacing.

“None of your business.”

Casiano crossed closer to him, pacing the room
like a caged animal.  “Now, you see, what you do affects your ex and what
affects her, affects my friend and business partner.  Therefore, what you
do affects me as well.  I need Riley focused and he can’t be that if he’s
worried about his girl.  Are you a threat to her?”

“I’d never hurt Jenna!” Wade snapped.

Those weird eyes of Casiano’s narrowed. 
Wade swallowed hard under their scrutiny.  He didn’t like that man one
bit.

“You’d never hurt her physically, but what you’re
doing is hurting her, make no mistake about that.  You hurt her son, you
hurt her.  I suggest you use your time in rehab wisely.  And in the
mean time, I’d like for you to tell me about these discrepancies I’m seeing in
your financial records,” Casiano said, pulling some folded papers from the
breast pocket of his jacket and placing them on the table in front of Wade.

“That is none of your business!” Wade snapped
again.

“I don’t think you understood me the first time,
Mr. Blackwell.  What affects Jenna, affects me.  Now, care to explain
this or shall I employ some of my more persuasive methods?”

Wade tried to get up but Casiano had a hand on
his throat before he could fully stand.  He could feel the strength in the
larger man; strength that he knew at that moment was barely held in check and
realized he’d be smart to keep his mouth shut from here on out.

***

Jenna was surprised when they didn’t go back to
her house.  When she asked Riley where they were headed, he merely smiled
and winked at her and told her to enjoy the ride.  For a moment, she just
sat staring at his profile.  Riley was an extremely attractive guy and
when he flashed his dimples and his eyes lit up, he took her breath away. 

So, she settled back into her seat and pulled up
a text to Cam.

Hey, bud, how’s it going?  Having fun?

After a few minutes, his reply came
through. 
We are at Great Wolf Lodge.  It is AWESOME!!!  Tell
Riley thanks for getting us the reservations.

Jenna nearly fell out of her seat.  She
jerked her head over to look at Riley, then replied to Cam first.

How do you know Riley got you the reservations?

His reply shocked her. 
He texted me and
asked Rebecca to call him and he told her he would pay for us all to go.  This
place is awesome.

Tears filled Jenna’s eyes as she typed a quick
response to Cam and then covered her mouth with her hand to keep a sob from
escaping.  Riley noticed, however and immediately pulled over to the side
of the road.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, reaching over to
wipe a tear from her cheek.

“You sent Cam and his friend Ty to Great Wolf
Lodge,” she said, her voice thick with tears.

He cocked his head slightly, a smile touching his
lips.  “Cam mentioned that he always wanted to go there.  He’d gotten
my number off your phone and texted me so I would have his.”

She took her seatbelt off and lunged over into
his arms, kissing him so hard she was sure she bruised her lips but she didn’t
care.  No one had ever been so openly giving and kind to her and Cam
before.  Several cars honked as they sped by, no doubt seeing them locked
in their passionate embrace but at that moment, Jenna could have cared less.

“I take it you’re OK with me giving that to him,”
he said when she pulled back.

“Yes.  Thank you for thinking of him.”

“If it gets me kisses like that, I’ll send him
every chance I get.”

Jenna laughed, wiping tears from her
cheeks.  “I’ll give you a tip, Big Guy.  You don’t need to earn any
extra brownie points to get kisses from me.”

“No?” he asked, nipping at her lower lip.

She shook her head.  “They are all yours for
the taking.”

He sucked her lower lip into his mouth and then
kissed her even more deeply than she’d kissed him, leaving her panting and
clutching his shirt.

“Good to know.  Now, settle back for
me.  Just a few miles to go.”

She kissed him once more then settled back in her
seat and put her seatbelt back on.  Riley lifted her hand to his lips,
kissed the back of it, then eased them back out on the highway, but didn’t
release her hand.  It wasn’t long before he exited and began driving down
where she knew to be several ranches.  When he pulled up to a security
gate and paused for it to open, she knew where they were.  There were
Christmas lights everywhere!  He hadn’t been kidding that his father
really got into Christmas.  The amount of displays were mind-boggling,
all, she was sure, from Mr. Murray’s warehouse. 

“This is your parent’s house?”

He glanced over at her.  “I figure after
what you just went through, meeting my folks is no big deal.”

She smiled, loving the warm feeling that snaked
through her at his words.  “You want me to meet your folks?”

“I do…for several reasons, not the least of which
is that if my mother hears about you from Mrs. Sheffield or Mr. Murray before
she hears about you from me?  Well, let's just say I’d rather not have
that happen.”

“And should I be nervous about this?” she asked
when he parked.

“Heck no.  My mother is going to take one
look at you and scream.”

He wasn’t kidding.  They walked into the
house.  Riley’s mother rounded the corner to come to the door.  She
took one look at their joined hands, dropped the book she’d been holding and
let out an ear-piercing scream, bringing his dad running into the foyer.

“Paige!  What the heck?” Brody Stanton
asked.

“Riley has a girlfriend!” Paige exclaimed.

“Well, don’t scare the poor girl away,” Brody
said.

Paige narrowed her eyes at her husband.  “If
Riley hasn’t scared her away by now then nothing I do will change that.”