Love Takes Time (18 page)

“T
his is an intervention,” Jonas announced.

Sterling frowned and glanced up from his piles of paperwork. “Come again?”

Toni stood up from her chair and moved next to her husband. “We're only doing this because we love you,” she said. “But we think you have a serious problem.”

Sterling was still lost. “And that would be…?”

“You work too much,” they said in unison.

If it wasn't for their stern expressions and their serious tone, Sterling would have burst out laughing. Instead, he pushed away from his desk and leaned back in his chair. “I see.”

“I don't think you do,” Toni said. “You've always put in long hours. We know that, but in the past year you've
taken things to a whole new level. Beverly says that you work seventeen hours a day, seven days a week.”

“So my assistant is behind all this?”

“She's worried about you.” Toni looked to her husband. “We all are.”

Sterling calmly braided his fingers. “Look. I really appreciate the concern. Really,” he stressed. “But as you see I'm fine. The company is growing, my stockholders are happy and Beverly wasn't complaining when she saw her bonus check a couple of months ago.”

Jonas shook his head. “Sterling, man. You know I understand the thrill of closing a big deal, but there are some things that are more important in life. You need to get out and meet people.”

“I meet people all the time.”

“I mean…women. The kind of women you date, not hold a conference call with, or go over spreadsheets and financial statements with. Are you trying to become a monk or something? I mean, it's okay if you are,” he added.

Toni bobbed her head. “Yeah. We'll love you just the same.”

Sterling couldn't suppress his laughter any longer. “That's very understanding of the both of you. But I'm not trying to become a monk.”

Jonas's shoulders slumped in relief. “Then what's the deal?”

“Does this still have anything to do with that mystery woman you dated a while back?”

Sterling's smile vanished.

Toni trodded lightly. “Q said that he'd dropped in when you were uh—”

“This discussion is over. I have to get back to work.” Sterling picked up his pen and shuffled through his papers.

“Look. Obviously I hit a nerve,” Toni said. “But we're just trying to help. The family misses you.”

“Good Lord, Toni. It's not like I've died or something.” Sterling shifted in his chair as he grew agitated.

“It feels that way,” she replied. “What's this about you not coming to Roger's seventieth birthday party?”

“I have a business meeting in London,” he explained. “I'm sending him a gift.”

“Bring the gift
with
you when you go to the party.”

Sterling tossed down the pen and then glared at them. They were prepared for this popular power move of his and met his intense glare with their own. In the end the silence was too much for Sterling. His hands shot up in surrender. “All right. All right. I'll go. Are you happy?”

“Yes!” They broke out in wide smiles.

“And make sure that you clear your calendar for the whole weekend. Your mother planned something for each evening.”

Sterling huffed. “Of course she has.”

They stood there beaming.

“Fine. Anything to get you two out of my office.”

Proud of their successful campaigning, Toni rushed around Sterling's desk and planted a kiss against his cheek. “You won't regret it. I promise.”

He doubted that. “Okay.
Now
will you two leave?”

Jonas took hold of his wife and tossed him a wink. “See you next weekend.”

Can't wait.
Sterling watched them as they filed out of his office. When it was safe, he drew in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Despite his agreeing to attend this weekend-long celebration, his brain was already searching for a way to get out of it. Maybe he could fake a business emergency? He shook his head. Chances were that his assistant would rat him out. The traitor.

He could always fake an illness. Sterling went still, thinking about the last time he'd been sick and how Alyssa's offer of body heat had at last broken his fever.

“Stop that,” he ordered himself. For the past year he'd worked too hard to lock those memories away. He'd even gone so far as to sell that damn house so that every time he took a bath, shower or even sat in front of the fireplace he wouldn't be overwhelmed by erotic memories.

Once in his new place, he then decided he needed to get rid of some of the furniture. He said goodbye to his big four-poster bed, his favorite leather chairs, a couple of ottomans and some exercise equipment. The only thing he hadn't done was perform an exorcism—and for a while there, he gave it serious consideration.

He couldn't get rid of the chessboard. The one game they ever played still waited for their next move. Clearly, she'd learned the game well. He was
just two moves from being checkmated. The board felt a lot like his life. Despite all the work he'd put into forgetting her, it could all go to hell if she ever walked back into his life.

Sterling leaned back in his chair and opened the top drawer of his desk. He removed and unfolded Alfred's letter.

No matter how many times Sterling read the letter, his disappointment in himself only deepened. What kind of friend couldn't do this
one
simple favor? How had he allowed himself to be cast in the same role as Quentin? “Sorry, Alfred, but the best thing I can do for Alyssa is to stay the hell away from her.”

That was the only promise he planned to keep.

 

Kitty Hinton lived under the pretense that she didn't like sticking her nose where it didn't belong. But this was different. Desperate times called for desperate measures. As much as she loved Jonas and Toni for giving her two beautiful grandbabies, she wanted more. Knowing her sons as well as she did, her best bet was Sterling.

And she had the perfect woman for him.

“So you're sure that he's coming?” she asked Toni over the phone for the third time.

“It wasn't easy,” Toni admitted. “I had to coerce my husband to play along, but I think it worked.”

“He could still fake some business emergency or an illness.”

“Well, we can't club him on the back of the head and drag him there,” Toni reasoned.

“Why not?”

Toni laughed. “All I can tell you is I fulfilled my part of the arrangement. Are you sure that he's going to like this Sierra woman?”

“Oh yes,” Kitty boasted. “She's beautiful, smart and a real outdoorswoman. She loves all that hiking and biking crap that Sterling does. I can't wait for you to meet her.”

“I can't wait for Sterling to meet her,” Toni said. “After seeing him today, I'm convinced more than ever that he's struggling over a broken heart. He won't talk about her. But whoever it was, really worked a number on him.”

Kitty smiled. “Then we'll just have to fix that. Won't we?”

 

“I don't know, Quentin.” Alyssa hedged as she sipped her Starbucks coffee. “I'd feel awkward going to your father's seventieth birthday party. I haven't been back to South Carolina since…since…”

“I remember.” Quentin smiled and leaned forward
in his wrought iron chair. His smile and charm were working overtime. “I also remember you being one hell of a swimmer…and kisser.”

Alyssa shook her head. “You don't give up, do you?”

“What? I'm just strolling down memory lane with you.” He shrugged. “No harm in that, right?”

“We agreed to just be friends,” she stressed. “It makes things awkward if I'm constantly fending you off.” She broke her biscotti in half and fed it to Doggie, who sat heeled patiently by her leg.

“All right, we'll play things your way,” Quentin said. “I still think you should come to Dad's birthday party. If for no other reason than to be my moral support.”

“You and your dad still not getting along?”

“You'd think he'd be off my back now that I've started my own business.”

“With your cousin, Xavier, right?”

“Yeah. The Dollhouse. It's a Gentleman's Club. We have one here in L.A., one in Atlanta and in New York.”

“Well, good for you. You found something you liked and turned it into a business.”

He nodded. “It took me long enough. But I'm my own man now.”

Each time she laughed, Quentin's ray of hope of turning this friendship pact around broadened. He reached for her hand. “Come to the party. Dad would be thrilled to see you again. You know they consider you to be part of the family.”

Still she hesitated.

“Surely your company can spare you for a weekend. All work and no play makes Alice a dull girl.”

She laughed. “You still call me that.”

“Old habits are hard to break. Come to the party.”

Her gaze dropped to her coffee. “Will Sterling be there?”

“Everyone is going to be there,” he chuckled. “Of course momma is pulling double duty and is using the opportunity to fix Sterling up on a blind date.”

“Oh?” Alyssa suddenly became fascinated with petting her dog. “He's still a bachelor then?”

“Married to his work. As always.” He sipped his own coffee and then cocked a smile. “Actually, I thought he'd finally found someone a while back. Sterling doesn't talk much about his love life. Now, not at all. It's all very…strange. I'm guessing whoever this chick was really did a number on him. I've never seen him so miserable.”

Alyssa frowned and for a brief moment, Quentin thought he saw her eyes gloss over.

“Hey, now. I didn't mean to ruin the mood by giving you the 4-1-1 on my brother's love life.” He laughed. “Sterling is a big boy. I'm sure he'll do better deflecting my parents' meddling. If not, the worst thing that could happen is that he'll end up marrying someone he doesn't love.”

Alyssa's gaze shot up.

“So what do you say? Will you come to the party?”

T
he minute Sterling returned to his parents' estate, he knew that something was up. His mother was the first one to greet him. She was too bubbly and animated by half.

“Oh, sweetheart. You made it.” She leaned up and kissed each side of his face. Billy Dee Williams
the fourth
barked his greeting.

He forced a smile. “I couldn't miss Dad's big day.”
Because none of you were going to let me.

“Your father is going to be so happy to see you when he gets here.” She patted his arm. “Set your bags down and let Antonio carry them up to your room.”

“It's okay. I can—”

“Come. Come. I want you to see the decorations
and tell me what you think.” She gave him no time to argue. She turned on her heel and marched through the house and then out the back door.

As Sterling followed, he tossed an occasional hello and friendly wink to his parents' longtime employees, who were busy cleaning and scrubbing in preparation for the long weekend. Outside, a couple of party planners ran around an army of workers. From what he could tell, it looked as though his mother was going to do a twenties and thirties theme, complete with a speakeasy bar, a section for a big band and he even saw Prohibition “bathtub gin.”

“It looks like it's going to be one heck of a party,” Sterling said, looking around.

“You think he'll like it?” she asked.

“He'll love it,” he reassured. From the corners of his eyes, he spotted a small group of women on the patio. “You already have company?”

“Oh, yes. Come.” She grabbed one of his hands. “I want you to say hello to everyone.”

Sterling allowed his mother to lead him to the patio, where a group of friends sipped merrily from colorful glasses. “Hello, ladies.”

“Hello, Sterling,” they answered in chorus.

“Looks like you ladies have already started your own party.”

“It's never too early to start,” Ms. Nelson said.

The women held up their glasses for a quick toast.

Laughing, Sterling started to make his excuses when he noticed a new face. A younger face.

“Oh. Where are my manners?” His momma gasped and Billy Dee Williams barked. “Sterling, this is Sierra Edwards. Barbara Anne's daughter. She came up to visit her mother this week and I invited her to the party.”

And there it was, Sterling realized. He had stepped into a perfectly laid trap. “Nice to meet you.” Sterling smiled kindly at the pecan-brown beauty. Her sparkling eyes conveyed a sharp intelligence.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, too,” she said in a soft honeyed voice. “I can't wait for the party. It looks like it's going to be fun.”

“It will be,” Kitty piped up. “Make sure you reserve a dance for Sterling here. With so many couples attending, I don't want the single people to feel left out.”

Of course not.
Sterling held on to his smile even though he felt as if he could easily chew through nails. He didn't want this. He didn't need this. However, there was no point in causing a scene or embarrassing his mother in front of her friends by storming off.

He was also pretty sure that Sierra was as much a pawn in this parental scheme as he was. “In that case, I would be thrilled to be Ms. Edwards escort for the evening, if she'd like.”

His mother's face lit up.

“I'd like that very much.”

 

Tangie and Alyssa sat parked at the LAX airport, watching people rush around with everything from
luggage to children. After ten minutes of silence, Tangie turned toward her friend. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She folded her arms. “You're really playing with fire with this one.”

“I know,” Alyssa said solemnly.

“I mean you're going to this thing with one brother you used to like in order to go see the other brother you—what? What exactly are you hoping to get out of this?”

“Closure.” It was the only real answer she had. It had been eighteen months of trying to forget the best week of her life and it simply wasn't working. It hadn't helped to have Quentin back in her life. At every turn she couldn't stop comparing the two brothers. While Q was playful and charming, Sterling was stern and mature. Quentin didn't waste a moment telling her how beautiful she was but it was Sterling that had made her
feel
beautiful.

Alyssa drew a deep breath while she struggled to explain her chaotic emotions, but she couldn't.

Tangie sighed and shook her head. “I owe you an apology.”

Alyssa frowned. “For what?”

“For what I said to you when you came back from Georgia that time and for accusing you of just looking for a father figure. I should have been more supportive.”

“Forget it.” Alyssa waved off the apology. “You were just being honest. I
was
vulnerable then…but it didn't mean that what happened between Sterling
and I was a mistake.” She turned away and gazed back out of the window. “Clearly he thought it was.”

“What if he still thinks that? What are you going to do then?”

Alyssa shrugged as tears burned her eyes. “I don't know.”

“What about Quentin?”

“We're just friends,” Alyssa said. “I made that clear.”

“I don't know.” Tangela shook her head. “He doesn't act like he just wants to be your friend. Morning walks, coffee at Starbucks and flowers just because? This has all the makings of a man in hot pursuit. Plus, what is Sterling going to think if you show up on Quentin's arm?”

“He probably won't care.”

“Are you kidding? The man slept with you. He's going to care.” Tangie cocked her head. “Or is that what you're counting on?”

 

Roger Hinton's seventieth birthday party was in full swing. As the big band blasted the hot jazz tunes, flapper dresses flapped and an army of zoot suits tried to play it cool on the dance floor. Roger, Kitty and Billy Dee Williams greeted everyone with boisterous laughs, wide smiles and long-winded stories.

Sterling was trying to force himself to have a good time. It wasn't working for the most part. It was hard to smile and laugh when all he wanted was to be left alone. Being a good son, he spent a surprising amount of time enjoying Sierra's company. He had
been right about her intelligence. She spoke proudly about her cofounding and running a private equity firm in New York.

Several times throughout the evening, he felt his mother's gaze trail after him. No doubt that she gloated, thinking that she'd found him the perfect woman. Who knows? Maybe she had. Maybe if he did settle down, everyone would get off his back. But was he the type who married for convenience?

For all of Sierra's obvious charm, she didn't hold a candle to the one who had stolen his heart eighteen months ago. A woman whose body heat he'd missed every night since.

“How about a refill?” Sterling asked, noticing Sierra's empty glass.

“That would be great. Thank you.”

Sterling waltzed away and made his way over to the bar. While he waited for his drinks, his brothers flanked him.

“So how's it going?” Jonas asked.

“Don't speak to me,” Sterling said with even annoyance. “You tricked me.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Jonas lied. “I think that it's an incredible stroke of luck that you and the lovely Sierra Edwards happen to hook up here. You seem to be really getting along.”

“Did your wife send you over here to say that to me?” Sterling asked.

“Yep,” Jonas admitted, unashamed. “I do what I'm told.”

Quentin laughed.

“I'll get you back for this—both of you.”

“Me?” Q chuckled. “I have nothing to do with this. And I say count yourself lucky that it's just a date and not an engagement.”

“Really? I can hardly tell the difference.”

“Trust me. You'd know the difference.”

“Here you go, Mr. Hinton.” The bartender handed him his drinks.

Sterling turned from the bar only to run into his father. “Sterling, my boy. Glad to see you could make it for your old man.”

“Old man?” Sterling frowned. “I don't know about that. You still seem young as ever to me.”

Roger laughed as he puffed on his cigar. “Well, you certainly seem like you're enjoying yourself this evening. Sierra seems like a nice young woman. Did you know that her father is the head of Simmon's Corp?”

Sterling glanced over at Quentin.

“Told you,” he singsonged.

“The answer's no, Dad.”

“What? I was just saying.”

The brothers laughed and walked off, leaving Roger to shout the departing words. “Just think about it.”

“Unbelievable.” Sterling shook his head.

“Actually,” Q said, scoping Sterling's date out from a distance. “I don't know what you're complaining about. At least they hooked you with a hot chick.”

“You only think that because she has breasts.”

“Big breasts,” Quentin corrected with a laugh. “My marriage would've lasted at least three more months if Lizzie could fill a B-cup.”

“You have issues,” Jonas laughed.

“Big issues,” Sterling agreed. He noticed Q constantly checking his watch and glancing around. “Who are you looking for?”

A broad and almost sly smile covered Q's face. “My date…if she decides to come.”

“If?” Jonas and Sterling inquired, snickering.

“You mean some smart woman may have actually stood you up?” Sterling said. “First starting your own business and now this?”

Quentin didn't laugh at the joke. He sighed, his easy smile MIA. “It's a real possibility.”

“Whoa. This sound serious.” Jonas wrapped an arm around Q's shoulder. “Are you telling us what I think you're telling us?”

Miracle of miracles, Q blushed. “I'm afraid so. I really care for this girl.” He glanced at Sterling. “I know
you
may never approve.”

“Me?”

Quentin opened his mouth to explain, but then spotted the woman he'd been waiting for and broke out into a smile. “I don't believe it. She came.”

Sterling turned his head, but his jaw dropped in surprise at seeing a smiling Alyssa stroll casually back into his life. What was worse was seeing a lovestruck Quentin rush up to her with open arms.