Simple Perfection (13 page)

Woods

I stood looking out the window of the conference room while I waited on my new board members to arrive. I had now talked to all of them. Everyone I had asked had agreed. Well, everyone except one of them. He would come around though. In time.

My thoughts went back to Della. I had twenty-four more hours before I was going after her. She would arrive here by then or I was going to Georgia and Braden could get over it. I had agreed with her at first but I didn't agree now. It was taking too long. Every day Della was away from me, she convinced herself even more that I didn't want her.

"I feel like a badass," Jace drawled.

I turned to look at him. He was standing in the doorway with a cup of coffee and a grin on his face. "When did we get so damn old?" he asked, then chuckled and walked inside.

"We're not old," I replied.

"Who's old? I'm not fucking old," Thad said as he followed Jace into the room.

I had debated asking Thad to be a part of the board. He was rarely serious and he still thought he was seventeen most of the time. But he was one of us. His father had been a board member. He should be one too.

"I'm old. That's who's old," Darla announced as she walked into the room with her iPad in her hands, typing away at it. She was always working. That was why she was the best.

"No, you're not. You're wise," I assured her.

She snorted and barely glanced up from what she was working on before she took her seat.

"This kind of feels like the knights of the fucking round table," Grant said as he sauntered into the room with a grin and a glass of what I assumed was bourbon. He really was drinking a lot more these days. I wondered if Rush knew about this.

"This needs to be quick. Nate's checkup is in two hours. I have to be there. They weigh him and shit. I don't want to miss that," Rush said as he walked into the room, followed by Dean.

"I'm not missing it either," Dean said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"No smoking in here, Dean," I told him.

He grumbled. "You bunch of prejudiced asses. No one lets me smoke anywhere around here. It's fucking insane. I need to go back to home where I can smoke a joint on that street if I get the urge."

I ignored his rock star hissy fit. We were all here. At least the ones who were in Rosemary. We were missing two. One would take her place soon. The other still had his shit to figure out.

"Are you drinking bourbon this early?" Rush asked, looking at Grant with a frown.

Grant rolled his eyes and leaned back, propping his feet on the table. "Yeah," was his response.

"Really? You've started drinking whiskey before lunch?" Rush wasn't giving in and I really didn't want them having this fight in here.

"He's fucking your sister. Hell, anyone that stupid has to drink to stay sane," Dean said in a bored tone.

Shit. This was gonna go downhill fast.

"Don't respond to that, either of you," I said, standing at the head of the table.

"It's okay. It's true," Grant said, and held up his drink with a grin that didn't reach his eyes.

Rush swore under his breath.

"Harlow's too damn sweet for you. You know that, don't you, boy? She don't need Nan's seconds. She's too good for that. She's the kind of girl you can look at but can't touch. They're too unattainable for guys like us. Only those who can reach the pedestal she's on can touch her," Dean said.

"Harlow?' Rush asked, looking at his dad in confusion. "What's Harlow got to do with this?"

Dean just grinned. "What happens in LA stays in LA." He winked at Grant. "Don't it, boy?"

Yeah . . . there was a lot I didn't know. I was pretty damn sure I didn't want to know either. "Okay, let's get off Grant's private life and let's focus on the point of this meeting. As you all know, you are now my board of directors. I don't make decisions without meeting with this group and discussing it. You are my advisers. It's time to take the Kerrington Club into the next generation. We're going to do that together."

Darla's pleased smile as she sat back and listened to me talk meant more than she could have known. She was proud of me. Right now, I needed someone to be proud of me.

"Does this mean we can get rid of those damn coming-out balls? That shit is ancient," Jace said.

"Hey. Don't knock the coming-out ball. The girls get all sentimental, which leads to horniness," Thad argued.

"Could you please watch what you say in here, Thad? We have a lady on the board and another will be joining us soon."

Thad looked properly guilty. "Sorry, Miss Darla," he said sheepishly.

"No worries, Thad. I've been watching your horny ass screw through my cart girls for years."

The entire room went silent, then burst into laughter. This was a good group. We would make my grandfather proud.

Della

I opened the door as Tripp came walking up to it. I'd been expecting him. I had called him over an hour ago. Told him we needed to talk.

"You look good, Della. Much better than the girl I left here," he said before stepping into the house.

"Thank you. A lot has changed," I said, then motioned for him to go to the living room.

"Apparently it is a good change. You look almost happy."

Almost was a stretch. I wasn't happy. I missed Woods. I missed him so much it hurt. "Not sure if I'll be able to achieve happy, but I hope to," I said simply.

Tripp sat down in the closest chair, stretched his legs out in front of him, and looked up at me. "Talk, Della girl. I'm listening."

"I'm not going to South Carolina. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next but I won't be going with you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for putting up with me for the past two weeks and helping me when I needed it. What you did means more than words could ever express. I promise to pay you back every penny you spent. As soon as I get a job I'll start sending you money. I have your address."

Tripp frowned. "Don't send me any money. Keep it. I had fun. I had a traveling buddy for a while."

I wasn't going to let him get away with that. I had taken two weeks of his life on the road and now he was staying in Atlanta this week while he waited on me. "No. I'm paying you back."

Tripp smirked and shook his head. "I won't argue with you right now," he said.

"I found out some things this week," I told him. "I'm not having night terrors anymore. I still have dreams and there're still bad memories but I don't get scared. The fear is gone. I just wake up."

Tripp's eyes went wide and he beamed at me. "That's awesome, Della."

I nodded because I agreed. It was amazing. I had conquered something. "Yeah, it is."

"Are you going back to Rosemary?"

I wasn't sure. Every minute that passed in which I didn't have a panic attack and have to fight off the fear that used to overwhelm me, I wanted to go back. I wanted to show Woods that I was complete. I wasn't broken anymore. I was whole. He could love me. I was safe to love. But had I burned that bridge?

"I don't know," I replied.

Tripp bit his bottom lip. He did that when he was thinking. Finally, he let it pop free. "Listen. I can't say much because it isn't my place, but go back. If you want to go back. Be brave and go back."

I wish it was that easy. "What if he doesn't want me back?"

Tripp shook his head. "Not possible. Trust me."

"I left him. All I left was a note. He hasn't looked for me. He must hate me."

Tripp stood up and paced back and forth in front of the fireplace while biting his bottom lip again. What was he so worked up about?

I watched him, waiting for him to say something.

Finally, he stopped and ran his hand through his hair, pulling on the ends a little, like he was having a hard time with something. "Tripp, what's wrong?" I asked.

He stared at me hard a minute. He knew something. Is Woods dating someone else already? Surely not. Oh, God. I'm going to be sick. Could he move on like that?

"The money, it was all---"

"All because he was a good friend and wanted to help you, Della. Wasn't it, Tripp?" Braden's voice startled me as she interrupted Tripp.

He swallowed hard, then nodded. "Yeah," he finally said.

That wasn't what he was going to say. Braden knew what he was going to say and she had stopped him. She was keeping something from me. What was it?

I stood up and spun around to look at her. "Is he with someone else?" I asked. Just saying it ripped me into pieces. If she said yes I would crumple to the floor. I wouldn't be able to deal with that.

Her eyes were determined. I could see she wanted to tell me but she wasn't going to. "I think you need to go back to Rosemary and take back your man, if that's what you want. I think that if you love Woods Kerrington, then you need to be brave enough to put your heart on the line and go after him. You need to stop fearing things, Della. This is your last obstacle. Face it." Her voice cracked. "Please, Della. Go get him. If you want him. Go get him."

He had moved on. I sank back down on the couch. "Oh, God," I gasped as the pain started filling every inch of my body.

"No, Della---"

"Shut up, Tripp," Braden snapped. She wanted me to know the truth. Tripp was trying to ease my pain because he was a good guy but Braden loved me enough to be honest.

"How do I go after him? He doesn't want me," I said, my voice no more than a whisper.

Braden knelt down in front of me. "You are beautiful, smart, kind, and selfless, and you're the best friend I've ever had. I love you like a sister. You are my family. I've watched you hurt and I've watched you hide from your fears as if they really were those monsters under your bed that your mother threatened you with. In two days I've seen you face life with a strength I knew was in there but I'd never seen you use. If you want Woods Kerrington---if he is your forever---then go get him. Don't doubt yourself. Don't doubt your importance. People don't love you and forget you, Della. You're unforgettable."

I covered my mouth to smother a sob. Braden didn't reach for me and hug me. She didn't offer words of comfort. She just knelt there and watched me. She was waiting on me to decide. She was betting on me. When the rest of the world thought I was hopeless, she bet on me. She believed in me.

So had Woods.

"Can I have one last ride?" I asked Tripp as I raised my gaze to meet his.

"You know it," he replied.

Braden let out a loud sob as she stood up and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so proud of you. You did it, Della. You did it," she said into my hair as she cried in my arms.

I smiled over her shoulder at Tripp, who was getting a little teary-eyed himself.

He gave me a thumbs-up and winked, then he turned and walked out of the room.

Woods

I walked into my house and went for my suitcase. Della had four hours left to come back to me. I was packing. I was going after her. She wasn't going to come back. She was scared, and I'd be damned if I was going to continue to let her think I didn't want her. Whatever reasons Braden had could go to hell. I was going to get my woman. I was going to make sure she damn well knew I loved her with all my heart.

My phone rang and I froze. It could be her. She could be coming back. I was almost scared to hope. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. It was Tripp.

"Yeah," I said, then held my breath.

"Get your ass ready. She's coming back."

I sucked air into my lungs and threw my head back as my heart started beating again for the first time since she'd walked away from me. Della was coming back.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"She's packing her bag and telling Braden good-bye. I ain't gonna lie, dude. That was a tough scene in there. I was real damn close to telling her the truth and sending her back to you, but Braden is hard-core. She was determined that Della make this decision. When she broke and agreed to come back, even though she thinks you've moved on, it was emotional."

"What are you talking about? Why does she think I've moved on? What the hell does that mean?" Had Braden lied to her?

"She's convinced you're with someone else now. That the secret she can sense between me and Braden is that you've moved on to someone else. So, she's coming to Rosemary to win you back. She isn't just coming back to you---she's coming back thinking she has to fight for her man."

As much as I didn't want Della ever thinking I could even touch another woman, the idea of her coming to fight for me made me smile. "Are you bringing her?"

"Yep," he replied.

"Bring her to my house. Drop her off and leave. I'll be here," I told him.

Tripp chuckled. "Ah, damn, you mean I don't get to watch the make-up sex?"

"Careful," I warned him as my mind started making plans. I had a lot to do before she got here. "Go rent a car. Use the money I just put in your account. Don't put her on the back of your bike again."

"I'm a good driver," Tripp argued.

"Don't give a shit. If I have to think about her arms wrapped around you one more time I'll lose it. I don't want her on the back of your bike. Ever. Again."

Tripp let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll rent a damn car."

"Bring her back to me safe. And hurry."

"Yes, sir. Gotta go, here she comes," he said.

I hung up and looked around my living room. It was time to start getting ready. She was coming back to me. I was going to make sure she never regretted it.

I dialed Jace's number. I needed Bethy's help.

"Hey."

"Bethy with you?" I asked as I began cleaning up the kitchen.

"Yeah, why?"

"I need her help. Give her the phone."

"Okaaay," he said. I heard him telling her it was me and that I needed her help.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Della is on her way back to me. I need rose petals. Where do I get a bunch of rose petals this late?"

Bethy squealed. "She's coming back! That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you!"

"Focus. I need rose petals," I told her as I put the last dish in the dishwasher and turned it on.

"I will get you rose petals. Don't worry about it. I'll be by in about an hour."

"Thanks," I told her before hanging up. I glanced over at the wall where the picture I'd smashed once hung.

I quickly dialed the next number on my list.

"Hey, Rob. I know it's late but the picture I brought you to frame---I need it. Now."

"It's not ready and I close in the next hour."

"A thousand dollars if you can get it to my place in two hours."

"Shit. Okay, yeah. I'll make it happen."

"Thanks."

Hanging up, I walked to the bedroom and started stripping the sheets. I hadn't changed them because they smelled like Della. My girl needed clean sheets. Once I had my room cleaned I dialed one more number.

"Boss?"

"Jimmy, I need your help. Close the dining room early. Tell everyone that there's a private member meeting or some shit. Just close it. I need the kitchen staff's help."