Following Love (20 page)

“Maybe I can tag along, too.”

She looked at him in the muted darkness. “Maybe it would be best if we keep our relationship purely business.”

“Dena, about this afternoon,” he began. “I guess I'm a little gun-shy when it comes to apologies. They never really make things right. Most times they're just words spoken to cover up lies and deceit.”

“Wow, that was harsh.”

“Yeah, I guess it is. Stephanie isn't my only mistake. After we divorced I got engaged a year later. That was disaster number two. Then I started seeing a nice woman who turned out to be the second bride of Chucky.”

Dena laughed, taken off guard by his humorous comparison. Julian looked at her oddly.

“I'm sorry,” she said, realizing that her laughter was probably inappropriate.

“No. You have a nice laugh, you should do it more often.”

“I wasn't laughing at you really, it just sounds so…” She paused and sighed. “Heartbreaking.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

She smiled. “Look at us, a couple of heartbroken misfits.” He smiled and nodded. “So that's when you did the celibate thing.”

“Yeah. And it worked until you came along.” He looked off, shaking his head. “I don't know, there's something about you, about us together that…I don't know.”

“Yeah, I agree. We do seem to have that chemistry.”

“Not a bad thing, though,” he said, turning back to her.

“No, not at all.”

“So maybe we can get past this,” he said. She nodded. “I like you a lot, way too much.”

“Me, too, way too much,” she said. Dillon stirred in her arms. He woke up and smiled at her.

“Hi, Mom,” he muttered.

“Hi, sweetie. Ready to go to bed?”

“No,” he said, yawning then looking around, seeing that they were outside and that Julian was there. He smiled.

“Hey, buddy, how you doing?”

“'Kay,” Dillon said.

“Looks like you're sleepy.” Dillon nodded. “Come on, I'll give you a ride upstairs.” Dillon unraveled his arms from Dena's neck and reached out to Julian. “Uh—” Julian grunted “—you're getting heavy.”

Dillon nodded and wrapped his arms around Julian's neck and held tight. Dena stood and walked over to the back door. She opened it and allowed them to pass. Julian continued through the basement to the kitchen then up the back stairs. She followed, then pointed out Dillon's bedroom.

She pulled his pajamas from the dresser while Julian laid him down on the bed. Dena helped Dillon remove his shirt and then took off his sneakers and socks. She started to continue then stopped. “Mom, I'm a big boy now. I can do it by myself.”

“You're right, I forgot.” She straightened up and stepped away. Dillon grabbed his pajamas and went into the bathroom.

She picked up his shirt and socks and dropped them in the hamper then she pulled his covers back and took the teddy bear from the shelf and laid it on the bed. When she finished, she looked up at Julian who was standing by the window looking at her.

“You're a really good mom.”

“I like to think so,” she said, walking over to him.

He reached out his arms to draw her close, she tucked into the strength of his body with ease. Being there felt like coming home. “Mmm,” she hummed quietly, “this feels good.”

“Yes, it does,” Julian said as he looked out the window. “Nice view,” he said, seeing an unobstructed view of the barbecue grill in the backyard.

“Yeah, at times it's even better than nice.” They both knew she was talking about the first time they'd met.

“I wondered what upstairs window you were looking through. I thought it might have been your bedroom.”

“Nah, the oak tree is in the way. I tried.”

They chuckled as he held her tighter and stayed pressed together like that until Dillon returned a few minutes later. He got down on his knees and said his prayers then climbed into bed.

“You all set, sweetie?”

“Yeah, I'm all set,” Dillon said, yawning.

“Okay, pleasant dreams. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Mom.”

She kissed his forehead and he snuggled down, then she helped him with his teddy bear. She leaned up and looked at Julian then nodded. He walked over to the bed.

“Good night, little buddy,” he said.

“Good night. I love you, too, Toolyian Hamydon.”

Julian stopped cold. He didn't expect to be so affected by the simple words from an almost-four-year-old. “I love you, too,” he whispered softly, then followed Dena out.

She stopped in the hall, her back was to him. “Julian, I know how hard it is to trust,” she said completely out of the blue, “I guess I'm just not good at the one-night-stand thing.”

He rested his hands on her shoulders then dipped his mouth to her ear. “Who says we were a one-night stand?” They each went still and quiet. “Is that okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, that's more than okay.”

“Good, so now that we got that straight, what are you going to do to make it up to me?”

She smiled. “I don't know. What do I have to do?” she asked, still without turning around.

“You'll think of something.”

She turned, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close, bracing her between the wall and his body. She rubbed into him as their lower bodies met. He reached up and began caressing her breasts, teasing her nipples between his fingers.

Dena closed her eyes, feeling the tantalizing sensation of his hands on her body again. He felt so good, too good. Moments later they stopped almost simultaneously, panting hard to catch their breath. Both knowing that her bedroom was just down the hall but that Dillon was in the next room. He stepped back, took her hand and together, wordlessly, they went back outside and sat beneath the stars.

“G
ood morning, Adel. I'm putting you on speakerphone, this is on the record,” Gaylord said.

“I hope this is good news,” Adel said impatiently. “It's been over a week, I've already had the room remodeled and a new wardrobe designed and ordered. I've hired a nanny and enrolled him in several character-building classes.”

“I preface this as a warning, Adel. What you've requested is highly uncommon and could seriously backfire in our faces. And when I say ‘our faces,' I mean your face. This maneuver could be devastating to the firm if it fails. We'll look like kidnappers if this goes public, which I'm certain it would since we'll be filing this motion in family court and there is no such thing as a sealed motion in some chambers. I need to make sure you're aware of all this. The other partners will not tolerate this much longer, particularly if it goes public.”

“You forget, Gaylord, I run the other partners. They tolerate what I tell them to,” she said.

“Adel, you have no legitimate standing if they decide to force the issue. Having said that, I believe we might have something,” Gaylord reported. “Dena Graham never went back for her final psychiatric examination as required by the courts. In addition to that she still has her sleeping pill prescription refilled regularly and her unusual behavior as witness in our conference room might suggest possible latent mental problems, more serious than we first expected.”

“Excellent, build on that,” Adel said.

“Well, since this condition has presumably gone untreated for almost four years, we can file that we're highly suspicious of her maternal abilities given her current deteriorating mental condition.”

“Perfect.” She smiled and nodded.

“I'm still waiting on a more up-to-date report of her medication usage.” He opened and read from his file. “I have a record of antidepressants for clinical depression and sleeping pills for frequent insomnia. I've already attained information from our therapist regarding suspected abusive tendencies.”

“Yes, that will work.”

“Added to that, we've already recorded her great-aunt's tendency for emergency police and fire activity at the house where the child stays. This could be a safety issue, putting him in mortal danger. You'd be saving his life. In our opinion, the boy, Dillon Graham, is better off with his paternal grandmother for the time being.”

“What do you mean, for the time being?” Adel questioned.

“We'll start off asking for temporary custody then file for sole permanent custody in a few months.”

“I want sole custody now.”

“It doesn't work like that, Adel.”

“Make it work like that.”

“There's nothing I can do. This maneuver is already risky. The success of you actually getting temporary, let alone full custody, of a child you never met and adamantly denied his entire life, is remote at best.”

“I don't want to hear that, Gaylord.”

“I'm sorry but you need to. As your legal representative I suggest that if you want a lasting relationship with your grandchild you need to work out something with his mother. That means you and Dena need to reconcile and come to some reasonable resolve.”

“I told you to do one thing, get my grandson…”

“I can't work miracles, even for you, Adel. This is family court and family law, Dena's backyard. She owns the playground here.”

“Well then buy the damn school, I don't care. Just get my grandson.”

“We'll file as soon as the information we requested comes in.”

She went silent, not at all pleased with the situation. “Fine, file the paperwork as soon as you can, just see that I get sole custody by his birthday.”

“I can't promise that, Adel.”

“I'm guessing you can,” she said. “I want this finished.”

“I'll keep you apprised of the situation.”

“See that you do,” she insisted.

“Adel, as I have stated on numerous occasions, we need to cut our losses and bring Dena Graham into the fold. She's an attorney, we can at least make her a junior partner with full voting rights, bonuses and ample pro bono work would be an excellent offering. That combined with everything else she's entitled to as Nelson's sole surviving daughter-in-law and Forester's widow is considerable.”

“You know how I feel about that, Gaylord. I don't want her anywhere near my law firm.”

“Of course, as always, just a legal suggestion offered for our protection,” he said stiffly.

“Oh, one more thing, how many men has she seen and been involved with since Forester was killed?”

Gaylord flipped through the notes he'd received earlier. “According to this file, she hasn't seen or been physically involved with anyone, not for years, although it looks like there's currently a relationship with a construction worker, Julian Hamilton.”

“Tsk.” She sucked her teeth. “A construction worker. Good, then he's of no consequence but then how typically pathetic. She goes from my Forester to a common house painter. Has the relationship progressed to be serious?”

“The file doesn't say.”

“I don't want my grandson raised under those circumstances. Keep me informed.” She hung up, smiling. In less than three weeks she was going to get her life back. She picked up the phone and called a party planner she'd chosen for the birthday and coming home celebration. She detailed exactly what she wanted, a nice proper gathering of twenty or so children from the best families with a sweet Disney-type theme.

She walked down the hall to his bedroom. It was Forester's old room. It would be perfect. She opened the door and stepped inside, marveling at the remarkable job she'd done.

She had already had it redesigned and remodeled. The bed was Forester's, a four-poster oak with brand-new designer sheets and down comforter. The bookcases were lined with books she wanted him to read, none of the trash literature for him. He would be the perfect gentleman, just like Forester and Kirkland. This time she would get it right. He would listen to her and do exactly what she said. She nodded her approval; everything was ready for her grandson.

 

Gaylord hung up and pushed the stop button on the phone recorder. He opened and pulled out the small tape. Of late, he taped most conversations with Adel. Being prudent in the face of adversity was just smart business. Physical proof and credible witnesses were a litigator's best offense and defense. If and when Adel went down, he had no intention of going down with her.

He looked at the three men seated at the table and nodded. Three senior law partners of Graham, Whitman & Morris returned his gesture. “I'll have transcripts by Monday morning.”

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention and for your assistance in this matter,” one of the men said.

“Do what she wants for the time being,” another one of the partners said, “but first and foremost, we must protect this firm.”

“Understood, any suggestions?” one of the partners offered.

“Actually, sir, yes. Perhaps we might head this off, just in case,” Gaylord said as he handed out a proposal. “I've taken the liberty of drawing these up.”

The three partners looked the paper over. Each nodded in turn. “Agreed.”

The three men looked to Gaylord. He nodded. “I understand, I'll make the call,” Gaylord said.

“Your loyalty in this matter will not be forgotten.”

“Thank you, sir.”

They stood and left. Gaylord sat and smiled, feeling no sense of remorse. As a nonvoting partner he was given Adel as his sole client to placate because she was the widow of the last founding partner and therefore acquired full veto and voting status and a large enough block of shares to carry the board. He served her well, bowing to every whim and doing every menial job she deemed necessary with regard to her welfare.

But, as well, he'd warned Adel repeatedly that her single-focused behavior would be her downfall. He placed the small tape in an envelope, sealed it and placed it in his in-bin. His secretary would transcribe it into transcript form first thing Monday morning.

As always, the voting partners would each receive a copy and proceed accordingly. That would be the end of Adel Graham's four-year tyrannical reign of Graham, Whitman & Morris.

 

The construction site of the Kellerman Building was awesome.

Dillon was on cloud nine. Having not told him what they were doing or where they were going, he was beside himself with joy as they met up with Julian in front of an ongoing project.

The site was enormous and even though it was near midday Saturday there were several workers there. Julian handed Dena a hard hat then bent down to fit Dillon's brand-new hard hat to his head. After a few adjustments, Dillon slapped his hat several times then nodded his approval.

Dena adjusted her hard hat and put on her shatter-proof protective eyewear. “Thank you for this,” she said after adjusting Dillon's eyewear. “You're incredible.”

He winked. “I get that a lot.”

“I bet you do.”

Loud chuckling laughter interrupted them. They looked down then across the quad, seeing a huge dump truck empty its load into a metal bin. There was a loud crash then a deep crunch and a moaning-type roar. Dillon laughed again.

“Not exactly a warm and fuzzy Disney kind of guy is he,” he said.

“No, not nearly enough action for him,” she said.

They each took a hand, putting Dillon between them, and headed to the building under construction and the grated elevator on the side. “I know we're not going up there,” she said.

“We are,” Julian informed her.

“No way,” she insisted.

“Mom, please, please, pretty please,” Dillon said.

Dena looked at Julian; he chuckled as he steered her toward the elevators. She was obviously outnumbered.

“Wow, look at that,” Dillon said, pulling at Julian's hand to get his attention. While on the grated elevator they watched a huge crane pick up and lift a large load of material to an upper level platform then continue to an upper floor. “Did you see that? Wow,” Dillon said breathlessly, excited. “Wow.”

He had one small finger intertwined in the grate and giggled and laughed each time the elevator stopped at an ascending floor. Dena looked out and down cautiously. “Aren't we up here kind of high?”

“This is our floor,” Julian said as the elevator stopped. He opened the roll gateway and lifted and shifted the bracing gate. He swung the door open then closed it when they stepped out.

“Wow,” Dillon whispered continuously.

They walked down a half skeletal-like hall into a partially applied drywall room then continued to another open area. Completely enclosed, there were large windows across the back half of the room.

“Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?” Dena asked.

“It's okay,” Julian said as Dillon half dragged them across the open space to the windows.

“Look down there,” he said, excitedly pointing to the small cars and people on the street. Completely engrossed, he giggled and laughed full-out.

Julian looked at Dena. She looked at him. She couldn't turn away even if she wanted to. The man who had come into her life when she needed him had just stolen her heart.

She watched as he took her free hand and lifted it to his lips then kissed her. She smiled as his eyes stayed locked and unwavering. She had no idea what follows love but the tenderness and heartfelt joy she experienced with him made her wonder.

“Mom, look at that,” Dillon said, getting her attention. She looked away to follow where he pointed.

Julian didn't. Every minute with her was too precious to be denied. For so long he had searched for a woman to fill him completely and all he'd ever found were selfish, self-centered spoiled brats looking out for only one person, themselves.

Dena was different. She was nurturing and kind, a loving mother, a devoted niece and the woman he wanted in his life. And she was sexy as hell. The night they'd spent together consumed him from the start. Her confession to coming over to seduce him without knowing how was just that, the seduction. She'd had him captivated with desire from the moment she'd walked in the garage.

“This is incredible,” Dena said, agreeing with Dillon.

“Come on, this way.” He took her hand and Dillon's hand and led them through another open space. As soon as Dena entered, she stopped and smiled. “Aw, wow, this is beautiful.”

“You like it?”

“Yes, very much.” She started laughing. Dillon looked up at her strangely. Then back to the picnic lunch spread out on the makeshift picnic table. He didn't get the joke.

“Tell me, little buddy,” Julian began happily as they sat down, “what's your all-time favorite food in the world?”

“Pizza, yea,” he squealed, clapping his hands.