Tornado Allie (8 page)

He held his hands up in surrender. “Nothing, I swear.” Knowing when he was full of shit, she tapped her foot and waited for him to continue. “I may have forgotten to tell her about my new job.”

“Let me get this straight, you had sex with my best friend last night, and somehow the fact you were moving to Chicago to take a job at the same station where she works never came up in conversation?”

He squirmed under his little sister’s look of disdain. “It’s complicated.”

Jack laughed and coughed the word “pussy” into his hand.

Asshole.

“Something I believe you could relate to, considering the secrets you and Jack are obviously keeping from me,” Drake said.

“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Jack said, no longer laughing. He stood and stalked to Taryn, leaning to speak in her ear. “You and me. Not finished.” He gave a curt nod to Drake and swaggered out the door.

“Do I want to know?” he asked, hoping she’d say no. He really didn’t want details about his little sister’s love life, especially when it had something to do with his best friend.

“I doubt it.” She poked his chest with her finger. “Let’s discuss you. How could you not tell her?”

“Me? Why didn’t you? I didn’t find out until last night while you’ve known all along, Little Miss Matchmaker.”

“I thought I’d surprise you both.” She waved her hands. “Surprise,” she said meekly.

He couldn’t lay the guilt at her feet when it wasn’t her fault. He wrapped his arms around her and tugged her close, kissing the top of her head. “I don’t blame you. You had good intentions. When I found out she lived in Chicago, I should have told her about the job even though she would’ve used it as an excuse to push me away. I had one night to convince her, and I blew it.”

She patted his back. “Maybe not. Give her some time. She’s been through a lot this year, and as hard as she tries to pretend she’s completely healed—”

“What do you mean? I thought she’d beaten the cancer.” His heart jumped into his throat, and he pushed back from the hug.

“She did. Physically, she’s fine, but emotionally…she’s not over it. ”

Like he’d discovered the missing puzzle piece, everything clicked into place. Allie was scared. That solid brick roadblock she’d erected with her wish for a one-night stand on the condition they’d never see each other again suddenly made sense. The problem was he wasn’t sure he had the proper equipment to knock it down.

He had to let her go.

Chapter Seven

Once again, Allie found herself in the backseat of a minivan, rocking to and fro, holding her palm over her mouth. Only this time she wasn’t carsick. She was heartbroken.

After she’d left Drake’s room, she had quickly changed into clean clothes and then swept up her things and tossed them in her suitcase before heading to the front desk to check out. She didn’t want to run into him again, so she’d texted Taryn to meet her outside. Thirty minutes later, they’d left the hotel—and Drake—behind, on their way to the airport in a taxi.

Taryn took her hand and squeezed. “You were kind of harsh on my brother.”

Allie exhaled. She knew her friend wouldn’t stay silent for long. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, but he lied to me.”

“Sweetie, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I’m not saying you’re right either. Let me ask you this. If Drake had told you he was moving to Chicago, would you have slept with him?”

Tired in more ways than one, she rested her head on the window. “No.”

“Do you regret last night?”

Flashes of their time together played in her mind on a loop. She couldn’t shut it down, as hard as she’d tried. When she closed her eyes, she could smell his stormy scent in the air, taste the salt of his skin on her tongue, and feel his hot length buried between her thighs. “No. It was the best night of my life.”

“Exactly. Look what you would have missed.” Taryn wrinkled her nose. “Please, no details.” She shrugged. “So he lied. Are you telling me you’ve never lied before?”

She bristled. “I don’t lie.”

Taryn gave her a smug smile. “How about when you said nothing happened between you and Tony Michaels our junior year of college?”

Oh God, I’d forgotten all about that.
“I… What are you talking about?”

“I know you two made out.”

Taryn didn’t sound angry, but Lord knew she had a right to. All through school, Taryn had crushed on the star quarterback.

One night, when Allie was home for the weekend, she had wound up at the same party as him. After listening to her drone on for an hour extolling her best friend’s virtues, he’d shut her up by kissing her. And she’d let him. Then stayed silent about it to her best friend.
How did Taryn find out?

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m a horrible friend. I knew you liked him, and I made out with him anyway.”

“Yes, but you didn’t lie about it. You didn’t tell me, and I never asked. As luck would have it, it worked out for the best. A few years ago, I ran into him.” In typical Taryn fashion, she paused dramatically for effect. “At a family reunion. He’s my second cousin on my Dad’s side.”

“Ew. How could you not know he was your cousin?”

The cab merged into airport traffic and headed toward their air carrier.

“You’ve been to my family’s barbecues. My cousins each have something like eight kids. Who can keep up?” Taryn retrieved her credit card from her purse. “You saved me from making out with my cousin. See how sometimes lies of omission can work out for the best?”

Allie laughed despite the pain lancing her heart. “That’s a bit of a stretch, but I get your point. I didn’t lie to hurt you, and it all turned out all right in the long run, but it’s different for Drake and me.”

Taryn took her hand and squeezed. “It’s time to take a risk, don’t you think?”

Taryn was right. People lied all the time, including her. She’d used it as an excuse because if she hated him, she wouldn’t miss him. Wouldn’t ache every time she saw him at work. Wouldn’t dream of how good it felt to make love with him. But it wasn’t fair to him. He needed to know the real reason they couldn’t be together. All she knew was she couldn’t leave him this way.

As their taxi pulled to the curb in front of departures, Allie made a decision. “I can’t fly home today. Not before I talk to Drake.” She’d have the cab bring her back to the hotel. Then she remembered what Cole had said when he’d knocked on their door this morning. “How am I going to find him? They were going out to chase storms before meeting up with their new tour group, and I don’t have their itinerary.”

“It’s a good thing I love you,” Taryn said, handing the driver her credit card with one hand and hitting Dial on her cell with the other. Allie heard a male voice coming out of the receiver end of the phone. “No, I didn’t change my mind. I’m calling for Allie.” She slid a glance at her. “My girl’s pretty wrecked too. That’s why I need to know where she can find you.” She grabbed a pen and a receipt from her purse and scribbled on it. “I don’t care what you have to do, just get him there in two hours. No, I so don’t owe you a thing. Yeah, whatever.” Hanging up, she handed her the slip of paper. “They’re on their way to Norman. Jack will pretend his minivan broke down and get Drake to pull over by the state park. He gave me the crossroads.”

The driver returned the credit card, and Allie and Taryn slid out of the van.

Allie’s hands shook, and she tapped her foot on the concrete impatiently as she waited for her luggage from the trunk. “You know, I could call Drake and tell him I’m staying.”

Taryn’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Where’s the romance in that?”

She followed Taryn to the bank of computers and watched her friend check in for the flight. “Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with you and Jack?”

Taryn didn’t look up from the computer. “I’m pissed because he won’t give me a divorce.”

Divorce? When did they get married? Didn’t she hate him? Why didn’t she tell me? Does Drake know?

Taryn held up a hand to silence the billions of questions she knew Allie would throw at her. “That’s all I’m going to say. Let’s focus on you and my brother for the moment.” After the attendant took Taryn’s suitcase, Taryn put her newly printed boarding pass in her purse, grabbed Allie’s hand, and yanked her toward the escalators. “We need to rent you a car.”

Thirty minutes later, they hugged good-bye and Allie drove off to find Drake in the middle of nowhere in a rented car she wasn’t familiar with in a state where she didn’t know the roads. Thank God for cell phones and MapQuest.

She merged onto the highway, grateful for the light traffic, and finally relaxed, knowing she had twenty minutes before she’d have to look for the exit that would lead her to the state park. She drove on autopilot, her mind wandering.
What if he won’t forgive me? What if he changed his mind and he doesn’t want me? What am I going to say?

Biting her lip, she tapped her fingers on the center console. It felt as though butterflies the size of toy poodles were trapped in her stomach. It didn’t help when the sky darkened and it began to rain. She leaned forward and looked up, spotting the ominous shelf cloud ahead. Great, she was driving into a severe thunderstorm. At least she didn’t have to worry about a tornado, since they rarely formed from these particular clouds.

Fat raindrops and penny-sized hail splattered onto her car. The pine trees lining the highway bent and swayed, and the wind pushed against her car. Fighting to stay in her lane, she tightened her hands on the steering wheel. Lightning flashed, momentarily blinding her, and she blinked to clear her vision. The boom of thunder shook her car and made her jump in her seat.

She couldn’t let a little rainstorm stop her from her destiny with Drake.

She’d allowed fear to dictate her life for as long as she could remember, and she refused to permit it to continue. Breathing deeply, she embraced the woman she’d become—Tornado Allie. Even if he rejected her, at least she’d taken the risk.

She exited the highway and, at a stop sign, reread the directions. Continuing to drive, she was thrilled to see signs for the state park every mile. When she made the final turn, she couldn’t help smiling, excitement zinging through her body.

Drizzling steadily, the severe weather had dissipated, leaving behind beautiful bubble-like mammatus clouds, formed by sinking air, the sky various shades of orange and pink.

And there, underneath it all, was Drake.

Three minivans sat idle by the side of the road, Cole, Jack, and Drake talking animatedly. Symptoms of Drake-a-titis returned with a vengeance as she parked behind the vans. With shaky hands, she unwrapped a cherry sucker and popped it in her mouth before she slid out of the car and strode toward Drake.

It took him a moment to notice her, but when he did, her stomach dropped. He stared at her stonily, and she couldn’t read his reaction. Was he happy to see her?

Cole and Jack greeted her. She suppressed the urge to ask Jack about his marriage to Taryn and put it on the back burner for now.

“The van’s fine. So…we’re gonna go,” said Cole. “See you at the hotel in Norman.”

“Take your time, man,” added Jack with a grin, slapping Drake on the back before he and Cole got into their vans.

Drake’s brows pinched together, deep creases forming on his forehead. “Allie? What are you doing here?”

Standing right in front of him, she plucked the candy from her mouth. To keep from smoothing away those creases, she dug into her pocket and pulled out a tissue that she used to wrap around the sucker. Then she stuck it in the pocket of her jeans. “I couldn’t leave you thinking I didn’t care.” He smelled so good, she couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around him and burying her nose in the side of his neck. “Because I do. I care more than I thought possible.”

When he pressed his lips to her temple, she seized the opportunity, tilting her head to steal a kiss on the lips. The kiss was soft and tentative, his confusion and indecision evident. She slipped her tongue in the seam of his mouth and raked her hand through his rain-damp hair, tugging gently.

He hissed as he backed her to the hood of the van, trapping her against its heat and his. He caught her wrists in his hands and wrenched them behind her back. Her nipples beaded, pressing against her shirt, and her pussy tingled.

“I understand you’re afraid. You created a bucket list of risks. Chasing tornadoes. Sky diving. Mountain climbing. But those are physical. It’s much harder to risk your heart. To fall in love.”

Love was something she never thought she’d get to experience until she met Drake. It brought her to tears. “You’re right. That’s why I wanted to protect you.”

He frowned and released her wrists to caress her cheek. “Me? Why do I need protecting?”

She focused on the feel of him against her, strong and controlled, and admitted her darkest fear. “What if the cancer comes back? Do you really want to start something when I could relapse at any time?”

He bent and rested his forehead on hers. “I’d rather spend one more night loving you than a lifetime with someone else.”

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. The warmth of relief permeated through her chest, but she still had more to disclose. “I’m not sure if I can have children. The doctors swear the treatments shouldn’t affect my chance of getting pregnant, but they can’t be one-hundred percent certain.”

“That’s okay. We’ll travel the world instead. Think about how much money we’ll save from not having to buy overpriced diapers and formula. Oh, and we’ll escape the torture of all those kiddie shows with singing dinosaurs.”

“Don’t you want kids?”

He smiled. “If the time was right, and my partner and I both agreed.”

She took a deep breath. “And if I was your partner, the time was right, and I wanted kids?”

“Then we’d adopt.” He stroked his fingers up and down her bare arm. “The point is neither one of us can anticipate the future. A tornado can drop out of the sky and wipe out my apartment building as we sleep, or we could stop to have a picnic on a clear day and get struck by lightning.”

She laughed. “You really know how to comfort a girl.”