“That’s wonderful. Does the reason for this trip include a special someone?”
He popped his knuckles. In a way, sure, it did—but what had taken him to Nevada had been to discover what had really happened to Pamela. Yet dragging his half sister into a conversation with his ailing mother felt wrong. His mother had always treated Pamela kindly, but from a safe distance. “Sort of.”
“You should find a good woman to share your life with, son. I know you love what you do, but look for someone who enjoys the same things. Who makes you laugh. In the end, that’s all that matters.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, his shoulders tensing up. A wave of sadness washed over him, and he wished he could change his mother’s life. She was still positive, even though her own husband wasn’t at her bedside when most needed. Married, but alone.
His phone buzzed, and he scooped it from the side table where he’d placed it earlier.
A text from Alexa.
What’s your mother’s room number? When they’d spoken on the phone the previous day, she’d mentioned to him she wanted to send his mother some flowers. He’d forgotten to give her the room number in the hospital, with so many things in his head.
He typed it and sat the cell back on the side table.
A few seconds later, a knock on the door.
“Vanessa must be back from running errands,” he said, and without much thought, opened the door.
His breath caught in his lungs, and a wave of surprise slapped at him.
Standing in front of him, Alexa held an elegant bouquet of white lilies and daisies. She chewed on her lower lip, clenching the flowers against her chest like a shield. Uncertainty flashed in her eyes. “I forgot to say I wanted to deliver these myself.”
He closed the door behind him, still stunned. Currents of electricity charged through him, her presence alone awakening all his senses. “Thank you,” he said smoothly. “What made you change your mind?”
“Jackie. She can be pretty convincing.”
He made himself a mental note to send Jackie some expensive bourbon. He cleared his throat. What did her coming to Dallas mean for them? Was it a charity visit or did she really want to be linked to him, to meet his mother? “Are you ready to meet the lady who brought me into this world?”
A light of anticipation brightened her eyes. “I’d like nothing more.”
Affection filled his heart, making it flip foolishly in his chest. Why she had come didn’t matter. She came, and he’d make the most of it. He opened the door, and his mother perked up at his entering the room again, curiosity flashing in her gray eyes.
“Who is it? Is Vanessa back? Did she get my magazines?”
“Mom, meet a very dear friend of mine. This is Alexa. Alexa, meet my mom, Claire Taylor.”
Alexa sat the flowers on the console and walked up to his mother with small but decisive steps. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Taylor.”
His mother touched her hair, as if trying to fix herself up before going to an important appointment. “Oh darling…I didn’t know Brooks would bring someone. Come here, let me take a look at you.”
Alexa wore a black blouse, with a white ruffle pattern in the middle, and a pencil skirt to match. She looked very classy and his mother probably agreed, judging by the way her gaze slid up and down Alexa with a growing smile. “How are you feeling?” Alexa asked. “Brooks told me you had quite a scare.”
“Oh honey, I did. I’m on the mend now. But tell me about you. You’re gorgeous. Do you live in Dallas?”
His mother smiled like someone had just announced she’d won the lottery. It dawned on him that he hadn’t brought someone for his mother to meet besides Adelaide.
“No, I don’t. I’m from Nevada. I’m just visiting.” Alexa leaned closer to his mother, shoulders relaxed. Her gaze snapped at him, and a zingy energy passed between them, like there was something else she wanted to tell him. God. Could this work? Could they be in a relationship? Could he put his silly insecurities to rest? He couldn’t move to Nevada—not when his life, his work, his identity was so deep-seated in Texas. Would she be open to moving? Would it be fair to put her through the scrutiny of being a former madam on his turf?
“Interesting,” his mother said, glancing at him. “Is that where you met my son? In Nevada?”
A small bob slid down her throat. She peered up at Brooks, then focused on his mother again. “Yes,” she said, without offering further details.
“Well, I’m glad. So sweet of you to visit me.”
“Of course. Brooks was worried about you, and so was I.”
“Thank you. Your visit means a lot,” Claire said, the meaning of those words neatly hidden. His mother peered at him with a happy expression. She probably assumed Alexa must be special for him to introduce her to her at the hospital. For her to know his mother had been sick. And for her to have flown from a different state to be by his side.
His mother believed he was in a real relationship, and the idea probably made her feel good. Damn it, it made him feel good, too. If only it were true.
Chapter Fifteen
Alexa entered the hotel suite Brooks had been occupying. She tossed her overnight bag on one of the chairs, and barely noticed the lavish, modern, all-white decoration. After having spent a few hours visiting with his mother, relief relaxed her limbs. I’m glad I came.
When he’d invited her to tag along, she’d been cautious. But, after much internal debate, she’d decided to go—wanted to. So what if they wouldn’t last? He needed her, and she needed to be by his side.
“Are you sure you don’t want to sleep at the hospital?” she asked when he
