Convince Me (Holton Series #1) Read online

  “I know.” There was a short pause. “You’ve never called me before a date. I knew last night that she was important. I’m really happy for you, Steve. You deserve it. I can’t wait to meet her.”

  Steven leaned his head back on the chair and told her all about the date. In spite of the fact that Victoria could talk more than anyone he knew, she was also a good listener. They talked for almost an hour and when Steven finally ended the call, he knew he would now be able to sleep.

  He had made some headway with Anna tonight. Their relationship wasn’t where he wanted it to be but they were getting closer. She fell asleep in his arms. She was starting to trust him. Now all he had to do was turn that trust into love.

  Chapter 6

  The persistent ringing woke Anna from the deepest sleep she had in weeks. Her arm snaked out to shut off the alarm but then she suddenly sat up. The ringing wasn’t her alarm clock but the phone. Anna glanced down and realized she was still fully dressed and the memories of the previous evening came flooding back. She remembered resting her head on Steven’s shoulder. She could hear his even breathing and the steading constant beating of his heart. She had felt safe and content. Apparently so content, she had fallen asleep.

  She looked down at her dress with distaste. Either Steven had carried her to the bedroom or sometime in the night she had managed to make her own way there. Somehow, Anna was certain it was the former. Steven had removed her shoes and unbuttoned her dress but thankfully that was all. She was embarrassed enough about falling asleep in his arms. It would have been much worse if he had undressed her too. She wanted to be fully awake when he did that!

  Anna grinned at the thought. The ringing of the phone brought her back to the present and she leaned over to pick it up.

  “Good morning.” Steven’s deep voice came across the line to give her a warm feeling straight down to her toes. “I didn’t know how to set your alarm so I thought I better call to make sure you woke up in time for work. Are you awake?”

  “Barely,” Anna laughed still a little embarrassed. Steven didn’t seem to think anything was wrong so she tried to not worry about it. “Thanks for calling. I’m sorry I fell asleep on you last night.”

  “I’m not,” Steven replied in a low caressing voice. Anna shivered at the sound. “I like you sleeping in my arms.”

  “Oh, Steve,” Anna said with a tremor in her voice. She wasn’t sure how to answer that so she remained silent. He seemed to understand for he changed the subject.

  “I know you have a lot to do this week but can we meet one day for lunch?”

  Anna smiled. “I’d like that.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you later and we will arrange something. I better let you go or I’ll be late for work. Have a great day, honey.

  Something flickered in her at the endearment. She sighed softly, “You too.”

  After she hung up the phone, Anna laid back on the bed and relived the night before. It had been a magical evening. Anna felt that maybe she had finally met the man who could make her lose all her fears.

  Sophie jumped onto the bed and demanded her attention. The cat rubbed her head under Anna’s hand and she absently petted the animal. A smile seemed fixed on her face as she remembered the carriage ride and the drive home. Anna had never felt so comfortable in a man’s presence and she had enjoyed herself immensely. Falling asleep in Steven’s arms was something she never thought she would be able to do but she had felt so safe. It was a rare feeling for her and she had been so relaxed that she slept deeply.

  She needed the sleep. She felt more rested now than she had since the move to Holton. Steven’s care wasn’t as difficult to accept as she had thought it would be. Perhaps she was learning to trust. As long as Steven did not try to control her life, she would be satisfied. It gave her a wonderful feeling that would carry her through the day.

  Anna looked at the clock and then jumped from the bed. She had to hurry or she would be late. She gave Sophie one last stroke and started her day.

  Steven did call her and they met for lunch the next day. The following weeks were some of the happiest in Anna’s life. Steven did not pressure her but wanted to see her often enough that it was very flattering. They usually had lunch at least once a week and made plans for every weekend.

  Steven was a great guide and Anna soon learned a lot about the area. They took two more trips into Dallas. Once to visit the Dallas Museum of Art and then attended the Dallas Symphony. The Dallas Symphony played at the Meyerson Symphony Center located in the Arts District. It was an elegant and romantic date.

  Another day they spent at the zoo and then the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Even in winter, the Arboretum had an assortment of seasonal flowers and ornamental shrubs. The weather was nice so it was pleasant to be outdoors for a while.

  Two totally different days but both were a lot of fun. Steven was a wonderful companion and Anna was falling deeper in love every day.

  One Saturday, Steven took her to meet Tim Moreno and show her the greenhouse where he had gotten the lilies he had given her. He told her about calling his sister and planning their first date. Anna was shocked and flattered that he had gone to so much trouble. They later drove to McKinney, a town not far from Holton. McKinney’s downtown area was a square block that contained over a hundred specialty shops and restaurants. They spent some time poking into the stores and antique shops before going to a movie.

  Anna was becoming deeper and deeper involved with Steven. It would have frightened her if she hadn’t been so happy. She started helping Julie and Steven with the plans for his parents’ anniversary party although she had yet to meet the elder Carsons. Steven had invited her to have dinner with him and his parents but Anna wasn’t quite ready for that and Steven hadn’t pushed the issue.

  One evening they were having dinner with Julie and Nick at Steven’s house when the subject of the party came up in conversation. It was now only a few days away and there were still a lot of things that needed to been done. Anna volunteered to help with the shopping but so far no one knew what still needed to be purchased. Victoria had not yet sent a list.

  “I don’t know if I should purchase some decoration or not,” Steven was saying. They were all seated around Steven’s small dining table. They had just finished a huge meal of grilled steaks and baked potatoes. The men had cooked so Anna and Julie agreed to clear the table but were still too full to get started.

  “Tori didn’t say anything about decorations. At least, not to me. What about you, Julie?”

  Julie shook her head. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Steve, I’m sure Tori has thought about it. She is probably bringing them with her.”

  “You’re probably right but maybe I’ll pick up a few things just in case.”

  Julie laughed then rose from the table and started picking up some plates. Anna joined her and the men headed into the living room. Anna loved Steven’s house. It was the perfect size. Not too big, not too small. It was an older home and had gorgeous hardwood floors. There were three bedrooms at the back of the house and a huge living room. Steven told her it had actually been two rooms at one time – a dining room and a living room. He had the wall separating the two rooms torn out making a beautiful open space he now used for his living room and den. It was a perfect place to hold a party for it was big enough to house a large group of people without being too crowded.

  Anna also loved the kitchen. One reason Steven had no need for a dining room was that the kitchen was large enough to hold the dining table. It stood in a small area that was probably a breakfast nook at one time. It now had a large bay window that looked out over the backyard. A huge weeping willow framed the window.

  The rest of the kitchen was plain but very practical. There was a large sink and Steven had recently purchased a new stove. The back door let directly out to the yard instead of the garage, which was to the side of the house. Anna opened the door to allow the late evening breeze to flow through the room.

  Looking out
at the night sky, Anna took a deep breath. She could smell the smoke from the fire that Steven had used to grill the steaks. Glancing at the barbecue pit, she saw that the coals were still burning. A shot of fear raced through her. Turning, she walked quickly back to the sink and filled a pitcher with water before returning outside to douse the flames.

  When she returned to the kitchen, Julie looked at her in surprise. Knowing she probably overreacted, Anna smiled at her somewhat embarrassed. Shrugging her shoulders, she said, “I thought it would be better to put out the fire.”

  Julie nodded in agreement. “You’re probably right. You can’t be too careful. Especially with as dry as it has been around here lately.”

  Anna agreed. Ever since her father had died in the fire, Anna had been very cautious. Julie didn’t know this but Anna was glad that she was careful also.

  As Anna carried some dishes to the sink, she noticed that Julie had a grin on her face. “What’s so funny?” Anna asked.

  “Steven,” Julie said laughing. “He will go out and buy decorations for this party that will never be used. He can’t seem to understand that Victoria will have every detail planned out perfectly.”

  “So he won’t need the decorations?”

  “No, I’m sure he won’t but that’s Steve. To him, Tori is still a little kid who is always up to something.” Julie paused briefly to rinse a plate. “Actually, we all tend to treat her that way.”

  Julie sounded a little sad. Anna looked at her wondering what was on her mind. “What do you mean?”

  Startled, Julie threw her a glance. “Well, Tori is unique. She is very unconventional and maybe, just a little crazy, at least to our way of thinking. We are a pretty conservative group. Steven and Andrew can be patronizing. They don’t mean to be but Steven pulled Tori out of so many scraps when she was young that it is hard for him to change. I just never realized that we all treated her like that until recently.”

  “What made you realize it?”

  “Nick,” Julie said with a laugh. “He was always defending her. So quietly that I didn’t realized it at first. Then one day he said something and I questioned him. He told me we all treated Victoria like she was some mischievous schoolgirl when in reality she was a very successful businesswoman. It was quite a shock to realize he was right. I felt awful.”

  “Julie,” Anna said, “why are you telling me this?”

  Julie stopped washing the dishes and turned to look at her. Anna had never seen her so serious. “Tori is my best friend. She is coming home in a few days and I don’t want anything to hurt her. I think sometimes Steven’s attitude does. Will you talk to him?”

  Anna immediately shook her head. “No way, Julie. If there is a problem between Steven and his sister, I don’t want to be in the middle of it. Steve loves her a lot.”

  “I know,” Julie replied. “So do I. You’re right. We shouldn’t interfere. It’s just that recently I have sensed a restlessness in Tori and I’m not sure she is happy which feels weird as she is the happiest person I know. I guess I want to make everything alright for her.”

  “You’re a good friend, Julie, but they will work it out. Just wait and see.”

  Julie nodded and then asked, “Anna, do you want to go with me to pick her up at the airport?”

  “Me?” Anna squeaked. She knew Victoria was flying in on the day of the party. She didn’t want to come earlier because she was afraid her parents would find out and it would ruin the surprise.

  “Sure. We could leave early and have lunch in Dallas before going to the airport. That way you wouldn’t have to drive your car here. The fewer cars we have to hide that night, the better. Of course, you may not want to leave work early.” Julie paused a minute while Anna was trying to make sense of the conversation. It appeared that Julie thought Anna was going to attend the Carson’s anniversary party. Almost half the town had been invited. Victoria was planning a family dinner with just the Carsons and Moores and then later the rest of the guests would arrive. Anna had not planned on being one of them.

  “I know,” Julie continued, “we can pick you up from your office on our way back to town. How does that sound?”

  “Julie, I’m not going to the party.”

  Her friend stopped and looked at her. “Of course, you are.”

  “No, I’m not. I don’t even know the Carsons.”

  “Oh,” Julie said with a flick of her hand, “that doesn’t matter. Believe me, Anna, everyone expects you to be there.”

  “Where?”

  Anna turned to see Steven standing in the doorway. He had obviously just returned and heard the last of Julie’s sentence.

  “At your parents’ party,” Julie told him. She gave the counter one last swipe with the dishrag and walked over to the door. “Tell her, Steve. She thinks she isn’t coming.”

  With that statement, Julie left the room and Anna faced Steven alone. She wasn’t sure what to say. She had never expected to attend the party. It had never even crossed her mind but by the look on Steven’s face, it had apparently crossed his. Anna put the last of the leftover salad into the refrigerator and turned back to Steven.

  “I don’t know your parents, Steve. I wouldn’t feel comfortable.”

  He walked slowly into the room and leaned against the counter. Steven was dressed casually in blue jeans and a pullover sweater of a deep blue that enhanced the color of his eyes. Those eyes watched her now and Anna began to get a little nervous. During the past three weeks, they hadn’t crossed words once. It appeared that was about to change.

  “You could meet my parents. I have tried to introduce you before but you wouldn’t let me.”

  “I know,” Anna nodded. “I wasn’t ready.”

  Steven looked her straight in the eye and Anna couldn’t look away. His arms were folded across his chest and he stood very still. “When will you be ready, Anna?”

  She had known this day would come. She just hadn’t expected it to come so soon. Steven had been very patient but she knew he wanted their relationship to move forward, emotionally as well as physically. They hadn’t slept together yet. Anna wasn’t sure what was holding her back but Steven hadn’t pushed. Although he had not put it into words, Anna knew he wanted to make their relationship more open. She hadn’t been hiding exactly but she had kept things as quiet as possible. Tonight was the first time they had even included Julie and Nick in their plans.

  The past was affecting her. Listening to the gossip about her parents had slanted her outlook. The gossip hadn’t been just about race. Some of it had been more about social standing but all of it had been cruel. In high school, Anna had never dated any boy who wasn’t black. Once she went to college and had gotten away from the small town atmosphere, she had relaxed some but even now she was still a little leery about openly acknowledging their relationship. It wasn’t fair to Steven and Anna knew she had to make a decision.

  She walked to the sink and washed her hands stalling for time. She was concerned about meeting Steven’s parents because she was still unsure how they would react to her being African American. Deep down, Anna knew she really didn’t need to worry but it was hard to let go of that fear. She had to make a choice now. She looked at Steven and made the only choice she could. She couldn’t let him go just yet.

  She gave him a smile and walked over to him. She touched him lightly on the arm. “I’m ready, now.”

  His reaction was all she could hope for. He gathered her close and kissed the top of her head. “So you’ll come to the party?” he asked.

  Anna nodded and lifted her head for his kiss. She just hoped she made the right decision.

  #

  “I don’t know, Andrew. It seems like we take one step forward and then two steps back. I just can’t seem to reach her.” Steven was sitting on Andrew’s couch in his den watching a Houston Rockets game. Actually, Andrew was watching the game. Steven was talking about Anna. It seemed to be all he could talk about lately. He looked at his friend, whose eyes were glued to the t
elevision set, and sighed.

  When he had accepted Andrew’s invitation to watch the game, Steven knew what he was getting himself into. Andrew was a sports fanatic. Any type of sport – it didn’t matter. It was the one thing he had in common with Victoria. The two of them could argue sports trivia and stats for hours. Victoria always seemed to root for the team that was playing against the team that Andrew rooted for. It made for some interesting conversations.

  Andrew, who had spent his first ten years in Houston, followed the Houston teams religiously. Steven had known this game was going to occupy Andrew’s attention. When he had accepted the invitation, he had thought it would occupy his attention also. However, last night’s conversation with Anna had changed that.

  Anna had finally agreed to meet his parents but she had done so reluctantly. If he hadn’t forced the issue, she wouldn’t have even agreed to come to the party. The problem was Steven didn’t know why she was so skittish. He could find no logical reason for her fears. Anna got along well with Julie and Nick and she appeared to like Andrew so why was she so concerned about his parents? Steven had been asking himself that question all night and still didn’t have an answer.

  The sudden quiet captured his attention and he looked up to see that Andrew had turned off the television. He looked at his friend who was watching him. Steven knew the game wasn’t over.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “I can’t concentrate on the game with you sighing every five minutes,” Andrew said sardonically. “You sound like a twelve year old girl.”

  Steven laughed and raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, Okay, I promise not to sigh anymore. You can turn the game back on.”

  Andrew tossed the remote onto the coffee table and then turned back to Steven. “Steve, I am probably not the one you should be talking to about women. Other than Carolyn, I haven’t had much success understanding them either but I’m willing to listen if you want to talk.”

  Steven had known Andrew since they were ten years old. They had gone to school together, to college together, and then to law school together. He had been best man at Andrew’s wedding and Andrew would be best man at his. There was no one who knew him better and yet, he wasn’t sure Andrew would understand. Carolyn had been totally different from Anna.