Love is Thicker Than Blood (Country Romance Series) Read online

  Love is Thicker

  Than Blood

  Country Romance Series

  Ivy Alexander

  Copyright © 2013 by Ivy Alexander. All rights reserved. All characters and events depicted in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance or similarity to any real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental, and is not intended by the author. Any and all product names referenced within this book are the trademarks of their respective owners. None of these owners have sponsored, authorized, endorsed, or approved this book. No part of this book may be duplicated, reproduced, or transmitted in any way, including electronically or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  About the Author

  Can I Ask a Favor?

  One Last Thing…

  Chapter 1

  “It’s not my problem that your husband needs surgery Maria, I hired you to do your job and I expect it to be done. If you are unable or unwilling to do what you are being paid for, I will find someone else! Take the afternoon to think about it. If you’re serious about your job and your future at our firm, you will be sitting at your desk tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. sharp!”

  That was the end of the conversation as far as Jennifer Berkley was concerned. She hung up the phone and placed it in her Gucci bag, sighing in frustration. “Employees,” she muttered to herself as she walked across the busy street.

  The day was bright with the colors, smells and sounds of spring in New York City. Even the air seemed unusually clean and Jen breathed deep. It was going to be a good day, despite having to deal with Maria and her needy husbands’ injury. A torn ligament – why would he need surgery? It seemed ridiculous to her, but she did realize that some people’s jobs meant nothing to them. This would be a test for Maria to find out how serious she was about her job. Jen really had no reservation about firing her ass the minute she had asked for the day off but had decided to wait, wanting to test her loyalty and devotion to the firm. The truth would come out tomorrow morning. Jen had absolutely no room in her life for uncommitted employees, and neither did her business.

  Her high heels clicked as she walked briskly, a brief case in one hand and her iPhone in the other. She stopped in front of a beautiful hotel with rounded swinging doors and turned to go inside. The young woman at the desk nodded to her, “Good morning Miss Berkley.”

  Jen nodded but kept walking. She smiled and nodded at a few others as she made her way to the hotel’s restaurant. In the corner was a lovely table with a window overhead. Sunshine streamed in and the smells of the restaurant were beginning to make her hungry. She sat down and smiled at the man sitting across from her.

  “You’re a little late,” he said with a teasing grin.

  “Sorry Daddy, I was late leaving this morning.” Jen glanced at her father.

  Graying slightly at his temples, Roger Berkley was striking. Even at fifty-six years old, his piercing blue eyes and firm jaw attracted many women, some of which he had married, and then divorced. Jen often wondered which attracted the women more, her father’s looks and charm, or his money. It didn’t matter to her which one. She knew she would inherit everything anyway.

  “One of our employees seems to think she needs the day off tomorrow to be with her husband during his knee surgery,” she continued.

  “Surgery? No doubt he is getting put under, and if that’s the case there’s no need for her to be there; he won’t even be awake.”

  “That is exactly what I said,” Jen agreed. “She might as well be working while he’s under, rather than pacing back and forth worrying about him.”

  “There are some in this world that are run completely by their emotions. There is no rational thinking at all.” Roger shook his head in disgust as he sipped at a cup of hot coffee.

  Jen nodded and ordered a latté when the waiter came around. “So,” she said waiting, “what did you need to talk about?”

  Mr. Berkley smiled. He loved his daughter; in fact, she was probably the only person in the entire world he felt true emotion for. He had raised her practically on his own after her mother left. And even through his five marriages since, she had been his main comfort. She was quick and witty, smart and straightforward. Everything an aspiring Lawyer should be. He had groomed her from the time she was a child to be a partner in his firm, Berkley Law and Associates. She had been around the firm for years and now that she had taken the bar exam, which they were both completely confident she had passed, it would only be a matter of time before she became one of the finest lawyers in New York City. He was as proud a father as anyone could be. He knew he could count on Jen for anything, and he needed her cooperation now more than ever. He had a task for her, and he needed to be able to explain the situation fully, without interruption. This was why he asked her to meet him for coffee at the hotel instead of just talking at the office.

  “Jenny my dear, do you remember Aunt Gabby?” he asked simply.

  Jen thought a moment, “Yes, vaguely. Doesn’t she live out in the sticks somewhere?” Her tone was somewhat sarcastic.

  Mr. Berkley chuckled, “She does indeed; a small town in Ohio to be exact.”

  “What about her?”

  “Well, it seems she is unwell.”

  Jen put down her coffee; Aunt Gabby was her father’s oldest sibling, almost twenty years older than he was. They didn’t have the same mother; Aunt Gabby’s mother had died when she was only five years old. When Grandpa Berkley remarried six years later, his new wife was only nineteen, and he thirty-one. Grandma Berkley had four children; Jen’s father was the youngest. They weren’t close to any of the family. Mr. Berkley never associated with his siblings, Jen never saw her cousins. She couldn’t even be sure how many she had. Their family had been the two of them only.

  “What do you mean by unwell?” Jen asked.

  “She has cancer. Apparently she has had it for some time, though I never knew. She called me yesterday to tell me that she feels her time is running out and would like to see us before she…” he paused and looked at Jen, “before she um, goes.”

  Jen nodded thoughtfully.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “I can’t leave right now. I’m in the middle of that big mess of a lawsuit, Curt Gunter, you remember? There is no way I could pick up and go to Ohio.”

  “Well I’m sure Aunt Gabby isn’t that bad off, Dad. We can go in a few months when things have settled down. I’m sure…”

  “Jenny honey,” Mr. Berkley cut her off, “I can’t go… but you can.” He took her hand.

  Jen looked at her father in surprise. “You want me to go to Ohio?”

  “Yes, my dear I do,” he said with a smile that slightly annoyed her.

  “Dad, I can’t just pick up and go any easier than you can. I have an office to run! Your office! Who will take care of things here? Ohio? No, no way! I’m not going and especially not by myself!”

  “Jen, you have to go. Your dear aunt has requested to see you as her dying wish. Certainly you won’t deprive her of that?”

  “She requested to see us, not just me.”

  “Yes, but she’ll understand how busy I am and she’ll be grateful that you took time out of your busy schedule to go see and spend time with her.”

  Jen looked at him suspiciously, “Time? How much time are we talking about?”

 
“Just the summer,” he said nonchalantly as he took another sip of coffee.

  Jen was stunned; he couldn’t be serious. There was no way he was serious.

  “There is no way I can leave the office for that long, you know that!” she stated defiantly, calling his bluff. She wasn’t a kid anymore. He couldn’t force her to do this. She was twenty-five years old! There was no way in hell she was going to Ohio if she didn’t want to, and especially not for the entire summer! What about her social life!? This was New York City after all!

  “I’ve already taken care of the office,” Roger pointed out. “I asked Carl to take over for a few months. He got a nice bonus out of the deal and was more than willing to help out.”

  There was nothing for Jen to do but sit in stunned silence. He had already planned it out; the entire thing. She knew her father, if there was one thing he was good at, it was covering his bases in order to get the outcome he wanted.

  “You can’t force me to go to Ohio for the summer Daddy,” she said batting her eyelashes at him. “Besides, you’d miss me too much.” She flipped her blond hair and put on her best pouty face.

  “Out of those two statements, only one is correct. I will miss you. More than I’d care to admit. But you’re wrong, I can force you. You will go to Ohio for the summer. And when you get back…” he paused for effect, “I’ll make you partner in the firm.”

  Jen was flabbergasted. “What?! Really?!” she squealed. “Are you serious?!”

  Her father only nodded.

  “But I thought you said I needed two years of practicing law before I could become partner.”

  “I’ve changed my mind,” he said, laughing and lifting his hands up in a sign of defeat. “You’re getting a pretty good deal my dear; three months in Ohio, and you’re a partner in a law firm at only twenty-five.”

  Jen’s head was spinning. Three months verses two years? She really was getting the better end of the deal. Three months… that wasn’t that long. One summer in Ohio. Partner. Not only a lawyer, but partner! She looked across the table at her father. Ever since she was a little girl she had wanted to be a lawyer like her daddy. The deal had been she would practice law for two years after she passed the bar exam, and then would be brought in as a partner. Why was he faltering on their deal? Why was her going to Ohio so important to him? It was odd that Roger Berkley, a man who cares for the feelings of no one other than hers, would sacrifice for a half-sister whom he hadn’t seen in over twenty years. The entire thing seemed strange but Jen knew better than to ask what his motives were. As close as they were, there had always been a fine line between what Jen needed to know and what she didn’t need to know. She could see in his eyes that this was personal to him, which made it on a “need to know” basis. This bothered her to some degree but after finishing up breakfast and talking a little more about the “benefits” of becoming partner, Jen had made her decision. She was going to Ohio.

  Chapter 2

  Three weeks later Jen was seated in first class on a flight to Ohio. She had never been there and wasn’t sure what to expect. Cows. She imagined cows, picket fences and iced tea. She had called Aunt Gabby the week before to let her know she was coming. Jen recalled the friendliness in her voice. For a woman of seventy-five who was battling cancer, she sounded very upbeat.

  The seat belt sign blinked off. Jen unbuckled herself and tried to get a little more comfortable. Planes were such a hassle. Even in first class the seats were dastardly uncomfortable. The stewardess walked by and asked if Jen needed anything. She shook her head no and the stewardess moved on, asking the other three people in first class if they had any needs. Jen didn’t hear their reply. She slid on a pair of headphones and started a movie. Slipping in and out of sleep for the three hour flight, she was finally awakened by the seat belt sign flashing and the pilot announcing their descent into Cleveland.

  Good. Jen thought. This seat is ridiculous! She would be sure to make a complaint to the airline about charging people for a first class seat when it was as irritatingly uncomfortable as it was. Pulling off her headphones, she was aware they were cheap and didn’t have the greatest sound. Strike two; she wouldn’t be flying this airline again.

  The plane landed and Jen was off in the direction of baggage claim. Aunt Gabby had told her someone would be there to pick her up, but she had no idea who. She walked into the terminal, looking around at the people. Would they have a sign with her name on it? That would be a first for her. On the many business trips she had been on, those picking them up had known who her father was and had never kept them waiting.

  The terminal wasn’t too crowded, nothing compared to New York. After grabbing her luggage, she found a bench and sat down. She pulled her iPhone out of her purse and began searching for Aunt Gabby in her contacts. Suddenly a hand was on Jen’s shoulder. She whipped around to see a brown haired girl, about her age, with dark brown eyes smiling down at her.

  “Jennifer?” she asked with a friendly grin.

  “Yes,” Jen replied, standing as she reached out her hand.

  “I’m Annie LaFaye,” the girl said, shaking her hand firmly. “I’m glad I found you!” she continued with an overly cheery tone and a slight southern accent. “The terminal is so busy today I was worried you’d get lost!” She giggled out loud and Jen laughed uncertainly. She wondered if Annie had ever been to New York. More people lived in her apartment building than were in the terminal at that moment.

  Annie helped Jen with her luggage and they walked through the airport and out to the car with Annie talking the entire time.

  “So, you are Aunt Gabby’s niece?” Annie asked her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

  “Huh, yes, yes I am. Are you her niece too?” Jen asked, wondering if maybe Annie was one of her long lost cousins that she knew nothing about.

  “Oh, goodness!” Annie laughed out loud. “No, I am no relation to her. She is just Aunt Gabby to me. She is Aunt Gabby to everyone actually! Well except the younger children, she is more Grandma Gabby to them. She is such a sweetheart and a treasure to our little town. Everyone is so excited to meet a real true-blue relative of hers! We were beginning to wonder if she even had any!” She laughed again and Jen felt a headache coming on. There was no reason for anyone to be so cheerful. She briefly wondered if Annie was on something, but kept that thought to herself.

  “Aunt Gabby asked me to come pick you up since she was planting her garden today. She is very particular about her schedule and getting things done on time. But why am I telling you that?” she giggled, “You’re her niece, I’m sure you know her as well as anyone.”

  “I actually don’t know her very well. I haven’t seen or talked to her for quite a few years,” Jen stated flatly.

  “Oh, well how wonderful of you to come and visit her! I’m sure you’re busy, living in New York and all. I’ve never been there but I hear its pretty wild.” Annie said the words ‘pretty wild’ in a hushed tone, as if she didn’t want anyone else to hear. Then she winked at Jen like the two of them had a secret. This girl was strange. Jen hoped everyone in the town wasn’t like Annie; she could only handle so many bubbly personalities at one time.

  They arrived at Aunt Gabby’s house about forty minutes later – the longest forty minutes of Jen’s life! She could never have imagined that someone could say so much in forty minutes as Annie had. Never, ever, could have imagined.

  They pulled up to a small, country house. It was painted yellow, and there were white shudders on the windows. A white picket fence surrounded the property, and a stone pathway led up to a porch that appeared to wrap completely around the house. A wooden porch swing sat on one side of the door and it swayed slightly, as if the breeze was sitting on it. It was charming, if you were into that sort of thing; charming but small. Then again, it was just Aunt Gabby living here, or so Jen assumed. She hadn’t even thought to ask if she was married. Annie opened the fence, and they walked up the pathway. It was lined with rose bushes on both sides; the tiny rosebuds just begi
nning to bloom. Pots of flowers hung from the porch and a pretty orange cat sat perched on the front steps.

  “Hello Carmen,” Annie cooed as she reached down and scratched the cat’s head. “That’s Carmen,” she said to Jen as if she didn’t hear her talk to the cat. “You can pet her, she’s a real sweetie.” Her accent thickened on the last word. Jen nodded but didn’t take her advice. She didn’t particularly like cats. In her experience, cats lived in alleys, ate rats and garbage, and usually carried a disease.

  “Aunt Gabby?” Annie called as they entered the house. “You can set your bags right on down there,” she instructed Jen. “I’ll bet ya Aunt Gabby is out in the back working in the garden.”