“Alicia won’t turn out to be a mistake. We love each other,” Brad replied.
He knew that Alicia hadn’t spoken the words, but her actions told him all that he needed to know. “How about we move this conversation to the real reason I came in here to see you.”
Lee sat up straighter in his chair and folded his hands on his desk. “I’m getting a bad feeling I might not like what you’re going to tell me.”
“I hope you’ll support me with my new decision instead of giving me a lecture.” Brad knew how Lee was about not wasting his MBA, but being at the marketing firm wasn’t a passion for him like it was for his brother. He didn’t get up early morning excited about coming into work.
“I’m quitting the marketing firm, so I can open up my own business.”
Lee dropped his head and sighed loudly. “I don’t even have to guess what it will even be-tennis. Are you sure that you want to do this?”
“Lee had you ever noticed that the only thing I was ever excited about was tennis? I couldn’t wait until I left this job, so I could go and coach people. I gave that up so I could work here full time.”
“I thought you stopped coaching because of Alicia.” Lee frowned. “I wasn’t aware it was because of me and my attitude towards how much time you spent doing it.”
Lee’s opinion mattered a whole lot to him. He had always looked up to Lee ever since he was a little kid and that hadn’t changed over the years. Yeah, Richard was the brother he could go to for advice, but Lee’s judgment was the one that mattered the most.
“You kept hounding me about getting a real job, so I did and I honestly tried to love it here, but I don’t.”
Lee looked at him like the light finally went off in his head. “Brad, I’m glad you think so highly of my opinion, but don’t live your life by it. If you want to open a school or business about tennis then do it. I’ll be glad to help you with marketing it“
Brad didn’t know what to say about the change in Lee. He was sure that Lee would be reading him the riot act, but he was being pretty open-minded about everything.
“You aren’t pissed at me? You spent a lot of money sending me to college for that degree and I’m not really using it now.”
“It’s just a degree, but you should do something you’re passionate about and if that’s tennis then go for it. I’ll give you my full support.”
Getting up from his seat, Lee came around his desk. “You’re my little brother and I’ll always be in your corner no matter what, but it’s past time I stop seeing you as seven years old and realize you’re a thirty-two year old adult.”
Brad stood up and gave Lee a quick hug then stepped back. “Thank you,” he said.
“Not a problem,” Lee grinned. “Now, I better go. I know my gorgeous wife is probably already at the restaurant waiting for me.”
“How about I walk out with you?” Brad suggested following Lee out the door. “Alicia is at Zack’s and I want to surprise her before she heads to work.”
“Do you really think Alicia is the one?” Lee asked over his shoulder.
“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Alicia will be my wife and the mother of my children sooner than she thinks,” Brad answered without a doubt in his voice.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Thank you so much for the interview Zack,” Alicia said as they walked to the entrance way of his house. “It was wonderful to hear how you and Traci fell in love. I’ll be getting back in touch with you about a time I can bring a camera crew over to tape the last part of the interview with you and Traci.”
“That’s fine,” Zack smiled. “I enjoyed talking to you more than I thought I would. Do you need me to walk you to your car?”
“No, I can make it there by myself,” Alicia said as Zack opened the front door for her. She went out and waved goodbye. As she walked down the steps, she heard the door close but she was more focused on the person leaning against the driver’s door of her car.
God, she was so thrilled to see Brad. It was like that she hadn’t seen him a few hours earlier. “How did you know I was leaving?” Alicia asked before kissing him.
“I know everything about you. I could sense you were about to leave, so I came over here to see you.”
Alicia laughed then poked Brad in the ribs. “Tell me the truth.”
“Fine,” he sighed. “I was hoping that I could come over here and drag you away before you had to go to work. I just got lucky you were leaving.”
Disappointment filled Alicia. She wouldn’t be able to spend time with Brad before she was due at work. She had to be there earlier today because she was doing two broadcasts tonight.
“Sweetheart, I can’t,” Alicia said. “Tiffany scheduled me for a double broadcast, but how about we do something afterwards? I should be home around seven o’clock. I really want to spend some time with you tonight.”
Brad pulled her against his chest wrapping his arms around her lower back. “How about we catch a late movie and then grab something to eat?”
She liked how her man’s mind worked. Brad was constantly coming up with some way for them to be together with her crazy schedule.
“I like that,” Alicia smiled. “What are you going to do while I’m at work?” She was already missing Brad and she hadn’t even left yet.
“I’m going to see if Zack can help me with the new business idea that I have. I’m pretty excited about it.”
Alicia saw the excitement shining in Brad’s beautiful blue eyes and she couldn’t wait until he told her more about it. In the past, she lived for her job. Now that Brad was in her life she was beginning to see that there was more to life in the world than working sixteen hour days.
“Can I get one more kiss before I head to work? I need something to tie me over until I see you later on tonight.”
Brad moved his hands off her waist and up to her face tilting it back. Staring into her eyes, he whispered. “I love you,” right before his warm mouth captured hers in a soft kiss that made her body melt against his.
Alicia moaned as Brad ground his erection against her stomach. She was about to suggest to Brad that she could call in sick to work when the sound of something unexpected jerked the two of them apart.
“Uncle Brad, did you come to see me?”
Brad looked away from her and down at his nephew. Carter was barefoot wearing a transformers t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans with a little hole in the knee looking too cute for words. He even had a half-eaten cookie in his left hand to polish of the adorableness.
“Carter, what are you doing out here?” Brad asked as he moved away from her and picked up his nephew.
“I saw you outside and I wanted talk to you,” Carter answered.
“Do your parents know you’re out here?”
Carter shook his head causing his sandy brown curls to bounce. Alicia thought she had never seen a more beautiful child, but Brad was right Carter shouldn’t have come outside by himself.
“Brad, I’ll let you take Carter back in so I can get to work.” She saw how upset Brad was with his nephew and she was trying to make sure that Brad didn’t make it worse. She could tell how much Carter loved his Uncle Brad and only wanted to see him.
Carter looked back and forth between her and Brad. “Are you mad?”
“Yes, I’m mad, Carter,” Brad answered, hugging his nephew. “You could have run in the street and gotten hurt. Don’t ever open the door and run outside again by yourself, okay?”
“Okay,” Carter answered and then took a bite of his cookie.
“I better take him back in the house before Traci and my brother panic. I’ll see you tonight?” Brad gave her another quick kiss before walking away.
Alicia stood by her car watching Brad until he went inside Zack’s house. If she’d ever doubted Brad was the man for her he’d just proven he was. He would be the perfect husband and father. Yeah, she was ready for a commitment and the only man she wanted to take that plunge with was Brad.