I Can Make You Love Me

by Karen White-Owens

Genres: African American Women's Fiction; African American Romance

Synopsis

Love appears in the most unexpected places. . . For Wynn Evans, her first marriage proposal was little more than a childhood crush. Twenty-five years later, Adam Carlyle has grown up into a gorgeou package of handsome, smart, and successful. But the single mom in Wynn is still reeling from her painful divorce and isn't looking for love--especially not with a younger man. But as she's about to discover, Adam is a man who doesn't take no for an answer. . . Real estate attorney Adam has never forgotten Wynn Evans, who's even more beautiful than he remembered. Convinced he's found his match, he knows he can satisfy Wynn's deepest desires--if only she'll let herself trust again. But when someone else's desire for vengeance puts Wynn's family in danger, the power of Adam and Wynn's new love will be put to the ultimate test. . .

Release date: September 24, 2009

Publisher: Dafina

Print pages: 321

Sample

“And they lived happily ever after,” five-year-old Adam Carlyle chanted along with his babysitter, Wynn Evans. They glanced at each other and burst into a round of giggles. Wynn shut the book of fairy tales and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed.

“We watched Star Wars, plus you’ve had two stories.” The eighteen-year-old Wynn straightened his Spider-Man pajama top. “I think it’s time for my favorite little superhero to go to sleep.”

“Don’t want to go to bed,” he muttered sullenly.

Concerned, Wynn leaned back, watching the child closely. Adam rarely acted out. Generally, when his bedtime came, he went down without a fight. Tonight, he’d insisted on movie after movie until his brown eyes fluttered shut when the bewitching whisper of blissful sleep enticed him. Each time Adam shook himself, fighting off the lure of sleep.

“Sweet pea, what’s going on?”

“When I wake up, you’ll be gone just like my sister.”

Understanding dawned and Wynn tried to explain. “Not in the morning. We’re leaving in the afternoon.”

His bottom lip quivered and tears pooled in his eyes. Sherry, Adam’s sister, was starting her third year of college and had left days earlier.

“I know what we’ll do. You and I will visit the park and then go have Buddy’s Pizza tomorrow. How’s that?” Wynn suggested.

Adam nodded solemnly.

Confident she had hit on the perfect diversion, she smiled. He never turned down a trip to his favorite pizza hangout, although the look of misery remained deep in his eyes.

“But you’re still going to leave me.”

“Only for a few months. I’ll be home for Thanksgiving and then back at Christmas for a longer stay,” she promised, pulling the blanket to his chin. “Come on. It’s past your bedtime. Your mom and dad will have a fit if they come home and you’re still up.”

As he pouted, the little boy’s thick eyelashes glittered with tears. “I don’t want you to go. Who’s gonna read to me and play with me?”

Tears pricked Wynn’s eyes and she hugged him. “Oh, Adam. I’ll miss you, too.”

“Wynn?”

“Hmm?” she muttered, wiping away the moisture from her face.

“Will you marry me?”

Surprised, she drew back and looked into Adam’s serious face. “What?”

“I said, will you marry me?” Adam asked the question a second time with more confidence and determination than Wynn expected from any five-year-old. Left speechless, she grappled for an answer that respected and protected Adam’s feelings but let him down easy.

“Don’t you think you should wait until you’re old enough to date?” she teased.

“No. I love you.”

“And I love you,” Wynn replied. “Tell you what. When you’re a man, you can ask me again. Okay?”

Adam’s forehead crinkled into a frown as he considered her suggestion. “When I get big, I’m going to marry you. Then you’ll never leave me,” he promised, snuggling into the blanket and turning on his side.

“Good night. Sleep tight, sweet pea.” She tucked the blanket tighter around his shoulders.

My first marriage proposal, Wynn thought, sitting for several minutes on the edge of Adam’s mattress.

It was time to grow up, move on, and take charge of her life. As far back as she could remember, she knew that she wanted to help people. Now she was headed to Michigan State University to work toward her degree in nursing.

Wynn reached out and turned on the night-light next to the bed before switching off the lamp on the nightstand. She waited until Adam’s deep, rhythmic breathing signaled that he had succumbed to sleep. Seconds later, she tiptoed across the room and stood in the doorway, watching her favorite little man for a moment longer.

She giggled softly, turning away from the doorway and heading to the staircase. Maybe her boyfriend, Jim, would miss her as much as Adam and she’d get a second proposal. That was one she’d have to seriously consider.

Adam Carlyle checked his watch and then leaned to the left, counting the number of people in the line ahead of him. He grunted, debating whether he should give the clerk a chance to catch up or head back to the office and have his administrative assistant pick him up a sandwich. If he didn’t have a taste for a New York–style hot dog, he’d step out of the line right now.

His glance wandered around the beige walls and open space of the New Center One building, focusing on the woman standing in line in front of him. Nice curves, he thought, taking a more leisurely second stroll along her frame. The blue-green suit caressed every delectable line. The jacket hugged her waist and stroked a path along her hips.

He grinned devilishly. She had the sort of curves he liked to hold on to while making love.

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony chimed from the interior of the woman’s purse. She unzipped the bag, fished inside, removed a cell phone, and answered, “Wynn Evans.”

Suddenly, all the air gushed out of Adam’s lungs. He felt as if someone had punched him in the chest. Adam shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

The name bounced off the cavernous hallway, resounding loudly in his ears. Wynn Evans.

No way. Not after all these years. Adam took a step closer, examining her. The slim shape, height, and breadth of the woman seemed right. But he wasn’t sure if his suspicions were correct. After all, his Wynn didn’t have a copyright on the name.

I’ll wait until she’s done with her call and then I’ll ask her, he decided, fighting the urge to interrupt. Instead, Adam eavesdropped on her one-sided conversation to glean more information. It wasn’t his shining moment, but he’d never use anything he heard against her.

“Sounds good. How many shifts? Well, I’m on the road right now. You’ll hear from me when I get back to the office. Great! Talk to you soon,” she promised in a husky voice reminiscent of Kathleen Turner. Tiny shivers danced up and down his spine as he listened to the achingly special sound of her voice.

The woman snapped the phone shut, slipped it back inside her purse, and took a step closer to the counter.

He had to know. Straightening the knot of his tie, Adam drew in a deep breath and then let it out slowly before tapping the woman on the shoulder. She turned, facing him with a polite but curious expression on her lovely face.

Pure joy swept through him. Wynn! A smile spread across his face. His childhood babysitter stood in front of him.

Wynn’s beauty was timeless. A short pixie haircut replaced the long ponytail she used to wear. Wisps of auburn hair feathered around the sides of her oval face. One silver lock fell across her forehead while long dark brown lashes shielded Wynn’s almond-shaped eyes. Adam’s gaze skipped over her straight nose before moving lower, settling on her full, lush, and kissable lips. She looked great; different, mature, but incredibly appealing and sexy.

He put on his most charming smile and said, “I’m sorry to bother you. I heard you when you were on your phone and I wanted to ask you a question.”

Wariness replaced the pleasant curiosity of a moment earlier, but she answered cautiously. “Yes?”

“You said your name is Wynn Evans. Did you grow up in the Rosedale Park area?”

Wynn’s forehead crinkled into a frown. She gave him a second, more thorough inspection. “Yes.”

“I don’t know if you remember me.” He stabbed a finger at his chest, feeling the blood pound through his veins with anticipation. “I’m Adam. Adam Carlyle.”

For a moment, there was no recognition, and then she gasped. Her eyes opened wide. Wynn threw her arms around his neck, hugged him, and then stepped back. “Adam from Outer Drive. My sweet pea.”

Instantly, his body reacted to the softness of her slim frame. His arms dropped to his side and he took a step back to get a better look at her and give himself a moment to get his raging hormones under control. The intervening years had been very kind to her. Grinning, he answered, “That’s me.”

She grabbed his hands and squeezed. Adam almost purred like a cat with pleasure. “It’s good to see you! You look fantastic!”

“Next!”

Startled, Wynn jumped and turned to the counter. “Sorry. Excuse me.” She brushed her bangs from her eyes and turned to the clerk, placing her order. As she reached inside her purse, Adam touched her arm, feeling her skin leap to life under his fingers.

“I’ve got it.”

“No. I’m fine,” she protested.

Adam didn’t intend for Wynn to get away without giving up her telephone number or address. “My treat.”

Wynn started to protest, “Oh, but—”

“How many times did you feed me back in the day? We’ve got to sit, talk, and catch up.”

Wynn caught her bottom lip between her teeth. She glanced around the open space and then back at him, smiling hesitantly. “Okay.”

He grinned. “Good.”

She zipped her purse and slung it over her shoulder. “You’re right. It’s too good an opportunity to pass up. I want to know how your family is doing.”

Adam placed his order and paid for their meals. He turned to Wynn. “Why don’t you find us a table.”

Nodding, she headed through the lobby to a table near the entrance for the Detroit Public Schools.

He picked up the tray of food and followed, admiring the sway of Wynn’s hips in her fitted skirt as she strolled ahead of him across the beige tile floor. She chose a table in an area of the building that offered a bit of privacy but was within reach of others. As she seated herself gracefully on one side of the table, Adam removed the food from the tray and placed the tray on a nearby tray holder.

He slid into the white plastic chair opposite her and studied her. “You look great.”

Self-consciously, she arranged her plastic-ware around her plate and took special care to place the paper napkin in her lap. “Thank you. It’s been a long time.”

“Yeah. It has.”

“What’s going on with you?” Wynn reached for the yellow packet, added sweetener to her cup of green tea, and stirred. She stuck the red-and-white plastic stirrer into the corner of her mouth and chewed on the end. “Are you married? Do you have kids? What do you do for a living?”

“No middle ground for you. Just the facts.”

She laughed.

The sound filled his heart and head with wonderful memories of the times she had spent with him, reading stories before putting him to bed.

“You know me. I always want to know how things tick.”

Adam added mustard and ketchup to his hot dog before biting into it, chewing slowly as he considered her questions. “Not married. No kids. I’m a real estate attorney and VP of Legal Services for Gautier International Motors.” He wiped his mouth with a paper napkin and took a sip from his Pepsi. “What about you? Married? Kids?” His gaze rested on Wynn’s ringless fingers. “I heard you say something about shifts when you were on the phone. What’s that all about?”

“Divorced,” Wynn stated and then shrugged a little sheepishly.

Adam let out a relieved sigh. Good, he thought. That’s what I wanted to hear. “I’m sorry.”

She smiled sadly, tearing a piece of lettuce from her chicken salad sandwich and nibbling on it. “Don’t be. It happens. Besides, things worked out for the best. My only regret is my sons don’t have a full-time dad.”

“Sons?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She wiggled two fingers at him. A loving expression replaced the sorrow of a moment earlier. “Two. Eight and six.”

“You were always good with kids.” Adam tossed his hands in the air, grinning. “Look at me. I’m a prime example of your skills and know-how.”

“Babysitting you came easy. You were always sweet.”

“Thank you,” he answered, with a slight bow of his head. “What do you do for a living? I remember you were going to be a nurse. Did that happen?”

“Yes, it did,” Wynn answered, picking up her sandwich and taking a bite. “I finished my degree at Michigan State. After I got my license, I decided to go back to school and get my master’s and I became a nurse practitioner.”

“Nice. Where do you work?” Adam asked, then polished off the last of his hot dog and reached for his soda.

“I worked for Harper Hospital for a while. When my husband and I separated, I needed a regular schedule. I wanted to spend more time with my sons. So I kind of changed careers. Now I run my own nursing and home health care agency. I provide pool nurses to the hospitals and CNAs to seniors.”

“CNA?” Adam questioned.

“Certified nursing assistant,” Wynn explained.

He smiled approvingly. “Entrepreneur. Very impressive.”

A hint of red crept into Wynn’s cheeks as she muttered modestly, “Something like that. What about you? Are you still in the Detroit area?”

“No. I moved to West Bloomfield. Bought a house and I commute downtown to work.”

“How about your mom and dad? What’s going on with them?” she asked before taking a bite out of her sandwich.

“They split up a few years ago.”

Wynn gasped. “No way!”

“Way,” he responded. “Believe me, it shocked the hell out of me, too. It was hard for me to keep my mouth shut. They sold the house, split the profits, and Dad moved to South Carolina. Mom lives in Farmington Hills.”

She leaned back in her chair. “Really! I would never have thought your parents would separate. They seemed so happy together. I can still remember how your family and mine celebrated birthdays together. And they were always going places with my parents.”

“I remember that,” Adam admitted, still feeling a twinge of betrayal at his parents’ separation and divorce. It didn’t seem possible that the two people he loved the most couldn’t find the common ground to live together and had instead chose to call it quits. “Yeah, they did. Like you said earlier, things happen. People change. What about your parents?”

“They sold their house on Outer Drive and moved to Beverly Hills. They live a few blocks from my place.”

His eyebrows rose and nodded approvingly. “That’s handy.”

“Yes, it is. Mom’s a lifesaver. She picks my boys up from school and stays with them until I get home from work.”

“Hey! What about your sister? Where is she these days?”

“California.”

Adam sighed. “Don’t tell me she’s pursuing an acting career.”

She laughed. “Oh, come on. You were way too young to remember how goofy Kayla was.”

“I remember,” he replied.

“Originally she moved west to act. But, she met her true love and soul mate and got married. She has five girls and they own a horse ranch.”

Laughing heartily, Adam shook his head. “She was always the one doing her own thing.”

“Yeah, you got her. Let’s talk about you for a minute. I mean, look at you. You’re a grown man with a great career and a life of your own. You’re not my little Adam anymore.”

No. I’m not, he thought, deciding to get to the point. “We have to get together.”

“That would be nice,” Wynn answered. “Why don’t you come to my place for a barbecue? Bring your girlfriend and I’ll cook for you guys.”

“No girlfriend right now,” Adam responded quickly as the image of Vivian Manning, his colleague and dinner companion, entered his head. Taking Vivian anywhere constituted a problem. Her jealousy and demanding ways had caused Adam to put an end to their blossoming relationship before it got too intense. Shaking off those thoughts, he returned to the present. Vivian was the last person he wanted Wynn to meet.

“A barbecue would be great.” Adam opened the briefcase at his side and removed a business card and fountain pen. He turned the card over and scribbled a note. “Here’s my home number. When you decide on a date and time, give me a call.”

She smiled, finishing the last of her tea. “Will do.”

“How about you? Can I get one of your cards?”

“Sure,” Wynn muttered, putting down the styrofoam cup and wiping her hands on a napkin before reaching for her purse. She extracted a card, using two fingers to keep from smearing it with mustard from her sandwich, and handed it across the table to Adam. “My office and cell phone are listed.”

Adam accepted the card, glanced at the numbers, and slid the card into the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

They finished their meal with a minimum of conversation. Leaning back in his chair, Adam watched her, enjoying spending time with her.

After a few minutes, Wynn checked her watch, stood, and took his empty paper plate and her own. She moved to the trash container, discarded the items, and returned to the table.

“Well, I have to get back to work,” she announced, gathering up her purse.

He stood and picked up his briefcase, smiling down at the woman. “Wynn, it was great to see you. Don’t be a stranger.” He tapped her purse. “Call me.”

“I will,” she promised softly.

Adam grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, promising, “I’ll talk to you soon.”

Wynn took a step away and Adam released her hand. She headed for the West Grand Boulevard exit. For the second time that day, he enjoyed watching the seductive sway of her hips as she made her way to the exit. At the door, Wynn turned and waved before leaving the building through the exit.

He reached for his briefcase and strolled across the lobby in the opposite direction. Thoughts of Wynn Evans filled his head as he stepped onto West Grand Boulevard and made his way across the street to the parking lot.

Wynn looked beautiful. Everything Adam would have expected and more. He pulled the card from his pocket and glanced at it, taking a look at her business address and telephone number. You’ll be hearing from me, he promised silently, sliding the card back into his pocket.

Wynn and her assistant, Helen Jenkins, worked steadily throughout the afternoon. Between interviewing potential employees and matching several customers with clients, Nursing Solutions had a very productive and financially successful day.

Around five-thirty Wynn stuck her head out of her office and looked around the empty office lobby. Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C Major swirled around the outer office. “Is it safe to come out?”

Laughing, Helen ran her hands over her silver, shoulder-length braids, allowing them to slip through her fingers and feather around her shoulders. “Yes, finally.”

Tired from their busy schedule and happy to see the end of the workday, Wynn sauntered across the room with a bottle of Evian water. She opted to sit on the beige-and-rose-striped chair next to Helen’s cherrywood desk instead of the rose three-cushion sofa against the opposite wall. Wynn massaged the tight muscles at the back of her neck, kicked off her shoes, and dug her nylon-covered toes into the plush beige carpeting. “This has been one busy afternoon.”

“Yes, it has. Good for business though.”

“True.” Wynn reached for the applications on Helen’s desk and quickly sifted through them. “Do me a favor.”

“Sure.” Helen reached for a scratch pad and pencil.

“When you get in tomorrow, call Harper University Hospital and talk with Purchasing. I had a call from Linda while I was at lunch.” She returned the files to Helen’s in-box, twisted the cap off her water, and took a long swig. “The Nursing Office is scheduling for the weekend and wants to know who we have available to work twelve hours in CCU.”

“Will do.” Helen scribbled down Wynn’s instructions. “Anyone in particular you want to send?”

“Don’t send any newbies. We don’t know enough about them. Send our old faithfuls.”

“Got you.” Yawning, Helen rose from the desk and made a beeline for the coffee machine. “I need one final dose of caffeine before I make the trip home.” She filled her mug with the last ounces from the pot, hit the Off button, and reached for the cream and sugar.

“I know how you feel. I’m whipped. But the day has been good. Business has really picked up.”

“You’re right about that. Let me get back to something you said earlier. Tell me about your lunch date.”

Wynn’s he. . .