A Fool for You (The Cochran/Deveraux Series Book 7) Read online

  A Fool for You

  By

  Melanie Schuster

  ©2005

  Dedicated to Virgie Wilson

  The best friend, typist and road dog

  In the world.

  Thanks is never enough.

  And there aren’t enough Thank-Yous

  To enumerate the gratitude I feel

  To my very, very patient readers and friends

  Who have been waiting way too long for this.

  Stay Blessed!

  Once Upon A Time…

  The intense blue sky created the perfect ambiance for the outdoor wedding reception of Adam Bennett Cochran and his bride, Alicia Fuentes. The guests thronging the infield at Comerica Park, the stadium home of the Detroit Tigers, were alight with anticipation as the wedding party made its entrance to the happy sound of “The Bright Side of the Road” by Van Morrison. Everyone who mattered to Adam and Alicia participated in the wedding; her sister Marielle and her best friend Roxy Fairchild were the matron and maid of honor, and her new sisters-in-law, Renee, Tina and Fay Cochran were her bridesmaids, along with Benita Cochran Deveraux, Adam’s only sister. Her newest friend, Nina, was also a bridesmaid. And all of Adam’s brothers had stood up with him, too. He actually had two best men, his brother Adonis and his newest brother, John Flores.

  John was the long unclaimed son of Big Benny Cochran, the son no one knew about until a few months earlier. Now he felt like one of the family. Even though he’d been raised by very loving adoptive parents out in California and had only recently discovered his true roots, John accepted the people around him to be his new family, especially since Adam had saved his life. John had been suffering from a liver ailment that would have killed him without a transplant from a closely matched living donor. And thanks to a minor miracle, he’d gotten that transplant from his new brother.

  As the wedding party was seated at the head table, John looked down a few seats to stare at his other special miracle, Miss Parker. Her name was really Nina Whitney; “Miss Parker” was just his crazy nickname for her. She was the ghostwriter his publisher had assigned to him, but during the time they worked together she’d become indispensable to John. She was much more than a writer; she was his assistant, his confidante and his friend. And she was also the one who truly saved his life by daring to ask Adam Cochran to give John part of his liver. John couldn’t bring himself to ask, given that he’d just met the family, but Nina wasn’t shy at all about going to Adam and asking for his help. Yes, Nina was really his guardian angel. She’d saved his life and now that life belonged to her, whether she wanted it or not.

  Just then, their eyes met. Nina was seated between Alicia’s big handsome brothers and was receiving avid attention from both of them. She was laughing at something one of them said when she suddenly looked at John, her long-lashed golden brown eyes flashing with merriment and her fantastic dimples on full display. John felt an odd sensation come over him, a combination of extreme heat coupled with something like an icy finger running down his spine. He couldn’t stop looking at her; it was as though everyone else in the huge stadium vanished and he was alone with Nina. The brief enchantment was broken when one of her seat mates whispered something in her ear, something that made her giggle like a little girl.

  John’s thick eyebrows came together in a look all his brothers recognized at once, the look of a possessive Cochran male. While John reached for a glass of water to cool the sudden rage that overtook him, the most practical of his new brothers started making bets.

  “I’m thinking six months or less. Ol’ boy doesn’t look like he can hold out much longer than that,” Alan said sagely.

  Andre, his identical twin, shook his head and disagreed. “That girl is gonna give him a serious run for his money. If he lands her in twelve months, I’ll be surprised.”

  They looked at John, still glowering from his seat near the bride and groom, to Nina, who was basking in the flirtatious attention of Raphael and Carlos Fuentes. They looked at each other and grinned.

  “Put up or shut up, bro. He’s going to make a big fool out of himself before he lands that one. She’s tough,” Andre said in a voice full of admiration.

  Alan extended his hand to his twin. “Shake on it, man. Double or nothing if they hook up before the six months are up.”

  “Done.”

  Their wagers made, they turned their attention to the sumptuous feast being served. Bet or no bet, there wasn’t a Cochran man in history who would miss a meal.

  Chapter 1

  Nina’s eyes widened in amazement as she looked from one Fuentes brother to the other. She’d never seen two men eat as much as Alicia’s brothers, and playfully she told them so. “I’ve never seen two heartier appetites in my life,” she teased with a smile. It was true; the meal that consisted of both Southern and Cuban specialties had disappeared off their plates fast . They’d eaten smoked brisket, ribs, grilled chicken, potato salad, greens, empanadas, arroz con pollo and ropa veijo in less time than it took to talk about it and came up for air smiling. Several times, in fact, as the waiters kept bringing them fresh plates whenever they finished a serving.

  Raphael, the younger of the two men, leaned back and smiled at Nina. “We’re growing boys, querida. We have to keep our strength up so we can keep the very nice salaries we earn in this place.” He flexed a massive arm as she remembered that the brothers were members of the Detroit Tigers and they did indeed earn their living playing baseball in Comerica Park.

  Carlos leaned forward and agreed. “Athletes have a higher metabolism than most people, as you know. Food is pure fuel to us. It gives us the energy we need for other activities,” he said with a suggestive grin.

  Nina’s customary aplomb wavered a bit as she looked at the masculine man smiling down at her with unmistakable interest. “Other activities?” she murmured.

  Carlos leaned in even closer. “Yes, chica. Like dancing. You like to dance, don’t you?”

  The flush in Nina’s face was his only answer as Alicia’s aunt Gigi took the microphone to announce that Adam and Alicia were about to have their first dance as a married couple. All eyes turned to the dance floor as Adam escorted Alicia to its very center. He took both her hands in his and kissed them before sliding his big hands around her small, taut waist. He nodded to the legendary Bump Williams, the world-famous jazz pianist who was an old friend of the family. He’d brought his band to play for the wedding as he did for all weddings of the Cochrans and Deverauxes. The song Adam and Alicia had chosen for their first dance was “We Will Find a Way.” Performed by the legendary Ceylon Simmons Deveraux and Vera Deveraux, the simple words of the song took on a deeper, more textured meaning. Alicia and Adam looked into each other’s eyes with a passion that burned so brightly it touched the hearts of all who saw them. And when he suddenly picked her up and spun her around, holding her as though he could never let her go, all the women in attendance sighed with pleasure.

  All except for Nina, who had to exercise extreme control to keep her eyes from rolling and her lips from twisting into a grimace. These Cochrans are nice, but they’re the sappiest people I ever met in my life. She was instantly ashamed of herself for thinking such a thing but she didn’t have time to brood; all the Cochran brothers were now joining the couple on the dance floor with their wives and the sighs and coos from the guests multiplied. Okay, this looks like a good time to get a drink. Nina was about to make her move when she was suddenly pulled onto the dance floor, caught up in John’s strong arms. Her eyes grew wide and she had to compress her lips to keep a sound of surprise from escaping. Only the look of amusement in John
’s eyes kept her from showing her shock. It was obvious he’d get a huge kick out of her discomfort, so she turned on the deep freeze, something at which she was very skilled. She refused to look at him; she just allowed him to turn her around the dance floor.

  “You’re supposed to be dancing with the maid of honor,” she said tightly.

  “Says who? I’m supposed to be dancing with someone special,” John answered.

  Nina blinked and looked into John’s chest instead of his eyes. “Boy, have you got the wrong person,” she said with grim amusement.

  John pulled her even closer and put his lips against her ear. “You’re more than special to me,” he said softly.

  Nina was trying her hardest to do what she did best, act aloof and disinterested. Unfortunately for Nina, the smell of John’s cologne and the warmth of his body was enough to melt even the coldest of hearts, that being hers. Like an automaton she raised her eyes to his and stopped breathing. He wasn’t smiling; he was looking at her with tender, intense eyes that seemed to see straight through to her soul. Without realizing she was doing it, Nina melted against him and allowed the emotions to grow, forgetting everything except how she felt at that very moment. Right then she felt nothing but wonderful, held so close to John she was sure he could feel every beat of her heart.

  Suddenly the song was over, with everyone applauding and cheering. The music changed to a lively Latin number perfect for salsa dancing. Nina blessed the band from the very bottom of her heart for the rapid change in tempo because she was immediately claimed for a dance. Carlos Fuentes made good on his earlier comment and whirled her out of Johns’ arms in a flash and they were dancing a spirited salsa with the panache born of long practice. Carlos grinned wickedly as he complimented her on her form. “Chica, I can see you’ve done this before,” he teased. “And you’re going to do it a lot more before this party’s over.”

  Nina gave him a brilliant smile in return. “I can handle it, Papi. The question is, can you handle me?” The music drowned his laughter as the couple took the center of the dance floor and captured everyone’s attention with their footwork.

  The dancing continued with jazz and Latin music filling the air and everyone having a wonderful time, with the exception of John. For reasons he didn’t want to examine too closely, he wasn’t enjoying the reception at all. He simply couldn’t take his eyes off Nina as she danced with partner after partner. Her beautiful chestnut skin was moist and dewy, her face was alight with pleasure and she was obviously having the time of her life. For once her hair wasn’t confined in a lacquered updo that was her typical style; it was a mass of loose waves that came to her shoulders. Like the rest of the bridesmaids, she’d taken off her elegant champagne colored gown and put on something more suited to dancing. She was now wearing an off-the-shoulder dress in a brilliant shade of purple that would have looked horrible on a lot of women; on her it looked sexy and fun. The dress had a close-fitting bodice and a short flaring skirt that showed her long legs to their best advantage, something that made John even more glum. This wasn’t the same woman who’d accompanied him to Michigan, not by a long shot.

  Both John and Nina were permanent residents of California, John in L.A. and Nina in Oakland. When they met out on the west coast, John had been less than impressed. John was one of the leading psychotherapists in the country, greatly sought after for teaching fellowships, lectures and the like. His innovative techniques and developments in the field were what led to a book offer from a major publisher. John finally agreed with the proviso he would have someone help him turn his theories and case studies into something readable. With his genius-level IQ, he knew perfectly well his writing skills weren’t up to the task. Enter Nina Whitney, an extremely talented ghostwriter who could turn a grocery list into a stimulating read. Nina came to him with a long list of impressive qualifications and experience, and the personality of a dyspeptic wolverine. Social skills weren’t anywhere on her resume.

  John had to laugh to himself as he studied the glass of tonic water in his hand. Leaning back in his chair at one of the deserted tables, he watched Nina step dancing with what seemed to be an army of men, none of whom could stop looking at her legs. And I thought they were too skinny. I need to have my eyes checked. He fished the piece of lime out of his glass and chewed on it furiously as he watched her stepping like she’d invented the dance. It was true; his first impression of Nina was distinctly unfavorable.

  She’d reported to his office at the UCLA medical center looking like a pipe cleaner in a designer suit. She’d been wearing an obviously expensive and expertly fitted navy blue ensemble, which made her resemble a skeleton dressed for church. She wore glasses too, severely styled designer frames that reminded John of the kind of mask people wore to fancy costume balls. From the sculpted mass of hard, shiny, hair on the top of her head to the glistening pointy-toed pumps on her narrow feet, Nina was by far the most unappealing woman John could ever remember encountering. Her demeanor left a lot to be desired too; she seemed to be devoid of all personality and humor. All her utterings were delivered in a dry, deadpan voice that always managed to convey the impression that the recipient of that voice was being measured and found wanting. Nina had mastered the art of verbal intimidation; with a few words she could skewer the unsuspecting leaving them dazed and humbled.

  A flash of purple caught John’s eye as Nina passed his peripheral vision, doing what looked like the lambada or something equally forbidden with one of Alicia’s brothers. John swallowed the last bit of the lime he’d been chewing, followed by a long swallow of tonic water. He was still frowning as he set the glass down on the table. He’d only discovered a few months ago that Nina, his Miss Parker, wasn’t just an inhumanly efficient assistant, she was a sexy and appealing woman. And for some reason John just assumed that all that delicious femininity was being revealed just for him. The sight of her sharing even a small part of herself with other men was enraging him. The unexpected feelings of jealousy caused him something like pain as he watched her dancing like a siren out of a Snoop Dogg video. He muttered something savage in Spanish under his breath as the hips he once considered nonexistent rotated in a provocative move that earned an enthusiastic response from her partner. An amused voice at his elbow shook John out of his brooding reverie.

  “No sense in sitting here grinding your teeth, son. If you want her so bad you’d better go get her.”

  John looked into the laugh-crinkled eyes of Big Benny Cochran, his biological father. Some people, mainly Nina, couldn’t understand why John was so accepting of Big Benny . John hadn’t lashed out at the man or denounced him in any way; instead he’d reacted to Benny’s overtures with calm acceptance and even gratitude. John had explained to Nina that realizing he had a family gave him something to live for. It put an end to the solitary life he’d lived since his adoptive parents were killed in a car accident and ultimately the announcement gave him life. He was dying of primary sclerosing cholangitis until a perfect donor was found and that donor could have only been a blood relative. Nina tolerated Big Benny for John’s sake but she wasn’t a big fan of the man. John didn’t share her opinion, however. He smiled gamely at his father and tried to pretend he didn’t know what Big Benny was talking about.

  “Hey, I didn’t see you sit down,” John apologized. “This was some wedding, wasn’t it?”

  Big Benny still looked amused. “Yes, it was a beauty. Even more beautiful since I didn’t have to pay for the whole thing,” he said with a chuckle. “But don’t try and change the subject, son. I can tell you don’t want your woman out there dancing with those other men so why don’t you go get her instead of sitting here looking like you want to hurt somebody?”

  John managed a sheepish grin, which was quickly replaced by a look of steely resolve. “Can you excuse me for a moment? I’ll be right back, Dad.”

  He left the table so quickly he didn’t see the look of shock that rolled across Big Benny’s face, or the look of profound gratitude tha
t followed it. It was the very first time John had referred to the man who’d given him life as “Dad.”

  ***

  Across the crowded dance floor, another couple was watching the festivities with great interest, but for other reasons. “There! He’s going to get her right now, just watch and see,” Paris Deveraux gloated.

  Her table companion helped himself to the rest of her drink with a sound of disgust. “You’re supposed to be putting together footage for the interview, not matchmaking. Keep your mind on your job, why don’t you? Or better yet, your own social life?” Aidan Sinclair was the only person who could talk to Paris like that and live.

  Paris was not only a first cousin of the estimable Deveraux family from Atlanta, she was also employed by their company, The Deveraux Group, an international multimedia conglomerate. After finishing her MBA, law degree and her internship, which rotated her through every department of the company, Paris finally had a permanent position. She’d expected to be assigned to one of the many publications of the Deveraux Group, instead her occasional presence as a special correspondent on one of their cable news shows made her a local star. To her own surprise she was now hosting a talk show which was earning astonishing ratings. The interview which Aidan, her best friend and art director of the show, referred to, was one with John Flores and the Cochran family. The family saw no reason to try to hide the new relationship since the media had been buzzing about it for months. They decided to have one fully authorized interview and put an end to the speculation, and Paris had the honor of being the one to do it. It was an exclusive which Oprah and other media giants would have killed for and it was all hers. She defended herself immediately to Aidan.

  “I’m not matchmaking, for once. It’s obvious they have feelings for each other, I’m just observing with the natural interest one takes in these matters,” she said in what she hoped was a lofty and disinterested tone of voice. “I’m merely gathering information to make the interview process flow more smoothly.”