Free Against the Odds: A Love Story by J. Adams Page B

familiar arrogance in his voice made me fume. “Listen, Jerome. We're not married anymore, so stay out of my business and keep to your own, all right?”
    “But your business is my business.”
    “Not anymore it isn't.”
    “I'm always going to care about you, Raine. You know you've been offered the chance of a lifetime, so come on back here, girl and take care of business.”
    I sighed and closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the seat. “Did Andrea put you up to this?”
    “No, but the walls of Zuri have ears and I pay for those ears.”
    I pressed my head in my hand. “Stay out of my life, Jerome. Don't call me again.”
    He chuckled. “Something tells me you've found something warm and new out there, and I don't mean the scenery either. You're changing up on me girl, aren't you? Taking a little jaunt on the light side, huh? Well, that's okay because it's all good.”
    “Get a life,” I muttered, sick to death of his 'stick to your own kind' mentality.
    He laughed. “Well, just remember, girl, vanilla ice-cream gets boring pretty quick. I give you a year before chocolate is calling your name. That vanilla craving will never last.”
    “You are seriously screwed up, Jerome.”
    “You know I've always been a betting man,” he continued, “so here is my prediction. A hundred to one odds, Raine. A hundred to one odds that you'll soon miss the life and the people you left. You're too different from the people out there in that hick town. You're a high maintenance woman, and without the glamor and big-city conveniences, your life will definitely be miserable.”
    I had heard enough. “Goodbye, Jerome,” I said abruptly and hung up.
    The nerve of him! I pushed a hand back through my hair, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. Okay, no more phone calls. And no more of that life. Everything I need is right here. All I want is right here.
    I opened my eyes and looked up just as Hayden turned and saw me, and my heart immediately leaped with joy. As he tossed his gloves aside and began walking in my direction, all my other thoughts completely faded into oblivion. I immediately jumped out and ran to him. As soon I entered the haven of his strong, protective and loving arms, I felt like I had come home. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me off the ground. I couldn't stop the tears  burning my eyes as I pressed my face against his neck and molded to him.
    “I've missed you, baby,” he breathed against my cheek.
    With that softly spoken phrase, the tears came. I gently took his handsome face in my hands and looked into his eyes.
    “Are you all right?” he asked, apparently puzzled by my tears.
    I nodded, not able to speak at the moment, unable to express to him everything that was in my heart. I finally pressed my lips lightly to his. “I love you so much,” I whispered.
    He continued to hold me, his eyes roaming over my face. When more tears began to spill down my cheeks, he lowered his head and immediately wove a spell over me with a warm, driven kiss. A kiss that completely gave to me, sinking into my every sense and making me long for the day when I would be completely his.
    When his mouth finally released mine, he smiled and said, “I love you, woman.” He put me down, took off his hat, and wiped an arm across his forehead. Then he flashed that adorable grin of his. “I was about ready to come and get you, you know.”
    Forcing myself not to feel guilty about my reason for being late, namely the phone call from the agency, I grinned back. “Impatient today, aren't we?” I said playfully.
    “Dang straight, woman. Ain't you learned yet that you don't keep a man in love waiting?”
    “I'm sorry,” I said, smiling coyly. “I promise I'll make it up to you.”
    “Yeah, you will,” he agreed, slipping an arm around me as we walked back toward the fence. “Just as soon as you become Mrs. McKade.”
    I nudged him in the ribs and he laughed. I slipped my hand in the back pocket of his