Time Out (Nashville Nights Next Generation -6)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Does it bother you that he’s engaged to someone else now?” Sela asked.

  “No, I’m happy for him.” When Megan heard the news, she’d paused, waiting to feel overcome by remorse that she’d been stupid enough to let him go, but she felt nothing. She knew, without a doubt, she’d made the right decision.

  “You’re so strong, so independent,” Anna said, sighing. “Sometimes I wish I could be more like that. I need people: family, friends, Justin. You just seem so self-sufficient.”

  “Being self-reliant isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, Anna. You’re lucky you have people you can depend on.” Megan had lived her life as an outsider out of necessity, not by choice. She’d always been an afterthought in her mother’s life. She’d gone away to school, and she’d been the one left on campus when her friends and classmates returned home for the holidays because her mother had planned an exotic vacation with her new boyfriend. Megan had wanted a sibling to share her woes, but when she finally met her half-brother, Stephan, she’d wished she could retract her secret fantasy. The last thing she needed was an out-of-work alcoholic showing up on her doorstep begging for money and a place to crash.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so insensitive,” Anna said quietly as she shared a sympathetic look with Sela.

  Megan took a sip of coffee before forcing a laugh. “You insensitive? Not even if you tried.”

  After a short silence, Sela smiled at Megan. “I was supposed to show Anna a few houses today as well. Would you mind tagging along and then we can look at those apartments we talked about on the way back?”

  “Oh, that sounds like fun,” Anna said, touching Megan’s shoulder. “I could really use another opinion so I can narrow it down before Justin comes to town in a few days.”

  “I didn’t know you guys were looking for a house,” Megan said.

  Anna grinned. “I’m not; he is. I promised I’d check out his prospects with Sela and find a few I liked. We’ll visit those when he comes to town.”

  Sela smiled as she put file folders into her briefcase. “Unless I miss my guess, he wants you to choose the house because you’ll be living there with him when you two tie the knot. Am I right?”

  Anna grinned. “We’ve talked about it, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. He’ll propose when the time’s right.”

  “And of course you’ll jump at the opportunity.” Megan laughed.

  “Hell, yeah!”

  All three women laughed at Anna’s enthusiasm as they filed out of the office to begin their afternoon of house-hunting.

  ***

  “I want to have a word with you,” Anna said to her brother as she slammed the back door to her parents’ house.

  Nick didn’t even acknowledge her. He continued to read the newspaper and devour the prime rib Hazel had left for him.

  “Why are you being such an ass to Megan?”

  That woman was the last person he wanted to think or talk about. From the first moment she stepped foot on the ranch, she’d dogged him like a prickly rash he couldn’t get rid of. He’d see her at his parents’ dinner table, jogging down the dirt road between the two houses, playing pool with Carver at Jimmy’s… Hell, he saw her face damn near every time he turned on his TV set. Of course, it didn’t help that his TV always seemed to be tuned to that country music station. Not that he was trying to catch a glimpse of her. He kept telling himself he’d be happy if he never saw her again.

  Nick reached for his beer bottle, tipping it back and taking a deep swallow. It had been a long and tiring day. Once again, he’d had to cancel a date because of fencing issues. He suspected a little sexual relief was the only thing that might make him feel marginally better. He was convinced his foul mood was due to the fact that he hadn’t dated since Megan came to town. “I don’t wanna talk about her.”

  Anna sat down beside him. “Too bad. We’re going to talk about her whether you want to or not. I just spent the afternoon with her and Sela. She’s looking for a place to live because you make her feel so uncomfortable.”

  “Good. Tell me she found somethin’ suitable, and she’ll be movin’ out sooner rather than later.”

  “Believe me, she’d like nothing more than to move out.” Anna ripped the newspaper out of Nick’s hands when he continued reading it instead of talking to her. “Listen to me. I like her. Mom and Dad like her. What the hell have you got against her?”

  “I told you. She’s an opportunist. She was content living the good life on her rich father’s dime all those years, even though she admitted they’d never had a relationship. She led Brock Logan on for God knows how long, probably collectin’ expensive clothes, jewelry, and cars along the way. She had an affair with her married producer so she could get ahead in her career. When she decided she wanted to ‘start over’ in Nashville, she wound up here, living with our wealthy parents and datin’ yet another rich guy. You gonna try to tell me that’s a coincidence?”

  “That’s what’s really bothering you, isn’t it?” Anna said, propping her chin in her hand and studying him. “You’re mad ‘cause she’s seeing your nemesis.”

  “I don’t give a damn who she dates as long as she’s not tryin’ to take advantage of our parents’ generosity while she reels in her next big fish.”

  “I saw the way you reacted at Jimmy’s that night. You were mad as hell. From where I sat, you looked a little jealous.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’ve never been jealous of Carver a day in my life.” He told himself watching them wrapped around each other on the dance floor at Jimmy’s didn’t affect his opinion of her. He’d disliked her long before he saw her cozying up to the enemy. Being Carver’s girlfriend just gave him another reason to dislike her.

  “I think you’re attracted to her.”

  Nick nearly choked on a piece of prime rib. Chewing carefully and washing the meat down with a sip of beer gave him the time he needed to consider his response. “You think that’s how I treat a woman I’m interested in? If that were the case, I’d be sittin’ home alone every night.”

  “You do sit home alone every night, or at least you have since Megan came to town. I only see you out when you go to Jimmy’s for a beer with the boys. Why is that?”

  “I’ve been busy with work. Last Song and Shake Down have an equally good chance of takin’ the Derby this year. When I’m not busy runnin’ the ranch and managin’ the breedin’ program, I’ve been focused on gettin’ them ready. Hell, that’s a full-time job and then some.”

  “Yeah, but you were just as busy last year, and you still made time to date. Could it be that the only woman you’re interested in dating is already seeing someone and that’s eating you up inside? Is that why you’ve been so nasty to her?”

  “I already told you why I hate Megan. She’s a gold-digger who’s not above using her looks and body to land a rich guy.”

  The back door closed quietly, and both Nick and Anna looked up.

  He could tell from the look on her face, the tears pooling in her bright green eyes, that Megan had heard every word. Damn it. He’d never admit his remorse aloud because he didn’t want her to know he regretted hurting her feelings. He wasn’t a callous person, and no matter how he felt, he wouldn’t tear a person to shred for sport when they could hear him.

  “Megan, we didn’t hear your car.” Anna got up and went to her friend’s side.

  “I wanted to take a little walk to clear my head, so I parked down at the barn.”

  Nick eyed her four-inch wedge sandals. “You took a walk in those shoes? Not the smartest decision. You could have fallen or tripped and twisted your ankle.”

  “Like you’d care,” she said, meeting Nick’s eyes.

  He saw something he’d never seen in Megan before: softness and vulnerability. “Anna, I’d like to have a word with Megan, if you don’t mind?”

  “That’s up to her,” Anna said, placing a hand on her friend’s forearm. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

  Me
gan blinked back the tears. “I don’t mind. Like I said before, I can handle myself.”

  Anne gave her a quick hug. “If you need to talk, don’t be afraid to call.” Shooting a look over her shoulder at her brother, she said, “I’m warning you-”

  “Later, sis.” Anna left and Nick waited until he heard her start her car before he pointed at the fresh pot of coffee on the counter. “Would you like a cup?”

  “No. I’m just going to go up to my room and get out of your way.” Megan moved past him, but he grabbed her wrist. Looking down at his hand, she said, “Let go of me.”

  He did as she asked, hoping she wouldn’t flee. “You don’t have to go. I was just leavin’.”

  Nick knew he should apologize, but he couldn’t find the words. Pushing his chair back, he stood up. They were mere inches apart, close enough that her soft floral scent beckoned to him. She wore very little makeup, a contrast to the made-up version he was used to. He’d never noticed how long her eyelashes were or the ever-so-faint sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Even without cosmetics, the woman was stunning.

  Megan said, “You don’t have to leave on my account. This is your home. Not mine.”

  “What was your home like?” Nick didn’t know why he’d asked, but he found he suddenly cared.

  A frown creased her forehead and between her arched eyebrows. He was relieved she hadn’t resorted to injections to smooth out the natural lines. As his eyes traced her face, he saw something else: ever-so-faint laugh lines. He remembered the sound of her laugh and the way it made him feel. He hadn’t heard her laugh since the first day he met her, but he realized he wanted to again. Soon.

  “Why? You want to do a little more research, dig up a little more dirt?”

  “Is there any more dirt?”

  She closed her eyes and drew a breath before looking him in the eye. “Have I done things I’m not proud of? Yes. I’m human. Can I go to bed now?”

  Nick had the sudden urge to touch her skin, to find out if it was as soft as it looked. He brushed a fallen eyelash off her cheek. Velvet. That was the only word that came to mind. Her skin felt like velvet beneath his rough fingers.

  She pulled back. “What are you doing?”

  “Eyelash.” His lips turned up at the corners, and he realized that was probably the first time he’d offered her anything resembling a smile. “I guess that means you get to make a wish.”

  “I don’t waste my time making wishes.”

  His heart constricted. What had happened to prompt her to stop believing wishes could come true? “Why not?”

  “Wishes are for little kids. I know better.”

  “If you could have one wish, what would it be?” For some inexplicable reason, he suddenly wanted to know her just a little bit better. He knew it was a dangerous quest in light of what he already knew, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.

  “I don’t wish for anything.” She tried to make her way around him, but he blocked her path to the door.

  “Everyone wishes for somethin’. Tell me what you wish for.” Nick was shocked to see her eyes brim with tears, and he was even more surprised to feel a bit of admiration at how hard she tried to prevent them.

  “I don’t share my dreams with men who think so little of me.”

  She had him there. “Okay, I’ll admit gold-digger may have been a little harsh.”

  “I’m not dating Shaw because of his money,” she said quietly.

  Just the man’s name made Nick’s blood simmer. “Then what do you see in him, ‘cause he sure as hell doesn’t have much else goin’ for him.” Women often said Shaw was handsome, and Nick had to admit Shaw hadn’t built a multi-million dollar business by being stupid, but that didn’t make him worthy of… a woman like Megan. Where had that thought come from?

  “He’s kind, gentle, compassionate. He talks to me about his life, his business, his friends and family. But more importantly, he listens. He wants to get to know me.”

  Nick was suddenly envious of the things Shaw knew about Megan when she was still a mystery to him. “Do you see a future with him?” That thought didn’t sit well with Nick. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with her living just down the road, sleeping with the enemy.

  “No.”

  Relief coursed through him. “Why’s that?”

  “I don’t intend to stay in Nashville. The plan is to go home at the end of my contract.”

  “Why?” Twenty-four hours ago, he would have whooped with delight, but Megan’s softer side made him realize there may be a lot more to her than he’d believed.

  “Nashville isn’t my home. It never will be.”

  “It could be, if you gave it a chance.”

  “Now why would you want me to do that? You said yourself you can’t stand me,” Megan said.

  “How about we agree to a truce?” He offered her his hand.

  Looking at it warily, she asked, “Why?”

  He smiled for the first time since he’d met her, and she looked taken aback. “Let’s just say I’ve had a change of heart.”

  “Why do I find that hard to believe? You don’t seem like the kind of man who changes his mind often or admits to being wrong… ever.”

  He chuckled as he took her hand. The casual contact sent a jolt up his arm and made him wonder if he would combust should they venture into intimate territory. His sister was right. He was definitely attracted to Megan. Whether it could ever be more than physical was anyone’s guess.

  “You’re right about me. But I’m not so sure I was right about you.”

  “Is that your way of saying you’re sorry you jumped to the wrong conclusions?”

  Nick admired her for challenging him, but he wasn’t willing to concede just yet. He couldn’t say for sure he’d been wrong about her. The only way to tell was by getting to know her better and, to his amazement, that no longer seemed like an abhorrent prospect. “Let’s just say I’d like us to get to know each other better.”

  She withdrew her hand, a look of confusion on her face. “I don’t know what your game is, McCall, but I won’t make the mistake of letting my guard down around you, I can promise you that.”

  Nick watched her leave, his eyes traveling to the dip in the lower back and gentle slope of her bottom in her tight black pants. Convincing her to let her guard down, among other things, would be half the fun.

  Chapter Three

  A fitful night’s sleep caused Megan to sleep through her alarm the next morning. Unfortunately, that meant Nick was at the kitchen table digging into a stack of Hazel’s blueberry pancakes when she came down.

  Nick’s eyes tracked her movements as she filled a mug with coffee and leaned against the counter. Pointing at a basket of fresh blueberry muffins in the middle of the table, he said, “Help yourself.”

  She would have told him she wasn’t hungry, but her stomach growled as she opened her mouth. “I guess I can have a quick bite before I have to get to the station.” After all, she reasoned, downing a cup of coffee and a muffin wouldn’t take more than five minutes. She could stand his company for that long. She hoped.

  “Did you sleep well?” Nick poured her a glass of juice.

  Megan couldn’t believe that charming gentleman was the same beast who’d called her a gold-digger the night before. He was definitely up to something. Probably trying to earn her trust so she’d reveal her skeletons. Fat chance. “Not really. I had a lot on my mind.”

  “Such as?”

  “Shaw, for one.” She smiled behind her juice glass when he scowled. “He was having a little problem yesterday. I was wondering whether he’d dealt with it.”

  “That guy would need a lifetime to deal with all of his problems.” He picked up a crispy piece of bacon and ate it as he watched her, obviously waiting for her to defend her boyfriend.

  “I think we should just agree to disagree about Shaw. That is, if we have any hope of being civil to one another.” She buttered her muffin and popped a small piece
into her mouth.

  “I’d love nothin’ more than to forget he’s alive.”

  He disarmed her with another heart-stopping grin, and she had to remember to breathe. With cropped black hair, a dark summer tan, clear blue eyes, and all those bulging muscles from years of working on a ranch, she’d appreciated his male perfection from the first time she met him. When she saw that flash of white teeth and accompanying dimples, she realized how easily he could steal a woman’s heart. And then stomp all over it with those scuffed cowboy boots he favored.

  Her cell phone rang, saving her from responding. “Excuse me,” she said, reaching for her purse. Glancing at the call display, she saw it was Shaw. She considered letting it go to voice mail, but then she would have to talk to Nick.

  “Hi there,” she said, smiling. “How are you?”

  “Better now. Damn, it’s good to hear your voice. I missed you yesterday.”

  He was so sweet. Definitely the kind of guy she could fall for if she intended to stick around. “Did you manage to round up the-” Megan glanced at Nick, who was listening to her intently. He was probably the last person Shaw would want to know about his business challenges, so she asked, “Can I call you later?”

  “Sure, but I just wanted to firm up our plans for tonight. You wanna grab a beer at Jimmy’s? We can decide where to go from there. Dinner, movies, it’s your call.”

  Jimmy’s wasn’t the kind of place a date would have taken her back home, but it seemed to be a hot spot in Nashville, and she’d always had a good time there. “Jimmy’s sounds good. Does eight o’clock work for you?”

  “Perfect. I can’t wait to see you, gorgeous.”

  She was still smiling when she disconnected the call. She saw Nick shooting daggers at her across the table. “Is there a problem?”

  “No, no problem.” He got up and reached for his cowboy hat. Jamming it on his head, he said, “You have a nice day.”