Uncovering Love

by Kacey Shea

  I walked back through the lobby to find Tate chatting with Carrie at the front desk. He saw me approaching and waved a good-bye to her, met me in time to open the door, and held it for me to pass through. We walked outside into the beautiful, sunny daylight and I pulled my sunglasses out of my purse and slid them over my eyes. Tate turned to me. “So, any food allergies, preferences, dislikes, or anything I should know about?”

  I decided to tease him a little. “Well, I don’t eat anything but salads in public and I’m a vegan.” He tried unsuccessfully to not balk at my answer. I laughed and his look changed to one of relief. “Anything really, just no sushi. I’m not a big fan, and always leave those places starving.” He grinned.

  “Good, I like a girl who knows how to eat. There’s this food truck a few blocks down that serves the best hotdogs. Short Leash, and before you knock it, they are not your average dog. They come up with all these amazing combos and toppings.” I smiled at his enthusiasm. “Sounds good, I’m game. Should I meet you there?”

  “Nah, why don’t we ride together? Parking can be bad this time of day. We can take my car.” He started walking and I had to work to keep up. His legs were much longer than mine and my muscles were tightening up on me already. We walked to a pristine white Dodge Charger and I whistled in appreciation.

  “Nice ride.” He grinned and popped the trunk. His biceps bunched as he peeled his work shirt over his head, revealing rock hard oblique muscles and a strong, built chest. His chest and upper arms were covered in intricate tattoos that had me wishing I could get closer to inspect their designs. After a minute or two I noticed Tate was no longer moving and my eyes flashed up to meet his smirking face.

  Busted. I was caught openly checking him out. I looked away and my cheeks heated in embarrassment. He chuckled and pulled on a clean T-shirt from a duffel bag before opening the passenger door. I ducked my head and sat, still mortified that I was caught staring at his magnificent body.

  When we pulled into a parking space just a few minutes later, Tate told me, “Stay put,” and proceeded to jog around the front of the car in order to open my door again. It seemed Tate Reynolds was quite the gentleman. It was nice to see some men still had good manners.

  We both ordered the Devil Dog, an all-beef dog covered in peppers, chilies, onions, and jalapeños with a side of fried pickles to share. I attempted to pay my fair share, but Tate refused, insisting it was his treat. I found us an open space at one of the small standing tables the truck had set up in front of the open lot in which they were parked. Tate brought our drinks over and then returned to the truck to retrieve our food. A few minutes later I was thoroughly enjoying my meal when I noticed Tate staring at me. I took another bite of my dog and met his gaze across the small table.

  “Oh please, dear Evie. Please stop. You’re killing me here.” He complained with a groan. “What?” I looked up, confused at his obvious discomfort.

  “Please stop eating the hotdog that way.” He stared at my lips as if they held all of life’s secrets. Oh, for goodness’ sakes. It was an intense experience having all of this man’s attention focused solely on me. He looked as if he would eat me up. The tension between us began to build and I felt it pulling me in like a magnet. Then, like a bucket of ice water poured over my head, those feelings were doused when I remembered Stacey Mills-Sandoval and my true purpose for spending time with Tate.

  “What way? Like this?” I attempted to break the mood and took an extra-large bite in the most unattractive of ways, laughing as I proceeded to get cheese and chili sauce all over my lips. He groaned into his hands in frustration. I laughed again and took a napkin to clean my face. “What? How else would you have me eat a hot dog?” I raised my brows and added cheekily, “Knife and fork?”

  “I guess we’re even now. You like my body, I like your mouth.”

  I shook my head. “I’ll have you know I was just surprised at all the ink you have hiding under your shirt there, mister.” I paused to ponder and added, “I don’t know why; I just didn’t expect it.”

  “Yeah, I guess I do have a lot of ink. I’ve added to it little by little over the years, and it’s so much a part of who I am that I don’t even notice. I’ve always kept it to places I can cover, though. Some of the clubs I’ve worked for required I cover any visible tattoos so that’s what I’ve done.”

  I nodded in agreement. “Well, it is beautiful artwork.” He chuckled.

  “I was going for bad ass or hot as hell, but I guess I’ll take beautiful as a compliment, coming from you.” He stopped to throw away the trash from our table in a nearby can. “Do you have any tattoos, Evie?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’ve always admired tattoos. I mean, I think it takes a good level of commitment and trust to be able to let someone else permanently mark your skin. I love the way it looks, but honestly I’m too chicken shit to make that kind of decision.”

  He smiled and met my gaze. “I think ink would look amazing against your skin.” I flushed at his words and took a big gulp from my drink in a futile attempt to cool my heated skin.

  Tate seemed to consider his words before continuing, “I’ve never really thought about it that way, though. I would say that it takes a lot for me to trust someone outside of my inner circle, but walk me into a tattoo shop and I’m good letting an artist I just met do his or her thing!” He grinned as I finished the last fried pickle.

  “That was delicious and now I’m stuffed. Thank you for the meal, Tate.” The food really was amazing; I mentally added this food truck to my list of favorite lunch eateries. We moved to walk towards the car. Tate stopped.

  “Do you want to walk around a bit before we head back? There’s this really cool park about a half a mile from here.” He looked hopeful. “I’m having a good time with you, Evie. I’m not ready to say good bye yet.” I smiled and nodded at his sincerity. I had to agree that I was enjoying our time as well, which caused a swirl of conflicting emotions. I pushed those down and mentally told myself to focus on the task on hand. I followed Tate’s lead as we made our way through the neighborhood and towards the park.

  “So, who gets the honor of being a part of your inner circle?” I asked as we walked side by side.

  “Well, not too many people. I’m a very private person and I guess you could say I have major trust issues.” He laughed, but I sensed his underlying discomfort at my questions. He certainly wasn’t going to make this easy on me. I tried a different angle.

  “That’s good, though. I’m sure you are a fiercely loyal friend. That’s kind of how it is with my sister and me. We’re only a few years apart and really close. She’s one of my best friends and I’d do anything for her. It’s nice to have that relationship, to know someone is always there when you need them and vice versa. I’m lucky to have a few good friends like that as well. They are practically family because we’ve known each other for so much of our lives.” I thought of Jon and Kate.

  He seemed to relax once I turned the conversation in another direction. We walked upon the park he had mentioned, I had to admit it really was a beautiful space. The park was tucked away from the busy street in a cozy downtown neighborhood. It wasn’t too large, but boasted a small pond with walking paths and garden beds full of flowers in full bloom. Off to one side was an open grassy field and small playground. We started our way towards the pond. It was a typical Arizona spring day, sunny with a cool breeze shifting though the air.

  “I’m glad you have people around who you can count on, Evie. It’s important to have that kind of support. I actually have a sister who lives not too far from here. That’s what brought me to take the position at Lift Me Up. I wanted to be closer to her. I was living in California before this, and I wanted to be there when she needed someone. Ya’ know?” He paused and motioned for me to take a seat on a shaded bench that faced the pond. A mother and her small child fed the ducks off in the distance. We sat in peaceful silence, taking in the beauty of the day surrounding us.

  “So, Evie, bes
ides your sister and good friends, do you have a special person in your life?”

  “What? Like do I have a boyfriend?”

  “Yeah, do you have a boyfriend? You seem like the kind of woman who would have a boyfriend . . . that and you turned me down for a real date.”

  I met his questioning stare and tried to look offended. “I don’t have a boyfriend, thank you very much. Is it so hard to believe I just don’t want to date you? And I’m not a lesbian, if that’s what you’re going to ask next.”

  His booming laugh made me smile. “That is actually not what I was going to ask. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I meant you seem to be the type of woman who attracts a good man and doesn’t let him go. I guess I’m surprised that you’re single.” He noticed my look of irritation and quickly amended, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, either!”

  I shook my head and laughed at his feeble recovery. “I know there is nothing wrong with that and I’m not looking for approval. I’m actually happily single, thank you very much. How about you? You have a girlfriend?”

  “No, no girlfriend for me.”

  “Are you gay?” I added cheekily, and he laughed again. “No. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” We grinned at each other.

  “From what I’ve seen at the gym, you have quite the fan club. I’m sure you have no trouble finding dates.” I casually mentioned this, meeting his gaze with raised eyebrows that dared him to argue.

  “I’m sure I could find a pretty woman who would be up for extracurricular activities, if that’s what you’re implying, Evie, but I find that to be an empty experience I’d rather avoid. “ He paused as if to consider his next words. “When I’m with a woman I want to be one hundred percent sure that I’m the only thought in her mind. That and the pleasure I bring her, and I want to know she feels the same about me. I want to learn everything she likes, everything she hates, what makes her cry, and what makes her smile. Now that—” He paused at the view before us as a look that could almost be taken for sadness crossed his handsome face. “That is something worth having. I’m not going to waste my time or energy on anything less.”

  Well, damn. This beautiful, strong man before me had me at a loss for words. There was more to Tate than I originally thought. He was funny, thoughtful, and a little secretive. Sure, that last part had me frustrated, but I was up for the challenge. The only troubling part was that I found myself more interested in discovering his secrets, not to hand over to our client, but to feed my building personal desire to know more about this man. I was being pulled into a sticky situation. The problem was that I had no yearning to stop.

  AFTER SPENDING MOST OF MY afternoon with Tate, I had just enough time to run home to take a quick shower and change clothes before meeting up with Jon. He and I had arranged to meet at five for a dinner of pizza and wings at Joe’s Pizzeria, a tiny family owned restaurant not too far from my apartment. Joe and his daughter Abby ran the hole in the wall joint, which didn’t boast much for ambiance, but served the best New York style pizza in the metro area. They did a lot of take-out and delivery sales, and like every other time I’d chosen dine-in over carry-out, there were no more than three families in the restaurant. It would be the perfect place to meet because Jonathan and I could talk freely about our investigation without being overheard or distracted.

  I smiled as I thought back to my day with Tate. He was surprisingly enjoyable company. I knew from the beginning he would be charming, which he was, but that wasn’t why I appreciated his companionship so much. I think I had unconsciously assumed he would be shallow and self-absorbed like I found Stacey to be. That was no longer the case. I couldn’t place exactly what it was about him that had me so intrigued. But I liked how he made me laugh and how he challenged me in conversation. Tate wasn’t exactly an open book, and I had a feeling this full background check was going to take longer than we previously anticipated. I hoped Jonathan would be proud of the progress I made today.

  I waved at Abby behind the counter taking an order on the phone line, and snagged an empty booth in the back. Jon had sent me a text that he would be late so I passed the time texting Kate and my sister, Melissa. I watched a video of my niece, Claire, giggling infectiously and looked up to see Jon striding purposefully towards our table. He sported a look of excitement and took the space across from me to sit down.

  “Hey, QT. Sorry to make you wait, but I have some amazing news which will hopefully earn your forgiveness for having to hang out in this dive longer than necessary.” He grinned as I scowled in defense. “Hey! This place isn’t a dive!” I paused to look around and consider his assessment. “Okay, it’s not the Ritz of pizza joints, but I love the food here and Joe is always nice to me. Plus, he gives me free breadsticks.”

  “Yeah, not the Ritz; more like a Motel 8. And Joe only gives you breadsticks because you flirt with him.”

  I glared at Jon. “I do not flirt. Especially not with Joe the pizza guy.” Of course Joe took that moment to approach our table, which didn’t help my argument.

  “Evie, my most beautiful customer! What can I get for you tonight? And don’t worry; I’ll bring out a basket of breadsticks, on the house, while you wait for the food. Even though you hurt my feelings bringing another man in here? I thought we had something special!” The timing of Joe’s friendly, booming voice was seamless and Jon couldn’t help but continue to laugh.

  Joe was middle aged, about as tall as me, with a round belly, and broad smile. He had a large nose and salt and pepper hair. He had a joyful energy and we always exchanged a playful banter. I had been coming to Joe’s for at least five years, and while some would be embarrassed to be on a first name basis with the owner, I liked the personal touch; it always made me feel special.

  “We’ll take a large meat lover’s with a side of wings, medium, and a pitcher of beer. Thanks Joe.”

  “You got it, Evie.” Joe walked back to the front counter and I returned my attention to Jonathan’s smug grinning face.

  “What? Just because he knows my name doesn’t mean I’m a flirt. I happen to have a memorable and likable personality.”

  “That you do. And I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact you come in here at least once a week?”

  “Hmm . . . I may love pizza a tad more than what is socially acceptable. What can I say? Pizza has always been there for me and never lets me down. We always seem to come back together, even when I try to cut things off.”

  Abby came by to deliver a basket of breadsticks and our beer. “Thanks Abby.” She smiled at me and blushed when Jon added a thank you before scuttling back behind the counter.

  “Okay, you ready to hear my good news?” Jon’s eyes were lit with excitement. I nodded. “Of course.” He poured us both a glass of beer as I devoured a breadstick.

  “Well, it seems Stacey Mills-Sandoval is already singing our praises and she has some connections. We received two calls today from prospective clients.” He shook his head. “It’s crazy to me because we have only been on her case a few days.” I took the glass he offered me and drank. “I’d never personally recommend a service until I’d seen the end result.”

  He seemed blown away but I wasn’t surprised Stacey had been spreading our name in her circles. She seemed like the type who liked to flaunt and impress. I was sure she was talking us up as the elite firm who specialized in relationships that we claimed to be.

  “Have you talked to the new clients yet?” I asked.

  “Just briefly when they called. I booked us initial meetings with both clients tomorrow morning. I hope that works with your schedule.”

  “Yeah, since I’m still unemployed I should be free.”

  “You know, QT, if this goes right you won’t need to find another job. I mean it. We could have a successful business in this line of work, which I personally think is pretty fucking awesome.”

  I smiled at his enthusiasm. I guess I still didn’t believe we could make a real go of this. I needed to focus on
our clients and do my best to make sure they were happy customers. Jon had shown more excitement towards our new-found business than I had, and I wanted this to be a success for him. It couldn’t have been easy leaving a successful career in the military to come home and start over. I was suddenly hit with empathy for his situation.

  “You doing okay, Jon?” I smiled softly and reached my hand to cover his across the table. He met my eyes and I saw something spark there for a brief moment, but I wasn’t sure what it meant. The moment was broken at a loud banging and sudden movement near the front door. We both looked up as the door opened and in came Kate, clumsily making her way through the restaurant on a pair of crutches. I gasped.

  “Oh my goodness, Kate! What happened?” Her right foot was wrapped in a brace. Jon shared my concern as she made her way to us with a giant smile on her face, bumping into several tables and chairs along the way.

  “Hey guys, I’m here to crash your party!” Kate smiled, acting like it was completely normal for her to be walking around on crutches. “What happened to your foot, Kate?” I pointed to her leg.

  “Scoot,” she told Jon, and fell into the booth next to him, propping her crutches against the seat. She was dressed impeccably, her usual Kate self, with a knee length black pencil skirt and silky red sleeveless top. Her lips and nails were painted apple red to match, and her blond hair was down. She looked lovely and didn’t seem the least distressed about her apparent injury.

  “Oh, this silly old thing?” She glanced down at her leg. “I’m just getting in some last minute practice. I don’t want to break character later.” She smiled like that explained everything. Jon’s eyebrows knit with confusion.