by Linda Apple
She patted me. “I do too, baby. I do too. Night, night.”
I climbed the stairs thinking how good the day had ended up and how good my bed was going to feel.
****
The next morning I scanned my closet. One would have thought this was my first trip to New York. I packed and repacked four times. Since it was cold there, I settled on slacks, two sweaters, a cocktail dress, boots, dress shoes, a coat, two scarves, and a knit hat. When I finished packing for the fifth time I was pretty proud of myself. I fit it all in a carryon, even my toiletries.
Footsteps thumped up the steps and Lexi called at my door, “Cover up. I’m coming in.”
“I’m decent. Enter.”
“So.” She flopped on my bed like she used to when we were kids. “You are going to the big city again? I thought you just escaped from there.”
“I never escaped. I loved it there, remember? It was Moonlight I escaped from and honestly? I thought I’d only be here a few months and then escape again. But….”
“But?”
“But I found my soul. Something I thought I’d lost.”
“Your soul being Ty?”
“My soul being southern.” I flopped down beside her. “You ought to come with us.”
She rolled over and stared at the ceiling. “I’d love to, but I can’t on short notice, darned it all. However,” she rolled back to her stomach, “I am going in March. Nate is flying me there to accompany him to some doodah. I get to meet his,” she crunched her first two fingers up and down, “people.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“Not sure. I’ll ask again before I leave just so I’ll know what to wear.” She nudged her shoulder against mine. “You’ll help me, right?”
“Of course. Hey. Would you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what?”
I told Lexi about Hugh spilling the beans about Momma’s diabetes, my talk with Doctor Derrick, my confrontation with her, and our discussion the previous evening. “Would you look in on her?”
“Good Lord.” Lexi sat up and pulled her leg under her. “What a mess. Sure, I’ll look in on her. I’ll be on her like white on rice.”
“Thanks. She promises to do better.”
Lexi snorted.
“What?”
“Being better as in having one piece of pie instead of two? Or better yet, not eating a piece at all but not telling how many times she tasted the filling while making it?”
I had to admit, Lexi knew my mom pretty well. That was exactly something she’d do.
“Exactly. So, just pop in on her and talk with her a bit. See if she’s energetic or lethargic which is a sure sign she is misbehaving. And call me if she’s lethargic.”
“Nothing doing, baby girl. You enjoy yourself with your man. I’ll handle things on this end. Besides, you’ll only be gone a couple of days.”
“You’re right. I just worry. She’s been abusing her body—popping herself with insulin willy-nilly. I’m afraid for her. No telling what damage she’s already done to herself.”
Lexi stood. “Girl, don’t you worry. I’ve got it all under control. Now, how about a white chocolate mocha at Molly Kate’s?”
“Sounds amazing.” I grabbed my purse. “And a chocolate chip scone? We can share one.”
Lexi’s eyes widened. “Share one? Pfff.”
I slapped her arm and did my Elvis eyebrow lift. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
We jogged downstairs, arm in arm, like we did as teens. Gratitude filled me.
Lord, I love my friends.
Chapter Sixteen
The ebb of our plans is the flow for Ty’s future.
~Avalee Preston
The fellow who had first contacted Ty, Taige somebody, had a limo waiting for us at JFK making the forty-five minute trip from the airport to Manhattan more tolerable. I had never given much thought to how New York City might look through the eyes of someone who’d never been there. The old familiar sights were suddenly fresh and new. Ty didn’t say much except to exclaim, “Look at that. What’s that over there?”
No doubt, his photographer’s creative wheels turned in his head; I sat back and enjoyed his excitement. My phone rang and the screen showed Scott and me making snow angels in Central Park. “Hi Scott.”
“Hey, Girl. Where are you? I’m at the Ritz lounge with Taige waiting on you.”
“Almost there. Can’t wait!”
“Are you close enough for me to order your drinks?”
“Yes. I’ll have my usual.” I nudged Ty. “Baby, what do you want from the bar?”
He tore his gaze from the window. “Do they have beer in New York?”
Grinning, I nodded. “Ty’ll have a beer. Get him something regional.”
“Okay, one Mediterranean Martini and one Bluepoint, since, if my memory serves me correctly, he doesn’t like hoppy beer. I’ll put the order in, say, ten minutes?”
“Perfect. See you in a few.”
“Counting the seconds, darling.”
A few moments later, the limo pulled in front of the Ritz and Ty got that ‘child seeing Santa on his rooftop’ look. The Ritz was a stunning sight. And Central Park, only steps away, gave New York a more pastoral appearance than it was in reality.
We checked in and gave our luggage to the bellhop, then I texted Scott an exclamation point, our signal to each other whenever we arrived somewhere. He met us in the Star Lounge with open arms. Standing beside him was the man I assumed to be Taige, a tall handsome fellow with seriously blue eyes. He appeared to be in his late thirties dressed in dark jeans, black V neck tee, and a black leather jacket. Smartly understated.
Scott made the introductions and gestured to Taige. “This is Taige Stanford. Taige, this is my sweetie, Avalee Preston and the amazing, talented Ty Jackson, who also happens to be engaged to Avalee.”
Taige’s smile was warm and confident. “So glad to meet you guys. Scott’s talked about you both so much I feel I’ve known you a long time.” He motioned toward a table. “Your drinks are ready. I imagine after the ride from the airport you could use them.
“Oh, it could have been worse. I remember those Nascar taxi rides. Thanks for the limo.” I sipped the best martini I’d had since leaving New York. Maybe I could talk Jema into hosting a Martini Monday in Manhattan.
“Yeah, thanks man.” Ty tilted his beer toward Taige. “Thanks for everything. I have to admit, I’m still blown away by all of this.”
Scott grinned. “Oh, just you wait.” He nodded at Taige. “Why don’t you tell Ty why he’s here.”
“Think he’s ready? He hasn’t finished his first beer yet. This is pretty big news to take in before he has, say, a third beer?”
This mysterious banter had me gulping my martini. I hit Scott’s arm. “For pity’s sake, what?”
Scott laughed. “Ahhh, my little southern belle. How the vodka does thicken your accent. Charming.”
Ty grinned one of his devilish smiles, “How about another one of those?”
Scott sighed and looked longingly at Taige. “See, I told you he was drop-dead gorgeous.”
Taige’s smile was as million-dollar as Jema’s. “Can’t have them all.” He raised his shoulders and let them fall. “How about a second round?”
“Second for them.” Scott jingled the ice in his glass. “Fourth for us.”
“Whatever.” Taige signaled the waiter and gave our orders. When they arrived, he raised his glass. “To Ty Jackson and his future career. May he not have a heart attack when I make him my offer.”
As we clinked glasses, my mind raced. What could this opportunity be?
“Okay. Let’s get down to business.” Taige set his glass down. “I’m sure you’ve heard of Cadence Terry?”
Ty lifted his beer to his mouth. “Who doesn’t know her?”
Who indeed? Cadence Terry was an actress extraordinaire, powerhouse vocalist, and stunningly beautiful. She’d won every award there was to win as an actress and vocalist. Even my
mother knew of her.
Scott continued. “She is my client and a great philanthropist. Some time ago, she was asked by a friend to join him on a humanitarian trip. He was part of a clean water group that travels to third-world countries and drills wells in villages. This trip opened her eyes to a real problem and she wants to use her star-power to raise awareness for this cause. So, she is planning to make a documentary showing her visiting some of these places. She has a film crew but also wants a photographer. I’ve interviewed several, but none of them tells a story like you do. I showed her your photographs and she wants me to hire you.”
Ty set his beer down with a thunk. “Shut up. Seriously?”
“Very serious. She plans on flying to Ethiopia and finishing in Sudan.” He watched Ty over the rim of his Manhattan as he sipped. “So this might be something that interests you?”
I stared at Ty and he stared back. What an opportunity. He managed to answer Taige. “Interested? I’ve waited my whole professional life for something like this.”
“I hoped that would be your answer.” Taige leaned back in his chair. “Cadence will be thrilled to hear you agreed.”
Finally. Finally. Finally. I wanted to dance on the table—and not because of the two powerhouse martinis. Ty’s time had come and in a much grander way than I could have possibly imagined. If his mother or father could ignore this, they were beyond hope.
“All the details are being worked out, but just so you can get this on your calendar, you will be leaving from JFK the last of April and returning around June thirtieth. Cadence is having supper with us tonight and she will fill you in on things you need to bring on your trip.”
Ty and I both stared at Taige like we’d been hit with a stun gun. He looked from Ty to me to Ty again. “Is there a problem?”
Ty’s yes collided with my no. I put my hand on his. “No, that will work just fine.”
Ty turned to me and opened his mouth, but I put my finger to his lips. “We will talk it over in our room.” There was no way Ty was going to miss this opportunity. My love for him overrode the sinking disappointment in my heart. I forced a smile for Scott. “I think Ty and I should go to our room and rest up a bit before supper.”
Scott knew me well and wasn’t oblivious to the situation. He sent me a text with a question mark and an exclamation point. I glanced at him and barely shook my head. Then I took Ty’s hand and squeezed it three times—I love you. He squeezed back four times—I love you, too.
Taige on the other hand was clueless. He patted the table. “Excellent idea. I’ll call Cadence right away.” When we stood to leave, I remembered my discussions with Skye about O Henry’s The Gift of the Magi. I wanted to do this for Ty. After all, isn’t love doing what is best for others? And there was nothing magic about May. We could marry in August. I leaned into Ty and whispered, “It’s all right. I have ideas. We’ll talk later. For now, enjoy this, baby. It is your hour.”
He touched his lips to mine. “We’ll talk.”
****
I don’t know if it was the two martinis, the flight, or both, but all of a sudden, I felt exhausted. We had six hours until our meeting with Cadence Terry. That gave us plenty of time for a nap and for me to take a long, hot soak. Taige had gotten us connecting rooms with fabulous views of Central Park. While staring out my window, I regretted not having enough time to show Ty the city.
“Ava?” Ty stood at my door. “Can we talk now?”
“Sure.” We went to the living room adjoining our rooms and sat on the couch. For a man who had just been given his life’s dream on a golden platter, he looked sober. Troubled. I traced his lips with my finger. “What’s wrong, babe?”
“Our wedding. Putting it off. I don’t like it.”
“Sugar, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. You simply cannot miss it.” I sat up and faced him. “We can marry the first of August. That is just a little over two months later than our original date.”
His frown softened as he thought my suggestion over. “Well, I don’t like it, but you’re right.” He kissed my ear, then down my jaw. A million tiny tingles pulsed through my body. I turned to meet his lips. It was going to be hard waiting two more months. So many emotions transferred through our kisses—love, excitement, disappointment, need. If we kept this up, I knew we wouldn’t wait for our honeymoon. It was important to me, to both of us, to wait.
I pulled away. “We’d better stop this.”
He groaned and pulled me closer. “Let’s get married. Right now. Here.”
“No way, mister. I’m going to have a romantic wedding if it kills me. Not one driven by hormones.”
“Then, I need a shower.”
“Take one. I’m taking a hot soak. The marble bathrooms in this hotel are amazing.”
“Want company?” He lowered his brows and grinned. “I could wash your back, among other things.”
I popped his arm. “Nope. My bath is my sanctuary. Then, I’m taking a long nap before getting ready. I need my rest. I don’t want to look like my mother next to the young, beautiful, multi-talented Cadence. You might just change your mind.”
“No way. I love your spirit, your soul, and your body. No woman can match what you are to me.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “I love you. You.”
My vision blurred as I studied his face. How did I get so lucky? After all these years, the old adage proved true. Good things really did come to those who wait.
****
A long soak and two-hour nap made me feel as if I could take on Miss Cadence—thirty-six-year-old—Terry. But one look in the mirror quelled such lofty thoughts. Good thing Ty loved me for more than my looks. I was way overdue for Botox. Staring in the mirror at my crow’s feet and drooping cheeks, I blew out a breath. “Avalee, girl, you are going to have to stop this nonsense. Accept who you are. There is more to you than what you see in the mirror.”
Heartened by my I am woman hear me roar pep talk, I pulled the makeup out of my cosmetics bag to, as my mother put it, paint the barn. Unfortunately, as I applied foundation, it became evident to me that the barn needed more painting than when I first left New York. Accept yourself…Accept yourself….
At seven, we met Scott and Taige in the lobby. Even though they dressed casually, they still looked as if they belonged on a GQ magazine cover. Scott wore a gray wool coat, dark jeans, wingtip boots, and a phenomenal gray scarf. Taige wore a three-toned sweater under a blue coat, tight black jeans, and boots. Thank goodness Ty let me dress him, or else he would have worn his best worn-out jeans and lumberjack shirt. Before we left for New York, I went shopping and chose a wool camel coat, a brown cashmere sweater, dark jeans, boots, and a tartan scarf in several shades of brown. I loved how his skin and eyes looked in these colors.
While getting ready, I encouraged him not to shave, but to wear that sexy shadow. He never wore product in his hair, but submitted to me using pomade and combing it back into thick waves. Of course he grumbled, but I told him he looked just right for a night on the city.
I chose an outfit that coordinated with Ty’s, a long, slim-fitting olive green dress with a wide brown belt, a faux-fur jacket, and dark brown boots. I felt pretty good about myself. That is until we walked into the lobby. One look at Ty and both Scott’s and Taige’s jaws went slack. On one hand, I felt good about dressing him so well. But on the other it really doesn’t do much of a gal’s ego when men ogle her fiancé.
“Avalee? Guess where we are taking you tonight.” Scott had that gleam in his eye.
I knew right away. “Carbons?” My absolute favorite Italian place.
“The very place.” He swung his hand toward the door. “Ready?”
We slid onto the seat of the waiting sedan and soon merged into the crush of motor vehicles speeding down the road, stopping with a lot of jerks then starting again. All around us, horns blew and fists shook out of windows as we sped onward. Ty leaned over and whispered, “I feel like I’m on a roller coaster ride at Six Flags.”
I never thought of New York traffic in such endearing terms. Crazy, yes. Wild, absolutely. But not fun. We arrived at Thompson Street, and the driver let us off in front of the restaurant. Oh, how I loved this place. Not just for the great food but also for the warm, cozy, feel.
“Hi everyone.” Cadence stood and waved. To say she was stunning, even ravishing, would be a pathetic description. I don’t think words have been invented to describe her beauty. I lost my appetite. “Over here.”
I glanced at Ty. Her loveliness hadn’t escaped him. How could it? Her blonde hair cascaded over her tight black sweater. She hardly wore a smidgen of make-up on her smooth face. Note to self, beg the dermatologist to work me in tomorrow before leaving. Her eyes were huge and dark blue. She only had a swipe of sparkly gloss on her perfect, full lips. Ugh. I’d forgotten how easily intimidated I always felt in this city.
Cadence held out her perfectly manicured hands to Ty. “You must be the storyteller.”
Ty managed to keep his eyes on hers even though the sweater’s straining fibers over her chest made it hard for any red-blooded man to avoid staring. “Storyteller?”
Her laugh was musical. “Sorry, I’m Cadence.” As if we didn’t know. “And I was referring to your beautiful photographs.”
Ty flushed. “I’m glad you liked them.”
“They are amazing. When Taige showed them to me, I knew you were the photographer I needed.” She glanced at Scott and Taige. “You guys did a fantastic job finding him.”
“We aim to please.” Taige winked at Scott.
Hello? I’m also in this group. You know, the south-side of fifty-something, woman in the room. Now I understood what Jema had referred to during one of our Whine Wednesdays about how, after turning fifty, she suddenly felt invisible. That was exactly how I felt while standing next to Ty.
At long last, Taige put his hand on the small of my back. “And this is Ty’s fiancée, Avalee Preston.”
Cadence’s eyes widened. “Avalee Preston who wrote The Feng Shui of Floral Design? That’s my decorating Bible. Who knew fresh flowers made such a difference in a home. And it is such a beautiful book. It is sitting on my coffee table this very minute.”