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Speak to My Heart

Page 18

by Rebecca Talley


  “I think he’s tired. That’s all.” She slung her arm around Hailey and they walked down the hallway toward the living room. “It’d probably be best to skip this appointment and let him rest. Don’t you worry. He’ll be fine.” Gran said it with such reassurance it made Hailey feel less stressed about Gramps.

  “Sure.” Hailey had to admit, though, she was disappointed she wouldn’t see Peter this afternoon. Of course, they had their date that night, but she still felt let down. What was she saying? Thinking? This was crazy. She’d known him for a few weeks. And knowing was kind of an overstatement. They had only gone on one date. One fantastic, unforgettable, amazing date. What is wrong with me? I need to get a grip.

  “Hailey?” Gran said, breaking into her thoughts.

  “Uh, yeah?”

  Gran studied her. “Did I lose you somewhere?”

  “No, no. I . . . never mind. I can call and cancel his appointment.”

  “I can do that.” Gran squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  Hailey stepped away from her and leaned against the back of the couch. “For what?”

  “That you can’t see him this afternoon.” Gran said it so matter-of-factly.

  “Don’t be silly. It’s no big deal,” she said, unsure if she was trying to convince Gran or herself.

  “Liar.”

  Hailey jerked her head back. “Excuse me?”

  “You’re disappointed.” Gran peered at her. “I can see it all over your face.”

  “This is about Gramps, not me,” Hailey said, trying to deflect the conversation away from her. “Do you really think he’s ok?”

  “I think he’s tired and a good rest is what he needs. Don’t worry.” Gran walked past her into the kitchen. Over her shoulder, she said, “I’m going to bake some mint chocolate chip cookies. They’re Harry’s favorite.”

  ***

  While Hailey was going over some numbers on her spreadsheet in her bedroom, Gran walked in and said, “I cancelled the appointment and the woman rescheduled it for tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? It’s Saturday.”

  Gran shrugged. “I guess they’re open on Saturdays.”

  “We can go tomorrow, as long as Gramps is up to it.” Hailey hoped he would be, especially if her date went as well as she anticipated with Peter tonight. For a moment, she lost herself in thoughts about Peter.

  “I’ll let you get back to work,” Gran said.

  “Oh . . . yeah . . . work.” Hailey nodded, reminding herself to focus back on her clients. “Thanks, Gran.” Somewhere along the way, she’d lost some enthusiasm for her job.

  Gran left, and Hailey clicked over to her email. She found a frantic message from a client who needed immediate attention. Hailey called Mr. Lanceton.

  “Hi, this is Hailey Baker from Michaels, Jensen, and Carter Accounting.” She tapped her fingers on her leg.

  “Ms. Baker. I’ve been notified by the IRS. I have an audit.” She could hear the anxiety in his voice.

  “Don’t worry, Mr. Lanceton, everything will be fine.” She wanted to reassure him.

  “I’ve never been audited before. What if we’re missing some paperwork?”

  “We need to find out what is being audited exactly. Which part of your return is in question?” She opened his folder and scanned through the files.

  “It’s for two years ago.”

  She found the correct file and opened it. “I’ll contact the agent and make arrangements to represent you.” Hailey needed to stay calm so her client would feel confident in her ability to help him through this audit, even if her heart wasn’t in it.

  “Are you sure?” he said with a nervous edge.

  “Yes, sir, that’s my job.”

  “So what do I do?”

  Hailey clicked through the various files. “I think we have all we need. I can get specific information from the agent, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. We have your receipts scanned and your expense reports appear to be in order.”

  “I’ve never had an audit,” he repeated.

  “I’ll keep you updated.” Hailey wanted to allay his fear because that was her job. “For now, don’t worry. There’s probably some information they want clarified. That’s all.”

  She could hear Mr. Lanceton let out a sigh. “I feel better after talking to you.”

  “I’m glad. Now, enjoy your weekend. I’ll take care of this.”

  “Thank you.”

  After she hung up, Hailey worried what this would mean for her personally. Audits were not her favorite part of her job. She hoped she could take care of it quickly and without having to return to Colorado right now, because she wasn’t ready to leave her grandparents. Otherwise, she might have to ask her boss to have someone else represent Mr. Lanceton, which could pose a threat to her employment.

  “Are you busy?” Gran asked, peeking her head into Hailey’s bedroom.

  Hailey sat back. “One of my clients is being audited.”

  “Uh oh.”

  “He’s a little stressed, but I tried to reassure him.” She hoped she had.

  Gran stepped inside the room, her lime green blouse untucked. “Do you need to go back to Colorado?”

  Hailey chewed on her lip. “I don’t know.”

  “Oh.” Gran hid her feelings poorly. “I know you have a life back in Colorado and need to go back,” Gran said in a thick voice. “We’ll be fine.”

  “Gran, you’re getting all worked up for no reason. I’ll take care of it. I’m sure everything will be fine.” At least she hoped so. Audits could be stressful and time consuming, but Mr. Lanceton had been her client ever since she joined the firm, and she needed to take care of this for him.

  Gran reached out and touched Hailey’s flowing hair. “You look so pretty. Your dark hair has always highlighted your beautiful blue eyes.”

  Hailey hoped Peter would think the same. “Thanks. I need to get ready for my date before Peter gets here.”

  “Uh oh.” Gran made a face.

  Hailey braced for bad news, then said, “What?”

  “He’s here.” Gran smiled.

  “Peter is here? Already?” Her heart climbed up her throat and her stomach started to quiver. She wasn’t nearly ready enough.

  “Yes. He’s talking to your grandpa.”

  “But he’s early. I didn’t think he’d be early.” Hailey ran her fingers through her hair, then looked at herself in the mirror that hung next to the door. “I definitely need to refresh my make-up. And brush my hair. Oh, and my teeth.” Hailey looked down at her dress. “Should I change?”

  “No, no. This dress is a knockout. You look perfect,” Gran said with a cheerful expression.

  Hailey’s nerves burned. “Tell him I’ll be out in a second.”

  She rushed into the bathroom and worked to make her hair look full. She brushed her teeth. Twice. I don’t want bad breath. She spritzed her favorite Dior perfume on her neck and her wrist. Hailey took several calming breaths and clasped her trembling hands. Stop being such a nervous ninny. She sounded like Gran.

  “Hi,” Hailey said as she walked into the living room. Peter was dressed in black pants and an emerald-green polo shirt that emphasized his trim frame. Hailey reminded herself to relax.

  “Since I had a cancellation, I decided to make a house call.” He winked and her stomach flip-flopped.

  “I hope you kids have a good time,” Gran said. “I’d love to hear you sing.”

  “Come with us,” Peter said with sincerity.

  Gran waved her hand. “No, no. You two go on. Us old coots will stay here.”

  Peter stepped over to Gramps. “I’ll remember what you said.” He shook his hand.

  What does that mean? Oh, no. What did Gramps say? “I’m ready if you are,” Hailey said. She turned to her grandparents. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Stay out as late as you want,” Gran said with way too much enthusiasm.

  They walked outside toward his car, the sun descending
in the sky. Peter opened her door for her. She slid inside and watched him walk around the front of the car. He was handsome, but he was so much more. He radiated kindness and a genuine concern for those around him.

  Inside the car, Hailey was almost afraid to ask, but she wanted to know—had to know. “What did you mean you’d remember what Gramps said?”

  “Sorry.” He glanced at her with a twinkle in his eye. “It’s only between us.” He started up the car and began driving.

  “Is that so?” She said it with a smile. “And you aren’t going to tell me?”

  He smirked, then shook his head.

  “But, did he actually say something to you? Like a real sentence?”

  “He did.” Peter nodded, the slightly musky scent wafting through the car. “We had a real conversation. His speech is definitely improving.”

  Even though she wanted to know what he said, she was happy to know he was conversing. “I’m so relieved. I worry about him. And Gran. They’re getting older, and I don’t want to think about that.” Sadness surged through her.

  They didn’t talk for a few minutes, but it wasn’t awkward. It was . . . comfortable.

  “I hope you’re planning to sing,” Peter said as they pulled into the parking lot of the Hilton.

  “Uh, no.” She held up her hands. “I don’t want people grasping their ears and writhing on the floor in pain.”

  He laughed. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

  “Oh, believe me, it is. I’ll do us all a favor if I don’t sing.”

  Once again, he was a gentleman and opened her car door. As they walked through the hotel and navigated through a crowd, he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the restaurant near the karaoke bar.

  Inside the restaurant, they sat at a small table near a window and ordered some dinner.

  “Are you two here for the karaoke contest?” the waitress with short blonde hair asked.

  “Contest?” Hailey said.

  “Yeah. At the end of the night, we award the best singer with a prize.” She nodded and the diamond stud in her nose glinted.

  “Sounds interesting,” Peter said.

  “It’s always entertaining. Are you and your wife here for vacation?” she said as she filled their water glasses.

  “We live here,” Peter answered without correcting her mistake.

  After the waitress left, Hailey said, “I think this will be fun. Have you been here before?”

  “No,” he said. “I don’t get out too often.”

  “Really?” Did that mean he didn’t date much? It was hard to imagine that a man like Peter wasn’t dating all the time. He had everything going for him—he was the total package.

  “I’m pretty busy with my patients and my sister and nephew.”

  Hailey sipped her lemon water. “Your nephew is really cute.”

  “Benji is a bundle of energy. He lost his dad a few years ago in Afghanistan.” A sad expression flashed across his face.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “My sister has had a rough time, so I try to be there for her as much as possible.”

  “That must make it hard to date.” She regretted it as soon as it left her mouth and wished she could call it back.

  A slight smile played on his lips. “Dating hasn’t been much of a priority, to be honest.”

  Changing the direction of the conversation, Hailey said, “Let’s play a game.”

  Peter gazed at her with his striking blue eyes. “Okay.”

  “It’s called Two Truths and a Lie.”

  “Sounds intriguing.”

  “We used to play it back in high school to get to know people. I’ll tell you three things and you have to figure out which one is a lie.”

  Peter leaned in and smiled. “Go ahead.”

  “One. I set a record in cross country that still stands today at my high school. Two. I once met Jack Nicholson in Aspen when I was there skiing with my friends. Three. I can tune up a car.” She sat back with a satisfied expression, certain she’d stump him. “There, go ahead and pick out the lie.”

  Peter strummed his fingers on the table while pensively studying Hailey.

  The waitress returned and brought them their dinners.

  Hailey cut into her sirloin. “So back to our game. It’s hard, huh? Not to brag, but I always win.” She smiled confidently as she waited for him to make a choice.

  “I can believe you set a cross country record.”

  “Oh yeah? Why?”

  “You are, you know, lean.” He took a bite of his salmon.

  “Lean? Is that a compliment?” she prodded.

  He shifted in his chair. “You look like a runner. That’s all.”

  “Thank you.” She studied him, trying to decipher his meaning. “I think.”

  “Since you lived in Colorado, it isn’t hard to believe you skied at Aspen. And plenty of celebrities go to Aspen.”

  “And the last one?” She spooned some creamy mashed potatoes into her mouth.

  “I have a hard time envisioning you getting greasy and fixing a car.”

  “Why is that? Because I’m a woman?”

  “No. I . . . that’s not why.” He licked his lips. “I don’t see you as a mechanic. That’s all.”

  She giggled to herself at how he became uncomfortable so easily. She smiled at him. “So which is it?”

  “Now you have me all confused.”

  “That’s the idea,” she said, pleased with herself.

  He leaned forward, seeming to regain his confidence. “Let’s make this more interesting.”

  “Okay.” What does he have in mind?

  The corners of his mouth tugged up. “Whoever wins gets to pick a song for the other one to sing.”

  Hailey hesitated for a moment because she wasn’t about to expose her dead animal voice to the world, but she agreed, confident she’d win. “You’re on.”

  His eyes twinkled and he said, “I think the lie is meeting a celebrity at Aspen.”

  Hailey sat back, stunned. “How did you do that?”

  “I’m pretty good at reading people. You have a tell.” He stabbed a piece of broccoli and put it in his mouth.

  “A tell?”

  Peter nodded. “It gave you away.”

  No way did she have a tell. “That’s not even true.”

  “It is.” He took another bite of his salmon.

  Hailey always won this game. She wanted to know how Peter figured out her lie. “Fine. What is it?”

  “Your right eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly, but I still noticed it, when you said you met Jack.” He used a napkin to wipe his face. “But that one sounded realistic.”

  “My eyebrow?” Her hand went to her forehead. “Really? I had no idea. I guess I’ll have to work on that.”

  “I’m impressed you can tune a car.”

  She sipped her water, satisfied that even though she’d lost the game, she’d impressed Peter. “Thanks to Gramps. He used to have me help him when I was a teenager. I liked that we could spend time together. We even worked on an old Toyota, and he gave it to me when I turned sixteen.”

  Peter smiled a warm endearing smile. “He’s lucky to have someone who loves him so much.”

  “He’s the best. And so is Gran.” She leaned forward. “Your turn.”

  “All right. Let me think.” He tapped the table.

  “Come on.” She was eager to learn more about him.

  “You know you have to sing a song I pick now, right?” he said with a light tone.

  “Yeah, yeah.” Hailey brushed it off in hopes of avoiding it. “But if I win, you have to sing one I pick.”

  “Number one.” He started. “I played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls in high school. Two. I own all the Beatles albums. And three, I had heart surgery when I was a child.”

  “Wow. You’re good.” Now it was her turn to be impressed.

  Peter gave her a self-assured smile.

  This was tougher than she thoug
ht it would be. Maybe she’d met her match at this game. “I think the lie is number one.” Hailey held her hand up. “No. I think number two.”

  His eyes sparkled. “What is your final answer?”

  “Number two. You don’t strike me as a Beatles kind of guy.”

  “I don’t?” His eyes widened.

  “No.” Hailey looked him up and down. “More of an NSYNC guy.”

  He let out a derisive laugh. “Uh, no. Definitely not an NSYNC guy.”

  “So, am I right?”

  “Buzzzz.” Peter pointed at her. “You. Are. Wrong.”

  “I am?” How did she lose? Again. He was certainly throwing off her groove.

  “I was never Nathan Detroit.” He gave a jerk of his head. “I should’ve been, but I wasn’t.”

  She noted a hint of resentment. “Still upset about that?”

  He laughed. “So I pick a song for you. Again.” He held up two fingers. “That makes two songs.”

  She let out a long breath. “Except I’m really, really not a singer. Like I said, for real, people will scream out in pain and the walls will tumble down in rebellion. We don’t want all that ruin, do we?” She peered at him. “Do we?”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “That was the bet.”

  “I know, and I’m never one to back out of a bet, but in the interest of world peace, I think it’s for the best.” Hailey gave him her best this-is-the-right-thing-to-do nod.

  “But this is a karaoke bar. Singing talent isn’t a requirement.”

  “Seriously. I should not sing.” She pointed at him. “You’ll thank me. Really.”

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head, then gazed at her with a playful expression. “Maybe you can offer up something in exchange.”

  “Like what?” She was enjoying this lighthearted banter.

  He moved closer to her, making her heartbeat speed up. “What do you have in mind?”

  “I can tune up your car,” she offered.

  “Hmm, that’s quite tempting.” The dim light in the restaurant couldn’t hide the gleam in his eyes. “But I already have a great mechanic.”

  She thought for a moment. “Okay. Here it is. I’ll make you dinner if I don’t have to sing tonight.”

  “When?”

  “You say.”

  “All right.” He stuck his hand out over the table and as soon as she took it, sizzling energy bounded up her arm. “You have a deal.” They finished shaking hands.

 

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