“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.” Dominic leaned close and whispered in her ear, “I understand why there’s a clause.”
“Why?”
“Because what I want to do to you is completely immoral.”
Chapter 4
Reservations at Duvernay’s, one of Southwood’s finest restaurants, were made months in advance, even for a weekday. Tonight was no different. Cars filled the parking lot, more than likely owned by people from the pageant and the people in town. The valets were hopping, passing and returning keys. Men and women filled the inside lobby and waited to be seated while some sipped drinks.
Instead of watching Dominic try to slip a hundred-dollar bill to the frazzled teenage hostess who seemed clueless what to do with it, Waverly stepped forward and cleared her throat. The young girl’s eyes widened and immediately she recalled an available table. Holding the Miss Southwood title came with perks. Of course, the downside meant Waverly had to curb any feelings she had for Dominic, but this was perfect. No relationship meant more time to focus on her goals: winning Miss Georgia and going on to become Miss USA.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Dominic said, pulling Waverly’s chair out for her.
“I’m sorry,” said Waverly over her shoulder. Dominic’s lips were an inch from the tip of her ear. She closed her eyes and pushed out the threatening twitch by clearing her throat. “You were about to overwhelm that poor girl with cash. Kids these days love gift cards—cash is obsolete.”
“Whatever. Money is money,” Dominic grumbled as he moved to his side of the table covered in a white linen cloth. A single candle stood between the two of them. The flickering light highlighted the golden color of his cheeks and the coppery tint of his hair. When she first met him his hair was slightly longer. Dominic smoothed down his paisley tie. The yellow background of his tie matched the color of the dress given to her by Lexi. Did he coordinate with her on purpose? It would be like Lexi to offer such a matching selection. Waverly bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning. “Had that been my sister, she would have figured out what to do with the cash”
“Well, I apologize if I hurt your male ego.”
“It’s fine,” Dominic said with a deep exhale.
“Now, back to your sister, Alisha,” Waverly began and waited for Dominic’s slight nod to confirm she had the name right. “How is she? I didn’t see her at the pageant.”
“She was there,” said Dominic. “She went to meet up with Tiffani after her loss.”
“Runner-up isn’t a loss.” Waverly shrugged and sat back to allow their waiter to pour a glass of water for each of them. She thanked the young man and continued the conversation, leaning forward again to speak in a hushed tone. “You do recall Vera reminding me of my flaws.”
Dominic shook his head. “I don’t care what that woman said or what it was about, and neither should you.”
Waverly waved off his pep talk. “Normally I pay no attention to anything Vera has to say, but you have to agree with what she pointed out.”
“What?” he asked.
“You don’t think it’s a coincidence your best friend...”
“Brother,” Dominic corrected her. The smile disappeared for a moment. So, blood or not, Waverly understood Will was family to him.
Waverly nodded. “Brother. Your brother participated as a judge in a pageant I won.”
“So? Are you arguing about the legitimacy of your win?”
With the amount of pressure she used to keep her lips from spreading into a goofy grin, Waverly worried her Pageant Pink lipstick from Ravens Cosmetics would smear. “I don’t know.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Dominic said, reaching across the table. He pulled her hand into his and traced a circle around the top of her wrist. He’d done the same move earlier at the docks at the Magnolia Palace and it was just as intoxicating. “You were in a beauty pageant, emphasis on beauty.”
“Yes,” Waverly said with a short nod. Something told her to pull her hand away. People at nearby tables and passing by watched the public display of affection.
“I’ve never heard of a woman arguing about her beauty.”
“Not beauty,” said Waverly. “I meant about the contest being rigged.”
“Rigged? I thought the point of a pageant was who is the prettiest.” Dominic shook his head and pulled his hand away.
She wished then she’d done it first. At least if she moved her hand away, she would be able to control the void she felt from the absence of his touch. Waverly needed to put some distance between them. “We’re more than pretty faces,” she said of his assessment.
“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” said Dominic.
“I don’t think you understand what I’ve gone through to get on the Miss Georgia path. I can’t have it crash down because of some scandal coming out that Will did a favor for you.”
“Like I told the crazy lady,” Dominic went on, “I didn’t know Will planned on picking you. I knew he came to town on business for Ravens Cosmetics and the pageant, but at the time of his arrival, I hadn’t even met you.”
Waverly pressed her lips together again. “Okay. Maybe I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“Aren’t you generous?”
“You are, actually,” she said. “Since you’re my sponsor, I’m still going to wear your Miss Crowne’s Garage sash across my body.”
“You can wear anything of mine you like—my sash, this shirt...in the morning after we wake up.”
Waverly cleared her throat. “Dominic.”
“Waverly.”
The waiter came over and took their orders. She didn’t know why she was surprised Dominic ordered a rare steak. Even in his suit, his behavior struck her as primal. Earlier it had been the way he approached her, claiming her with his tone and securing his stance when he held her hand. A shallow breath caught in her throat with the fantasy image of his large hands roaming over her body. Waverly reached for her glass of ice water and took a long drink in an attempt to douse the flame threatening her insides.
Dominic chuckled. “You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Waverly hoped her he believed her lie. “So tell me what you thought of the pageant as a whole.”
“Ridiculous.”
Heart sinking, Waverly resisted gaping. A warmth of embarrassment touched her cheeks. Dominic did not respect her. She felt silly for putting too much faith in thinking he understood her life. His perception was exactly why Waverly hated letting outsiders into her life. “You’d rather tinker with cars?”
“Cars, I understand.” Dominic reached for his glass of water and gulped it halfway down. “Don’t get me wrong—you were the prettiest by far—but at least when I restore a vehicle that brings in a hefty commission, the other cars’ self-esteems don’t deflate and they are not dramatic and catty.”
“Uh—” Waverly paused “—Alisha told me you have a desk made out of half a car. That’s not dramatic?”
Dominic shook his head no. “Because of a woman. See? Dramatic. You can’t have high emotions and expensive cars around.”
“Makes sense,” Waverly said with a shrug.
“You’ll see more when I take you around town.”
“I beg your pardon?” Waverly leaned closer to hear better.
“Since I’m sponsoring you in this pageant and you’re representing the Crowne name, what better way to reiterate that than by arriving at all your functions in one of my restored vehicles?”
Waverly’s eyes narrowed on his large frame. Her lip curled with the idea of being a hood ornament. “Ugh,” she moaned with an eye roll. “Why do I get the feeling you’re benefiting from this pageant bet we made?”
“I’m always three steps ahead, sweetheart.” Dominic winked. The simple ges
ture spread fire in the pit of her belly.
“We can’t...” Her words trailed off; she was hating herself for dampening the moment. Waverly’s eyes darted around, as she was half expecting to find the other patrons of Duvernay’s staring at them. No one paid them any attention. But still not wanting to risk her chance at the Miss Georgia title, Waverly leaned close. “We can’t allow anything to go any further than what happened the other night.”
Dominic sat back in his seat. His beefy right hand covered his heart. “What kind of man do you take me for?” he teased with a lopsided grin. “I’m kidding. Waverly, I respect your goals. Your morality clause doesn’t mean I can’t still help you. I promise I will control myself. The question is, can you?”
An imaginary angel appeared on Waverly’s right shoulder, wearing a sparkly tiara and offering Waverly a pageant wave. On the other shoulder, a red version of herself appeared, shooing Waverly off with the back of her hand while an imaginary devil image of Dominic dipped her back for a deep kiss.
Waverly blinked back into focus. “Um, sure, of course I can.”
* * *
In a matter of eight weeks after being dethroned, Waverly found herself comfortable as the new Miss Southwood. She already visited the senior citizen centers for Southwood and the surrounding cities of Peachville, Black Wolf Creek and Samaritan. Anson, the mayor of Southwood, was kind enough to send a car for Waverly’s travels, as well as stay in attendance with her, though she could have walked. She needed to walk. Though the days of drowning her sorrows in cupcakes and pizza were over, they had taken their toll on her curvy frame. Thank God for the slow pageant wave; otherwise her underarms would jiggle.
Waverly arrived at city hall’s meeting room for the Christmas Advisory Council meeting. She wore her Miss Southwood tiara and sash over her pearl gray A-line dress. Unlike the other places she’d visited, like the elementary schools and nearby restaurants, no one here seemed to care for her presence. Four dozen chairs split the room in two rows. A wooden podium stood at the front and in the center. Tiptoeing in her pearl gray stilettos, Waverly found a seat by herself toward the back. Other people turned to greet her, but considering how new she was to Southwood, she didn’t have the same connection as some of the other ladies gathered in groups, exchanging recipes and secrets. The few minutes she planned to leave early would give her the chance to walk through town and be alone with her thoughts. Before heading inside city hall, she glanced down the street toward Crowne’s Garage. The shop closed early and Waverly hoped she’d see Dominic at the meeting. After the pageant he’d made a point to Anson about participating.
Waverly kept her head down and focused on today’s agenda. Christmas seemed so far away. Lexi’s name popped out at the top of the page with the announcement of the Christmas pageant. Lexi had proposed a plan to open her studios for the children who wanted to participate, clients or not. Waverly made a mental note to make sure she offered her help. Lexi would have her hands full with the baby over the holidays.
Sad, Waverly sighed. This would be the first year she wouldn’t be with her parents at Christmas. She hadn’t even spoken to her mother about winning Miss Southwood. Jillian managed to avoid the topic of pageants, probably still ashamed to have a dethroned daughter. Waverly wanted to wait until she secured her place on the platform for Miss Georgia before getting her mother’s hopes up again.
The sound of metal clanged as people opened the oversize door. Each time, the group of ladies in front of Waverly would glance up and then return to their conversations. On one occasion, the ladies glanced up but then elbowed each other. Waverly adjusted herself in her seat, sitting upright and moving forward to watch their reactions. One woman in a leopard-print dress and pink belt licked her glossy lips. Another woman in all gray fluffed her natural curls, while a third woman sucked in her stomach and arched her back.
Without a doubt, Dominic was there.
Only that man’s sexual prowess could turn ordinarily smart-looking women into a gaggle of giggling girls. But as the thrill of excitement set in, it was accompanied by a visible set of goose bumps. Waverly knew she wasn’t immune.
Waverly bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from grinning. Thank God her will stayed strong and she resisted the urge to turn around.
“Hey,” Dominic said.
He found her. Waverly glanced upward. Tonight Dominic wore a pair of khaki chinos and a green striped polo that complemented his light eyes. For a second she was transported back to her freshman dance when her boarding school had invited students from the military academy. No one danced the first few songs until the popular cadet Howard Gilmore, who was known for dating local girls and getting into fights, came over and asked her to dance. She was the belle of the ball. At least now, in this dank conference room, Waverly was the envy of the others. The women in the front stared at her with their lips curled.
Heat from his closeness warmed her shoulder. Waverly blinked several times, feigning that she didn’t recognize him. “Hello?”
With a tight-lipped smile, Dominic nodded and took the empty seat beside her. “Funny.”
Continuing her charade, Waverly extended her hand. “Have we met? I’m Waverly Leverve. What brings you to this Christmas Advisory Council meeting?”
“Not funny, Waverly,” said Dominic. “I promised you I’d be here.”
“And you always keep your promises,” Waverly mocked. She tried to understand Dominic still had a business to run, but she swore every time he couldn’t make an appearance with her, Anson came through, and spending time with the mayor was not something Waverly looked forward to.
“Damn straight,” Dominic huffed with a wink. “What’d I miss?”
“Nothing,” said Waverly. “I just got here myself.”
“What? Mr. Mayor didn’t accompany you?” Dominic leaned forward and looked around her at the empty seat. “Where is he hiding?”
Waverly elbowed Dominic in the ribs. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t the only one to notice. “Don’t be mad at Anson for showing me around. It’s not like you’ve been knocking on my door.”
“You wouldn’t know.” Dominic chuckled. “You’ve been away from your apartment.”
There was some truth to his words, but Waverly refused to cave so quickly. She gave Dominic a once-over, staring him up and down. “Stalker.”
“It’s only stalking if the other person doesn’t know you’re after them.”
At a loss for words at his irrational logic, Waverly smiled. “Okay, whatever. How have you been?”
“I am better now.”
“Busy at the shop?”
The corners of his lips turned down as he thought about his answer. Dominic nodded and rubbed the edges of his goatee. “Busy, but busy is good. I’ve got a Ford Model K in the shop right now.”
“Ah,” Waverly said with a nod. “Mr. Myers found you.”
“Well, look who is getting to know the townspeople,” Dominic said.
“Mr. Myers is a friendly old man,” Waverly informed him. “The ladies at the Southwood Elderly Care Community Center are crazy for him. You should see the way they gather at the window when he pulls up in his fancy car.”
Dominic nodded. “I imagine it must be like how I’ve been this week, waiting for you to stop by.”
“Anyway.” Waverly cleared her throat. What would people think if she just showed up at the garage? She didn’t even own a car. People might believe as Miss Crowne’s Garage she had work, but Waverly did not want anyone to guess the need she felt to see him. The pageant came first and alone time with Dominic threatened her goals. Given the fever pitch nature of her dreams over the last few nights, maybe it was best Dominic didn’t accompany her to events.
“Stalker level?” Dominic asked.
As Waverly nodded, she caught a glimpse of the ladies in front staring at them. “Don’t look now bu
t you are gathering a following like Mr. Myers.”
Dominic followed Waverly’s gaze, then shrugged. “I’ll pass. I don’t deal well with drama, and they scream it. Besides, I only have eyes for you.”
Not sure what to make of him, Waverly pressed her lips together and looked away. She recognized the stares, the eye rolls and the sighs in her direction. The woman in leopard was not a fan of Waverly’s. Waverly never thought she’d be glad to see Anson stroll into the room. The mayor commanded the podium, but when he laid eyes on Waverly he smiled kindly. That expression left at the sight of Dominic. Anson pounded his gavel against the wood.
“All right, may I have everyone’s attention?” Anson’s voice boomed across the conference room. A silver microphone poked out of the top of the podium, but Anson didn’t need it. “With this being the first meeting to kick off the start of the Christmas Countdown, we have no old business to take care of.”
“Excuse me.”
Waverly, along with everyone else in the room, turned in their seats. Kenzie Swayne, Lexi’s pageant replacement as director, came forward from the back of the room. Anson grimaced and Waverly smirked. The five-foot-three-inch former cheerleader dominated the attention of the room.
“Kenzie,” Anson said, acknowledging her with a nod.
“Thanks for inviting me up here,” said Kenzie, grabbing the microphone.
“Well, I didn’t but...” Anson’s voice trailed off when he realized the mic was on. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
“As you all know, I am Southwood’s only historian and I wanted to make this committee aware that this year, Southwood will celebrate 150 years as an established city.”
The crowed oohed and aahed at Kenzie’s declaration. Kenzie nodded. “I know. Impressive, right? I wanted to put a bug in y’all’s ears about keeping our birthday in your minds for this year’s Christmas parade.”
A hundred fifty years was a long time, Waverly thought to herself. Each time she earned a new tiara, she was crowned by the two previous winners. At some pageants, she’d even had the first Miss Whatever crown her. Once she stood onstage with at least five generations of beauty queens and the titanic screen behind her flashed images of their gowns behind her. And that had been just fifty years; she wondered what a hundred more years of pageant queens would look like. It meant everything to be a part of history. She wanted to help build the confidence of younger generations.
A Tiara Under the Tree Page 6