“Really?”
“You may have noticed, but he kind of likes you. How do you feel about him?”
I sat up and cleared my throat. “That’s a complicated answer.”
Dalton rubbed his chin. “Can I tell you a story?”
“Sure.”
He leaned in with a gleam in his brown eyes. “Over twenty years ago, some skinny kid straight off the bus walked in here saying he was the best cook around and needed a job because he had come to Nashville to be a star. Seemed like every week I had a new one come in saying the same thing. But there was something about this kid, so I sent him to the kitchen and told him if I liked the lunch he prepared, I’d give him a job. That kid came back out with the best pastrami melt sandwich this side of the Mississippi. Hired him on the spot. Told him if his singing was half as good, he may have a shot at the big time. The kid took that as a challenge and headed over to the piano.” Dalton pointed to the instrument behind us. He shook his head, as if still amazed. “Never heard nothing like it before,” he waved his hand around directing my eyes to look at the several signed pictures of Nashville’s finest talents he had hanging on the walls, “and that’s saying something. I almost cried.”
“Did you really?”
“Swear on my momma’s bible.”
“How long did he work for you?”
“On and off for a few years. His first record deal went south. Then he went off and got hitched and had a baby. Brooks practically lived here his first year of life. My second Missus helped watch him.”
“Would it be bad if I asked about his first wife, Melissa?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t, darlin’.”
I liked this rough-around-the-edges cowboy.
“She was a fiery thing. Told him it wasn’t going to last with that one. She was the kind of girl that needed attention twenty-four seven and when his music career took off, she couldn’t handle it. Cheated on him a fair amount of times.”
I cringed before taking another sip of my drink.
“Yeah, it was unfortunate, but he stayed because of Brooks until she finally left him. She’s settled down and they get along okay.”
“And wife number two?”
He pointed over to a picture across the room I could barely make out. “Cassie Giles, sings like an angel, but is anything but. She had us all fooled up front. He met her on one of his tours. His label added her as one of the opening acts. The chemistry they had on stage spilled over into their personal lives. At first we all thought it was a match made in heaven, but she used him for everything she could, and once her own career took off, she left him. That’s about the time he started drinking heavily. Got him in a world of trouble there for a while.”
The muscles in my body tensed. I didn’t want to think about that part of his past.
Dalton continued. “His Daddy and I finally got his butt hauled off to rehab. Had one of those intervention things.”
Yeah, I was familiar with them.
“Is this worrying you, darlin’?”
“More than you know.”
He reached out with his age spotted hand and rested it on mine. “You’re a smart woman then. But I’ll tell you here and now, I’ve never met a better man than Cole. He may have let life overwhelm him for a bit, and he took a few bad turns, but you’ll never meet a gentler soul or a better friend.”
“So, you like him?”
He laughed and squeezed my hand. “I like you, too.”
Chapter Nine
Dalton had given me some serious food for thought. And Cole finally joined us with some seriously good food.
He came back, proudly carrying two large plates filled with the most incredible hamburgers and fries I had ever tasted. I had no idea the American staple could taste so amazing.
I slid over and Cole slid in nice and close to me once he set down our plates.
“Where’s mine?” Dalton teased.
“I figured if I didn’t bring you anything, you might give me some time alone with this lovely lady.”
He swiped a hand-cut fry from Cole’s plate. “Well, you thought wrong. I’m thinking about giving you a run for your money with this one.” He winked at me.
Cole moved a little closer.
I admit I adored the attention.
“Mmm, mmm,” Dalton exclaimed. “What seasoning did you use on these?”
“I’m keeping it a secret until you skedaddle.”
Dalton threw his hands up. “All right. I’ll take the hint. But darlin’,” he looked my way, “save me a dance for later.”
“Okay?” I looked around, but didn’t see anyone dancing. I waited until Dalton left to ask Cole about the request. “Dancing?”
“There’s an old jukebox in the back he likes to play from time to time.”
“This looks terrific, by the way. And the strawberry lemonade was perfect. Thank you for remembering.”
He faced me and in his eyes I saw such tenderness. It made me want to know more of his journey, the good and the bad, why he was who he was. That’s why I turned away.
He didn’t make mention of it. “Get ready for a flavor explosion. I recommend napkins, lots of them. And you may want to lean over the plate when you bite into that burger.”
I hadn’t smiled so much in a long time. I tucked a napkin into my shirt before I dug in. I barely fit a bite into my mouth, but wow, just wow. Flavorful juice oozed down my chin. I quickly wiped it away. Cole watched as I slowly chewed, savoring the melding flavors of the beef and what tasted like herbed butter married with other spices. I swallowed, anxious for another bite. “Who taught you how to cook? This is fantastic.”
“My momma, of course.”
“She deserves a medal and a blue ribbon.”
“I’ll let her know.” He turned to his own meal.
I took another bite of the sin-filled burger. Then I tried the baked fries with this unreal spicy sauce he made to go with them. “I think you missed your calling in life.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“This goes way beyond like.”
He smiled my way. “I can tell.” He reached up and wiped a smudge off the corner of my mouth.
I normally would have been embarrassed, but there was no judgment in his eyes, only admiration. Our faces were so close, I wanted to lean in and kiss him. Instead, I whispered, “Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
“Dalton said you used to work here.”
“Yes, ma’am. One of the best times of my life.”
“Really, superstar?”
“I’m just me.”
“Did you ever think you would make it this big?”
He shook his head. “Never.”
“But you love it?”
He gazed into my eyes and thought for a moment. Hesitation was written out on his pressed lips. “I do.”
“You’re lucky. Not a lot of people can say they love their jobs.” I turned back to my food.
He reached under the table and took my hand. “Jillian, there’s more to me than my job.”
I stared down at my plate. “I know that, but your job is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle.”
“One you’re not interested in.”
“One I tried and almost lost everything because of it.”
He squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.”
“Well, this is some nondate. How about we change the subject. What do you want for dessert? They were fresh out of rainbow chip frosting back there.”
I would fall hard for this man if I wasn’t careful. “I don’t think after this meal there will be room for dessert.”
“Next time then.”
“Next time?”
“You heard me right. I’m keeping my promise to you. We’re barely scratching the surface tonight of getting to know each other.”
I didn’t argue with him, because I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more than get to know him better. If only I could figure out a
way to do that without losing my heart to him.
We finished our meal and let it settle for a minute before he took me by the hand to the old upright piano in the back.
“I want to show you something.”
A few people looked our way as we made our way back, but they all adhered to the sign and let us be.
He pulled out the piano bench. I sat first and he followed. He took his baseball cap off and placed it on top of the piano. I had to stop myself from reaching up and running my fingers through his matted down hair.
The piano looked like it had seen better days, with nicks in the ebony wood, but it sounded great, at least I thought so. I didn’t have a great ear for music. I didn’t hear the subtleties that people like Cole did.
Cole started right in on an unfamiliar tune. I listened intently trying to place the beautiful melody that gave me the chills. “I’ve never heard this before.”
“That’s because you’re the first person I’ve ever played it for.” His eyes stayed focused on the keys.
“It’s enchanting. What’s it called?”
“It’s a secret.”
“It’s a beautiful secret.”
“Yes, it is. I hope to add it to my new album.”
“You’re not sure about it?”
“I think it’s perfect, but timing may be an issue.”
“Why? Are the lyrics not coming together?”
“No. I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever written.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
He stopped playing and faced me. He tilted his head from one side to the other, as if he was debating what he should say. He reached up and ran a finger down my cheek. “Just timing, darlin’, just timing.”
His touch felt much deeper than my skin.
And as if on cue, the jukebox began to play Merle Haggard’s “That’s the Way Love Goes.”
Cole stood up and held his hand out to me. “Dance with me, doc.”
“I don’t know how to dance.”
He extended his hand farther. “That’s okay. I’ll hold you close, so you’ll hardly know we’re moving.”
“Cole . . .”
“Please, Jillian?”
Every time he said my name, it got to me. My hand was in his before I had a chance to think about it. He helped me up and, like he promised, drew me close right there by the piano. Our clasped hands were tight between us. His other hand fell to the small of my back. I rested my head on his chest and we barely swayed. I’m sure there were other people around, but for those few minutes I felt like we were the only people that existed. If there was such a thing as a perfect moment, I think this was a good candidate.
He leaned down and whispered. “Do you like dogs or cats better?”
“Why?”
“I want to know everything about you.”
I closed my eyes and thought about how dangerous that was. “Cats. They’re more self-sufficient.”
“Favorite sport?”
“Football.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Your girl?”
“I meant my physical therapist.”
I laughed into him.
“Favorite flower, season, time of day, movie …”
“Slow down there. Answer a question for me.”
“Anything.”
“Why me?”
He pulled me closer, if that was possible. His hand glided up my back and then down again. “When I woke up on that plane and saw you, I was afraid I had been drinking again and was seeing things. But then I realized you were real. I had never seen anything more beautiful in my life. When I took your hand, I felt like they belonged together, instead of two I saw a union. And even though your kiss set me on fire, I knew I would do anything not to burn you. The fact I could walk away from you in that moment said something to me. You’re the kind of woman that inspires a man to be his best self.”
“You hardly know me.”
“You keep saying that, and maybe it’s true, but those few hours I spent with you felt like a lifetime of happy memories. I can’t forget about that. I don’t want to.”
“Cole our lives, your life . . . I can’t . . .”
“Doc, you can’t possibly know what our lives would be like together if you never give us a chance. Your ex-husband and I share some similarities, but I’m not him. I’m not even who I used to be.”
I trembled in his arms. He had me confused. He wasn’t supposed to be so persuasive.
He stroked my hair. “I know you’re scared. I am, too, but at least think about it.”
Little did he know, it was all I’d thought about for months.
Chapter Ten
I didn’t even bother going to bed. I knew it would have been a pointless exercise. Instead, I curled up on my couch with the quilt my mom had made me when I graduated with my DPT degree. That’s how we marked big occasions in our family. I wondered what kind of quilt my mom would make for this situation. Maybe they had a crazy knot pattern she could use. She could make it in bright flashy colors because dating Cole would mean a whole lot of neon lights. Neon and bright lights did not suit me.
I rubbed my face and hemmed and hawed for what felt like hours mulling over my life choices, like kissing a stranger on a plane. Then, at one in the morning, the text tone rang on my phone. I thought for sure it was Call, though she rarely texted this late anymore since quitting her bartending job. Maybe Beck popped the question without the ring. I was supposed to meet him at the jewelry store on Friday during my lunch hour, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he couldn’t wait until they flew to London.
To my astonishment, it wasn’t Call announcing her engagement. It was a charming cowboy who had sweet talked me into giving him my number.
Are you awake?
Should I reply? I could pretend I was sleeping. He would never know. But sleep was nowhere close to happening and I was curious as to why he would text so late, or early, depending on how you looked at it. But if I texted him back, I felt like I was leading him on. He knew how conflicted I was. And it’s not like I didn’t like him. I did, but he came with some pretty hefty baggage. I knew I had my own. The problem was my baggage came from his kind of life. I had done my best this past year to leave it all behind. I couldn’t afford to go back, or add extra weight.
He was right, it wasn’t fair to judge him based on my ex-husband, but I would be a fool not to proceed with caution. Can people change? Yes. I believed that with all my heart, but I wasn’t sure my heart could take the kind of abuse Danny had inflicted upon it. I couldn’t bear to watch another person I cared about be destroyed by alcohol or drugs. Why couldn’t Cole just come perfect to me? I realized the ridiculousness of that question, but in all fairness, my marriage to Danny opened my eyes to the ugliness that exists in the business and that people don’t always change for the better.
All that aside, Cole seemed like a genuinely good person. If I didn’t know about his past or his profession, I would be up planning my near future with him instead of staring at my phone debating on whether I should text him back or not.
Call me crazy. I am.
I’m still getting used to not being on the road. My sleep patterns are off.
I wasn’t surprised. I knew a lot of artists who would play a show and then stay up for several more hours writing songs or working on the business side of things. They wouldn’t go to sleep until late morning.
You could try lavender oil or meditation.
Is that your professional recommendation, doc?
Sure.
Why are you up?
Why did he have to ask that? I’ve been thinking. That was true.
I’ve been doing that a lot lately, mostly about you.
Have you come to any conclusions?
Yep.
Care to share?
Not yet.
When?
When you’re ready.
Ready for what?
How can I tell you if you’re not ready?
> It’s too late for this kind of conversation. I rested my head on a throw pillow and waited for his response.
Jillian?
I’m here.
I like you.
I like you, too.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
Make sure to wear comfortable clothing to your appointment.
I don’t mind unbuttoning my shirt for you.
This cowboy. Goodnight.
Sweet dreams, darlin’.
If I could actually sleep, I might have some . . . about him.
Why do long nights make for quick mornings? The sun came up well before I was ready for it. I was going to start needing physical therapy for myself if this kept up. I got up off the couch and stretched. I felt excitement coursing through me. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t deny that I looked forward to seeing Cole. I made sure to take extra time getting ready. I braided the sides of my hair and pinned it to the side in a bun instead of my regular ponytail. I traded in athletic pants for a cute pair of jeans that fit me just right. I still had to wear the t-shirt, but I chose the more form-fitting style for the day.
I counted down the hours at work until I would see him. He was my last appointment for the day. I was doing my best to stick with my plan of action. We would exclusively be in the gym for his appointment. I wanted nothing more than to see him with his shirt off and to feel his warm skin, but his “problem” didn’t really require treatment and I needed to not have more reasons to fall for him, or at least not fall at an alarming rate.
The only issue with the gym was there would be other patients. This was Nashville, so it wasn’t unusual and no one would know we liked each other. They would just think he was there for treatment.
Nervous energy consumed me as I waited for him to arrive. He arrived early and Max brought him back to the gym. I was still working with Nadia on the treadmill. She was a volleyball player for one of the nearby high schools and she was recovering from a knee injury. She was trying to get it back in shape for summer training. It probably looked odd, but she was basically crawling on her hands and knees on the slow moving treadmill.
“How’s that feeling? Any pain or stiffness in your knee?”
She looked up at me, but no words came out. Her eyes widened and I saw what looked like fear in them. Alarmed, I turned around to find Cole standing there looking as fine as ever, wearing a smile that seemed to be permanently in place.
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