All Shook Up

by Annalisa Daughety

  Sure you will. She waved and started off toward a row of cars, hoping she looked like she knew where she was going.

  ***

  Nick watched her walk away. How lame was he? He was the last person in the world who needed a wedding planner. Especially one who specialized in the ultimate Memphis wedding. He trotted back to where he’d left his suitcase, thankful it was still there.

  He rolled his suitcase toward the long row of waiting taxicabs. Even though his grandmother had tried to arrange for someone pick him up, he’d insisted on taking a cab. Returning to Memphis after ten years was awkward enough without having to make nice with some distant cousin or a well-meaning family friend. He shoved his bag into the first cab he came to and climbed inside. “I’m headed to Germantown,” he said. He gave the driver the address and the older man raised an eyebrow.

  “Nice neighborhood,” the man observed as he pulled the car away from the airport and merged onto 240.

  Nick shrugged. “I haven’t been back in years.” The upscale area of town where his grandmother lived had always been and would always be desirable. Some things never changed, no matter how much time passed. He leaned back and watched familiar sights pass by. The driver exited onto Poplar Avenue and Nick couldn’t help but grin. He wasn’t far from where he’d attended high school. The elite boys’ prep school had been the same one his dad had attended. Those had been some happy days, right up until his junior year when his whole world fell apart.

  A few things were different—maybe a couple more Starbucks—but for the most part the city looked like it had when he left. And as much as he tried, there were some things he just couldn’t forget.

  Even after ten years, Nick still had nightmares about Memphis. It didn’t matter if he was on the other side of the world, he couldn’t get away from this town. The past filled his dreams: The people he’d left behind—and those who’d left him—the smell of barbecue during the annual barbecue festival, the sound of the blues that drifted out of any number of places along Beale Street, and the way his mother laughed with him when she’d tuck him in at night.

  Some might say those memories were the stuff sweet dreams were made of, but they held Nick hostage. And now that he was back—back in this city that had never loosened her hold on him no matter how many miles he put in between—he wasn’t sure how he would deal with the days to come.

  “Here we are, sir.” The cab driver pulled into the driveway of Grandmother’s expansive two-story home. Nick handed him some bills. “Keep the change.” He hoisted his suitcase from the car and shuffled to the door. He pulled his key ring out of his pocket and stuck a key in the lock. Ten years and it still fit. Glad something still fits in here, because I sure don’t.

  The alarm beeped as he entered the dark room, and he quickly punched in the code. His birthday. It had been the alarm code for as long as there’d been an alarm. He closed the door and flipped on the light. The house felt empty without his grandmother, despite the welcoming decor.

  The cushy couch beckoned him, and Nick didn’t even bother trekking upstairs to the room that had once been his. He’d camp out here. Besides, it was almost midnight and tomorrow would be a long day full of hospital waiting rooms and unfamiliar medical terms. He sure didn’t want to suffer the inevitable sleepless night that sleeping in his old room, surrounded by tangible memories of the past, would bring. The couch it is.

  He sat on the couch and emptied the contents of his pockets onto the coffee table. Along with the usual change and lint was Suzanne Simpson’s business card. Nick picked it up and stared at it for a long moment. He wasn’t planning to be in town for long, which would keep things from going too far or getting too complicated. He certainly didn’t want any strings to tie him down. But Suzanne, with her quick wit and easy smile, could be a welcome distraction from the ghosts sure to be haunting every corner in the city. And then in a few weeks, he’d be on to his next destination. Perfect. He tapped his finger against the card.

  Perhaps he’d call her for a wedding consultation. Just for fun.

  And maybe he’d even find his next story waiting at the gates of Graceland.

  Chapter Three

  Suzanne clipped the leash on Charlie and helped him out of her white Pathfinder. “You ready for a walk?” she cooed. She glanced around the parking lot at Sea Isle Park. There were a lot of cars, but she didn’t spot the one she was looking for. Screams from a soccer game reached her ears. The park was one of her favorite things about her neighborhood in East Memphis. Situated next to an elementary school, it offered a walking track, baseball field, playground equipment, and plenty of green space. Truly something for everyone.

  Charlie pulled against his leash, ready to go. Suzanne had rescued him from the pound when he was a tiny puppy. That had been more than ten years ago, and the boxer mix was still going strong. He had a little bit of gray in his reddish-brown hair, but he could still run as fast as a puppy. At least for one lap. “Hang on a minute, boy.” She reached down and scratched behind his ears.

  A black BMW screeched into the parking lot and jerked to a stop. “Sorry I’m late,” Emily Madden said, climbing out of the vehicle. “Hope you weren’t waiting long.” Even wearing exercise clothes, no makeup, and her long, red hair in a ponytail, Emily still managed to look like a supermodel.

  Suzanne grinned. “Not a problem. Work was crazy today, and I just pulled into the parking lot a couple of minutes before you.”

  They headed toward the walking track.

  “Want to walk one lap before we jog?” Suzanne asked.

  Emily nodded. “Works for me. I haven’t been to the gym at all lately, so let’s just say I’m behind on my training.” They’d signed up to run in the St. Jude half-marathon that took place each December in downtown Memphis but were having trouble fitting in training time.

  “Me, too. I’m kind of thinking maybe we should do the 5K that day instead of the half.” Suzanne grinned. “We’ll still be doing something for a good cause, but maybe we won’t faint in the middle of Beale Street.”

  Emily laughed. “Yeah, that wouldn’t look very good for me. I should probably keep my fainting to a minimum considering so many of my colleagues will be there.” Emily worked as a physician at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where she treated children from all over the country who had cancer. The hospital never turned away families because of their inability to pay. The race each year was one of many fundraisers across the country that benefited the hospital.

  “I guess not.” Suzanne kept a tight grip on Charlie’s leash as they neared a series of newly planted trees. As he got older, he wanted to do more sniffing and less walking and had a bad habit of winding himself around trees if Suzanne wasn’t paying close attention.

  “So. . .tell me how it went this weekend. Was Jeremy-the-Accountant totally heartbroken?” Emily chuckled. Suzanne always labeled her suitors by their jobs, much to the amusement of her friends.

  Suzanne rolled her eyes. “Not really. I gave him my usual speech about how I didn’t see whatever was between us being a long-term thing.” She shrugged. “You know the drill.”

  Emily shook her head. “You never cease to amaze me. I mean, aren’t you afraid that someday you’re going to throw away a perfectly good guy? What if you’ve already missed out on Mr. Right because you didn’t want to get tied down?”

  Suzanne would readily admit that she was a commitment-phobe. She never stuck with anything—or anyone—very long. The thought of being locked into something for the long haul made her queasy. It was probably part of the reason why she’d never bought a home of her own. She’d moved in and out of more rental houses than she could even count, always searching for something nicer and for a better price. Yes, she was certainly not one to settle down. “I’m not afraid of missing Mr. Right because honestly, I don’t think he exists.”

  ***

  Nick stood outside his grandmother’s hospital room clutching a bouquet of flowers he’d gotten at the gift shop. He took
a deep breath and rapped on the door.

  “Come in,” Grandmother called. She still sounded the same.

  Nick pasted a smile on his face and stepped inside. “Hey there, beautiful,” he said.

  She chuckled. “Those lines might work on the younger ladies, but I’ve been around the block long enough to know better. Don’t think you can sweet-talk me and give me flowers to make up for your long absence.” She waved him over.

  He set the flowers on the table and walked over to her bed. She looked just like she had when he was growing up. Maybe a few more wrinkles, but her blue eyes shone as bright as ever. She wasn’t letting a stay in the hospital keep her from having her lipstick on and her hair fixed. Grandmother had always been a bit of a Southern belle.

  “Well don’t just stand there looking at me, come here and hug my neck.”

  Nick grinned and embraced her frail frame. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m ready to go home.”

  He chuckled. “You haven’t even had your surgery yet.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I know. That’s the point.” She sighed. “I’m not especially looking forward to being opened up on an operating table. After all, the only time I’ve ever even been in the hospital was when I delivered your father.” She smiled. “I never expected to be nearly eighty and have to go in for heart surgery.”

  Nick reached out and took her hand. “Congestive heart failure is nothing to mess around with. If the doctor thinks bypass surgery will help you, then I’m glad you’re doing it.”

  Grandmother shook her head. “There are a lot of things that can go wrong, Nicholas. In a patient my age, especially.” She patted the bed. “Sit down.”

  Nick carefully sat down next to her. “It will go fine. Everything will be fine.” It had to. She was all he had left.

  “I haven’t seen you in four years, not since I flew up to Boston to visit. Where are you living now? The last time we talked you were thinking about moving. Again.”

  He hung his head. This woman had done so much for him. And he hadn’t seen or talked to her in so long. They e-mailed, but less and less frequently it seemed. Maybe it was time to get his grandmother on Facebook so they could keep up with each other better. Or maybe he should be the grandson he knew he should be and pick up the phone more often. “I’m sort of between places right now. I’m not sure where I want to go next.”

  She clucked her tongue. “New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles. . .” She ticked his former cities off on her hand. “And I know there are more that I’m leaving out.” She frowned at him and the wrinkles next to her mouth grew more pronounced. “You can’t run forever, you know.”

  “I’m not running. Just exploring.” Nick didn’t stay in one place long enough to form many attachments. Not to the people or to the place. He figured he got the best of what each city had to offer and then was off on another adventure.

  “You’re never going to be happy until you make a real home for yourself. Put down some roots.” She clasped his hand. “You might be surprised at how much you like that lifestyle.”

  He grinned. “I happen to like the lifestyle I have. Very much. Don’t worry about me.”

  Grandmother pursed her lips but didn’t chide him anymore. “I can’t help but worry some. That’s what grandmothers do.” Her lips turned upward into a smile. “It’s so good to see you. I hope you’ll stick around through the holidays. I know so many of your old friends would love to see you.”

  He grimaced. No way was he staying here for months. Weeks, tops. Just long enough to make sure Grandmother recovered and was back on her feet. It was the least he could do. Then he’d hop a plane out of here. Maybe he’d spend some time down on the coast of Mexico. Baja might be a nice place to spend the holidays. “We’ll see.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Now get some rest.”

  Chapter Four

  Suzanne couldn’t believe it was already Elvis Week. This was the third year she’d worked at Graceland, and the excitement of the crowds never ceased to amaze her. And neither did the August humidity. She stood in the middle of Graceland Plaza and looked around at the throngs of people. Grabbing a quick bite was out of the question today. There were three restaurants on site, but Suzanne didn’t even have to see them to know they overflowed with tourists.

  She sighed and sat down on a bench. She hadn’t quite recovered from being in Atlanta all weekend. She should’ve known better than to book the last flight out on Sunday night. But it had saved her a couple hundred dollars, and she needed to cut corners wherever she could. Yesterday had been a blur, trying to pull together last-minute details at work and then meeting Emily for a run. This was the first moment she’d stopped moving in what seemed like days.

  Suzanne watched the activity around her and enjoyed catching snippets of different languages as people strolled by. It made her feel like she was in Europe again, where multiple languages were common. She’d backpacked there during college and still considered it one of her fondest memories even though it had been more than eight years ago.

  Her buzzing cell phone ended her stroll down memory lane. “This is Suzanne, how can I help you?” Last year she’d started using the same cell phone for work and for personal use because she hated juggling two. But the downside was that she was always plugged in to work, even on breaks or after hours. Elvis Week was chock full of events, and everyone in her department was on high alert.

  “Suzanne as in Suzanne Simpson, nervous flyer?” a male voice said, chuckling.

  Nick. She hadn’t expected to hear from him. “Well, well. Nick Taggart. Is your business trip not shaping up to be the thrill you expected?” She laughed. “I figured by now you would’ve tossed my card in favor of someone new.” And someone younger and cuter.

  He cleared his throat. “I’m not actually in town on business.”

  “I just assumed. . .” She trailed off. After the way he’d reacted to the Elvis impersonators and the smell of Memphis barbecue that permeated the airport, he certainly hadn’t seemed like he was in town for fun. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

  “Actually I was hoping to stop by your office. I’m at Graceland.”

  She widened her eyes. “No way.” So maybe he’d been serious the other night about needing her services. “Where are you exactly?”

  “Just got parked. It’s a zoo out here.”

  She laughed. “Told you.” She glanced around. The crowd had thinned out some. “I’m on my lunch break right now. Take the walkway that leads to the ticket office. I’ll meet you right outside.” She rose from her seat and wove her way over to the building.

  Five minutes later, she spotted him on the covered walkway. Clad in a red polo shirt and khaki shorts, he looked ready for a day on the golf course. His hair was a little longer than she’d expected now that it wasn’t covered by a baseball hat. Not too long, but definitely on the shaggy side. It suited him though. He struck her as the kind of man who couldn’t be bothered to schedule a haircut.

  “Hi there,” he said with a grin. His brown eyes had flecks of gold in them that she hadn’t noticed the other night.

  “Welcome to Graceland.” She struck a spokesmodel pose. “These are the shops and restaurants. The mansion is across the street.”

  “Did you used to work as a tour guide?” he asked with a laugh.

  She shook her head. “Nope. But I find myself saying the same things over and over as I answer questions for people planning weddings and events here.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “So do you really need a wedding planner?”

  Nick shook his head. “Not at this moment in time, but I might someday.”

  Suzanne regarded him for a moment. She wondered if that meant he had a girlfriend somewhere who he considered a potential fiancée or if his “someday” had just been used generically. But she didn’t want to pry. It wasn’t any of her business.

  “Well then. . . Come sit down and let me fill you in on the specifics of a Graceland wedding.” She motioned toward th
e plaza.

  ***

  Nick had been impressed by her the other night on the plane. But today, she blew him away. Suzanne wore a simple, black sleeveless dress and black heels. Her red nail polish caught his eye immediately, followed by how long and trim her legs were. But he felt drawn to her for more than just her looks. Something about her personality captivated him.

  “Sorry to barge in on your workday like this.” He glanced around. “I’ve never actually been to Graceland, so I figured this was as good of a time as any to come.” The truth was that he hadn’t known what to do with himself. Grandmother’s surgery had been postponed, and he couldn’t just sit at the hospital all day. He’d driven around the city, but it had only left him sad and lonely. My life sounds like an Elvis song.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad to help you however I can.” She glanced at her watch. “Although I don’t have too much time. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes.”

  Nick grinned. “You know what? I have a great idea. How about we talk later? Say, over dinner?” He raised his eyebrows. “My treat.” Even to his own ears, his invitation sounded suspiciously like a date.

  A pink blush spread over Suzanne’s cheeks. “Dinner? Oh, I don’t know.”

  “Come on. I’ll meet you at your favorite barbecue place.”

  She chuckled. “Okay. Dinner tonight. But it will have to be kind of early. I have to be at the midnight breakfast that officially kicks off Elvis Week.” She grinned. “Unless you’d rather just come to that.”

  He grinned. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Early dinner is fine. Say six?”

  “Six o’clock. Central BBQ. Don’t be late.” She grinned. “And let’s go to the one on Central Avenue. It’s the original.”

  Nick had eaten there a lot when he was in high school. The restaurant had been new then. But from one of the articles he’d read in the hospital waiting room that morning, it had clearly become one of Memphis’s favorite spots. “I’ll meet you outside at six sharp.”