She slipped on her favorite pair of black strappy sandals and her diamond drop necklace to complete the look. She stood back and glanced in the full-length mirror at the end of the hallway. Perfect. A quick touch-up of her makeup and a spritz of hairspray and she was ready.
She filled Charlie’s bowl with his favorite food and put it on the kitchen rug next to his water bowl. “Charlie,” she called, holding the back door open. “Time to eat.”
He ran inside and skidded to a stop at the sight of his full food bowl.
Suzanne chuckled and patted him on the head. She couldn’t imagine life without Charlie. She got him when she’d first moved into an apartment during her freshman year of college. That had been ten years ago. She often joked that Charlie was her longest-standing, most successful relationship. There’s a grain of truth to every joke.
At six o’clock on the dot, the doorbell rang. Bonus points for promptness. She waited a moment and strolled to the front door. The butterflies in her stomach surprised her. Meeting for barbecue had been one thing. But his coming to pick her up for dinner downtown and an event at the Orpheum seemed much more intimate. She slowly opened the door, uncertainty creeping over her. What was she doing?
Nick stood on the porch, in khakis, a blue button-down, and a blue-and-green striped tie. He clutched a bouquet of pink gerbera daisies in one hand and a giant dog bone in the other.
Suzanne couldn’t hide her smile. Even though he’d made it clear he was only in town for a short time, he’d brought his A game.
But that would mean she’d have to stay on guard against his charm and good looks. She hadn’t given anyone access to her heart in a very long time.
No way was she going to lose it to a world traveler like Nick Taggart.
No way.
***
Nick had worried that the flowers and dog bone were too much, but the broad smile on Suzanne’s face made his gesture well worth it. He returned her grin. “For you.”—he handed her the flowers—“I had a feeling generic roses wouldn’t do the trick.”
She laughed. “Roses are nice, but you guessed correctly.” She held up the bouquet. “These are much better.” She gestured at the bone in his hand. “And I guess that’s for Charlie?”
Nick nodded. “I figured I’d better try and get off on the right foot with him.”
Suzanne raised her eyebrows. “Sneaky, trying to get Charlie on your side. I guess you know if he doesn’t like you I’ll have to toss you out.”
Nick chuckled. “I figured. I was taking a gamble that old Charlie still likes bones.”
She clapped her hands. “Charlie,” she called loudly. “He’s a little hard of hearing,” she explained.
A Boxer mix trotted into the living room. At the sight of Nick he stopped and let out a low growl. He maneuvered his way in between Nick and Suzanne, clearly going into protective mode.
“Easy boy,” Nick said. He held out the bone toward Charlie. “You want this?”
Charlie glanced at Suzanne and then back to Nick. He slowly walked over and sat down in front of Nick.
“Here you go,” Nick said.
The dog took the bone from him and carried it over to a plaid dog bed in the corner.
“Success,” Nick said with a laugh. “The dog has given me clearance.”
Suzanne grabbed her purse from the coffee table. “Congratulations. Looks like Charlie gives his approval. So I guess we can go.”
Nick held the door open for her and they stepped outside into the August heat. Memphis might not be in the deep South, but the heat and humidity could rival just about anywhere. The August heat reminded Nick of two-a-day football practices and the way he and the guys used to run through the sprinklers on their way back to the locker room. He quickly pushed the memory away. He didn’t like to think about football anymore.
Suzanne locked the door and followed him to his grandmother’s car.
He opened the passenger door for her, and she climbed inside. He couldn’t help but notice her long, shapely legs. She’d mentioned the other night that she was a runner. It certainly paid off. He closed the door behind her. “You look beautiful, by the way,” he said once they were on the way.
She grinned at him. “Thank you. You look nice, too.”
“Would you believe that I didn’t have a tie to wear? Whenever I move, I donate most of my stuff to Goodwill. Makes moving easy, but it means I had to do a little shopping today.” He laughed as he turned the car north onto Mt. Moriah Road. “If I’m going to be here for a few weeks, maybe I’d better build up my wardrobe a little bit.”
She laughed. “Well I’m honored that you chose to shop for tonight. I know the crowd at the Orpheum will probably be pretty casual tonight considering most of them have been out at Graceland today, but it’s such a nice building I hated the thought of not dressing up.”
As a boy, Nick loved watching his parents get ready to go out to the Orpheum. They’d dress to the nines. In the winter, his mom would wear a fur wrap, and she let him run his fingers over it. He and Austin would sit on the stairs and watch them leave. Nick had thought his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world and had idolized his dad. Once just before the accident, Dad had been out of town on work and Mom had tickets to see Les Miserables. Nick had gone with her, and she’d had him put on a coat and tie. “The Orpheum is one of the grand theaters of the South. We should dress appropriately.” A week later, she was dead, and Nick had worn the same coat and tie to the funeral.
“You’re not going on 240?” Suzanne’s voice pulled him out of his memories.
He shook his head. “I thought we’d take Poplar all the way downtown and avoid the interstate. On the way over, I heard about a couple of wrecks on 240, and it sounds like traffic is pretty backed up.”
“Typical Friday afternoon in Memphis,” she said. “Poplar is fine. I go that way a lot when I have to go downtown. A lot of stop lights, but it’s better than sitting still on the interstate.”
Nick eased the car to a stop as they waited for the light to change. “I made dinner reservations.” He glanced at her. “I hope that’s okay.”
Suzanne’s eyes sparkled. “Reservations? You’re really trying to get bonus points tonight, aren’t you? On time, flowers, bone for Charlie, and now this?” She ticked them off on her hand.
“Is it working? Because I figure I need all the bonus points I can use.”
She giggled. “So far, so good. I haven’t bailed yet, have I?” She smiled. “Where did you make reservations?”
“The Majestic Grill.” He maneuvered into the far lane. Poplar was bumper to bumper. Must be a lot of people headed downtown tonight.
“That’s one of my very favorites. I go to shows at the Orpheum sometimes with two of my best friends, and we always try and eat there.”
“Whew.” He mocked wiping sweat from his brow. “Glad to know you approve of the choice. It came highly recommended by one of the nurses at the hospital.” He’d struck up a conversation with his grandmother’s nurse and asked her for suggestions of places he should eat while he was in town. He’d been careful not to mention that he was taking a date, otherwise his grandmother would’ve grilled him.
“How is she?” Suzanne asked quietly.
He shrugged. “Her blood pressure is high. They’re trying to get it down before they do the surgery. But I talked to the doctor this morning, and he expects her to come through just fine. She’s in good hands.” One thing he had to admit, Memphis had some of the best medical facilities in the country. He’d been impressed a couple of years ago when he’d read about one of the wealthiest men in the world choosing to have a life-saving transplant in Memphis. It was a testament to the city.
“That’s great. I’m sure everything will go fine. I’ll keep her in my prayers.”
He glanced over at her from the corner of his eye. “Thanks.” He’d traveled all over the world and had dated women from all walks of life. But none of them had been as beautiful or as desirable to him as
Suzanne was at this moment, offering prayers for his grandmother. “So tell me more about you. What’s a typical weekend like? I mean, when you’re not going to see fake Elvis’s perform.”
“What do you mean? That’s a weekly occurrence for me.” She chuckled. “Kidding. A typical weekend. . .” She trailed off for a long moment. “Well a lot of times on Friday night after work, I meet up with my friend Jade for dinner or a movie. Saturdays if I don’t have a work event, I take Charlie for a run and maybe do a little shopping. Sometimes I go out on Saturday night. And then Sunday is church and if I’m lucky, a nap.” She shrugged. “That’s pretty much it. Boring, right?”
“Sounds perfect,” Nick said with a grin. “But I want to know about that vague ‘sometimes I go out on Saturday night’ bit.” He glanced at her and enjoyed the pink blush that crept up her cheeks.
“What do you mean?” she asked innocently.
He laughed. “I guess I’m just surprised that a girl like you hasn’t already been snatched up. That’s all.”
“A girl like me? What exactly does that mean?” She furrowed her brow.
He pulled the car into the Peabody Place parking garage and rolled the window down to get a ticket from the automated dispenser. “Smart, pretty, and obviously of high moral character.” He pulled into an empty space and looked over at her. “Seems to me that your companionship is probably in high demand, that’s all.”
She met his gaze and held it for a long moment. “My life is exactly the way I want it. Uncomplicated. Most of the guys I date are from out of town. I’ve only been in a serious relationship one time and that was when I was in college. Since then, I choose not to. I’m telling you this because I sense that you’re the same way. Otherwise you’d have put down some roots by now.”
He nodded. “It’s surprising though. I thought all women were chomping at the bit to settle down once they reached a certain age.”
“What are you trying to say? That I’m old? And by the way, horses chomp at the bit, not women. I’m beginning to see why you’re single.”
“That came out all wrong.” Smooth, dude. Very smooth. “I just meant that I’ve never met a woman who wasn’t looking to settle down.”
“Well now you have.” She opened the car door. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
He got out of the car and shut the door. Suzanne stood at the back of the car with her arms crossed. He’d never met anyone like her. “I didn’t mean to offend you. Do you think I could get a do-over? And maybe you could forget that I accidentally compared women to horses?” He offered a tentative smile.
She laughed. “I’m not offended. You were just asking. And believe me, I know I’m not like most women my age. With each passing day I realize how much of a weirdo I am. I mean, my friends can’t wait to settle down and have families. And I can’t even think about buying a house without practically breaking out in hives.” She sighed. “It’s not that I never want to get married and have a family. It’s just that I second-guess myself a lot. It’s easier to stay away from decisions that have the ability to alter my life in a big way. I figure that at some point down the road, I’ll be over it.” She grinned. “But until then, it’s off the table.”
“Which is why most of the guys you date are from out of town, right? Because it’s hard to have serious expectations in a long-distance relationship.” He got it. It actually sounded a lot like something he would do. Something he had done.
“Exactly.” She widened her eyes.
“And then, let me guess? When they do start expecting things, that’s when you drop the ‘I’m not interested in a long-distance relationship’ bomb, right?”
She laughed. “It’s like you’re in my head. Yes, that’s pretty much how it goes down. In fact, I’d been dropping one such bomb when we met. That’s why I was passing through Atlanta.”
Nick shook his head. Was it possible he’d finally met his match? But knowing where she stood made it much easier to relax. He’d been hesitant coming into this night because he’d been a little too eager to see her again.
But Suzanne was clearly not looking for a real relationship either. So that meant he could just enjoy spending time with her.
No strings attached.
Chapter Eight
Once they’d placed their orders, Suzanne peered across the table at Nick. “So isn’t there anything you miss about Memphis? You act like it’s a real burden to be here.” She still hadn’t quite figured out why he seemed to have such a chip on his shoulder about the city.
“Sometimes I miss the familiar sights. The way the river rolls past Tom Lee Park. The Pyramid hovering over downtown. The line of people outside of Gus’s Chicken, just waiting for a table.” He grinned. “I always tell people that Memphis is really a small town masquerading as a metropolis. I miss the way I always used to run into people I knew, no matter where I went.”
She nodded. “True.”
The waitress carefully placed two glasses of tea and an order of spinach and artichoke dip in front of them. “Your food will be out soon,” she said. “Let me know if y’all need anything else.”
“Mind if I pray?”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to ask me that anymore. I’ll never mind. In fact, I’ll always be glad for you to pray.”
Nick smiled. “Good to know.” He quickly thanked God for the food and asked Him to be with them throughout the evening and the rest of their days. “So am I to assume that you’re a religious person?” he asked when the prayer was over.
Suzanne bobbed her head. “Yes. I guess I’m probably like a lot of people in that when I was younger I think I just followed along with my family and their beliefs. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed my own faith and my own beliefs. I’m blessed to have made some great friends at church who really strengthen and encourage me. How about you?”
He nodded. “Much the same. I was brought up attending church regularly and was active in the youth group and all that. But it wasn’t until I was out on my own that I really formed my own relationship with Jesus. And now that I travel all over the place, I feel like I’ve really learned more about what it means to worship. Sometimes I feel much closer to Him out in nature than I ever do sitting in a pew.” He shrugged. “I guess you never really stop growing spiritually. At least that seems to be the lesson I’ve learned over the past years.”
People didn’t surprise Suzanne very often, but Nick continued to do so. She remembered the snap judgment she’d made when she first saw him on the plane. She’d noticed the way he wore his baseball cap low over his eyes and jumped to the conclusion that he was a partying frat boy like so many of the guys she’d known in college. But that seemed to be miles away from the truth. “I agree.” She grinned. “You know, you’re pretty insightful.”
Nick twisted his mouth into a smile. “Do I detect some surprise there?”
She laughed. “Maybe a little. I’m guilty of expecting the worst from people.” She’d been disappointed so many times, she found it easier to automatically expect the worst-case scenario.
The waitress placed two heaping plates in front of them.
“Looks delicious,” Nick said, cutting into his steak.
Suzanne leaned over her pasta dish, basking in the scent. “Smells good, too.” She savored a bite. “So tell me this, Mr. World Traveler. Do you not get lonely traipsing all over the place? Surely you at least have a dog or something to keep you company.”
Nick shook his head. “Are you kidding? I don’t even have a fish. I’m not around enough to take care of a pet. They’re just too much responsibility.” He spooned some sour cream onto his baked potato. “But I love dogs though. I had one when I was a kid and loved him. Maybe someday I’ll be in a position to have another pet. In the meantime, I can always volunteer at an animal shelter whenever I need my dog fix.” He grinned.
She didn’t want to point out how sad and lonely that life sounded. Even though she’d always said she liked the idea of being able to put her
things in storage and bum around Europe, it seemed like it would be a lonely existence. “I guess. I can’t imagine life without Charlie though.” She shook her head. “Sunday night when I got home from Atlanta, it was too late to pick him up from the boarder. My house felt totally empty.”
Nick shrugged. “Guess if I was used to coming home to a pet every night I’d feel that way. But I’m not, so my empty place just seems very peaceful to me.” He gave a little smile. “Besides, I don’t stay home much anyway.”
She identified with him to a point. But she couldn’t help but wonder what made him so scared of letting people into his life. She might not be ready to settle down, but she had close relationships. From what she could tell of Nick, he kept everyone at an arm’s length. “We should probably get going soon.” She smiled. “I know you’d hate to miss the opening.”
He chuckled. “You’re right about that.” He flagged down the waitress and pulled out his wallet.
Suzanne reached for her purse. She might’ve let him pay for the barbecue the other night, but dinner at the Majestic Grille was in a different league.
“Put your purse away. This is my treat.” He winked. “And I won’t even try and put the moves on you at the end of the night; I promise.”
She laughed. “Thanks.”
He placed some cash on the table and guided her out of the restaurant.
The feel of his hand on the small of her back sent delicious shivers up her spine. There was just something about him…. She would have to be very careful not to fall under his spell. She’d had her heart broken once a long time ago.
And it was not an experience she intended to repeat.
***
Nick resisted the urge to take her hand as they walked the short distance to the Orpheum. He hadn’t been this attracted to a woman in he didn’t know how long. Maybe ever. And it was more than just her looks. She put him at ease. Just now, over dinner, he’d had the feeling that they’d known each other forever. “So what exactly happens tonight?” He shoved his hands in his pocket to keep from reaching for her. “I have to admit, growing up here I just assumed everything going on that had to do with Elvis was geared toward tourists. So I’m not even sure what goes on during Elvis Week.”
All Shook Up Page 5