“Jill hates everyone. You can’t take that personal. Listen, I’m not trying to overstep but Savannah, you do seem pretty distracted. Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?”
The bell rang just as I opened my mouth and like floodgates opening, the halls were filled with pre-teens and teenagers. I shook my head giving him a weak smile. As I started for the ballet room, a quick look back toward Scott proved humorous as always. He was surrounded by teen girls, all chattering to him at once.
At least some things never change.
I wasn’t any less distracted than before lunch through my remaining four class periods. If I didn’t already have my lessons planned out so I could switch mindlessly to autopilot, the kids would have noticed for sure. I was teaching dance routine while trying to do math in my head, remember relatives I don’t have, and consider getting prescribed medication that I might be able to sell.
Going to see my brother wasn’t a lie. I would be going to see him, but I was going to the bank first. After my last class period ended, I changed from my dance uniform to nude high heels and my white dress with an asymmetric neckline, an open shoulder on one side, and a two-inch-wide strap on the other.
Running low on time I elected to leave my hair up in the tight ballerina bun I’d put it in for work. As I walked down the hallway carrying Bryan’s brown leather briefcase and saw my reflection in the windows by the lunch room, I changed my mind about the bun.
Most of the staff stayed out of the hallways because it was always such a stampede. I decided to quickly pull out the pins and band I’d used to put up my hair. Setting the briefcase between my feet, I quickly began to slide out the bobby pins. Of course, I had no pockets in the dress so I held them in my mouth as I collected them. Then as I pulled the band free, my hair fell down in waves of black silk around my shoulders reaching nearly halfway down my back.
The sight in the glass reflection surprised me a little. It’d been a long time since I wore my hair down, I was always so busy working or practicing that I always had my hair up unless I was washing it. When had it grown so long?
“Mrs. Jackson?” I looked to the right, following the sound of my name and found Howie Branton, a junior and one of my students.
I was finger combing my hair and still had my lips pressed tightly together holding the bobby pins, so I raised my eyebrows at him hoping it would encourage him to continue with his question. His mouth hung open for a full five seconds before he spoke again.
“Are you going out on a date?”
My answer was a look that I hope told him he really shouldn’t be asking me personal questions.
“Everybody is talking about how you’re not wearing your wedding rings anymore. Did you get a divorce?”
Clearly my “none of your business” facial cue needed work. I got the bobby pins from between my lips and opened the briefcase to slip them inside. I was just about to tell Howie what my expression apparently had not, when he asked me, “Why are you carrying around all that jewelry?”
What are you, a cop, kid?
“You have a lot of questions,” I said instead as I closed the briefcase. I was planning on pawning my jewelry after I visited with Dallas. “I’m not allowed to discuss my personal life with a student, Howie.”
“Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Holy shit. Do I have a sign on my forehead?
His brown eyes rounded at me like a pleading little puppy. It was a good thing I didn’t have kids because if they were gonna look at me like that I would have been raising some real brats. How anyone could say no to a kid with eyes like his is beyond me.
“No of course not.”
Scott was coming down the hallway walking fast with his crowd of girls trailing after him. I thought he’d pass right by us since he appeared to be in a hurry but when he saw me and did a double take he headed right toward us.
Aw hell, I’m never getting out of here.
“Do you need some money?” Howie asked me. “Just promise me you aren’t gonna quit this job and move away.”
“Don’t tempt me, Howie,” I said cutting him a look that should have put him in his place. Instead he smiled at me. “Let’s just keep the jewelry between us okay?” I asked quickly as Scott drew closer.
“Our secret?”
I’m gonna end up in prison for this conversation someday.
“Nope. Not a secret,” I said feeling the blush staining my face as Scott reached us. “Just let me have my privacy without spreading it around. Okay?”
“You got the goods on Mrs. Jackson?” Scott asked Howie playfully, but he was glared at by Howie in response. He turned to me then, looking me over again. “I’ve never seen you out of uniform or with your hair down.”
Howie groaned like Scott had just suggested I offer community service as extra credit. “She’s not even divorced yet.”
His statement had Scott blushing and that was my cue to get out of there. “I’ll let you two chat. I really have to get going.” Giving the hallway a quick scan for other teachers or any of the deans, I jogged down the hallway and out the door in my heels.
Driving to the bank, I put on red lipstick at the stop light and once I parked, I freshened up my mascara. I really shouldn’t have bothered because no amount of gussying up or flirting was going to make my credit score look any better. They told me no on the loan. Actually, it was more like hell no.
“I’m not authorized to give you a loan for a thousand dollars, much less fifty thousand dollars,” the banker had said lowering his voice.
I could have cried, in fact, it was all I wanted to do, but I couldn’t. Dallas would know if I’d been crying, and tears weren’t going to help me.
Too scared to feel defeated, I continued to brainstorm as I drove to the assisted living facility where Dallas was staying. I could see him standing inside the secured glass double doors waiting for me.
That’s not a good sign.
I snatched up the briefcase, locked my car, and hurried inside. After checking in and showing identification to the new security staff I already had a pretty good idea why Dallas was waiting for me.
He looked like he’d lost at least ten pounds since the last time I’d seen him, which was only a week before. I hated it that he had to live in an assisted living facility, even one as nice as the one he was in. When he was only sixteen years old and he obtained his associate’s degree. Knowing he was only twenty years old and was currently working on his third bachelor’s degree used to give me hope that things might change for him one day. Only, being smart was never his problem.
“You’re late.” Dallas’s nostrils flared as his ice blue eyes ran over me. His jaw was tight, and his hands were in fists at his sides. “You’re not wearing normal clothes, your hair is down, and you don’t have on your wedding rings.”
“That’s all true.” I nodded. “Can I have a hug?” I held out my arms knowing I couldn’t force myself on him. Physical touch was hard for him, especially when he hadn’t slept. Based on the dark circles under his eyes, I was willing to bet he hadn’t slept in a while.
To my surprise and delight, Dallas took two steps toward me and leaned in, allowing me to wrap my arms around him. He was already taller than me but only by a few inches. “What’s wrong?” I asked him knowing he’d have plenty to tell me.
Dallas dipped his head as he turned away and started walking. I followed him to his apartment, where he locked the door. For his own safety, there were cameras and two-way speakers throughout his apartment that were being surveyed.
“They moved my toothbrush and my pillow while I was in therapy on Tuesday.” He began. “The new security crew said that I can only go in the courtyard after lunch, not before lunch. I can’t wait that long for fresh air. My internet connection still isn’t fast enough. Dad called and said he was coming to see me––”
He took a sponge from the sink and started scrubbing the door where I’d touched it, then the door handle.
Nope, he definitely ha
sn’t been sleeping.
“I waited all day yesterday but he didn’t come to see me.”
“Dallas,” I said reaching out to put my hand on his shoulder but I stopped when he flinched away before I even touched him. “You remember what I told you, don’t you? Mom and Dad died two years ago. Dad didn’t call you.”
Dallas rubbed his blue eyes with the back of his hands. “I know his voice. It was him.”
“Dad wouldn’t make you wait all day,” I said trying another way to reach him. “You haven’t been sleeping. Did you stop taking your medication?”
“No.” He was lying.
I set my briefcase down but when Dallas wouldn’t stop looking at it I picked it back up. “Where should I put this?”
“It’s not your purse.”
“It’s my briefcase. Where should I put it? Why are you lying to me? Why aren’t you sleeping?”
Dallas took the briefcase from me, careful not to touch my hand and carried it to the coat closet. “I woke up in the courtyard on Saturday.”
“You were sleepwalking?”
“It was three in the morning. I set off the alarms.”
That would be a terrifying way to wake up. No wonder he’s not sleeping.
“I’m sorry, Dallas. I’ll find out how you were able to get out of the building and into the courtyard, all right? Why didn’t you call me and tell me about this sooner?”
He opened and closed the closet door three times. “I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Why not? I’m your sister. If I’m not going to be bothered to help the only family I have left, what am I going to bother to do?”
“Are you finished with Bryan?”
I nodded.
“Good.” He let out a long breath. “We talked too much. Now we don’t have time to play cards.”
“That’s okay. What’s next on your agenda today?” I asked wanting to brush aside his black bangs that were overgrown but restrained myself.
Dallas frowned at me. “Dr. Green said since I haven’t been eating enough I have to eat dinner at four and have a second dinner at six.”
“He’s right. You’re looking far too thin.”
“Four o’clock is in three minutes.” He opened and closed the closet door several times before he handed my briefcase to me. When I went to take it out of his hand, he held on to the handle, not letting go. I stopped and looked up at him.
Dallas wouldn’t look at me but I could see that he was afraid. His hair was wet with sweat. “Are you going to stop coming to see me like Mom and Dad?”
“Mom and Dad died.”
His blue eyes met mine. “Please don’t forget about me.”
I blinked rapidly to keep the moisture in my eyes from spilling over. “Dally, of course not.” He let go of my briefcase and opened the door to his apartment. Once I stepped out into the hallway I said, “I will never forget about you, Dallas Jackson. Not ever.”
Dallas swallowed, the bump at the front of his neck bobbing as he did. “Okay. Goodbye. I love you,” he said and walked down the hallway toward the cafeteria.
Goodbye, Dally.
I went and spoke with security and they showed me the surveillance cameras and how my brother had picked locks and entered codes he shouldn’t have known when he exited in his sleep.
“All new codes have been put in place and we installed a set of alarms to go off if he opens his door or any of his windows. It won’t happen again.”
The guy was a new security team member, so I figured he was probably moved in because of the breach. “Thank you. Do you have my phone number if there’s a problem?”
“Yes. Dr. Green is having dinner with your brother at the moment, but I can page him if you’d like to talk with him?”
Whenever Dr. Green insisted on having dinner with my brother, I knew it meant he was going to make sure that Dallas took his medication. Including the melatonin and other sleep aids.
“No, but I’ll check back before Thursday.”
“Anytime,” he said with a friendly smile.
I turned in my security pass, and as I exited the building, I could feel that someone was watching me. Looking around though, I couldn’t locate anyone.
Great, now I’m getting paranoid.
The pawn shop I was going to visit was in the French Quarters of New Orleans. The Quarter was always packed with tourists and so most of the residents avoided it unless of course they worked there. I was pretty sure the people I worked with considered themselves in too high a social standing to be seen in a pawn shop. Nevertheless, I parked my car at the cemetery instead of the street so my car wouldn’t be seen at the N’Orleans Pawn.
I realized I should have listened to my gut when I spotted Danny climbing out of a black sedan.
Shit. Why don’t I just make it easy for them and lay down in a casket for them?
I knew if they took the jewelry off me, I would have to accept whatever dollar amount they said it was worth and since they were a bunch of bone breakers, I didn’t want to rely on them.
At a clipped pace, I cut through the cemetery and mingled in with a crowd who was taking a tour of the place. As soon as I saw a way out, I took the exit onto the sidewalk.
Crawford was sitting in the black sedan parked at the next exit of the cemetery which wasn’t far. I prayed he wouldn’t look in his rearview mirror as I crossed the street. When my heels met the cement on the other side of the street, I was sure I saw his face turn as if he was looking in his side mirror.
I grabbed the handle on the first door I came to and pulled. The door swung open and I stepped inside. It was a restaurant, one I’d never been to. As I scanned the interior of what appeared to be a very nice, upscale place for an alternative exit, a man stood up from the bar and walked straight over to me.
“White dress, brown bag. You’re who I’m meeting, yes?” He held his arm out for me to take it. I nearly told him I wasn’t but then I saw Danny across the street, walking up the sidewalk.
I took his arm. “Yes?” I said more as a question.
He smiled and led me toward the interior of the restaurant.
Great, Savvy. What have you gotten yourself into now?
Chapter Four
His red hair was cut short, and his facial hair was more than a shadow and less than a beard in the same brassy red hue. His hold on my hand was firm, giving me little opportunity to change my mind without ripping my hand from his grip.
He scooted out the chair at a table that was set away from the other patrons. He watched me sit in the seat and pushed the chair in for me.
So, this has to be a blind date or a business meeting of some kind. Which one?
“Champagne.” He told the waiter before he could get closer than four yards from our table.
Date.
I smiled thinking that a date was something I could pull off. Or at least fake the date until I could escape or excuse myself. Once the waiter walked in the other direction the guy settled a stern look on his face. “You will call me Ranger. I will call you Raven.”
Um?
“Do you usually name your dates?” I asked.
“This is my first time in this situation, but I was told you agreed to this already before we were set up for this date.”
Parting my red lips to agree, I changed my mind as I spoke. “You know, I wasn’t told much about this setup. Why don’t you go ahead and give me the details.”
Ranger, as he was calling himself, scanned our area which was secluded. “I am not playing around. I don’t have time for games.” When I cocked an eyebrow at him instead of shrinking into my chair the way he seemed to think I would, he paused to breathe slowly. “I’m not paying three thousand dollars for a training session that doesn’t at least make the process as comfortable as possible for me.”
Three grand?
“You’re paying me three grand?” I asked. “Tonight?”
“It’s why you brought the briefcase, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “Yes it
is.”
“So, you will call me Ranger. I will call you Raven.”
For three grand he can call me whatever the hell he wants.
“Sounds good, I can do that, Ranger. What else is on the menu for our date tonight?” I asked. His pale skin began to flush pink. “What would you like to learn?” I clarified hoping to make him more comfortable.
“Teach me to seduce.”
I nodded thinking back over my limited dating experience and the years of marriage I spent wasting time on a man who really only ever loved himself.
“I can do that, but I need more information. Are we talking pick up a woman at a bar––”
“You really didn’t get any information, did you?” He leaned forward over the tabletop toward me. “I’ve been gone a long time. My … she doesn’t remember that she loves me. She doesn’t like the way I touch her. Not just in the bedroom either.”
My heart softened as I saw through the anger shield he was throwing up. “It may not be you at all. What if she––”
“It’s me.” He took hold of my hand, his eyes burning into mine.
I put my other hand on top of his, brushing my fingers over his hand gently. “Do you grab her hand like this?” I asked.
His hand loosened around mine as he looked down at our hands. “I … yes.”
“But you didn’t before your absence?”
He shrugged. “I remember her wanting my touch. Now she pulls away from me like you are pulling away from me.”
“I like the way you’re holding my hand now.” I told him.
He nodded his head like he’d just checked something off his to-do list. He released my hand and picked up his chair that was straight across from me and moved it around the table until it was next to mine.
“I remember a date I had with her, it was special. I want to do to you what I did to her.”
“What’s that?”
I felt his hand on my leg, it slid to my inner thighs before climbing toward the apex of my legs. I squeezed my thighs together tightly, and since I have dancer’s thighs his hand was stuck. “You know I’m not a hooker, right?” I asked him with a hiss.
Date Doctor (The Date Doctor Book 1) Page 2