by Debra Kayn
“Lord, Shauna, this is the second time in a row you’ve had me bail your ass out of trouble this week.” Diana glanced over at her. “You’re going to have to face him eventually. You might as well get it over with sooner than later.”
“Lately, all he does is scowl at me, and I’m about to lose my composure and go off on him if he dares insult me again.”
“I think the man protests too much.” Diana flipped on her turn signal, and pulled out onto the main road. “You have to ask yourself why he even cares what you do.”
“I was pretty bad. Do you remember that time I hid a flower everywhere he went? I even got caught skipping a day of school, so I could make it out to the center and hide them while he taught his adult classes.” She stared out the window. “I’ve always wondered if I had something to do with his retirement.”
“How could you?” Diana glanced over at her. “He wasn’t even in the country when he made the announcement.”
“I know, but he was only twenty-nine years old. He could’ve kept going. Even the press said he had a couple years left in him to hold on to the title. There were rumors that he had an injury. Some reporters even said the tennis association kicked him out for testing dirty by doing illegal drugs, which I know can’t be true. Grayson refused to explain his reasons to the press, like it’s some big, hidden secret. I never understood why he’d allow everyone to speculate on the reasons, and let the stories grow.” She sighed. “I remember thinking it was a sign when he came back to Cottage Grove and remodeled the tennis center that he wanted me. I almost left college my senior year. God, I was so juvenile.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Diana turned the air conditioner higher.
“The weird thing is I never did ask him why he came back or what happened to make him give up competing. It must be hard, because he’s continually receiving public challenges from other players, begging him to reenter the circuit.”
“Maybe your dad knows,” Diana said.
“No. He doesn’t. I’ve asked.” She rubbed her forehead. “I know Grayson wouldn’t tell me if I asked him now. He can barely stand to be in the same room as me.”
Diana slowed down and turned into Shauna’s driveway.
Shauna slipped off the seatbelt, leaned forward, and kissed Diana’s cheek. “Thank you. You saved me once again.”
“I’m worried about you.” Diana swiveled in the seat. “I know something happened between you and Grayson at the McMillian party, but you’ve never so much as spoken a harsh word about Grayson before. Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”
“No.” Shauna jolted when her cell phone rang. “I’m just figuring out that Grayson’s not all that and decorated with glitter.” She glanced at the display. “Thanks again. I need to get this. It’s John.”
“I’ll call you later.” Diana laughed. “I’ll want details.”
She shut the car door, waved, and pushed the call button. “John?”
“Hey, gorgeous. I’ve got a sack of Chinese food to go and wanted to know if you knew anyone who wanted to share my dinner with me?”
She laughed. “I might.”
“What time do you get off work?” he asked.
“I just got home. Come on over.”
“Sounds great. See you in fifteen minutes.” He cleared his throat. “Oh, and Shauna?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you said yes.”
She smiled. “Me too.”
It wasn’t a lie. She looked forward to spending more time with John, and having him take the initiative of seeing her before their planned date next weekend made her happy. He was a considerate man, and she wanted to know him better.
She dropped the phone in her purse and headed up the path to the house. The lawn needed mowing, and the porch railing needed painting, but Shauna ignored all the things she should be helping her dad out with and headed to the garage where her dad spent most of his day, working on other people’s vehicles.
The loud consuming sound of the air compressor and impact tool hid her approach. She stood beside the maroon two-door car and grinned at the legs sticking out from underneath the frame. She’d recognize those grease covered overalls anywhere.
She waited for the compressor to stop, bent down, and grabbed the hem of her dad’s pants. “Watch your head.”
With one pull, she rolled him out from underneath the car. He raised his brows in surprise. “What are you doing in here?”
“What? Is it a crime to visit my old man while he’s working?” She planted her hands on her hips. “When are you going to sell the shop and retire to the recliner in the house?”
He growled as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. “I’m not getting older, just better looking.”
She leaned down, swept off his baseball cap, and planted a kiss on his cheek before replacing his hat. “I stopped by to tell you that John Bigstraum is coming over. He’s bringing me dinner. Do you want me to pop one of those potpies you love in the oven for you?”
“Nah, I’m going to stay late and get the driveline off this rig. I’ll heat up a bowl of soup or something when I come in.” He lay back down. “Have fun with your date.”
“Hey!” She grabbed his leg, stopping him from disappearing back under the car. “Don’t work too long tonight. You’ve been keeping late hours since I got home. You need to take better care of yourself.”
He patted her cheek with his big ol’ rough hand, making her feel twelve years old again. “I love you too, buddy.”
Shauna left the garage smiling. Her dad was her favorite person in the world. It’d always been the two of them, even before her mom ran away from the family. There had been months prior to her mom leaving for good when she and her dad had been left on their own for dinner, her mom refusing to join them. Shauna had spent more hours than she could count lying under the car with him in the evenings, holding the flashlight or handing him tools.
Once inside the house, she straightened up the living room, carried her dad’s coffee mug to the kitchen, and then took a stray pair of shoes she hadn’t put away up to her room. She groaned. The pink and white bedspread on her twin bed, the stuffed animals piled in the beanbag chair in the corner, and the daisies her dad had painted in a string around her window were not a symbol of a single woman on the prowl. No way would she appear sexy and desirable with a Hello Kitty lampshade lighting the room.
“Okay, change of plans.” She backed out of the room and shut the door.
She wasn’t sure exactly when she’d decided to throw everything she had into building a relationship with John. It might’ve been between the time Grayson accused her of sleeping with John and when he’d stubbornly refused to accept her for the woman she was today. She was tired of waiting for him and, after some serious soul searching, was beginning to think that maybe she’d been wrong all these long years. Maybe it was true, and she didn’t stand a chance in hell of Grayson ever loving her back.
The doorbell rang. Shauna hurried to the front of the house, and opened the door. Her smile came naturally. “Hi.”
John held a brown paper sack up in front of him. “Hello back. I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving.” She stepped back and let him inside the house.
Dressed in faded Levi’s and a buttoned chambray shirt rolled to the elbows, John appeared relaxed and happy to see her. She took the food from him and motioned him to come in the house.
She inhaled deeply on her stroll to the kitchen. “Is that chow mein I smell?”
“Yep, and I grabbed authentic wooden chopsticks.” He pulled two wrapped packages out of his back pocket. “If you don’t use them, I’ll be disappointed.”
“Oh heck yeah.” She grabbed two plates from the cupboard. “Everyone knows the food tastes better when it takes all night to eat a half a cup of rice.”
He laughed. “Exactly.”
“Of course, we’ll probably collapse from starvation before we actually succeed in eating, but it’ll be good for a la
ugh.”
“I brought extra food. I didn’t know if your dad would be joining us or not.” John sat down at the table.
“That was sweet of you. I stopped in the garage before I came in the house, and he said he was working late.” She opened the boxes and set them in the middle of the table before sitting across from John. “I’ll save him some for later. I’m sure he’ll be thankful.”
Shauna opened her chopsticks, and after several seconds successfully brought one small noodle to her lips. She slurped, letting the long strand slither into her mouth.
“Good?” John asked.
“Wonderful.” She grinned, before setting out to capture more food. “So, how was your day?”
“Excellent.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Two of the dogs were placed in their new homes, and that’s always a good feeling. One of them went to a young girl who’s only seven … you should have seen the way she announced to her mom and dad that she didn’t have to hold their hand anymore. The parents had tears in their eyes, and I believe it was the first sign of independence from their daughter that she was growing up and they could let her do things on her own. It amazes me what the dogs give back to their caregivers.”
Shauna sat back in wonder. John’s whole face lit up as he talked, and she could see how deeply his job affected him. Caught up in the story, she struggled with words. “That is amazing. What you do for people, through your dogs, is a miracle. You give them freedom and a new, better way to enjoy life. You’re a good man, John. You should be very proud of yourself.”
“It’s the dogs. What I do is simple. It’s the animals that rise to the occasion and show me how dedicated and special they are.” He shrugged. “What about you? How do you like your new job?”
She finished chewing, swallowed, and pointed her chopsticks at him. “I’m really enjoying it. I adore educating tourists about our community, and the support from the businesses has surprised me. I’m working on a secret project right now that I’m excited about, and can’t wait until everyone learns about it.”
“Hm.” He wiggled his brows. “A woman of mystery. I might have to see if I can convince you to share what you’re doing.”
She grinned and shook her head. The whole time she’d dreamed up a way to bring revenue to the town there was only one person she’s wanted to share the idea with — Grayson. Now that he’d agreed to help her, she was reluctant to share their secret.
“So, have you ever been to the country club?” She leaned back in her chair and pushed her plate away.
“No, I haven’t.” He wiped his mouth on a paper napkin from the bag. “You’ll have to direct me on what to wear. Is it suit and tie only?”
She nodded. “I think so. It’ll be best if we dress up, and not take the chance of them turning us away.”
They made small talk while John finished his dinner and then handed her a fortune cookie. She groaned, holding her stomach. They’d devoured the food, and she was beyond full.
“Go on. If you don’t eat the cookie, the fortune won’t come true.” John cracked his cookie open and pulled out the tiny slip of paper. “Your days are looking brighter.” He grinned. “Perfect. I’ve gotta believe that has to do with you. Now read yours.”
As soon as Shauna opened the wrapper, the cookie crumbled all over her lap and onto the floor. She snorted. “This isn’t boding well, is it?”
“Nah, that’s salt. You’re safe,” he said.
She leaned over and picked up her fortune. “Mine says … the truth lies deep in your heart.”
Horrible, soul draining regret flooded her. Her hands shook as she brushed the pieces of cookie into her palm and stood up to dump them in the garbage. She couldn’t eat another bite. Her throat had closed and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Any moment she expected a bolt of lightning to strike her dead.
She hated the way Grayson instantly entered her thoughts. He’d made it clear that she wasn’t woman enough for her. Her chest tightened and she forced air into her lungs. Fear of turning into her mother almost brought her to her knees. I am not like her. I’m not.
What was she doing? The dinner with John was pleasant. He was attentive and smart and he had a zest for life that was apparent in everything he did.
Their conversation over dinner had been buoyant as they’d discussed their jobs, their goals, and teased each other, both skirting around the chance to grow more intimate. Still, Shauna couldn’t shake the odd feeling at the pit of her stomach that something wasn’t right.
The restlessness wasn’t coming from John, but her. She was trying too hard to forget what she already knew. She loved Grayson.
John stifled a yawn. “Let me help you do dishes, and then I better get home. I hadn’t planned to stay long, and I know we both have to work tomorrow. Is it okay if I pick you up at six o’clock on Saturday?”
“Sure. That’ll give me time to do some shopping I’ve been putting off.” She turned around and smiled. “I’m glad you came over, and I can’t wait to go to the country club with you.”
“Are you sure?” He set his plate on the counter, and studied her. “I’m not going too fast, am I? I’m sorta out of practice. I haven’t dated much the last couple of years while I was getting my business set up.”
“You’re doing everything right.” She patted his chest. “Don’t worry about the dishes. We only dirtied two plates. I can throw them in the dishwasher myself.”
She followed him to the front door and smiled when he turned around. He grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed the back of her fingers. When she didn’t protest, he pulled her close, holding her against his body. She still didn’t make any move to stop him as he lowered his lips to hers for a kiss.
By the time she pushed away all her doubts and concentrated on whom she was kissing, John pulled back. Breathless and shocked over kissing someone else when her mind was on Grayson, she put her fingers to her lips. “I’ll see you Saturday.” John leaned over and kissed her forehead before walking down the pathway to his car.
She stood in the doorway, watching him get in the vehicle and drive away. More confused than ever, she turned to go back in the house when the loud growl of a motorcycle roared down the street. She stepped forward, excitement filling her more than any kiss. The only person she knew that drove a motorcycle was Grayson.
A young man she didn’t recognize rode past the house. She sighed, disappointed. Of course it wasn’t Grayson. He was probably in bed with Stephanie, not even caring if she was dating John.
Chapter Nine
The long week Shauna suffered through accounted for the two empty glasses sitting in front of her. She tapped her fingers along with the music playing at the Quayside, and smiled over the crowd, half listening to Kate describe a rather kinky night of sex with Jackson.
“ … then the park ranger knocked on the window, and I thought Jackson was going to have a heart attack.” Kate wiped the corner of her eye. “Of course, Jackson’s body was covering me but his white ass was blocking the window.”
Shauna leaned forward. “Sex in the car? How high schoolish.”
“Hey, don’t knock it, mean girl.” Kate waved Gretchen, the waitress, over. “Another round of the same, please.”
“Sure thing, girls.” Gretchen eyed Shauna and crossed her arms. “You know, your message is still in the men’s restroom.”
“My what?” Shauna frowned.
“Call Shauna for a good time … over the second urinal.” Gretchen grinned. “You should’ve seen all the messages that the men started writing underneath.”
“Oh God.” She covered her cheeks. “I forgot all about that.”
“What did they write?” Kate leaned forward. “Maybe we should go in there and have us a laugh.”
Gretchen shook her head. “Too late. Grayson finally noticed the message a few years ago and hired a paint crew to come in and clean it up. Although, he gave strict orders not to cover your original message. Curious, huh? I wonder why he did th
at?” Gretchen shook her head and walked away without waiting for an answer.
“Why would he do that?” Shauna turned to her friends. She’d snuck into the men’s room, hoping Grayson would read the message but he’d left without going in there. Then she’d forgotten all about vandalizing the restroom.
Diana shrugged. “Does it matter? I thought you were all quivery for John.”
“Yeah. Forget about Grayson. Let’s dish John.” Kate pinned Diana with a look.
“Okay, I’ll ask. When are you planning on jumping in bed with John?” Diana whispered, but Shauna was sure everyone within a ten-foot radius could hear her.
“I-I don’t know.” She lifted her glass, remembered it was empty, and laughed self-consciously. Her vision blurred and she blinked. She probably shouldn’t have skipped lunch, because she was feeling good from the drinks she’d consumed. “I’m not even sure what the rules are for this type of thing. Third date, third week … I don’t even own a box of condoms.”
Kate reached over and patted her hand. “You’re worrying too much. John’s a responsible guy. He’ll have everything you need, and will make you comfortable. Although, you might not want to mention you’re a virgin too far in advance. That tends to scare a guy off.”
She folded her arms on the table and buried her head. “I should’ve lost my virginity in college with the rest of you.”
“College? Try senior year of high school. That’s how I kept Jackson happy,” Kate said. “I think we all need another drink if we’re turning this into sex talk.”
“We sure do. I’m going to the bar to see what’s taking so long.” Diana stood up and quickly left the table.