Swing and a Kiss: Carolina Waves Series Book 4

by Tina Gallagher

  “Add your big silver hoop earrings and chunky bracelet and you’re good to go.”

  I tossed my phone on the bed and went into my closet and found my sandals, then grabbed the jewelry she mentioned from the box on top of my dresser.

  Chloe and Hope kept yelling out advice on what I should and shouldn’t eat as I slipped into my sandals and fastened the jewelry.

  I grabbed my phone and held it to my face so they could see as I rolled my eyes at them.

  “I don’t plan on ordering BBQ ribs, crab legs, or anything other messy food I might embarrass myself with. Geez, I’m not that pathetic. I do eat meals with clients, you know.”

  “Just making sure,” Chloe said.

  “Give us one last look in the mirror,” Hope added.

  I walked into my bathroom and once again stood in front of the full-length mirror. My friends looked at me, then each other, then at me again.

  “Our baby bird is ready to leave the nest.” Chloe’s silly words were said with a sincere smile.

  “He’s not gonna know what hit him.”

  “Thanks for your help guys. You’re the best.”

  “Remember to relax and enjoy yourself,” Chloe said. “It’s just dinner. Like you said, you have dinner with clients all the time.”

  It was obvious she wanted to say more but didn’t want to upset me right before Dale arrived. She’s already told me not to mention Jason or talk nonstop about Jeremy.

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Hope looked at Chloe. “Oooh, she must think she’s gonna be out late if she’s not calling us until tomorrow.”

  Again, I rolled my eyes.

  “Goodbye.”

  I hung up on their chuckling faces and studied myself in the mirror. My hair and makeup actually look decent, which is amazing because I’m not very skilled at doing either. I’m still not sure about the dress, but Hope is the expert. And logically, I know it doesn’t really matter. Aside from Sunday, he’s only seen me without makeup and in either work or casual clothes. If Dale and I end up hitting it off, it’s not like it’ll be because of what I’m wearing.

  I’d just left my bedroom when the doorbell rang. I continued to the front door and opened it, greeting Dale with a smile. Dressed in khakis and a blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he looks good enough to grace the cover of a men’s magazine. He smells good, too. His fresh air and sandalwood scent teases me through the doorway and I want to get closer for a better hit.

  Considering how freaked out I was less than a half hour ago, I feel surprisingly calm now that he’s here.

  “Hi,” I said. “Come on in.”

  Chapter 8

  Dale

  * * *

  I can’t stop staring at Karen across the candlelit table. She looks absolutely amazing. Her blue dress both hugs and skims her curves and since she first opened her front door, I’ve fought the urge to run my hands over the silky material.

  She looked up from her menu and caught me watching her.

  “Do you know what you’re having?”

  Her small smile drew my gaze to her mouth. She’s wearing that pink lipstick again, making her mouth seem even more lush and kissable. Hopefully later I’ll get a chance to find out if her lips are as soft as they look.

  “I think I’m going with the prosciutto stuffed chicken. How about you?”

  “I can’t decide between the salmon special and lobster ravioli.”

  “If you want to order the salmon, we can get a small plate of the lobster ravioli as an appetizer.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. That is if you don’t mind sharing.”

  She smiled and opened her mouth to say something then stopped herself and just nodded.

  “Thanks, you just made my decision easy.”

  Our waitress, Maria, approached with the drinks we’d ordered after we were seated and a basket of warm bread. We decided on fruit-infused iced tea...peach for her, blackberry for me. And besides the ravioli, I also ordered calamari and bruschetta to start.

  Karen’s eyes had widened as I placed my order and she smiled as Maria walked away.

  “You know, Dan and Jack aren’t here to help you eat all that.”

  “That’s a good thing. It means there’s more for us.”

  She shook her head and took a drink of her tea, then looked around the room.

  “I like this place. It has such a cozy feel.”

  Through the years, the guys and I have found the best places to go throughout the country where the food is good and for the most part, we can eat undisturbed. Gianni’s is one of my favorite places in all of Florida. The restaurant is welcoming and serves some of the best Italian dishes I’ve ever eaten.

  The women I’ve dated before have all wanted to see and be seen, but that’s not what tonight is about. Which is why this place is perfect. Aside from the larger main room, Gianni’s has some smaller spaces perfect for intimate dining. Which is what I’m looking for tonight.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty great here and the food is amazing.” I pulled the napkin off the top of the bread. “You have to try this.”

  “My mouth has been watering since Maria set it down. It smells amazing.” She reached out and took a slice then dipped it in the olive oil and took a big bite. “Mmmm, so good.”

  Thankfully Karen’s not one of those women who doesn’t eat. Nothing drives me more crazy than taking a woman out to a nice restaurant and having her order nothing but a small salad with dressing on the side. As I was thinking about that, she took another piece of bread, ripped off a chunk, and placed it in her mouth.

  She set what remained on her bread plate and brushed the crumbs off her fingers.

  “I better slow down or I’ll never eat my meal.”

  Again she looked like she was about to say something then stopped. I decided to call her out on it this time.

  “What?” Her brow raised as she took another drink. “You looked like you had something else to say. It happened earlier, too.”

  She shook her head as she set her glass down.

  “They were just silly things that came to mind.”

  “I like silly things.”

  I placed the last bite of bread into my mouth and chewed. She traced her index finger along the rim of her glass as she nibbled on her bottom lip.

  Her eyes met mine and she shook her head again, but this time she smiled.

  “Both times I was about to make a comment about Jeremy.”

  “So why’d you stop?”

  “Because my friends told me not to talk about him tonight.”

  “Why?”

  Before she could answer, Maria returned with our appetizers. I told her to place them in the center of the table so we could share. Once she left, I repeated my question.

  She shrugged. “Because this is a first date and they didn’t want me talking about my son all night.”

  “It’s not like I don’t know Jeremy exists.” I picked up the serving spoon and placed two ravioli on Karen’s plate. “What were you going to say about him?”

  “Like I said, they were just silly things.” With a raised brow, I prompted her to continue. “When you mentioned sharing the ravioli, I was going to say that I’ve shared most every meal I’ve eaten for the past ten years. Despite the fact that he’s built like a string bean, Jeremy has always been a good eater.” She picked up her fork and cut a ravioli in half. “Then I was going to say how I always tell Jeremy not to fill up on the bread whenever we go out to eat.”

  “Jeremy won’t be a string bean for long. He’s grown and filled out a lot just in the couple years I’ve known him.”

  “I know. He’s as tall as me now, and it seems like that happened over night.”

  “You’re pretty tall. Was Jeremy’s father tall too?” She’d been about to place a bite of ravioli in her mouth, but froze at my question. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “No, it’s fine.” She rested her fork on her plate and
let out a short laugh. “Jason is the other subject I was told to avoid and here we are, not even at the main course, and both have been mentioned.”

  Not able to stop myself, I reached over and placed my hand over hers. She looked over at me with wide eyes but didn’t pull away.

  “Karen, I want to get to know you better so as far as I’m concerned, no topic is off limits.”

  She took in a breath and shook her head as she let it out.

  “Yes, Jason was tall. About your height.”

  I acknowledged her words with a nod and reluctantly removed my hand from hers. There’s so much I want to ask but I don’t just want to bombard her with questions about her late husband. I can’t imagine it’s easy for her to talk about him no matter how many years have passed since his death. And also, I want her focusing on me tonight, not him. I imagine he’s always on her mind somehow but I don’t need to put him front and center. Call me selfish, but that’s where I want to be.

  Trying to lighten things up, I said, “Tell me something about yourself that not many people know.”

  “Anything?”

  “Yep.”

  She finished a piece of bruschetta seeming to really be thinking. By the time she swallowed, she seemed to have something in mind.

  “Well, my only good friends know this but no one else.” She hesitated and I nodded, encouraging her to continue. “This is my first real first date.” The words tumbled out quickly, then she added. “Ever.”

  “How’s that possible?”

  “Jason and I started dating in middle school. For the first couple years, we went places with all of our friends and sometimes we’d hang out together at my house or his. By the time we went somewhere alone, it wasn’t really a big deal. So I never had the first date jitters before.”

  “Were you nervous about tonight?” She nodded. “Me too.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Karen, it took me two years to get you to go out with me. Of course I was nervous.”

  Her blue eyes met mine, then she gave me a shy smile, hopefully because she saw the truth in my words.

  “Okay, your turn. Tell me something not many people know.”

  “I think I just did. No one knew how nervous I was about tonight.”

  “You’re not getting off that easily.”

  “Can’t blame me for trying,” I said around a chuckle. “But you have to promise me that once I tell you this, you’ll still look at me as the manly man you see me as now.”

  “I promise.”

  “I love chick flicks.”

  “Chick flicks?”

  “Yep. The sillier and sappier the better.” I rested my forearm on the table, leaned closer to her, and added in a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ve even been known to watch the Hallmark Channel.”

  “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”

  “I wish I was joking. My grandmother used to watch them all the time when I was growing up and I got hooked. Penny and I have marathons on the holidays. We change up what movies we watch every time but always end with When Harry Met Sally because that was Gram’s favorite.”

  “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  I sat back, shook my head, and rubbed my forehead.

  “See, this is what I was afraid of. You’ll just see me as one of the girls now.”

  Karen had taken a drink and almost spit it out when I spoke that last sentence. She shook her head as she laughed. Her eyes took a quick tour of my chest and arms before meeting mine again.

  “I don’t think you have to worry about anyone seeing you as one of the girls. Ever.”

  Karen

  * * *

  “Did you grow up here?” Dale asked as he navigated the back roads from the restaurant to my house.

  “I did. I went to college in Central Florida but was happy to be back here once my four years were up.”

  “Is your family here?”

  “Not full-time. My dad got a promotion right after I graduated college so he, my mom, and younger brother moved to the D.C. area and they all still live up there. They have a condo down here and stay for extended periods of time throughout the year, especially my mom. In fact, she’ll be staying for a week once they get back from Orlando.”

  “What about Jeremy’s other grandparents. Do they help you out at all?”

  I shook my head. “Jason’s mom died when he was in high school and his dad remarried when we were in college. He and his new wife moved to Texas to be closer to her children and grandchildren. It’s sad, but Jeremy hardly knows him. My sister-in-law Chloe and I are close and she adores Jeremy. She travels a lot for work but spends a lot of time with both of us whenever she’s here.”

  We drove in silence for a few minutes. I’m not sure what he’s thinking. He’s commented on how brave I am being a single mom, but I don’t see it that way. Jeremy and I are very fortunate. Jason had a generous life insurance policy that paid off the mortgage and put a good-sized nest egg into our savings. As I told him, my job allows me a good deal of flexibility and I make a decent living so we have it better than most.

  While the silence was comfortable, I took the opportunity to find out more about him.

  “How about you? Where are you from?”

  “Until I was thirteen, I bounced back and forth between my parents in Seattle and my grandparents who lived in a little town just outside of Phoenix.” He shifted his eyes and met my gaze for just a second before returning his attention to the road. “My parents were addicts, meth mostly, so Penny and I went to live with my grandparents when things got really bad. Then they’d clean themselves up and come get us again. Finally when I was thirteen, my grandparents had enough of a case to get permanent guardianship. My parents overdosed and died the following year.”

  “Oh Dale, that’s horrible.” I didn’t know what else to say.

  “We were lucky to have our grandparents to take us in. I can’t imagine they wanted to raise two kids when they were in their late fifties, but they didn’t even hesitate. I thank God for them every day. Who knows where Penny and I would have ended up without them?”

  “They must be proud of all you’ve both accomplished. A professional baseball player and an Olympic athlete are pretty impressive things.”

  “They died five years ago, within two months of each other. So they didn’t get to see Penny make the Olympics, but they saw all the rest and yes, they were proud.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  He nodded, acknowledging my words.

  How had our conversation gotten so heavy? Definitely not great first-date banter. I mentally shrugged, but at least we’re getting to know each other.

  “You know, I just told you something most people don’t know so I think you owe me another.”

  It’s obvious he’s trying to lighten the mood so I went along.

  “I’m not sure I agree.”

  “It’s only fair.”

  I shifted in my seat to face him better. He glanced down when I crossed my right leg over the left. My face heated. I hope he doesn’t think I’m trying to be seductive. I wouldn’t even know how.

  Shaking off that thought, I focused on the topic at hand. Some silly things came to mind that I could tell him but his revelation had been pretty serious so I decided to go with something I consider significant...and potentially embarrassing...but not so somber.

  “For the past couple years, I’ve anticipated going to your games as much, if not more than, Jeremy.” Without taking his eyes off the road, he tipped his head slightly in my direction, urging me to continue. “Because I was looking forward to seeing you.”

  Dale pulled into my driveway and turned off the ignition. I’d been so immersed in the conversation, I hadn’t even realized we were here. Without the dashboard lights, the interior darkened but the spotlight on my garage shined on us just enough so I could see him. He reached down and released his seatbelt and turned to face me.

  “So I’m not the only one who fel
t it?” I shook my head. “Then why did it take you two years to say yes to a date?”

  “I was afraid.” I shook my head. “I’m basically at a tween level when it comes to dating and you’re...not.”

  “What made you say yes this time?”

  “Hannah.” I chuckled. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that she’s been trying to play matchmaker since last year.” He nodded. “She invited me to your birthday dinner and told me that if I was interested in you at all I should give you a chance because you’re really a nice guy.”

  “I really am,” he said with a sexy smile.

  “And humble, too,” I teased.

  “When you walked into the restaurant on Sunday, I was speechless. At first I thought I was hallucinating.”

  “I’m sure you could conjure up something better than me if that was the case.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  He reached over and wrapped his fingers around the side of my neck with this thumb tracing back and forth across my jaw. The tenderness in his touch had me fighting to keep my breathing under control. It’s been a long time since I’ve been touched so intimately.

  “You were the best thing about that night.” My heart pounded as the air between us became even more charged. “And I’m so happy you said yes to tonight. I had a really great time.”

  I felt myself drifting toward him as his thumb continued its hypnotic rhythm. He shifted closer and touched his lips gently to mine for the briefest of seconds. It was a feather light caress, not much more than a mingling of breath, but I felt its effect in every erogenous zone in my body. Pulling back slightly, he searched my gaze, seeming to give me one last chance to back away.

  But I didn’t. I couldn’t.

  His oh-so-kissable mouth curled up into a small smile as he tunneled his fingers through my hair and pulled me closer. Tilting my head back and to the side, he opened his mouth over mine. With that, I had expected a full-blown, tongue-tangling kiss, but instead he nibbled at my bottom lip before placing his mouth over mine and applying a wonderful suction.

  I dug my fingers into his bicep before slowly dragging my hand up to twist them into his hair. He moaned at the contact and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me toward him until my stomach rested against the console and my chest was flush against his. Thankfully his heart is pounding as hard as mine.