Never Say Never

by Donna McDonald

  “What was that sound you just made? OMG, are you crushing on him?” the girl demanded.

  “None of your nosy business what I’m thinking,” Georgia said tersely, ignoring the girl who was also glaring at the beaming couple headed back their way.

  “He only dates women my age, you know,” she said with glee.

  Georgia looked down in disgust. “Wake up, Ms. Obvious. Do you think this is news to anyone in Cincinnati? Though frankly, I think you could do a lot better than him. If you altered that ‘poor me’ attitude and smiled once in a while, someone your own age might be able to like you. Thinking the worst of people will only make you look like a hag long before your time.”

  “Well, you would probably know that better than anyone,” she said angrily.

  Georgia’s belly laugh over the girl’s spunky reply earned her a seething glare back, but their exchange put a grin on her face by the time the smiling couple reached her. She stared in disbelief as Hollywood turned loose of Ann without looking and pulled the young girl into his arms for a hug.

  Her heart suddenly and unexpectedly ached at his sincere show of affection. Luckily, she saw the humor in the situation.

  Ann, on the other hand, looked simply appalled by Hollywood hugging the young girl. Maybe she was such a bad person, but all Georgia could do was roll her eyes and grin wickedly. “Tell me something, Ann. Did you blackmail me into coming tonight just so I could watch Hollywood grope his latest bimbo? I do admit this is better than most reality TV.”

  Georgia chuckled at the three sets of startled eyes suddenly turned her way. One eyebrow raised as the girl pushed out of Hollywood’s arms and glared at her again.

  “Now listen here, you hateful old hussy…”

  “No, no,” a deep, sexy voice cajoled.

  The effect of his calmness was lost with Hollywood’s hand clamping firmly over the girl’s protesting mouth. He shushed her right up, but Georgia could tell it was only out of shock that he’d do such a thing to her.

  Georgia laughed, then looked at Ann, which had her sighing heavily. “Stop chewing your lip. I’m not going to hurt anyone or cause a scene. I do want to leave though before I get tempted any further.”

  “Too late. You’re already causing a scene,” Brent said sharply, removing his hand. He gestured to the young woman held in place now by his grip on her arm. “This is my daughter, Henna. Henna, this firecracker is Georgia Bates. My dance partner over there is Ann Lynx. Ann was my replacement date for the evening.”

  “Your daughter?” Georgia repeated the information, staring at the girl. She refused to feel joyful that he wasn’t dating her. “That certainly explains the snippy attitude problem.”

  “Listen, old woman…” Henna began.

  “She’s not the only one with an attitude problem,” Ann said loudly, stepping forward to intervene as well. She’d suddenly had enough of trying to help romance along. Georgia was the most stubborn, cantankerous woman on the planet. What kind of man could possibly deal with that? Brent was too nice. “Cupid knows, I’m sorry now for my good deed. Let’s go home, shall we?”

  “No. No one is leaving yet.” Brent was suddenly there, dragging a protesting, shocked Georgia out to the dance floor with him. “We need to talk.”

  “Turn me loose, Hollywood, before I knee you,” Georgia hissed.

  “Smile, Sweet Georgia. Pictures of us are probably going to be in the newspapers tomorrow since you’re kicking up such a fuss,” Brent informed her, not letting her say no.

  Ann watched in shock as Brent pulled a still resistant Georgia into a tight embrace despite the faster song playing.

  “Brent must like her a whole lot more than even he thought he did. No one should have to put up with Georgia’s crap.” A girlish giggle by her side had Ann’s head turning. “Hi. Sorry. My friend Georgia is… no, I can’t explain her.”

  The girl snorted and lifted a hand. “It’s okay. I started the battle between us. She was just very savvy about getting even.”

  Ann nodded. “Savvy? Not a word usually used to describe my friend.” Amusement cleared the young woman’s expression of all anger. “Brent and Georgia like each other. I don’t know why or how, and she’s already refused to date him. I had this idea if… never mind. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “Oh, I don’t know… look at them out there,” Henna said, lifting a hand to point. “Dad dragged the woman kicking and protesting to the dance floor. He never does anything like that… never. He’s unfailingly polite with everyone. She keeps wiggling and trying to get away, but Dad won’t let her. I’m… I think I’m in shock… maybe even a little bit envious. My ex barely showed anger when I caught him cheating. He just shrugged it all off like it was no big deal.”

  Ann’s sigh was loud. “Men can be cold-hearted and with such ease. I’ve known Georgia for a decade. She’s incorrigible, but also one of the best women I’ve ever met.”

  Henna stuck out a hand. “Hi. My name is Henna Colombo. Nice to meet you, Ann Lynx. You looked great out there on the dance floor. Too bad my father couldn’t be crushing on you.”

  Ann smiled and shook the woman’s hand. “Thank you for the compliment. I’m involved with a younger man. Your father and I could never be more than friends, though I will say he is very charming.”

  “Charming… yes, he is definitely charming,” Henna said, turning back to the dance floor. She lifted her chin to the still struggling couple. “He’s also stubborn and will do anything to get what he wants. I think that’s going to be obvious to everyone after this little stunt.”

  Ann looked in their direction. “Even if what your father wants is a cranky, jaded woman who hasn’t been laid in years?”

  Henna covered her mouth when she laughed. “Well, she has incredibly nice breasts which she swears are real. I’m sure Dad likes that about her.”

  “That’s how I heard the story,” Ann replied with a smile, crossing her arms as she waited for the dance to end.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Turn me loose,” Georgia ordered, for the hundredth time.

  “No.”

  Brent shook his head, laying his cheek deliberately against hers. God, he smelled wonderful. It wasn’t fair. “Bet that cologne you’re wearing cost more than my house,” she said bitterly.

  “Glad you like it. You smell nice too,” Brent whispered. “And stop wriggling against me. It’s torturous.”

  Georgia stiffened. He was getting aroused? Because of her? His body, making hers move with his, was the only reason she didn’t stop where she was and just stare at him.

  “The last wrong woman I married out of loneliness was over forty—she just didn’t look it. On my honor, I’ve never slept with anyone under thirty, though I have taken younger women on dates. And if you want the whole truth… I haven’t been with any woman in two damn years. I haven’t wanted to until I came across your quarreling, grumpy ass.”

  She was silent while she absorbed the information.

  Did it change anything she felt? Yes.

  Did it make her feel like dating him would have any reasonable place to go? No.

  Back to zero in her logic, Georgia sighed against his smooth shaven cheek. “I’m sorry I fought with your daughter.”

  Brent shrugged in her arms. “Knowing Henna, she probably started it.”

  Georgia chuckled. “She did, but that’s really no excuse for some of what I said to her. Do you want me to apologize?”

  “Suit yourself,” Brent said.

  “Hollywood? Why did you drag me out here to dance?” Georgia leaned away to ask.

  He leaned away too, his gaze falling instantly to her cleavage as he swore. Sighing, he pulled her close again. “No reason good enough for you, I’m sure,” he said in her ear.

  Working hard not to be charmed by his confession, Georgia fought back the sigh of longing that went all the way to her toes. He wanted her physically and she wanted him back, which meant she was in big trouble. This man would wipe his fe
et on her heart if she let him.

  “My feelings about us dating haven’t changed,” Georgia said quietly.

  “I know. So stop arguing and let me have these two or three minutes to pretend you might actually like me a little. It will help my fantasies later when I have to go to bed alone.”

  “Stop. I never said I didn’t like you,” Georgia protested.

  “Doll, your expression says it for you,” Brent whispered, moving against her until she moaned in his ear. “Feel that? That’s nervous anticipation of how great it could be between us. That’s how romance is supposed to work. I hear you’re an advocate of natural attraction.”

  “You’re confusing me,” Georgia said, her voice nearly pleading.

  “No, I don’t think I am,” Brent said back, “but I am probably scaring you, and I get that. So just let me have this moment. Okay?”

  Georgia nodded against his cheek and closed her eyes, playing her own game of pretend.

  When Brent kept Georgia on the dance floor for a second dance—a genuine slow dance—a still stunned Henna wandered off mumbling to herself. Ann stood there watching and chewing her lip as she thought about how this might or might not work out.

  When she got home later, she was going to call Cal. She’d break something if she had to in order to get him to come over. She needed to see him to clear her mind. She needed to tell him how she felt.

  Another man finally approached and asked her to dance. Nodding politely, she let him lead her to the floor. Around and around they went, her heart not really into it as much as she’d normally be. But she smiled… and told herself all this would soon be over.

  She was leaving the dance floor when one of the men in uniform stepped close. She looked up and her breath caught. Her gaze drifted over him and how stunning he looked, especially with his jacket’s belted waist and uniform hat tucked under his arm.

  Not asking, Cal put his hat on, took her hand, and walked her back out to the dance floor. Ann closed her eyes, feeling the deepest of pleasures when he pulled her into his arms and held her close.

  “Surprised to see me?” he asked.

  Ann nodded against his shoulder. “Yes. I’m supposed to be the date of the man dancing with my friend Georgia. I knew they liked each other so I was trying to hook them up.”

  Cal nodded against her hair. “Everyone can tell they like each other. What’s their problem?”

  Ann sighed. “I think Georgia doesn’t think she’s good enough for him. Brent has money, status, and a high profile job. She was a military housewife who worked part-time jobs everywhere they were stationed. She told me she never stayed in one place for more than a few years until her husband retired.” She pulled away. “Why are you here?”

  “Colombo does pro bono work on injured vets. That’s what this fundraiser is about. It’s to thank him.”

  “Oh,” Ann said in a whisper. “I had no idea. All Brent said to me was that he needed a dance partner. I didn’t even think to ask why.”

  Cal cleared his throat. “Well, he got a great one. You looked amazing when you were dancing with him.”

  “Thank you. This is that last date commitment I told you about.”

  “Yeah… I got that.”

  Ann tipped her head at his odd tone and saw Cal force a smile to his lips. His solemn look made her stomach clutch in anxiety. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Cal cleared his throat again. “You know what occurred to me when I watched you dancing? I figured out that the only thing stopping you from having this life is you, Ann. I know the kind of life you could have with someone like Colombo and the opportunity to meet men like him keeps knocking on your door. You really need to give the rich guys in your folder a fair chance to win you over.”

  Ann pulled away to search Cal’s face. What she saw there caused her to stop moving. “I don’t understand. What are you trying to tell me, Cal?”

  Cal stopped too, cupping her cheek with his hand. “I’m trying to say that I don’t think we should see each other anymore. Let your friend’s daughter fix you up with someone who can give you a life I know I never will be able to. Stuff like this…” Cal looked around. “You need to dress up and go to dances. You need to be shown off. That’s the kind of life you deserve.”

  “Are you breaking up with me?” Ann asked in surprise, her brain trying its best to take it in.

  Her heart though was in total denial. This man… this man was the one she’d been waiting for. Now he was just going to walk away from her because of some strange idea in his head.

  “I’m sorry,” Cal said softly, kissing her on the cheek. “I thought about this every time you went out on one of your dates. Seeing you tonight made me realize how right I was to be concerned. I genuinely believe this is for the best.”

  “The best for whom?” Ann asked, but Cal just shrugged and shook his head.

  Stunned to silence by his quiet resolve, she let Cal lead her off the dance floor. Dropping her next to an equally stunned looking Georgia, Cal brushed his lips gently over hers, tipped his hat to Georgia, Brent, and Henna, and then walked away.

  It was so very civil… and felt so very final.

  Ann blinked rapidly, the pain starting to set in at last. She was numb, but Georgia’s hand gripping her arm pulled her back to reality.

  “Who was that?” Georgia demanded.

  “Command Sergeant Major Calvin Rodgers,” Ann said softly.

  “Cal?” Georgia said in surprise. “Your Cal?”

  Ann snorted. “Apparently not any more. Cal just broke up with me while we were dancing. I need a bathroom break, Georgia, and then I’ll be ready to leave. Sorry I dragged you here.”

  Not looking at any of them, Ann walked away with all the dignity she had left, which wasn’t much, but she was hoping it would last until she got home.

  “So that’s Ann’s younger man. Rodgers seems like a good guy,” Brent commented.

  Georgia rolled her eyes. “Good? He just broke her damn heart. Good guys don’t do that, Hollywood.”

  “Your friend is so nice. She’s pretty and funny. Men can be such total shits,” Henna declared, glaring at the door Cal Rodgers left through.

  Georgia glared at Brent and smacked his arm. “Go after him, Hollywood. Set the stupid idiot straight. He probably saw her dancing with you and lost it. Military men are like that. Under his impressive uniform, Cal Rodgers is probably just as stupid as any other male.”

  “Ow… no hitting!” Brent complained, rubbing his arm.

  Henna looked at her handsome father, who she was now seeing in a whole new light. “I agree, Dad. I think you need to help. Ann did you a favor. It’s not her fault how good you two looked dancing together.”

  “Roger’s ill-formed opinion is not my fault.” He glared at Georgia. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re crazy?”

  “Yes. My daughter, the infamous Dr. Bates who created this mess, tells me that all the time, but I’m also right. Don’t let that stiff backed man get away with this shit,” Georgia ordered, shoving on his arm to push him toward the door.

  Brent took a step automatically, then stopped. He turned back and smiled, seeing how this good deed could work in his favor. He knew Ann would be proud. “Date me,” he ordered. “Date me and I’ll chase the man down. I’ll even make sure he goes crawling back to Ann. I’m very good at guilt trips. Ask Henna.”

  Georgia fisted hands on her hips and made a low threatening sound.

  “Say it, Sweet Georgia,” Brent ordered, refusing to leave until she did.

  “One,” she yelled at him. “One damn date, Hollywood. That’s all.”

  “Tell Mariah. She’ll never believe it unless you tell her yourself.”

  “No,” Georgia declared.

  “Tell your daughter you want to date me. If you don’t say I bribed you, I’ll pay your daughter’s fee and give her a glowing referral to all the wealthy single men I know. That will keep us both honest.”

  Georgia growled again. “Fine. I�
��ll tell her tomorrow. Now go!”

  Smile at full wattage, a laughing Brent took off out the door nearly running.

  Georgia released a pent-up breath. “And that’s precisely why I hate this romance shit.”

  Giggling beside her had Georgia’s head turning. She’d all but forgotten the girl was there. “Sorry about that. His smugness irritates me.”

  “No, it’s okay. I hate this romance shit too, but watching you guys has been very entertaining tonight, and oddly… hopeful,” Henna said, sounding surprised.

  Hanging her head and groaning, Georgia went to round up her no-doubt weeping friend.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Mom? I didn’t know you were coming by.”

  “It was an impulse, but I need a minute of your time, Mariah. This won’t take long.”

  Mariah stared at her agitated mother who’d obviously blasted past Della because her assistant would have warned her. At least she hadn’t been with a client.

  “I…”

  Della suddenly appeared behind her mother. Mariah smiled at her irritation. “It’s okay, Della. We’re fine.”

  Looking unsure, Della crept away, but not before glaring at her mother’s back. Amused, but wanting to get to the bottom of things, Mariah turned her attention back to her mother. “Want to sit down? I have a few minutes.”

  Georgia shook her head. “No, and I can’t believe I’m here to say this. If it was for anyone else but Ann, I wouldn’t do it.”

  “What’s wrong? Is something wrong with Ann?”

  Knowing her daughter was still clueless about Calvin, Georgia shook her head and lied. “No. Ann just convinced me to be more open-minded. You can set me up with Hollywood. I… I want to date him.”

  Mariah tilted her head. “Are you sure?”

  Georgia lifted both hands. “Don’t I seem sure?”

  “Not really—no.”

  Georgia used her hands to push her hair back. “Well, I am. So what do I need to do? Didn’t I finish the stupid bio stuff already? Is there anything else?”