by LuAnn McLane
Laughter and easygoing chatter continue and I think to myself that I could definitely fit into this group of people, so I’m a little let down that after we’ve finished eating nothing more is mentioned about my coming to work for Tammy or the record studio. I tell myself that it’s a good thing since I’d never have the courage to leave Hootertown anyway.
“Thanks again for comin’ to my rescue,” Tammy says as we stand up to leave. “You saved the day, Macy McCoy.” She slips an envelope into my hand. “Sorry I was so busy during lunch or I would have visited with y’all more but it seems like I’m always on that doggone cell phone. Someday I’m gonna toss it right out the window.”
“I was happy to be of service and I had fun,” I assure her. Thinking that my short-lived adventure is over, I give hugs all around the room, even to Boone, who surprises me with a big hug in return.
Tammy hurries back over to us as we’re heading out the door. “Nice to meet you, Luke. You two have a safe trip home.” When Luke turns away for a moment, Tammy gives me two thumbs-up and a wink. I quickly shake my head but she mouths, Go for it. I mouth, Oh stop just as Luke turns back, causing us both to straighten up but I know we have guilty we-were-talking-about-you looks on our faces.
With one last wave and another hug for Tammy we exit the room to a hallway that seems so quiet after all of the boisterous conversation. “Thanks again for coming all this way to pick me up, Luke,” I tell him to fill in the silence.
Luke stops in his tracks and turns to face me. “Macy,” he begins, but then hesitates with a rather serious expression on his handsome face. This is unusual for Luke, who always seems so sure of himself.
My heart beats faster in anticipation but he remains silent. Wondering what’s wrong I put my hand on his arm and somehow find the courage to prompt him. “Is something botherin’ you? You do know you can tell me anything.”
While nodding his head slowly Luke gives me a tender smile. “Yeah, I know that, Macy.”
“Well then, what’s on your mind?”
9
Unexpected
I wait for him to answer but he swallows and I swear his gaze drops to my mouth. For a heart-stopping moment I think he might lean in and . . . kiss me right here in the hallway of Jack’s Bar-B-Que. After the initial nonbeating shock, my heart starts thumping wildly . . . but then again Luke might be staring at some barbeque sauce in the corner of my mouth or something, so I discreetly lick my lips in search of Tennessee Original.
When I don’t encounter any tangy flavor I’m pretty sure that he’s thinking about kissing me, so I step closer to give him easy access. I mean, why make it difficult, right? Because he’s so tall, I tilt my head up and I’m thinking I should stand on tiptoe, but just as I rise to my toes Luke bends his head, tilting to the left. In that instant I realize that he’s going to kiss me on the cheek as though I’m his doggone sister! Something in me snaps—from pent-up emotion or maybe just from the fairy-tale feeling of this incredible day. I think, Screw this kiss on the cheek stuff and turn my head so that Luke’s lips land smack-dab against my mouth.
Luke stiffens as if surprised—shocked? Oh God, what am I doing? I want to kick my own butt for being so brazen. When a dreaded nervous giggle begins in the back of my throat, I swallow hard. Looking down at the floor I take a quick step backward while wondering how to explain my behavior. When my back meets the rough, exposed brick wall I clear my throat of giggles, but I refuse to look up at him while I rack my brain for something pithy to say to lighten the awkward moment. When nothing clever pops into my befuddled brain, I decide to simply apologize.
“Luke, I’m . . . ,” I begin, but my words are smothered when he tilts my head up and covers my mouth with a sweet yet sexy kiss that sends a hot tingle shooting all the way to my toes. I swear that if the wall weren’t right behind my feet, one would pop up just like in the movies. My hands take on a life of their own, first fisting in the soft cotton of his shirt, but when he deepens the kiss I slide them up and wrap my arms around his neck until my fingers are buried in the silky hair at the nape of his neck. His mouth is hot, his lips are soft, and when his tongue tangles with mine, my pent-up desire for him bubbles to the surface. If we weren’t in a public place I think I’d have to jump up and wrap my legs around his waist while he pinned me to the wall and made wild and crazy . . .
If we weren’t in a public place bangs into my brain and echoes in my head like a gong. Luke must have had the same sudden thought because he pulls his lips from mine and takes a step backward. He looks dazed and confused but then again maybe it’s because I’m looking at him with half-lidded, dazed, and confused eyes.
“Wow,” he says while threading his fingers through his short-cropped chestnut brown hair that I recently cut. He has great hair, by the way, thick and slightly wavy. I look up at him, trying to decide if it’s going to be another good wow like with Tammy or a what-the-hell-just-happened kind of wow.
“That was”—he pauses to clear his throat—“unexpected.”
Opening my eyes wider, I peer at him closely, trying to decide if he means that in a positive way or not; I don’t know quite how to ask, so I decide the safe thing to do is to simply agree. “Um . . . yes it was.” My voice is a bit breathless but I think I pulled it off.
Luke angles his head as he looks at me for a long moment and then says, “Then again, maybe . . . not.”
Okay, this time I have to ask, “What do you mean by that, Luke?”
He opens his mouth in order, I hope, to shed some light on the cryptic comment, but then shakes his head. “Let’s talk about this on the way home, okay?”
“Sure,” I agree, and then begin walking down the stairs while holding on to the handrail as though it’s a lifeline. My knees are a little shaky, but I manage the steps with only a slight stumble at the end that I pretend happened because of the rug and not my wobbly knees. “Stupid rug,” I mumble, and then realize it’s a hardwood floor.
Blushing, I glance up at Luke but he seems lost in his own thoughts. He puts his hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the front door as we leave the building. I know it’s an old-fashioned gesture but it feels so possessive and somehow intimate even though his touch is light and casual. Ever the gentleman, he holds the door open as we exit Jack’s and head to his vehicle parked in a lot not far down the street. At one point I remember that we wanted bottles of barbeque sauce but I’m too interested in hearing what he’s going to tell me on the way home to ask to go back to the restaurant.
“I was in my truck but Mama insisted I go home to get my SUV,” he tells me while fishing in his pocket for his keys.
“I wouldn’t have minded the truck, Luke. You know me better than that.”
As he opens the door of the shiny black Lexus he says, “Yes, Macy, I believe I do.” His tone is light, but again I notice something in his eyes that has me wondering what he’s going to say to me. I hate that I’m getting hopeful, but after that hot kiss I don’t know what to think. Of course I kissed him . . . or did he kiss me? I’m still trying to decide when we pull out into traffic. For a few minutes Luke concentrates on weaving his way through downtown, but I find that it’s an effort to look out the window when I really want to be watching him. Just what is it about a guy driving that’s so sexy? Long fingers . . . capable hands, a flex of muscle . . . heaven help me; I want to reach over, run my hand up his arm and then lean over and kiss him senseless.
When he turns onto the interstate he finally glances over at me but for some reason seems hesitant to say what’s on his mind. Unable to muster up the nerve to ask, I reach up to turn on the radio, but Luke puts a gentle hand over mine and says, “If it’s okay with you, I want to talk.”
Glancing down at his big tanned hand covering mine, I can only manage a jerky little nod and a husky, “ ’Kay.”
“Ahh, Macy . . .” Luke draws out my name slowly but then stops talking. I know this is silly but I simply love it when he says my name. He used to call me Squirt
and once in a while still does. I wonder if he’s forgotten that his hand is still covering mine, because he seems to be concentrating on something and it’s certainly not the rather light Sunday traffic. I’m thinking perhaps he’s going to say something important but then again maybe he’s just hungover and having a difficult time putting thoughts into words. That happens to me sometimes, but since I left the reception early I’m not feeling all that poorly. “The entire day was unexpected,” he finally says with another glance in my direction, but he seems to be talking more to himself than to me.
A little stab of disappointment shoots through me. “Yeah, doing Tammy Turner’s hair sure was exciting.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he begins, and I get so nervous at where he might be going with this that the envelope Tammy handed me slips through my fingers and slides to the floor.
“What was that?”
“I think payment for my services,” I answer, not really caring. I want to know what the heck he’s going to say, doggone it!
“You’d better pick it up so you don’t lose it.”
“Okay,” I answer, hoping that I don’t sound impatient. When I lean over and snatch it up, the contents slip out onto my lap. I pick up the loose papers to shove them back into the envelope but when I see what it says I mutter, “Oh my goodness . . .”
“What? Was she generous?”
“Um . . . yeah you could say that.”
“I’m not surprised.” He reaches over and pats my hand. “Whatever it is, you’re worth it, Macy.”
I nod because I’m once again rendered speechless.
“Macy?” Luke looks over at me with concern. “You okay?”
“She—Tammy Turner that is—has offered me a job.” I look up from the big check and the incredible offer and blink unseeing out the front window.
After a moment of silence he says, “You must have really impressed her.”
I swallow and then look over at him. “Yeah, I guess I did. She said something about wanting to hire me because her hairdresser just had a baby but I suppose I didn’t really think she was serious.”
“Why not?”
“Well because I’m, you know, just”—I pause and shrug—“me.”
He takes his hand from the steering wheel so he can reach over and give my leg a little shake. “You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit, Macy.”
“But Luke, how can I possibly be qualified to work with famous people? I mean, come on . . .”
“Well, Tammy Turner obviously thinks you’re qualified,” he tells me before turning his focus back to the road. “Jamie Lee always did say that you were really talented and that someday she would lose you to some . . . how did she put it? Oh yeah, some uppity high-end salon.”
Jamie Lee. I put my hand over my churning stomach. “Well of course I can’t take the position.”
Luke looks at me with a slight frown but after hesitating for a moment he asks, “And why not?”
I turn to gaze out the window for a gut-wrenching moment. “How could I ever leave Jamie Lee and the Cut and Curl? My daddy?”
You?
My heart thumps hard while I wait for his answer. When Luke remains silent I turn my gaze from the passing scenery to him. His focus stays on the road and this time he keeps his hands on the wheel instead of reaching over to give me a pat of reassurance. I notice that a muscle ticks in his jaw, making me wonder what’s going through his mind. Just when I’m about to ask, Luke inhales deeply and blows out a long breath before turning those intense blue eyes on me.
“Of course the decision is yours, Macy, but it sounds like this is the chance of a lifetime. I know how hard it is to leave home, but would you ever forgive yourself if you didn’t give this a shot?”
When he looks at me intently, I nod. I’m having one of those happy but sad moments again.
“Look, there’s nothing wrong with cutting hair at the Cut and Curl. It’s good, honest work that I know you enjoy. But Macy, think about it. Who knows where this opportunity might lead?” He shrugs. “And if it doesn’t pan out, you can always come back home.”
I nod again, harder this time. I know he’s right and I should be jumping for joy, so why do I feel as if I want to cry? My throat shuts and I look away so he doesn’t see me blinking away tears. I understand the reason for my heartache. Just a little while ago I finally kissed Luke Carter and it was knee-buckling, as I knew it would be . . . and now here I am faced with taking a job that will separate me from him. I had hoped that he was going to confess a mutual attraction but here he is basically telling me I’m crazy if I don’t take this position. I know he’s right, but still . . . if he had just said that he didn’t want me to move away, I wouldn’t even consider leaving Hootertown, which leads me back to my unhealthy state of unrequited love. I’m probably reading way too much into one little bitty kiss that was meant to be on the cheek for goodness’ sake.
“Nashville is only an hour away,” he quietly reminds me as if guessing some of my turmoil.
“I know.” I force a smile but realistically I know that with busy lives and the price of gas, an hour away might as well be a day. Sure, I’ll get occasional weekend visits but if I move from Hootertown to Nashville, my life, my friends . . . everything will change drastically. I look down at the paper clutched in my hand and sigh. “Is the opportunity worth it?” I didn’t mean to say that last part out loud.
“There’s only one way to find out, Macy. You have to take that chance or you’ll never know.” Luke’s voice has an odd quality to it that makes me wonder if we’re still talking about my job opportunity but he falls silent for the next several minutes.
Fields of corn are a blur as his SUV gobbles up the Tennessee countryside and we head toward Kentucky. I’m thinking again about turning on some music when I suddenly remember that Luke never finished our conversation that we started in the hallway of Jack’s Bar-B-Que. “Luke?” I venture, and he turns to me as if startled out of deep thought.
“Hmmm?”
“You were about to tell me something before when I dropped the envelope and interrupted you. What was it?”
10
This Much I Know for Sure
When an expression of indecision crosses his face I make up my mind that this time I’m going to press for an answer. If Luke has any feelings for me at all, then I want to know before making the choice whether to up and move to Tennessee. Just the thought of it has my head spinning. “Luke—,” I begin, but I’m interrupted when my cell phone starts ringing to the tune of “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.” I’ve been planning on changing it but for some reason that silly song still makes me smile. “Oh my gosh, it’s Jamie Lee.” I glance over at Luke and then flip my phone open. “Aloha, Mrs. Sheldon. What’s up?”
“Griff,” she jokes. “Has been all day.”
“Jamie Lee! Stop!”
“Sorry, but I’ve been drinkin’ some fruity rum concoction with a pineapple spear attached to the rim of the glass. Seriously, he’s sleepin’, poor thing. Too long a flight and then too much, well, you know, and we’ve only just arrived. I’ll admit that I’m tired too.”
“Just rest up and you’ll be fine.”
“I hope! So what’s goin’ on, Macy-girl? I tried callin’ both you and Luke earlier without any luck.”
“Hey, little sis,” Luke says loud enough for her to hear.
Jamie Lees gasps. “Was that Luke? Are you . . . together ? You finally went after him like you promised? Hand him the phone and lemme talk to him.”
I swallow and then glance over at Luke, praying that he didn’t hear her.
“He can’t talk. He’s drivin’.”
“Sure he can. I do it all the time.”
“Yeah, and last week almost took out Rose Jenkins’s mailbox while arguing with your mama about the flowers for the wedding.”
“Are you gonna tell her the big news?” Luke asks, but I give him a negative shake of my head and mouth, No. I don’t want to upset Jamie Lee on her h
oneymoon.
“Did Luke just say ‘big news’?” Jamie Lee asks. “I’m not hangin’ up this phone until you tell me. First of all, where are you?”
“Um, Luke is drivin’ me home from Nashville.”
“What possessed you to drive all the way to Nashville?”
“Well, you’re not gonna believe this, but I was at the shop this mornin’ messin’ around, goin’ through inventory since I was antsy just sittin’ at home, and Tammy Turner shows up with a hair emergency—”
“Whoa, wait a doggone minute. Did you just say Tammy Turner?”
“Yes!”
“Holy cow, I would have been speechless.”
“I was! But then I dug deep and pulled my stunned self together.”
“So what was her emergency?”
“About half of her hair extensions had fallen out, so I hopped on her tour bus and—”
“Hold on . . . You got on her tour bus?”
I have to laugh. “Jamie Lee, are you goin’ to let me tell the story?”
“Sorry. Go on.”
“I got on the bus, removed the rest of the extensions by soaking her head with conditioner, and then cut her hair.”
“Wait, you cut Tammy Turner’s hair?” she squeaks.
With a grin I shake my head at Luke who says, “Jamie Lee, let the girl talk!”
“Ohmigod, tell me why Luke is with you. No, tell me about the haircut first. No, I take it back. I want to know why Luke is with you. Oh mercy, just tell me everything!”
“He came to Nashville to pick me up since I got here riding on the tour bus. Tammy Turner asked him to do it.”
“No way!” Her voice rises to a higher pitch just like mine does when I get excited. “Wait, are you two making this whole thing up?”
“Now just why would we make this up?” I ask, and roll my eyes at Luke.
“To mess with me. You two have been quite good at it for the past few months while plannin’ the wedding.”
“Macy’s tellin’ the truth,” Luke shouts with a grin at me. I smile back but it hits me hard that we are once again sounding like and almost acting like a couple . . . but we’re not. My mood deflates like a day-old helium balloon when I think of tellin’ Jamie Lee about the job offer. Luke’s grin fades as if he’s reading my mind once again.
