by Nikki Duncan
As soon as he’d said it, Tabatha walked through the double doors that had been propped open. He’d seen her dressed for work when he’d stopped by her office, but today… She took his breath.
An orange blouse-type tank top slinked over her breasts and clung to her rib cage and stomach. White slacks with a teal stripe going down the outside of her legs curved along her body like a second skin. Orange heels with straps wrapping her ankles added a few inches to her already above-average height. Her hair was pulled back, showing off teal earrings that hung down to just above her shoulder.
Rising from his chair, he took her hand when she was close enough. He leaned close and kissed her temple subtly inhaling her scent. “You look amazing.”
What she looked like was professional fun.
“You look, well, like you’ve been on the beach all morning.”
“It suits me.” Danny pulled a chair out for her. “Tabatha, this is Norma. One of the most amazing women in Miami.”
“He only says that because I bring him food,” Norma said with a chuckle. “It’s nice to meet a lady friend of Danny’s, though you’re not what I expected.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Tabatha sat down and continued to charm Norma. She really did have a gift. “I hope the food’s as good as it smells.”
“That’s a promise. Do you need a menu? This one,” Norma said, pointing at him, “has it memorized.”
“Can you make a mushroom burger with Swiss cheese and bacon?”
“Of course. You want fries and a drink too?”
“Please. Dr Pepper if you have it.” Tabatha pointed at his malt. “And one of those so I don’t have to steal Danny’s.”
“On the way. Love a woman who isn’t afraid to eat.” Norma turned to Danny with a wide smile. “What are you eating today?”
“The avocado burger.”
Norma nodded and turned toward the kitchen where he fully expected to hear her and her husband going at it any minute. At first he’d thought their yelling was fighting, but then he’d figured out it was how they showed affection. When they weren’t arguing, and sometimes when they were, they were all smiles and suggestive glances.
Tabatha looked around, narrowing her eyes while she took in the very Florida-esque decorations. If small Christmas lights wrapped around artificial palm trees and tables with alligator bases said Miami. “How’d you find this place?”
“Will. We come here to carb and protein load after practice pretty often.”
They hadn’t done much talking during the first round of dating. Even living together for over a year hadn’t allowed them to know each other as well as they should have. Then there’d been the last year. He’d changed a lot and figured she had too. So, between Norma’s stops at the table, Danny and Tabatha engaged in the kind of small talk that was expected on a first date.
She asked about his partnership with Will, how he’d gotten into volleyball and what it meant to him. He asked about her work at Tulle and Tulips and listened to her talk about the details of how the company was structured and how much she loved looking for venues, negotiating the contracts and then helping to design the lighting effects for weddings and receptions.
He had a best friend in Will and a home away from home in Norma’s. In California he’d had family members, dysfunctional as they were, but no close friends or anything that made him feel rooted. At least not that he’d realized until Tabatha left.
Tabatha had friends and a rewarding career that lit her eyes with passion when she talked about it. In California she’d worked a job that paid the bills and had spent too much time waiting for him to have a real social life.
Their lives had changed in ways he’d never have anticipated and in ways he was grateful for. He’d been pissed and hurt when she left him, but if she’d stayed neither of them would have found where they needed to be. Him on the volleyball court and her planning weddings. If only they could enjoy the spoils together.
He was a little more hopeful when they finished lunch and he walked her to her car.
“This was fun.” She rubbed her stomach. “I ate too much, but it was worth it. Thanks for the invite.”
“I eat here most every day. I’d love your company anytime you’re free.” He slipped his hand into hers, testing a boundary. “I know Norma would like to see you come back.”
“I may take you up on the offer.”
She pulled her hand free, but she wrapped it around his arm as they walked so he didn’t mind. He preferred it her way, because it put her body closer to his. When they reached her car, a convertible Lexus they could never have afforded before, he leaned against the door before she could open it.
“Can I kiss you goodbye?”
She drew her head back and looked at him suspiciously. “You’re not planning another kiss like last night are you?”
“I’m always planning a repeat of that. Are you saying you’d mind?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, be sure that I’m not going to attempt a repeat while we’re standing in a parking lot.”
Accepting his answer, she leaned in and nodded. “I guess you can kiss me.”
Danny laughed when he used her heels against her and pulled her off balance so she fell against him. He wrapped his arms around her, locked his fingers behind her waist. His body hardened in response to the impression of her angles and curves against him.
“You’ve lost weight, Tabatha.” He kissed her, briefly.
“The stress of business ownership.”
He kissed her again, lingering a little longer. “I’ll have to make sure you eat more often.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know.” But he liked the idea of taking care of her. It was a basic thing he’d never done much of. It was one more thing he wanted to remedy.
With a final kiss, still nothing hot and complicated, he straightened and opened her car door for her. “If you don’t join me again soon I’ll come hunt you down.”
Next time he’d deliver a bag of Norma’s food and find a reason to watch her eat, because the food had filled Tabatha’s eyes with passion. He wanted to be the cause of that look in her eyes even if it wasn’t with sex.
Chapter Six
Tabatha had been tempted by Danny’s offer to meet for lunch again. Tempted enough that she’d given it serious consideration until she’d gotten back to the office and looked at her schedule. Her personal assistant Sheree had been busy setting appointments in her absence.
Ten weddings in the next three weeks meant meetings with the brides and grooms and vendors to finalize details and crews for the decorations and lighting. Eight new appointments had been added to the schedule either for venue selections or first-time consultations. Though the venue selection meetings meant driving around town, the consultations could sometimes take longer because getting to know brides and what they really wanted wasn’t always easy. Especially when they brought too many well-meaning friends or family members.
The week passed in a blur that moved too fast for serious thought of burger lunches and the best chocolate malt she’d had in years, but when she left work each day Tabatha found herself driving by the volleyball court. The court lights had been off and the sand raked smooth. She’d swung by Norma’s a few times, mainly hoping he’d be there, but had instead ended up taking a malt home.
It satisfied her sweet tooth, but it did nothing for the other need that was growing. She missed the Danny who’d driven her home and taken her to lunch. The Danny who’d delivered a lip gloss and promised he was different. She’d have called him by now if she’d gotten his number, and that worried her. Too many things were worrying her.
She’d left him and filed for a divorce. Working with couples in love all day and seeing her friends find their perfect matches had her wishing for the same connection. The problem, as she saw it, was
that looking for that connection with Danny could too easily mean settling for the connection she already knew. Even if it wasn’t the right one.
He had some great qualities and she wanted to be with him. On the flip side, he had some not so great ones that showed themselves too easily. The cons kept her from wanting to be with him.
Wants seemed to be overruled fairly regularly, as she drove by the court every night. She wanted to see him but she didn’t want to see him at the same time. She wanted to find out that he’d truly changed and wasn’t just putting on an act but wasn’t sure she could believe it even if he had.
Tabatha was still debating herself into a headache when she walked into her apartment.
Are you ever surprised to be disappointed when you expect a disappointment? Does that even make sense? #tootiredtothink
She sat the phone on the bar after sending the tweet and went to the couch with her malt. She’d just kicked off her shoes and dropped onto the couch when the phone came to life playing the song that identified her mom. Dragging herself across the room to the bar, Tabatha answered the phone.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Tabatha, your dad’s in the hospital.” Mom never wasted time getting to the point, but she was normally better at softening the blow. “Can you come home?”
“Yes.” Her mind snapped awake with a list of things to do before heading home while simultaneously probing for details. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“We went hiking and he fell. He’s got some broken bones, a concussion and a lot of internal bleeding.”
Fear and tears battled at the thought of her father being in the hospital. Her parents were vibrant, healthy, active people. When she’d talked to her dad earlier in the week, he’d been his normal, jovial self, challenging her on her marital status. Imagining him in a sterile room unable to tell his jokes while his body fought to survive…
“I’ll be on the first plane I can catch.” Actually, instead of booking a flight, as soon as she hung up from her mom she called her former client turned friend Taryn Greer. Taryn was an illusionist who traveled the world performing private magic shows for the rich and royal, but when she was home, she was a wife, mom and friend.
“Taryn, it’s Tabatha. I need a favor. A big one.” She’d never have thought she’d find herself making such a call, but family drove a woman to do the unexpected.
“Name it.”
“Can I borrow your plane? I know it’s a huge favor, but…” Dumping her malt in the sink, no longer caring about the cold treat and not wanting to leave it out while she was gone, she went to go pack. “My dad’s in the hospital and I need to get to him.”
“I just need to check with my pilot. When do you want to leave?” Taryn responded without hesitation. Just as easily she assured Tabatha the plane would be fueled and ready when she got to the private airport.
Tabatha’s next call as she was packing was to Sheree to make sure the upcoming meetings were covered. “I’ll be available via phone and video conference if needed, but you’ll need to handle the venue visits.”
“Not a problem. Do you know how long you’ll be gone?”
“Until I know Dad’s going to be okay.” With Sheree squared away, Tabatha finished packing and carried her bag to the front door. She was checking her purse to make sure she had everything she would need for the trip when the doorbell rang.
She ignored the door and finished gathering her stuff. The doorbell rang a second time as she moved to leave. She opened the door without checking the peephole.
Danny leaned casually against the wall with a questioning smile.
“What are you doing here?” Tabatha asked.
“I saw your tweet and thought you might like some company.” He nodded toward her bag. “Going somewhere?”
“California. And I’m in a hurry.”
“You moving back?” Fear trembled in his voice, but she didn’t have time to worry about the reason.
“Dad’s been badly hurt. He’s in the hospital.”
“Do you need a ride to the airport?”
“No.” She changed her mind. She was sure her car would be secure, especially given the exclusivity of a private airport and the fact that Taryn was married to an FBI agent, but there was also the appeal of spending a little time with Danny. Concern for her father wasn’t even enough to sidetrack her from thoughts of Danny. “You know what, yeah. That’d be great. I’m leaving now.”
Danny picked up her suitcase and stepped outside. Tabatha took her purse, locked up and then followed him to his car. He opened her door for her and then went to put her case in the trunk. When he got in and started the car he asked, “What gate?”
“No gate. At least not at a terminal.” She gave him the address of the airport and the runway number Taryn had texted her.
“You’re chartering a plane?”
“Borrowing. One of my former clients is helping me out.”
“That’s some client.”
“Well, she’s also become a pretty good friend since moving to Miami. You might be surprised to know who else I know and have hung out with since moving here.” Kami Evans being the biggest name he’d know and appreciate. She was a sweetheart of the screen who’d married another FBI agent friend. “My circle has grown a lot thanks to Tulle and Tulips.”
“Yeah? Tell me about some of the people you know.”
“Let’s see, there’s the former spy turned wedding dress designer, a call girl turned wife and famous actress, though to be fair she was only pretending to be a call girl. The owner of one of the top technology firms in the world. A team of FBI agents who are very closely connected to the director, by marriage in one case. Lana Quinn, a local journalist who I’m pretty sure has her sights set on winning a Pulitzer. Taryn, the woman with the plane, is a professional illusionist who’s done private performances for people like the President of the United States and Angelina Jolie.”
“Is that all?”
Talking to Danny helped ease her mind, which she’d needed more than she realized. It was one of his good qualities. That he’d shown up, just because, when she needed him made him more appealing. “Well, that I spend time with outside of work, yeah.”
“So who else have you met?”
“That are worth mentioning? A senator, a few more actors and actresses, some models and a professional hockey player. We work with a diverse clientele at Tulle and Tulips.”
“You’ve come a long way from the secretarial pool in California.”
“Yeah.”
“It makes me think…” He trailed off as he turned into the airport.
“That’s dangerous.”
“Always.”
When he didn’t say any more she asked, “What are you thinking?”
“That you leaving me was the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself.”
His quiet words and simple acceptance were lances to her heart. She hadn’t thought he would be unaffected when she left, but she’d apparently underestimated how affected he would be. “Danny.”
“I don’t mean that as a negative or a judgment.” He reached across the car and lifted her hand in his. “You’re happy here and you love your life. That’s clear. You wouldn’t have found that if you’d stayed in California.”
“Probably not.” She didn’t like him thinking he’d held her back. It hadn’t been like that, but she didn’t have time to explain everything.
He pulled up to the security gate she directed him to and got the clearance they needed to head to the runway where Taryn’s plane was. When he stopped the car and put it in Park, he turned to her. “I’ll never say I’m glad you left me, Tabatha, but I do think it was the best thing. For both of us.”
“What?” He’d said he was going to win her back. Now he claimed her leaving him was the best thing. Maybe she wasn’t the only one of them who wa
s confused.
“You tried to get me to be a better man when we were together. You encouraged me to find a purpose, but all I wanted to do was play. I’d still be that same guy if you hadn’t left.”
“I’m not sure if you’re saying that’s a good thing or not.”
“It’s definitely good. Volleyball gives me a purpose I never knew I was missing. Learning to be accountable to Will showed me some of the things I should have done differently with you.” He closed the distance between them and kissed her the way he did every time he first kissed her. Sweet and chaste, like an introduction, though it felt different somehow.
“While I regret not being with you all this time, you made the right choice for both of us.”
“Um, thank you.” She could be too tired and worried about her dad to think straight, but he sounded like he was saying he’d give her the divorce. It was what she’d wanted since moving out and now… Now she couldn’t help but want to reach for it.
Taking a chance, or maybe just reaching for a little comfort, she wrapped a hand around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. She hadn’t typically been the instigator, but the moment felt like one she shouldn’t let pass.
Tabatha unbuckled her seatbelt with her right hand while her left hand played at his neck. Deepening the kiss, she crawled over the armrest and straddled Danny.
“Now?” he asked.
Honesty was the only way she’d keep him from thinking this was a reconciliation or that it meant anything more than what it was. “I could use a distraction.”
“I don’t mind distracting you.” His fingers dug into her hips. “If you’re sure you have time.”
“It’s a private plane.” She busied herself pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. “It leaves when I’m ready.”
“I don’t have a condom. I didn’t exactly think we’d be having sex. Especially not in my car.”
“It wasn’t on my agenda for the day, either.” She leaned close and bit lightly at his neck. It had always been a weak spot of his. “I still have my IUD.”
“Do you at least want to move to the backseat?”
