Then he’d shown up and made everything better. The jerk. The hot, deluded jerk.
If there’d been anyone in the restaurant under retirement age, she might have angled for a drink, just to show she could.
But maybe not. She’d only known Charlie for a few days, but it was hard to imagine finding someone she enjoyed just being with any more. Talking with him was easy. She didn’t worry so much about being charming and happy and entertaining. With him, she could just be Grace. The hot, deluded, dating jerk.
“Guess I’ll be heading back to my place then.” She awkwardly waved toward the door to the lobby.
“Aren’t you having dinner, Grace?” Willodean poked Charlie in the ribs, and his comic “oof” for effect showed a little less tension between them. Despite her annoyance with him, that gave her a warm glow. She wanted them to get along. “Charlie here will vouch for the meat loaf for sure.”
Very aware of just how little money she had left between her and negative bank balances until she was paid again, Grace shook her head. “Nah, I’ll probably whip something up at home.”
Charlie didn’t say anything, but she had a feeling that he could see all the way through her.
“Guess I’ll go. Besides, I wanted to talk to Tony about how the booking system for the hotel and the conferences will work.” She glanced at Charlie who was in conversation with Cat and had to wait for him to notice her attention. She could feel the stupid little frown on her face, which was absolutely ridiculous. Charlie could talk to whomever he wanted to. Clearly. “Or maybe Laura would be better.” She had a feeling it would be easier to talk to Laura than Tony, but only because she would use more words.
Willodean stared at Charlie hard until he shook his head. “No, I’ll do that. Tomorrow morning.”
Even though she hated his stuffy, bossy voice, she nodded reluctantly. “Fine. I’ll go to Graceland in the afternoon.” She took a step and then said, “I’ll meet you at nine.”
Without another glance at Charlie, Grace smiled at Willodean and left the party that was Viva Las Vegas, enjoying the silence of the quiet lobby as she strolled across it. Instead of Tony, Laura was behind the desk, but she wasn’t alone. Misty was in an undignified sprawl under a palm frond strung with white Christmas lights, and there was a very handsome man in his own undignified sprawl in the lobby chair closest to the desk.
“Hey, Grace, how’s the first week going?” Laura asked as she stopped in front of the desk.
Grace shrugged. “Lots of questions so far. I mentioned that I’d stop by to talk to Tony about showing me the booking system, but Charlie’s going to help instead. Could you leave him a note or something? I don’t want to disturb him tonight.” She tried not to imagine what it might be like to knock on Tony and Randa’s door on one of his few nights off.
Laura’s smile said she knew what Grace meant. “You bet. And if you need any help later, let me know. I’m pretty good with that stuff.”
Misty leaned against Grace’s leg so she reached down to scratch under her chin. “Willodean says you’re the author of all the forms the hotel uses.”
“She dreams in spreadsheets.” The good-looking guy rolled up out of the chair and walked over to lean against the front desk. “Other girls wrote fan letters to television heartthrobs, but she probably sent a love note to whoever created Excel.” He held out his hand. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of the spreadsheeters. It would be nice to have a new addition to the seat-of-the-pants crew.”
Grace slipped her hand in his with a sad shake of her head. “Sorry. I love a good function.”
There was silence and then Laura laughed and said, “And now you’ve probably made a fan for life. KT appreciates geeky humor.”
KT…
“KT Masters. You must be Grace, the new event planner.”
Grace smiled up into eyes that showed nothing but good humor and satisfaction with the world. That was a very attractive trait.
“My stubborn fiancée has told me all about you.”
KT Masters. The actor. Of course. She’d come all the way to Memphis to have a star sighting in the wild, and she was glad she hadn’t missed her opportunity.
Laura shrugged. “Well, not all. I mean, I don’t know that much. Except that…”
“I was abandoned at the altar by the rich man I was going to marry.” Grace made a face. “That’s probably enough to start with, isn’t it?”
KT waved his hand. “Listen, you’re better off. Any guy that’s going to leave you in a wedding dress is not working with all his faculties. I mean, if I were lucky enough to get a woman to say yes and actually set a date and then show up and put on a pretty dress in front of all our friends and family, I would certainly be there, no matter what else happened. I wouldn’t let her go.” He narrowed his eyes at Laura, and she returned the favor. “But that’s just me, I guess.”
Laura’s lips were twitching as she shook her head. “He wants to get married. Soon. And what KT Masters wants, KT Masters gets and the rest of us fall in line.”
KT pouted. “Aw, now, don’t be like that. You know I can make you want it too.” He wagged his eyebrows at her, and Laura’s blush was immediate.
Grace was trying to figure out a way to get out of the conversation, to disappear from the lobby, and just basically make her sad, spinsterish way back over to her beautiful new apartment for a satisfying bowl of noodles when KT laughed and put his hand on her shoulder. “Sorry. It’s just fun to tease a beautiful woman.”
Grace watched Laura and KT communicate with their eyes and was happy Misty gave her hand a lick. She laughed at the dog and the spell was broken.
“Grace, I’m glad I caught you. Where’s your coat?” Charlie shot a narrow-eyed look at KT whose hand slowly dropped off her shoulder.
She had no idea what to say to that. “Um, well, I left it over in…” And the fact was that it was none of his business. He might know the answer if he hadn’t been out on a date. She motioned down at her dress. “It didn’t really go with the outfit.”
KT said, “And covering up that dress would have been a shame, a terrible shame.” Grace laughed at his outrageous wink and then at the way Laura rolled her eyes.
Charlie grumbled and set a to-go container on the front desk before he shrugged out of his jacket. “Here.” That was all he said. He thrust his jacket toward her and said, “Here.” Like maybe she was lucky to have his help or… something.
“Charlie McMinn, I was hoping to run into you.” KT held out his hand. “Got a project I want to talk to you about.” Then he held up a hand and in a stage whisper said, “Privately.”
“I’ll be here the rest of the week. I’m in my usual room. Call me when you have a minute.” Charlie wrapped an arm around Grace’s shoulder, and she knew her expression matched the surprise on Laura’s and KT’s faces.
KT whistled. “That’s how it is, huh?”
Charlie didn’t answer.
Misty yawned long and loud, and they all laughed.
Charlie took the opportunity to guide Grace away from the desk. “See you tomorrow, Laura. Call me, KT.”
As they walked down the hall toward the door that led to the pool and staff apartments, Grace was aware of two things. First, Charlie never moved his hand. Even through the layers of her dress and his jacket, the one that smelled like clean man and leather, she could feel his hand, strong and steady in the small of her back. And second, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. It never bloomed into a grin, but she could see that he was pleased about… something. She really shouldn’t care because he was dating and that was the best solution to this odd attraction between them. But that didn’t change the fact that she did care. She hadn’t seen a smile like this from Charlie, and she wanted to know what it was about.
“You seem… happy tonight. Did you get some good news?” She couldn’t remember being this in tune with another man ever. When he was grim, she wanted to know why. And when he was happy, she wanted to celebrate with him.
She’d spent a lot of time looking out for herself. Being connected to someone else was strange but good. And then she remembered. “Oh, I bet it’s because you had a wonderful date.” She hadn’t meant to emphasize the last word but she did and ended it with a snap of her teeth.
Since even she could hear the bite in her voice, she was certain Charlie couldn’t miss it.
“The date was… over before it started.” They paused in front of the door. “I cancelled it after last night’s complete snoozefest. Maybe a waste of time because . . .” He shook his head and looked outside but there was nothing to see. The fact that he’d avoid her gaze made her think there was more to say and it mattered to him. A lot. Finally he huffed out an impatient sigh. “When I’m here, I usually get the Angry Boss treatment.” He looked at her and then waved his hand. “You know, the guy everyone dreads coming into work because he sucks all the joy out of the room. I worked for that guy for ten years before I moved to Newport. And I hated him. Obviously, I should have felt a little more sympathy.”
Grace blinked. That wasn’t the answer she’d expected.
He shook his head. “Never mind. It’s stupid. I am the boss’s son. So what if none of them jump when she comes around or refuse to call her by her first name.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s just nice to be needed. I usually feel like the outsider. First I’m helping you. And then KT. If Tony had been around and cracked a smile, I would have thought you were all in on an elaborate prank of some kind.”
Grace leaned a shoulder against the door. “Honestly? You’re happy because people need you?” She stared out at the pale concrete just outside the door and tried to wrap her head around that. It just didn’t seem… normal.
“I think it’s really more about being included.” When Grace looked up at him, he scrunched up his nose and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Never mind. How did this conversation get so off track?” He straightened his shoulders and propped a hand on his hip. The pose made him bigger and stronger and Grace was struck again by how cute he was when he pretended to be all tough. Obviously he was a big marshmallow inside. He wanted to be included.
But she wasn’t quite ready to let him off the hook. “And last night’s date was just . . . fine.” Her teeth did the closing with a click thing again.
He nodded. “Fine. Awkward. Boring. Horrible. Horribly boring in the way most first dates are.” The disgust was clear on his face. “I hate dating. I brushed off a second ‘appointment’ hint and then cancelled the date I’d set up for tonight. I had this plan, this list of criteria, and they both matched at an acceptable percentage.” His face was serious when he quietly added, “Even though I want the same thing, a nice wife and a stable home, I’m not sure my heart’s in the plan anymore.”
“For some reason, it sounds strange to hear you talk about your heart.” She looked out the door to see the clear night sky. “What brought on this understanding?”
“I think it was when I had to stifle a yawn as I outlined my own life goals.”
Grace’s mouth dropped open. “That sounds horrible.”
Charlie’s dry chuckle was an agreement. “But I do have a heart, you know.”
She glanced up to see that he was serious.
“Of course you do. I mean, I know that. I just wasn’t sure you did.” She shook her head. “Matching percentages sounds more like you. Strategic plans with performance measurements and deadlines. That I could believe. But your heart…” This close to him she could see the question in his eyes and she couldn’t look away. “That sounds a little bit more like me talking.”
“You do know we’re standing under mistletoe, don’t you?” He pointed at the plastic sprig hanging over the door.
“Is that why you decided to have our heart to heart here?” She couldn’t ignore the crazy way her heart beat at the promise of another Charlie kiss. She hadn’t quite resigned herself to not having more, obviously.
Charlie reached up to smooth her hair back. “Nah, that’s something a planner would do. I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m going to take it… day by day.”
The zing of anticipation she felt at hearing him say something so perfectly in line with everything she wanted stole her breath. Intent on his mouth and the excuse of the mistletoe, Grace took a step closer and watched him retreat the same distance.
“So that song you sang…” He didn’t finish the thought but his opinion was clearly not a positive one. And she was reminded of why he would have trouble being included. He had no idea how to talk to people. Or when to shut up and kiss them.
Grace raised both brows. “Yeah? What about it?”
He grimaced. “I hate that song.”
Grace tried to ignore the sharp jab of hurt that hit the center of her chest. This wasn’t personal. He was talking about the song, not her performance.
But it felt very, very personal.
She snapped to attention, ready to walk off in a huff, but he grabbed her arm. “Wait.” He closed his eyes and slid his hand down her arm, leaving a streak of heat behind that sent a good shiver all the way through her and made her hate his leather jacket with a vengeance, to hold her hand. His thumb traced back and forth over the skin of her wrist. “But I… for a song I hate, I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. You were great. I think you might have found the stage you were made for.”
Grace tried to ease some of the tension in her shoulders. “Aren’t you going to say I have the voice of an angel? I mean, every other man who was trying to make some progress with me liked to trot that out.”
Charlie frowned. “I’d say you have the voice of…” When he paused, she had to brace herself. Whatever it was, it would probably be a doozy, a backhanded compliment of massive proportions. “Your voice is seductive. Makes me think of hot nights and cool sheets.” When Charlie raised both eyebrows her direction and waited for her judgment, she couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. He wasn’t smooth. But he was very cute when he tried.
Grace nodded. “It was actually the right stage. Not too big, not too small. Just right.” She put her hand on the door to push it open but he stopped her again.
“Give me one more shot at this.” Grace frowned up at him and waited. He took a deep breath. “What I should have said is that your face… that’s the face of an angel, but your voice reminds me of hot nights and cool sheets.” Grace wanted to laugh again, but he wasn’t joking. His eyes were locked on hers, and his lips were a hard line, like whatever he was saying and, more important, whatever he was thinking, mattered a lot.
Grace licked her lips. “Yeah, the whole angel thing’s just a line anyway and not a very good one.” She shifted inside his jacket. “I’d rather have honesty.”
“I hate that song because I’ve had to listen to it on repeat with every tragedy my mother ever suffered.” He rubbed his temple. “And God knows that’s way too many. When my dad died, ‘Love Me Tender’ was on morning, noon, and night. And I’ve never been able to say to her, ‘Please stop playing that damn song,’ because she was hurting, it made her feel better, and she should have that, whatever it is. But now when I hear it, all I can think of is… helplessness. So I hate it. The only thing that could have kept me in my chair was your voice and the way you looked lit up by a spotlight. So…” He shrugged awkwardly. “That’s honest.”
She met his stare and could tell that he was having a hard time with it. He fidgeted, but he didn’t retreat. He looked vulnerable but so strong too. And she could imagine a little boy or a young man listening to his mother mourn the best she could and had to blink back tears. “Guess what? I’m never going to sing that song again, Charlie. I want you to be my number one fan.” She gave his hand a squeeze.
Charlie tangled his fingers in hers and then shoved open the glass door. When they stepped out into the cold night, Grace had to bite back a gasp.
“You really need your stylish orange coat tonight,” Charlie said as they hurried around the pool.
She didn’t want to let vulnerable Charlie go, but
they had to catch their breath so she would happily talk about coats or weather or whatever it took to keep him around.
Grace hurried to open the door. “I wouldn’t have frozen if you hadn’t come along, you know, Prince Charming?” She pulled him inside after her, unwilling to debate on the doorstep over whether he should come in before they froze solid. “I’m a grown woman, been taking care of myself for a long time. I thought about the coat and discarded it on the way out.” She pointed to it.
Charlie shook his head. “Well, maybe you could do a better job of taking care of yourself. Maybe you need someone to convince you to think of your health instead of the line of your dress.” He rubbed his forehead. “Not that it’s not a very fine line. Of dress. I mean, it is.”
Grace shrugged out of his jacket and hung it over her coat on one of her few hangers before she ran a hand over her hip. “You like? It’s one of the dresses I brought along in case I made it to a nice restaurant.” She looked down at it. “This red dress has always been lucky for me.”
Charlie nodded. “Were you wearing it when you met Tommy Joe Huffle?” It was hard to tell what he was thinking from his expression. “And just exactly what sort of luck were you looking for tonight in the bar?”
Grace crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head while she tried to convince herself he wasn’t saying what she thought he was saying. What difference would it make if she had worn it over to Viva Las Vegas to look for a man?
“What do you mean, Charlie?”
“I mean…” He shook his head. “I was just thinking that it works for you. It should bring you all the luck in the world, but if you were wearing it when you met him, maybe you ought to get a new one. You know, better karma or something.”
“I thought you were about to ask me if I wore it over to Viva Las Vegas because I was hoping to get lucky enough to pick up a man.” Grace raised her eyebrows at him. “And we would both know you don’t have any right to ask me a question like that, right? Because… date, Charlie.”
Santa, Bring My Baby Back Page 13
