Santa, Bring My Baby Back

by Cheryl Harper

  Made it home. Miss you. He hit send and then pulled all his luggage out and staggered up to the glass-paned door. His key was in the lock when he heard the tone that said he had an answer.

  I hate that we fought. Already anxious for Friday. Misty is too.

  He smiled, shoved his phone in his pocket and decided not to worry too much about the future. Maybe she was right. Things weren’t where he wanted them to be, but he was home again. He’d think of something. When his plans were in danger, he always thought of something.

  CHARLIE HAD EXHAUSTED all of his Christmas good humor and optimism about his ability to figure out a way to win Grace by the time he stepped away from his computer on Thursday. He’d followed up on both investment deals in the works, called for updates on the four companies he’d been working with, updated all of his records, and identified two new opportunities. He lived for this. Literally. But now, he wished he had a floor to sand or a wall to paint. He was contemplating the kitchen cabinets when he finally realized what he was doing. If he ripped them out just to have a project, his mother should have him committed.

  He was bored. There was no other way to put it. He’d been bored before his last trip to the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel but there was something about knowing that Grace was there, the only person in the world who could make working weddings fun, that made everything he did at home seem ordinary. Grace was special. Grace was in Memphis.

  And he wanted to be where Grace was.

  Understanding that he’d be willing to give up his careful plan for the future for one girl, a girl who liked to dance to Elvis songs, insisted on wearing all the colors, and had listened to his worst mistake without once making him feel like a failure, was hard.

  He’d stayed in Newport this long out of sheer stubbornness, hoping he’d come up with a way to have her and his old boring plan too.

  As far as business went, it had been a good week. As far as Grace ideas, not so much. His way was still the simplest way. She should move here.

  He took up the key ring for Willodean’s dilapidated house in Memphis and flipped it on one finger while he surfed the Internet to see if he could at least come up with an inspired idea for his mother’s Christmas gift.

  He’d already paid for a dessert cooking class at a Memphis restaurant and ordered Grace a standing mixer. He’d seen one in the photos advertising a pastry class and then he’d found one in neon purple. Since he’d ordered it gift wrapped and shipped to the hotel, he was pretty sure he was the best, most efficient gift giver ever. Grace would finally get the chance to take her cooking class. Maybe she’d share her first chocolate cake with him. He hoped it was the kind of present that said he was listening when she talked about something she’d always wanted to try. It had mattered enough for him to remember. She mattered enough that he’d listen to her and try to give her everything.

  That was a lot of pressure for a kitchen appliance but he thought it was a sign of his own development that he could come up with it. He hoped she’d agree.

  But that left his mother. With her gift, he could use some help.

  Thinking he’d give her plenty of space, he’d texted Grace once or twice earlier in the week. And she’d replied. She’d spent just about every minute since he’d left shopping, first with Randa and then Mike, Willodean’s decorator. When he’d read that, he’d felt the old familiar jealous monster rise up. Mike was a good-looking man. Maybe. Charlie wasn’t a judge. He just knew KT growled every time Mike hugged Laura although they’d been friends a long time. The thought of Grace hugging Mike helped him understand KT’s urge.

  He’d been hunting the Internet for the perfect grand gesture for his mother with no luck. He’d almost bought her pink Cadillac in Nashville but took his finger off the button when he realized it wasn’t big enough. Throwing money at the problem wouldn’t work.

  He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes as he leaned back in his desk chair. Maybe he’d just fall back to his old standby: a plane ticket to Hawaii. Really, who could complain about a gift like that?

  And then he wouldn’t need to spend any more time working on this.

  Resolved to just buy the ticket, he sat up in time to watch one of the Web ads change over to a colorful shot of the best looking fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and greens he’d ever seen in his life. Luttrell’s, voted best Southern food in the state, was having a special midnight seating for Christmas, complete with champagne. Travis Luttrell’s.

  And just like that, the grand gesture he knew he had to make was crystal clear. He had apologized and his mother had forgiven him, but something kept it from being settled for him. He was sure he’d made real progress with the whole Rock’n’Rolla family on this last trip. He didn’t want to feel out of place anymore. It was time to face his mistake head on. He’d apologized to his mother, but he really needed to talk it out with Travis.

  He picked up his phone to text Grace. Just had the best idea for my mother’s Christmas gift, the grandest of gestures.

  He waited anxiously while images of her out on the town with Mike flashed through his mind.

  He had to let out a sigh of relief when he saw her answer. Maybe she really didn’t hold a grudge. Great! Is it bigger than a bread box?

  He laughed. Much bigger.

  Don’t forget my gift! You know what I want… snow! Or maybe Charlie McMinn singing his favorite Elvis song in Viva Las Vegas. The smiling emoticon showed she understood just how likely that was to happen. About as likely as snow for Christmas.

  It wasn’t the sort of romantic answer he’d been hoping for, the one where just being in his arms was enough. Or something like that. He was still thinking about how to answer her when she texted again. Bought my bus ticket. I’m leaving on Sunday, so I’ll miss the staff party but it’ll be good to see the family.

  He tossed the key ring across his desk and shook his head. And just like that he understood something really important about himself and about her. He could change. And she was worth it. The idea of having someone to celebrate the holiday with had filled him with anticipation and… a strange glowing warmth that he might call love if he had to give it a name. And now that he knew she wouldn’t be there, everything was wrong. But he had to learn not to push Grace, so he just texted: Can’t wait to see you.

  Watching her open her gift would still be nice on December 27. She would be worth the wait. He could go with the flow. He wished there was some way to get her snowflakes. He was willing to consider Memphis all over again. Finding a few snowflakes seemed easy after all that.

  Her answer was gratifyingly fast. I miss you.

  Me too. When he sent the last text, he tossed his phone on the desk and forced himself to leave it there. There was something that made him want to say “I love you.” But not in a text.

  And if it was true and he said it, she might leave skid marks on the way out the door. That was the very last thing he wanted. She was too important to walk away from when he was angry, and she was too special to try to manipulate or change into the person he’d thought he wanted. To keep her, he’d have to do the changing himself.

  Instead of worrying that issue, he picked up his desk phone, called the hotel, and made a very special reservation with Tony’s help and encouragement, then he dialed the number for Luttrell’s in Nashville, Tennessee, and asked to speak to the chef. Nashville was an easy drive from Memphis. Since Grace was leaving Sunday and his meeting with Travis was Monday afternoon, he decided to combine business and… not pleasure, scheduled another meeting, and booked a hotel. He still had a lot to figure out about Grace, his mother, Travis, and how to get what he wanted, but had a feeling that swallowing his pride was going to be the biggest challenge.

  Chapter Thirteen

  * * *

  GRACE HAD BEEN staring at the clock off and on since two seconds after she walked in the door Friday night. It was payday and life was good. She’d splurged on dinner at Viva Las Vegas. Randa had bought her a can of paint, a nice red that would make a great accent wa
ll, as a housewarming gift. And Charlie was coming back.

  She was trying to convince herself that she was reading, but she hadn’t turned a page in fifteen minutes. At each pop of the building, she started, tense and ready to throw open the door. When she finally heard the knock, she nearly convinced herself she was hallucinating.

  Then she jumped up, tripped over her electric blue throw pillow, and fumbled with the door before yanking it open. She landed hard against Charlie’s chest, her arms wrapped around his neck. “I’ve missed you. I don’t like when we fight.”

  “And I hate it, Grace. Just… if we can, let’s always make up this way.” Charlie’s laugh against her neck sent shivers down her back. The soothing circles he rubbed on her back made it easier to breathe. “How many times do I have to tell you to check before you open the door?” He squeezed her tight and straightened. “And put your shoes on before you step outside.”

  Grace felt the tears burning her eyes but sniffed them back. That was not the greeting she wanted after missing him for six days. She leaned back to say something flirty and fun, but Charlie covered her mouth with his in a hot, hard hello. He managed to walk three steps across the threshold and slammed the door shut without breaking the kiss. When they were gasping for breath, Charlie leaned back. “Hello.”

  Reluctantly Grace stepped back and forced herself to let go of him. “Is that a blue shirt?”

  Charlie shrugged out of his coat. “Like it?”

  “I do.” She pulled him over to sit on the couch. A blue shirt? On the man in black? She wasn’t sure whether it was a good sign. Maybe it was bad. Or no sign at all. Suddenly nervous for a different reason, she said, “So… did you get all your shopping done?”

  Small talk. When in doubt, talk about nothing. What she really wanted to know, whether he could ever ease up and just be with her without the constant need to strategize, was too dangerous. She didn’t want to fight again and she couldn’t run away. Small talk was the answer.

  He tilted his head to the side and tangled his fingers through hers. “Almost. I’ve got to go back to Nashville Sunday to pick up my mother’s gift, but then I’m set. Not that you’ll be here on Christmas.”

  Grace smiled. “But then I’ll be back. And I have something really exciting for you.”

  “Really?” His surprise was not flattering. But she’d come up with the perfect gift, one that didn’t cost a dime. She was going to spend New Year’s with him in Newport. She’d spent a lot of time thinking about his “proposal” and missing him enough to reconsider. She owed it to Charlie and to herself to at least see what he would have to give up, but every day she spent working with Willodean was a confirmation that she’d found her place. She was good at her job. They had one new fan club meeting set for January, and she’d sent out a quote for a small conference in February with the chance for a follow up in August. And she fit with the funny Rock’n’Rolla family better than she ever had anywhere else. She’d had dinner with Willodean twice and helped Randa cook a nearly inedible meal for Laura and KT, KT’s grandmother Arlene, and Laura’s daughter, Holly, before she’d lost spectacularly to Willodean in her Elvis trivia game.

  It had been a good week for friends. The next week would be about family. And then she’d spend some time with Charlie. Her ties were getting stronger all over.

  “You’ll just have to wait and see what kind of surprise I’ve got lined up. I’ll be home on Thursday.” The distance between them worried her, but having Charlie’s hand in hers felt just right. He looked tired but solid. Strong. And that something that had had her jumping at small noises and nervously chewing her fingernails calmed. Grace relaxed against the couch for what felt like the first time since he’d left Sunday morning.

  But the fact that she was still dressed worried her a bit. Had he changed his mind about her? Had he missed her as much as she’d missed him?

  “It’s too bad it’s so cloudy.” She went to look out the window beside the bed. “I was going to lure you outside to wow you with all my lunchtime research.”

  Charlie raised a brow. “Go ahead. I can be wowed from here.” She had no doubt he meant every word of that.

  “Well, I was going to tell you about Polaris, the pole star or North Star, which is in the handle of the Little Dipper.”

  Charlie stood, flipped off the overhead lights, and walked over to stand behind her at the window. In the reflection, he nodded his head like he was impressed. “What do we use the North Star for?”

  “No idea.” Grace laughed when he did. “I ran out of time to read Wikipedia entries.”

  “Since we’re not going to have determine what latitude we’re at, that’s probably fine.” Charlie stepped closer and she could feel his heat through the thin knit of her new orange sweater. They both looked out the tiny window at the solid clouds covering everything in the sky.

  “There’s probably an app for that anyway, right?” Grace shivered at the warm gust of air that drifted over her nape when he laughed behind her.

  “Probably. What else were you going to tell me?” He rested his hands on her shoulders and waited.

  “Polaris is part of the Little Dipper and Ursa Minor, which used to be described as more like a dog’s tail.” Grace held her breath as she leaned back against him until he wrapped his arms around her waist. With a sigh she let her head rest against this shoulder.

  “Impressive. Is that all?” His hands were warm against her abdomen, and she wanted to tell him to forget the stars. Forget the clouds. Forget the window. And definitely forget Wikipedia. All they had to remember was the bed behind him. Not that it would be easy to forget. It loomed pretty large in her mind.

  “Um, well, the dog made me think of the Dog Star so I had to look that up. Some people call Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, the Dog Star.”

  “Why do they do that?” He ran his hands up and down her arms, raising goose bumps on her skin and then chasing them away.

  She turned and stared up at his face. He looked serious even though they were playing, and she had the idea that they were on the same page again. “No idea. I forget. Why did I bring this up again?”

  Charlie licked his lips and then closed his eyes for a minute. “They call it the Dog Star because of its position in Canis Major.” He swallowed audibly. “And you brought it up to save me from making a total awkward ass of myself while I tried to figure how to apologize again. You were right. I did push. I won’t do it again.” He brushed his lips against hers. “Thank you.”

  “Well, I’m not sure that’s what I had in mind. And I’m not quite as sure now that I was so right. Maybe I overreacted. I’ve just… gotten so used to being independent above all else. Yes, I’ve needed help, but I never took a handout. But this is different.” She ran her hands up and down his broad back. “And you are so tempting. But…”

  Charlie said, “There’s no rush.” He shoved a hand in his pocket and pulled out a key ring. “I have a real gift, but I wanted to show you this.”

  Grace tried to tell herself not to overreact all over again. Just wait.

  “Newport’s pretty boring now. And I loved renovating my house. So I’m going to take this key and I’m going to start a new project. Here in Memphis.” He shook his head. “It has very little to do with you. I was bored in Newport, convinced you guys were having a party without me. If I was here, you’d have to party with me.”

  He shook his head. “I’m going to tell my mom at the Christmas party. I’m going to stay at the first house we lived in, renovate it. Considering the shape it’s in now, that project should take a while to complete. And I’m looking forward to getting started. I won’t be at the hotel, but I will be here in Memphis. Day by day, I’ll be here.”

  Grace felt the flutter of happy nerves in her stomach. “You’ve surprised me, Charlie. And I would have doubted that was possible.”

  He laughed. “I’m glad. Maybe I can do the same for Willodean Jackson.” His smile disappeared. “I can’t believe we’re going to
be apart on Christmas. All week I’ve been looking forward to sharing the holiday with you.”

  The sinking feeling she’d had ever since she booked the ticket was back. She hated to miss the party. More than that, she hated to be away from Charlie this soon. And she desperately wished he could be with her for her return home. This trip to see her mother again after so long was absolutely one of the times she wished she had a partner to take on the world with her. But… she wasn’t ready to give up her independence completely. She could do this by herself. Showing up with Charlie would say to her mother and his, and probably the rest of the world, that this was a serious thing, like long-term serious. And she wasn’t ready for that pressure.

  So, to chase the sadness away, she ran her hands under his shirt, tracing her fingers around his waistband. “Let’s make the best use of our time, Charlie. Weddings tomorrow, but the rest of the time, it’s just you and me. Right?”

  She wanted more than a kiss from Charlie. And their conversations always went more smoothly when they weren’t talking.

  She stretched up and gave him an open-mouthed kiss, her lips light against his until he muttered a curse and took over. At first his lips were hard, demanding, but he pulled her body tight against his and softened the kiss. It became more of a seduction, his tongue a flirting tease that tempted her into responding. Each brush of her tongue against his sent a shock through her.

  She knew her fingernails were sharp points as she clutched his shoulders, but when he moved his hands over her hips, she couldn’t do anything but hold on to him for strength. He was the only thing left in the world at that point and she couldn’t let go.

  As he inched up her sweater, he pulled back to look into her eyes. She could see the question and hoped he could see the answer in her eyes. It was yes. Tonight, whatever he wanted, it was going to be yes. She owed him the words though. “Yes, Charlie. Straightforward. It’s yes.”

  He rested his forehead against hers. When Charlie gripped her thigh in his hand, his thumb a torment on the sensitive skin, Grace’s laugh was shaky.