Santa, Bring My Baby Back

by Cheryl Harper

  He brushed his lips against hers and said, “What’s funny? It’s you and me. I want to laugh too.” She rolled her head against his shoulder and shivered as he kissed a hot trail over her jaw and down her neck.

  “It’s just… words we have trouble with. This, though…”

  Charlie’s thumb swept higher on her thigh, grazing the seam of her jeans. His voice was harsh when he said, “This we’re pretty good at.”

  Grace laughed and then pushed back on his shoulders. Charlie took one step back, then another, and plopped down on the bed. He blinked up at her like he couldn’t quite figure out how he’d made it there, but he never let go. She was glad.

  Then Grace tilted her head back to look up at the ceiling. She squeezed her eyes shut, scrunched her face up, and waved her hands. Charlie didn’t laugh this time. And Grace decided to go for it. “Thank you for coming back, Charlie. Thank you for giving me one day.”

  He wrapped his hand around her nape and kissed her softly. “And another one tomorrow. And the day after that. I’m starting to believe those new days are never going to run out for us, Grace.” He shook his head. “It’s amazing.”

  For the first time, Grace wanted to make the plans she’d been so afraid of. Tomorrow was going to be a good day. She believed Charlie. And she believed he would help make every new day better.

  Chapter Fourteen

  * * *

  CHARLIE ROLLED TO a stop in front of the upscale restaurant, Luttrell’s, and wished he’d found a way to convince Grace to join him. He could then have taken her on to Sevierville, but committed to his promise to himself not to push her again, he’d only smiled as he’d left her apartment that morning. And he was trying to be happy about seeing her after Christmas. He had a few things to keep him busy anyway. First was taking care of his mother’s gift.

  He’d changed his mind at least once every hour since he’d managed to get Travis Luttrell on the phone, but once he’d set up this meeting, he couldn’t back down. It was time to face his past, maybe apologize if he could get it out, and put it all behind him. He didn’t want to drag around his guilt anymore. And he had to talk to Travis to understand everything that had happened, his part in it, and then… maybe make some amends there too.

  Damn it.

  As Charlie stepped into the beautiful restaurant, he thought he might see a bit of the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel spark here, but everything was starkly modern from the black brick floor to the silver fittings. Lush greenery and black-and-white photos reminded him of the hotel. These photos covered some of the country’s greats. He could see Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Patsy Cline photos on the walls. But there was still a nice tribute to the King of Rock and Roll in the form of black-and-white photos of Sun Studio on the wall of fame.

  He glanced down at his black pants and shirt and realized he fit right in. He tried to picture either Grace or his mother here and knew they would not be impressed, even though the backdrop would make them both shine.

  “Never thought I’d see you again.”

  Charlie turned to face the man he’d honestly hoped never to run into, especially like this, and held out his hand. “I bet. And you might want to sit down because I’m here to apologize.”

  Travis Luttrell, older but still as tall and energetic as Charlie remembered, sniffed as he looked down at Charlie’s hand like he was considering leaving him hanging. His blond hair showed some gray and he had a few more lines on his face, but the chef was tall and fit and the spark in his eye might have matched Willodean’s. Charlie tried to figure out what he’d do if Travis refused to talk but couldn’t come up with a new plan.

  Finally Travis sighed and shook Charlie’s hand with a punishing grip. Then he motioned over his shoulder. “Apologies are handled in my office. Come on back.”

  They wound their way back through the dark restaurant, and Charlie could hear clinks and clanks and shouts of a kitchen getting ready to open for dinner. They stepped into a small office, and Travis closed the door before he dropped into a chair behind a spotless desk.

  “Neither of you like cluttered desks, that’s for sure.”

  Travis raised an eyebrow but didn’t answer.

  Charlie sighed. “Fine. I’m an asshole. It’s a revelation that’s been sneaking up on me for a long time, but I’ve done my best to keep my head down and ignore it. I shouldn’t have accused you of being only after her money. I didn’t even know you. I shouldn’t have come between you. I was grown. My mother should… she should have had the chance to have everything she wanted.” He rubbed his hand over the crease in his brow. “But I just… I’d spent a long time trying to protect her, and I was worried.”

  He met Travis’s hard-to-read stare head on. “If it makes anything better, I’ve regretted my part in the divorce ever since I had a chance to cool down. That summer I left, I worked like a dog. And even after you two split and I went back to Memphis and the hotel, I could hardly face myself and the memories.”

  “But you’re just apologizing now.” Travis tapped a finger on the desk just like his mother did when she was thinking. Then he sighed. “And that sorta makes perfect sense to me, Charlie.”

  “It was hard to convince myself I was wrong.” Charlie rolled his eyes. “But I should have handled myself differently. I was young. Stupid. I have gotten a little wiser.”

  Neither one of them said anything for a long minute. Then Travis said, “There’s a girl, am I right?”

  Charlie snorted. “Is it that obvious?”

  “When you see an asshole converted right before your eyes, there’s usually a woman involved.” Travis shook his head. “But you… I understand making a mistake and not wanting to face it. I should never have given up so easily, but it was easy to blame you and blame her and then regret leaving for… what’s it been? Twelve years since the divorce? Living with her was exciting, but it was a constant battle too. We didn’t see eye to eye on some important stuff, and I could never learn when to pick my battles.”

  Charlie watched Travis’s serious face and had the flash of understanding that his experience could teach him a lot about what not to do with Grace.

  Travis leaned back in the chair. “Guess I’m an asshole too, one that doesn’t know how to say sorry.” He held out his hand. “Maybe I’ll take a page from your book. ’Course, it’s not you that deserves the apology, is it? Even after it ended, I still think Willodean was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  Charlie shook his hand and said, “This girl, she mentioned how women love grand gestures. This is my shot at giving my mother the grandest. I’ve got a hotel room reserved for the next week. If you’d like, you can use it, come and see what’s changed. Maybe… I don’t know, maybe you two could catch up.”

  “Catch up? We’re different people now, Charlie.” But the look on Travis’s face said he wouldn’t mind the chance.

  “Is that your wife?” Charlie pointed to a framed newspaper article on the wall. It was a local celebrity kind of piece with a photo of Travis and a pretty blonde seated at the restaurant bar.

  “Ex-wife as of almost two years now.”

  Charlie glanced at his watch. “I know you’ve got to get ready for dinner, but I appreciate you taking the time, Travis.” He stood. “I hope you’ll think about coming for a visit.”

  Travis stood too. “Willodean… she’d hold a pretty mean grudge, I guess.” He shook his head. “I’ll never forget the way she nearly brained me with my own frying pan when I told her what I thought about your outburst.” He rubbed his neck.

  Charlie laughed. “Yeah, she’s pretty good at letting you know immediately how she feels, not nursing grudges. I don’t know how much it matters, but I just learned that the meat loaf Sal makes special for me every visit is your recipe. All the crowd favorites at Viva Las Vegas are yours. Still on the menu.”

  “That must have burned.” Travis’s face showed an amused satisfaction.

  “Not gonna lie. That meat loaf sat like a boulder on my stomach for
a while. Next time I had the chance, though, I forgot all about it.” Charlie shook his head. “You were talented, but I didn’t want to see that. I’m sorry again. The world needs that meat loaf in it.” This time the apology came easier. He wondered if he was getting the hang of it.

  Travis gripped the armrest of his chair. “Well, as long as we’re sharing our souls, there might have been some truth to what you said. I might have pursued Willodean for what she could bring me. Viva Las Vegas was the chance I’d been looking for and she gave it to me. I loved her for that. But you know this. There’s something special about Willodean Holloway, something that you don’t find anywhere else. At least, I haven’t been able to.”

  Charlie thought about correcting Travis about his mother’s last name, but he did not want to get into what happened after their divorce or Howard Jackson since things seemed to be going so well. He already felt lighter, better, like maybe this time when he walked into the lobby of the Rock’n’Rolla Hotel he could see it for the place it was today and not his past mistakes.

  “Think about coming for a visit. I know restaurants are busy places, even at Christmas, but I think she’d be happy to see you. Sal definitely would and he’s my meat loaf supplier so I’m interested in his happiness.”

  Travis didn’t look convinced but he slowly nodded. “I’ll give it some thought, Charlie. It’s not every day a man gets a chance to correct his mistakes.”

  “I know that’s the truth.” Charlie thought about asking Travis if his mother had been easy to get over. He didn’t want to know the answer. If Grace never settled, if she never decided to stick here with him, he’d have to do some serious getting over her. One look at Travis’s thoughtful face and he had the idea that some women were impossible to get over. It didn’t surprise him that his mother was one. She changed people. He had a feeling Grace would be the same. And he felt another sympathetic tie to Travis Luttrell.

  “This girl, the one who’s giving you all the good advice… she sounds a little like your mother.”

  Charlie nodded. “Yeah, well… it’s too late to let that stop me, you know? She’s not logical, she’s not easy, and she doesn’t follow direction. Plus, I think she’s really getting into Elvis.”

  “But she’s exciting. And beautiful. And worth it.” Travis clapped one hand on his shoulder. “You miserable man. Good luck with that. You’ll never get over her, so be careful not to lose her.”

  They walked out of the restaurant together.

  “When you come back through town, stop in for dinner. I think you’ll like the menu.” Travis rocked back on his heels to look up at the sky. “Looks like snow coming in.”

  Charlie nodded. “Hope it waits until after Christmas. Got a lot of miles to cover still.” And he wanted Grace back in Memphis before they were snowed in. “I’ll be back for dinner tonight. I’m in town until Christmas Eve.”

  Travis frowned.

  Charlie shrugged. “There’s a small research lab I want to take a look at.”

  “At Christmas? All right, Scrooge McMinn.”

  Charlie laughed. “They won’t be complaining once I write the check.”

  Travis laughed. “I guess not.”

  “Will we see you this week?” Charlie wasn’t sure what he hoped for, a yes or no. This might be his best lesson in trusting the journey. He fought down the urge to tell Travis what he should do.

  “Could be. Maybe I’ll come down the chimney like Santa.” Travis said, “Won’t that be special?”

  Charlie shook his hand again. “I have a feeling that won’t be the only special thing this Christmas.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  * * *

  GRACE DID HER best to ignore Lucky’s impatient waving from the stage. It was past time for her to step up there and sing for the staff gathered in Viva Las Vegas. There were only a few guests in the hotel on Christmas Eve, and the restaurant was closed for this special Christmas party. Everyone was there. Willodean had hired caterers so the waitstaff and kitchen staff all had the night off. The music had been loud, all Elvis’s hits, but now Lucky had taken the stage.

  She was happy she’d changed her plans. She’d waved good-bye to Willodean and gotten on the bus determined to prove her independence by enjoying a visit with her family without the pressure of having to prove herself. No matter what her mother believed, she was good at her job and she was going to keep it.

  But before they’d reached the first stop, the overwhelming feeling of homesickness that hit any time she thought about the hotel was impossible to ignore. She wanted to be home for the holiday. And that meant Memphis. And Charlie. Even before she’d made it to Jackson, she’d called her mother to explain her change of plans and Willodean to see if she could get a ride home.

  She hadn’t called Charlie. She hoped he’d be pleasantly surprised.

  “We’ve got a special treat. Miss Grace Andersen’s going to do a song or two.” He motioned toward her, and the whole room turned to see where she was. With a sigh, she moved through the crowd even as she wondered what had happened to Charlie. She smoothed nervous hands over the skirt of her red dress.

  “All right. How about some Christmas fun?” Grace said after she stepped up and took the mic. When “Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me” played, she sang for all she was worth. She pulled from her acting experience, her modeling experience, and even her event planning experience and sang and danced with Lucky and pretended that she had the holiday spirit, even though it all felt wrong without Charlie.

  She could see couples dancing at the bottom of the stage. KT and Laura bopped, Tony and Randa did an awkward sway, Mike and Cat the bartender barely moved as they stared into each other’s eyes. It is like Noah’s ark in here, she thought as she searched for Willodean and Misty in the room.

  Lucky spun her around once violently as the song came to an end, and loud cheers from his girlfriend broke through the applause.

  Grace tried to catch her breath as she watched Lucky vault off the stage to stop the cheers. “I have one more song, a special request from a friend,” she said and added through gritted teeth, “who is not here…”

  Just as Charlie walked in. Even more surprising, he was wearing his gold lamé jacket and slicked-back hairdo. He looked surprised to see her on the stage, but his smile grew as she waved. Willodean and Misty were at his side. Willodean was as pleased as could be, and her green sequined dress sparkled like her eyes. Even Misty seemed to be wearing a huge doggy grin as she sat on Charlie’s foot.

  “Sorry, everybody,” he said as he smiled at her, “snow’s here a little sooner than expected. Took me a little bit longer than I thought, but I wouldn’t miss this.”

  She felt the weird lurch of anticipation at the word snow. Or maybe it was the look in Charlie’s eyes or the new lightness in the way he walked. Something was different, and she was happy to see it.

  Grace said, “All right. This one’s something you can dance to.”

  Grace sang “Hound Dog” with everything she had and laughed along with everyone who watched Charlie spin his mother in a circle around a very drowsy Misty. She hadn’t thought he had it in him, but the smile on his face and the laughter in Willodean’s voice were priceless.

  Breathless, she handed Lucky the microphone and floated down the stairs, the adrenaline rush of standing on the stage and the excitement of seeing Charlie again all rolled up into one big fluffy ball of excitement.

  “All right, now that we’re all here, we can get to the main event…” Lucky’s voice trailed off and everyone swiveled to see what he was staring at. Grace could see an older blond man covered in snow hovering in the door to the restaurant. “Travis, is that you? Travis Luttrell?”

  Viva Las Vegas was probably almost never silent, but everyone in the room froze then turned to see Willodean’s reaction. She sounded shocked as she said, “Travis, what are you doing here?” She took two steps toward him and then came to a stop with her hands on her hips.

  “Charlie invited me for a v
isit.” Travis shoved his hands in his pockets. “Thought I’d take him up on it. Didn’t know there’d be a blizzard too. Looks like I may be snowed in for a bit.” He shrugged a shoulder, and they all watched snow fall off to land on the floor with a wet plop.

  Willodean crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, now, ain’t that some kind of thing.”

  Travis stepped closer and bent to kiss her cheek. “I’ve missed you, Willy.” He took one of her hands in his. “You’re still wearing the emerald I got you. And I always did like you in green, matches your eyes.”

  When Willodean blushed a bright red, Grace wanted to do something, anything to break the tension in the room, but she like everyone else was frozen to the spot.

  Eventually Sal crossed the room with his hand held out. There was general manly back slapping for a minute and then Willodean glanced back at Travis. Grace couldn’t tell what she thought about the latest arrival at first. Then Willodean swung around to look at Charlie.

  “You just can’t leave it alone, can you?” She shook her finger at him. “You just got to be doing something all the time.”

  Grace met Charlie’s satisfied smile with one of her own. “You were listening. Very nice grand gesture.”

  He kissed her lips and nodded like he’d known all along just the right thing to do. Helpless man. He was so cute when he was cluelessly cocky. “This one was all for me. But the look on her face was pretty priceless.”

  Willodean put one hand on Misty’s head and said, “Travis, I’d dearly love to show you all the changes we’ve made, but we got a party to finish first.” Then she turned back to Lucky on the stage and shot him a “get on with it or else” look.

  Lucky cleared his throat. “Ah, well, now we all know Christmas is a time for miracles. Lord knows it’s a miracle I’ve made it to this one myself.” He glanced down at his schoolteacher girlfriend and waved at her. “Another one we’re about to witness is a wedding.”