The server took their menus and left.
“I googled you,” she admitted.
“I googled you immediately after we spoke on the phone the first time.”
She tilted her head. Of course, he had. She met his amused gaze, and sure enough her stomach dipped. “And what did you learn about me?” she asked.
“That one of the first things you’re going to need is a website.”
“You’re right,” she agreed.
“Has the expense held you back?”
She took a minute to think about her reply. “I may have told myself that, but the holdup is more than the money involved. Putting Puppy Love out there for the world to find will make it all very real.”
“You said your family isn’t supportive.”
“My father wanted me to join his law firm. My sister, Camille doesn’t think I’m living up to my potential.”
“What about your mom?”
“She is more understanding, but doesn’t go against the grain. Just once I’d love it if she stood up for me.”
“Seems like you’ve learned to stand up for yourself, though. I mean, here you are.”
“Here I am.” She gave him a plucky smile. “Go me.” He hadn’t asked her, and she appreciated his restraint. “If I decline your offer, will you still drive to Nebraska with us?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation. She really liked this guy. And she trusted him. She was scared, but he was so self-assured and capable that she didn’t want him to think she was incompetent or incapable. It shouldn’t matter what he thought of her, but it did. She wasn’t making this choice to impress him. She was making it because his ideas for the grand scope of this project were everything she hadn’t dared to dream. Her heartrate amped up. “I’ve made my decision, and I’ll work with your lawyer and contracts person to refine the details. We have a deal.”
He grinned and extended his hand over the tabletop. “All right. I’m confident this is going to be a rewarding and profitable relationship.”
His hand was warm and strong, and her cheeks heated at the touch. She withdrew her hand and tucked it in her lap.
“What prompted your decision?” he asked.
“It’s been my dream for a long time to save as many dogs as I can. I can’t rescue as many alone as I can with your backing and a staff. It would take me years to even come close to operating a facility like you talked about. With this project, we can really make a difference, even educate people. And I had an idea.”
“What is it?”
“What if we find someone to make a documentary of this project? It could start small, maybe with a couple of high school or college kids to film this week’s rescue, but later we could develop it.”
“Natalie, that’s brilliant.”
His excitement validated her suggestion. She felt almost giddy at his praise.
The server set their meals in front of them. Her salad was mouth-wateringly beautiful, and she thanked the young man. She was alternately buoyed by the prospect of these concepts and dismayed by the enormity and responsibility.
Avery picked up his fork and tasted his salmon. “Perfection.”
They discussed numbers, tax obligations, licenses, permits, and so many numerous essentials that their plates had been cleared away long ago and Avery had purchased a bottle of champagne to celebrate. He had the bill put on his room tab.
Natalie was on her second glass, not remembering when she’d enjoyed herself as much. For now, his company overshadowed her concern over how intimidating this partnership was.
“What did you discover about me?” he asked.
“That you’re thirty-five. You were a fireman in Texas, which surprises me. I don’t hear a drawl.”
“I wasn’t born in the Lonestar state. I moved there after the academy and was at a station for about ten years.”
“So, where’s your family?”
“Oregon. My mom’s a retired police officer and my dad’s an engineer.”
“You live in Colorado though.”
“Yes. What else did you discover?”
“That you’ve participated in the Paralympics. I found a couple of videos too. I’m kind of astounded by the strength that has to take. You must do a lot of training.”
He shrugged. “I do two-hour road training sessions each evening and biweekly weight lifting. On weekends my team trains at the velodrome.”
“Velodrome?”
“It’s an outdoor concrete track at the USOPC facility in Colorado Springs.”
“I take it that’s an Olympic training facility?”
He nodded.
It made sense that he lived in Colorado. “That’s pretty amazing, especially since it’s at what—six thousand feet elevation?”
He chuckled. “It takes some getting used to and a lot of hydrating.”
“Will you compete next time?”
He leaned forward with his elbows on the table and laced his fingers. “I’m not sure. I’ve met with several recently-injured young people who are coming through rehabilitation and looking at what their lives are going to be like. There are resources available for physical and psychological therapy and for adapting their environments. I’m interested in training those who are or who want to become athletes.”
The guy’s modesty was as impressive as his accomplishments. He’d said nothing about a wife or a girlfriend, and she’d seen nothing in the articles she’d read. His time certainly seemed to be his own. The champagne might have loosened her inhibitions, because curiosity overcame discomfort. “Are you…do you have someone special at home?”
“Like a wife?” he asked.
“Or a girlfriend?”
“No. Neither.”
“A boyfriend then?”
He raised an eyebrow. “No.”
“I’m sorry. Was that too forward?”
“It’s perfectly fine. People are curious about a guy in a wheelchair. I get it.”
“No.” She held up her hand. “No, it’s not like that. I wasn’t prying or curious about…well about….” Her cheeks were blisteringly warm.
“My sex life?”
“No!” Natalie glanced aside and, thankfully, no one was paying them any attention. She rested an elbow on the table and shaded her eyes with her hand. “I’m sorry I asked. Very sorry. I definitely wasn’t asking that.”
“It’s okay,” he said easily, and she lowered her hand to venture a glance at him. “I was engaged when the accident happened. My fiancé stuck with me for a few months, probably hoping I wasn’t going to be disabled for life, but when the prognosis proved otherwise, she didn’t stick around. I pretended to take it in stride, like everything else, but it was a wound. A pretty deep one.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said again.
“At least we weren’t married. She moved on. Afterward I had something to prove to myself.”
“Did you?”
“I’m still the same person. My circumstances and my life are different. I’m good with who I am.”
She acknowledged his words with a smile and took a sip of her champagne.
“And for the record, even though you didn’t ask, I can still have sex.”
Natalie choked on that last sip, covered her mouth with her napkin and sputtered a cough. :0
Chapter Five
“Are you all right, miss?” The server was at her side, concern etching his brow.
“I’m fine.” She waved him away. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
Avery’s amused expression might have irritated her, but instead she laughed and touched her chilled glass to her cheek. “When you woke up this morning, did you say to yourself, ‘I’m going to find a way to mortify that dog woman?’”
“Not at all. But your reaction was priceless. In fact, wish I had something more revealing to add.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Can’t. You already know everything about me.”
She shook her head. “Boxers or briefs?”
“Oh, I draw the line there.”
“That’s too personal?”
“What does the rest of your day look like?”
She glanced at her phone. “I need to get back and take care of the dogs pretty soon.”
“Would you consider coming back to join me for dinner?”
His question surprised her, but she felt giddy at the prospect.
“Not to discuss business,” he added. “To get to know each other better. If you’re interested.”
She would have a few hours before she had to get back for the dogs’ evening care. “I’m interested.”
“I can make reservations somewhere in town or here in The Gold Room.” His gray eyes held a question. “Or I can order and we can share a meal in my suite.”
It had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to consider a relationship. She didn’t remember ever feeling this off-balance or flattered or excited at the prospect of a date. Avery Sawyer might be too good to be true. She wondered when she might learn something to burst this bubble of anticipation.
“I don’t want to risk our partnership on a few meals together that might not turn out as expected,” she answered. “I don’t know that it’s wise to mix business and….”
“I don’t want to risk our partnership either,” he agreed.
“But I really want to see you for dinner,” she blurted. He was staying until Friday, but then he would go home to his life and she’d never know what she’d missed out on.
“Why don’t we agree to keep our dinner casual then?” he suggested. “We’ll have dinner in the Gold Room at seven.”
She picked up her purse and pushed back her chair to stand. “All right.”
He rolled his chair back away from the table and followed her through the tables to the hall that led to the lobby.
“Thank you for lunch,” she said.
“Thank you. I’ll see you this evening.”
Her heels clicked against the polished wood floor as she made her way to the lobby. She resisted turning back to see if he was watching her. She felt alive and eager about the evening, about the rescue Friday. The unexpected change that was coming into her life unnerved her, but their deal would change her life and the lives of many abused and neglected pets.
She wished her optimism wasn’t weighted by self-doubt. If it wasn’t she was sure she could fly.
* *
Natalie studied herself in her bedroom mirror. She’d kicked off her wet boots outside, but leggings, baggy socks and a bleach-speckled Bon Jovi t-shirt were how the dogs and the volunteers saw her dressed every day. She groaned and headed for the shower.
Forty-five minutes later, she inspected the third outfit she’d considered. The Aspen Gold Lodge was an elite hotel with five-star restaurants. She owned very few items of clothing that met the standards. This form-fitting black sheath made her uncomfortable, but it was exactly the classy dress she needed. She remembered a short green suede jacket her sister had cast off and she’d never worn. It looked perfect and trendy over the dress. Four pair of shoes later, she added jewelry and switched to a small handbag. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d curled her hair. Was this too much?
If she didn’t stop questioning herself, she’d be late, and that would be worse than a style faux pa, so she gave the dogs dental chews and got in her vehicle. She didn’t own a coat nice enough, but the evening temperature was moderate.
At the lodge, an attendant opened her door under the canopy and she headed up the stairs and into the lobby.
“Miss Jordan?”
A slender young man in a navy suit stood just inside the door.
“Yes.”
He extended an elbow. “Mr. Sawyer asked me to escort you to dinner.”
The man was full of surprises. She allowed the young man to show her to the Gold Room and the table where Avery waited. He wore a black suit and bright blue tie. His sparkling gray gaze took in her hair and dress, and his appreciative smile assured her she’d chosen the right apparel.
The young man held her chair and discreetly disappeared.
Natalie rested her handbag on the table.
“You look incredible,” her date said.
Her heart fluttered. “Thank you. No one could guess I’d washed out kennels this afternoon?”
“No one.”
Her meal was enjoyable, but spending time with Avery gave was the best part of her evening. He was witty and fascinating. She loved hearing about his experiences and listening to his answers to her questions. She admired his energy, but mostly his confidence. It became clear he liked challenges, but needed order.
After they’d eaten, he suggested they go outdoors to the gardens, where she walked beside his chair and they admired the fragrant night, the stars and the moon shining on the lake in the distance. They stopped in a circle of stone benches, and she sat.
“I really want to kiss you,” he half-whispered, his low-keyed voice a silky invitation.
He turned his chair so he could get closer and extended his hand, palm up.
She took his hand and leaned forward. She’d been thinking of kissing him the whole time too. Expectantly, her breath caught in her chest.
Their lips met, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The kiss was hesitant at first, a gentle test, but soon deepened. She rested her palm along his jaw, losing herself in the exultant sensation of his lips against hers. He smelled good, wonderful actually, faintly like cedar and sandalwood.
He inched back a fraction and tilted his head, kissing the corner of her mouth, her chin and brought his attention back to her lips. “You’re so beautiful,” he said against her lips, unmistakably moved. “No matter what you’re wearing, you take my breath away.”
She dropped her handbag on the bench, freeing both hands to bracket his face and lose herself in this moment.
As though reading her mind, he said, “You can sit on my lap if you want.”
She didn’t need any more encouragement. Ss soon as she nestled herself on his thighs, he wrapped his arms around her and their breathing mingled as she took in his features in the moonlight. “You’re too good to be real,” she said on a sigh.
“I’m real,” he assured her. “Are you scared?”
“Terrified.”
“Of me?”
She ran a thumb over his lower lip. “Of how fast this is happening. I’ve never felt like this before.”
“I believe it’s a good thing,” he said. “I don’t want to waste time.”
She kissed him gently. “I don’t want to make a mistake.”
“I keep thinking how we might never have met if I hadn’t traded business cards with Jackson Samuels a year ago. What are the chances?”
“We wouldn’t have known the difference,” she said. “But if something happened now, I’d be lost. I don’t want to let you down.”
“You couldn’t let me down.”
“I could,” she disagreed. “I’ve let a lot of people down.”
“Like who?”
She took her hands from his face and sat up. “My father. My sister. My husband.”
“From what you’ve told me, Natalie, they let you down by not believing in you. By not trusting in your choices or caring about your happiness. You father wanted you to be someone you’re not. It seems as though your sister supports that. I don’t know what your husband’s deal was, but I do know he didn’t deserve you.”
An ache rose in her chest and threatened with tears. She blinked hard and swallowed, but a tiny sob escaped her lips.
He rested a hand on her shoulder. “Why are you crying?”
“Because I’ve always felt I never lived up to anyone’s expectations. Even when I defied my father, I’ve kept my own expectations manageable. I’m not fearless like you.”
“I’m not fearless,” he told her. “What I have is a new outlook on life.
Live it. Enjoy it. Take risks, because you don’t know what’s going to happen next. I don’t want to miss out of the good things. Like you.” She ran his fingers through her hair over her shoulder and brought a tress to his nose. “I don’t want to miss out on you.”
She kissed him hard, thankful for whatever twist of fate had brought him to Spencer and into her life. Nothing was a guarantee. She’d been playing it safe. Wisdom and caution were often important, but sometimes taking a chance was the smartest choice.
“How soon will the paperwork be here so I can read it over?” she asked.
“Detour,” he commented.
“I want the ink on those contracts dry, so we both know where we stand and can move forward. We can be so much more than partners, but the reason we met was business, so let’s finish that first.”
She kissed him and stood.
He reached for her hand. “I’m not going to let you down either.”
His words were a sultry promise she intended to make him keep.
* *
Avery had emailed contracts. She’d made corrections and suggestions and sent them back. His legal team was savvy and he’d obviously outlined many of the clauses, because she didn’t find anything to quibble about in the final version. Papers were quickly filed.
Friday’s journey, after learning the total number of dogs, discovering the cruel conditions and the many ailments had been exhausting. Avery stayed in the barn late that night, he and the extra workers tending to animals.
Ten dogs had needed to remain at Jackson’s for critical care. Avery had expedited financing for medications, x-rays, food and additional kennels.
Duncan and a couple of his high school friends had each taken home a puppy to foster for a few weeks. Jackson had asked a couple of friends, too, and once all those pups were a few weeks older, they could come back.
Natalie had brought home a very pregnant miniature short-haired dachshund with
dappled fur. And just in time, too, because the mother gave birth in a pen in Natalie’s kitchen that night.
She and Avery marveled at the six tiny creatures with little pink noses and paws. Avery could have held them all in one hand.
Yesterday's Promise Page 4
