by V. Vaughn
The shattering of a glass makes me jump, and I lift my head to see what happened. I spot a lusciously round ass on a woman who has bent over to pick up the pieces. When the waitress stands up, a long ponytail of dark curls spills down her back, and I recognize those curves better than the notes of my first hit single. Holy shit. It’s Mandy.
Her big brown eyes, eyes that have inspired many of my lyrics, widen when she catches me watching her. She glances away and grabs a broom to sweep up the mess. I watch every little movement of her body, and a deep-seated, primal need for her rises in me. My panther doesn’t give a shit about social norms when it comes to Mandy, and it’s all I can do to keep from growling out loud from physical desire.
I swear Mandy’s wolf wants to torture my panther when she saunters our way. She stops at my table and pulls out a little order pad and pen.
My throat is suddenly dryer than sawdust. Good god, she’s drop-dead sexy even in the plain waitress uniform. Her shirt gapes just wide enough to show impressive cleavage I want to bury my face in.
I smile, and for the first time in years, my inner panther is happy. Truly joyful. He’s so excited he wants to shift immediately and sniff his… mate?
My panther is such a sap when it comes to Mandy, and I push his thoughts aside as I stare at her. “Hey, babe,” I say in my sexiest voice.
She doesn’t smile. Or even blink. Her voice is completely casual when she asks, “Would you like some coffee?”
Confused, I raise one eyebrow. “How’ve you been?”
“I’m fine.”
It’s not that I expected her to yell at me; that’s not Mandy’s way. But I didn’t think she’d be so unfazed by what happened in Vegas. I did slink off like the cat I am. I ask, “What have you been doing?”
She gestures with her arms. “This. I’ve been doing this. Why?”
Her defensiveness is a good sign. It means the woman cares enough to react. It also makes me realize what she thinks of me matters more than I’d like to admit. “It’s good to see you again,” I say to her, trying to mask the confusion swirling around in my head right now. I give her my crooked smile. Back when were a thing she told me it made her weak. It was why I made it something I do to women. “Maybe we can hang out sometime now that I’m home.”
She laughs. “Your signature smile is wasted on me.” She tilts her head. “Even if at one time it used to work for me. Nice try, though.”
I open my mouth to blurt out that I haven’t been with anyone in a while, that I got sick of banging groupies many years ago. The whole ordeal was so superficial and meaningless that I decided I’d rather be alone than have a long line of beautiful women just warming my bed for a night or two. But I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear it, so I just stay quiet.
“I’ll get you that coffee.”
“Can I get the double cheeseburger and fries as well?”
She scribbles it down on her pad and walks away.
I watch her leave, and damn, do I enjoy the view of her backside swaying. One I’m not going to be able to caress any time soon. Of course, that just makes me want her more. It also makes me realize how strong my attraction to Mandy is.
I’m telling ya, she’s our mate, bro.
“Hmpf,” My panther has been known to say anything he thinks I’ll buy to get what he wants.
Don’t bro me. I want her too. But the lady said no. I believe that’s something we have to honor.
His low growl rumbles through my chest. She wants us. She just doesn’t know it yet.
I chuckle at him. And this is why my human side has control.
But it does occur to me that Mandy’s rejection bothers me for more than just physical reasons. I miss her. I’ve missed her smart mouth and the way she didn’t just love me for my charm. I think I knew it in Vegas, and it might be why I couldn’t face saying goodbye. I still love her. I’m pretty sure I never stopped. I want her back, but I have no idea how I’m going to win her heart. Or if she’ll even let me try.
Chapter 3
MANDY
I can’t believe Griffin Talbot is in my diner eating a cheeseburger and fries as if it’s just some random Thursday afternoon.
I peer out through the kitchen door at him again. Jesus. He’s as unbelievably hot as he’s ever been. Maybe more so. Soft dark hair made for running through with fingers, startling green eyes, chiseled facial features, with just the right amount of scruff on his chin. He’s wearing a tight white t-shirt that shows off his tattooed, muscular arms. And I imagine if he stood, those jeans of his would be slung low, teasing the sexy line down to his groin.
Mate!! I want to mate! Now!
My wolf is going nuts. She wants out now to mate with him. A small piece of me would love to get him into bed too. It’s been a long six years without sex, but there’s no way that’s going to happen. I’ve got too much baggage where Griffin is concerned, and another roll in the hay with him would do way more damage than it’s worth.
Hillary pushes through the door to the kitchen, nearly bonking me in the head. Her shift started a few minutes ago. “Oh my God, did you see who’s out there? Griffin Talbot! He is way sexier in person.” She pumps her eyebrows at me. “And you should’ve seen the look he gave you when you walked away from his table. Holy moly!” She fans her face with her hand.
She eyes me as I pace back and forth chewing on my thumbnail. “Why aren’t you out there flirting with him? If I wasn’t a happily married woman, I’d be all over that in a second.”
“We used to date back in high school, twelve years ago,” I say.
Her eyes widen, and then she grins. “Really? Wow! Did he look like that?”
I nod. “Pretty much, just not all the tattoos. Or the swagger. He was a bit more grounded back then.”
Hillary rubs a hand over her swollen pregnant belly. “He’s so hot he’s making my baby move.” She chuckles. “God, I can’t wait to take maternity leave. Maybe then my feet will stop hurting.”
I shake my head at her. “Dream on, girl. We both know you’re not going to be sitting around when the baby’s born. You’ve got another kid to chase around.”
She chuckles as I peek out the door at Griffin again and sigh. Why does he have to be so damn good looking?
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just that the last time I saw him he was a jerk and…”
“You still like him anyway.”
I shrug. “Something like that. But believe me, getting back together with him would be a huge mistake.”
“So, let me get this straight. You still have feelings for him, and the man drools over your ass. He’s back in town, a place where you two could talk and work out your differences, and you still don’t want anything to do with him.”
I give her a smirk, recalling how she felt when her mate, Alec, came back after his knee injury ruined his football career. “Sound familiar?”
“It does. You know second chances can be life changing, though. It might be worth giving Griffin a chance to make up for whatever he did wrong.”
I accidentally bite down on my thumb too hard when she says that. I gave him a second chance, and that’s how I ended up with Daniel. But Hillary doesn’t know that. I haven’t told her. I haven’t told anyone who Daniel’s father is. I’ve kept the secret for so long that it eats away at my heart every day. Hillary is a good friend and the kind of person I can tell, though.
“I need to tell you something,” I say.
She softens. “You know you can tell me anything.”
“Ladies if you’re going to keep chatting, can you do it somewhere else besides my busy kitchen?”
I look over at Tony, the cook, and wave my hand. “Yeah, yeah, we’re going.” I grab Hillary’s hand and pull her out the back door and into the alley. The alley has become our confessional booth. Hillary used it to confide in me about Alec, and I’m going to do her the same courtesy. It’s time.
“What I’m going to tell you, you can’t tell anyone, not even
Alec.”
She nods. “I promise your secret will die with me.”
“Griffin is Daniel’s father.”
Her mouth gapes open. “What? Are you serious?” Then she frowns. “But Daniel’s only five.”
“About six years ago, I went to Griffin when he was on tour, certain that he was my mate and we should be together forever… blah, blah, blah. Anyway, we hooked up for a night in Vegas.” I kick at a rock on the ground. “Obviously, the rest is a lesson in sex education.” I shake my head. “I was such a fool. I thought the reunion was something more than it was. But when I suggested he was my mate, Griffin assured me it was just sex for him.”
“Wow,” Hillary touches my arm, and I see compassion in her eyes. “Mandy…”
I pull away. “You can’t tell anyone, Hillary. I’m serious. No one else knows. No one.”
“So, you never did tell Daniel’s father?”
She’s talking about how, when she was getting back together with Alec, I admitted to her that Daniel’s father didn’t know about him. She pushed me to tell him, and I told her I would. “No. I never did.”
She lets out a long sigh. “Even if he was a jerk, he has a right to know, Mandy.” She gives me a sympathetic smile. “But I know you know that. Can I do anything to help? Watch Daniel for you sometime so you and Griffin can talk?”
“Thanks for the offer. The thing is I’m afraid to tell him. Originally it was because I didn’t want him to think I purposely set out to get pregnant to trap him and get money.”
She grabs my hand and squeezes my fingers. “That excuse is long gone. And if he knew you at all, he’d have never thought that. Besides the past six years have proven that isn’t the case.”
“I know. And now I’m afraid to tell him after all this time because he’s going to be pissed it took me so long.”
“Maybe. But this is something you need to get in front of because he’s going to find out you have a son and... those eyes.”
I groan. “I know. Why couldn’t Daniel have gotten my brown ones instead of such distinctive panther green ones?”
Hillary pulls me to her and hugs me. “No matter what happens, Daniel loves you. I love you. Hell, even Tony loves you even if he does yell at us all the time. We’ve got your back, girl.”
Her embrace warms my heart. “Thanks.”
She pulls back to look at me with a serious gaze. “Griffin might freak out, but at least you won’t have to carry around the secret anymore. You’ll be free of it, and I bet you’ll find a huge weight is lifted off your shoulders when you are.”
Hillary’s right, I do need to tell him. I’ve carried the secret for way too long, and it’s time to do the right thing.
She puts her arm around me. “C’mon, let’s share a piece of that delicious banana cream pie Tony just made. It’ll make you feel better.”
I chuckle. “I’m thinking it will make you feel better.”
She rubs her belly again. “Maybe.” Then she laughs.
We go back into the diner, and I take in a deep breath and blow it out slowly as I determine how best to face the music.
Chapter 4
GRIFFIN
“So, you’ll think about it?”
I nod at Jane, the mayor of Heartland. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
She stands. “Thank you. I’ll let you finish your meal. It must be hard to be so famous that everyone’s hanging around all the time asking you for autographs and pictures.”
“It comes with the territory. I’m used to it.”
“Call my office and let me know.” She raps her knuckles on the table and then returns to her seat at the lunch counter. Her companions immediately jump on her, I imagine, to ask her about what my answer was.
I smile to myself as I finish my burger and the last of the fries. I’m not surprised that she came over to talk to me, but the fact she led with a request for me to sing at a concert for charity threw me for a loop. I told her I’d think about it. And I will. I actually enjoy doing charity concerts. It’s refreshing to perform for people who wouldn’t normally get to one of my concerts and with nothing in it for me or my business team other than the feel-good factor.
I smile at the couple in the booth across from me. People in the diner are still pointing and whispering about me. It doesn’t bother me. I actually find it amusing. I’ve always liked being the center of attention. Even though I’ve sung to tens of thousands of people in giant arenas, being famous is still a trip for me. I try to not to take it for granted, but sometimes it’s hard when people are giving you free things and offering you the best seats at sporting events and fancy restaurants. And the women… Well, the attention keeps my panther happy.
I figure everyone in town will get used to me being here soon, and I’ll be okay when that happens. I need my life to settle down so I can rediscover the man I was twelve years ago before I became Griffin Talbot, the rock star. While I’m literally a million times richer and obviously mega-famous, deep down I think I’m still the same guy who recorded YouTube videos of myself playing acoustic guitar and singing covers of Coldplay and Foo Fighters songs.
That was actually how I got discovered. Someone played one of my videos to an executive at Rock Recordings, and they tracked me down. I signed with them eight months later. It’s been a crazy, fast-paced life since then, and I feel like I dropped a few balls along the way. But now that I’m back in Heartland, I’m going to get my head straight.
The kitchen door swings open, and when Mandy walks through it, I smile because our relationship is the first thing I need to fix. I study every inch of her that I can as she walks my way.
She asks, “Do you need anything else?”
“Just your phone number.” I give her a sly grin.
She cocks an eyebrow at me. “Really? That’s what you’ve got for me? Some lame line?”
“I’ve got a lot more for you if you’ll tell me what time you get off work.”
She shakes her head and rips my check off the pad of paper, slapping it down on the table. “I’m not one of your groupies, Griffin.”
“Oh, believe me, I know that.” I reach for her hand before she walks away again. “Meet me after work, please. I’d like to talk.”
“We’re talking now.”
“What I have to say is better suited in private.”
She pulls her hand away, but not before I get a chance to see that there isn’t a ring on her finger. It isn’t a husband waiting at home that’s preventing her from talking to me. But maybe she has a boyfriend. It wouldn’t surprise me. I mean, she’s gorgeous, and smart, and funny. Any man would be crazy not to snatch her up.
“It’s not going to happen. I need to get home after work.”
“You have a man waiting for you?”
She doesn’t respond, and I wonder if that’s it.
“None of your business, even if I did.”
She walks away but then stops and turns. I think she’s about to say something to me, but then she shakes her head and continues on back through the kitchen door.
I sag against the back of the booth. I suppose I should have expected the cold shoulder from her. I did act like an ass last time we were together. She came to me with her heart in her hand, and I disregarded it. I behaved like the philandering musician every gossip magazine makes me out to be.
But I’m not that guy, not anymore anyway. I’ll admit that at first I was headed down that path, soaking up all that was laid out before me because of my fame. But it’s a course I’ve since corrected. I’m back to being the caring down-to-earth guy she loved in high school. Maybe I need to figure out how to show her.
First though, I need to find out if she’s single. And once I do, I need to ask her out properly.
Then, we marry her! And mate for life!
I shake my head at my panther’s enthusiasm. I’m not too sure about that last part. Although I want Mandy back in my life, thinking about mating is getting way ahead of ourselves. Whoa there, buddy. One thing a
t a time.
No. You already wasted twelve years.
I sigh before I reply. I wouldn’t call those years wasted. We had a lot of fun. Remember shifting in Central Park and scaring those tourists? And how about the time we went running in the Amazon? You got to meet your ancestors.
My beast rumbles in my chest. That was fun. But still not forever mate. Our forever mate is purrrr-fect.
I can’t argue with him there. Mandy is perfect. And I think he’s right. It’s hard to deny the strong attraction I have to her. Now that I’ve had more than a high school relationship, I’m aware that what Mandy and I had was way more special than I knew.
On some level I think I was aware of that when she came to see me in Vegas, but I wasn’t able to deal with it. Now I’m capable of being honest with myself. Mandy is my mate. And the dull ache that’s been in my chest for the past six years is there because I miss her.
Even though I’m realizing how important Mandy is to me and want to rekindle our relationship, I think it’s going to be hard to crack her tough exterior. But I’m up for the challenge. I’ve played more than one concert hungover and without sleep. I’ve pushed through sore vocal cords and jet lag. I’ve pulled back-to-back all-nighters writing songs and recording them when I was under the pressure of a deadline. Getting a woman who is my mate to fall for me again should be easy. But as I pay the check, leaving a hefty tip for Mandy, nagging doubt warns me this might be a lot harder than I think.
Chapter 5
MANDY
It takes all I have to leave through the back door of the diner and not go and sit down at the booth with Griffin and spill all my secrets. Well, the big one anyway. But I’m not ready to do that yet, and I’m scared I might never be.
