Oscar drummed his fingers on the old oak table inside Hunter’s Ridge Tavern. It had become a popular watering hole for the after-work crowd, ever since a reality bar makeover show had rolled through town, added a karaoke stage, and taken the mild huntsman theme to ridiculous extremes. Personally, he’d liked the place better before. The antler sconces, camouflage-printed menus, and the rest of the bar’s over-the-top décor grated on his nerves. Call me crazy, but I’d rather help an animal than hunt it.
Yeah, he ate meat, but he could never bring himself to stalk an animal in its home, line up the crosshairs, and pull that trigger. His dad Wayne, on the other hand, loved the thrill of the hunt. In fact, the more testosterone an activity required, the better he liked it. That had to be why nurturing, gentle Oscar had become a mama’s boy, while his dad and brothers enjoyed all sorts of manly pursuits like hunting, snow machining, martial arts, and hockey.
Oscar would much rather take a hike through nature or cuddle up for a night at home with his favorite furry friend. No wonder his mother thought she needed to fix him up so desperately.
Well, who knew? Maybe this time her efforts would work. Maybe the woman he would one day marry was about to walk through that door and into his heart. But then again, she was already ten minutes late, and unless she had some great excuse, that was a major red flag for him.
Ten minutes could make the difference between life and death. Ten minutes could change your life or even the world. What could be so important that this Sadie wouldn’t even call to let him know she was running late?
He ordered another draft beer and debated how long he needed to stay before he could make a run for it. Five more minutes, he decided. He’d just finish his drink and be on his way. Surely his mother wouldn’t give him grief, if it weren’t his fault the date had been a bust.
He took a sip from his ale, then another, followed by a chug.
Yup, it’s time to go.
He set the empty glass down and gathered his phone and keys from the table, fully prepared to make his escape, when in walked the most beautiful angel of a woman he’d ever seen anywhere—let alone inside a place like this. He felt like a cartoon wolf whose jaw had fallen to the table and eyes had popped from its head.
Get it together, man, he told himself as he rushed over to introduce himself to the beauty with long wavy hair and a smattering of freckles across her nose. “I was just about to head out. I’m glad we caught each other before I did.”
She extended her hand to shake his, her green eyes shyly making contact with his. “Sorry I’m late. I’m still learning how to get around. I’m sorry…” She let go of his hand and gave him an appraising glance. Was she disappointed in what she saw? Was she going to walk right back out of that door already?
She took a deep breath and forced a smile, her discomfort apparent in every micro-gesture she made, every syllable she spoke. “I was actually expecting to meet with Kelley tonight. Did she send you in her place?”
Oscar couldn’t believe it. His mother had finally gotten it right. She’d sent the perfect woman his way, but of course she had no idea this was meant to be a date.
“Kelly’s my mom. I’m sorry she didn’t tell you you’d be meeting me tonight. Are you still okay with having a drink?”
She patted down her hair and smiled. “Yes, if Kelley sent you, then I definitely am.”
He escorted her back to their table and pulled out her chair, waiting to take his seat until she had first settled in. “So, tell me about yourself.”
“About me? Okay, I’m not sure how much your mom told you, so I’ll start with the basics.” Little tremors moved through the table as her legs shook beneath it. Why was she so nervous?
It’s just a date, he wanted to scream. And I already like you so much. Relax!
“Um, I just moved to Anchorage a couple days ago to take care of my aunt after her surgery, and Kelley asked me to bring my guitar along so she… you could hear me play. Would you like that?”
“More than anything,” he said, realizing in that instant that the sentiment was completely true.
She blushed, the extra color making her even more beautiful than before. “Do you mind if we talk a bit first? I just get a little stage fright sometimes. It helps to break the ice before I go into it.”
“Yeah, of course.” Would it be too forward if he reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze? Probably, he decided, but maybe he could help her relax by figuring out what exactly it was she needed to hear in order to feel more at ease.
“So…” he continued. “You’re taking care of your aunt? Are you a doctor or just a really good niece?” He couldn’t help putting both his elbows on the table as an excuse to lean in closer.
“Me? A doctor?” She let out a light chuckle. “No way.”
“I’m a doctor,” he blurted out, proud to share this fact. “Well, kind of. I’m a veterinarian.”
Her smile grew, and as it did, the entire room lit with a dewy glow. “Oh, I love animals. That’s really sweet, but aren’t you in the music business?”
“Nope. I can’t carry a tune to save my life, but my parents actually met and fell in love during a battle of the bands. So I guess you might say music is in my blood—just not in my fingers.” He flexed and imitated a trumpet player’s finger work. His brother Sebastian had played the trumpet in school, so at least he kind of knew how one was supposed to work.
They both laughed together, and he watched as she relaxed into their surroundings.
“Okay, if you’re ready, I can sing now. Thanks for being so easy to talk to.”
“Yeah, I’d love it.” If her singing voice was as musical as her speaking voice, then he knew he was in for a real treat. All his senses delighted in this new date’s presence. Even her skin gave off the soft scent of strawberry, his favorite flavor.
She scooted back in her chair and unpacked her guitar, then began to play, tapping her foot as she did.
Oscar could feel the eyes of the other patrons shift away from the man belting out karaoke on stage. Some of the drunker folks even swayed along to the tune, but luckily nobody interrupted them. When she began to sing the words to Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You,” he knew right then and there that love at first sight was a very real thing.
And he’d already begun to fall.
Lolly finished her song and packed her guitar back up as a light smattering of applause echoed through the tavern. Their attention felt great, but the only opinion that meant anything was the one of the handsome man sitting in front of her. Why had her agent sent her veterinarian son? Was she just humoring Lolly? Would she try to take advantage of her, too? None of this could be a good sign.
And yet…
Maybe she could find fame and the good fortune of love, all in one little trip.
Love. Ha. She was getting ahead of herself there, but something about the way this man looked at her told her he wasn’t just interested in her for her music.
“That was amazing. I can’t believe you don’t have your own record out yet, and an agent, and droves of adoring fans.” She knew he meant every word, but what she didn’t know was why he wasn’t talking about their possible contract together. Otherwise, why had she played?
“I’m glad you liked my music,” she said with a shrug. “After all, that’s the most important thing. As to the rest of it, well, I’m working on it.” She smiled and waited for him to offer her a deal, to say something about their working together.
Instead, he continued to ask the same types of questions people always asked when they found out she played. “Do you write any of your own stuff, too?”
“Sure. I mean, I try.” She smiled and waited. It was coming now, right? The offer that would change her whole life?
He took another drink from his beer, then set the empty glass down on the table. “My mom didn’t tell me you were a singer. I’m starting to wonder how much she really even knew about you when she decided to set us up. All she told me is that y
our name is Sadie.”
Oh, no. Oh, no. What just happened? Why is he calling me some other girl’s name, and if he’s not the agent, who is? The easiest thing, she supposed, would be to ask him for clarification here, because he obviously knew something she didn’t. “Sadie? No, I’m L—”
“I’m Sadie!” an angry brunette charged up to their table. “So, let me get this straight. I’m a few minutes late and already you move on to the next thing to fill out a push up bra? Real classy. I knew this was a mistake. What kind of guy relies on his mom to find him dates anyway?”
He jumped up to his feet to defend himself, but it was too little and way too late, as far as Lolly was concerned. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I think you have the wrong idea here. Sadie, and… Um?” He turned back toward Lolly, who had no idea whether she should respond here.
Sadie scoffed. “You don’t even get their names, huh? A total player, I knew it. Well, you know what? I’m out of here.” The brunette stormed out of the bar.
He sank back into his chair and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, that was…”
“Unexpected? Uncomfortable? Uncalled for?” Now that Lolly’s words were back, they wouldn’t stop coming. “Yeah, I agree.”
He grimaced, then reached for his glass. When he realized he’d already emptied it, his frown deepened.
This was her chance to get as far away from this embarrassing mistake as possible. Sometimes she had so many stars in her eyes, she couldn’t see what was right before her. Of course this man wasn’t an agent. Why hadn’t she seen that earlier? She grabbed her guitar case and stood. “Look, clearly you’re not who I thought you were. I’m really sorry I wasted your time.”
“No, please don’t go,” he begged, standing with her. “We’re already here. Let’s order some food and talk more.”
“This was a mistake. Tell Kelley I’ll call her. Oh, wait.” She laughed at herself. “You don’t even know Kelley. Do you?”
She noticed that the more upset he became, the more he talked with his hands. “No, I’m not like that. I wouldn’t do that. And, I do know Kelly. Like I said, she’s my mom.” He gestured with big, sweeping circles as if to help illustrate his words.
“Kelley Lux is your mother? Then where is she?” Lolly placed a hand on each hip as she glanced around the bar, then fixed her angry eyes back on Oscar. “Oh, right. She’s not here, and I shouldn’t be either.”
“I don’t know any Kelley Lux. My mom is Kelly Rockwell. I’m Oscar, Oscar Rockwell.” He reached his hand out toward her in an effort to reintroduce himself, but she refused to take it.
He frowned again. “Sorry I didn’t say that earlier. I thought… Well, it doesn’t matter what I thought. I’m just really happy I got to meet you. Please don’t leave yet.”
“No. I can’t stay. My aunt needs me, and I need to figure out what just happened. Again, I’m sorry I ruined your date. Bye.”
“Wait! I don’t even know your name.” His words came fast, frantic, but not fast enough. “Could you please—?”
Lolly rushed out of the tavern and thanked her lucky stars that Oscar didn’t follow. Never had she been more embarrassed in all her life—or more disappointed.
Chapter 3
Oscar tossed and turned all night, kicking himself for letting the beautiful country singer get away without giving him her name or number. He knew so little about her, not much more than the fact that he wanted to learn much, much more. Luckily, he did know his way around Anchorage, and that was enough to come up with a plan.
The next morning, he leashed up one of the boarding dogs and set off for a walk through the downtown area. He started at the guitar store, then headed to the various indie record shops that dotted the strip, and finally ended outside Chilkoot Charlie’s, the club that often hosted up and coming musicians and had given many local acts their big breaks. Oscar’s mystery girl had played with such passion, such fervor, that surely it was only a matter of time before her journey would bring her into town and their paths would cross again.
And he would walk this path as many times as it took. It was good for the dogs and good for his poor, aching heart. He went in the morning, at lunch time, and after work, too, trading off which kennel dog accompanied him.
Thursday afternoon, he harnessed up Timber, an eleven-year-old husky whom he’d saved from a high-kill shelter out of Wasilla. As soon as the former sled dog felt the pull of the leash, he tugged and strained, eager despite the arthritis that now plagued his old bones.
“Easy!” Oscar cried, trying to recall the various sled dog commands in case they were needed later. Did “gee” mean right, or was that “haw?”
Timber whimpered, but fell into place at his side, accepting that this would be a walk and not a sled race. The old dog had helped his former owner win dozens of races over his career before the man’s cruel training methods were outed and he was banned from the race for life.
All the other younger dogs had gone on to find forever homes, but Timber had been bounced from one shelter to the next before finally ending up at Oscar’s vet clinic—and, perhaps more importantly, on this walk.
Just as they were rounding the corner on their path from one record store to the next, they found Oscar’s mystery dream girl. She stood at the passenger side of a parked car, bent down and rummaging for something on the seat.
Oscar knew it was rude to stare, but how could he not? He hadn’t gotten a good look at her body that first night, and only now realized how much he admired the curve of her hip and the rise of her bosom.
Timber yipped happily as if he, too, had become smitten for the mysterious beauty.
She jumped up, a stack of colorful papers in her hands. “What a cute dog,” she cooed, staring into the husky’s bicolored eyes. “Can I pet him?”
Oscar watched as her gaze shifted up to meet his, almost as if in slow motion.
Recognizing him at last, she stumbled and dropped all of her papers onto the pavement. “Oh, shoot!”
“Here.” He handed her Timber’s leash. “Let me get them before the wind does.”
Timber readily went to the woman, giving Oscar the chance to scoop up the flyers that hadn’t made their way into a nearby puddle left from the previous day’s rain.
“Thanks,” she mumbled as he traded her the papers for the leash.
Timber stayed seated beside her, looking from one human to the next as if expecting a treat.
“Don’t worry about it.” Oscar gave her his best smile. “Now, will you please tell me your name? I’ve been waiting to find out what it is all week.”
She held up a flyer from the top of the stack. It appeared to be an ad for her website. “Lolly Winston,” she said as he read the same name from the paper.
“Really?” he asked, wondering why he was surprised that a unique woman would also have a unique name.
“Really.” She handed him the flyer, clearly with far more confidence today than she’d had that night at the tavern. “If you know anyone who needs to book a singer for any reason, please have them fill out the contact form on my website.”
“Wait,” he said, sensing that she was about to go. “Come to dinner with me.”
“Umm, it’s only one o’clock.” She laughed at his invitation, but he didn’t care. Now that he’d found her again, he was not letting her go without a fight.
“I mean, tonight,” he clarified. “Come to dinner with me tonight.”
She rearranged her features into a placating smile. “Look, you seem nice and all, but I need to focus on—”
Oscar’s phone chimed in his pocket. He raced to silence it before the rest of the embarrassing ringtone he’d customized for his mother could play any further.
“Was that…? Was that the Eurythmics?” she asked with a full-on smirk.
“No.” He hesitated. Of course, a musician would recognize an iconic song like this one. “But it is ‘Tainted Love.’ It’s a version my mother recorded back in her girl-band days…” Why was he going on abou
t his mom? Why now, of all times? He seriously had no game, no game at all.
He forced a laugh before continuing. “But, anyway, sorry about that.”
Lolly cocked a smile at him, seeming even more at ease now that he’d managed to embarrass himself, too.
“Yeah, so before that happened, I was trying to ask you for dinner. Please would you—?”
The phone cut in again. “Ugh, looks like I have to take this. Please don’t go, though. I just need a sec.” He held up a finger, a promise to be quick.
Lolly bent down to pet Timber as Oscar answered the call.
“Mom, what? This is kind of a bad time.” Although he tried to keep his own voice low, he was met with a shriek echoing in his ear.
“You think you’re having a bad time? I’m having kittens!” Of course, the cat would give birth now. He’d known she was due soon, but did it have to be right now, at the very moment he’d at last found his dream girl again? Still, he’d taken an oath, and couldn’t abandon an animal in its time of need, no matter how poorly it matched up with his own needs as a man.
“I’ll be there soon. Just give me—”
“You’ll be there now. C’mon, Oscar, you know I’m out of my element with all this medical stuff.”
As always—at least according to her—his mother was right. Talk about terrible timing! The worst!
“Everything okay?” Lolly asked, rising back to her feet.
“Actually, no,” he answered as he hung up the call. “I have to go now, and I kind of need a favor…”
Lolly’s grip tightened around the loop of the worn leash’s handle. “You want me to what?” she asked again. Surely, she hadn’t heard him right. Oscar Rockwell was cute and all, and she liked him, too, she supposed, but they’d only just met and not even under the best of circumstances.
He handed her his phone. “Put your number in here. I’ll call you the moment I’m done. I’m so sorry. I’ll be back as fast as I can. The kittens are being born and I need to be there. My mom is a wreck when it comes to these things. And Timber here gets carsick, and he can’t move fast enough to jog back to the clinic with me. Can you walk him back to the clinic? It’s Rockwell Animal Clinic over on Tudor and Arctic. Or I can come to you and grab him from anywhere. Just don’t take him in the car, or you’ll never get the smell of husky upchuck out of the upholstery.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, obviously concerned about the delay this was causing. “It’ll take me less than an hour, I promise.”
The Alaska Sunrise Romances: A 9-Book Sweet Romance Collection Page 2
