Different Tastes (The Alexanders Book 7)

by Tina Martin

  Irene giggled. “That’s your plan for a Friday?”

  “Yep. I’m a certified loser.”

  Irene chuckled again. “Why did you request the day off if you had nothing to do?”

  “Because I needed a break. These restaurant managers are going to send me to an early grave. I already got a few strands of gray hair. I ain’t even thirty yet.”

  Irene laughed more. “You’re fine. We all go through phases like this but listen. Take the time to relax. Work will be here when you get back. You’re good at what you do, Tamera. I would hate for you to quit on me.”

  “I’m not going to quit, Irene. I’ll be back Monday.”

  “All right. Well, enjoy your weekend.”

  “You do the same,” Tamera told her. They both exited her office at the same time. Tamera locked her office door, waved at Irene one last time before walking to the elevators, running through her head what movie she wanted to watch tomorrow night since it was on her brain. Then she headed to her car, nearly stopping in her tracks, feeling her legs tremble just by the sight of him – Preston Michaels – leaned next to her car with his hands in his pockets. Legs crossed. He wore a black suit today. Silver Aviators.

  Dang it!

  He was here again. She’d successfully averted his vibes yesterday, but again today? She didn’t know if a woman could possess such willpower.

  The thought that a man, this man, could make her feel flutters in her stomach and send bone-chilling tingles down her spine was a foreign phenomenon in itself. Even when she thought Mark was the one, she never got this feeling from him. And it didn’t help that Preston looked like some hotshot big-timer that just so happened to be unattached and gorgeous. Gorgeous to the tenth power.

  A soft, summer breeze sent his tantalizing cologne beneath her nose. Now she could smell his scent that only enhanced his stellar appearance. Only made her weaker.

  Crap!

  She needed a distraction. She found it in the form of rummaging in her purse for car keys. That way, she could walk and be occupied at the same time without having to look at him.

  A corner of his mouth lifted. He knew what she was doing, but it didn’t stop him from staring her down, loving the pair of sandy brown pants she wore today that showed off her curvy body, along with the V-neck, aqua-blue blouse that blew in the wind. And she wore heels again. Heels that matched her blouse. He liked that. And he loved the fact that she wasn’t wearing sunglasses. He could see her eyes. A woman’s eyes could tell him a lot about her without her having to say a word. So he watched – saw her squint them every now and again as she dug around in her purse. He wondered, if she knew, how she had his heart beating almost uncontrollably. But he would control it. He was a man, and that’s what men were good at – hiding their feelings. Especially him. When his ex left him high and dry, she had no idea the extent to which she’d hurt him. He’d masked the heartbreak until it eventually turned into resentment, not only for her but all women. That’s why he couldn’t understand his sudden attraction to this particular woman.

  “You look nice today,” he told her when she was closer. “No stuffy suit, I see.”

  “I guess that’s a compliment, so thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

  “I do all right,” he said, standing straight up now, watching her proceed to unlock her door.

  “I still haven’t come up with a resolution yet. I thought I told you I needed a few days.”

  “You did.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “Just thought I’d check to see where you were in your thought process.”

  “I’m nowhere,” she said, opening the back door to set her briefcase on the back seat. “And I haven’t had much time to think about it today. I’ve been slammed with work.”

  “Sorry to hear that.”

  She snapped her head back. “Which part?”

  “The part about your day. Sorry it was stressful for you.”

  “Oh. It’s the norm, definitely nothing for you to concern yourself with.”

  “Right.” He smirked. “Anyway, I’m going to be out of town for a few days…thought I’d give you my business card. If you come up with something, please give me a call.”

  She looked at him, reached for the card and felt something analogous to electricity jolt her nerves when their hands accidentally touched. The connection nearly set the business card on fire. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried her best to disguise the intake of breath that escaped her lips, but she couldn’t hide it from him. He heard when the low moan left her mouth, felt the way her hand was unsteady with the slightest touch of his hand and something about affecting her this way pleased him.

  “Thanks.” Tamera glanced at the card. “I’ll call you if I come up with anything,” she said, opening her car door and quickly getting inside.

  Standing at the opened door, Preston asked, “How do I get in contact with you?”

  “You’ll just have to wait for my call.” And you’ll be waiting forever…

  “I’m not good at waiting, Tamera.”

  Why was she not surprised? “Then it’s about time you learned, Preston. Enjoy your evening.” She pulled the door closed and shifted the car into gear, leaving him right where he stood.

  Preston shook his head, then took a few steps over to his car. He dialed his office number and when Daphne picked up, he said, “Hey Daphne, do me a favor.”

  “What’s that, Sir?”

  “Will you please get me a cell phone number for Ms. Tamera Alexander. She works for the county health department.”

  “Not a problem. I’m on it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Welcome, Sir.”

  Preston placed his phone in his pocket, then walked over to his car, satisfied.

  Chapter 8

  Thursday evening is usually when Tamera checked in at Charlotte Magazine to let them know what article she would have coming next or to see if her manager had any special requests or assignments. Since she didn’t have a restaurant on the radar to review, she wanted her boss to assign her something for this week. Something different. After she’d showered and cooked dinner – homemade chicken quesadillas with fresh guacamole – she called in.

  “Hey, Damien,” she said when he picked up.

  “Tamera. How’s my favorite foodie?”

  She giggled. “I’m good. You?”

  “Doing good, but I’ll be even better if you can handle an assignment for me this weekend.”

  “What you got?”

  “A Taste of the Beach Festival…have you heard of it?”

  “Yes. I have family in the Outer Banks.”

  “Ever been?”

  “To the festival? No.”

  “As I understand it, it’s this big beach festival they have every year showcasing different foods from area restaurants, sort of like A Taste of Charlotte, but for the coast.”

  “Yep. I heard it was nice.”

  “You think you’d be able to go? We haven’t done a story on the festival in years, so I need to see if anything has changed, get a feel for the vibe and, of course, the new restaurants. I want to know if the old restaurants still got that bangin’ good food or if the newbies are pushing them out with new food concepts like fish tacos and shrimp sandwiches.”

  Tamera chuckled. “When would I have to leave?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  Her eyes widened. “Tomorrow?”

  “Yes. I already have a hotel booked and made flight arrangements…just need someone to fill in for Shara who couldn’t make it.”

  “Uh…wow. This is totally last minute, Damien.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I would go myself if my wife was down, but she’s not. You’re my last resort. Come on, Tamera. I’m counting on you.”

  She twisted her mouth, thinking about it. Being there would give her time to see her brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew and other family members. And
she could use a break. It wouldn’t be all work. She could relax on the beach with a daiquiri, maybe even a book. When was the last time she had enough down time to read something?

  And there was another major plus in getting out of dodge. She could get away from Preston. Confusion still coursed through her mind when she thought about the effect he had on her. What was so special about him that made her lose sleep? Made her body shiver? And then he had the nerve to come to her job today. Just thinking about it made shudders run from her brain to her toes. She had to get away.

  “Tamera, you still there?”

  “Yes. I’m here.”

  “You think you’ll be able to do it?”

  “Yes. I’ll do it.”

  “Perfect! I knew I could count on you. I’ll email you all the details shortly. Later.”

  She listened to the phone go silent before lowering it to the nightstand. She wondered if Damien called her because he knew she was single with hardly any responsibilities and could easily drop everything on a whim to head out of town. Is that how her company viewed her? The fallback chick whenever anyone else couldn’t handle a task due to more pressing family issues?

  Probably.

  That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Most people with those pressing family issues might see her situation as a good thing. She, however, wanted more. She grabbed a plush pillow, holding it, squeezing it into her grasp. It would’ve been nice to hold a warm body instead, but she’d gone years without doing so. There was no need to change anything now. She stared at the TV, seemingly in a daze before she realized tomorrow was Friday. She’d just accepted a job from Damien and she had to pack.

  “Tamera, what are you thinking?”

  She jumped off the bed, walked to the kitchen and opened her laptop, reading the email from Damien. Her flight was scheduled to leave at 1:00 p.m. That would give her a little time to get herself together in the morning.

  For right now, she wanted to get an early jump on packing. She searched the closet for a medium carry-on suitcase. She could pack enough clothes for Friday, Saturday and Sunday in one suitcase. She’d keep it simple. She only needed two night-shirts, a few pairs of panties, a few pairs of sandals, comfortable outfits (including a pair of capris and a nice blouse for attending the food festival on Saturday) a couple of simple beach dresses, a few pairs of shorts, tank tops and a couple swimsuits.

  After she’d successfully packed her suitcase and a few toiletries, she returned to bed, watching the ten o’clock news. Since she was flying out at 1:00 p.m., she would have to get to the airport at least by noon to get through security.

  A smile brightened her face. She couldn’t wait to get out of Charlotte and trade her apartment for the Ocean Sands Resort for a few days. It would be a nice getaway from the norm – just what the doctor ordered.

  Chapter 9

  Preston pulled his black suitcase behind him as he exited the gate. Quickly securing the drop-top rental car that Daphne reserved for the weekend, he threw his bag in the back and began the drive down Highway 12 towards Kill Devil Hills where he would be staying at the Ocean Sands Resort, a five-star hotel with a spectacular ocean view.

  Upon arriving, he wasted no time checking in and now, he was heading towards the elevators, third-floor bound, when he got a call from his sister. He already knew what she wanted.

  “Hey, Serenity,” he drawled.

  “Do you have any news for me?”

  “I’m still working on it. By the way—I’m out of town. I gave Tamera Alexander my number and thanks to Miriam, I have hers. I’ll get it taken care of. No worries. Just get back to work.”

  “I’m counting on you, Pres.”

  “I know. I got this.”

  “Well, just in case you don’t, I’m doing what I can on my end, too.”

  He shook his head, withholding a frustrated sigh. “Like what?”

  “I wrote a rebuttal article for you to publish in Charlotte Recreational.”

  “You know I’m not going to do that, Serenity.”

  “Well, it’s in your inbox. When you get a minute, read it. Let me know what you think. You might change your mind.”

  “All right,” he said just to appease her. He wasn’t thinking about the article right now. He’d just checked into a five-star resort. He wanted to explore. See the sights. Take in some sun. Feel the sand underneath his feet. Dive in the pool. “Serenity, I’ll call you back later. I have to go.”

  “Okay.”

  He tossed the phone to the bed, thinking the bed looked comfortable. Glancing around the suite, he liked the set up – the separate living room and the balcony that provided a breathtaking view of the ocean. Even the bathroom was laid out. It was nothing in comparison to his ensuite bathroom at home, but luxurious nonetheless.

  He placed the suitcase on the bed, removing a pair of swim shorts – navy blue with Hawaiian style prints in white. For the first time in years, he had a vacation, and he intended on having a good time for the next four days, starting with a dip in the indoor swimming pool.

  Leaving the room with only his keycard, he took the elevator to the ground floor.

  * * *

  Tamera stepped inside the Ocean Sands Resort, feeling a sense of calm with the strategically painted sky blue walls, bright white trim and lighthouse pictures all throughout the lobby. She never did things like this. She was all work and no play. She didn’t have time to play. She had restaurants to inspect. The last time she had anything close to a vacation was visiting Tyson at his oceanfront home on Roanoke Island. While this would be somewhat of a working vacation, she intended to make the most of it.

  “Good morning, ma’am. Checking in?”

  “Yes. Tamera Alexander.”

  “All right. I will need your driver’s license, please.”

  “Okay,” Tamera said, placing her purse up on the counter, taking out a wallet and handing the clerk the license.

  “Are you familiar with the area?” The clerk asked, trying to initiate small talk.

  “Somewhat. I have a brother who lives here,” she said, and it didn’t dawn on her until that moment that she could’ve crashed with Tyson and Gabrielle. But they had a family and a small, three-bedroom home. She wasn’t about to sleep on the couch. Plus, Damien said the hotel was already reserved and paid for, so she took advantage.

  “Oh. How exciting. Are you here on business?”

  Tamera smiled. “Business and pleasure. I’m a part-time writer, so I’m here to review—”

  “Let me guess…A Taste of the Beach.”

  Her eyes widened. “Yes. How did you know?”

  “Just checked in another writer who’s reviewing that festival, too.”

  “Oh. Nice. I’m sure there will be plenty to write about.”

  “Sure will. You’ll have a blast. All right. I got you all checked in, Ms. Alexander.” He handed her a keycard that had the Wi-Fi password written on the sleeve.

  “Perfect. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Hey, let me ask you this,” Tamera said. “I saw a lighthouse on the way here. Do they have tours for that one? I would love to see it.” Funny how she’d been back and forth to the Outer Banks and had never taken the time to tour not one of the lighthouses there.

  “Yes. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton offers tours. And another popular thing for tourists is the Wright Brothers National Memorial. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can walk there from here. It’s a three-mile trek.”

  “Oh, that’s not bad.”

  “Not bad at all. In fact, most people prefer to walk.”

  “Cool. Well, thanks for the information.”

  “No problem.”

  Tamera slid her license back inside of her purse and took the elevator to the third floor. She opened the door to her room and walked straight to the balcony. Opening the sliding glass door, she stepped out, pulled in a long, fresh North Carolina coastal breeze and stared off into the distance. The working vacation had just st
arted and already it was too short. She would have to make these few days count.

  Stepping back into the room, she sat on the bed and laid back, loving the softness of it. She’d sleep like a baby in this bed. “Ah, this is nice,” she said. Wasting no time, she quickly changed into a one-piece swimsuit – a floral print one – grabbed a towel and headed downstairs for the beach. She didn’t need a tan, but she did need a little sun in her life. She could feel the heat from the sand on the bottom of her feet right through the rubber flip-flops she wore. Looking out into the distance, she saw blue waters, a full, bright day and a beautiful blue sky.

  Dropping her towel in a beach chair, she walked towards the water, feeling it chilly on her feet, helping to offset sand burn. After a few more slow steps, she finally made her way in, standing in waist-high ocean water, moving with the waves. And then she went for it, dived in and swam a few feet away from the shore. When she came up, she shook water from her face and bobbed up and down with the waves. This was a wonderful feeling – submerging in cool water on a hot day. No nagging restaurant managers to put up with, no boring movie and stale cheddar cheese popcorn – just beach and relaxation. She could get used to this – washing all her cares away with the sea. But one little thing still nagged her – and that was this review scandal she would have to deal with when she was back home again.

  Chapter 10

  The hotel came with the convenience of a seafood restaurant on the ground floor which suited Preston just fine. No need to go venturing away from the resort this evening. He could eat, return to his room or take another dip in the pool. The latter sounded more up his alley. He enjoyed the pool earlier. Since most people preferred being on the beach, he had the entire pool to himself to swim laps back and forth from the shallow to the deep end. He wondered if he’d have that convenience again tonight.