Leave yesterday behind, p.18
Leave Yesterday Behind, page 18
“If you insist. It was merely a suggestion.” The detective looked back at Gretchen. “You might need to give me seconds,” he added, passing his bowl to his niece.
Callie sighed. “I think I’m going to call it a day,” she announced. “But don’t let me break up the dinner party.”
She stood. Immediately, Nick was on his feet, too.
“Goodnight everyone,” he said for both of them, taking her elbow and leading her from the room.
They walked up the stairs at a leisurely pace, Nick matching her slow tread.
“I think you need a long soak in a hot tub, ma’am.”
“You read my mind,” she told him.
He opened the door to her room. “Wait here.” He entered the room and checked it and the bathroom before he motioned her in.
“I’ve locked the other door leading from the bathroom to the adjoining bedroom. I’ll go start your water.”
He headed into the bathroom and Callie heard the sound of running water begin. She slipped off her sandals and nudged them under the bed with her toes as she pulled the elastic-coated rubber band from her ponytail.
She checked the mirror above the antique dresser and fluffed her hair before removing the diamond studs she wore every day and sliding her watch off her wrist.
“I’ll wait out here for you,” Nick said, watching her in the mirror.
She turned. “Really, I’ll—”
“I’ll be waiting. Gather up what you need.” He plopped into the club chair by the bed and stretched his long legs in front of him.
She decided arguing wouldn’t change anything so she did as he said and went into the bathroom.
“Lock the door,” he hollered.
“Yes, sir,” she muttered under her breath, turning the lock into place.
The bathroom was steamy and smelled of honeysuckle. He must’ve seen her bath crystals and dumped a handful into the water. She stripped and wound her hair high up on her head and secured it with a few pins. She avoided looking into the mirror and climbed into the claw-foot tub. The temperature was absolutely perfect. She shut off the faucet and sank, grabbing her bath pillow to slip behind her neck.
A loud pounding on the door gave her a start. “What?” she yelled.
“How pruney do you need to be?”
Callie realized the water had cooled considerably. She must have fallen asleep.
“I’ll be out in a minute.”
Quickly, she scrubbed and rinsed herself and released the stopper. Nick had thoughtfully placed a towel along the edge of the tub. She stood and wrapped it around her, gently patting along where her scars lay. Fortunately, the mirror was steamed up, preventing her from seeing them.
She rubbed moisturizer into her face and dusted on her honeysuckle-scented powder before she slipped into her lace thong and sleeveless nightgown. She’d always slept in old T-shirts before, usually men’s, but they weren’t long enough to cover her flaws. Gretchen found several silk gowns that went just to her knee. They were comfortable and made Callie feel less self-conscious about her Frankenstein-looking patchwork of scars.
She grabbed her kimono from the hook on the door and slipped into it before emerging from the bathroom. Nick sat in the chair, the scrapbook from the nightstand across his lap, his bare feet propped on the bed. His chest was bare. He wore blue pajama pants the color of his eyes.
Callie walked into the room, her heart beating wildly. She tried to calm herself before she spoke. “Having fun?”
He closed the book and set it on the table. “I didn’t know you edited your middle school newspaper.”
“That was in my ‘I want to be a journalist and light world on fire’ days.”
“And the plays. You had the lead in every production in high school from freshman year on.”
She shrugged. “I found my niche. Whatever role I wanted, I could slip it on. Like a second skin.”
He stood. “You were also homecoming queen. Quite a résumé, Ms. Chennault.”
She laughed. “That last one was a fluke. The most popular girl in my class turned up with a nasty case of shingles the week before the homecoming game and dance. She always won everything. I think between the backlash of her grabbing every honor since grade school and her not being able to attend the game to be crowned caused a voters’ revolt. I lucked out.”
“And you were Most Likely to Succeed?” He took a few steps toward her.
The quick quip died in her throat at the hungry look in his eyes. She took a step back.
“Nick, I can’t.” She defensively crossed her arms in front of her.
“I haven’t asked you to do anything, hon.”
Callie gave him a tremulous smile. “Your mouth might not be saying any words but your eyes are speaking volumes. Like you’re the Big Bad Wolf and I’m Little Red Riding Hood.”
“What are they saying?”
“Things I don’t want to talk about,” Callie admitted. “Look, Nick, I come out to this bare-chested, broad-shouldered, gladiator hunk action. We’ve had this whirlwind romance and part of me is wondering just what I’ve gotten myself into. I don’t think I can physically or emotionally handle taking us to the next level right now.”
She waved a hand in exasperation. “Where are you sleeping tonight? You can’t sleep on top of the covers in here again.”
He frowned, a look that would match Aunt C’s most lethal glare any day. “Where else do you think I would be?”
“Nick,” she whispered. “I’m scared. Of you. You’re a lot of man.”
He closed the distance between them and put strong hands on her shoulders. He ran his hands up and down her arms, trying to reassure her.
“Don’t be,” he whispered back, his gaze intense. Those midnight blue eyes turned dark with desire.
Callie shivered. “But I am. I know you want to protect me, but who’s going to protect me from you?”
“I don’t get it.”
She shook her head. “I’ve always taken care of myself, from the time I was really young. The few relationships I’ve had with men have always been on my terms. I called the shots. I kept my emotional distance. If they tried to close that distance, I cut them loose. I’m not any good at letting someone else look out for me.”
“Oh, babe.” Nick pulled her into his arms. She could feel his heart racing. “Don’t you know I feel the same way?”
She remained silent, her throat thick with unshed tears.
Nick kissed her hair. “I haven’t been too great in the relationship department either. I told you I was too shy and then too famous. I never really let anyone get close until my marriage. Even then, I was merely skating along the surface. I never really knew how broken it was until the day it ended.”
Tenderly, he kissed her brow. “This is really a first for me, too. Getting to really know someone. Share things. Thoughts. Feelings. Small talk.”
He tilted her chin up. “We’ll go as slowly as we need to. I know it’s tough with what’s hanging over you, but I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me. Okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He brushed a quick kiss across her lips and released her. He looked around the room. “It’s either sleep on the bed, the chair, or the floor in front of the locked door. I’ll do whichever you want, but I’m here. For good.”
“You’d sleep on the floor for me?” Callie grinned mischievously at him.
“Yeah. If I had to.”
“Or all scrunched up in the chair?”
He bit back a smile. “Yeah. If I need to.”
She grew serious. “I don’t know how much I’m ready to give yet, Nick. But my own personal bodyguard in bed might be nice.”
She walked to the near side of the bed and began to turn down the comforter. He went to the other side and matched her moves. She slipped under the sheet while he switched off the overhead light before he climbed into bed.
“Oh, wait. Do you want me to leave the light on in the bathroom?”
“No. I’ll be fine. You know, having my bodyguard nearby is like having the teddy bear I slept with when I was a kid.”
He leaned over and turned off the light on the nightstand. She rolled onto her side. Nick scooted up behind her and threw an arm around her, drawing her close. Callie finally dropped off to sleep, knowing Nick would be there all through the night.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Nick enjoyed Callie nestled against him, her face burrowed against his heart. He gently stroked her hair, not wanting to disturb her sleep. She’d lain awake a long time in his arms last night. He knew she missed Wolf and was still worried about the threat against both of them.
He eased from the bed and brought the covers back over her. Miz C liked her air conditioning strong and the vent blew directly across the bed. His throat was dry because of it and he wanted a drink of water. He moved quietly across the hardwood floor and slipped into the bathroom, closing the door before flicking on the light.
Just then, a song began chirping loudly from Callie’s cell phone sitting on the counter. He quickly answered it, hoping the ringing hadn’t awakened her.
“Hello?” he said softly.
Silence greeted him. Then a throaty female laughed.
“Well, I know I don’t have a wrong number because I’ve got Callie on speed dial. I’m just surprised that she’s not the one answering. Or maybe I’m not, after that cryptic message she left me yesterday.”
“Uh... Callie’s sleeping right now. Can I have her call you back?”
Again, the amused laugh. “Just tell me one thing. Are you a homegrown boy?”
Nick didn’t know what to say to that—or whom he would be saying it to. “I guess you might say that,” he said warily.
A sudden tapping on the door startled him. He opened the door to see Callie standing there. With his cell phone in her hand.
“It’s your mom,” she said dryly. “I gather that’s for me?”
“Shit.” He spoke into the phone. “Here’s Callie.” He passed over her phone and took his cell from her.
“Hey, Mom.”
“The bright and sunny routine doesn’t cut it. You’re usually grumpy before your first cup of coffee. And I have a feeling if we were in the same room, I wouldn’t be smelling any coffee on your breath.”
Nick crossed to the chair and sat. He noticed Callie had closed the bathroom door behind her. He ran a hand through his hair.
“Okay. It’s like this. I’m sorry I didn’t call to see how Branson was. There’s just a lot happening. A lot, Mom. I really need to see you today to talk about it.” He took a deep breath. “And there’s someone I want you to meet.”
His mother chuckled. Nick relaxed a little bit.
“Eric told Olivia and me some of what’s going on. However, it did surprise me that I’d leave town and return after only a week to find my baby involved with someone who would be answering his phone at seven in the morning.”
Heat rose up his neck. He felt like a sixteen-year-old caught making out in the driveway after he thought his mom had gone to bed.
“It’s not like that. Well, it sort of is. I mean, we haven’t even slept together yet. Well, we actually did the last two nights, but that’s only because this psycho is after Callie, and there’s no way I would ever leave her alone. I even make her lock the door when she goes to the bathroom.”
Nick took a deep breath. “Mom. I know I sound crazy and confused—but I love her. She doesn’t take shit off me and she’s smart and funny and sweet and talented. You’re going to love her.”
Without any hesitation, he heard, “So, do you two want to come over for breakfast?”
He laughed. “Mom, you are the greatest. Your French toast would be terrific. Callie needs a little fattening up. How about an hour?”
“I’ll see you both then. Bye, sweetie.”
He ended the call and shook his head. A moment later, Callie came out doing the same thing.
“My best friend from New York is dying to meet you. Beth said you sounded sexy as hell. She actually knows who you are. Her husband is Mr. Sports Central. She’s picked up quite a bit since they’ve been married. She can spout ERAs and MVPs like there’s no tomorrow.”
He laughed. “We’re having breakfast with my mom in an hour. Think you can handle that?”
Callie frowned. “Can we make it an hour and a half? I need to do some stretching with Gretchen before I hit the shower. We did a lot of moving around NOLA yesterday. I’m pretty stiff and don’t want to skimp on my exercises.”
He went and nuzzled her neck. “I know, no morning breath kisses.”
She laughed and nipped him on the neck, too. “Go shower. I’ll get Gretchen to help me run through my exercises.”
Nick watched her open the bedroom door and cross the hall. She knocked and then stepped into Gretchen’s room, closing the door behind her. He called his mom back and told her they’d be a little later than planned.
And turned crimson when she laughed.
Callie fiddled with the slender gold chain around her neck as Nick drove into town.
What if his mom didn’t like her? She’d sure sounded surprised to hear a woman answer his phone. Her face flamed again with embarrassment, thinking that Aunt C would have been mortified if put in the same position.
Nick reached across and pulled her hand toward him, grazing his lips against her knuckles. “Relax. Mom’s very cool. Sweet, but up front. She will love you. I know it.”
She swallowed. Her throat was desert dry. She started to lick her lips, but she didn’t want to mess up her lip gloss. She wanted to make a good impression on Nick’s mom after such a dismal start.
He turned onto a cul-de-sac and into a driveway. She noted the patrol car following them parked directly across the street. She couldn’t think about that now. The stalker. The cops shadowing her. She had enough to be nervous about with meeting her future mother-in-law.
Callie examined the charming ranch house. An oasis of colorful flowers flooded the front beds and surrounded two oak trees on both sides of the yard. White wicker chairs graced the wraparound porch.
Nick opened her door. “You look great. You are great.” He leaned down to kiss her.
“Don’t,” she warned. “The last thing I need is a messy mouth when I meet your mom.”
He grinned, his lips grazing her cheek instead. "Then promise me I can mess with you later.” He took her hand, interlaced his fingers with hers, and walked her to the front porch. The door opened immediately.
The petite woman standing there appeared nothing like Nick. She was blond with hazel eyes and an outdoor tan. Her eyes sparkled, full of energy and mischief. That part she definitely passed along to her son.
“Hey, Mom.” Nick leaned down and pecked her cheek. He pulled Callie up a step. “This is Callie Chennault.”
Callie smiled, drawing on Jessica’s confidence in any social situation. “Hello, Mrs. La Chappelle. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Please. Call me Maggie.” She took Callie’s hands in hers. “Go on in, Nick. Olivia’s waiting in the kitchen. She’s cooked enough to feed an army.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And you’ll be...?”
“Doing the girl talk thing over OJ or hot tea. Callie’s choice. Now, scoot.”
Nick shrugged. “Don’t be mad if nothing’s left.” He walked into the house and closed the door behind him.
Maggie indicated they sit. Callie eased into a chair, her butterfly production in full swing.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Tea would be nice. Thank you.” She watched as Mrs. La Chappelle poured hot water from a carafe into an elegant china cup. Callie opened a packet of Earl Grey and dipped the teabag into the cup. The motion soothed her somewhat.
“I would tell you I’m a fan but I’ve never seen your show,” Nick’s mother said matter-of-factly as she poured herself a glass of juice. “However, my sister, Olivia, is mad for Sumner Falls and thinks you’re the most talented actress on TV. She also said you were Pam’s best friend during your teen years and that the two of you have remained close ever since. You definitely have Olivia’s stamp of approval.”
Maggie paused and sized her up. Callie found herself swallowing nervously, dunking her teabag like a maniac. She was afraid to speak. Afraid she’d say the wrong thing. She didn’t realize how much she wanted this woman’s approval until now.
“Nick is my only child.” Maggie’s voice softened as she began to speak. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him. We’ve always been close. My husband traveled quite a bit for work, and my boy and I found we enjoyed each other’s company.”
His mother took a sip of her orange juice then continued. “Nick has had a lot of professional success, both in sports and now his writing career. He’s experienced very little of that personally, though. He thinks he’s a rock and that he doesn’t need anyone.” Her level gaze caused Callie to pause dunking her teabag, in mid-air.
“It’s hurt me to see how lonely he’s been for so many years. You can imagine how surprised I was to come home after barely a week away, and he has a spring in his step and the humor back in his voice. His smile is reaching his eyes for the first time in a long time. I can see how happy he is.”
Maggie leaned over and took Callie’s hand. “If you’ve done all that for him in less than a week, then you have my blessing to hang around as long as you want.” She frowned. “Just don’t hurt him, Callie. If you aren’t serious about having a relationship with him, tell him and move on. Let him go now before it hurts too much.”
She squeezed Maggie’s hand. “I’m not perfect but I will tell you this. I never knew I could admire a man as much as I do Nick. In a few short days, he’s become my world. If anything, I’d be the one to fall apart if he left. I plan to be rocking next to him in the old folks’ home seventy years from now, ma’am.” She paused. “Looking for love was the last thing on my mind when I arrived in Aurora. It hit me clear out of the blue, like a shock of lightning. I know in my heart that Nick is the best thing that will ever happen to me. I’d be a fool to let him go.”
