Crain's Landing (21 page)

“I can’t really tell who enjoyed it more, your mom and Peggy or Peyton,” I returned, walking around him. I gently brushed against him, hoping to leave him as shaken as he had me. “Can I get you something to drink?” I called over my shoulder, trying to clear my head with the distance I had placed between us.

“Whatever you’re having is fine.” His voice was again directly behind me. He apparently wasn’t affected in the least.

“Well, since I have an educated and responsible adult in the house, I’ll be having wine.”

Walking to the cabinet that housed the glasses, ignoring the handsome man who was slowly taking over my rational thoughts. I kept the wine glasses on the top shelf and I had told myself this was for the best. Since I didn’t drink very often, it decreased the amount of temptation. The last time I’d had a glass, I had to get the footstool to get a glass down. Maybe if I placed Grant on a high shelf, he would remain out of my grasp, as well. I tried standing on my tiptoes this time, not coming anywhere close to my goal. As I lowered my feet back to the ground, I felt a warm, hard body press against my back; his arm covered mine as he retrieved two glasses. I closed my eyes and held my breath. I could feel every defined muscle of his body pressed against me, including the one that was pressed into my lower back.

“Here you go. My mom has the same issue at her house. My dad is always telling her to move things, but I think she does it just to have his help.” He handed me the crystal glasses as he spoke the latter. However, his humor did nothing to stop the rush of emotions I was currently feeling. I understood now why he was so sought after; he radiated sex appeal. Why oh why was he standing here? The one place in this town where, at this precise moment, he had zero chance of separating me from my panties.

“I choose to leave them there so I’m not as tempted to drink alone. I don’t want to have an emergency with Peyton and be too impaired to get help for her.”

He was quiet as I opened the bottle. I turned to look at him and ask him if he still wanted a glass. The man regarding me had changed, his normal confidence gone. It was strange to see this man looking back at me, bewilderment in his eyes.

“Grant, what is it?” My voice snapped him out of his confusion.

“You never cease to amaze me. ”His voice was so sincere, it unnerved me but I didn’t question him on his meaning. I was too afraid of the answer. Afraid more of the healing would take place and there would be more crumbling of my cast iron wall. “Even with all that life has handed you, you’re still a breath of fresh air.”

I nodded my head at him, the only thing I could do and keep my composure intact as I handed him a glass of wine. He took it and then held it up in the air, indicating he wanted to give a toast. “To taking chances, may they lead to something wonderful.” I tapped my glass with his and took a sip, our eyes never looking away. He wasn’t the only one who was being amazed. Every time I was near him I learned something new, something I admired, and something to make this stronger. I realized that he would be able to heal me or leave me completely broken. Both of which scared the absolute shit out of me.

“Shall we have a seat, or do you have an early morning?” I questioned, hoping for both; that he had to go and that he could stay.

“I’d love to sit and talk a while. I instructed Dr. Garrison to perform my morning rounds.”

He motioned for me to walk by him, allowing me to set the pace. I checked on Peyton who was snoring softly. She had always done that when she was either really tired or congested. Grant listened to her for a moment then turned and followed me back into the main room

“How about we enjoy the evening out on the deck?” He motioned to the French doors leading to the wooden structure just off my kitchen.

“I’d rather stay inside, if you don’t mind. I’m still trying to get used to the heat and humidity around here.” Would it ever happen? Would there ever be a point where I didn’t come into the house completely drenched in sweat from just getting the mail? Would my hair ever stay straight for more than ten seconds?

“No problem.” He smirked. “Your blood will thin out by next summer and you won't remember what it was like to be stifling all of the time.”

I hoped he was right; walking around and actually feeling the moisture in the air was not much fun.

“The bugs, however.” Pointing his wine glass in the direction of the door. “You’ll never get accustomed to those, especially the gnats.” Oh, my second least favorite part of living in the low country, the bugs. Tiny little creatures, swarming around your face, biting you and leaving you scratching yourself to death in your sleep.

Grant made himself comfortable, his bare feet propped up on the coffee table with his glass of wine firmly in his grasp. The colors of the sun danced off his shiny hair and his glistening eyes. He was watching the rays filtering in from the front window. The neighborhood kids were playing in the street, chasing what looked to be a kite. I wondered what had him so lost in thought. Was he just enjoying the simplicity this town had to offer? Or was there something running around in his gorgeous head?

“Penny for your thoughts?” I questioned as I joined him on the sofa.

“They’d most likely upset you.” His eyes never left the street as he spoke.

“Unless you’re going to tell me that you’re going to make me go play with those kids in that heat, you’ll find I’m not bothered by much.”

Grant’s his eyes found mine. “No, nothing that sinister. But I do have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

“Fire away,” I instructed as I took a sip of my wine.

“Well, I know that you attended Cornell and have a Master’s degree.” I nodded my head that I indeed did. “I know Mayor Reid is your dad and that he went to the Board and told them about you. How you wanted to move here and have the job running the library.” He then turned back to look at the street. “What I don’t know is...anything about Peyton’s father.” His words filled the air between us. His tone was one of worry, as if I would be angry by his curiosity.

“You want the long story or the cliff notes?”

We both looked to one another. I had thought for certain my father would have trash-talked Holden all over town. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, Natalie.”

So I told him everything. From our high school beginnings, to the apartment we shared at Cornell, to his abrupt departure during my pregnancy. His chin dropped when I confessed the ugly role my mother played in his deceit.

“Holy hell, Natalie, that’s just...wow! I can’t even find words for what that is. Have you thought about writing a book about your life?” He didn’t act the way I thought he would and that surprised me. “So, Holden is completely out of the picture then?” he clarified.

“Yes, and apparently, so is my mother.” I told him of the conclusion I had come to regarding any children that Holden and my mom could have. He agreed that Jerry Springer would have called me a big liar.

“So what about you, Dr. Grant. Any scorned lovers in your past?” Call it sadistic, I had heard about Rebecca from Ashley, but hearing it from him was completely different. Would he be honest and tell me about the one who got away? Or would he play it off as not a big thing?

“Nothing like what’s happened to you.” He shook his head as he continued. “I had dated the same girl since high school. We had everything planned out...until...” He trailed off.

The memory was not a good one—no doubt in my mind about that. I wanted to know more, get to the root of the obvious pain he was feeling.

“Until she found something she wanted more.”

While I didn’t know much about Grant, I knew from dealing with people in general this wasn’t a road to travel down right now.

“I know you’ve seen how my parents are around each other. I mean my father is always touching my mother, whether it’s holding her hand or his arm around her. They can tell the minute the other has entered the house without having actually seen each other. They finish each other’s sentences and when they argue, it’s more like foreplay than fighting. I have no doubts that my parents are madly, deeply, in love with each other.” I knew exactly what he was saying. They seemed to act like magnets and drifted together.

“My father once told me the first time he held my mother’s hand, he felt such a shock come from her skin he looked around for the live wire he was certain he had just came in contact with.”

My breathing stopped as I took in what he was saying. The first time I touched him, I felt that charge, like touching a live battery. Did he feel the same with me?

“I told myself the moment I found her that I’d do everything in my power to convince her I was the right guy for her. That some poor sap like me could love her with every cell in his body.”

I remained quiet, allowing his story to unravel, not certain when he would find the painful spot he wasn’t ready to revisit. I was anticipating the moment when he bolted out the front door, never finishing his broken heart story.

“I thought I had found that girl in Rebecca. Hell, the entire town just assumed we would be Mr. and Mrs. Completely Happy, living in the dream house I had purchased for my family and raising our two point five kids.” His eyes focused on his lap, index finger tracing the rim of his glass. “I was ready to propose to her when she told me she had changed her mind. She wanted a career as an actress and not as a mom in a small town. She wanted to travel the world, backpack through Europe, and stay at hostels. She wanted to meet new people and experience different cultures.” A glimmer began to grow in his eyes as he stopped to take the final bit of wine into his mouth. “Funny how she didn’t think she could do that as my wife.”

I didn’t know if it was the honesty in his voice or the wine I had drank, but I found myself leaning into him, tilting my head in anticipation of our first kiss. I watched as Grant searched my face, looking for the tiniest bit of hesitation. I could feel the heat of his breath as it washed over my face and smell the lingering scent of his cologne. His fingers reached out and lightly touched my face, sending the tingling feeling he had just described down my spine. His eyes were closed and I slowly closed mine, as well. I could feel the softness of his top lip as it touched mine. I wanted this, I wanted to kiss him and lose myself in that kiss.

“Mommy...” And like a bucket of cold water being dumped over my head, the tiny sound of my daughter’s voice pulled me back.

“I need to...”

“I should go...”

We both spoke at the same time as we rose from our seats. Grant crossed the room, opening my front door, and then stood there, appearing to have an internal battle with himself. “Please tell me you felt that, too?” His words were clear and chilling.

“The tingling up and down my spine?” I returned.

He nodded his head yes. “I’m glad I waited for you, Natalie.”

And with that he was gone.

By the time I got back to Peyton, she was already asleep again. I quietly crawled under the covers and lay beside her. I watched as her chest rose and fell, her eyes twitching behind her closed eyelids. She had been dreaming about me. I kissed her cheek and snuggled into her warm body.

Did fate really play a role in our lives or was that man’s way of explaining the unexplainable? I wasn’t certain, but I did know one thing—this was no longer solely dinner with Grant Crain; this was a date with destiny.

IT BECAME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR ON
Friday morning, as I stirred my cup of coffee that life was getting back to normal. When a giggling Peyton came running out of her room at full steam, arms above her head, I knew she was feeling better. Her shirt was looking a little snug on her. She was growing everyday, I knew this. Clothing was something I tended to visit secondhand stores for with my lack of surplus funds. Now, with my new job, my bank account was a little fuller, allowing a few more luxuries.

I couldn’t remember seeing any children’s specialty shops during my drive through town, however, I knew who would be able to tell me where one might be located. Lily answered on the third ring, slightly out of breath and irritated. She explained, after I apologized for calling so early, the only place in town to come close to what I needed was Sissy's Place.

How I had ever missed this particular shop was beyond me. A bright white building, hot pink awning with zebra print marquee plaque, and a large, curly script announced you have arrived. The crown above “Sissy’s” intrigued me, with the glistening of the faux stones placed strategically in a trifecta, the perfect win. Large glass windows, covered in exquisite lace drapes, hid the products available inside the store. The glass doors would have been better suited adorning a trendy boutique on Rodeo Drive. The thick, silver, horizontal handle thankfully had a dull finish, unable to reflect the intense sunlight.

I pulled open the door, Peyton struggling to help with me the massive thing, and two cute, smiling little girls scampered out with whom I assumed was their mother trailing frantically behind them. Quick moving tiny legs, covered in pink and tangerine tights, hair in tight buns, with small wisps of hair swirling from the movements of the tiny bundles of energy. The statuesque woman recognized me and stopped her momentum, launching into how grateful she was the library was coming to life again.