The Perfect Dish (28 page)

She slid her hand around his back and dipped her fingertips below his waistband until they connected with his skin. His grin got a little bigger.

As the manager walked away, Mick leaned forward from his side of the booth. “What am I, chopped liver?”

Celia giggled. “You’re at least ground round, honey.”

He leaned back, put his arm around her and whispered something in her ear that made her blush from the roots of her hair to the neckline of the black tank top beneath her cranberry leather jacket.

Mery cleared her throat. “Perhaps you two should get a room,” she teased. Granted, Mick and Celia were about as odd a pairing as peanut butter and anchovies, but Celia was happy. Even though she hadn’t told her parents about him yet.

“Yeah,” Kelly said, his hand coasting a little further up her thigh.

Mick raised a brow. “Big talk from a couple whose hands haven’t been above the table since we sat down.”

Celia shot Mery a “so there” smile and helped herself to a piece of focaccia bread laden with olives and rosemary.

Kelly laughed and held both his hands up. “Truce. Let’s order.”

“I know what I want.” Celia winked at Mick.

Mery rolled her eyes even though she was thrilled with her friend’s new found love interest. “That isn’t on the menu.”

“Celia gets whatever Celia wants.” Mick grinned at the petite blonde, clearly a man swept away.

Slipping his hand back onto her thigh and under the edge of her little black dress, Kelly tipped his head to whisper in her ear. “I’d be more than happy to give you whatever you want, too. Anytime, any place.”

“You always do,” she whispered back. His fingers tickled her inner thigh sending hot bolts of need through her lower half. “Behave yourself, we just got here.” She nipped his earlobe a little harder than normal.

He pulled back, delighted shock in his eyes. “Okay, we need food and fast. I’m getting devoured over here.” He laughed. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Feeling deliciously naughty, Mery winked. “That’s what you get for dating a man-eater.”

After dinner, they walked down to the theater where one of Viv’s friend’s husbands was producing a show and picked up their tickets at the Will Call window.

“A freakin’ musical.” Shaking his head slowly, Mick stared at his ticket then glanced at Celia. “You realize this is good for like two week’s worth of ball games with beer and extra innings.”

“I promised you a fair trade.” She nodded. “Are you sure that’s what you really want?”

“Don’t try to talk me out of it.” He crossed his arms. “Two week’s worth and that’s final.”

“Okay, but—”

“No buts. If I gotta sit through singing and dancing, that’s the least you can do for me.”

Mery suppressed a grin. Men really didn’t know what was best for them sometimes.

Celia pursed her lips in a sexy pout. “Fine.” Her eyes took on a seductive glint. “Of course, I had a totally different type of trade in mind but whatever.” She shrugged, turned on the heels of her slingbacks and headed into the theater.

Mick’s jaw hung open for a second before he started after her. “Wait, honey, we should talk about this—”

“Too late,” Celia called over her shoulder.

Under his breath, Mick muttered something about high maintenance woman and Kelly chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Mery asked.

“Mick. Celia’s got him totally whipped.”

Mery planted her hands on her hips and gave him the sweetest smile she could manage. “And by whipped, I assume you mean she’s got him wrapped around her little finger?”

“Yeah, something like that.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “We should go in.”

“I guess you’re not whipped at all then, are you?”

“Hush up, woman. You’re going to ruin my bad boy image.”

She laughed. “I think your image is just fine. Don’t you read the papers? You’re dating the Black Widow.”

A buzzing interrupted their laughter. He grabbed his phone off his hip and checked the screen. He looked at her then back at the phone.

“Answer it.” She gave him a wink and slipped his ticket in his shirt pocket. “I’ll see you inside. Miss you already.”

Kelly slid his finger across the screen as Mery walked away. His heart thudded in his chest. “Hi, Marty.” He checked his watch. “It’s twenty to eight on a Friday night. This had better be good news.”

On the other end, Marty laughed. “How soon can you be in California?”

* * *

Kelly slipped into the seat beside Mery minutes before the curtain went up. He kissed her cheek firmly as he sat and gave her hand a squeeze. Even in the dimming theater lights, his face seemed to glow.

She leaned over, careful to keep her voice low. “What’s up? You look like you won the lottery.”

One side of his mouth quirked up in a joyful grin. He looked like he was fighting laughter. “Not the lottery, but close.”

“Shush!”

Mery glanced over her shoulder at the woman behind them. “Sorry.” She turned back to Kelly hoping he’d spill it but his eyes were already trained on the stage. Sighing, she focused hers the same way.

His hot breath tickled her ear. “Tomorrow night. You. Me. Dinner. Big news.” He kissed her neck. “
Big
.”

Mery gasped at sensation of the unexpected kiss. Next to her, Celia giggled. The woman behind them grumbled something. Mick gave the woman a look that shut her up completely. Mery scooched down in her seat as the curtain went up and the score began. Whatever the news, it must be something wonderful.

The following day went by so slowly, she could hardly stand it. She’d already spoken to her father, her mother and her son. She’d called Jason first thing in the morning to see how his summer internship was going. A firm in Florida had offered him the opportunity and since her mother lived so close to the company, he was staying there. Mery grimaced. She couldn’t imagine what was worse, the summer heat in Florida or spending three months with her mother.

She made a note on her calendar about dinner with her Dad and his new girlfriend the next weekend. She couldn’t believe he was actually dating someone. This was a woman she had to meet. Maybe she’d take Kelly. She sighed. Maybe she wouldn’t. How did you explain to your father that you were involved a strictly physical relationship with a younger man who turned you inside out and made you forget your own name?

Laughing, she shook her head. Okay, so that was more information than he needed. Still, she couldn’t imagine the meeting going well. Oh sure, her Dad would like Kelly. How could he not? Everybody liked Kelly. But then they’d talk and sooner or later, her Dad would ask what Kelly’s intentions were—she had no reason to think otherwise since he’d done the same thing upon meeting Garrett and Michael—and that would put Kelly in the awkward position of being the one to tell her father the wicked truth.

Except Kelly’s truth would probably scare the living daylights out of her. Ever since his whispered, “I love you” in the hospital, things had changed. She struggled to keep the relationship light and carefree and centered on the physical, especially when Kelly would say something that led her to believe his feelings for her were becoming serious.

Although the last couple of months had gone by without those three little whispered words being repeated, she worried that Kelly was just waiting for her to say them.

She’d thought those words. Imagined saying them to him a million times. But that would never happen. Couldn’t happen. There was no point to it happening. He needed someone his own age, someone whose future shone as brightly and offered as much promise.

Steepling her fingers, she tapped them against her chin. Maybe at the end of the summer, she’d break it off. Set him free to find the woman he really needed. Her heart ached at the thought of being without him but it would have to be done. She closed her eyes, knowing the papers would document whatever new woman he took up with after her and worse, when he did marry, they’d celebrate whichever young nubile thing he proposed to.

She chewed her lower lip. Getting involved with him in the first place had been a foolish idea. She was the marrying kind, not the passionate affair kind. She wasn’t cut out for love ‘em and leave ‘em.

Jillian had been right about the relationship’s potential, too.
The Merry Widow’s
pre-sales had surpassed her previous books with wide margins. Her agent was in the process of vetting the renewed contract for her children’s book. She’d even made an appearance on the morning show. Kelly had done wonders for her career.

More than that, Kelly made her happy. Made her laugh. Made her enjoy life again. The man was almost perfect. Why couldn’t he be a little older? Maybe divorced or widowed, with a couple of grown kids. If only he were at a different point in his life, she might not hesitate to say those three little words she kept biting back.

She checked the clock. Four more hours before she met Kelly at Sedona. She was dying to know what his news was. Regardless of their lack of a future, she would always want the best for him. Maybe he’d gotten another book deal. She knew his cookbook was doing well because she checked his rank on Amazon every time she checked her own.

She called his cell to see if she could wrangle the news out of him a little sooner. It rang four times then switched to voicemail. He probably wasn’t answering on purpose. Anticipation would just make the night that much sweeter.

* * *

Kelly glanced at his cell phone and smiled when he saw Mery’s number displayed on the caller ID. Much as he wanted to talk to her, he was afraid he’d let something slip if he did. Tonight would be as perfect as he could manage. She deserved it after everything life had put her through.

Mick nudged his arm. “You gonna do this or what?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, his gaze darting over the three choices laid out on black velvet. He looked up at the man behind the counter. “They’re all in my price range?”

The man bobbed his head. The long curls tucked behind his ears bounced like springs. “For a friend of Mick’s, we will make the price right.”

“And they’ll all fit in the setting I picked out?”

Again the man nodded. “We will have it done in an hour. Maybe two.”

“In that case, I want the biggest one.” He gently tapped a spot on the velvet board beneath his selection.

The merchant smiled. “Excellent choice. I’ll be right back with some paperwork.” He lifted the board carefully and backed through a door into a workshop fronted by a large glass window.

Kelly’s stomach knotted as the realization of what he was about to do set in.

Mick whistled. “That’s gonna be hard to miss.” His eyes narrowed. “You all right, Tex? You don’t look so hot.”

“Just nerves.” His gut might be rolling but his heart was just fine.

“You?” Mick snorted and clapped Kelly on the back. “If anybody should be getting sick, it’s the single women of this city.” He shook his head. “I hope this doesn’t give Celia any ideas.”

Kelly grinned and punched his friend in the arm. “Something wrong, Mick? ‘Cause suddenly you don’t look so good.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Mery walked into Sedona knowing she should expect the unexpected because that’s all Kelly would say the fourth time she’d called and finally gotten him to answer. She hated surprises. Kelly loved them. She had to admit, he pulled them off in grand fashion. Or maybe she should say Texas-style. Big. Wild. Over the top.

Just like the way he made love.

Swallowing a heated laugh, she approached the hostess stand. Becca, the buxom red-head, gave Mery such a smile, she almost looked over her shoulder to see if a hot, single man had followed her in.

“Hi, Dr. Black. You look very nice this evening.” Becca’s eyes sparkled with unusual happiness. She leaned forward. “He’s waiting for you in the VIP dining room.” She seemed on the verge of a giggle or a good cry.

“Thanks.” With some concern for the girl’s mental well-being, Mery returned her smile with a great deal less wattage and a careful nod. Maybe Becca was stoned, although she didn’t strike Mery as the type. She inhaled. Nothing but Becca’s usual too-sweet perfume.

Becca handed her a small ivory envelope. “He left this for you. He said for you to read it before you go up.”

Mery turned the envelope over. Nothing but a calligraphy M on the front. “Thank you,” she said but the girl was already speaking to a couple that had just come in.

She walked down to the elevator and opened the envelope. Inside was a keycard to access the elevator and a simple fold-over card in ivory stock that matched the envelope. On the front, a single embossed star, about the size of half-dollar. The paper had the luxurious heft and creamy feel only expensive stationary carried.

She opened the card, read the single word written inside and laughed out loud.

Yeehaw!

She shook her head. The man was just plain nuts. And completely adorable. She slid the note into her purse, pulled out the security card and ran it through the reader to call the elevator.

The ride up wasn’t fast enough. She wanted to see Kelly now, to find out what this news was all about. The doors opened and she inhaled, caught off guard by the sight of what waited for her.

Kelly waited on the other side. In a suit. The charcoal wool draped his athletic form in sharp lines, imbuing him with a powerful sexiness. A crisp white shirt and burgundy tie set off his blue eyes beautifully, turning them into brilliant pools so deep she thought she might fall in.

“Wow.”
Wow
. She was lucky to come up with that much. Her pulse rose as she let her gaze wander over him again. Talk about cleaning up well. Even his boots were shined. The effect was stunning. Amazing. Mouthwatering. But then when wasn’t he?

He held his hands out and glanced down at his outfit, then back at her. “You like it?”

“Oh yes.” Still reeling, she nodded.
Expect the unexpected.
Point proved.

He smiled, took her hand and twirled her once before drawing her in for a kiss. “You look beautiful. Love the shoes,” he said with a knowing wink.

“Thanks.” She glanced down at the strappy bronze sandals she’d worn that fateful first night. They’d seemed a good match to the chocolate silk dress she’d chosen for this evening. Amazing how steady she’d become in heels after a few months of dates. She stepped back to get another good look at him and had her breath taken away a second time. “You look...amazing. I’ve never seen you in a suit.” She raised her brows in appreciation, smoothed her hand down his lapel. “It’s a very good look on you.”