“Ok… So are you free to tell me about your other clients or is there some sort of doctor/patient confidentiality set up?” he says with a smirk. Just like that he wipes away all of my stress and our brother/sister bond doubles in size.
We talk over dessert and a couple more drinks before he puts me safely in a cab and I return home.
Having such a great evening with Declan and feeling an overwhelming sense of connection with someone I am bombarded with the need to rekindle my life and relationships fro
m back home. So I call Blaine.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
BAILEY
After ten minutes of me telling him I need him he gets off the phone and books a flight that night for the following week.
Blaine staying a week with me turns out to be exactly what I need to pull myself out of my pity party. I make him keep the secret about my break up from everyone else back home. I guess I’m just not ready for all of the ‘I told you sos’ that will come with that revelation. I confide in him about the abuse and know immediately he is who I needed to release all of that pent up sadness and anguish. I also talk to him about Talon. He says that even through FaceTime he could tell Talon was more than just a friend and that I should throw caution to the wind and go find him. I’m still not so sure about that, but tell him I will think about it.
Tonight is Blaine’s last night and I have a small dinner party to attend in an unfamiliar restaurant. I have been told it is black tie. My country boy Blaine isn’t too excited about that but he allows me to dress him up for the night and he looks amazing.
We meet Drea and her guy for the evening at my apartment for a drink before the car picks us up to take us to the restaurant. Drea’s date is very good looking and really attentive to her. He laughs at her jokes; he keeps finding a reason to touch her. He brushes her hair off her shoulder, refills her drink and hangs on her every word. I can’t remember where she said she had met him. It is clear that she has spent quite a bit of time with this guy and he is really into her. I couldn’t be happier about that fact. Well, maybe I could if I had Talon here with me tonight, but I can’t dwell on that. He still thinks I’m with Hollister and I’m not doing anything to rectify it.
The restaurant is surprisingly close to my place and absolutely incredible. I am glad I was warned it was black tie because this place is extremely fancy. My mom once told me that you could never overdress so dress your best no matter what. I am grateful for that advice since the dress I chose felt like I was overdoing it while still in my apartment, but here I fit right in.
Drea had decided on a short (really short) black, beaded, cocktail dress. Her date and Blaine are both decked out in black tuxes with the long skinny ties that she and I both adore. I chose a red, fully sequined, floor length formal gown that is backless and has a deep cut front.
I meet my client and his guests in a private room. It isn’t a large group but rather an intimate gathering. We’re celebrating the success of an article he just had published in a medical journal. Drea and I are here as his guests and not for work, which I am relieved about. I love the thought of not having to leave Blaine alone too much this evening.
Dinner is delicious and having Blaine with me makes me miss having the comfort of a relationship. I dated before I got with Hollister but none of them lasted very long. I realize there is no use in longing for what didn’t happen with Hollister, but it is hard not to want. It is human nature after all.
Drea excuses herself to the ladies’ room and asks me to join her. So after checking with Blaine I follow her out of the room. “Have you decided if you’re going back to California for your sister’s birthday?” Drea asks me in her typical cheery voice. My sister called and begged me to come home this year. She really didn’t need to beg; I made the decision to go the instant she asked me. Although, for reasons I don’t even fully understand I couldn’t just tell her yes, I told her that I had think about it. Yes, I have issues, I know.
“Yeah, I’m going. I’m kind of excited about it really.”
“Have you told her about breaking it off with the douche?” She scrunches her face up in anticipation of a lashing.
Instead, her words and her face made me laugh. Really laugh, loudly. So inappropriate for this upscale restaurant, maybe I’ve had one too many glasses of wine tonight. “No Drea, I haven’t told her. I just don’t want to get into it with her or my dad. If I could just tell them and then they’d drop it I would have already said something but that’s not the case.”
“I get it, I really do. I just want it to be done and out of your life already. I mean, I really appreciate the way he handled the ending of your relationship but I still hate the guy.”
“Yeah I know, I’ll tell them when I go home.” I think that maybe it’s time for a change of subject. “I really don’t have to pee, so go ahead, I’ll get us another round of drinks.”
****
Last time I checked there was a population of over 8 million in New York City. So the odds of me running into Talon once are low, but running into him twice? Impossible. Except tonight, apparently it is possible, because he is here. At the bar. Looking sexy as ever.
How? How do I approach him? Casual? Seductive? Accidentally on purpose? Gahh! I’m so freaking nervous all of a sudden.
My brain is freaking out on me. Maybe I should just approach him happily. Maybe, just maybe, if I don’t show my nerves, if I just exude happiness he’ll have a more difficult time rejecting me right away.
He’s standing near the bar talking to a couple of guys I’ve never seen before. He’s standing tall and confident and again in a tux. His body does something to my insides I don’t believe anyone else has ever caused. I miss him so much. I’m not sure I will be able to walk away from him tonight. I’m also not sure if I’m ready to admit to him that I’m single and that I am completely and utterly in love with him.
Time to go find out,
I think to myself as I slowly approach him from behind. I notice as I get closer that I get the attention of the guys he’s speaking with. Neither of them are hiding their appreciation for what they are looking at but Talon doesn’t seem to be catching on.
Right as I step up to his back it dawns on me what I should say, so before thinking too much on it I just quietly blurt it out. “Hey there doll.” I run one hand up his right shoulder as I speak to his left ear. He instantly tenses but to his credit, he recovers even quicker and spins around with a throaty laugh as he remembers the blonde Texan woman referring to him as doll. “Well, hey there beautiful.” He gives me his heart stopping smile and my breath catches. “You will never let me live that down, will you?”
Feeling a little more relaxed now I laugh along with him, feeling like I just might burst that he doesn’t hate me. “Not a chance,” I say as I slightly shake my head no.
“You know, you could just call me. You don’t have to stalk me Bailey.” And there is that sexy grin. It seems that he has all but forgotten that he was in the middle of a conversation before I interrupted. I really don’t care to remind him, so I don’t.
“Oh no? Well, that’s good to know, now I can stop dressing in these ridiculously fancy gowns.” I sweep my hand down in front of my body indicating the gown I’m wearing. His gaze works its way from my face all the way down to my
Chick Flick Cherry
toes and very slowly up again. My body reacts with a heat rush that follows his gaze.
His broad shoulders and thick chest lean in close to me and he breathes softly along my ear and neck. “You’re killing me Bailey Hayes. You are the definition of perfection in this gown.” And I shudder, of course. This makes Talon chuckle. “Can I get you a drink Bay?”
“Um, no thank you. I… was uh… just coming to get a round. We’re in a private room in the back.” I shake my head trying to clear it and get my wits back. I notice Talon’s light, cheery face turns hard. He stiffens and stands a little straighter.
“Ok. It was nice to see you, you look good, I’m glad you’re taking good care of yourself Bailey. Have a good night.” He turns and walks away leaving me standing in front of his company completely dumbfounded.
What the heck just happened?
The guys look at me like they are just as confused as I am by his sudden mood change. I offer them a small smile and get my drinks before walking back to the private party.
Blaine notices my shocked face and he suggests we down our whiskeys quickly and then go dance. I really don’t want to go back out to the front of the restaurant where Talon is but Blaine insists so I follow along with him.
Blaine and I dance to two songs, laughing and joking the whole time. He is a great dancer but there is no comparison to dancing with Talon. I quickly whisper to Blaine that I had seen and talked to Talon at the bar. He assures me that it is probably just difficult for him to see me knowing that he can’t be with me. I’m not so sure about that, he is probably just pissed off. And really I can’t blame him at all. I keep an eye out for Talon but can’t see him anywhere in the restaurant.
At Last
by Etta James comes on and Blaine pulls me in tightly as we begin to slowly sway together. “Come back home with me Bay,” he whispers as he looks down into my eyes.
“What?” His statement, it was not a question, throws me for a loop because he has never asked me to come back. Even right after I left, he has always been the supportive one telling me to do what I needed to do. So this was coming out of nowhere.
“Come back. You don’t need to be all the way across the country anymore, it’s been long enough and I hate that I have to leave you tomorrow. Your dad needs you there Bay and there’s nothing keeping you here anymore.”
“I have a job Blaine; a job that I love by the way.”
And Talon. And Talon is here,
is what I think but do not say. Instead, I cup his face with both hands and kiss his cheek. “I love that you came out to see me Blaine, but this is my home now. I can’t even imagine living back on the farm.”
Before Blaine has a chance to respond, I feel a hand lightly grasp my left elbow and then hear a throat being cleared. “Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with you Bailey.” Talon still has a hardened expression on his face but I can see Blaine trying to hide his smile as he hands me over to Talon.
“Talon! I was looking for you so I could introduce you.” He doesn’t relax a bit. “Talon, this is Blaine, from back home. Remember talking to him on FaceTime with me back at your place?” At that introduction, Talon’s shoulders relax and his hand falls from my elbow. That sexy as sin smile appears as he reaches out to greet Blaine.
“Hey Blaine, it’s nice to meet you. Sorry I didn’t recognize you,” he says with a sheepish smile and slight shake of his head.
“Nice to meet you too Talon, I have heard quite a bit about you.” Well, that probably didn’t need to be said. However, it does make Talon smile at me again and I would do anything for that to happen. “I’m just going to get another drink. I’ll be back in the room Bay, if you need me.” Blaine kisses my cheek and gives me a knowing smile before turning around and walking towards the bar.
“Will you dance with me or are you still upset?” I ask Talon as I turn to face him.
“Upset?” he asks feigning confusion.
“Yeah, you walked away from me angry or sad or frustrated, I’m not sure, I really couldn’t tell you what that expression was. I do know it wasn’t the Talon who exudes happiness though.”
“Come on, let’s go for a walk.” He reaches out for my hand; instead, I grab it and pull him to me.
“Dance with me first,” I say softly as I look deep into his eyes.
He lets out a little groan of protest before allowing me to pull him close.
He drops the loaded question as soon as he slips his arms around my waist. “Where is he Bay?” Dammit. I guess we’re talking about this whether or not we’re in front of a ton of people.
“Fine. You win. Let’s take that walk.” He holds my hand again and walks me to the front doors of the restaurant. He gets our checked coats and wraps mine around me before putting on his own and walking us out into the cold night air.
As soon as the doors close behind us, he wraps his arms around me in a tight and warm embrace. One I have been craving for months. I allow myself to breathe in a scent that is only Talon McAllister. I memorize the feel of his big strong arms around my body and pray they would never leave again.
Talon steps back and, still holding hands, we start to walk the streets of the new neighborhood that I had fallen so in love with. “So, are you going to tell me why he’s not with you tonight or are you going to make me guess?”
“I don’t know where he is.” He looks at me like he doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. “I left him, I moved out.”
“When?” he sighed, sounding frustrated.
“That night we were at your dinner party. I left him there and never went back to his condo.”
“That was months ago Bay. Why haven’t you called me? I have been worried sick about you, missing you like crazy and you just didn’t call?” Seeing him like this… hurt, frustrated, confused. Breaks. My. Heart.
“I’m really sorry Talon. I needed to make sure he was really out of my life. I had to take care of myself. I had to learn how to be on my own again before I could risk bringing you into what was my messy life,” I reply with unshed tears.
“Well, are you about done?” he says with a smirk.
I laugh at him, but know that I am not fully there yet. I just don’t think it’s in me to be able to break his heart and reject him again. “Almost.”
“Bailey,” he groans before pressing his lips to mine. Any rationalization that I had rallied up is now non-existent. I slide my fingers into his amazingly soft and beautiful hair. He grips me tight around my waist before sliding his hands up and wrapping them around my lower jaw and neck with his fingers splayed on the back of my neck and in my hair.