“Here she is, my favorite girl in the whole wide world!”
Meredith couldn’t hide her surprise when Chris leaned over and planted a soft kiss on the forehead of the septuagenarian seated at the table. She had thick white hair, carefully styled, and she wore hints of makeup. She was dressed in a two-piece woolen suit. Its pale pink skirt covered her knees and its matching blouse had a stand-up collar. She also wore more jewelry than Meredith had ever seen outside a jewelry store.
“Christopher! You’ll be so pleased, darling. They’re serving prime rib tonight.” The elderly woman peeked around him to get a glimpse of Meredith. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, dear?”
Chris nodded. “Meredith Oakley, this is my grandmother, Nita Pearl Dann. Gran, this is an old friend from college, Meredith Oakley.”
“So nice to meet you, Meredith.” Nita Pearl’s green eyes had a knowing look. “Why do I get the feeling you two weren’t planning on staying for dinner?”
“Oh, Gran, I’m so sorry. Here’s what happened—”
Meredith broke in. “He didn’t tell me I should dress up a bit, I’m afraid. But if you don’t mind my outfit, we would love to stay and dine.”
Chris’s eyes widened in surprise, then glazed with appreciation.
Nita Pearl clapped her hands together. “Outstanding! William! Set another place, please!” She reached out and took Meredith’s hand. “So delighted to meet one of Chris’s friends.”
Meredith sat down and said, “Chris told me he had another date tonight, but he didn’t tell me how classy my competition would be.” She winked at Chris. “How long have you lived here?”
“All my life,” said Nita Pearl.
Meredith’s heart sank. The poor dear was sliding into dementia. She frowned a question at Chris, looking for guidance.
Chris gave a little shrug. “This was Gran’s family home. When she reached the point where she needed help getting around, she hired staff, and when her friends started needing help, she turned it into an assisted living establishment. She really has lived here all her life. And me, too. Gran raised me since I was five.”
Meredith took a quick breath. “Do you still live here?”
“Oh no. Gran said I should have my own place.”
Nita Pearl waved a hand. “It’s just a little bachelor pad. Least I could do for my only grandchild.”
Meredith picked up the linen napkin by her plate and spread it over her lap as the staff began to serve dinner. The five other tables in the room were starting to fill up, and the happy chatter of friends filled the air. A white-gloved waiter set a plate before her, filled with prime rib, asparagus, and fancy potatoes.
“Save room for dessert,” whispered Nita Pearl. “Baked Alaska.”
Meredith squeezed the woman’s hand. “I will,” she said. “This is so lovely. Thanks for letting me stay.”
Nita Pearl beamed.
Meredith glanced at Chris, then turned to face him when she realized he was staring at her again with that look of admiration mixed with…longing? She leaned toward him. “Do you have any more surprises for me this evening?”
Chris smiled dreamily. “How do you feel about dancing the night away?”
Meredith started to ask where, but just then a dance band entered by the far door, and she laughed with delight instead.
“Oh Chris, I should have paid more attention to you in college!”
“I agree,” said Chris. “I guess you’ll have to make up for it now, right?”
Nita Pearl lifted her fork in the air, as if suddenly recalling something. “Chris, darling, is this that wonderful Annie Oakley you used to talk about all the time?”
Chris looked abashed. “Gran, Meredith doesn’t like to be called Annie.” He gave Meredith an apologetic look.
She laid a hand on his arm as she spoke to Nita Pearl. “Mrs. Dann, you can call me Annie any time.”
“And Chris?” asked Nita Pearl, a mischievous look in her eyes.
In the background, the band struck up a tune. It took Meredith a few seconds to recognize it. Then her heart melted. They were playing Frankie Valli’s “My Eyes Adored You.”
She said softly, “Chris can call me anything he wants.”
When dessert and all the dancing was over, Meredith was almost disappointed when Chris returned her to her motel.
“I had a wonderful time,” she said. “You are such a gentleman. And I love your grandmother.”
Chris wiped imaginary sweat off his forehead. “Whew! That’s good, because before you came back to Davis, she was the only woman in my life. I mean,….”
Meredith hummed with amusement. “Sweet, sweet Chris. Why didn’t you ask me out in college?”
He looked down at his feet. “I was afraid you’d say no.” He shrugged. “If I just hung out with your group, I could pretend. But if you said no, I would have felt strange hanging around, and I wouldn’t have been able to see you every day. So I never got up the nerve.”
Meredith was touched. “When do I get to see you again?”
Chris perked up. “Is tomorrow okay?”
“Tomorrow is perfect.”
“Great! I’ll get my car back in the morning and come by right after.”
“How are you getting home?”
“I arranged for a ride before we left Gran’s. Don’t worry.” He leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. “See you tomorrow.”
Inside her room, Meredith couldn’t resist taking a peek out the window. She looked up and down the parking lot, but Chris had already disappeared. And she didn’t see a taxi anywhere. In fact, there was nothing moving except a long, black town car. Odd.
But she didn’t let it worry her. She floated about the room, getting ready for bed, replaying “My Eyes Adored You” over and over in her mind.
CHAPTER 6
T
he next three days were a whirlwind of fun for Meredith. She’d never been swept off her feet before, but she was quite certain that this was what it felt like. Chris called on his assistants to cover for his classes so he could entertain Meredith. And she could not have been happier.
“This is so wonderful,” she said, as they walked across the Heavenly Ski Resort parking lot. “The gondola ride, the zip line, and tubing, all in one day. And my legs can really feel that uphill hike.”
“You didn’t hike in Michigan?”
Meredith made a face. “I was too busy working. Besides Dwayne would never do anything athletic. He might break a sweat, you know.”
And besides, if he took me out for fun excursions, I wouldn’t be in my cubicle on weekends making him look good for the regional manager.
Chris paused at the door of his Mercedes GL. “You aren’t still having feelings for him, are you?” He looked worried.
Meredith made a disgusted noise. “Only if you count loathing and anger.”
Chris smiled. “Good. I’m glad.” Once they were in the SUV, he asked, “Are you starving? We can stop in Auburn for dinner.”
“That sounds lovely,” said Meredith. She leaned back in her seat and sighed happily. “These past few days have been the most fun I’ve ever had. Sightseeing in San Francisco, visiting the wine country, and now hiking at Heavenly.”
If only you’d show some romantic interest,
she thought,
instead of just being old friends.
“How can I ever thank you?” She turned a wistful face toward Chris just in time to meet his lips in a tender kiss.
After three blissful seconds, he pulled away and looked aghast. “Oh! I didn’t mean that was how you should thank me. I mean, I don’t need thanking. I mean, my timing was awful.”
Meredith giggled. “Stop it. Your timing was perfect.” She tilted her head demurely. “Except you ended it too soon.”
“Oh really?” Chris waggled his brows at her. “Incoming,” he murmured, then kissed her again, just as tenderly but taking his time.
When the kiss ended, Meredith was short of breath. “Wow, that was very nice.” She looked into his eyes and felt a deep stirring within. There was definitely chemistry between them. She wished they were somewhere else, maybe a sofa in front of a fireplace, so she could run some more chemical experiments. She dropped her gaze so he wouldn’t see her smiling at her own humor. “Be careful, Christopher Dann. I think I’m falling for you.”
“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’ll catch you.” And he kissed her again.
Meredith felt herself floating on air as the kiss took on a life of its own. Of all the people who might turn out to be great kissers, she’d never expected it of Christopher Dann. When he pulled her close and held her tight, she could feel his muscles through his tee shirt. He dressed to hide it, but he was an amazing athlete. She felt so protected in his arms.
How wonderful to feel safe and cared for at the same time,
she thought.
They ended the kiss when a group of young passersby hooted and hollered at the sight of them making out in the car.
Meredith looked away. Chris blushed.
“Hey,” she said, “I thought the girl was supposed to blush.”
“Blame my Gran,” said Chris. “She passed on the blushing gene.” He started the car.
Meredith quipped, “Maybe we’ll get lucky and our kids won’t inherit that one.” Then realizing what she’d said, she also blushed a bright pink. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “That didn’t come out quite right.”
“It sounded good to me,” said Chris warmly. “But no rush. It took us three days to kiss. I think we’re looking at kids sometime in the next century.” He glanced sideways at her. “I guess I want to be sure you’ll stick around for a while.”
Meredith reached out and trailed her fingers along the back of his neck. “I was just hoping the same about you.”
Chris found a charming restaurant in Auburn, in the old part of town, and they had a table in the corner with two candles casting a soft glow as they ate. Meredith felt so special. Chris’s eyes never left her, not even when the cheerleader-like waitress practically shook her booty at him. Like so many girls, Meredith had spent years doubting her own attractiveness. She was tall and slender, but she didn’t have the Hollywood femme-fatale kind of looks. She didn’t even have the bikini-busting
Sports Illustrated
kind. But Chris never seemed to tire of staring into her eyes.
After dinner, they drove back to Davis. Meredith was sleepy after their day on the slopes, and the fine meal they’d shared contributed to her drowsiness. Chris put classic love songs on the CD player and drove the whole way with one hand because his other hand was holding Meredith’s.
She must have dozed off, because all too soon, he was gently nudging her awake. “We’re at your motel,” he said softly. “I hate dropping you off, but I don’t think it would be fair to invite you back to my place. You’ve just ended an engagement.” He looked at her sadly.
Meredith was tempted to disagree. She wanted nothing more than to see what his grandmother called a bachelor pad. She wanted it so much that she knew he was right. Going back to his place tonight would mess her up emotionally in the worst way. She needed time to think, time to figure out how much of what she felt for him was because he was wonderful and how much sprang from the contrast with Dwayne the Loser.
“I hate to say it, but I think you’re right. Just promise me I’ll see you again tomorrow. I know I’m taking you away from your business.” She averted her eyes. “But the idea of not seeing you tomorrow makes my heart ache.”
Chris pulled her close for another warm kiss. This one grew into a passionate embrace, and when they came up for air, he pressed his lips against her neck and laid a trail of kisses up and down. Those caresses set off alarm bells in Meredith. She knew she had to stop that very moment, or there would be no force on Earth that could tear her from his arms.
“I, I, I have to go,” she said breathlessly. “Nine a.m. again?”
“Mmmm,” said Chris. “What would you like to do tomorrow?”
Meredith’s eyes gleamed with desire. “Maybe I can see your bachelor pad. It should be safe enough in the daylight.”
Chris chuckled. “Your wish is my command. Let me walk you to your door.”
Once there, he kissed her again, softly this time. “See you in the morning.” He waited until she’d gotten inside and turned on the lights. “Good night.”
Meredith sighed dreamily as she closed the door and slipped the deadbolt shut. She dropped her purse on the foot of the bed and noticed a light blinking on the motel phone. That was odd. No one knew where she was. Well, no one but Teresa, her friend in Michigan.
Frowning, she dialed the front desk. “Hi, there’s a message light blinking on my room phone, and I don’t know how to access it.”
The clerk said, “I’ll play it for you.”
Teresa’s voice came on the line, sounding like a hundred years ago. But before Meredith could grow nostalgic for her friend, the message froze her to the core. “Hi, Mer. You weren’t answering your cell so I called here. I just wanted to warn you that Dwayne booked a red-eye for California this afternoon. Be careful.”
CHAPTER 7
T
uesday morning, Meredith woke up groggy. She’d tossed and turned all night. Why was Dwayne taking a red-eye to California? Teresa hadn’t specified a location, but why would she alert Meredith if he was going to Los Angeles or San Diego? She’d texted Teresa, but her friend had the irritating habit of only turning on her phone when she wanted to communicate with other people. That seemed incomprehensible to Meredith. In this day and age? Turning off her phone? At the moment, it even felt rude because Meredith desperately wanted to know where in California her ex was going to land.
She felt the pod-people effect again as she moussed her short mop. It was wet so she knew she’d showered, but she’d done it all in a fog. She wore brick-red jeans and two light-weight layered tees in orange and red tones. Her black flats would have to serve again. She’d only brought her running shoes and one pair of flats. Had she somehow thought she’d be returning to Michigan? Was that why she’d left her other two pairs of shoes?
“No, silly, you left them because you wore them on your dates with Dwayne.” She shuddered and returned to sit on the edge of her bed. The maids didn’t have much to do while she was there. Out of habit, she’d made the bed already, something the Dorm Storm girls had insisted on. It kept them from crawling back in on days when they had eight o’clock classes.