Tabatha had been tempted by Danny’s offer to meet for lunch again. Tempted enough that she’d given it serious consideration until she’d gotten back to the office and looked at her schedule. Her personal assistant Sheree had been busy setting appointments in her absence.
Ten weddings in the next three weeks meant meetings with the brides and grooms and vendors to finalize details and crews for the decorations and lighting. Eight new appointments had been added to the schedule either for venue selections or first-time consultations. Though the venue selection meetings meant driving around town, the consultations could sometimes take longer because getting to know brides and what they really wanted wasn’t always easy. Especially when they brought too many well-meaning friends or family members.
The week passed in a blur that moved too fast for serious thought of burger lunches and the best chocolate malt she’d had in years, but when she left work each day Tabatha found herself driving by the volleyball court. The court lights had been off and the sand raked smooth. She’d swung by Norma’s a few times, mainly hoping he’d be there, but had instead ended up taking a malt home.
It satisfied her sweet tooth, but it did nothing for the other need that was growing. She missed the Danny who’d driven her home and taken her to lunch. The Danny who’d delivered a lip gloss and promised he was different. She’d have called him by now if she’d gotten his number, and that worried her. Too many things were worrying her.
She’d left him and filed for a divorce. Working with couples in love all day and seeing her friends find their perfect matches had her wishing for the same connection. The problem, as she saw it, was that looking for that connection with Danny could too easily mean settling for the connection she already knew. Even if it wasn’t the right one.
He had some great qualities and she wanted to be with him. On the flip side, he had some not so great ones that showed themselves too easily. The cons kept her from wanting to be with him.
Wants seemed to be overruled fairly regularly, as she drove by the court every night. She wanted to see him but she didn’t want to see him at the same time. She wanted to find out that he’d truly changed and wasn’t just putting on an act but wasn’t sure she could believe it even if he had.
Tabatha was still debating herself into a headache when she walked into her apartment.
Are you ever surprised to be disappointed when you expect a disappointment? Does that even make sense? #tootiredtothink
She sat the phone on the bar after sending the tweet and went to the couch with her malt. She’d just kicked off her shoes and dropped onto the couch when the phone came to life playing the song that identified her mom. Dragging herself across the room to the bar, Tabatha answered the phone.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Tabatha, your dad’s in the hospital.” Mom never wasted time getting to the point, but she was normally better at softening the blow. “Can you come home?”
“Yes.” Her mind snapped awake with a list of things to do before heading home while simultaneously probing for details. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“We went hiking and he fell. He’s got some broken bones, a concussion and a lot of internal bleeding.”
Fear and tears battled at the thought of her father being in the hospital. Her parents were vibrant, healthy, active people. When she’d talked to her dad earlier in the week, he’d been his normal, jovial self, challenging her on her marital status. Imagining him in a sterile room unable to tell his jokes while his body fought to survive…
“I’ll be on the first plane I can catch.” Actually, instead of booking a flight, as soon as she hung up from her mom she called her former client turned friend Taryn Greer. Taryn was an illusionist who traveled the world performing private magic shows for the rich and royal, but when she was home, she was a wife, mom and friend.
“Taryn, it’s Tabatha. I need a favor. A big one.” She’d never have thought she’d find herself making such a call, but family drove a woman to do the unexpected.
“Name it.”
“Can I borrow your plane? I know it’s a huge favor, but…” Dumping her malt in the sink, no longer caring about the cold treat and not wanting to leave it out while she was gone, she went to go pack. “My dad’s in the hospital and I need to get to him.”
“I just need to check with my pilot. When do you want to leave?” Taryn responded without hesitation. Just as easily she assured Tabatha the plane would be fueled and ready when she got to the private airport.
Tabatha’s next call as she was packing was to Sheree to make sure the upcoming meetings were covered. “I’ll be available via phone and video conference if needed, but you’ll need to handle the venue visits.”
“Not a problem. Do you know how long you’ll be gone?”
“Until I know Dad’s going to be okay.” With Sheree squared away, Tabatha finished packing and carried her bag to the front door. She was checking her purse to make sure she had everything she would need for the trip when the doorbell rang.
She ignored the door and finished gathering her stuff. The doorbell rang a second time as she moved to leave. She opened the door without checking the peephole.
Danny leaned casually against the wall with a questioning smile.
“What are you doing here?” Tabatha asked.
“I saw your tweet and thought you might like some company.” He nodded toward her bag. “Going somewhere?”
“California. And I’m in a hurry.”
“You moving back?” Fear trembled in his voice, but she didn’t have time to worry about the reason.
“Dad’s been badly hurt. He’s in the hospital.”
“Do you need a ride to the airport?”
“No.” She changed her mind. She was sure her car would be secure, especially given the exclusivity of a private airport and the fact that Taryn was married to an FBI agent, but there was also the appeal of spending a little time with Danny. Concern for her father wasn’t even enough to sidetrack her from thoughts of Danny. “You know what, yeah. That’d be great. I’m leaving now.”
Danny picked up her suitcase and stepped outside. Tabatha took her purse, locked up and then followed him to his car. He opened her door for her and then went to put her case in the trunk. When he got in and started the car he asked, “What gate?”
“No gate. At least not at a terminal.” She gave him the address of the airport and the runway number Taryn had texted her.
“You’re chartering a plane?”
“Borrowing. One of my former clients is helping me out.”
“That’s some client.”
“Well, she’s also become a pretty good friend since moving to Miami. You might be surprised to know who else I know and have hung out with since moving here.” Kami Evans being the biggest name he’d know and appreciate. She was a sweetheart of the screen who’d married another FBI agent friend. “My circle has grown a lot thanks to Tulle and Tulips.”
“Yeah? Tell me about some of the people you know.”
“Let’s see, there’s the former spy turned wedding dress designer, a call girl turned wife and famous actress, though to be fair she was only pretending to be a call girl. The owner of one of the top technology firms in the world. A team of FBI agents who are very closely connected to the director, by marriage in one case. Lana Quinn, a local journalist who I’m pretty sure has her sights set on winning a Pulitzer. Taryn, the woman with the plane, is a professional illusionist who’s done private performances for people like the President of the United States and Angelina Jolie.”
“Is that all?”
Talking to Danny helped ease her mind, which she’d needed more than she realized. It was one of his good qualities. That he’d shown up, just because, when she needed him made him more appealing. “Well, that I spend time with outside of work, yeah.”
“So who else have you met?”
“That are worth mentioning? A senator, a few more actors and actresses, some models and a professional hockey player. We work with a diverse clientele at Tulle and Tulips.”
“You’ve come a long way from the secretarial pool in California.”
“Yeah.”
“It makes me think…” He trailed off as he turned into the airport.
“That’s dangerous.”
“Always.”
When he didn’t say any more she asked, “What are you thinking?”
“That you leaving me was the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself.”
His quiet words and simple acceptance were lances to her heart. She hadn’t thought he would be unaffected when she left, but she’d apparently underestimated how affected he would be. “Danny.”
“I don’t mean that as a negative or a judgment.” He reached across the car and lifted her hand in his. “You’re happy here and you love your life. That’s clear. You wouldn’t have found that if you’d stayed in California.”
“Probably not.” She didn’t like him thinking he’d held her back. It hadn’t been like that, but she didn’t have time to explain everything.
He pulled up to the security gate she directed him to and got the clearance they needed to head to the runway where Taryn’s plane was. When he stopped the car and put it in Park, he turned to her. “I’ll never say I’m glad you left me, Tabatha, but I do think it was the best thing. For both of us.”
“What?” He’d said he was going to win her back. Now he claimed her leaving him was the best thing. Maybe she wasn’t the only one of them who was confused.
“You tried to get me to be a better man when we were together. You encouraged me to find a purpose, but all I wanted to do was play. I’d still be that same guy if you hadn’t left.”
“I’m not sure if you’re saying that’s a good thing or not.”
“It’s definitely good. Volleyball gives me a purpose I never knew I was missing. Learning to be accountable to Will showed me some of the things I should have done differently with you.” He closed the distance between them and kissed her the way he did every time he first kissed her. Sweet and chaste, like an introduction, though it felt different somehow.
“While I regret not being with you all this time, you made the right choice for both of us.”
“Um, thank you.” She could be too tired and worried about her dad to think straight, but he sounded like he was saying he’d give her the divorce. It was what she’d wanted since moving out and now… Now she couldn’t help but want to reach for it.
Taking a chance, or maybe just reaching for a little comfort, she wrapped a hand around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. She hadn’t typically been the instigator, but the moment felt like one she shouldn’t let pass.
Tabatha unbuckled her seatbelt with her right hand while her left hand played at his neck. Deepening the kiss, she crawled over the armrest and straddled Danny.
“Now?” he asked.
Honesty was the only way she’d keep him from thinking this was a reconciliation or that it meant anything more than what it was. “I could use a distraction.”
“I don’t mind distracting you.” His fingers dug into her hips. “If you’re sure you have time.”
“It’s a private plane.” She busied herself pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. “It leaves when I’m ready.”
“I don’t have a condom. I didn’t exactly think we’d be having sex. Especially not in my car.”
“It wasn’t on my agenda for the day, either.” She leaned close and bit lightly at his neck. It had always been a weak spot of his. “I still have my IUD.”
“Do you at least want to move to the backseat?”
“No.”
Apparently needing no more encouragement, Danny reached down and moved the seat as far back as it would go. He used his other hand, and a little help from her, to shift her skirt up around her waist.
Rising with him when he lifted his hips, with the steering wheel bumping against her lower back, she shoved his shorts and underwear down, uncovering his erection. A benefit to him being a beach bum was a drawstring waist. He used the same time to shift her panties aside.
The moment wasn’t about romance or proving the depth of changes. It was, at its basest level, about the connection of two people. About a distraction.
Without delay, he guided her onto his length, filling her until the tip of his penis pushed against her g-spot. Her inner walls contracted, squeezing him. She rolled her hips, arched her body, eager to be closer, to feel more of him.
He answered silently, moving with and against her, driving them both to the edge.
Fingers gripped, breaths rushed and pulses raced. Her skin heated, burning with a need too long ignored.
Dating other men had been one thing, but Tabatha hadn’t had sex with another man since she’d said I do to Danny. The year had been a lonely one in that regard, and because of that she reached the pinnacle quickly.
Every part of her body quivered with the release of her orgasm. Again, his body responded in kind and he went over the edge with her.
The tendons in his neck stood out as he pressed his head against the headrest and moaned heavily. After the orgasm passed, he rested his head on her shoulder. She rested her head against his and traced invisible patterns on his neck.
She hadn’t gone for a quickie in a car since the road trip they’d taken in the name of a honeymoon. That one had started with her teasing him while he drove and then him pulling into a shady rest stop to drag her into the backseat.
This time, she moved away a minute later, straightening her panties and skirt while he pulled his shorts back up.
They’d known each other well enough there should be no awkwardness between them, but it filled the air. He was the first to speak, and when he did she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Go take care of your parents. We’ll talk when you get back.”
More conflicted and confused than when she’d left California for Miami, Tabatha kissed Danny on the cheek and headed quickly to the plane. The distance didn’t lessen the conflict or confusion in her head and heart. Watching Danny drive away while she waited for the pilots to prepare for takeoff also failed.
The moment was as miserable as when she’d watched him walk out of her office. Separations and divorce proceedings sucked.
By the time Tabatha got off the plane and arrived at the hospital, they’d found the source of her dad’s internal bleeding and were able to stop it. They’d had to sedate him pretty heavily though to keep him from moving around and reopening the wound.
Her mother, a bit of a basket case in a calm situation, was not handling the stress well so Tabatha took control of making sure she drank enough to stay hydrated and took her for food when it was time to eat. She was taking better care of her mother than she did herself at home, but without back-to-back meetings she had the time.
Uncertain of her authorization power, Sheree called several times with questions about venue selection right after seeing a site with a client. Otherwise her updates had all been via email and they all sounded like things were on track and going smoothly.
At the hospital later than usual on Friday night, Tabatha checked her pocket for her phone on her way back from a snack run to the cafeteria. Danny should be calling soon, but she’d left the phone in Dad’s room. If Mom heard the ring or saw Danny’s name there would be no stopping the questions.
Just outside the door, she heard Mom say, “you’re a sweetheart, Danny. How’d you know Bob was hurt?”
“I took Tabatha to the airport in Miami.”
Oh God. What’s he doing here? Curious, Tabatha peeked around the edge of the door.
Danny had dressed up, exchanging his bare feet, shorts and t-shirt for loafers, jeans and a polo. She’d bought the shirt he was wearing, but no amount of begging on her part had convinced him to put it on. He was sexier than she’d thought he could be, and she’d always thought of him as damn sexy.
He stood with his arm around Mom’s waist and Tabatha’s heart melted a little.
“I had no idea you two were back together.” Mom practically purred with excitement. This was going to get complicated.
“We’re not, but I couldn’t stay away once my schedule freed up. How’s he doing?”
“He’s improving. They’re going to ease off the sedatives tomorrow so he can stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. It will take time, but he’ll make a full recovery.”
“Maybe stay off the mountain trails. For a little while anyway.”
Watching Danny and Mom, it occurred to Tabatha how much the two of them were alike. And how much like Dad Tabatha was. Mom and Danny both loved the light and fun side of life. If they could go a day without drama and responsibility it was a good day. Dad and Tabatha were at the other end of the spectrum. They enjoyed fun, but the duties of being the caretaker fell to them.
Mom wasn’t a bad mother. In fact, she’d always been there for Tabatha with great advice and amazing support. She was a friend to everyone and could make any situation better because of her zest for life. It was no wonder she’d felt comfortable with Danny from the first moment.
“Danny. What are you doing here?”
“Checking in.” Danny turned and smiled with the left side of his mouth. It was an arrogant smile he didn’t employ often, but when he did it was irresistible. She barely held back a smile of her own as she searched his face for clues and ignored her mother, standing behind him with a wide-eyed curiosity in her questioning gaze.
“There are phones in Miami.”
“You didn’t mention Danny was in Miami, Tabatha.”
“No I didn’t.” And they weren’t going to talk about it now.
Her parents had adored Danny, especially her mother. When Tabatha told them she was leaving him, Mom had sulked and informed her how much work a marriage was. Then she’d said she was disappointed in Tabatha for quitting. That had sliced deeper than the hurt she’d already been feeling over her decision.
The same disappointment was in her tone when she responded to Tabatha’s dismissal with a stiff, “I see.”
“Maybe while you’re here we can talk.”
“We could,” he agreed with a nod.
After putting the snacks she’d gotten for her mom on the table, Tabatha picked up her things and kissed Mom’s cheek. “See you in the morning. And stop scheming.”
“It was nice talking to you again, Danny.”
“You too, Vanessa.”
Mom had been the dependable optimist in Tabatha’s life with Dad being the dependable logic. They were the perfect balance for each other, which was all she’d wanted to find with Danny. He was fun and an optimist, but he’d refused to add any dependability. Tabatha had tried to balance it all, but the pressure had become too much.
When Tabatha stepped in the hall with Danny and the door to her father’s room closed, Danny raised her chin with a finger and challenged Tabatha in a rare show of seriousness. “We’re talking tonight. Not repeating the car.”
The car.
The memory of her straddling him and asking him for a quickie before she left town rushed back. It would’ve been a short trip, because the thoughts hadn’t moved far from her mind since “You don’t want to have sex?”
“Of course I do, but that was never our problem.”
“No.” No, sex had never been their problem.
They settled into a companionable silence while they left the hospital. She agreed to follow Danny to his hotel, thinking that might be a little safer than her parents’ house. When the door closed behind her, locking her in a small and private place with Danny, with a bed nearby, she doubted the wisdom of her decision. Thankfully, he seemed to be staying focused.
“We’re here, free of distractions from work or your parents. Do you want to go first?”
Suddenly nervous, she moved to the windows and fiddled with the drapes. For over a year she’d only seen the negative sides of Danny. Now, those negatives were growing dim in the light of the differences in him. “I’m not sure I know where to start.”
“You never saw me as dependable.”
She shook her head. “But you were early for lunch. You were there to drive me to the airport. You’re here.”
“It’s what a husband should do, but more importantly, it’s what a friend should do. We went from acquaintances to lovers to spouses. We skipped right over friends.”
“You think that would have made a difference?” she asked, turning to face him.
“I do, because more than we loved each other we needed to like each other.”
“I always liked you, Danny.”
“No.” Clearly content to maintain the distance between them, Danny sat in a chair by the small round table. “You stayed as long as you did because you’re loyal, but I gave you next to no reason to actually like me.”
“You made me laugh.”
“I made you cry every time I missed a date.”
“You made me feel safe every night.”
“In bed. Out of it, I made you angry every time I wasted our rent money on something I thought would be fun.” Tabatha had left Miami filled with doubts, but then Danny had called her every day, at the same time like clockwork. He’d wanted to check on her dad, but he’d lingered on questions about her. Then he’d shown up in her dad’s room.
He faced everything they had been, the good and the bad, and he didn’t run from it. Somewhere along the way he’d figured out what it was like to be responsible. “You’re giving me several reasons to like you now.”
“And I’ll give you more if you let me have another shot. I won’t let you down again.”
Truth rang with believability in his tone. She would deny him nothing when he asked like that, and if she was really honest with herself she would enjoy whatever he had planned.