Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Grady
The good news: I lined up a date with Vivian.
The not-so-good news: she wants me to cook.
The worst news: I still haven’t unpacked all my crap from the move. My house is still full of boxes, which doesn’t do much in terms of creating a sexy, sensual atmosphere.
The boxes, I can deal with, even if it means hiding a bunch of them in the spare office. Even if I can sufficiently unpack my kitchen supplies, though, I barely cook. I’m a breakfast guy. I’m a dab hand at heating up Trader Joe’s frozen meals. I know how to feed myself well enough to stay in shape, but I’m not exactly a celebrity chef.
On my way out of the Mona Lisa, I try to think of a simple but impressive meal I could make that might raise Vivian’s estimation of me. My usual go-tos aren’t going to cut it. Maybe I can cheat and get some fancy ingredients, like lobster ravioli? Erin and Laura might be able to help with suggestions, but I’ve relied on them too much already.
I do a double-take when I spot a familiar face in the lobby. “Abbott?” I call.
The guy whips his head toward me. Sure enough, it’s Viktor. “Hey, Coach.” His tone is wary, as if he doesn’t quite trust my sudden appearance.
I stride over to him, trying not to jostle my knee too much. “I know this is kind of an odd question, but… do you cook?”
Viktor blinks a few times. “Uh, sort of. I make a mean chicken piccata.”
“Like the stuff they make at Olive Garden? With the capers?”
He shudders. “Don’t compare my cooking to an Olive Garden. I know too many Italians, and they will all take offense at the comparison.”
I rub my fingertips over my mouth. “Heard. Well, seafood would’ve been better, but that’ll do. How long does it take?”
“I guess about forty minutes, including prep time?” His bewilderment is obvious, but I have larger concerns.
“Great. Can you be at my place at 6:30 on Thursday night?”
Viktor barks a laugh. “Coach… you’re not really my type.”
My brows about disappear into my hairline. “I’ll pay you for the ingredients. And your time.”
His eye twitches. “Okay, but…”
“It’s for my mermaid,” I blurt.
Viktor rocks back on his heels. “Oh. Oh. Right. Your meeeeermaid . She must be something special.”
“She is,” I admit. “I haven’t felt this way in years.”
“And you need the help of my chicken piccata to win her heart.” Viktor claps a hand on my shoulder. “I understand, Coach. Don’t worry, you can count on me.”
I have the feeling I’ve made a deal with the devil. Ah, well. Involving Viktor in my plans has its downsides, but it’s not like I know that many other people in the area.
And if I’m going to have to rely on an Abbott for support, I’m more wary of the father than the son.
* * *
The second I walk through the door, Blade comes bounding off the couch and tries to headbutt my groin. It’s his signature move, and no matter how many times I try to dissuade him, he’s determined to knock his giant skull into my junk. He whines and wriggles, then runs for the back door.
Blade is a Cane Corso, although his fawn coloring makes most people think that he’s a really, really buff boxer. The chest and the proportions of his legs give him away to people who know the breed, though, along with his cropped ears. When I decided to adopt a dog, I figured I’d end up with a golden retriever or maybe an Irish Setter, something big but generally agreeable. Instead, I fell for this meaty knucklehead who’s an absolute baby with me… and who despises everyone else he’s ever met.
I let Blade out into the backyard to do his business and turn my attention to the house. I’ve moved three times since Larisse and I split, and I’ve never really settled into any of the houses I’ve landed in. There’s no way I’m going to make this place feel like home overnight, but at the very least, I can try to set the mood. I spend an hour rummaging through my stuff and putting things away. There’s less to do than I thought, given how little was worth bringing with me on a cross-country move.
Once that’s done, I put together a list of things to buy on my way home tomorrow. Wine, for sure. Salad ingredients, because even I can chop vegetables into a bowl. Candles. Maybe some nice napkins. After some consideration, I decide to pick up a new set of bedding as well. Something nicer than the sheets I usually use.
Just in case.
* * *
By the time six o’clock rolls around on Thursday, Blade is deeply suspicious of all my activity.
“Don’t worry, buddy.” I pat his head and try to project calm despite my own increasing nerves. Vivian and I have exchanged a few texts, but I’m still worried about making a good impression. “We’ll get you all squared away before Vivian shows up, okay? You don’t have anything to worry about. You’ll like her. She’s really pretty.”
Blade grumbles. Clearly, he’s not convinced.
To my surprise, Viktor shows up fifteen minutes early. Blade goes ballistic at the sound of the doorbell, and I have to drag him bodily through the back door. It’s easier said than done. This dog is a wall of muscle, and even though I have him on the pinch collar, I swear his brain turns off when he gets going. I hope I can get him to calm down once we’re more settled. Maybe I can start introducing him to people gradually, although looking at his spit-soaked jowls flapping with each furious bark, I have trouble imagining anyone wanting to take the risk. I slam the sliding door behind me, trapping him in the backyard with its solid adobe fence that looks more like a wall.
“Get your shit together,” I scold him before shutting the blinds.
Viktor’s forehead is wrinkled with concern when I open the front door. “Everything okay in there?” He peers around me warily as if expecting Blade to bust through the wall like a murderous version of the Kool-Aid Man.
“Yeah, just my idiot dog.” I shake my head. “Don’t worry, he’s outside now.”
He hesitates. “And there’s not, like, a dog door or anything?”
“Nope, you’re safe. He could kill you, but I won’t let him.” I wave him inside. “Come on.”
In the kitchen, Viktor unpacks a respectable number of fresh ingredients, which reassures me that I’ve made the right choice. He lays everything out, then rubs his hands together. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road. Where’s your garlic press?”
“Uh.” I open a few of the drawers, knowing full well that I won’t find one. “So, I don’t exactly do a lot of cooking…”
“How about a citrus juicer?”
“Yeah, like I said…”
Viktor inhales deeply and steeples his fingers over his mouth. “Coach, we’re really going to have to work on your life skills. Have you heard of seasoning? If your mermaid is spicy, she’s not going to want to eat bland food.”
“Cut the sass,” I shoot back. “Can’t you just crush the garlic with a knife or something?”
“That depends. Do you have a knife?”
“Of course, I have a knife, smartass.” In fact, I have a high-end set, one that someone gave us as an engagement present, and which Larisse had no interest in taking during the divorce. I’ve let go of a lot of old possessions, but it’s not like I have a lot of emotional attachment to this cutlery, which oddly made it easier to hold onto.
Viktor gets to work, although he keeps grumbling as he peels, chops, and slices. He’s not pleased by my selection of cookware, either, but he makes do. Once I’m sure he has everything he needs, I turn my attention to the other details: the candles, the place settings, uncorking the wine to let it breathe, and so on. I’m so engrossed in my efforts that I’m caught off guard the next time the doorbell rings.
“Shit,” Viktor hisses. “I’m not done yet.”
I check the clock. Sure enough, it’s seven-thirty. “I thought you said it only took forty minutes?”
“Yeah, it does when I’m not cooking like a caveman!” Viktor drags his hands across his face. I know why I’m worried about Vivian showing up early, but I’m a little surprised by his dismay. I guess he’s more invested in helping me out than I realized. I’m touched.
The doorbell rings again.
“You’ll have to go out the back,” I tell him. “What still needs to be done?”
“Just garnishing,” Viktor says as he whips the chicken off the heat. “At least it’s cooked through. You’ve got this, but… isn’t your hellhound out back?”
“Right. I’ll grab him, and you make a break for it.” I head to the back door and gesture for Viktor to follow me. “Let me grab him, and I’ll give you the all-clear.”
Viktor falls into a fighting stance and nods that he’s ready. I say a little prayer that my knee will be a match for Blade’s fury and lunge through the door.
Blade is going out of his mind. I haul him away, leaning my full body weight against his collar as he snarls and snaps. “Go!” I say.
But Viktor didn’t wait for the all-clear. He moved too soon, and Blade takes the opportunity to nip for all he’s worth. Viktor howls and claps both hands over his butt-cheeks as he sprints across the yard. Blade, satisfied with a job well-done, is content to get in a few more deep barks. Viktor clears the stucco wall with an impressive leap that makes me wonder if he ever did track and field, or if adrenaline has simply given him a boost in his flight from danger.
“You’re a menace,” I tell Blade. “Now, get it together because I’ve got someone waiting at the door and we’re trying to impress her—”
“Hello?” Vivian’s voice calls from inside the house.
Blade freezes. I freeze. If Vivian’s voice is coming from inside, then that means—
He’s totally going to bite my dream girl.
Blade breaks away from me and rushes to the front room, legs churning as he pelts through the house. I’m right behind him, but I can already tell I’m not going to be fast enough. According to the rescue, Blade has one bite on record, and I’ve taken precautions to ensure he hasn’t had the opportunity to hurt anyone. He nailed Viktor right on the ass cheek, and while I’m sure that’ll hurt, his thick jeans made sure the dog didn’t draw blood, although he might have if I wasn’t holding him back.
I turn the corner of the kitchen just in time to see Blade launch himself toward Vivian. She’s standing in front of the open door, eyes wide, painted lips forming a perfect O of shock.
“Blade!” I call in one last attempt to get his attention.
Blade hits the floor with such force that the front windows rattle. At first, I think he tripped or lost his footing on the slick hardwood and misjudged his assault. Then his feet poke straight up in the air, and he lets out a whine and a series of breathless pants as he wiggles back and forth with his belly on full display.
Vivian laughs and crouches down next to him. “Why, hello there, you big noodle,” she croons, using both hands to scratch Blade’s belly. He lets out another pathetic whine and kicks his legs above him like he’s trying to run in midair. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Does that feel nice? Ooh, somebody’s itchy. ”
Watching her hand move back and forth, I have never been more jealous of a canine in my life.
Blade’s lips flop up over his face. It looks like he’s smiling. He thumps the stump of his tail against the floor and exhales his contentment.
I stand there, clutching the wall for support and breathing hard. After a few seconds, Vivian remembers I’m here and looks up with a grin.
“I didn’t know you were a dog-dad,” she says. Blade whimpers when she rises back to her feet. “Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t have let myself in, but I could hear some pretty crazy sounds from in here, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“Yup,” I wheeze. “Everything’s under control. Just… Blade being Blade.”
She turns to close the door behind her, and I take a moment to appreciate how beautiful she looks in that dress. It’s pale pink, with a floral pattern clustered at the hem of the skirt, with off-the-shoulder sleeves that hug her upper arms. It’s summery and light and not overtly sexy, although I’m pretty sure that Vivian could make even a canvas sack look good.
If there was any doubt in my mind that the attraction I feel for her is real, and not just the result of curiosity about her mermaid vibes, it’s dashed away in an instant.
She’s special. I know it. I’m not sure how I know, but certainty thrums through me, pulling me toward her by a thread I can feel but cannot see. Now, all I have to do is convince her that whatever exists between us is worth giving a chance.
“Come in,” I say. “Dinner’s almost ready. I’ve been looking forward to this.”
Her knowing smile makes my heart constrict. “So have I.”