Chapter 18
After wolfing down a burger and sides at Come on In at the end of the Friday workday, Blake was restless. He’d made plans to visit his sister the following morning, but the evening yawned in front of him, and he wasn’t in the mood to sit at home. Not after the busy week he’d had. He needed to go out and have fun.
A shame Vi hadn’t phoned. Hours ago, she’d said she would. Not a word from her since, a disappointment but not unexpected. She’d gone cold on him and his questions the other night. Could he help wanting to know more about her? He knew stuff about her past, but for some reason she didn’t want to get into the here and now, at least not with him.
The thing was, there’d been times before she’d agreed not to give him any more confusing messages, when her eyes, a pretty golden brown, had flashed longing, and he’d been sure she was interested in him.
Wishful thinking on his part, he decided, disappointed. He really liked her.
He was sitting in the parking lot, scrolling through the movies playing tonight at the Crestwood, a funky movie house that showed oldies and foreign films, when she finally called him. Well, well. “Hey,” he answered.
“Sorry I took so long to get back to you. It’s been a crazy day.”
Hearing from her boosted his spirits. She hadn’t brushed him off after all. “Let me guess—you got that raise.”
“How did you know?”
“When a CEO wants to meet with you, it’s usually good news. Tell me.”
“It’s better than I ever imagined,” she said, sounding happy. “You know how nutso work has been for all of us. Things have been so bad, I worried about burnout. Not just my own, everyone’s. I came up with a simple way to help with that and ran it by Todd, my former boss. He liked the idea and passed it along to Mr. Iglesias.”
“You must’ve impressed him.”
“Enough that he bumped me up big-time in the chain of command. You’re talking to the sales management executive and vice president. Eee!” she squealed. “Hope that didn’t hurt your ears.”
“Are you kidding?” He grinned. “I love that enthusiasm. Great news like yours should be celebrated. Let’s go out and do it up right.” During her long pause, his elation dimmed. “You probably have plans.”
“Actually, I don’t. No one at work knows about this yet and won’t until Monday. But yes, I’m in the mood to celebrate. What do you have in mind?”
Heck if he knew, although he had a few thoughts. “Have you eaten?”
“Yes, but nothing celebratory.”
“We’ll have to rectify that in the near future. This is spur of the moment, but are you a fan of blues music? This is blues night at the Highway Club. Tony Jenkins and the Magic Fingers is playing.”
“I like that kind of music, but I don’t know the band.”
“They’re great musicians.”
“Now I’m excited. I don’t even know where the club is.”
“About seven or so miles from Come on In. I’m just leaving there.”
“Why didn’t I think of that for dinner? It would’ve been so much better than a hot dog and can of baked beans. What’s the dress code?”
“Jeans, sweats, whatever feels comfortable.”
“I’m not wearing sweats. What about you?”
“Still in my standard work clothes—jeans, sneakers, and a comfy shirt.”
“Funny, that’s exactly what I changed into when I got home. But I think I’ll go a little less casual.”
“And here I thought we’d show up looking like twins.”
“Because we look so much alike,” she deadpanned, and he pictured a teasing smile on her face. “What time does the music start?”
Blake checked his watch. “Soon. I’ll pick you up.”
“Why would you do that when you’re so close to the venue? Coming all the way to my house and back will take too long. I’ll drive myself and meet you there.”
“Hey, we’re celebrating you.”
“Which we will, once we see each other.”
She sounded firm about that, and he let it go. “Your choice. I’ll get the tickets and a table. See you soon.”
From the outside,the Highway Club was pretty much as Vi had pictured it. A one-story building with ample parking and lots of vehicles in the slots. Inside was a surprise. Homey wood-paneled walls decorated with photos of musicians, a few of them well-known celebrities and others she didn’t recognize. A decent-size stage front and center. To one side, a bar with a big whiteboard listing food and drinks. Tables, both big and small, filled most of the large space.
Recorded music played while the crowd ate, chatted and sipped drinks. Relieved to have made it before the band started, she paused just inside the door, shrugged out of her fitted, lightweight jacket and scanned the area for Blake. There he was, standing halfway between where she was and the stage. Tall, broad-shouldered and gorgeous, his cotton polo shirt showcasing his hard chest and abs. The mere sight filled her with longings that she quickly pushed away.
Uh-uh, no. Not tonight. She’d come to celebrate her promotion with him, period. She started toward him, making her way around tables. It wasn’t hard to know when he caught sight of her. He waved and flashed the grin that lit up his whole face. Talk about giving her heart palpitations. Clamping down the impulse to rush toward him, she slowed her pace and pulled herself together.
“You got a great table,” she said as she joined him.
“I lucked out.” His gaze roved over her. “I like that rainbow-colored skirt with the—what do you call the layers?”
“A tiered skirt. It’s not something I wear at work, but it seems right for a club.”
“Good choice. Can I get you something to eat or drink? Champagne to toast your success?”
“Slow down there. I haven’t even started the job. I’m going to have a ginormous learning curve, and I may not be a success for a while, so no champagne yet. But a Cosmo sounds good. What about you?”
“Beer.” He raised his hand and signaled a server. “Any objection to mixed nuts?”
“Since I’m a bit of a mixed nut myself, none at all.”
He chuckled. “You’re fun tonight.”
“I feel fun. You’re in a good mood yourself.”
“Do you want anything else? Cookies, ice cream, something like that?”
“I confess to eating a cookie earlier, but maybe later.”
The server, a harried-looking woman who Vi guessed was in her early forties, took their orders and offered Blake a flirty smile before she hurried off.
Vi shook her head. “I can’t believe she flirted with you.”
“She smiled, that’s all.”
“At you and only you.”
His eyes twinkled. “Are you jealous?”
“Did you really say that? I merely made an observation.”
“FYI, while she was looking at me, I was looking at you. I like that top.”
She’d changed into a soft-yellow silk pullover blouse with a V neck and three-quarter sleeves. “Thanks. I wore it because spring is here and it goes well with the skirt. When does the live music start?”
“Another twenty minutes or so. Who’s going to help you with that learning curve?”
“My former boss, Todd. He’s been moved out of sales but has offered to answer questions and guide me. He’ll be a great mentor.”
“A mentor is a good thing. Grandpop was mine. Without his help, I don’t know if I’d have opened a business of my own.” He paused. “I tried to reach him again tonight. No luck. That’s three nights in a row. I was worried and per your suggestion, contacted the front desk to find out if he’s taking meals in his unit or in the dining room. According to them, a mixture of both.”
“So we know he’s progressing—physically, at least. I got through to Gran. I told her about my promotion and raise and asked about the insurance check—thanks again for reminding me about that. She still doesn’t have it and worries it won’t come in time. She needs it by next Wednesday. I told her if it hasn’t come by then, I’ll take out a loan. Thanks to my new salary, borrowing won’t be a problem. We agreed she’ll pay me back when the check arrives, because that’s what she wants. She made a comment along the lines of why couldn’t Malcom be reasonable like me. I guess they’re still at odds.”
They shook their heads at each other and shrugged. When the server delivered the nuts and drinks, Blake made a point of focusing totally on Vi, which made her uncomfortable. “Stop staring at me,” she said.
“I wanted to show the waitress where my interest lies. Look—the band is here.”
The musicians broke into a toe-tapping song that had Vi swaying in her seat. “They’re really good.”
“Speak up—can’t hear you,” Blake said loud enough for her to hear. “It’s too noisy.”
Vi raised her voice. “I said they’re good.”
Frowning, he moved his chair closer to hers and pointed to his ear. “Say again?”
The last thing she wanted was to have him close enough to feel the heat from his body. She cupped her hand around his ear. He smelled good—clean and fresh and Blake—and she almost drooled. “I like the band,” she said, then shifted away from him.
People were flocking to the dance floor. “This music is too good to waste sitting here,” he said. “Let’s go.”
She hadn’t danced in ages and hadn’t expected to, but why not? After all, this was a celebration. She pushed her chair back, he reached out a hand and helped her up, and they made their way through a tangle of people getting their groove on right there beside their tables. At last, they entered the packed dance floor. Dancing together was fun. She couldn’t stop smiling. Blake seemed to be having a good time, too. Now and then, they joined others and danced as a group. The lack of space meant occasional jostling with people and a ton of laughter.
Sometime later, hot and spent, she was ready for a break. “I need to use the ladies’ room. I’ll meet you at the table.”
“Are you as thirsty as I am?” Blake said. “I feel for the servers. They’re running all over the place. While you do your thing, I’ll get us a couple of waters and fresh drinks at the bar. I don’t see much of a line there.”
In the bathroom, Vi splashed water on her hot face, freshened her lip gloss, and combed her hair. It sure needed combing. Tonight with Blake was so much fun, and she smiled as she left the bathroom.
As she looked for him at the bar, a heavyset male bumped into her. With a shock, she realized she was face-to-face with Devin.
“Hey, Vi,” he drawled with a cocky grin. “Never figured I’d run in to you in Port Simms. Lookin’ good.”
He sure didn’t. Besides a double chin, he’d aged quite a bit more than most guys his age. His hair was short but rumpled, and his cologne was so strong she wanted to gag. He looked her up and down with an intrusive, lecherous gaze. He was swaying a little, too. Drunk, she realized.
“Excuse me,” she said and attempted to move around him.
“Wait.” He reached out and grasped her arm with meaty fingers. “What are you doing here tonight?”
“Please, let go of me.”
Ignoring her words, he held on. “Aw, c’mon. We haven’t seen each other in years. Don’t you want to catch up?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Get your filthy hands off me now.”