Page 22 of Mine This Time

Chapter Twenty

Mari

Hannah Grantham handed me a cup of coffee, gesturing to the small tray in the center of the round table in her office. “There’s cream and sugar right there. Help yourself. Just a word of warning, I do tend to make my coffee on the strong side.”

She offered me a warm smile before she turned to fill her own cup of coffee from a coffee maker on a small table against the wall by her desk. I added a splash of cream and nothing else.

“Fortunately, I like my coffee strong. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.” I took a sip of coffee, appreciating its rich, dark flavor as it slipped across my tongue.

“I’m happy to meet with you, Mari. You are giving me free press, after all.

” She sat down across from me. “Are you hungry? I didn’t even think to ask you that.

I do apologize,” she said in her soft southern accent.

“I can certainly see if we’ve got anything left over from breakfast this morning.

I’ve got the best chef. I’m just crossing my fingers she doesn’t leave. ”

“Oh, no, thank you. I had breakfast before I came out here.”

“Excellent then. Now, before we get into what you might need for your story, tell me how you’re doing.”

I paused, recalling my earlier conversation with Nash. He’d suggested it was fine for me to let Hannah know what the situation was with Brett—if only to provide a level of protection for Hannah and her family. After all, she’d need to be alert in case Brett tried to stay at Creek’s End Inn again.

I was still embarrassed about this entire mess. Yet, I could use someone other than my brother and Nash to shed some light on the situation.

“Well, I’m okay. It’s been an interesting week,” I offered.

Hannah angled her head to the side. “I’m sorry about what happened with your boyfriend. Is everything all right now?”

“You know how life is. Sometimes circumstances show you a person’s true colors. Even if it’s miserable at the time, it’s all for the best in the long run. That’s how I would describe what’s happening with Brett.”

Over coffee, I spilled the tale of what had transpired. I left out the details of what happened between Nash and me. I was still trying to adjust and absorb it.

“I’m beyond glad Nash is helping you, and of course, your brother. Between the two of them, it sounds like it will be all right,” Hannah commented.

“If my brother has his way, he’ll take care of it as soon as possible. I just hate this whole situation. I can’t believe Brett got tangled up with a loan shark. Dear God. I would’ve thought it was common sense that was a bad choice.”

Hannah clucked and shook her head slowly. “When it comes to money, people make dumb decisions sometimes. I sure hope you’re not beating yourself up over Brett.”

“I feel like such an idiot,” I said with a sigh.

“Oh, hon, don’t do that. Not everybody has our best interests at heart.

I felt foolish once as well. I have absolutely no doubt you’ll come out of this stronger and better off than before.

Overbearing brothers aren’t exactly helpful even when they mean well.

I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to show them the opposite.

Nothing’s worse than when they’re right. ”

I laughed softly. “Definitely not. Thanks for listening. Nash suggested you might need to know the details if for some reason Brett thought to stay here again. I can’t imagine it after he left me hanging with the bill, but this is a place he’s familiar with.”

Hannah didn’t seem rattled. “I dare him. Don’t worry about it. We’re a busy place, so that should deter him. Plus, no need to worry because Alec is home for two weeks since he injured his shoulder. He’s resting and rehabbing with a trainer in New Orleans.”

As if Hannah conjured him, there was a light knock at the door, and it opened immediately. Alec Darrells, Hannah ’s husband and basketball star, stepped through. “Just popping in to let you know I’m gonna head out to take care of a few errands. You need anything at the grocery store?”

Hannah looked over, and in a mere second, I felt as if I were interrupting a very private moment. All they did was look at each other, but the love and heat between them was evident at a glance.

“Can’t think of anything, but don’t you dare get Danny any more of that ridiculously sugary cereal. I’m sure he’s already pestered you for it.”

Alec grinned. “What if I like it?”

“It’s not healthy enough for you, and your trainer would kill you,” she teased as he leaned over to dust a kiss on her cheek. “By the way, this is Mari Channing. She’s doing an online spread for inns around New Orleans. We’re going to be in it.”

Alec glanced my way, casting me an easy smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m sure Hannah appreciates what you’re doing.”

“Considering she’s giving me a list of recommendations, she did a lot of my work for me. Rest assured, Creek’s End Inn will get top billing in the story.”

After Alec departed, Hannah shook her head. “He’s too much, isn’t he?”

“He obviously adores you.”

“I’d like to play it cool, but I adore him too,” she said with a sheepish smile. “Have faith, you’ll move on from Brett, and some man will sweep you off your feet.”

Have faith, you’ll move on from Brett, and some man will sweep you off your feet.

Hannah ’s words echoed in my thoughts as I drove away from the third inn she’d recommended for me.

Every place she’d sent me had been warm and friendly.

I guessed Hannah had called every single one of them personally to smooth the welcome for me.

Considering all the other stressors I was dealing with right now, I would take the help.

I needed a break somewhere. If that meant a dash of kindness as I handled this one story, I’d take it.

After I drove away from my last appointment, I pulled over in a small viewing spot along the side of a country highway.

It offered a view of a marshy area with cypress trees standing in the edges of the water and Spanish moss swaying lazily from the branches of trees in the early evening breeze.

The sun was starting to set in the distance, casting the sky in a wash of orange and yellow mingling in the fading gold of the sun’s rays.

The view was soothing, and I leaned my head against the car seat.

A mere three weeks ago, I’d had no idea what was in store for me here in Louisiana.

I felt as if my life had been turned upside down.

I had no apartment left to move into in San Francisco, and the boyfriend I thought was trying to rekindle our relationship was now permanently gone.

Somehow, I wasn’t panicking about my living situation.

Maybe I was acting impulsive, but—wow!—it felt good to be with Nash.

Just thinking about last night sent goosebumps prickling over the surface of my skin.

Nash was unsettlingly good in bed. I kept trying to think clearly, but my brain was having a hard time getting past the haze of last night. And he was so genuine. He was going above and beyond to help me, and I didn’t know what to think.

Fishing my phone out of my purse, I glanced down at the screen.

Nash: Call me when you get this. I know you’re probably working, so get to it when you can. I’d like to have your stuff taken over this evening. I’ve got a security team set up at the house, but I don’t want to make assumptions.

Considering that I’d already told him I was okay with staying there, I wasn’t sure what his assumptions might be. Perhaps he thought it was presumptuous to move my things. Not that there were that many. I had some groceries and my single suitcase, pathetic though it was with its broken wheel.

Tapping the text screen open, I typed out a reply.

Me: There’s not much to move, so go ahead. I already packed up my clothes. Where should I meet you? I’m done for the day.

I appreciated that Nash respected the fact that I was working.

During my relationship with Brett, I wasn’t often afforded that level of respect.

He tended to think that since I didn’t work from an office and had a fairly flexible schedule, I could simply rearrange everything related to my job on a whim.

Nash’s reply came in a matter of seconds. Meet me out at my house. Call me first though if you don’t mind.

Bemused, I tapped the button to call him. He answered on the first ring.

“Hey, how was your day?” he asked.

Dear God. All Nash had to do was answer the phone, and my body sat up and took notice with my belly spinning and every hair rising in awareness.

I didn’t realize I was sitting there in silence until Nash prompted, “Mari?”

“Oh, sorry. My day went well, all things considered. How was yours?”

“Busy. Are you okay just meeting me at the house?”

“Of course. When will you be heading out there?”

“I’m on my way now, so I should be there in about ten minutes,” he replied.

“Remind me of the address again.”

Nash quickly recited it.

“Okay, I’ll put it into my GPS.” Tapping the speaker button, I pulled the phone away from my ear so I could bring up my maps and enter the address. “It looks like I’m about a half an hour away, so I’ll see you shortly.”

“Excellent.”

The urge to offer an endearment was at the tip of my tongue. Which was ridiculous, since surely this thing with Nash was just a rebound, and I needed to remember that. And yet …

You’ve got me. All of me.

Nash’s words from last night kept playing on a loop in my thoughts.

I followed the friendly GPS speaker voice to Nash’s house. I turned down a long, secluded driveway flanked with oak trees. The sun had fully disappeared behind the horizon, leaving nothing but fading colors as dusk settled in the wake of the setting sun.

Then, suddenly the trees opened up to a circular driveway. His home was lovely. A sprawling single-story home that blended into the landscape. It was surrounded by flowers and trees with a long porch running the length of it.

When I stepped out of my car, the air was fragrant from the heat of the day with the scents of gardenias and honeysuckle drifting around me.

I didn’t miss that there were two black SUV’s parked to the side.

I’d done a remarkable job at shoving my worries to the back of my thoughts today.

Still, the sight of those vehicles brought my fear racing to the forefront of my mind.

Uneasiness prickled down my spine, and I had to remind myself I was safe with Nash. For all I knew, he’d already dealt with everything. I was lifting my hand to knock when the door swung open.

“Hey,” Nash said, a slow smile unfurling across his face and sending my belly into a few spins. “Your GPS was on the nose with the time.”

He held a dishtowel in his hand, which he tossed over a shoulder as I stepped through the door.

The door shut behind me, and I scanned the space.

We stepped into an entryway with a tile floor.

Nash led me through a pair of French doors into what I presumed was the living room.

Dark hardwood flooring was offset with warm, cream-colored walls.

A large stone fireplace took up a wall on one side with bookshelves flanking it.

On the other, a flat-screen television was mounted in the center of the wall.

The entire room was inviting. It was furnished with a large sectional sofa that I imagined I’d never want to get up from once I sat down.

It had soft throw pillows tossed over it and a fluffy blanket.

A cream-colored rug was in the center with a dark brown coffee table just beyond the couch.

As I turned toward Nash, a dog came trotting through an archway that led into another room. The medium sized dog had white fur and a tail like a flag.

“This is Star,” Nash said. “She’s friendly.”

Star rushed to me, circling my legs with her tail swishing against me. “I didn’t know you had a dog.” I knelt down to greet Star. Glancing up to Nash, I added, “I’m guessing that black star on her forehead is how she came by her name?”

Nash winked as he smiled down at us. “Good guess. Although, she’s not my dog actually. She’s my parents’, but they have date night tonight, so they dropped her off with me for the weekend.”

Straightening with a last stroke across Star’s head, I couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, that’s too cute. Do they have date night often?”

“Every week.” Nash gestured for me to follow him. We crossed the living room and walked through another archway, which opened up into the kitchen. “They have dinner together out somewhere every week. Once every other month or so, they spend the weekend out of town.”

I stopped as I glanced around—the place was beautiful.

Stunning really, with beautiful hardwood flooring continuing into the kitchen where a large round dining table sat within a bay window.

There was just enough light left for me to see the field behind the house with a view of a river in the distance.

Wooden beams crisscrossed the ceiling with a pot rack hanging above an island in the center of the room and counters lining the walls.

It was clear Nash was in the middle of cooking.

He walked to the island where the stovetop was and adjusted the flame under a large pan before stirring it.

Star trotted across the room to curl up on the bed beside the table.

“What are we having?”

“Fresh shrimp with rice over sautéed onions and mushrooms with Cajun seasonings. It’s one of my father’s recipes. He told me I had to make it for you. I would’ve anyway, but now he’s guaranteed to ask me if I did.”

My heart, my confused and oh-so-tricky heart, gave a funny little thump in my chest. It was so sweet for Nash to want to make sure he pleased his father. Having seen him with his parents, the love between them was evident.

I didn’t know what to make of the fact that, apparently, Nash had told his parents I would be here for the weekend.

I elected to stay silent on that. My nerves were already enough of a jumble in so many compartments of my life.

I didn’t need to add worrying about what Nash’s parents thought of me to that list.

“You’re a good son, Nash,” I murmured.

“I try to be. I was a bit of a wild one when I was a teenager. I’ve got some penance to do to make up for that.”

I laughed. “I’m sure you weren’t that bad.”

Nash flashed a devilish grin. The sight of it had my skin prickling all over with awareness, and heat blasted me from head to toe. Nash’s smiles were dangerous on their own, but throw in the naughty glint in his eyes and the sly tilt to his lips, and oh, sweet Jesus, I was in serious trouble.

“You have no idea. I got caught drag racing on the highway once, and I could be stubborn as hell.”

My brows hitched up. “That’s it? You could’ve been much worse.”

He chuckled, the sound spinning into the need already kindling inside of me.

“ And you cook? I think you might be too much.”