Page 4 of He Saved My Boy
“What do I wear, Annie? I haven’t been on a date in—God, let’s not even go there. But for some reason, I got a wild hair up my ass… And the next thing I know, I asked him to breakfast… in thirty minutes!” I nearly screech that last part because the clock is ticking, and I’m still in my underwear.
“Did you pack a dress like I told you?”
Originally, I’d planned on wearing a pair of jean shorts and a loose tank today, but the moment I see the splash of royal blue peek out from under my pile of clothes, my decision is made. “Yes, Mom, I did. Thank you.” As I reach for the sleeveless dress that hits just at my knees, I smile at my snarkiness. Usually, I am the one giving advice, so it’s hard not to roll my eyes in this moment.
But like a true best friend, she doesn’t miss a beat. “I told you that dress could come in handy. Not only is it cute, but it makes your eyes pop and accentuates your best assets.”
Yes, it does. But my favorite part about this dress is that it’s extremely forgiving about the parts I love to conceal—and it has pockets. Who doesn’t love pockets?
“As much as it pains me to say,” I tease. “You’re right. I did need this.” Putting her on speaker, I slip it over my head and return to the bathroom to quickly apply minimal makeup and wrangle my mane of hair.
“So… tell me about this Davis. What do we know about him?”
Shit. Not much. So, I preface with… “I just met him, but he’s from Washington—a Rainier Renegades fan and grew up outside of Leavenworth. Apparently, we’re both staying here for the next few days.” I laugh at the memory of him worrying about being a stalker. Then I quickly tell her how we met, and she joins me in laughter when I explain we’re even staying in the same hall.
When I finish, she’s unusually quiet for a moment, so I break the silence, “What aren’t you saying?” Clearly, she has something on her mind. This is Annie. I’ve known her since we were six. This girl’s wheels are clearly spinning.
“Shouldn’t I be asking that?” I can hear the smile in her voice. “But…” She trails off. “Since you made the first move—I gotta know… just how hot is this guy?”
Closing my eyes, I picture his thick, dark hair, square jaw, beautiful lips, and eyes I could get lost in. He fills out a pair of shorts and that Renegades shirt perfectly. He’s well over six feet and has a presence about him I just can’t describe. “Uh… hot doesn’t even do him justice,” I quietly admit.
“That’s what I thought.” I can hear a smirk forming on her face. “Look, I know you need to get going, but do you want me to call in an hour so you can fake an emergency, if necessary?”
I don’t think I’ll need it, but it’s nice to have an out. “Sure—but if it goes directly to voicemail, know that I’m having a great time.” When I realize I need my full concentration to quickly throw my hair into a braid, so I can avoid looking like a drowned rat, I admit, “Look, Annie, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you in an hour. I have about five minutes to get downstairs, and I still need to do something with my hair.”
“Okay, T. Have fun, and I’ll check in soon.”
As soon as I’m off the phone, I finish my hair, apply some Chapstick, grab my purse, and rush out the door with only minutes to spare.
Just as I step into the hall, I jump when I hear from behind me, “You really will think I’m a stalker if we keep this up.”
Turning on a dime, I see Davis’s lips quirk as if he’s trying to hide a smile.” Damn. Freshly showered Davis is a sight to see. His hair is stylishly tousled, and his aqua button-down shirt fits him like a glove. It accentuates his best features—in the best ways possible. My eyes drift from his muscular chest to his corded forearms on display under his rolled-up sleeves to his elbows. His untucked shirt hangs over his light-gray shorts as if they were made especially for him. His tan muscular legs look even better in these than when we first met.
Holy hell, how had I missed the rest of him?
When Davis clears his throat, I’m drawn out of my ogling.
Shoot. Has he said something?
Instead of staring at him like a loon, I respond to his first question, “It seems we have impeccable timing.”
His lips spread into a playful grin as he nods. “It seems we do. You ready to eat?”
“Yep. I’ve heard great things about the breakfast here,” I admit as I turn to walk down the hall.
By the time we get to the dining room, I’m surprised to see we practically have the room to ourselves. Then again, it is getting closer to lunch than breakfast. A woman at a table looking at some paperwork greets us with a friendly smile. “Mornin’. Help yourselves to some coffee, tea, or juice. Can I interest you in French toast and some eggs? I got some Georgia peaches in yesterday, and they are to die for.”
“That sounds amazing,” I admit as my stomach rumbles in anticipation, causing Davis to chortle, followed by a groan from me. I can’t get any breaks with this guy.
The woman, being the professional she is, hops up from her seat and quickly says, “I’ll be right out with your breakfast.”
After pouring some iced tea for me, Davis grabs a coffee for himself. Then he gestures to a table out of the way—should more guests arrive. The moment we’re settled, he asks, “Got any plans while you’re in town on your me-cation?”
Of course, he asks when my mouth is full of tea. It takes me a moment to swallow, causing both of us to grin. “I’ve been here a few times, but I’ve never taken the time to be a tourist. I’d like to go on a riverboat tour.”
“Really? Why’s that?”
Where do I even begin? Shrugging, I do my best to explain, “I guess the thought of actually seeing a bayou lined with cypress trees seems fascinating. Besides, the tour guide also gives a bit of the town’s history. While I’m here, I’ll probably head back into town and check out the shops. What are your plans while you’re here?”
