Acceptance, The (13 page)

Avery narrowed those blue eyes, which had gone icy, on him. “Next year you can start the day after. As for this year, we have three months. I told you, I don’t want to do this.”

Tyler bit the inside of his cheek. “Will you give me one hundred percent for three months? Please. I haven’t been to one of these in years. I don’t know what I’m getting into. Just be my partner for the next three months and we can do this.”

She looked around and her mouth tightened and tensed. “What does your woman do? Maybe she can help too.”

Tyler tapped his fingers on the table and the smile was back. “Maybe she could.”

“I’ll give you three months. But promise me I don’t have to do this next year.”

“If I don’t get fired you don’t have to help me next year.”

Now her eyes had lightened up and she sipped her coffee again. “Okay, good. So what are your thoughts on the event?”

~*~

Courtney closed her laptop and gave it a little pat. Tyler was going to either love what she’d done all day or be upset that she’d nosed her way into his aunt’s business.

Since ten o’clock that morning she had been on the phone with no less than a dozen women who now had secure jobs, good educations, and a healthy living environment because of Simone Keller’s
Diamond Gift
organization.

Four of the women had gone on to marry men who were active in their community and owned their own businesses. Another three of them had businesses of their own.

Courtney had always felt she’d accepted her fate fairly well. She’d adjusted, learned to deal with life in a new way at a young age, and she’d been told on more than one occasion that she’d helped someone else get through their trauma. But after having talked to the women she’d talked to today—she realized being blind was a cakewalk.

Sure, she couldn’t see the spring. Slippery sidewalks were her enemy. And it was very hard to run the path around the lake. But she’d done them. Never once in her life had she had a man beat her near to death and threaten her livelihood.

One woman had been stabbed four times and her child kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend. Now she lived in Washington D.C. and worked for better legislation against men like him.

It sent chills down Courtney’s arms as she stood from her desk and stretched.

Taking her phone from her pocket, she checked the time. In the masculine British voice she’d programmed, her phone let her know that it was nearly six o’clock. That meant Tyler would be here soon. He’d promised her bar-b-que tonight and now she was starving for it.

Courtney went through her closet and pulled out her favorite pair of black jeans and a crisp white shirt. Fitz had never been a man of fashion, but he dated well. His last girlfriend had taken her shopping and this was one of the outfits Missy had picked out.

She said it accentuated all the best parts
classically.
Courtney wasn’t sure about that, but she felt good in the outfit and that meant a lot. And, with the buttons in the front she was fairly sure she wouldn’t make the rare mistake of putting it on backward or inside out.

Once she was dressed she dabbed on a little
Chanel No. 5
, which Fitz had also bought for her, and ran a brush through her hair. The only makeup she kept on hand was some lip-gloss. She dabbed it onto her lips and made the pucker sound her mother had taught her.

The memory froze her in place. She’d been so hard on her mother for the past few weeks since they’d learned of Fitz’s death. They’d argued and each had said nasty things to the other. Guilt was coursing through her veins now. She’d thrown her paternity in her mother’s face and she hated when she did that. Everyone was due their mistakes. Even Courtney had had a few.

She heard the doorbell and she realized she needed to let go of the feelings she was having—for the moment anyway. There needed to be peace and acceptance between her and her mother. They were all they had now. There couldn’t be any resentment.

Courtney walked down the steps, remembering to turn the lights on when she reached the bottom one.

“Tyler?” she called out before she answered the door.

“It’s me.”

She unlocked the locks and pulled open the door.

“Wow!” he said and she figured Missy must have been right. “You look amazing. I mean you always do, but wow.”

“Thank you. I was hoping for that kind of reaction.”

There was no movement for a moment and he said nothing.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, worried that something had slipped by her and he was upset.

“I’m just taking you in.” Now he moved and he was quickly wrapping his arms around her and she around him. “I’ve thought of you all day. Is that crazy?”

“I hope not. I’ve done the same—thinking about you.”

She felt his mouth move against her temple, to her cheek, to her neck, and then press against her lips.

Courtney swayed against him, pulling him close. His tongue teased. His breath warmed. His hands moved down her back and over the curve of her bottom.

She felt the moan escape as she heard it with her own ears. There was going to have to be a time in this very fast paced relationship she was having, where she thought about what was to come next. She’d known Tyler Benson all of a week, but she knew she wanted his hands on her, his lips, his words.

His breath was heavy when he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. “I guess I’m a little stirred up.”

“We’d better go then—before we forget we had plans.” She broke free from him and reached for her purse on the edge of the sofa. “I know this is bad etiquette, but do you mind if I take my laptop?”

“Are you going to do some work while we eat?”

“I did work, all day. And I want to show you.”

“That’s fine. Where is it? I can help you pack it up.”

When he offered his help she didn’t feel as though it was because she couldn’t. It was exhilarating to think a man just wanted to help.

“It’s on my desk in the corner. There is a small bag in the drawer next to it that I carry it in.”

She could hear him move to the desk and pack up the computer.

“I’m anxious to see what you’ve done.”

“You are?”

He stopped near her. “I’m trying real hard to make you understand that you’re very important to me. Not just you, but everything you are and everything you do. Am I failing?”

She swallowed hard. “I’m just getting use to this kind of attention, that’s all.”

“I have a lot more to give.”

Her breath was shaky again. What was going to make this man break and leave? She’d always need something—even though she thought she’d proved to herself she didn’t. Would he always be willing to be interested?

Chapter Sixteen

At the very moment the door opened and she stepped foot into
Steve’s B-B-Q Pit and Beer
she could smell the familiarity. The stale scent of beer, cooked steak, fresh cornbread, and peanuts. Dust lingered on the air from the thousands of garage sale decorations that adorned the walls. Hank rang out on the jukebox and the heavy perfume of the woman walking toward them made her smile.

“Well, I’ll be damned! Courtney Field, how are you, darlin’?”

“I’m well, Ms. Hilary.”

“You are good with those voices aren’t you?” The woman moved in closer and her fragrance grew heavier. “I’m really sorry to hear about your brother. He was a good boy.”

“Thank you.”

“Your mama and daddy must be very upset.”

“My father is very proud of him, of course, even though you’re correct, he’s very sad. My mother, well, it’ll take a long time I’m sure.”

“Of course it will.” Hilary placed her hand on Courtney’s shoulder. “How are you dealin’?”

“One day at a time. Tyler here has been very supportive.”

“You look awful familiar. I’ve been here a hundred years, you belong to someone.”

She heard Tyler chuckle and felt his arm move past her. Surely he was shaking Hilary’s hand.

“Tyler Benson, I’m…”

“Oh, dear, Lord! You are Zach’s son. Tyler’s grandson.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Courtney could hear the smile carry on his voice.

“You look just like your granddaddy. I served him a lot of ribs.”

“I’ve always been told this was his favorite place.”

“I’ll be damned.” Hilary made a little noise as if she were still looking at Tyler and taking in the sight of him. “Well, c’mon. I’ll seat ya.”

Tyler let her take his elbow and he led her through the sounds of conversation, music, and children’s laughter.

“It’s a booth, is that okay?” he whispered in her ear.

“Fine.” She felt the edge with her knee and slid on in, then felt him slide next to her so she slid to the end.

“I’ll be back in a few. What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll have a beer,” Courtney said softly.

“I’ll have one too.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Tyler leaned back against the booth and she could feel his eyes on her. She turned to face him.

“You’re grinning, aren’t you?”

“I’m still not sure you can’t see sometimes. How do you know that?”

“There is a feel to it.”

“Well then yes. I’m grinning. This whole town knows you and you know each and every one of them by voice.”

“Just as you’d know them by sight. Of course, Hilary’s perfume gives her away first.”

“I didn’t smell her perfume.”

Now Courtney laughed. She wondered how he’d missed it.

“So you look just like your grandfather, huh?”

“I’ve been told that on occasion.”

“You never met him?”

“No. He died years before I was born. He had a heart attack while he and my grandmother were in New York.”

She reached for his hand. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I know she’s tried to move on, but I think my Grandmother misses him still.”

“If someone is your true love I don’t suppose you ever move on.”

He gave a hum and she could hear the menu brush against the table.

“What do you get here?” she asked trying to clear the air again.

“I was thinking that bar-b-que platter for two.”

“Alright, but I warn you, I’m a messy rib eater.”

He set the menu down on the table and lifted his hand to her cheek. “Are you tempting me?”

“With what?” Her voice had gone airy having him touch her in public.

“Wanting to lick it off your lips.”

She caught the breath that tried to escape just as Tyler pulled back his hand and Hilary set their beers on the table.

Tyler ordered and Hilary walked away.

“So what were you going to show me?” he asked as he took a drink of his beer. She could smell it as it transferred from his glass to his lips.

“Um—I…” She tried to gather her thoughts, but all she could think about was his tongue on her skin. His hands. His words. She squeezed her eyes and clenched her stomach. They’d have to discuss it. Where was this going and was it going right where she wanted it to go?

Courtney collected herself and pulled her computer from the bag on the seat next to her.

She felt for her beer, pushed it back, and opened the laptop. “Here. Read this. What do you think?”

Tyler moved the laptop and Courtney reached for her beer. She sipped and waited and sipped again.

“Well?”

“Hold on. I’m not a very fast reader.”

Courtney sipped at her beer again, then set it down and rested her anxious hands in her lap. Finally, she heard him lower the lid of the computer.

“It sucks?”

“What?” He turned to her. “No. God, no! It was…I didn’t know…I’m…” he let out a breath and then sucked one in. “I’m in over my head. I didn’t know some of these women went through all that.”

“What did you think?”

“I didn’t know. I knew some were homeless. Some were abused, but…” He reached for her hand and brought it to the top of the table. “You took time to find these women and talk to them.”

“Yes.”

“Where did you find them?”

“I searched. These are specifically women who had something about the
Diamond Gift
in their profiles on social media or business sites.”

“That one woman was stabbed.”

“She was the most dynamic one to talk to. She was an alcoholic and a heroin user. She now works in D.C. trying to change the laws.”

“We need to invite all these women to the gala.”

“They all said I could contact them. I have permission from all of them to publish their stories.”

He’d grown quiet again, but she was quickly learning this meant he was deep in thought.

“Will you work with me?”

“Me? How?”

“Avery hates doing these. She’s promised to show me the ropes, but I want to do this long term. I want to help my aunt raise as much money and bring as much attention to this organization as I can. She’s done a great job up till now, but now there are stories to back it all up. Look at these successes. Over twenty years of successes. You brought this to light for me, and very well I might add.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re very gifted, Courtney. If I was a man to cry in public I would have.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm. “You should read my fiction.”

He chuckled. “What kind of fiction?”

“I have a variety of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and I have some paranormal.”

“Just paranormal? No romance.”

“Think about it. Every book you’ve ever read probably had an element of romance or relationship.”

He thought hard about it. “I have to go back quite a long way to think about a book where there wasn’t some kind of chemistry.”

She smiled. “Anyway,” she leaned in closer to his ear, “Let’s say my imagination is very vivid and if you think you’d cry over this I can guarantee you a full out blush.”

Tyler laughed, kissed her on the cheek, and picked up his beer. “I think this relationship is going to be very fun.”

Her heart stalled and then kicked back up. “Relationship?”

“Isn’t that what we have? Forgive me if I’m wrong.” His voice hitched and he set down his beer. “I haven’t done a ton of dating, but we are dating right?”