CHAPTER NINE
At some point during the night, Sami had moved from the floor into the bedroom. When light filtering in awakened her, she sat up, wondering why the dogs hadn’t made their usual early morning push for their walk.
She slipped into a pair of capris and a sensible navy blue button-front blouse, pulled open the door to the parlor and glanced around. The dogs leapt up to greet her but in a fairly calm fashion. Even the Corgi kept her volume low. There was no sign of Flynn, but when Sami moved to where the leashes lay jumbled, she saw he’d written a note.
Took ‘em out at 7. Be back by noon.
She had to squint a bit to decipher his handwriting. It was anything but neat and tidy, the way Sami’s was.
Noon.
She checked her watch. Already after nine. She’d have to start her calls to her girlfriends.
It was better for everyone for her to be gone before his return. She had been saddled with Flynn for the drive and then he’d been saddled with her for the night.
Sami puckered her mouth.
Sighed.
She had several weeks before she had to teach. She’d find a place to stay and clear out of Flynn’s way. Naturally she’d stop at the desk and pay half the bill for the night.
A knock sounded at the door.
Sami jumped. The dogs barked. Sami went to the door and was surprised to find a room service attendant bearing a tray. The young man greeted her and set about arranging the contents, beaming as he announced to her each item. The last plate he uncovered held, not to Sami’s surprise, three large dog biscuits.
He poured a cup of coffee for her and began to bow out of the room. Sami asked him for the check. He looked puzzled and shook his head. “No charge,” he said. “Mr. Lawrence takes care of everything.”
Sami blushed, wondering if the waiter thought she was one of “Mr. Lawrence’s” conquests. No doubt he’d entertained a string of women in this very suite. Remembering how good he’d made her feel cuddling on the loveseat, Sami blushed again and vowed never to recall that incident again. A moment of weakness did not count in the scheme of things. She managed a smile for the waiter as he closed the door behind him.
She took a sip of the coffee. Ruby barked, no doubt to remind Sami that not everyone had been served breakfast. She found their food and bowls and gave all three dogs a proper breakfast. Biscuit sausages were treats reserved for road trips.
She enjoyed her cup of coffee, admitting to herself she should be thinking about which friend to call first, rather than dwelling on Flynn’s thoughtfulness. The man didn’t have a selfish bone in his body. He’d been more than good to her and the dogs, all the while having been forced into the drive rather than a simple hour-long flight. She couldn’t credit the tales of him being afraid to fly. No selfish bones. No fearful ones. Not Flynn Lawrence, as she was coming to know him.
Nibbling on a biscuit, she decided to phone Vonnie first. She had the largest house, which included an apartment over the garage, and two dogs of her own. Their friendship went back to second grade. Sami had stood in her wedding. The past year they hadn’t been in touch as much, mainly due to Vonnie’s demanding schedule in her new post as an E.R. physician. Sami finished her biscuit, wrinkling her brow when she recalled how her mother loved to hold up Vonnie as an example of a daughter any parent would be proud to claim.
She bit into a second biscuit. Maybe she’d call Toya first. Toya had gone the lawyer route and didn’t rank as high on Nathalie’s list of perfection, despite having been named her firm’s youngest-ever woman to make partner. Sami wiped her hands and mouth and found Toya’s number in her phone. Toya didn’t have dogs, but she did have three-year-old twins. Maybe they’d enjoy romping with Sami’s dogs.
“Hey, girl,” Toya answered. “When are you coming to town?”
“I arrived last night,” Sami said.
“Awesome. Look, once you’re settled in at your parents, please, please come over and see me.”
“At your office?” Toya was such a workaholic, Sami found her request odd.
A groan came over the phone. “I wish,” Toya said. “I was going to tell you in person. I cannot frigging believe it but I am pregnant. Again. With twins.”
“Wow,” Sami said. “So that’s good, right?”
“It’s good in that once I’ve delivered, the first thing I’m going to do is have all my equipment pulled out. Shut down. Capped. Whatever it’s called. But for now I’m on bed rest. For two more months!”
“Wow,” Sami said again. “I can’t imagine how you are going to do that. Of course I’ll come see you. Maybe I could stay in your guest room and help out.”
“You’re so sweet,” Toya said. “My mother-in-law moved in with us to help during the duration. Thank God for that, because the twins are a handful.” She laughed. “I mean the twins we already have.”
“I’ll be over as soon as I can,” Sami said. “It will probably be tomorrow at the earliest.”
“Any time,” Toya said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Sami heard shrieking in the background and ended the call. She sat staring at her phone. Shelby walked over and leaned her head against her knee. Sami stroked her ears. Dogs were such a comfort.
With a sigh, she pulled up Katarina’s number. They’d become friends during graduate school. Katarina was from Germany. She’d married a doctoral student and not returned home. She was as easy-going as she said Sami was intense. Sami was positive she would welcome three dogs and a temporarily homeless girlfriend, but her husband was another story. Opposites must attract, she thought, as she called Katarina and heard her cheerful greeting and her equally cheerful pronouncement that Gunther couldn’t possibly stand the distractions of a houseguest and three dogs while he was finishing his long-delayed dissertation. He only had till the end of July or he’d be in danger of not being awarded his doctorate. But Katarina would keep her eyes and ears open for another place for Sami.
That left Vonnie. The apartment over the garage would be perfect. She wouldn’t bother the family with their busy schedules. They might go a week at a time and not bump into each other. The last thing Sami wanted to be was a third wheel with a happily married couple and their toddler. Vonnie’s voicemail, not surprisingly, invited her to leave a message.
Sami left a greeting, poured another cup of coffee and figured she’d better start hunting for a place on Craigslist. Or Airbnb. She didn’t want to intrude on Flynn’s privacy and hospitality another night.
Or run the risk of falling prey to his charm? Sami laughed out loud at that possibility, but the sound didn’t register as convincing. Forget Flynn. When a woman wanted a husband and a family of her own, what was the point in giving even a second’s thought to a playboy?
Sami eyed the plate of bacon, her mouth watering. “Bad for you,” she said. She reached for one slice and popped it in her mouth. The slice had the perfect crunchy crispness, the hickory flavor sweet and hot all at once.
Knowing she shouldn’t, she ate a second piece before she pushed the platter away, stood up and began pacing the parlor. Ruby leapt up and ran beside her.
“Good times,” Sami said.
Ruby barked. Sami repeated the phrase, louder and with greater emphasis. She and Flynn couldn’t be any more opposite. She yearned for True Love. His goal was Good Times. Not that the two didn’t sync. But his choice didn’t encompass hers.
“Oh, stop it,” she said. What had gotten into her normally logical brain? Useless, senseless speculation on irrelevant matters. Sami marched to her room, pulled out her MacBook, and started searching for a summer rental happy to accept dogs.
She’d been at it for about half an hour, long enough to grow discouraged, when all three dogs set up a clamor. She realized they were reacting to a knock at the door. When she responded, Sami found a housekeeping staff member there to clean the rooms. She fastened the leashes to her dogs, slipped her phone in her pocket and left the room. She didn’t mind the interruption. A number of the short-term rentals that accepted pets were already booked off and on over the summer. Sami didn’t want to move from place to place nor did she want to dip into her savings to pay the prices many of the places requested.
A walk would do them all good. And perhaps Vonnie would call back and Sami’s troubles would be over.
Sami and the dogs had made it over to the river below the government buildings when Vonnie called.
“Sami! I cannot wait to see you. Can you meet me for a drink Friday? I don’t have a second till then. Between the designer and the contractor, I don’t have a moment to breathe.”
“Friday sounds good,” Sami said. “You’re usually busy with your work schedule. The addition of a designer and contractor implies you have undertaken projects outside of your professional interests.”
Vonnie groaned. “As usual, you have an accurate way of summing up a situation. My E.R. schedule is crazy, but somehow Michael and I decided it would be a good investment to remodel. And you know Michael. He’s nothing but thorough! So we’ve squeezed ourselves into the apartment over the garage and the house is practically gutted. Wait till you see the plans, though. It’s going to be stunning, but this next year is going to be hell.”
“Wow,” Sami said. “Remodeling takes a year?”
“Who knew?” Vonnie laughed. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Oh, don’t ask,” Sami said.
“Michael and I have someone we want you to meet. He’s on staff at Children’s. He did his residency at Tufts.”
“Interesting,” Sami said. “What are his life goals?”
“Samantha Pepper, relax! You can grill him after your first date. Say hi to Emile and Nathalie for me, by the way. Listen, he’s great. He’s handsome and smart. He’s a good doctor. What’s not to like?”
“Me?” Sami said, and immediately wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
“Sami, please. You’re not still putting yourself down are you? I was positive you’d grow out of that.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that response,” Sami said. “I was attempting to make a joke. He sounds interesting.”
“I’ll have him join us Friday then. Great. That’s settled. I’ll text you with time and place.”
“And his name?”
“Chase Carpenter.”
Sami nodded and gazed across the Cumberland. She’d Google him, make sure she was informed on his research and patient interests. That way she’d have something intelligent to say.
“I must run,” Vonnie said. “That’s the designer calling. She insists I must decide immediately on whether or not we’re adding a pool.”
“Bye,” Sami said, but Vonnie had already ended the connection.
Sami took one more long look at the flowing river and two tugs moving past. She was happy for her friend. For all her friends. And it was thoughtful of Vonnie to want to set her up with a dating prospect. One day, she’d be the one with the designer calling and the tenure track job secured and a loving husband at her side.
But right this moment she admitted to being the teeniest bit jealous.
And lonely.
Ruby tugged on her leash and barked.
Sami started the long walk back to the hotel, shoulders squared and head high. She would solve this housing challenge the same way she faced all her problems. Research, fact-finding, investigation. And as soon as she’d found a summer place, she’d apply the same skills to learning about Dr. Chase Carpenter.
Her first date of the summer. She’d be ready. In the meantime, she placed one more call, to a former professor for whom she’d housesat during grad school. She left a voicemail, keeping her fingers crossed he might be planning an extended summer trip.
Her phone rang and Sami answered, expecting he’d returned her call. In the glare of the sunlight, she couldn’t see who was calling.
“The maid said you took the dogs for a walk. She’s still cleaning. Give me your coordinates and I’ll meet you,” Flynn said.
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Sami said. She’d hoped to be gone from the Hilton before he returned.
“Humor me?” Flynn said.
Sami started to smile. He sounded happy. Rather like a youngster who’d won a gold star for conduct and wanted to show his family. Well, perhaps that analogy was less than appropriate. She doubted if Flynn had won many model student awards in grade school. They tended to be doled out to the ones built out of Sami’s mold. Compliant. Driven to excel. Forced to perform. Sami frowned.
“If that’s a yes,” Flynn said, “ask Ruby not to bark and I’ll simply follow my ear. Find you in a snap.”
She laughed and explained the route she’d walked from the hotel, which was the same way she was headed back. Sure enough, as she rounded Church Street, Sami saw him striding toward her. He wore dark slacks and a dress shirt open at the neck, with the sleeves rolled up. The flash of his red hair bobbed closer and all three dogs started tugging at their leashes. Naturally Ruby began barking and leaping.
Flynn grinned and quickened his stride. If he didn’t hurry, that damn Corgi might pull Sami’s arm out of its socket. She looked a little overdressed for the warm morning, as if she’d buttoned up all neat and tight in order to put as much visual distance as possible from the tempting sexpot she’d been last night. His groin tightened. “Forget it,” he said. Yes, he was happy to see her this morning. Happy to be helping her, in the same way he enjoyed assisting his clients to solve a challenge.
He waved a greeting. The Corgi barked. Flynn grinned, covered the last few yards, and held his hand out for Ruby’s leash.
Dots of perspiration gleamed on Sami’s forehead. She was breathing rapidly, her breasts rising and falling, pretty much negating the nun-like effect of the navy blue blouse. He thought of leaning down to taste the droplets, which led him to relive the taste of her nipples, which led him to step back, frowning slightly.
“H-hello,” Sami said. She pushed her hair away from her face. “Is something wrong?”
Flynn shook his head. “Not a thing,” he said. “You and these three pooches are a sight for sore eyes.”
She glanced at him, rather shyly he thought. “I do know there’s no factual basis in that statement, but I thank you. I thought I detected a note of displeasure on your facial expression.”
Flynn bit his lip to keep from replying he wasn’t one of her critical parents. “Nah. Indigestion.”
“Oh,” she said. “That reminds me, thank you for having breakfast sent to the suite. That was very thoughtful of you.”
Flynn shrugged. “I know you like your morning coffee.”
She nodded. “I intended to be out of your way before you returned from your meeting. I apologize for continuing to inconvenience you.”
They were walking toward the hotel. Traffic was fairly heavy on the street. Flynn figured if he rang her neck for acting in her stubbornly independent fashion, some passerby was bound to notice. “Ever think I might enjoy your company?”
“Oh,” Sami said. “We do seem to travel fairly well together. But I know my presence, not to mention that of Shelby, Rusty and Ruby, cramp your style. I would guess that last night was the first time in ages you went to bed before eleven.”
Flynn glared at her. She might as well have added “and alone.” “Never mind,” he said. “I have some great news for you.”
“You do?”
“Yep. Idea came to me last night.” He paused as they reached the hotel entrance. “Let’s go up to the suite. I’ll tell you there.” Flynn wasn’t sure why, but all of a sudden it occurred to him that Sami might not appreciate what he’d arranged for her and the dogs.
Sami walked into the lobby and halted. “We could sit down here,” she said. “The maid might still be cleaning.”
Maybe it was better in public. Flynn headed them toward a couple of chairs off to the side just as a white-haired lady walking a white standard poodle crossed in front of them. Ruby leapt toward the poodle. Flynn pulled the Corgi up a few inches short of the poodle’s back leg ruff.
“I’ll thank you to maintain control over your animal,” the woman said in a frosty voice. “I don’t appreciate other dogs agitating Edgard.”
“Sorry,” Flynn said, backing away dragging the Corgi.
“Upstairs,” Sami said. “Ruby hasn’t adjusted to the stimulation of travel yet. It will be better to get her out of the lobby.”
They headed to the elevator. Flynn noticed the other occupant, a man in a suit, glancing at Sami. He smiled at her as he stepped off the floor below their suite. The woman could have a string of men hounding her. Flynn couldn’t believe how oblivious Sami appeared to be to her appeal.
Or did she know and didn’t care? Flynn frowned, pondering that question. She didn’t want to be wanted for her sexy, beautiful body. But what was wrong with that as a starting point for a dialogue? Not that he was one to bother with words after a conquest had been completed.
“If you keep frowning, you will find yourself forced to resort to Botox treatments,” Sami said.
“Sorry.” Flynn realized the elevator doors had opened on their floor. He waited for Sami to step out first and followed with Ruby in tow. “Thinking.”
“I see,” Sami said and headed down the hall.
She walked with such a lovely swing to her hips. More of a gentle sway. Even in those boring capris her body screamed out “made for seduction.” Flynn gritted his teeth. The sooner he helped her find the kind of man she was longing for, the sooner he’d be forced to remove himself from the tempting vision of Sami Pepper.
Back in the suite, Flynn waited till Sami had removed the leashes and given each dog one of the biscuits he’d included in the morning tray. Sami fanned her face and disappeared into her bedroom, returning wearing a sleeveless tank and a ribbon holding back her hair.
“That top suits you,” Flynn said. “Much better than that stuffy blue blouse.”
“Thank you for the fashion advice,” Sami said. “I simply happen to be hot from the walk.”
“You are hot,” Flynn said. “100% hot.”
Sami made a sound in her throat that Flynn interpreted as an objection to his observation. He lifted a hand. “No, I am not hitting on you. Simply stating a fact.” He dropped onto the loveseat and patted the space. “Sit?”
“Woof,” Sami said, but she smiled and joined him. “What is it you’re dying to tell me?”
“Found you a place for the summer. You and the dogs.”
“Excuse me?” She sounded haughty, which surprised him.
“Thought about it last night,” Flynn said. “I’m a personal manager. I make a lot of money solving people’s problems, handling business and finances. Not to brag, but I have numerous clients who make fortunes. Many of them have more houses than they can keep track of. So I set my Nashville assistant to work to locate someone who is on tour or simply living in another one of their big-ass houses.”
“But I didn’t ask you to assist me in my housing search.”
Flynn stared at Sami. “Am I getting that you’re upset because I helped or because I didn’t ask your permission?”
“That is a compound question.”
“Compound. Confound. Right now that’s what you’re doing to me.” Flynn jumped up and paced across to where the dogs had sprawled on the carpet. “Finding a place on short notice that is both affordable and dog-friendly is not going to be easy.”
Sami shifted on the loveseat. “Thank you, Flynn, for your help. But I simply could not accept such an offer, even if you were able to find a place. I’ve a call in to a professor I used to house sit for. I’m optimistic.”
“But I did find a place. In Belle Meade. It’s an estate with a separate guest house. Fenced, of course. The live-in caretakers have their own suite in the main house. You can move in today.”
“I couldn’t possibly afford a gated estate in Belle Meade. That’s celebrity territory.”
“If it’s money you’re concerned about, nothing to worry over. They offered it to me for free.”
Sami stared at Flynn. She honestly didn’t know if she was more infuriated or astonished at Flynn’s taking over her hunt for summer housing. “They offered it to you,” she said. “Not to some unknown woman.”
“Oh, I said it was for a friend of mine.”
“No doubt they figured it was for a girlfriend.”
Flynn laughed and sat back down on the loveseat. “Anyone who knows me knows better than that.” He stretched a hand towards her. “I’m the king of the one-night stand.”
Sami’s phone rang. She snatched it and answered.
“If it isn’t my brightest student,” her old professor said, his voice booming so loud Sami winced. “How’s life treating you, Dr. Pepper?”
“Lovely,” Sami said. “In addition to teaching a summer course I’m focusing on my review of AI literature.”
“Sounds good professionally,” he said. “How’s your personal life?”
“Lovely,” Sami said.
“I hope you’ve learned the importance of contentment and life balance,” he said.
Sami was surprised by his comment. Professor Golding had lived, breathed, and slept philosophy. “Of course,” she said. “All work and no play, you know.”
Flynn made a face at her.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
He smiled and did the same.
“I’ve undergone a profound change in my outlook on life,” her professor said. “As a matter of fact, I’m on my honeymoon.”
Sami almost dropped her phone. Then she realized he must be out of town. His house would be empty. “That’s wonderful. Where are you and your bride spending your honeymoon?”
“David and I are in Italy. From here we’re heading to Thailand.”
“Oh,” Sami said. “You must be planning an extended time away. Do you need someone to check on your house?”
“Always thoughtful,” Dr. Golding said. “I’ve leased it for the year we’ll be traveling. Sorry we won’t connect in person this summer. Remember to enjoy life.”
“Sure,” Sami said and put her phone down.
Flynn was looking at her the same way the dogs did when they thought they were about to get a long walk along the levee or a game of Frisbee.
“Ready to check out your new digs?”
“The professor wasn’t my last resort,” Sami said.
“Don’t be stubborn,” Flynn said, in a nice way.
“Why do you want to help me?” Sami looked him straight in the eye. He couldn’t be trying to win her affection. He couldn’t make it plainer he was a playboy, the very opposite of the man she sought to fulfill her quest for True Love.
“Damned if I know,” Flynn said.
“That’s not a good enough answer,” Sami said.
“Right, Professor.” He ran a hand over his hair. “Think about this, Sami. You knew my brother. I don’t like to talk about Sean. It’s too damn painful. But if you hadn’t freaked him out on your second date running on about physics and formulas and God-only-knows what scientific facts, you might have ended up my sister-in-law.”
“I did not freak him out!” Sami glared at Flynn. “I merely did what I always do, which is prepare myself for an intellectually stimulating discussion of my date’s interests.”
“Scared him off.” Flynn sighed. “Okay, Sami “Sweet Stuff” Pepper, here’s my real reason for helping you find a place.”
“This better be good.” Sami crossed her arms over her chest.
“I lost our wager. So I’m making it my business to help you find your True Love.” He looked embarrassed. “Get you settled in. I’ll know where to find you when I’m back in town. I can check on your progress.”
Sami stared at Flynn. She couldn’t have been more surprised unless he’d gotten down on one knee and proposed. “You do not have to do a thing. It was a silly wager and yes, you lost, but it’s over.”
“Believe me,” Flynn said, “I’m just the guy to help you learn how to hook a man and how to unlearn your bad habits.”
“What bad habits?”
“Freaking out your dates with your onslaught of information instead of just relaxing and being your lovable self.”
“I haven’t freaked you out, have I?” Sami rose and planted her hands on her hips. She felt a need to win this point.
Flynn stood up, tipped her chin up and smiled into her eyes. Her tummy flip-flopped in a surprisingly agreeable way. “Not in the same way you affect the guys you date,” he said. He touched her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “But yes, more than I care to admit.”
Sami leaned toward him. “Oh,” she said, drawing out a long, breathy sigh. She liked the way his touch felt.
Flynn dropped his hand and practically jumped back from her. “Okay, so that’s settled.” He glanced around the room. “Let’s get your bags together. I’ll call the valet for your car.”
Sami stepped away, feeling foolish. Her mind told her Flynn was helping her out of some need to work out his grief about losing his brother. Not exactly logical, but coping with grief and death didn’t have to satisfy analytical algorithms. Her body, however, assured her Flynn the man wanted something more from her, something her traitorous senses seemed only too ready to give up to him.
Surely he’d be heading back to L.A. soon. But as long as he was around her, she’d have to make sure it was her mind in charge of her behavior. “I haven’t said ‘yes’ yet,” she said.
“When does your class start?” Flynn was petting Shelby. The traitorous pup rolled onto her back, waved her feet in the air and wagged her tail against the carpet. Flynn stroked her tummy.
“Mid-June.” Sami said. “I have everything prepared.” She sighed. “As upset as Nathalie and Emile make me at times, I’m glad I have some time to spend with them before the session begins. They seemed hurt that I didn’t visit them at Christmas.” Sami pulled the ribbon from her hair and combed through it with her fingers, something she did when thinking hard about a topic. “Nathalie was harsher than usual, but Emile’s illness must be really hard on her. We don’t have a typical family dynamic, but I do care about them. ”
Flynn stroked Shelby’s ears. “I understand.”
Sami watched him with Shelby, his strong, slender fingers moving over the Lab’s head, sending Shelby into blissful doggie pleasure. She rolled the ribbon and stuck it in the pocket of her capris. “I believe you do,” she said. “I will accept your generous offer of a place to stay, though if I find an affordable option elsewhere, I’ll let you know my departure date.”
Flynn grinned and rose from the floor. “Wait till you see this place, and then we’ll see if you plan to rough it elsewhere.”
“I am not a freeloader,” Sami said. “I always pay my own way.”
“Yes, yes,” Flynn said. “Go pack. I’ve got a busy day.”
“Oh, of course. I apologize for creating an impediment to your schedule.”
Flynn moved toward her, placed a hand over her mouth, and with the other pushed her fanny in the direction of her bedroom. “Enough words.”