Authors: Lori H. Leger,Kimberly Killion
Tags: #Fiction, #Contemporary Women
“I haven’t danced in a while, so I may be a little rusty. What time would we leave?”
“Doors open at seven, since it’s opening night. Can you be ready to leave at five?”
She nodded. “Sure, but I don’t have anything in my closet suitable for clubbing. I may have to do some shopping here in Lake Coburn. How about if we grab a bite to eat then you take me to my truck so I can hit the mall?”
“Sure, I don’t mind letting you go early if I get to see you later this evening.” He grinned and gave her a wink.
Giselle felt like a teenager when he winked at her. Jackson watched her long enough to see the blush infuse her lovely face with color. God, he loved it when she blushed, especially if it happened over something he said or did. A feeling of hope began to leach into his soul.
He brought her to a small mom and pop diner where they talked comfortably and discussed staying in Lafayette for the night to avoid a late night trip home.
“I think that’d be best. I’ll go ahead and book two separate rooms for us as soon as I get home. There’s a nice hotel a few blocks from the club.”
As soon as he brought her to her vehicle, she drove straight to her favorite shop at the mall. Giselle picked out a slinky black dress with gold metallic thread woven throughout, that draped and hung in perfect folds. The dress had a halter neckline, and a daringly low cut back, necessitating a trip into Victoria’s Secret. Thankfully, she’d just had both a manicure and pedicure, in preparation for the San Antonio trip.
Giselle headed back to Kenton and spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for the trip, packing a small overnight bag with everything she needed for the hotel stay. After putting the finishing touches to her hair and make-up, she slipped into the dress, pushed her feet into her shoes, and grabbed her matching black clutch. She carried her bags to the back door, just as the doorbell rang.
Giselle opened the door. “I was about to call you, Carrie.”
Carrie’s mouth opened in surprise. “Well, I’m assuming you feel better. You look wonderful...Big plans?”
“Jackson and I are going to a club opening in Lafayette.”
Carrie nodded in approval. “You’re going to the opening of Red’s place. Give him my love when you see him.”
Giselle frowned. “I’m confused. How do you know him?”
“Scott McAllister, or ‘Red’, as everyone calls him, is originally from my hometown of Gardiner, and I used to babysit for him. He’s the sweetest guy, and I know you’ll love him. You two have a blast, and please be careful driving home tonight in that horrible Lafayette traffic.”
“We’ve got hotel rooms there. I was about to call and let you know.”
“Wonderful, then I won’t have to worry about you. Dance a couple for me.”
<><><>
Jackson checked his screen before he answered the call to his cell phone.
“Hey Carrie, what’s up?”
“Hi Jack, I just left Giselle’s place. I see you took excellent care of her.”
“I tried. Did she tell you we were going to Red’s place?”
“Yes, and I’m thrilled you two are going together.”
Jackson paused for several moments. “Are you?”
“Yes, I do. I know how badly you want this, Jackson.”
He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “How long have you known?”
“About three and a half years, now,” she replied.
He frowned. “Aw hell, does anyone else know?”
“At the office, you mean? No, but I’d bet money that Bill knows.”
He coughed out a surprised laugh. “What the hell is it with you two? He said the same thing about you.”
“Hmmm...Great minds think alike,” she said with a low chuckle.
Jackson agreed with her then grew somber. “Do you think he’d mind, Carrie?” He waited nervously while Carrie seemed to gather her thoughts.
“Toby loved you like a brother, Jack. If he could have chosen anyone in the world to take care of his three girls...I believe he’d have chosen you.”
Jackson blinked several times to clear his eyes. “Hearing that from you means a lot to me.”
“I know it does, hon. I just wish I could be there when you see Giselle.”
Jackson sucked in his breath. “That good, huh?”
She chuckled. “Have fun, Jack.”
<><><>
Giselle opened her back door to see Jackson, looking GQ sexy, in black dress slacks and a long sleeved burgundy shirt. He wore a black tie that had a small pattern of burgundy blocks. He looked phenomenal, and her breath hitched at the sight of him.
Jackson interrupted the shocked silence with a long, slow whistle to show his approval. Giselle beamed at him and turned slowly for his inspection.
“You look so handsome,” she said, flipping his tie.
“Thanks. You look like a million bucks, Giselle. Really beautiful.”
Once again, she blushed down to the roots of her hair before thanking him.
He smiled then grabbed her bag. “Is this all the luggage you have?”
“I travel light, whenever possible,” she returned.
“I see that. Chloe would have filled up the back seat.”
She stopped to look up at him. “Let’s establish here and now that I’m not Chloe.”
He gazed at her for a moment. “No, you’re not, and I’m not Toby, either.”
They nodded at each other, forming an unspoken agreement not to mention the names of either spouse the rest of the night.
An hour and a half later, having given his friend prior notice of their arrival, they parked in a reserved spot. Once he verified their names were on the VIP list, Jackson and Giselle walked into a very classy looking club. There was a large dance floor in the center of the room and a smaller, more private one off to the side with the bandstand situated between the two. The two separate bar areas were glorious concoctions of lights, mirrors, and granite countertops. Leather stools lined each bar, and tables dotted the large areas situated around the dance floor, each one surrounded by four swivel chairs constructed in the same style as the stools.
“This is beautiful. Your friend has excellent taste.”
“I think you’ll like Red. I hope you do, anyway,” he murmured. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Giselle looked up as a man about the same height and build as Jackson walked through a side door. He had a shock of dark, auburn hair, but what she noticed first, were his eyes.
He grabbed Jackson’s hand in a firm shake. “Jackson, you don’t know how much it means to me to have a friend in my corner tonight.” He turned sparkling blue eyes toward Giselle. “And who is this lovely vision? Scott McAllister at your service, ma’am, but please call me Red.” He smiled, flashing straight, white teeth.
Giselle noticed that his smile was genuine, reached all the way to his eyes, and crinkled them at the corners. He was a handsome man...ruggedly handsome, in comparison to Jackson’s GQ looks; different, but still so appealing.
“Red, this very special, very beautiful lady is Giselle Granger,” Jackson said, with as much grace as he could muster with Red looking at Giselle as though he could devour her.
“Red, it’s wonderful to meet you,” Giselle said. “I’m thrilled to be here tonight. You’ve done a beautiful job with the club’s design.”
Red flashed a grin at her. “Thank you, Giselle.”
“Was any of this here already, or is it all new?” she asked, genuinely interested.
“It was a club but I didn’t like the floor plan. I gutted it and started from scratch.”
“We could use one like this in Lake Coburn, you know,” Jackson admitted.
“That’s my next location, so keep an eye out for property.”
“Are you going to start a nationwide chain of clubs?” Giselle asked.
“Nothing that grandiose,” Red answered with a low chuckle. “My plan is to open several here in Louisiana...New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, and Shreveport. Louisiana’s a great place to live and I’m tired of hearing everyone give it a bad rap. I may have a Scottish last name, but I’ve got Broussard and Hebert bloodlines, and I’m proud as hell of my Cajun roots.”
“Speaking of Cajun roots,” Giselle remembered suddenly, “Carrie told me to give you her love.”
“Oh, man, I love Carrie to death. Did she tell you she used to babysit for the kids in my family?”
“She said she babysat for you, but she didn’t mention anyone else.”
He winked at her. “That’s because I was her favorite.”
“I’m sure that’s it,” she said, smiling up at him.
Red turned to Jackson. “How’s old Uncle Bill these days?”
Jackson grinned at Giselle. “You want to tell him?”
Giselle beamed. “Bill is in love.”
Red’s mouth dropped in disbelief. “That confirmed bachelor? I used him as an ideal to stay single for the rest of my life.”
Jackson laughed. “You’ll have to find someone else; he’s met a wonderful lady named Gwen, who’s raising her seven year old niece. Gwen’s brother and his wife were killed in a boating accident six years ago.”
Red nodded solemnly. “They have a lot in common then, don’t they?”
They looked up as several people entered the club from the side door. “Hang on, there’s the band.” Red walked over to speak with them, pointing out various doorways. The band went off and Red came back to meet the couple.
“Look Red, we know you have a lot of responsibilities as the owner,” Jackson said. “Just tell us where to sit.”
Red escorted them to the section around the smaller dance floor. “This is the VIP section, and that’s my table,” he said. “That’s where I want you two. I do have some things to take care of before we open the doors, but I’ll be back later.”
The server came to the table to take their drink order. Giselle surprised Jackson by ordering a domestic beer. He smiled, saying he’d take the same.
While waiting for their drinks, she saw him grinning at her. “What?” she asked.
“Sam Adams? I expected you to order a white wine, or something.”
She fiddled with the latch on her purse. “I don’t drink often, but when I do, I prefer beer. Sorry to disappoint you.”
“I’m just pleasantly pleased,” he returned.
The doors opened at seven sharp to let in several dozen people who had waited outside in the heat to be some of the first inside the new club. As soon as they began filling the tables, the DJ started up the music. Jackson explained that a DJ would handle the music until the band came on at eight.
By the time they ordered their second drinks, Giselle looked over at Jackson. “Look, I didn’t come here to sit all night. I know you can dance.”
Jackson nodded and stood up as the DJ kicked off a favorite of his. “I was waiting on you to tell me you were ready,” he said as he held his hand out to her. “I hope you can keep up.”
He led her out onto the dance floor with his hand gently on the small of her back.
Jackson proved to be a wonderful dancer, and if he seemed surprised that she was just as skilled, he didn’t let on. When it was over, the DJ swung them right into a country waltz. The third selection was a Cajun style jitterbug, and Giselle, a novice to Cajun dancing, very easily followed Jackson’s lead. They were perfectly suited to each other on the dance floor, and by the end of the third dance, they both needed a rest.
Red walked up and joined them at the table. “You two look damned good out there on that dance floor. You think I’d be able to steal one with you later on?” Red asked Giselle.
“Sure, Red, after I catch my breath,” she said. “You were obviously a good dance student, Jackson.”
“Thanks, you’re a good dancer, too. Did you take lessons?”
“Actually,” she said, “I worked my way through college teaching dance lessons.”
“I thought dancing with you felt vaguely familiar. I used to dance with our instructor all the time,” Jackson admitted.
She gave him a perplexed look. “But, what about Chl...um...I mean your
regular
dance partner?”
Jackson grinned smugly. “She had two left feet. When she quit the lessons because I couldn’t learn to dance
her
way, I started going alone. I was a lot better off, trust me.”
Giselle gazed at him, awestruck at the miserable existence he’d had to live with that foolish woman.
Red cleared his throat. “You’d think, being the owner of this place, I’d have been able to find a date.”
“Did you stop long enough to ask anyone?” Giselle asked.
He shook his head. “It’s been too hectic. The last minute details are always hell.”
“Well, there you go,” Giselle said waving one hand. “They can’t accept if you don’t ask.”
Red looked at Jackson. “God, she sounds like my mother.” He turned to Giselle and explained. “Mom keeps telling me if I don’t procreate before she dies, she’ll haunt me.”