In It to Win It (6 page)

“
You like?” he asked after he’d swallowed.

“
Um-hmm. Not as good as the drive-in back home, but good.”

“
Agreed.”

The heavy beat of an eighties rock song started. It was one she recognized, one that, if she were home—and in the shower—she’d be singing every word at the top of her lungs. Her foot tapped under the table. His leg moved against hers and she smiled.

“
I love these guys,” he said, setting his burger on his plate. He wiped his napkin over his mouth and then licked his lips before taking a quick draw on his straw. “They’re one of my all-time favorite bands.”

“
Def Leppard.” She nodded, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “They’re classic! And one of my favorites, too.”

He drummed his fingers on the table and sang along with the chorus. Grayson had a nice voice. He always had. Pretty much Grayson could do anything he set his mind to. Jane, on the other hand, couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. Given that fact, she allowed him to finish the improvised concert … himself, clapping when he finished.

She laughed and sat back in her chair, admiring him. His cheeks had a soft pink tone to them and she wondered if he was embarrassed by her praise. She didn’t want to investigate the feelings of accomplishment that thought brought. She couldn’t go there. Ever.

The conversation turned to music—a nice, safe topic—and she breathed a sigh of relief. His tastes were similar to hers. Although high school had been the late nineties, they both loved the hair bands of the eighties.

“
Can you believe that I bought a fifteen cd set from an infomercial? It was a totally stupid purchase since I had all the songs on their original cds.” He shook his head. She smiled at him and couldn’t believe how relaxed she felt. “I guess the part about me being frivolous with my money is true.”

She shrugged, understanding frivolous purchases. Her Achilles heel was books. She’d go without eating if it meant she could get a book from her favorite author on the day it came out. She laughed lightly. “At least you have the money to be frivolous with. You’re not in debt up to your eyeballs, are you?”

She felt her eyes go wide and bit down hard on her tongue in punishment. The conversation had been going so well and she’d just asked a question she had no right to ask.

Instead of glaring at her and spitting a harsh reprimand—which she fully deserved—he didn’t even look offended when he answered, “Nope.”

He took another big bite of his burger and chewed. The muscles in his jaw flexed with the movement of his teeth. Jane forced herself to focus on her food and popped a fry in her mouth. It was really good; hot, crunchy and salty. She finished one fry and ate another two before finding the courage to talk to him again.

“
Do you eat here a lot?” she asked between bites.

He shook his head, chewing until he finished the bite in his mouth. “I wouldn’t say a lot. I do like to eat here and try to stop in when we’re in town. It doesn’t always work out that way, though. You like it then?”

“
Um-hmm.” She wiped the napkin over her mouth. “Good call on adding cheese to the fries.”

“
My mom says that cheese always makes it better.” He laughed. His eyes softened at the mention of his mother. Jane also felt a slight tug at her heartstrings at the reference to Maude Pierce. “Cheese and butter.
If you feel the need to substitute margarine, then don’t bother cooking
.” His voice had gone into a high-pitched, nearly perfect imitation of his mother’s and Jane burst out laughing.

“
I think I heard her say that once or twice with my own ears.” Jane loved Mrs. Pierce. The woman was kind and, despite her beliefs of cheese and butter, was stick thin. “How is she these days?”

As soon as the question was asked, Jane prayed the dear woman hadn’t died in some tragic twist of fate. She’d been healthy as a horse the last time Jane had seen her—a near lifetime ago.

Grayson took a drink of his water then wiped his mouth with his napkin. “She’s good. She’s still in Salina; working at the 5 and Dime.” A panicked expression crossed his face and his eyes were vulnerable when he looked at her. “Please keep that off the record, Janie. The last thing I need is for somebody to print that my mother works because—” He used his fingers to form air quotes. “—I won’t take care of her.”

Jane wasn’t sure what possessed her to do it, but she grabbed his hand. It was enormous compared to hers. She squeezed it gently, leaning across the table to promise with every ounce of who she was. “Don’t worry, Grayson. Your secret is safe with me. I have no doubt that she refuses to quit because it’d put a damper on her social schedule.”

His eyes met hers and there was a moment of … of what? She couldn’t be sure. Just a moment. A moment where time seemed to stop. A moment where she couldn’t find her voice, couldn’t blink, couldn’t even take a breath. She wasn’t sure if her heart beat.

He squeezed her hand and the spell was broken. But far from forgotten—at least for her. With his eyes still locked on her face, his lips lifted at the corners and he laughed softly. “I’m surprised that you remember her so well.

“
I’m full of surprises,” she said in a horribly breathless tone. Why didn’t she just
tell
him how he affected her?

“
Yes, you are.” His eyes dropped to her lips.

Good grief, was it hot in here?

The evening had started out awkward and Jane had fought the urge to bolt, had actually been on her feet once. Now though, she was completely comfortable. In fact, never before had she been so comfortable with any guy.

But this wasn’t just any guy.

This was Grayson Pierce.

4

“
C
OME ON, JANE, YOU CAN’T STAY MAD AT me forever.” Nate was sitting next to her on the airplane. “And you can’t tell me that you’re upset I left.”

After dinner with Grayson, and the battle over who would pay—he did—they’d come out of their inner sanctum to find Nate perched at the bar. He had gone to the bathroom, like he’d said, but then he’d not felt the need to return. He passed the time by plopping down on a bar stool.

“
You were both laughing and I didn’t want to intrude. You know you had a good time, admit it. I saw the way you looked at him.”

“
And how was that?” she snapped, forgetting that she wasn’t speaking to him.

He grinned. “Like you wanted to eat him.”

She scowled at him. “Crass much?”

“
Not like
that—
or maybe just like that. Who am I to judge?” He raised his brows and smiled, showing all of his perfectly straight, white teeth.

Her eyes rolled without a conscious thought. “If you can’t be serious, I’m going to go back to ignoring you.”

“
You looked at him like you liked him.”

“
So?”

“
So, he was looking at you the same way. I didn’t want to impose … because it looked to me like there was actually something to impose
on
.” One beefy shoulder lifted in a shrug. “At the airport, I really did think I’d have to run interference. I also knew that Dale would love an exclusive with Grayson Pierce, ass or not. I don’t want you hurt and was glad to play the bodyguard. But it took about a second and a half to realize that I wasn’t needed.”

Jane huffed, irritated … because he was spot on. Dammit!

“
I was only out at the bar. It’s not like I left you without a way back to the hotel. Besides it gave me some time to catch up with Roxie. She said hi, by the way.”

He was quiet for a few minutes then cleared his throat. “Speaking of Roxie.”

Technically, they’d been ‘speaking of Roxie’ a few minutes ago, but she’d take any segue she could get if it meant they didn’t have to talk about Grayson anymore.

“
What about Roxie?”

“
Her birthday’s coming up,” he said. Jane waited for him to go on. When she just stared at him, he finally said, “It’s her fortieth.”

Again Jane thought ‘okay’.

“
Anyway, I thought it would be nice to throw her a surprise party.”

“
Yeah, that’d be great.”

The flight attendant brought some peanuts and a drink. Jane hated that they never handed over the can. She sipped at her Diet Coke while Nate opened a packet of peanuts and dumped the whole thing into his mouth. His head was tipped back so far, Jane was amazed the guy didn’t choke on the nuts. He was quiet while he chewed. Then he swallowed and guzzled the tiny cup of soda.

“
Would you mind helping me with her party?”

“
Me?” Jane asked, genuinely surprised.

She considered Roxy a friend, and vice versa. But they weren’t the daily-phone-calls-just-to-check-in kinda friends. That was where Kate Spencer—or even Jordan’s wife and producer, Olivia—fit in.

“
You’re perfect. She won’t expect you throwing her a party. It’ll be easy to plan because you and I are together so much. I mean, hell, we can even stop and look at cakes on the way to or from a story.” He was sporting a grin that spread from one ear to the other. “So, will you do it?”

“
Sure.” She could solicit Molly’s help if needs be. “No problem.”

He was quiet for a few minutes then closed his eyes and went to sleep. Not wanting to be left alone with her thoughts, Jane laid her head on his shoulder and slept.

It was the tensing of Nate’s shoulder muscles that woke her. She jerked back and looked at him. Every inch of him was preparing for landing. He gripped the armrests until his knuckles turned the color of chalk. The muscles in his jaw jumped as he ground his teeth. His eyes were clamped shut. The guy was stiff as a board. She wasn’t even sure he breathed for the few minutes it took for the tires to kiss the asphalt.

Then with an exaggerated breath, Nate’s entire body relaxed and he was once again calm. “What’dya say we get our stuff and get to the hotel?”

“
Sounds good to me.”

AN HOUR LATER, JANE WAS ALONE IN HER room. She took a quick shower and put on her favorite pajamas; bottoms that were pink and red vertical stripes and a matching pink tank-top. It was too early for bed, but she wanted to be comfortable. It wasn’t like she had anyone she was trying to impress.

The knock on the door made her jump and cringe. Good hell, she was a mess. A clean mess, but a mess nonetheless. Running her fingers through her still damp hair that had somehow developed tangles since being brushed, she went to the door and looked out the peephole.

Disappointment made her heart stutter. It wasn’t too far-fetched to think it would be Grayson.

The last time someone knocked on her hotel room door, it had been him. This time it wasn’t. Nor was it Nate. Standing on the other side of the door was a hotel worker, holding a box. She opened the door until the chain pulled taut.

“
May I help you?” she asked through the crack between the door and the jamb.

“
I have a package for Miss Jane Alexander.” He held the box up as if to provide evidence.

She was confused, her brows pulled tightly together. “A package?” She closed the door, slid the chain free, and opened it to accept the box. She mumbled a ‘thank you’, feeling a bit numb.

He turned and strode away before she could even think to offer a tip. Holding the box out in front of her like it might blow up, she kicked the door closed with her bare foot.

The package was the size and shape of the box her newest boots had come in. She padded over to the small table next to the window and put the box down. With a quick tug she released then ribbon then used the small pocketknife on her keys to cut through the tape that held the lid closed. She plucked at the white tissue paper, pulling it away from the contents.

Still confused Jane dragged a white Rockets jersey from the box. She turned it around and laughed when the navy letters across the back spelled
Pierce
. Clutching it to her chest she giggled, spinning in circles like a love-struck idiot.

Grayson hadn’t been impressed by her Diamondbacks shirt. He’d not criticized then, but was obviously making a statement now.

She had to remind herself not to read too much into the fact that the jersey had
his
name on the back. Really, did she expect him to send one with Xavier on it?

Lifting the box from the table she noticed that it wasn’t empty. There was a navy blue envelope at the bottom, nearly hidden by all the see-through white paper. The almost unreadable scrawl was one she recognized. She’d spent hours trying to decipher it during their tutoring sessions. With fingers that shook, she opened the card.

If you’re with the team, you should look like you’re one of us.

I enjoyed dinner. Can I see you again?

-Grayson

GRAYSON PACED AROUND HIS ROOM, TRYING not to drive himself crazy. His little present would be delivered to Jane anytime now. He didn’t know what he expected; it wasn’t like she had a way to get a hold of him. And there was no way in hell the front desk would help her track him down. Even they weren’t sure which name he was registered under. Truth was … he wasn’t sure
he
could remember.