Good Night, Gracie

“Now you’re taking a chance of blowing everything. And for what?” She rolled her eyes. “A chance to moon over Gracie Dawson?”

Zach wished he knew what she was talking about. He was floundering here and had no idea how to dig for more information without revealing himself.

“Let me buy you a drink,” he offered, noting the empty glass in her hand. He could smell the alcohol on her breath and hoped a little more would help her loosen her tongue.

She shook her head. “I’m leaving now. Besides, I prefer to keep a clear head. It’s safer that way. And I suggest you do the same—especially around Gracie. If she gets in the way…”

“What?” he prodded, his skin prickling at her tone.

“Just follow the plan and Gracie won’t get hurt,” Allison replied. “I know where she lives, so if anything goes wrong—and I mean, anything, then she’ll be the one who pays. Got it?”

Before he could reply to her not-so-veiled threat, Allison turned on her heel and walked away. Zach started to follow her when another woman came into his view. The woman he’d flown over a thousand miles to meet. The woman he’d only seen before this moment in a yearbook and in his dreams.

Gracie.

3

GRACIE STOOD in the crowded ballroom at the Claremont Hotel, her gaze skimming over the faces of her old classmates. Some were familiar to her, some she barely recognized anymore. A few of them cast glances her way, but most were engaged in conversation, gathered in small clusters at tables or standing around the bar.

The one classmate she didn’t see was Gilbert. Her heart sank when she realized all her preparation—the dress, the shoes, the romance books, just might have been for nothing. It looked like Gilbert was a no-show. Maybe her e-mail had sounded too desperate, too needy. She’d scared the man off. That was probably the reason he’d never bothered to reply to her.

Gracie walked over to the punch bowl, telling herself not to obsess about it. She could still have a good time tonight and reacquaint herself with all of her old classmates—although the thought of hearing all of their success stories depressed her even more.

“Gracie Dawson, is that really you?”

She turned around to see a buxom blonde barreling down on her. The woman held a name tag in one hand and a margarita in the other. Her face looked somewhat familiar, but Gracie couldn’t place her.

“You don’t know who I am, do you?” the woman said, laughing as she slapped the name tag onto Gracie’s dress. “It’s me, Sandra Atley. And here I thought geeky Gilbert would win the award for Most Changed Since High School.”

“Geeky Gilbert?” she echoed, her heart skipping a beat. “Is he here?”

“Of course he’s here,” Sandra replied. “And wait until you see him. You won’t believe your eyes.” She grabbed Gracie by the elbow and pivoted her around. “He’s right over…” Her voice trailed off and she frowned. “Well, he was right over there. I’m not sure where he is now.”

Gracie smoothed down her dress and tried not to hyperventilate, aware that he could appear at any moment. “So how have you been, Sandra?”

“Fantastic,” she replied. “I just got transferred to the Kendall State Bank from the main branch in Houston. It’s great to be back home again. I’m still a teller, but I’ve got my eye on a management position. It’s all about networking, you know, and I’ve already scored some great dirt on the current bank manager.”

Gracie forced herself to maintain eye contact instead of looking around for Gilbert. Let him come to me.

“So what about you, Gracie?” Sandra asked. “Are you married? Any kids?”

“Oh, no,” Gracie replied. “Not yet, anyway. The bookstore keeps me too busy.”

Her smile softened with pity. “Are you still working there? It’s such a sweet little place. I heard about your aunt passing away and meant to send you a card, but time got away from me. That’s why I’m so excited to be moving back to Kendall. Everything in the big city is just rush, rush, rush!”

“So I’ve heard.” Gracie didn’t know what else to say, reminding her of how little she’d had in common with most of her classmates at Kendall High. She’d thought ten years might have changed that, but a quick perusal of the ballroom showed that many of the old cliques still remained, though the lines were a bit more blurred now.

She’d always been an outsider, along with Gilbert. Now she wanted to find him again and see if the bond they’d shared a decade ago was still there. A bond that had grown even stronger these past few months. He seemed more thoughtful in his e-mails now. Less cynical. Though he still had the ability to make her laugh.

She wouldn’t be surprised if she was the one who had really changed, especially since Aunt Fran’s death. After working through her grief, she’d become more driven than ever to pursue her dream to become a lawyer. Not that she’d ever succeed now—but Gilbert had always believed in her.

And that had made all the difference in the world.

“There’s Honey Tate.” Sandra pointed across the ballroom. “Rumor has it that she’s marrying some senile oil tycoon from San Antonio. Remember how she was always flirting with all the male teachers in school? Looks like she was polishing her skills for the geriatric set.”

“I don’t recognize half the people here,” Gracie said, still amazed at the changes in some of her classmates. She wondered if she looked as different to them as they did. Her hair was shorter than it had been in high school and she’d gained a few pounds. Though she’d skipped the boob job that had dramatically altered Sandra’s appearance.

“Who is that over by the palm tree?” Gracie asked.

“Mitch Putnam,” Sandra replied. “Isn’t it a hoot? The guy’s at least six inches taller than he was in high school. He must have gotten lifts or something.”

“Maybe he just had a late growth spurt.”

“It’s certainly possible.” Sandra adjusted her cleavage. “That’s what happened to me.” Then she dug her arm into Gracie’s ribs. “Don’t look now, but here he comes.”

“Mitch?”

“No, Gilbert!”

Gracie’s breath caught in her throat as she turned to see a man approaching them. But as soon as she saw him she realized it wasn’t Gilbert. This man was too handsome. Too confident. Too…sexy.

Despite her disappointment, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She barely heard Sandra’s whispered plea to put in a good word for her before she found herself standing alone with him.

“Hello, Gracie.”

The way he said her name sent a shiver of awareness down her spine and she forced her gaze from his dark brown eyes to the name tag on his jacket.

Gilbert Holloway.

Her gaze flicked to his face again and she searched for some hint of familiarity. But without all that weight, and those glasses that had distorted his face, he looked like a stranger.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” she breathed, still staring up at him.

“I can’t believe how beautiful you look tonight.”

His voice had changed, too, deeper now and more resonant. The boy she’d known had become a man in the past ten years. A sexy, virile, irresistible man.

“I don’t know what to say,” she sputtered, realizing she’d already blown her plan to be cool and alluring. She was gaping like an idiot and no doubt sounding like one, too.

“Then don’t say anything. Dance with me?” he asked, holding out his hand.

She grasped it, relishing the way his broad fingers closed around hers. He led her onto the small dance floor, then pulled her into his arms.

Gracie was still in shock, but she managed to avoid stepping on his toes.

“We’re finally together again,” she said, “after all this time.”

“Finally,” he agreed, drew her even closer until her head rested against his shoulder. The old Gilbert had always smelled like pepperoni, due to his daily diet of frozen pizza. This new Gilbert carried the aroma of musk and man, an erotic combination that almost made her dizzy.

“When did you get here?” she asked, trying to regain her equilibrium. This was just Gilbert, after all. Her oldest and dearest friend. There was no reason for her heart to be tripping in her chest this way or for her knees to feel weak.

“My plane arrived in Dallas this morning and I drove a rental car from the airport.”

“How was your flight?” Another stupid, mundane question, but she was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Gilbert was here, in her arms, and more incredible than she’d ever imagined.

“Fine. I slept most of the way.”

She smiled up at him. “Slept? Does that mean you don’t have anxiety attacks at thirty thousand feet anymore?”

He hesitated, then gave a short nod. “People change.”

That was the understatement of the millennium. But Gracie wasn’t going to question it, not when this reunion had turned out better than she’d ever imagined.

She swayed to the music, feeling like she was born to be in his arms. “Where did you learn to dance like this?”

A smile kicked up one corner of his mouth. “The Internet.”

“No, really.”

His smile widened. “It’s the truth. I always wanted to learn how to dance, but never had the time. So I used a search engine to locate online dance lessons.”

“Online dance lessons,” she echoed, still skeptical. “Nobody learns to dance like this all by themselves.”

“I might have honed my skills at a few clubs on the weekends.”

His admission evoked a pang of envy at the thought of another woman in his arms. A ridiculous reaction, since they hadn’t seen each other for ten years. The new-and-improved Gilbert had no doubt slept with countless women. He probably had to turn them away at his bedroom door.

But he wouldn’t be turning Gracie away—not if she had anything to say about it. She even had a backup plan tucked away in her purse, in case he needed a little prodding in the right direction.

The thought of sleeping with him sent a shiver of uncertainty through her. Before, she’d envisioned the shy, gawky Gilbert from her high school days, a man who might be as inexperienced as she was between the sheets. But something told her that he was as good a lover as he was a dancer. No doubt another skill that he’d perfected over the years, and not from any online lessons.

She hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed—if they got that far. Maybe she needed to rethink this plan before she made a complete fool of herself.

The music ended, but Gilbert didn’t release her from his embrace. “Shall we find a table and have a drink or keep dancing?”

As much as she’d enjoyed their dance, Gracie needed a few moments alone to refocus. “A drink sounds good to me. Would you mind getting me a glass of champagne while I make a dash to the ladies’ room?”

“Not at all,” he replied. “Shall we meet at a table by the atrium?”

“See you there.” Gracie watched him walk away, then took a deep breath as she went in search of a restroom. She found one in the lobby, enjoying the brief respite from the music and milling crowd to get her head together.

She walked inside the ornate restroom, the sinks and stalls on one side and a plush lounge area on the other. As she headed to a sink, she recognized two former cheerleaders from Kendall High, Carol Ann Blume and Mitzi Mobley. They sat on a suede sofa together talking, unaware or unconcerned of her presence.

Just like back in high school.

Gracie smiled to herself, remembering how much their behavior would have wounded her then. Now she had much bigger things to think about. The biggest at the moment being the man waiting for her in the ballroom. The man she planned to seduce tonight.

She pulled a paper towel from the dispenser, running it under cold water, then wringing it out before pressing it to her flushed face. As Gracie stood at the sink, part of their conversation caught her attention.

“Did you get a look at Gilbert Holloway?” Mitzi asked her companion.

“Oh, I know!” Carol Ann exclaimed. “Talk about a transformation.”

“The guy went from geek to Greek god. Makes me wish I’d been nicer to him back in high school.”

Carol Ann laughed as they got up and headed for the door. “Makes me wish I’d left my husband at home tonight!”

Gracie pulled the paper towel from her face, then touched up her makeup. As she applied her lipstick, she became more determined than ever. Gilbert might have changed on the outside, but he was still the same sweet guy on the inside.

So she didn’t need to be intimidated by him. He was the guy who used to sing show tunes to her when she was feeling down. The same guy who had cried watching Schindler’s List. Women like Sandra, Carol Ann and Mitzi would never appreciate his inner qualities.

Which meant she’d be crazy to miss this opportunity to take her friendship with Gilbert to the next level.

Refreshed and resolved, she walked out of the restroom and into the ballroom. She looked toward the atrium and saw Gilbert already seated at a table. Sandra stood on the other side of him, leaning just far enough in his direction to give Gilbert an R-rated view of her surgically bloated breasts.

“We were just talking about you,” Sandra trilled as Gracie approached the table.

“Really?” She took a chair right next to Gilbert, then smiled up at Sandra. “You’re such a dear. Thanks for keeping Gilbert company while I was gone. I can take over from here so you can go have some fun.”

Disappointment flashed in Sandra’s pale blue eyes, but she hid it with a wide smile. “It was my pleasure. I’ll see you two later.”

“Bye,” Gracie said, watching Sandra turn and head in the direction of another lone male. Then she reached for her champagne, suddenly aware that Gilbert might have been enjoying Sandra’s little peep show. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”

“You’re amazing,” he said, turning to look at her. “You got rid of Sandra, but did it in such a polite way that she thanked you for it.”

“That’s called Southern manners. Also known as slopping sugar. Surely you haven’t been away from Texas for so long that you don’t remember how it works?”

He smiled. “I guess I just needed a refresher course. I’m a long way from home.”

“Is Boston really so different from here?”

He met her gaze. “It’s like another world.”

When he looked at her like that, Gracie felt like they were the only two people in the ballroom. She found herself wishing she could read his mind. That she could know for certain this desire sizzling inside of her wasn’t completely one-sided.

“By the way, I want to apologize for never responding to your last e-mail,” he said. “I’ve been having some computer problems.”

That made her feel better. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure you’d be here tonight.”

“I should have called you,” Gilbert admitted. “But I wanted it to be a surprise. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Gracie drained her glass, sensing that it was now or never. If she didn’t make her move, she’d chicken out. But despite that she’d rehearsed this moment a hundred times in the last few days, Gracie couldn’t make herself say the words. Coming face-to-face with Gilbert, a man she didn’t even recognize anymore, was completely different than propositioning his picture in the yearbook.

So she settled for her backup plan.

“You’re full of surprises lately,” she said, setting the empty glass on the table. “I love the present you sent me.”

He arched a dark brow. “Present?”

“Last week. The video.” Gracie reached into her purse and pulled it out, almost spilling the condoms onto the floor. She hastily stuffed them back inside, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

Gilbert didn’t say anything, making her even more nervous.

“I brought it along in case the reunion got boring and we wanted to bail out and go watch it together,” Gracie said, aware she was talking too fast. “You know, like old times?”

She wanted to sink into the floor. It sounded so lame. And transparent. They weren’t in high school anymore. Gilbert spent his Saturday nights in clubs now, not watching old reruns on television.

His silence stretched into an eternity. Then he took the videotape out of her hands. “How about watching it right now? I think I have a VCR in my hotel room. I bet we can even order a pizza from room service.”

“Pepperoni?” she said, relieved that he hadn’t rejected her offer. That’s when Gracie realized just how much this night with Gilbert meant to her. She’d been alone for so long.

He grinned. “Is there any other kind?”

She looked around the crowded ballroom. “Would it look bad if we left this early?”

He tipped her chin up with one finger until her gaze met his. “I’m looking at the only person I came here to see.”

Gracie’s breath caught at the raw desire she saw in his brown eyes. So maybe the attraction wasn’t one-sided, after all. That very real possibility both excited and terrified her at the same time.

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