Nate (A Texas Jacks Novel) Read online

  “Dave, seriously, we can help you score a date. Just point her out the next time she’s here, and—”

  Quickly cutting her off, he says, “No, really, I’m good. I’m just slower at this kind of thing than most guys. Especially the guys you ladies were hanging with last week. Speaking of which, what’s the deal with them? I didn’t realize you all knew each other.”

  Wait, doesn’t he like Naomi? That’s the impression I get. If so, then what’s his deal? He’s known her a long time, and has had plenty of chances to ask her out.

  “We just met last week, actually.” Halley says, bringing my attention back to the conversation. “I’ve seen them in here before, but we’ve never talked. It wasn’t until Nate made a play for Charlie that we even met,” Halley replies with a mischievous little grin on her face.

  What the heck was that for? I give her a questioning look and she just smiles brighter, shaking her head at me like I’m clueless.

  “Woman!” We hear as we look over towards Halley, seeing the guys bearing down on us.

  “Don’t you woman me, Curly!” Halley fires back at Holt, causing him to smile, knowing that he’s got her.

  “Don’t you know how to check your phone?” Holt asks, having moved off to her left side, staring down at her.

  Standing behind Holt is Tucker, who’s looking over at Naomi, and then there’s Nathan. However, it’s not me he’s looking at. It’s Dave.

  “Dave.” He states gruffly.

  “Nate. What’s up? I didn’t expect to see you in here tonight. How’s it going, man?” Dave greets, turning around to acknowledge Tucker and Nate.

  “We have a date.” Nathan casually replies, watching for what seems like a reaction from Dave.

  Dave looks hopeful when he asks, “Oh? Who’s your date? Anyone I know?”

  “We all have a date, and you’re holding it up, to be honest.” Tucker cuts in, staring Dave down.

  Raising my eyebrows, I look over to Naomi. She only glances back with a small shrug of her shoulders. Shaking my head, I look back over to the guys.

  Nathan moves around Dave to my right, and wraps his left arm around my shoulders, effectively bringing me closer to him before he places a kiss on the crown of my head. He lets me go slightly while still keeping his arm loosely around me. Raising my head to look up at him, I see that he’s looking down at me with a sweet smile on his full lips, causing me to smile back at him and feeling those butterflies all over again.

  “You see, we’re actually here to meet these three lovely ladies,” Holt smiles at each of us before bringing his attention back to Dave. “We appreciate you hanging out with them, keeping them company and warding off the other prowling men until we got here,” he continues, trying to cut out the weird tension that surrounds the men.

  “Oh. Yeah, sure. No problem. It was a pleasure, ladies. I won’t hold you up further, and I’m sure my break is up now anyway. I’ll check in later with you. Have a good time.” Dave says, looking a tad mournful before he gives me a sideways glance, and then smiles over at Halley and Naomi while leaving our area.

  Watching Dave around Charlie irritates me. I’m normally not the possessive type, and I'm certainly not one to go all caveman, like Holt. However, I didn’t like the looks he was throwing my girl. He probably doesn’t realize I caught them, too.

  “Was that necessary?” Halley asks Holt through narrowed eyes, her eyebrows creasing.

  “What? We’re on a date, and he was holding it up. Why are you looking at me like that, woman?”

  “Oh, so you felt the need to go all territorial on the poor guy?” she shoots back, obviously irritated with him.

  “He wasn’t even doing anything but talking with us. He was telling us about some girl he likes that hangs out here, and how he’s slow about asking her out.” Naomi fills them in before the room explodes with the two hot heads sitting across from us.

  “Is that so? And who was he referring to?” Tucker asks, looking pointedly at me. However, his question is meant for the girls.

  “Who knows? You Neanderthals interrupted before we could find out,” Halley huffs out.

  “Hey, don’t throw me in to that statement. I didn’t do anything to rile anyone up.” I say, defending myself.

  Surprising us all, Charlie says, “Why don’t we just turn down the hormone levels all around and take a breather? I thought we were out to have fun, not size anyone up with petty jealousies.”

  That’s my quiet little one, I think before giving her shoulders a squeeze.

  “Well, what are you all standing around for? Pull up a chair and sit awhile.” Charlie tells us, and we proceed to do what the little lady instructed.

  Before the night is over, we’re laughing and having a great time. Dave makes an appearance once more, looking a bit dejected to see us still sitting with the girls before heading back to his post. The girls are in rare form tonight, and all the while I’m sitting here, holding on to Charlie’s hand again, thinking about the promise of finally getting her number before we leave the parking lot.

  Charlie happens to catch me smiling to myself and asks, “What’s that smile for, cowboy?”

  “Oh, it’s cowboy now, is it?” I tease her back.

  “Yes, and I’m wondering what that smile’s all about. Care to share?”

  “Nope.” Staring into her beautiful blue eyes, I tell her, “You’ll just have to wait and find out.”

  “I think we need to get going before these two love birds make us gag,” I hear Tucker say.

  “There’s always one bad apple that has to ruin it for the others.” I say and look over to Tucker, while he gives me an all too pleased smile. Shaking my head, I turn back to Charlie. “Well, little one, let’s head out to the lot. The others can catch up. I do believe we have some unfinished business to attend to.”

  Not even giving her a second to think, I pull her out of her chair and lead her out of the club, leaving the others to catch up in a few minutes.

  I walk Charlie over to my truck and lean up against it, like I did last time, guiding her to stand in front of me as I slowly move my hands down to her hips. I draw her forward until our foreheads are touching, and I quietly ask, “Did you have a good time tonight, sweetheart?”

  She softly replies, “Yes, thanks to you.”

  “Why is that?” I want to hear her say the words out loud to me.

  “You kept my dance card full all night.” She says with a little grin on her face, which I find is really cute.

  “So, you weren’t upset that I hogged all of your time and attention from the male population?”

  She laughs and shakes her head. “You didn’t hear me complaining, did you?”

  “Not one complaint came from these sweet lips.” I say, lightly running a finger across her full, pouty bottom lip, causing her cheeks to blush and her chest to inhale sharply. Tipping her face up until she’s looking into my eyes, I ask her, “Charlie, can I have your number?”

  I’m standing here staring into Nathan’s eyes, thinking he’s about to ask me to kiss him and he… asks for my number?

  “What?” I ask stupidly.

  He chuckles. “I’m asking you for your number, sweetheart. That’s our unfinished business. Remember? You did promise me that the next time we met you would give it to me.”

  “Oh. Yes. You’re right.” I say, stumbling over my words. Great. He gets me all flustered, and now I can’t even form a sentence correctly.

  “Charlie, it’s okay. It’s not like I’m asking for the key to your heart, little one. If you’re not comfortable or ready, I can wait until the next time.”

  “It’s okay. I know you’re not asking for something major here. I was just thrown off there for a minute.” I tell him honestly before looking down at his boots like they’re the best things since chocolate before taking the plunge and admitting, “I want you to have my number. I was actually thinking this week how I had wished I’d given it to you last week.”

  “It’s okay that
you didn’t. Even though I really wanted it, I’m glad you made me wait this whole week. It was worth it.” He admits, causing me to look back up, searching his eyes for the truth in that statement. “Really, you’re worth it. Honestly. I feel like I’m in uncharted territory with you, Charlie. I barely know you, yet I can’t stop thinking about you. I find that I’m dancing through this, making up the moves as I go.”

  “That makes two of us. Honestly, I’m new at this. I don’t even know what I’m doing. I feel so out of place, but I can’t get you off my mind, either.” Shyly looking into his eyes, I admit to him, “I barely know you, too, Nate. However, I really like you, and want to get to know you better. It’s not like I haven’t dated, it’s just been a really long time. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. Sometimes I feel like I want to do all the things couples do in public — like holding hands — but then I’m afraid that it’s too fast for me. But I don’t want to be afraid anymore, either.”

  “I get that you’re vulnerable, and I’ll try to take things slowly. There’s no pressure here, little one. You’re in good hands, and I don’t want you to feel like you have to do something just because it’s what others are doing. We aren’t like that. If slow is what you want, then I’m willing to do that. However, I reserve the right to kiss you or hold your hand at any given time.” He says with a teasing grin. I can’t help it; I smile back, and nod my head, trying not to let my hormones over take my body.

  He places a kiss on my forehead and says in a husky voice, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. When I kiss your sweet lips for the first time, it will be worth the wait.”

  By the time Nathan hugs me and kisses my cheek one more time, I’m left in a daze of happiness. I know I’ll sleep well tonight.

  THREE DAYS. THAT’S HOW LONG it’s been since I’ve seen Charlie. She’s all that I can think about lately, which makes no sense. Since when do I get all worked up about a little slip of a woman? Yet, I can’t deny it. She’s on my mind more often than not.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  The pounding on the bathroom door brings me back from my Charlie-induced fog, startling me. My hand slips while I’m shaving my face, causing me to nick my cheek.

  “Keep your pants on!” I yell at the offender on the other side of the door.

  “If I had some on, maybe I would. But some of us have a job to get to, while others hog the bathroom!” Holt yells through the door. “I hope you have yours on. I’m coming in, and I’m not all fired up for a full moon.” I hear, right before the door knob twists, and Holt’s blond head appears around the door before he admits the rest of his body in.

  “You build things for a living – go build your own bathroom.” I grumpily mumble at him through the bathroom mirror.

  “Are you PMSing?” he quirks his left eyebrow at me with a small grin on his face. “Or is this all due to that sweet little mouse you seemed all tied up in knots over?”

  “No.” I lie, going back to applying toilet paper to the fresh wound, trying to staunch the blood flow on my left cheek, so I can finish wiping the rest of the shaving cream off my face.

  “Uh-huh. Right. So, what’s the problem? Still wishing you had gone in for that kiss?” he taunts as he makes himself at home, sitting on the toilet lid.

  “I did kiss her.”

  “Oh, right. I forgot— cheek kisses count now. What base would you call that? Half way to first?” he laughs.

  “Don’t you have a job to get to?”

  “Touchy. Do you want me to run to the mini-mart for Midol?”

  “I’m just wondering when you’re going to get your own bathroom so we can stop having these morning tea and cookie chats.”

  Tucker makes his way into the bathroom, yawning.

  “What’s this? Are we having a bonding moment, or an intervention on kissing skills?”

  “Nope.” Holt reaches into the medicine cabinet for his toothbrush, as he scratches his chest. “Just need to get ready for work. I’m not the one who wimped out on a kissing a chick.”

  “I did kiss her.” I remind them.

  “Cheeks don’t cut it, man.” Holt says around a mouth full of tooth paste.

  “So, as fun as this has been, are we all driving into work together?” I ask, a bit testily. I really don’t want to delve into what I did or didn’t do with Charlie, or let on to the fact that she occupies my whole head.

  “Sure, get the heck out of the bathroom already so we can hit the road in 15.” Holt replies, totally unfazed by my attitude this morning.

  “Great. I’ll update my Facebook status.” I quip, as I remove myself from their presence.

  “Don’t worry. I know exactly what he needs. A little dose of his favorite new flavor, and Nate will be good as new.” I hear Holt say to Tucker right before I round the corner to the front room.

  I think it’s time to chill out, and the only way that’s going to happen is to either stop whatever this is with Charlie, or send her a text so no one gets hurt today.

  “Hey. Do you want to grab dinner with us?” Naomi asks, the moment I answer my cell.

  I just locked up after work and was heading to my car when she called. “Sure. Where do you want to meet? I’m starving!”

  “We thought Merchant & Main Grill sounded good. Are you game?”

  “I’m game for anything at this point, and I haven’t been there in a while, so yeah, I’ll totally meet you there. I’m just heading to my car now. Should I drive straight over?”

  “Yep! We’ll all meet you there in about 15 minutes.”

  “Wait. What do you mean we’ll all meet you there? Who else is tagging along?” I’m baffled as to who else she could be talking about.

  “The Three Stooges, of course. Who else?”

  “Right.” Why I wouldn’t get that on my own is beyond me. “All right. I’ll see you in a few minutes, then.”

  I end the call, wondering why I didn’t get a message from Nate about tonight, or even a personal invite from him.

  I slip into my blue Honda and click on my seat belt, before firing up the engine and head to the restaurant.

  “Holt and I are headed out to Merchant & Main Grill if you want join us. The girls are meeting us there, too.” Tucker tells me the minute he walks out of his bedroom. “I just got off the phone with Naomi, and she promised to get Charlie on board.”

  “Sure. Give me a few moments to clean up, and then we can head out.” I tell him, as I head back to my room and change out of my sweats.

  We called it quits early on the project we were working on, which allowed us to come home and clean up at a decent time. I didn’t have any plans to go anywhere once I got in. The only things on my mind were phoning in a pizza, and calling Charlie. Though, phoning Charlie was on the back burner, seeing as she was at work. Thankfully, Tucker just killed two birds with one stone, as there was no way I was going to turn that offer down. Food and Charlie? I’m in, one hundred percent.

  A few minutes later, we climb into my truck and head towards M and M.

  We find the ladies shortly after arriving, and pull up seats next to each of them. I automatically reach out and take Charlie’s hand in mine, placing it on my thigh.

  Looking up at me, I wink at her as she asks, “How was your day?”

  “Good. Though, it would have been better if I could have seen your pretty face all day long. Instead, I had to endure the looks of the motley crew sitting next to your friends.” I nod towards Holt and Tucker as Charlie giggles, bumping her shoulder into mine.

  “Well, I’m glad you no longer have to wear your ‘beer goggles’ to face them.” She jokes at the expense of the guys.

  “Look here, Squirt. Tucker and I are the best looking things at work. Don’t let Nate fool you, we cause traffic jams all day long.” Holt winks, as he wraps his arm around Halley. “Halley would know. Right, babe?”

  She rolls her eyes. “Sure. If that’s what you want to tell yourself.” She winks over at Charlie. “Though, I think the hottest guy sitting at this tab
le right now would be Nate. Right Charlie?” Earning herself a big grin from Charlie and a frown from Holt.

  Now I’m laughing at Holt’s expression, as I hold my hands up in surrender. “Don’t even look at me. She’s with you. Though, she is right. The girls just can’t help themselves when I’m around.”

  Ever since I gave Nathan my number, we’ve been talking, or texting each other, with every free moment that we had. I know, I wasn’t playing it very cool, or slow for that matter, but there’s just something about Nate that draws me in to him completely. I love talking to him, or being in his presence and I just can’t help myself. I don’t think there’s a woman with a brain in her head who would want to avoid all things that are Nathan.

  I’ve been waiting all week for tonight. We’re supposed to go out on our first real date. I don’t count last Friday, when we all met up for dancing. Tonight, it’s just the two of us.

  I was glad that today was a half-day at work. I didn’t think I could have survived the work day without messing something up. I was too distracted with excitement about my impending date, to really even think straight, or fully do my job. Luckily, I made it through without any major screw-ups before I rushed home to find an outfit.

  I still can’t believe I’m actually going out with this nice, good-looking guy, and that I haven’t scared him off already.

  So, here I sit on my closet floor, in the middle of the day, trying to determine what to wear. I’m not even sure what we’re doing, as he never told me. Should I dress up? Go semi-dressy, or semi-casual? I’m driving myself crazy, and I can’t even call my friends, since they’re all at work.

  After another half hour of trying to choose something, I give up. Picking my phone up off the floor, I decide to shoot Nathan a text instead. He’s the only one who can really help me with the matter at hand.

  Charlie: Any hints as to what I should wear tonight?

  I set the phone back down after a few moments, knowing he’s on a jobsite and can’t jump every time I send him a message. I start pawing through my clothes again. I decide that maybe I would be fine wearing jeans and a dressy blouse. Maybe I could pair the outfit with sexy heels—though I’m sure I’ll have to bug Halley for a pair. Just as I’m thinking it would be worth sending a text to Halley, my phone chimes with a text.