Shannon’s nerves were through the roof, and in a building as tall as the Sweet Breeze Resort, that was saying something.
It wasn’t even her gala, and she felt like every eye had focused on her the moment they stepped off the elevator. But of course they were. She was the woman on Doctor Jeremiah Yeates’s arm, and he was the man of the hour. Everyone would be buzzing about their blooming romance by morning, and Shannon decided she didn’t care.
So, she held her head high and kept her smile hitched in place. She’d worked with plenty of people who weren’t one hundred percent happy, and she knew how to charm people so they’d leave Your Tidal Forever happy.
She could do the same here.
She shook hands, and sipped sparkling water from a tall, fluted glass. She waited while Jeremiah did his interviews, and she made small talk with the mayor’s wife. Finally, dinner was served, and she and Jeremiah sat at the reserved table in the front.
It felt stuffy, like all of the air had been sucked out of the room by the important people in attendance. Exactly the opposite of the kind of events Shannon liked. But the food was delicious, and it at least distracted her from the terrifyingly exciting idea that Jeremiah might kiss her goodnight later.
The mayor got up and spoke about the Dignitary Award, and then he presented it to Jeremiah. Thunderous applause met their ears, and then they both stood back as a short presentation was given on the work Jeremiah did with kids.
Shannon couldn’t believe the playful man she saw in the video—he could do magic?—and she felt herself slip down another rung toward really letting him into her life.
“I give you, Doctor Jeremiah Yeates.” The mayor returned to the table, leaving Jeremiah at the podium. Shannon could see beneath his polished exterior to the anxious man underneath, and she wondered how many other people could. He hid it extremely well, and spoke with nothing but perfection and poise.
He accepted his award, and a good twenty minutes went by while pictures were taken. The event broke up at that point, but Shannon stayed close to Jeremiah as he spoke to old clients, their families, and anyone else who wanted to wish him well.
Once back in the safety of the convertible, she sighed as she leaned back in her seat. “Wow,” she said, still breathless. “That was the most amazing night of my life.”
Jeremiah chuckled. “You think so?”
“I mean, some of those people take themselves entirely too seriously, but yeah.” She turned and looked at him, the streetlights flashing across his face every time they passed one. “You were great. So deserving.” She grinned at him, hoping she didn’t look like a fool but knowing she did.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
“And I didn’t know you could do magic.”
He laughed then, and the sound was almost wild as it filled the car. “Yes, well, the kids like it.”
“I’d like to see a trick or two.”
“Oh, I’ve got something up my sleeve for you.”
Shannon laughed, the same wild and freeing sound she’d just heard fly from Jeremiah’s mouth. She liked how easy it was to talk to him. How comfortable she was with him. As she quieted and watched the night roll by outside her window, she decided she definitely wanted to kiss him that night.
“Jeremiah?” she asked once they’d left the busier, brighter Main Street in favor of the highway that led out to their neighborhood.
“Yeah?”
She couldn’t just blurt out that she wanted to kiss him. She’d been out of the dating game for a while, sure, but even she knew that. “I sure do like you.”
He looked at her, taking his eyes off the road for what felt like forever. “I like you too, Shannon,” he finally said, returning his attention to the road.
The rest of the drive happened in silence, but it wasn’t the kind Shannon had experienced with a man before. There was no tension, and no fear that she’d said the wrong thing, worn the wrong thing, done the wrong thing.
Jeremiah pulled up to her house and they got out of the car. He held her hand as they walked up the sidewalk and then the steps. She paused, fiddling with her keys as her sister had locked the door behind her after she’d gone.
“Well, congratulations, Doctor Yeates,” Shannon said, echoing what dozens of others had said that night.
He grinned and ducked his head, his mannerisms so adorable, Shannon wanted to giggle like a fifteen-year-old about to get her first kiss. Her mouth turned dry.
He reached up and ran his hand through his sandy hair and said, “Shannon, I’m wondering if it’s too early in our relationship to kiss you.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and she watched his too.
A long moment passed, and then she said, “I don’t think it’s too early.”
Jeremiah had promised he could go as slow as she wanted, but he wasted no time sliding his hands up her arms and cradling her face as if she were something precious to behold.
“Great,” he whispered just before lowering his head toward hers and lightly touching his lips to hers.
An explosion went off inside Shannon’s core, and hot lava oozed out to all her extremities. She held onto his shoulders, aware of every little touch of his fingertips along her jaw, her neck, and into her hair.
She kissed Jeremiah like her life depended on having her mouth on his, and when he finally pulled away, Shannon was left wanting.
“Thank you so much for coming with me,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. “You made the night bearable.”
She tucked herself right into his arms, noticing how easily she fit there, how gently he held her while also keeping a grip on her, something that spoke of his desire to have her close to him.
“Do you want to keep Herc tonight?” he asked, and Shannon shook her head.
“No, you can take him.”
“Okay, thanks.” But he didn’t move, and she didn’t open the door.
“Do you want to come to brunch tomorrow?” she asked.
“Where?”
“Here, at my place. I’ll cook.”
Jeremiah pulled away enough to look down at her. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. Bring Hercules, and we’ll eat, and just…we could go to the beach or whatever.” She didn’t want to tell him that she wanted to see his dog, eat breakfast with him, and then kiss him until her lips bruised.
He nodded and said, “Ten?”
“Ten’s great.” She fitted her key in the lock and opened the front door. “Thanks again, Jeremiah. It really was a great night.”
He curled his fingers around the back of her neck and drew her close for another kiss. This one left her just as weak though it didn’t last nearly as long.
“Good night,” he said, backing up a couple of steps before turning and walking back to his car. “Come on, Hercules,” he called, and the dog came trotting out onto the porch.
Shannon watched them both get in the car and drive away, and then she went inside and closed the door behind her. She sagged against the wood, pure joy filling her whole soul. “Thank you,” she said to no one in particular. But she just needed to express her gratitude for such a great guy, and such a fantastic evening.
And then, she needed to get out of these heels.
“I mean, it was great, Mom.” Shannon bustled around the kitchen in bare feet, trying to get the dough put together for her butterscotch sticky buns. They’d be perfect for brunch, and she could pack them for a trip to the beach too.
“So you like this man.” Her mom sat at the bar, wearing an apron but making no attempt to help Shannon in the kitchen. Which, honestly, was probably better since her mother usually set something on fire when she tried to cook.
Once she had the dough proofing, she’d need to get making that salsa verde for the Mexican baked egg dish she’d been wanting to try.
“I do like this man,” Shannon said, kneading with more force now. “He’s a great guy, Mom. If you stick around until ten, you’ll meet him.”
“Oh, Cheryl talked my ear off about him last night.” Her mom got up and opened the fridge. “Did you want me to make the butterscotch topping for those?”
“No, Mom,” Shannon said, maybe a little too quickly. “I got it.” She tapped on her phone to get to the recipe for the baked eggs. “Why don’t you get out all of these ingredients? We’ll make these next.”
She and her mother had always gotten along great, so working alongside her in the kitchen soothed Shannon. Kept her mind from spinning around those kisses last night or fantasizing about what today might bring.
By nine-thirty, the house smelled divine, with spicy salsa bubbling in the oven and the sweet rolls baked and almost finished getting dunked in the salty-sweet butterscotch sauce Shannon had done while her mom asked her questions about Jeremiah.
Shannon didn’t mind the questions. Of course, her family would be inquisitive. They’d want to know what was different about him when Shannon hadn’t gone out with anyone in almost five years.
So, Shannon answered the questions—Have you kissed him? Is he pushy? Does he have a job? What do you like about him? How well do you know him?—and hoped she could put her mom’s mind at ease when it came to Jeremiah.
She’d just texted him that he might have to meet her mother that morning when the doorbell sounded. Her gaze flew toward the door. “He’s here already.” She looked down at her dirty apron and thought of her disheveled hair.
“You’re up, Mom,” she said, untying the apron in one quick motion. “I’m going to change.” Because she was not having a fancy, romantic brunch with her boyfriend wearing yoga pants and a T-shirt with the outline of Utah on it—a souvenir from all those years ago in the snow.
Shannon was halfway down the hall when she stutter-stepped and turned back. “Mom,” she practically yelled as her mother reached for the doorknob. “Be nice to him.”
Her mom grinned and said, “You take your time, dear,” before opening the door.