Not Planning on You (Danvers #2)(30)
He’d been amused by her when they’d first met. She seemed to do and say a lot of things just for the shock value. He had a feeling being raised by such uptight parents had something to do with it. He’d bet that she’d spent her adolescence finding ways to get a reaction out of them. They probably about had a coronary the first time she walked out wearing an eye-popping animal print. Gray saw through the smoke and mirrors to the person underneath that camouflage. Suzy might seem tough, but she was breakable. She acted like she didn’t want or need affection when in reality, she craved it. She wanted someone to love her enough to peel back her layers and see the person inside.
As Gray started dressing to attend a party at the home of their potential new customer, he was still uneasy and the feeling bothered him. He decided to text Nick again to make sure everything was ok. He hated to have these gut feelings because they invariably drove him crazy until whatever was causing them finally presented itself.
Chapter Twelve
Gray had been gone for almost two weeks. Suzy had no idea it was possible to miss someone as much as she’d missed him. The simple trip that Gray had assumed would last no more than a week had run much longer than he’d imagined. He had been in Nevada for a little over a week and then in California dealing with a supply problem, which luckily he’d finally settled. The new guy at Danvers, Declan Stone, was flying down to California in the morning and Gray was handing the reins over to him. He thought someone should be there for a few extra days to ensure there were no other issues and he didn’t want it to be him. He’d wanted to fly home for an evening just to see her but she’d put her foot down, or her boot at least. As much as she wanted him home, she didn’t want just a few hours. She had big plans for Gray tomorrow night when he finally made it home and she didn’t want to be rushed.
Suzy was feeling much better than she had when he left. She’d learned to manage pretty well on her crutches and was much more mobile now. Things that she’d always taken for granted like showering or going to the bathroom still required more time, but she was getting the hang of it. Beth had finally brought over her clothing and it felt better to look more like herself. Skinny jeans were out since she couldn’t fit them over her cast, but skirts were comfortable even if she had to settle for ugly flat heeled shoes to go with them.
Gray had insisted on Nick staying with her and Beth at night. She was glad to have him in the house, but Beth seemed to hate every moment of it and never failed to let Nick know. If Suzy didn’t know better, she’d swear it was some form of foreplay between them. Beth had been working at Danvers for the past week. She went in to pick up messages and mail and returned the calls and handled correspondence for Suzy. She planned to go back to work on Monday. She knew it would be a fight with Gray, but she couldn’t stay home forever and with several projects in the works, she had to be there in person some of the time.
Suzy smiled as she thought of how many times each day Gray called her. Their last conversation of the day was usually at night when Gray was back at his hotel and Suzy was settled in bed. She’d never been one for phone sex, but their nightly talks had gotten pretty interesting. She was sure that Gray went to sleep each evening just as tightly wired as she did.
Even though she wore a heavy, awkward cast, she planned to finally give both Gray and herself what they had both been longing for when he got home tomorrow. She’d already told Beth and Nick that they should make plans to return to their own homes. Beth had blushed and Nick had given her a thumbs-up along with a wicked grin.
Today Suzy planned to go shopping for a special purchase even if it took her all day to hobble into the store. Beth would be appalled to be pulled into Victoria’s Secret, but she’d not be deterred. She was a woman on a mission and that was to get something special for tomorrow night. Maybe it was time she also helped Beth pick out a few things for herself. If there was one thing she knew, wearing sexy undergarments just made you feel sexy. It was like a powerful secret that you carried, or in this case, wore with you all day.
Nick had invited Claire and Jason over for a barbeque that evening and Beth said she was going to invite a girl from the office that she’d gotten to know. Suzy thought it sounded like a great evening, and it would have been perfect had Gray been there.
Beth came into the bedroom to help her shower and get dressed. They had gotten the hang of using the cast cover and the shower seat and after a few mishaps; they had it down to a science. Suzy used the chair that Gray had put in front of the vanity for her while she dried and styled her hair and put on her makeup. Beth stood beside of her doing her makeup as well. Soon they heard Nick yelling for them from the other room.
Suzy had come to adore Nick. He might tease, torment and heckle her unmercifully, but he was such a good guy. He and Beth had taken turns fixing dinner each evening and, just as Gray had indicated, he and Nick did truly know how to cook. Nick helped out around the house, ran errands and even kept the minivan so they could all travel in comfort. Suzy had to admit, he was a complete stud, as well. She could see why he had the reputation as a ladies’ man because women admired him everywhere they went. To his credit, other than a lazy grin here or there, he hadn’t gone out on a date nor had anyone over since he’d been staying with them. Someone like Nick was bound to have an active social life, but he seemed content to stay in with them each evening and watch a movie after dinner or just sit around and chat. She thought not for the first time that there was a lot more to Nick than she’d first imagined. She truly couldn’t understand why Beth seemed to loathe him so much.