“What are you talking about?”
“You used to be more accommodating, more willing to please. Now you’re assertive, less willing to take shit from anyone—me, the producer, probably your parents as well.”
Audra frowned. “I don’t think I’m any different.”
“How are things with you and Jack?” Benita’s abrupt shift of topic caught Audra off balance.
“We’re fine.” Audra’s mind raced to remember what she’d told Benita about her impressions of the property owner.
“The last time we spoke, you said he was being surly. Do you want me to talk with him? Get him to leave you alone?”
“No.” Audra forced a measured tone. “I can handle him.”
“Yeah, you’ve changed.”
Audra sensed Benita’s verbal nod. “I feel as though I’m the same.”
“But you’re not. I like it.” Drawers opened and shut in the background. A stapler crunched. “I’ll tell the producer to keep his jockeys on. We’ll talk more next week. In the meantime, remember this is a working vacation. Get those songs written.”
Benita ended the call as she always did—without saying good-bye. Audra stared at the receiver in her hand. Was Benita right? Had she changed?
If so, it was Jack’s influence. She’d spent the most time with him. Audra smiled as she returned to the great room and her music. Maybe they were having a positive influence on each other. That would be a wonderful memento of her time at the cabins when she returned to Los Angeles. Her smile faded with that thought.
Jack left his car in front of Audra’s garage and jumped the three steps to her porch Friday night. She was singing again. Her voice, accompanied by her guitar, floated through her half-open window. Jack paused outside her door and listened for a while. She really did have a beautiful voice.
Was Audra ready for Quincy and Ramona’s going-away party, or had she been so distracted by her music that she’d forgotten about the event? Jack knocked twice on her cabin’s front door and prepared himself to wait. But when Audra answered his knock, he received a very pleasant surprise.
“You’re right on time.” Audra offered him a smile and pulled the door wider.
She wore a short-sleeved wine-red minidress. The color was similar to the gown she’d worn to the Grammy Awards. Her curly, dark brown hair floated above her shoulders.
Jack entered the cabin, turning to keep his eyes on her. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. So do you.” Her eyes glowed.
She collected her purse before preceding Jack onto the porch. After Audra locked the cabin, Jack escorted her to his silver Toyota Tundra. Should he put his hand on her back, her elbow? Before he could decide, they’d arrived at his vehicle. Jack helped her into his truck, then circled to the driver’s side. He got behind the wheel and guided them off the Harmony Cabins property.
This evening would be more stressful than jogging, hiking, or fishing. It was a real date, not just a picnic or a dinner cooked together. He hadn’t dated in twelve years. Even the word had the power to make him feel as clumsy as a high-school student taking his sweetheart to the prom.
Was it his imagination or were the first few minutes of the ten-minute drive into town awkward? Audra’s warmth filled the close confines of the truck’s cab. He breathed her scent—soap and vanilla. It made him want to turn the truck around and take her to bed.
“Thanks for coming with me. It’s been a long time since I’ve socialized. I’m out of practice.” He was out of practice with a lot of things. What do you talk about on a date with a beautiful w
oman?
“Thank you for inviting me.” She sounded distracted. “Trinity Falls is so beautiful.”
Jack glanced over and saw her staring out the window at the trees, bushes, and a clear blue sky. He smiled, feeling more relaxed.
There was a rustling sound as she turned to face him from her passenger seat. “How long have you known Quincy and Ramona?”
“We grew up together.”
“Is that the reason you decided to break your moratorium on socializing?”
His lips twitched with a smile. He enjoyed her sassy mouth, even when she was just talking. “Trinity Falls is a tight-knit community. But people—especially young people—don’t stay. They want the attractions and excitement of a bigger city.”
“You’ve stayed.”