Fresh Ice Page 7

  Oh I looked upstairs. I only saw one woman that mattered.

  “Just pour me that swill you call ginger ale, and let me watch the game.”

  “Suit yourself. There was one I think was really in to you. Couldn’t take her eyes off you, like she was glued to you or something.” Chance pointed to the spot where Isabella Landry stood two nights earlier.

  “Yeah, you big dumb idiot! I came up here looking for that very woman that night! You told me you had no idea what I was talking about.”

  “Oh quit sulking. Look, that same woman, she was just in here.” Chance nodded toward the corner booth. “She was sitting right there, not five minutes ago. I’m surprised you didn’t bump into her on the stairs.”

  I probably did. “Was she with anyone?”

  “Not when she came in. Ordered the weirdest thing. Glass of red wine and a glass of ice.” Chance shook his head. “Yankees…what are you gonna do?”

  Quinn remembered her accent, only lightly laced with a hint of Nashville. She would sound Northern to everyone down here.

  “But she and the singer guy, the one you hate, had a conversation and then left.”

  “They left together? You’re sure?”

  “Yep.”

  Quinn drained the ginger ale wishing he could drink the image of Isabella with the folk singer out of his brain. Why would I think she didn’t have friends? She’s a grown woman. It’s not like she’s been frozen in time. Not really.

  But did it have to be that guy?

  His cell phone buzzed. Serena.

  Of course.

  ***

  “It’s weird, having dinner with me, isn’t it?”

  Izzy looked up from her plate of lasagna. “Not as weird as you thinking I could eat this much food.”

  Collier smiled over the rim of his wine glass. “Yes, one thing about the attractions of the Old Spaghetti Factory is that they’re good for boosting those who look like they could use a good meal.”

  “Are you saying I’m too thin?”

  Collier broke off a buttery piece of garlic bread and handed it to her. “Not if you’re in training for an Iron Man competition or something.”

  Izzy took the bread and sank her teeth into the buttery, garlicky delight. “I guess, over the years, I worked out a lot. I liked running. I had a membership to the gym. I like weight lifting, if you can believe that.”

  Collier reached over the table. “Put up your arm. Oh yeah, that is one massive gun you have.” Collier cleared his throat, sat back and smiled. “You have a lot of questions.”

  “How would you know that?” Collier always read me better than anyone else.

  “Well, it’s written all over your face.”

  “That’s spaghetti sauce.” She wiped her mouth with a linen napkin and took a sip of wine. “But you’re right. I have questions.”

  “So do I, but ladies first. Fire away.”

  She studied him. In the half light of the restaurant, the years dropped away from his face. “Why folk singing?”

  “Oh that’s easy. While you and Dad were spending endless hours on sit spins and figures, I was in my tree house listening to folk music, writing folk music, and dreaming of the day I could wander the earth singing folk music to middle-aged housewives who put on corsets once a year and truly, in their heart of hearts, believe they should have been born during the Renaissance era because it was so darn romantic.”

  Izzy smiled. “And there’s nothing more to it than that?”

  Collier shook his head. “Not really. I didn’t want a complicated life. I don’t mind singing about drama, but I didn’t want any real part of it.” He paused for a beat. “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

  Izzy recognized the shadow darkening his features. He’s talking about me.

  “You made the right choice.”

  The naked honesty of her words hung between them, a cold cloud over the warm glow of reunion.

  “Hey, I think another glass of wine would be a good thing.” Collier waved to the waiter.

  Izzy bit her lip. Don’t talk about it. Keep it hidden. “No.”

  “No?”

  “No, I mean, yes another glass of wine would be very nice. But no, you shouldn’t feel like you have to apologize. You made the right choice.”

  “I had choices to make. You never had any to make on your own.”

  Izzy shook her head. “I made one choice, and it brought me all the drama I could handle for a short time, and then nothing. Now I’m back in the middle of drama, probably.”

  The waiter filled their glasses and Izzy talked for the next ten minutes, sharing her worries about the future, her hopes for Jenna. She told Collier about the emptied bank accounts, and how there was no insurance money. As he paid the bill, she told him about the lottery ticket, and her decision to move to Nashville. “And then, today, there you were. Like a sign or something.”

  “There I was.” Collier’s voice was distant as he folded the credit card receipt and put it in his pocket. “Would you like to take a stroll along the river or something?”

  “Sure.” Izzy stood a little too quickly and stumbled.

  Collier caught her and grinned. “So you’re still ‘Dizzy Izzy’ aren’t you?”

  She smiled and accepted his arm for extra balance. Collier opened the door and the hot, sticky air of the Nashville night swathed her in a comfortable mental fog.

  “Izzy?”

  Adele’s grating voice jolted Izzy. “Oh, hi guys.”

  “I thought you were too sick to help the girls move today.”

  Izzy flushed, hating the imperious look on Adele’s face. “I am...I was. When I woke up, I decided to go for a walk. I ran into Collier, who is an old friend.”

  “An old friend. Yes, I’m sure he is.”

  “Adele…” Sean’s voice held a warning note.

  “Yes, I’m very sure. Tell me, Collier…is it? What do you do?”

  “Collier is a musician.” Oh just pour gasoline on the flames.

  “A homeless one, from the looks of things,” Adele huffed.

  “Very pleased to meet you, Miss Adele,” Collier bowed low in an exaggerated show of manners.

  “Would I have heard any of your stuff?”

  “Shut up Sean!” Adele whirled on her husband like a viper. “We are talking to Izzy about this new old friend she’s found who raised her from her sick bed and took her out for dinner and…a few drinks it looks like.”

  “You do not need to be insulting.” Izzy’s eyes stung with furious tears.

  “And you do not need to lie to me. If you wanted to spend the day with street people, that’s your choice.”

  “Excuse me, ma’am?” Collier spoke in a soft, heavily Southern voice, “I really do prefer ‘traveling minstrel’ if you don’t mind? And if you don’t mind, I think your husband was taking you to dinner and I was escorting Miss Izzy back to her hotel. Good night.” He gripped Izzy’s arm and ushered her away from a stunned Adele.

  Once out of sight of the restaurant, Izzy giggled. “I can’t believe you! No one talks to Adele like that and lives to tell.”

  “That woman does not like you at all. Who is she?”

  “She’s family. She’s Jason’s big sister. You know, the protective big sister who believes with all her heart that I ruined her baby brother’s golden dreams.”

  “I see.” Collier put a protective arm around her shoulders. “And you and she, what, live close to each other?”

  “You could say that. If I go back to Wisconsin tomorrow I’ll be living with her.” Izzy made a face. “If I had the lottery money right now, there would be no question. I’d just stay here.” She made a worse face. “I hate to think of the big wicked scene that would get out of her, though.”

  Collier’s laughter was gentle, much like the one armed hug he gave her. “May I say something about you moving here?”

  “If you want.”

  “Here, sit on this bench.” Collier pointed to a bench on the w
alk way.

  Izzy sat and stared at the moonlight shining on the Cumberland River. “It’s beautiful here, isn’t it? I’d forgotten how pretty the river is at night.”

  Collier knelt in front of her. “Izzy, I’d like you to stay in Nashville.”

  His earnest manner surprised her. “Okay.” She was uncertain about what to say further.

  “I’d like you to move back, because, in a way, for me, you never left.” Collier slid next to her on the bench. “You’ve always been right here.” He put a hand over his heart.

  The expression on his face took her back to the last time she saw Collier, and Izzy was suddenly uncomfortable. “Col…”

  “No, let me just say this, and then you can walk right back out of my life for another couple of decades and I’ll be okay. But this meeting, this weird random meeting, I can’t let this moment pass by without telling you everything.”

  “Okay.” Izzy really didn’t like the intense light in his eyes, but she was unable to look away.

  “Izzy, that night I left, I was shattered. I thought for sure I would never be able to put together the pieces again. And then, this song came to me. I started writing it. I wrote about lost love. I was an idiot kid, but all this stuff just poured out of me. And in the end, I had a whole stack of shattering love songs no one wanted, until I ran into some guys who wanted to round out a folk album with something other than another sailing song. Suddenly I’m making women cry at Renaissance Fairs, like I’m really a talented poet.”

  “Oh, but Collier, you are!”

  “No, I had a broken heart I carried around with me for nearly twenty years. I’ve written songs for ten albums. Every single one was about a girl I knew, a girl I loved, every one of them a sad song, something that would guarantee sympathy and big tips at the fair. But I always wondered, deep down, I always wondered if I would ever be able to write a happy love song, something joyful, about you.”

  “Col…”

  He put a finger to her lips. “I knew the night I left you would never be happy with Jason. There was just too much wrong. But Izzy, in my heart, I knew if you and I could just find each other again, I could make you happy. And now here you are, and that idiot kid inside me can’t help hoping I get the chance to at least try.”

  Izzy was speechless. They sat, for several moments, staring at the river as other couples strolled past.

  “Please say something.” His voice was still, nearly a whisper.

  Izzy wiped a tear from her eye and smiled. “Collier, I think that’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  “So you’ll stay here in Nashville?”

  Izzy shook her head. “Col, I don’t know if I’m ready for anything, you know, romantic. I think my reality might not live up to your expectations.”

  The smile on Collier’s face was faint, but sweet. “I don’t expect anything. I just needed to tell you how I feel, and you can do whatever you want with that information. You have no idea how long I’ve carried that around.” He looked over her shoulder to the lights of the Old Spaghetti Factory. “But if I could persuade you at all, if moving in with that woman is your reality, how bad could moving back to Nashville be?”

  “Okay, okay Col, you’ve sold me.” She laughed at the stars as he swept her into his arms and spun in a full circle. Dizzy when he set her on her feet, Izzy gripped his arm. “Okay. I think I need to go home now. I have a lot to figure out before tomorrow.”

  “What’s to figure out?”

  “What I’m going to say to Adele.”

  Collier grimaced. “You want back up? I can bail on the guys for a day or two.”

  She put a hand on his arm. “No this I have to do on my own. I have a lot to do on my own.” She flagged down a cab. “I will be here when you get back.”

  “Promise?” The single word dripped with hope and uncertainty.

  “I promise.”

  “I’m not going to lie. That woman scares me a little.” He opened the cab door for her. “Wait.” He pulled a card out of his wallet. “These are all my numbers. Call me, for anything.”

  “Thanks.” She hugged him, reveling in the feeling of home she had in his arms. “Col, I’m so glad we ran in to each other.”

  “Ironically, at Second Chance’s.” He smiled, and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “I have a good feeling. You might just find the life you deserve here.”

  With you? Izzy stopped the train of thought. Romance is the last thing on my mind. Learning to stand on my own two feet for the first time ever, that’s my focus.

  Collier closed the cab door. She gave the cabbie the address of her hotel, and glanced out the back window. He waved at her. She waved back. Then again, maybe there is a happy ending here for me.

  ***

  Quinn wandered the river walk, as he did many nights after being with Serena. It was rare, while the clubs pumped out all genres of music and liquor, anyone else would be out. Tonight, especially, he enjoyed the solitude.

  There was something about the river, the way it was always moving, but was always there, that comforted him. Tonight, with the moonlight dancing on it like broken stars, Quinn wished he could lose himself in the shining ripples of water. She left Chance’s with the sad singer. She’s probably known him forever, and, she’ll fall in love with him.

  Why didn’t I try harder to find her the other night? Why didn’t I fight through that crowd? It was my chance, and I blew it.

  He jammed his hands deep in his pockets. Really, what hope did I have? I mean, come on. She’s Isabella Landry. Sure, time has passed. But she is who she is. She still has people here who know her, and probably love her. For all I know, she made this trip to meet with him.

  Her face flashed through his mind. The spotlight on her face, and her…looking at him. No, there was something there. There was a connection.

  Why am I going over this? I was the focal point of everyone in the place, and she was probably just trying to figure out why I looked familiar. She probably realized I was the idiot at her husband’s funeral, and then she put me out of her mind. There’s no use trying to make that moment more than it was.

  I’m hopeless.

  Ahead of him, a cab pulled to the curb, and a woman paused at the door. It’s her.

  The man she was with said something to her. Then he kissed her on the forehead. She got in the cab and rolled past Quinn, who stared at the retreating cab until the tail lights turned out of his view.

  He kissed on the forehead and put her in a cab? That’s not quite the passion that would bring a woman back to the South.

  Too bad for you, Singer Guy.

  TEN

  Izzy sipped her iced tea and tried to ignore the chatter floating around her like cottonwood pollen. Jenna and Mikayla carried on a loud discussion about what they would wear on the first day of classes. Izzy knew it was a hilarious conversation, simply by looking at Adele’s disapproving glare. Sean, probably thinking about the long day’s drive he had ahead of him in the morning, was quieter than normal, which only emphasized Izzy’s own lack of participation.

  I have to stay focused. I have to think of exactly the right words to somehow make this decision seem right for everyone involved, including Adele.

  “Ladies, I hate to break up your chit chat,” Sean pushed his chair back from the table, “but we have a long drive tomorrow and us oldsters need our sleep.”

  Adele looked at her watch. “Oh you are right, Sean. Okay, girls, give me a hug.” She stood and held her arms out wide. Jenna and Mikayla stood and positioned themselves into her iron embrace. Izzy knew, from the girls’ body language, that this hug was not soft and motherly.

  If she’s hard and unyielding with the girls, what’s she going to be like with me when I flat out defy her?

  “Come on Izzy,” Adele could have been summoning a dog to her side. “Let’s go.”

  “No.”

  The word was out before Izzy had time to second guess herself. It hung in the air like the glow of
an unexpected bolt of lighting.

  “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Adele put her hands on her hips, a fighter, waiting for the bell.

  Sean and the girls froze in their positions. Only their eyes moved back and forth from Adele to Izzy.

  “I said no, I’m not coming with you.” Izzy struggled to keep a fearful waver out of her tone.

  Adele’s expression clouded. “I see. So you’re having a few moments with the girls before you turn in?”

  “No. I mean I’m not coming back to Wisconsin. I’m staying in Nashville.”

  Sean and the girls slipped back to seating positions and waited.

  “You’re staying here?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re not coming back?”

  “No.” Izzy shook her head for emphasis.

  “What do you intend to do?”

  “I guess I’ll do what people do. I’ll find a place to live, a place to work. There’s nothing for me back in Wisconsin. The house is foreclosed, my job won’t support me.”

  “Oh, and there are so many opportunities here? What kind of job do you think you’ll get here? There isn’t much of a market for a former figure skater with no education and bad credit.”

  Adele’s words stung like a slap to the face. Izzy blinked, and glanced at Jenna, whose expression of fury steeled Izzy’s resolve. “My daughter is here. I have, or will have, enough money to get a modest place.”

  “How do you have any money?” Adele waited a beat. “Unless that man you were with paid you. Just how good are you that you can snag a dirty musician and suddenly have enough money to make a major move like this?”

  “Mom!” Mikayla shouted. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

  “No Mikayla, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Remember yesterday when she was so sick she couldn’t help you move? Well, I found her out with a man, and they looked like they were headed to bed.”

  “All right Aunt Iz!” Mikayla cheered.

  “Adele, shut up.” Izzy kept her voice low. Fear was gone, replaced by righteous anger. “I was not headed to bed with a man. Collier was my best friend growing up. We happened to meet yesterday purely by chance. We talked, we had dinner. And then he put me in a cab and I went back to the hotel. Alone.” She glanced at Jenna, who gave her an uncertain smile.