The Bluetick strained at his leash, and Lissa trotted to give him his head.
Dax’s life was about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Chapter 3
Dax woke with a warm body curled against his side. He stretched, turning into it, and a tongue corkscrewed into his ear. Jerking backward, he blinked at the hairy face of the Bluetick grinning back at him.
He dropped his head to the pillow with a sigh. For a moment he’d thought … Well, no matter. Even if Lissa had climbed into his bed, it wasn’t as though he had much to give her right now.
Dax pressed the heel of his palm into his eye socket and scratched the Coonhound behind the ear with the other. He was exhausted from staying up most of the night trying to do research. And what had he accomplished? One page of scribbled notes on the small notepad the motel provided.
His meeting today wasn’t going to be pretty.
He rolled out of bed and stretched. No matter. Even if he didn’t have airtight numbers on a five-year plan going forward, the banker would have to see his idea was a good one. And Dax could be very convincing when he wanted something. He would just have to get Mr. Ted Cooke, head loan officer at Crook County United, excited enough about his idea that he wouldn’t realize Dax’s business plan was anorexic. Maybe take the guy on a tour of his own to show him the potential. He could do that.
Keeping one eye on the clock, Dax got ready. In order to get home in time to shower and change for his meeting, they’d need to get on their way in an hour or so. He knocked on the connecting door to Lissa’s room and started leashing up the dogs. Maybe they could each take half and make the morning walks go more quickly.
The dogs swirled around his legs as he knocked again. “Lissa? You awake yet?” After taking all the dogs out last night, she had said her feet were too sore to go dancing. Judging by the time her TV went off, she’d gone to bed fairly early. She shouldn’t be too tired.
“Lissa?” He pressed his ear against the door but only heard the sound of the dogs huffing and yipping next to him. He opened the door and poked his head through. “Lissa?”
The curtain was open, showing rumpled sheets on an empty bed. The bathroom was dark, empty.
“Huh.”
The Bluetick darted past him and trotted around her room, the attached leash trailing behind him. He sniffed out every corner. When he’d made the circuit, he looked up at Dax and cocked his head, his ears raised into questioning points.
“I don’t know,” Dax told him. “Maybe she’s out getting breakfast.” He checked his watch, adjusting the canvas band. “Well, hopefully when we get back she’ll be here.” He gathered up the leashes and forged out with all eight dogs barking and jockeying for position.
When he returned, after only tripping over the dogs twice, Lissa still wasn’t back.
“Damn it.” He checked his watch again. His meeting was in seven hours and it was a six-hour drive. His stomach slid uneasily. He fed the dogs and loaded them into the van, hoping she would get back by the time he finished. Not that he owed her the ride. She was a stowaway. He could leave whenever he wanted. He rubbed his chest. But it didn’t feel right just ditching her.
He went to her room again, looking for clues. A slew of tourist brochures were spread out on the desk. He fingered through them and picked up the one that had been separated from the stack. He frowned at the glossy postcard.
Graceland. The address was circled in ink. Christ, he had a life-altering meeting to get to and Lissa was getting her Elvis on. He tapped the brochure against his jeans. She couldn’t really expect him to wait for her. No one would blame him if he left. The dogs were his responsibility, not some crazy artist running away from New Orleans.
One with a backpack full of cash she was too naive not to flash around.
He debated his options and grabbed his keys. He was definitely going to head home. He couldn’t miss this meeting. Climbing into the van, he stuck the key in the ignition and cranked it to life. The entrance to the highway was only a couple of blocks down the road. He could be on his way in minutes.
He tensed his fingers around the steering wheel, but his hands refused to turn left to the highway on-ramp. The back of his neck flushed hot, and Dax swore. Plugging the address for Graceland into his phone, he turned right on the street and drove as fast as he could toward his annoying little stowaway without jostling the dogs in back.
It was a cool morning, but he still circled the large parking lot of Graceland looking for a spot under some shade. He slid open all the back windows and made sure the dogs had water before buying a ticket and entering the mecca for thousands of sequin-clad Americans.
Heading for the welcome desk, he found a map of the building and determined the best search pattern. He jogged through the rooms, avoiding tour groups and wannabe impersonators. Finally, he found her in a gallery, her backpack slung over one shoulder and a gift bag in her hand, staring up at a multimedia picture of the King in a furry white suit.
“There you are!” Dax jerked to a halt as two octogenarians in gold lamé jumpsuits toddled in front of him.
Lissa turned, a smile lighting up her face. She was a beautiful woman no doubt, but when she smiled, beautiful didn’t even come close. The curve of her lips matched the way the corners of her eyes crinkled and arched up. She looked radiant. Illuminated from within.
His breath rushed out of him like he’d been punched to the gut. His heart thudded. Was that smile for him? A man could get used to having that directed at him every day. He could—
She walked up to the grandmas and fingered a sequined scarf knotted around one of the woman’s throats. “Great outfits,” Lissa said.
The blue hair cocked a bony hip and said, “Thank you. Thank you very much,” in a deep baritone.
Lissa laughed and waved goodbye before bounding up to Dax. “You found me! Isn’t this place great?”
“No, it’s tacky and my own personal version of hell.” He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. He was an idiot. Of course that smile wasn’t for him. They barely knew each other. “Can we go now?”
“You’re awfully grumpy this morning. Well, grumpier than yesterday.” Lissa narrowed her eyes. “Did that motel burn the biscuits? I told the manager the biscuits and gravy were overcooked. But it was a free meal, so what can you do?” She shrugged.
“I haven’t eaten breakfast.” His stomach chose that moment to make itself heard. Biscuits and gravy, even overcooked, sounded pretty good.
“Well, there’s the problem. No wonder you’re grumpy.”
“I’m not—” Closing his eyes, Dax pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Is there any place around here I can grab something quick?”
Lissa threaded her arm through his and started walking. “Is there a place to eat?” she scoffed and shook her head. “How does a peanut butter and banana sandwich sound to you?”
“Slightly odd, but I guess the elements are right for a solid breakfast.” He let her lead him into a small café with some grab-and-go options. She picked out a sandwich and juice for each of them and strolled to the cashier.
She waved him away when he drew out his wallet. “This is on me. After you let me hitch a ride, you should have let me pay for your motel room, too.”
“Forever Friends is paying for my motel.” Not that he’d let her pay for him anyway. He might be a twenty-first-century man in a lot of ways, but he still didn’t let women pay for him. His dad would kick his ass if he did. Dax’s throat went thick thinking of his father. He pulled a bill from his wallet.
“Seriously.”