“I come in here to relax and enjoy my dinner, and I end up getting picked on by the waitress.”
“It’s a tough life.”
“You’re telling me. Next thing I know, you’ll be telling me that I might want to order from the kids’ menu, seeingas how I’m gaining weight.”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say anything,” she said with a pointed glance at his midsection. He laughed again, andwhen he looked at her she saw an appreciative gleam in his eye, reminding her that he found her attractive.
“I think we’re ready to order now,” he said.
“What can I get you?”
Alex ordered for them and Katie jotted it down. She held his gaze for a moment before leaving the table anddropping the order off in the kitchen. As she continued to work the tables in her station—as quickly as people left,they were replaced—she found excuses to swing by Alex’s table. She refilled their waters and their teas, sheremoved the basket when they were done with the hush puppies, and she brought Josh a new fork after his haddropped on the floor. She chatted easily with Alex and the kids, enjoying every moment, and eventually broughtthem their dinners.
Later, when they were through, she cleared the table and dropped off the check. By then, the sun was gettinglower and Kristen had begun to yawn, and if anything, the restaurant had gotten busier. She had time for only aquick good-bye as the kids scrambled down the stairs, but when Alex hesitated, she had the sense that he wasabout to ask her out. She wasn’t sure how she was going to handle it, but before he could get the words out, oneof her customers spilled a beer. The customer stood quickly from the table, bumping it, and two more glassestoppled over. Alex stepped back, the moment broken, knowing she had to go.
“See you soon,” he said, waving as he trailed after his kids.
The following day, Katie pushed open the door to the store only half an hour after opening.
“You’re here early,” Alex said, surprised.
“I was up early and just thought I’d get my shopping out of the way.”
“Did it ever slow down last night?”
“Finally. But a couple of people have been out this week. One went to her sister’s wedding, and another calledin sick. It’s been crazy.”
“I could tell. But the food was great, even if the service was a little slow.”
When she fixed him with an irate expression, he laughed. “Just getting you back for teasing me last night.” Heshook his head. “Calling me old. I’ll have you know my hair went gray before I was thirty.”
“You’re very sensitive about that,” she noted with a teasing tone. “But trust me. It looks good on you. It lends acertain air of respectability.”
“Is that good or bad?”
She smiled without giving an answer before reaching for a basket. As she did, she heard him clear his throat.
“Are you working as much this coming week?”
“Not as much.”
“How about next weekend?”
She thought about it. “I’m off Saturday. Why?”
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other before meeting her eyes. “Because I was wondering if I mightbe able to take you to dinner. Just the two of us this time. No kids.”
She knew they were at a crossroads, one that would change the tenor of things between them. At the sametime, it was the reason she’d come to the store as early as she had. She wanted to figure out whether she’d beenmistaken about what she’d seen in his expression the previous evening, because it was the first time she knew forcertain that she wanted him to ask.
In the silence, though, he seemed to misread what she was thinking. “Never mind. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Yes,” she said, holding his gaze. “I’d love dinner. But on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You’ve already done so much for me that I’d rather do something for you this time. How about I make youdinner instead? At my house.”
He smiled, relieved. “That sounds perfect.”
15
On Saturday, Katie woke later than usual. She’d spent the past few days frantically shopping and decorating herhouse—a new sheer lace curtain for the living room window, some inexpensive prints for the walls, a few smallarea rugs, and real place mats and glasses for their dinner. Friday night she’d worked until after midnight,plumping up her new throw pillows and giving the house a final cleaning. Despite the sun that slanted through herwindows and striped her bed, she woke only when she heard the sounds of someone hammering. Checking theclock, she saw it was already after nine.
Stumbling out of bed, Katie yawned and then walked toward the kitchen to hit the switch on the coffeepotbefore stepping out onto the porch, squinting in the brightness of the morning sun. Jo was on her front porch, thehammer poised for another whack, when she spotted Katie.
Jo put the hammer down. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“Yeah, but that’s okay. I had to get up anyway. What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to keep the shutter from falling off. When I got home last night, it was hanging cockeyed, and I wassure it was going to give way in the middle of the night. Of course, thinking that the crash might wake me up anyminute kept me from falling asleep for hours.”
“Do you need some help?”
“No, I’ve just about got it.”
“How about coffee?”
“Sounds great. I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
Katie went to her bedroom, slipped out of her pajamas, and threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Shebrushed her teeth and hair, just enough to get the tangles out. Through the window, she saw Jo walking towardthe house. She opened the front door.
Katie poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Jo as soon as she entered the kitchen.
“Your house is really coming together! I love the rugs and the pictures.”
Katie gave a modest shrug. “Yeah, well… Southport is starting to feel like home, I guess. I figured I should startmaking this house into something more permanent.”
“It’s really amazing. It’s like you’re finally beginning to nest.”
“How’s your place coming?”
“It’s getting better. I’ll bring you by when it’s ready.”
“Where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you around lately.”
Jo gave a dismissive wave. “I was out of town for a few days on business, and then I went to visit someone lastweekend, and then I was working. You know the drill.”
“I’ve been working a lot, too. I’ve had a ton of shifts lately.”
“You working tonight?”
Katie took a sip of her coffee. “No. I’m having someone over for dinner.”
Jo’s eyes lit up. “Do you want me to guess who it could be?”
“You already know who it is.” Katie tried to stop the slow flush that was creeping up her neck.
“I knew it!” she said. “Good for you. Have you decided what you’re going to wear?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, no matter what you decide, you’ll look beautiful, I’m sure. And you’re going to cook?”
“Believe it or not, I’m actually a fairly good cook.”
“What are you going to make?”
When Katie told her, Jo raised her eyebrows.
“Sounds yummy,” Jo said. “That’s great. I’m happy for you. Both of you, actually. Are you excited?”
“It’s only dinner…”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She winked. “It’s too bad I can’t stick around to spy on the two of you. I’d love to watchhow it all unfolds, but unfortunately, I’m heading out of town.”
“Yes,” Katie said. “That’s really too bad you’re not going to be here.”
Jo laughed. “Sarcasm doesn’t become you, by the way. But just so you know, I’m not going to let you off thehook. As soon as I get back, I’m going to need the full play-by-play.”
“It’s just dinner,” Katie said again.
“Which means that you won’t have any trouble telling me all about it.”
“I think you need another hobby.”
“Probably,” Jo agreed. “But right now, I’m having plenty of fun living vicariously through you since my love lifeis pretty much nonexistent. A girl needs to be able to dream, you know?”
Katie’s first stop was the hair salon. There, a young woman named Brittany trimmed and styled her hair, chattingnonstop the entire time. Across the street was the only women’s boutique in Southport, and Katie stopped therenext. Though she’d ridden past the store, she’d never been inside before. It had been one of the stores she’dnever imagined herself either wanting or needing to go into, but as she began to browse, she was pleasantlysurprised not only by the selections, but by some of the prices. Well, on the sale items, anyway, which was whereKatie focused her attention.
It was an odd experience to shop alone in a clothing store like this. She hadn’t done such a thing in a long time,and as she changed in the dressing room, she felt more carefree than she had in years.
She bought a couple of sale items, including a tan formfitting blouse with beading and stitching that scooped abit in the front, not dramatically but enough to accent her figure. She also found a gorgeous patterned summerskirt that complemented the blouse perfectly. The skirt was a little too long, but she knew she could fix that. Afterpaying for her purchases, she wandered two doors down, to what she knew was the only shoe store in town,where she picked up a pair of sandals. Again, they were on sale and although ordinarily she would have feltalmost frantic about shopping, the tips had been good over the last few days and she’d decided to splurge. Withinreason, of course.
From there, she went first to the drugstore to buy a few things and then finally rode across town to the grocerystore. She took her time, content to browse the aisles, feeling the old, troubling memories trying and failing toreassert themselves.
When she was finished, she rode her bicycle home and started the preparations for dinner. She was makingshrimp stuffed with crabmeat, cooked in a scampi sauce. She had to recall the recipe from memory, but she’dmade it a dozen times over the years and was confident she hadn’t forgotten anything. As side dishes, she’ddecided on stuffed peppers and corn bread, and as an appetizer, she wanted to make a bacon-wrapped Brie,topped with a raspberry sauce.
It had been a long time since she’d prepared such an elaborate meal, but she’d always loved to cut recipesfrom magazines, even from a young age. Cooking was the one enthusiasm she’d been able to share occasionallywith her mom.
She spent the rest of the afternoon hurrying. She mixed the bread and put it in the oven, then readied theingredients for the stuffed peppers. Those went into the refrigerator along with the bacon-wrapped Brie. When thecorn bread was done, she placed it on the counter to cool and started the raspberry sauce. Not much to it—sugar,raspberries, and water—but by the time it was ready, the kitchen smelled heavenly. That went into the fridge aswell. Everything else could wait until later.
In her bedroom, she shortened the skirt to just above the knee, then made a last tour of the house to make sureeverything was in place. Finally, she began to undress.
As she slipped into the shower, she thought about Alex. She visualized his easy smile and the graceful way hemoved, and the memory started a slow burn in her belly. Despite herself, she wondered whether he was taking ashower at the same time she was. There was something erotic in the idea, the promise of something exciting andnew. It was just dinner, she reminded herself again, but even then, she knew she wasn’t being completely honestwith herself.
There was another force at work here, something she’d been trying to deny. She was attracted to him morethan she wanted to admit, and as she stepped out of the shower she knew she had to be careful. He was the kindof man she knew she could fall for, and the notion frightened her. She wasn’t ready for that. Not yet, anyway.
Then again, she heard a voice inside her whisper, maybe she was.
After toweling off, she moisturized her skin with a sweet-smelling body lotion, then put on her new outfit,including the sandals, before reaching for the makeup she’d purchased from the drugstore. She didn’t needmuch, just some lipstick, mascara, and a trace of eye shadow. She brushed her hair and then put on a pair ofdangly earrings she’d bought on a whim. When she was finished, she stepped back from the mirror.
That’s it, she thought to herself, that’s all I’ve got. She turned one way, then the other, tugging at the blousebefore finally smiling. She hadn’t looked this good in a long time.
Though the sun had finally moved toward the western sky, the house was still warm and she opened thekitchen window. The breeze was enough to keep her cool as she set the table. Earlier in the week, as she’d beenleaving the store, Alex had asked her if he could bring a bottle of wine, and Katie put a couple of glasses out. Inthe center of the table, she placed a candle and as she stepped back, she heard the sound of an engineapproaching. She saw from the clock that Alex was right on time.
She drew a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Then, after walking across the room and opening the door,she stepped out onto the porch. Dressed in jeans and a blue shirt rolled up to his elbows, Alex was standing at thedriver’s-side door and leaning into the car, obviously reaching for something. His hair was still a little damp nearhis collar.
Alex pulled out two bottles of wine and turned around. Seeing her, he seemed to freeze, his expression one ofdisbelief. She stood surrounded by the last rays of the setting sun, perfectly radiant, and for a moment all hecould do was stare.
His wonder was obvious, and Katie let it wash over her, knowing she wanted the feeling to last forever.