by Barbara Lohr
“Coming right up.” Mandy’s worn apron told a story of hard work. Suffocating heat rolled from the back. How would it feel to work with ovens in the summer months?
“Do you handle most of the baking yourself?” she asked as Mandy rang up the sale.
“Yep. Get here early in the morning. Sometimes my sister helps but she has two kids.” Mandy rolled a shoulder. So many of the businesses in Gull Harbor were family owned and run.
Red Arrow was sleepy in the early afternoon sunlight when she drove toward the care center. Will’s car wasn’t there and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Hi, Harold.” Diana stopped at the front door. Her white bag had caught the old man’s eye.
“Morning, Diana.” He touched his winter cap.
“Got something for you.” She handed him the donuts, and a smile broadened his whiskered cheeks.
“Thank you. You're a real nice lady.” The old man blushed as if she'd given him tickets to a Chicago Bears game.
“You're welcome. See you later.”
She heard the crinkling of the bag as she walked into the bright lobby, where cool air greeted her. “Morning,” she sang out.
The girl at the front desk looked up and Diana glanced at her employee badge. She liked to call people by name, especially if she was going to keep coming here for the dances. “Hi, Kelsey. I’m just going back to the dance today.”
To her surprise, Kelsey’s hand shot out like a traffic cop’s. “Wait. Just have to check with Mrs. Lawson.”
“Oh, but...” She ground to a halt while Kelsey punched some buttons.
“Mrs. Lawson. A woman is here. Says she's come to see you.”
A woman? Diana shifted uncomfortably. Kelsey hung up the phone. “You can go back. Down the corridor and to the right.” Diana almost laughed at the girl’s tone, as if she were guarding the White House.
“Thank you, Kelsey.” After all, she had to get along with these people. When she reached the sunny recreation room, Jan was happy to see her. “Want to take care of the music today?” She nodded toward the box of CDs.
“Why not?” She started to flip through the disks. A lot of the residents liked Elvis, that much was clear. She added some of the other fifties and sixties favorites. Before long, residents filtered in. They had all dressed up for the afternoon dance on Sunday. She smiled to see the silky tops and earrings. Tim was there again, wearing his bow tie. As the music played, a lot of them sang along. Moving easily from one resident to the next, she asked about family and answered questions about herself. As time passed and Will didn’t make an appearance again, she felt disappointed. Why had she let his texts go unanswered? Was she afraid to make another mistake?
Jan joined them at the end and helped Diana straighten the music and clear the refreshment table. “The residents love having you here. We never have enough volunteers, especially for the dances.”
“It’s fun, Jan. I enjoy it.” But the afternoon had fallen strangely flat.
On her way out, Diana stopped in the restroom. Her hair was such a mess that she swept it into a claw clip. Then she noticed her chin. Good grief. Leaning closer to the mirror, she peered at a huge red bump. Thank goodness, she always carried concealer in her purse. One dab and she was walking briskly through the foyer. “Will?”
Hands in his pockets, Will lounged against the wall. “Hey, I've been waiting for you.”
“Oh you have, have you?” She was so happy to see him.
“I’ve got a surprise for you.”
Chapter 8
Glancing outside, Diana searched the parking lot. “Where’s your car?”
“Come on. I’ll walk you out.” Will gave her a secretive smile.
His hand felt good on her back as Diana swirled through the door. But she caught an indignant expression on Kelsey’s face. What was that about?
“Bye, Diana,” Harold said with a wave as they swept past.
“See you, Harold.”
“Guess I’ve got competition,” Will murmured.
“Maybe.” She scanned the parking lot for his sensible white sedan. “I don’t see your car.”
“Over there.” Will pointed to a red Mustang convertible sitting in the shade of a huge oak tree. What?
“That's yours?” she squeaked.
Will drew back. “Don't sound so surprised.”
“Amazed is more like it.” Will and a cherry red Mustang? No way. Afraid to touch the finish, she circled the red brilliance with respect. “What year?”
“ ‘68. My father and I fixed it up together while I was in high school. He’s a real car nut. My mother always complained that his cars took up the whole barn.” He obviously enjoyed her surprise. “Want to go for a ride?”
“Sure.” She slid her sunglasses into place.
“Great. You deserve a treat.” He opened the door of the classic Mustang. The red interior felt warm under her and she smiled at the retro dashboard.
“When did your dad give it to you?” All the gauges were old. Vintage radio too.
“My senior year. We worked on it every chance we got.” He adjusted the rearview mirror. “My folks thought I was running with the wild crowd.”
“Were you?”
Will looked guilty as charged. “Probably. Too much drinking in the cornfields. This car helped keep me on the road to college.”
How would it feel to have parents who cared about you that much? Her grandparents had done the best they could, but there had always been that generation difference. She knew some things were hard for them to understand, like what girls were wearing back then. Shifting in her seat, she realized they might both come from small towns, but there the similarities stopped.
Turning the key, Will dipped his head as if listening to the engine. With a pleased smile, he put it in gear. “I take care with anything and anyone I care about.”
Pulling out of the parking lot, he took a left. While he played with the radio, she sat back. Puffy clouds drifted across a sunny blue sky. The air felt soft on her skin. What a perfect day. Once they were on Red Arrow and the car picked up speed, the wind got serious. Tugged from her long braid, wisps of hair danced around her face. She let them go. Felt great.
Her body melted into the seat while shops and restaurants became a blur along the side of the road. There was just something so old-fashioned and charming about this two-lane highway that ran parallel to the interstate, where people saw nothing but billboards. She bobbed her foot to a Duran Duran song playing on the radio. As they sped along, she told Will about the map for Moonlight Madness. Listening intently, he asked questions. But it was hard talking above the rush of wind.
Finally, she gave up. Slouched back. Let her eyes rest on his strong hands and that old-fashioned steering wheel. Will was probably very capable. At least, that’s what she’d seen the night they searched for Luanne.
Stop it right there, missy. No way would she fall into a familiar first-date habit when hope could make any man perfect. Before you really knew him. Before you found out everything. She’d done that with Bryce.
Some men came with baggage...and some came with steamer trunks.
So today she’d only think about Will. The sun glinted on his wind-blown hair, and he filled that pink polo in the most delicious way. What a far cry from the man in the suit she’d asked to dance at the Firemen’s Ball. But she didn’t know who was he, not really. She had time to find out. Maybe he was thinking the same thing.
Just when they passed through the town of Sawyer and dipped through the underpass, he slowed down. Up ahead, a big blue sign announced Culver's Custard. Diana was an ice cream freak, and she sat up in her seat when Will turned in.
“Are we getting ice cream?” She’d never been up here.
“What? You don’t like ice cream?” He tapped the brakes and swung into a parking spot.
She waved a hand. “No, no. Who doesn’t?”
Leaning closer, he dropped his voice as if he were sharing classified information. “I happen to be an ice cream f
anatic.”
“Me too.” She smiled up at him. “And you never gain a pound?”
“Not really.” Will pulled back. “I’d like to know what your passions are too, Diana. Your dark secrets. Every one of them.”
“What if I don’t have any?” She wound the purse strap so tight around her fingers that they throbbed.
“I wouldn’t believe it. Not for a minute.” The words were delivered with sexy intent. Or maybe she was reading too much into it. Once they cleared the side door, she headed straight for the ladies’ room. “Give me one minute.”
“I’ll be right there.” Will stationed himself in front of the counter. She felt his eyes on her while she disappeared to brush out her tangled braid and reapply her lipstick. The blemish got another coating of makeup. When she returned to the restaurant, Will stood studying the menu up above.
“So many choices, right?” She stopped to stand beside him and looked up.
Smiling, he ran a hand over his chin. “I always have the same thing.”
Fascinated, she turned. “And what would that be?”
“Caramel cashew sundae,” he said without any hesitation.
“Sounds delicious. I’ll have one too.” Because of the heat, they decided not to take their sundaes outside. When their orders came up, they slid into a booth.
“How did it go with the residents?” Will asked.
While they spooned caramel heaven into their mouths, she told him about her dance partners. How Tim had tried a new step and didn’t want to give her up when Harold insisted.
“Hmm. My guys are fighting over you already.”
“Not really.”
“Yes, Diana. Really.”
They talked about his work for a while. He asked her about the store. She probably talked too much. What guy really wanted to hear about asymmetrical blouses and mid-calf skirts? Bryce’s eyes had practically rolled back in their sockets whenever she mentioned work. And he never talked about his. She’d assumed he worked for a top secret company.
Bryce. Whenever the conversation slowed, she wondered if this would be a good time to open up with Will. Get his reaction. Watch the light fade from his eyes.
Nope, she couldn’t go there. Not now, on this perfect day. Swirling some caramel onto her spoon, she let the sweetness melt on her tongue. Glancing up, she found Will staring at her. What she saw in his eyes liquefied the caramel fast.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Really. Just get a kick out of you, that’s all.”
Really, he was so sweet. “Thanks for bringing me.”
“Hey, this was just a way to see you.” He leaned forward on his arms. “You haven’t been answering my texts.”
Embarrassed, she hitched up a shoulder. “Just busy.”
“You sure that's all?” A bit of caramel clung to his lower lip.
“Wait. You’ve got something there.” She pointed to her own lips to show him the spot. His tongue darted out and her stomach tumbled. The caramel didn't budge.
“Did I miss it?” Will’s crooked smile was darling.
“Yes, well.” Fumbling, she grabbed a napkin and reached across the booth to wipe it off. The paper rasped along his whiskered jaw and his smile grew. She had the wild urge to cup that jaw with her hand. Instead, she crumpled the napkin in her fingers.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome.” She sank back. They sat grinning at each other like teenagers.
“Great caramel sauce,” she finally murmured.
“The best.” Will nodded. “Cashews are good too, right?”
“You bet.” She picked up her spoon again. The sundae could be oatmeal for all she cared. They were together and it felt good.
After a couple more mouthfuls, he said. “You know, Diana, I’m really glad you asked me to dance that night.”
“Me too. Pretty bold when I think about it.”
“Sometimes you have to ask for what you want.” The comment floated in the air like an invitation. All sorts of images spun through her mind. He shook his head. “Anyway, thanks for coming today...the care center, I mean.”
“I like being with the older folks. When my grandfather was at Westwood, I… Well, I couldn’t always get over to see him.” Geez, her throat still closed when she thought about it.
Will's forehead wrinkled. “Are you saying you felt guilty when he passed on?”
“Yes. No. He never should have been up on the roof...and at his age.”
“Guys are like that, Diana. Proud. My dad's like that.”
“Right. Well, Grandpa Stanley was up there and he fell. Two stories.” Her throat closed, remembering her grandmother’s scream and the 9-1-1 call. “Thank goodness it was Saturday and I was home.”
The understanding in Will’s eyes flowed over her, warmer than the caramel in their bowls. “He was never the same, Will. Oh, the hip healed but something went out of him, and he couldn’t take on the rehab. Didn’t really try.”
“Hey, Diana.” Taking her hands, Will brushed a thumb over the knuckles.
“Your staff did everything they could,” she hurried to add. Diana didn't want him to think she was blaming Westwood.
“That was a good group. I was sad to leave, but...” He paused.
“But you wanted to live closer to the outdoors. Was that it?”
He shrugged. “Kind of. Westwood gave me good training, but I wanted my own facility. Gull Harbor came up.”
“So you moved away from home?” She slipped easily into a lighter tone.
“I liked the idea of moving to Michigan. I'm an outdoor guy. Yes. Nothing was available closer to Beanblossom. I wanted to be in a city not as large as Indianapolis but not as small as my hometown, if that makes sense. But I still go home.” He looked down. “Finished?”
“Yes.” The story felt half told. They were having such a good time. In the sunlight falling through the large plate glass window, his eyes turned the color of one of her turquoise rings.
He caught her staring. “What is it?”
“Nothing. I should get back. “
“Hey, it's Sunday. Your shop's not open, right?”
His unsettling eyes wouldn’t let go. “No, but I promised Kate I’d get the map for Moonlight Madness to her today.”
Will jumped up. No questions. No pressure. No guilt trips.
When they got outside, the red Mustang sat waiting. Will glanced up at the sky. “Looks like rain. Funny how things can change in a minute.”
“In a second, “ she murmured, watching the top slide overhead. Her own life was sure different since the Firemen’s Ball.
On the way back, Will seemed to be feeling mellow, while she chattered about Moonlight Madness. She hated silences. For her, they had always held secrets. People should just talk, especially couples. She remembered her grandparents sitting at the kitchen table or in front of the TV. They couldn’t seem to hear each other's voices enough, sometimes shouting over the TV. But she'd seen the other side too. Diana remembered her mother’s crazy, inappropriate laughter or the tense silence when her parents questioned her. Star Prescott had been a trip.
Will and Diana hadn’t driven far when the rain started. Fat drops hit the windshield and thudded onto the car top. He cut his speed.
“I bet you're careful with this car, right?”
Shifting down, he shot her a sideways grin. “And my passengers, especially you.”
“Aw, Will.” Sometimes he touched her in the sweetest way.
By the time they pulled off onto Greenwood Road, the shower had blustered past toward Michigan City. The air felt fresh. “Looks like visiting hours are over.” Not many cars in the parking lot at Gull Harbor Care Center.
“People can visit anytime.” Will pulled up under some weeping willows. “Good for the residents.” Turning the car off, he pivoted to face her.
“Thanks for the sundae, Will. It was fun.”
“Have you visited any other ice cream shops around here?”
<
br /> “Not really. Work takes up most of my time.” Or was the shop just an excuse? Going any place alone had never been comfortable for her.
“Mind if I help you explore?” Laugh lines fanned from his eyes when he smiled.
“We are talking about ice cream, right?”
He ran a finger up her bare shoulder and a tingle followed that path. “Why don't we leave it open? The exploration, that is.”
Fall was looking interesting. “Works for me.”
“I've got enough work. Sounds like you do too. This is for pleasure, okay?” All she could do was nod as Will’s eyes coasted down her arms and circled back to her face. “God, you’re so beautiful, Diana.”
Will tasted like caramel when he kissed her. She’d always liked caramels.
“So, does this mean you're going to answer my texts from now on?” he teased, massaging the back of her neck.
“Guess so.” Watch for them was more like it.
Angling in, he kissed her again. She could feel his smile turn serious. The kiss unleashed crazy feelings and left her trembling. But when she stumbled from the car and waved good-bye, she felt someone watching. Harold? No, Kelsey stood at the glass-plated door, hands on her hips. With a quick jerk, she scurried back to her desk.
What was that about? But the girl's stare was long forgotten by the time Diana reached home.
She was too busy remembering Will’s lips. How they’d felt. How she’d felt. And why was she still shivering?
Chapter 9
Diana’s shoulders ached from dragging the metal display rack outside. Hanging her merchandise out front brought people into Hippy Chick. Fifteen minutes later, she was on the phone with a vendor when the overhead bell rang. Checking the security camera, she didn’t recognize the woman. Ending the call, Diana hustled to the front.
“Can I help you?”
The pretty blonde was holding out a tie-dyed skirt with a puzzled frown.
“That’s one of my favorites.”
Tucking the skirt back on the rack, she turned. “Diana?”
“Yep, that’s me.”
She held up a flyer. “I wanted to thank you for helping with Moonlight Madness. I'm Mercedes, Kate’s sister.”
