The Funny Thing about Love: Feel Good Sweet Romance stories

by Laura Burton

  Layla should have had her license revoked by now, but he gave her chance after chance. Blast those dimples! They got the best of him every time, making him weak at the knees—putty in her hands.

  But not this time. This time, he meant business.

  He caught up to her right in front of the Maple Creek Baptist Church. She pulled over to the side of the road as church members streamed into the sanctuary for the Sunday morning service.

  Layla stepped out of the Corvette in a floral dress that swayed with her hips in a sassy manner that matched her personality. She wore a straw hat over her shiny, brown ringlets and a pair of aviator sunglasses. She looked so good it should have been illegal.

  He knew he should tell her to return to her vehicle, but he was so taken by her Sunday morning attire that he clamped his mouth shut. Normally, he was a good cop, an excellent cop. How else would he have become the police chief? But this woman had him whipped, and she knew it. She was his one weakness as an officer.

  It had started in seventh grade when he’d kissed her in the downstairs closet of her best friend, Onyx’s family room. They’d been playing Seven Minutes in Heaven, and he’d ended up with her. The kiss was unforgettable. It was his first kiss, and it had left him following her around for the next week. Eventually, she rejected him for some kid on the soccer team. It should have been ancient history, but he’d never really gotten over it.

  She pulled down the aviators and turned toward the church, stopping midstride, her glossy lips parting. Layla’s mother and Mrs. Wheaton, the town gossip, were walking toward the entrance of the church. They stopped and turned to look at Will, and Mrs. Bowen’s smile turned downward into a scowl. Layla stared at the two of them, and her face went pale. She looked at Will, and then she looked back at the women, panic written all over her features.

  She stepped toward him impulsively, and before he could even process what was happening, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. They were perfect and warm and tasted like honey. For a moment, all he knew was their kiss. Fireworks exploded in his head, and he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, drawing her into him. How long had he wondered what another kiss with Layla would be like? The first one had curled his toes, and this one was no different. Every expectation had been met, and then some.

  “Layla Bowen! What in heaven’s name do you think you’re doing?” The unmistakable voice of Mary Bowen lanced through the fantasy world wherein he’d lost himself.

  Layla pulled away, hastily whispering, “Just play along.” Her eyes were large and vulnerable, and he had to stop himself from grabbing her and pulling her in for another kiss.

  Will’s head was still spinning from the kiss. He didn’t think he had another option at that point. He could hardly do more than just stand there like the fool he’d just allowed himself to become.

  “Oh, hi there, Mama! I didn’t see you there. Save me a seat in the chapel, will you?”

  “Don’t you play coy with me, Layla. You can’t just go kissing the police to get out of a speeding ticket. I raised you better than that.”

  “You misunderstand, Mama. Will wasn’t pulling me over for speeding.”

  She turned to Will and batted her long, seductive eyelashes at him. He had no idea where she was going with this, but he knew he was in deep trouble.

  “Will and I are getting married.”

  “What?” Will sputtered. Had he had one drink too many at Dixie’s Tavern and said something he’d forgotten?

  She placed a hand on his chest. “It’s okay, baby. I know I told you I wasn’t going to tell my family yet, but I really am ready now.”

  He stared at her, mouth agape. All words and logic had flown from his mind. Instead, Layla’s floral perfume filled his senses, making his head spin with her nearness.

  “I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes. Save me a seat, Mama.” She waved her mother away. Her mother returned to Mrs. Wheaton, who had been standing on the sidewalk, watching the entire exchange. The two women were inseparable and had always reminded Will of a couple of mother hens.

  Will cleared his throat, dropping back into his role as police chief. If he didn’t gain control of the situation, he would become the town laughingstock. “I ought to arrest you for your conduct here today, Ms. Bowen. You know that kiss could be considered an assault of a police officer.”

  Layla stepped back and bit down on her cherry-red bottom lip, the same red as her Corvette. “But you won’t arrest me, will you?”

  “No, I won’t. But don’t you ever try something like that again. If you do, you’ll find yourself in the back of my police cruiser. Understood?”

  “I understand.” For a moment, genuine fear flashed in Layla’s eyes. Why, oh why, did he allow that to make him feel guilty?

  He swallowed down his guilt and said, “License and registration, please.”

  Layla returned to her car sulkily and produced the documents.

  A few moments later, he returned to her with the speeding ticket she’d earned fair and square.

  He handed it to her with a wink and a smile. “Watch the speedometer and obey the speed limit. I know that’s hard for you, but just try, or next time I won’t be smiling. And neither will you.”

  She pushed out her bottom lip in a pout, and he hoped she was finally starting to take him seriously. But somehow he doubted it.

  Chapter 2

  Layla tried to avoid her mother when the church service ended, but it was no use. The woman caught up to her just outside the building. The worst part would be the endless questions. Why did her mother have to know the answer to everything? For the past two years, Layla’s mother had pressured her to find a husband. Nonstop. At least that was how it felt. Layla was at the end of her rope. If she had to hear one more time about how her eggs were drying up . . . And that was why she’d grabbed Will and kissed him like that. It was a move of pure desperation. She really didn’t have another choice.

  But that kiss . . . wow. It was the most incredible kiss she’d experienced in years. She had to shut down the train of thought immediately. She couldn’t allow herself to think about Will that way. It was too dangerous.

  “Layla,” her mom said, catching up to her, out of breath. “I hope you know I’m not buying that charade you tried to push on me before church.”

  Layla paused and turned to her mom with a big smile. “You mean Will? That wasn’t a charade.”

  “I’ve never even seen you with him before, and now you expect me to believe that you’re getting married?”

  “Will and I go way back, Mom. Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” Technically, it was true. Will was her first kiss—how could she ever forget that—but she’d never told her mom. It was none of her business.

  Her mom narrowed her eyes at Layla like she was declaring war. “Wonderful! Then why don’t you invite him over for lunch? If he’s going to be part of the family, we want him around for all our activities.”

  Layla scrambled for something to say while she held her smile frozen in place. “Will is . . . ” She thought of the ticket tucked into her handbag, and her smile widened. “He’s working today, or I’m sure he’d be delighted to join us. Maybe another time?”

  “Yes, you let me know when he’s off work, and we’ll plan a family dinner in his honor.” Her mom turned like she was about to head to her car, but then she paused and rotated back to face Layla, her eyes narrowed again. “If you’re engaged, then why don’t you have a ring?”

  “I have a ring. It’s, um, it’s being sized right now.”

  “You’d better not be lying to me. This entire thing feels fishy.”

  “I’m not lying. I promise,” Layla fibbed. “You’ll see the truth soon enough.” But Layla had no idea how she was going to get herself out of the corner she’d just lied herself into.

  Layla scooted up to the bar at Dixie’s Tavern later that night. After the day she’d had, she could use an ice-cold drink. She didn�
��t actually drink alcohol—she was way too much of a health nut for that—but she loved club soda with lime.

  The door pushed open, and Onyx stepped through, heading toward Layla and taking a seat next to her at the bar. Onyx had a blue streak through her wavy blonde hair.

  “Hey,” Layla said. “I like the blue.”

  “Thanks. I had Lauren add it for me when I went in to get my highlights touched up.” Both Layla and Onyx went to Lauren’s salon to get their hair done. Lauren had gone to high school with them, and Layla loved catching up with her when she got her hair done.

  “What’s this I hear about you being engaged?” Onyx asked. Before Layla could piece together a coherent response, Onyx grabbed Layla’s bare hand. “Where’s the ring?” Onyx turned her hand over like that would somehow make the ring appear.

  Layla thought fast. She didn’t want Onyx to know she’d fibbed about being engaged to Will. So she answered the question with another question to redirect the conversation. “How’d you hear about that?”

  “I overheard your mom and Mrs. Wheaton talking about it at Josie’s Coffee Shop this afternoon.”

  “It’s supposed to be a secret.”

  Onyx scrunched her brow in confusion. “A secret? What for?”

  “Keep your voice down,” Layla said, lowering her own voice. And idea formed in her mind, and she went with it. “It’s what Will wants. He’s still fresh out of his divorce, and he doesn’t want people gossiping about him for getting remarried so fast. So don’t tell anyone about this until I talk to him and he says he’s ready for people to know.”

  “Okay, I won’t say anything,” Onyx said, twisting up the napkin in front of her. “I can’t believe you were dating Will behind my back. How long has this been going on?”

  “A while.” Layla hoped Onyx didn’t press her with more questions. She flagged down Dixie to place their order with the hope that it would distract Onyx from interrogating her about her relationship with Will. She didn’t like lying to her friend, but she didn’t want Onyx spreading rumors that she was engaged either. She hadn’t even gotten Will to agree.

  The two girls ordered their drinks and sipped them for a few moments. The door pushed open again, and this time Will Vance stepped through.

  “Look who’s here,” Onyx said, wiggling her eyebrows at Layla.

  Layla’s heart jumped into her throat. Will looked drool-worthy in a classic white t-shirt and jeans with a pair of lace-up work boots. Don’t think about that kiss.

  She’d had a complicated relationship with Will up until this point. He was her first kiss in seventh grade, and it had been intense—too intense. After that, she’d immediately began avoiding him, and she could tell it had made him bitter. She had a suspicion that he’d been targeting her for speeding because he was still sore over her rejection all those years ago. She knew she was to blame for most of the tickets, but sometimes she wondered if he was just picking on her to get his revenge.

  Will stopped to talk to Taylor Roberts, a local orthopedic surgeon. Onyx scowled. “We don’t like him.”

  “Who, Taylor?” Layla asked, scrunching her brow in confusion. They’d gone to school with him, and he’d always seemed nice enough when they were kids. He’d always been the smart, nerdy kid in school, but now he was a very hot, very single doctor. He and Will had been best friends for as long as Layla could remember.

  “Yes. Doctor Roberts,” Onyx said in a snooty voice. “He thinks he’s all high and mighty because he has a medical degree.” Layla was used to Onyx railing against traditional medicine. Onyx’s parents owned a local crystal shop and raised Onyx to practice natural healing techniques.

  “What did he do wrong?” Layla asked, sipping her club soda, trying to keep a smile off her face. She suspected that Onyx was crushing on the guy and had been for a while. But Onyx would be the last one to admit that she had the hots for a doctor, someone entrenched in Western medicine.

  “He took the last available booth for the Maple Creek Fall Festival. My mom has had her crystal shop at that festival every year for the last twenty years. He saw my mom in line ahead of him yesterday. She had to run to the car to get her driver’s license, and when she came back, he’d signed up for the last booth for his medical practice.”

  “Maybe he didn’t know it was the last booth,” Layla said.

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t there. I just know my mom was pretty disappointed about missing out,” Onyx said.

  Onyx went on and on about how offensive Taylor was, but Layla’s mind began to drift. Her eyes trailed after Will and fixated on his bulging biceps as he talked to Taylor. He looked like he was about to start a game of pool with Taylor, and she wanted to talk to him before he got wrapped up in the game.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said over her shoulder to Onyx as she slid off her bar stool.

  She sauntered across the room to Will with a flirty smile. “Can I talk to you privately?” she asked Will as he and Taylor approached the pool table. Will looked even better up close, and he smelled amazing like cedar and warm spices.

  “Of course.” He slid into a nearby booth. “Is this private enough?”

  “Sure.” She took a seat across from him. She tucked her hair behind her ears. “So, about the engagement. I feel like I need to explain myself to you.”

  “I can see why you would feel that way.” Will flashed a smile at her that made butterflies dance in her belly. She was dangerously attracted to him and always had been. That was why she usually tried to keep her distance. But now, because of the trouble her impulsivity had gotten her into, she was about to do the opposite. If all went as planned, anyway.

  “You have to understand something. My mom is relentless. She’s always obsessing about me getting married and having kids. My clock is always ticking, but I don’t care if it is. I’m not looking to get married anytime soon. And hopefully never. I don’t do relationships. But my mom doesn’t want to hear about that.” After what she’d been through, she’d sworn off relationships forever.

  “I see. I just thought you didn’t want your mom to know you were getting another speeding ticket.”

  “That too. She’s always telling me to stop driving Nana’s Corvette because I can’t help but speed when I’m driving it.”

  “It’s not the worst idea. Your mom just wants what’s best for you.” He waved a server over and ordered a beer.

  Layla scowled at him. The last thing she needed was another lecture on her driving habits.

  “Do you have another car you could drive?”

  Layla sighed. “Yes. I have an older Honda Civic, but it’s so blah compared to the Corvette, you know?”

  Will’s eyes danced back at her with a faint smile playing at the edges of his lips. “Yeah, I know.”

  Layla sipped her club soda. “My mom doesn’t believe me that we’re engaged. She wants you to come to a family dinner to prove that we’re really together.”

  “But, we’re not,” Will pointed out with an amused look on his face.

  “I know, I know. But I’m sick of my mom judging me for being reckless and getting myself in trouble. If she finds out you were actually pulling me over for another speeding ticket, she’ll never let me hear the end of it.”

  A wide grin stretched across Will’s attractive face. “But I was pulling you over for another speeding ticket.”

  “We’re getting off topic.” Layla waved a hand. “Can you be my date to a family dinner? And pretend to be engaged to me for a while? At least until we can convince her that Chris Trapp isn’t right for me.”

  “Chris Trapp?”

  “Yeah, she’s always trying to set me up with him. She thinks he’s perfect for me. I think he’s perfectly boring.”

  “You know what I think?” Will said, smiling broadly again.

  “What?” Layla’s heart pounded in her chest, and she leaned forward in anticipation of what he had to say next.

  He grabbed his beer from the server who had just returned and took
a long swallow. He set the glass down on the table and looked Layla directly in the eye. “I think you’re out of your mind.”

  “Oh, come on! If you agree, I’ll pay my speeding tickets,” she said with a grin.

  “It might be a good idea to do that anyway. You’re not exactly in a place to negotiate right now.”

  Layla’s heart sunk. She should have known that Will wouldn’t help her. He was always making her life harder. Not easier. She chewed on the edge of her bright-red acrylic nail.

  “You and I have something in common,” Will said.

  “What’s that?”

  “I don’t do relationships either. I can’t risk even a fake relationship with you. I just went through a nasty divorce.”

  Layla had heard about that. Mrs. Wheaton had given her mom all the details, and Layla had heard about them whether she liked it or not. Apparently, his ex-wife had cheated on him with the town surgeon, one of Taylor’s coworkers. The cheating couple ended up moving to Texas or someplace when the surgeon took a job out of state. But Layla hadn’t thought of that when she’d grabbed Will and kissed him.

  Shame burned her cheeks, and she pushed up from the table. “I’m sorry to have bothered you about all of this. I won’t trouble you with it again.”

  She walked across the tavern to where Onyx still sat at the bar.

  “You look really good with Will,” Onyx told her.

  “Think so?” Layla asked.

  “When are you coming to my shop to try on a wedding dress?” Onyx asked. “Ooh! You need to see this gorgeous vintage lace dress that I just got in. It would look fantastic with your skin tone.”

  “We’re not quite to that point yet,” Layla said. “But you’ll be the first to know when we are.” Was she going to have to tell Onyx the truth? She really didn’t want to. Humiliation from Will’s rejection burned on her cheeks.

  She looked over her shoulder at Will. He’d moved back to the pool table and had started a game with Taylor and a few other guys.