by Terra Kelly
Kenzie let out a full-belly laugh. “I would love to learn more about the dreams someday.” Then she reached up and touched the side of his face. “Would it help to know, you were not the only one with the dream problem?”
“What?”
She smiled. “Just because I was not talking to you, doesn’t mean my body didn’t react to you.”
“It did?”
“Really? That’s the important part of this conversation?”
“Well, yes. I’m a man, after all.”
She shook her head, then grabbed popcorn and stuffed it in his mouth. He was laughing as he grabbed her hand before she could pull it away. With his other hand, he moved the bowl of popcorn to the coffee table. Then he pulled her onto his lap. “So, where do we go from here?”
She leaned her head back on his arm. “I plan to continue stalking you, I kinda like it.” She traced the bridge of his nose and around his lips.
He leaned in and bit down on her finger. “Why continue to stalk me?”
“Well… nosey nellie- I kinda like spending a lot of time with you, and will take it whichever way I can get it.”
“Nosey nellie? Do you plan to take that back or will I have to force it out of you?” Just then he tickled her and she was in fits of giggles.
“Okay, okay, I’ll take it back. Now give me my popcorn and your lips. I think I want the latter first, then the former, please.”
Joshua had to force himself to leave Kenzie’s place, but staying the night was not a good idea right now. They ended up kissing and talking a little. Okay, they mostly kissed for a few hours, and it was the best few hours he’d had in a long time… well, ever.
Chapter 3
Kenzie was at her computer flipping a pen back and forth on the desk. She was ordering different items for stock in her boutique. Trying to decide between one amazing dress and another amazing dress were making her eyes bug-out. She had twenty days until the boutique opened and several items to order. Not only would she have bridal gowns, there would also be several varieties of plus-size clothing. As a bonus, she had ordered several costumes to accommodate different events. Her last order would be shoes and accessories. Trying to choose the right shoe or necklace could end up being the death of her. The process was tedious, and she was ready for the store to be open.
Her little bell on her shop door rung three times, which was weird, because she wasn’t open yet. She stood to see who it was and as she rounded the corner she ran right into Joshua.
“Well, hello sexy bartender, this is a surprise.”
He smiled and held up two cups of coffee. “Thirsty?”
“For coffee? Always. I thought you had family engagements today?”
He turned to go sit the coffee on the counter. “Yeah, I may have lied about that.” He walked over to a folding chair and sat down. His legs looked so long in the chair as he stretched them out in front of him. “So, when are you done working today?”
“I’m hoping by four. My brain may explode from all the ordering.” She walked toward him and sat down on the chair next to his. “Any exciting plans for you?”
He was wearing black jeans and a tight fitting long-sleeve dark green henley. She loved that he had black Doc Marten boots on, too. Suddenly she had the urge to sit on his lap and give him a good morning kiss. She wasn’t sure if that was too aggressive at this stage of their relationship. Wait, relationship? Did they even have a relationship? What was this that was happening between them? It was something, especially after all the earthquakes that shook her body last night.
Joshua chuckled. “You have steam flowing out of the top of your head. Could it be you’re thinking too much? Want to share?”
Kenzie stood and walked a few feet away, just to give herself distance. “Oh nothing, just all the ordering of dresses and accessories is frying my brain. Trying to decide if I want a lacy, shimmering, or silky dress is my fun today.
She was standing there in cropped yoga pants and three quarter sleeve knit top that flowed around her waist. She had flip-flops on and her hair was held up in a messy bun by not one, but two pencils. There were glasses hanging on her shirt. Wait, she wore glasses? He stood and walked to her and reached for her glasses to place them on the bridge of her nose. Oh yeah, she was hot even in glasses. They had dark blue plastic rims and were sexy as hell on her gorgeous face. “I like these,” he said, bending to kiss her nose.
“Ugh, just another sign I’m getting old,” she pouted. She liked how his hair looked unkempt today and was falling on his forehead. She reached up and brushed strands back, but they fell back in place. “I like this look today,” she said, as she looked at him from head to toe. Then she leaned up on her toes and gave him a sweet kiss on his waiting lips. “If you give me a couple more hours, I should be done with the ordering process. Then we can spend the day together? Unless, you have plans this evening?”
He loved how she sounded nervous, yet excited to spend time with him. “My day would consist of Bar Rescue reruns on Spike TV, so spending it with a beautiful woman sounds better.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close to him. He swayed back and forth. “This whole holding you and kissing you thing, I could get used to this.”
She rested her head on his chest. “Me, too.” She loved that they were getting along and she especially loved kissing him. The problem was, they both refused to recognize the elephant sitting in the corner. After ten years, there were things that needed to be said, yet neither was jumping at the opportunity to share.
2 weeks later…
* * *
“Oh, I need shimmering material on my wedding dress,” Isabel said, pointing to a few on the screen. She was sitting next to Kenzie and looking at different wedding dresses on the computer. “Shimmering and silky. Can we do both?” Isabel seemed excited as she scrolled through the different dress options. She looked over at Kenzie. “Seriously, how are you deciding on dresses to carry here in the boutique? There are way too many to choose from.”
Kenzie laughed. “Well, since I only need to have a variety available. I’m just grabbing a little of this and a little of that. I’ll always be able to order dresses for everyone, so they won’t be locked into the options I offer here.”
“You’re doing a great thing here, Kenzie,” she said, sounding a little frustrated. “Trying to find gorgeous plus-size clothing is way too difficult these days. There are only a couple main companies here in Wilmington that cater to plus-size woman. Then you have to fight to find decent looking plus-size clothing anywhere else.”
Kenzie patted her leg. “Take a deep breath. Okay, now are you good? Honey, you never have to worry about these things ever again.”
Isabel eyes went wide. “That’s true.” She leaned over and gave the biggest hug to, Kenzie. “I can’t wait until your boutique is open.”
Kenzie laughed. “You and me both.” Then in a teasing tone, she asked, “Now, about shimmery material. Why the excitement to have that for your dress?”
Isabel giggled. “Oh geez, it’s just something Drew and I love.” She sighed, and admitted, “Okay, okay, I had shimmering curtains at the cottage where I met Drew. I may or may not have stood naked in front of the curtains. I mean, who knew they would be that see-through.” Shrugging her shoulders. “Drew insisted on keep the shimmering curtains always. Either it was me or the material he liked. I’m hoping it was me.”
Kenzie clapped her hands together. “Shimmering it is! You can’t have anything else. Why don’t I order two of the dresses you added to your favorites, and we can see which one you love the most?”
Izzy looked around. “You need a mini-bar and tapas available here. That may be my stomach talking, but it would be a fun option.”
“You may be on to something. I’ll have to see what I can have in here.” Standing and walking toward the front window. She thought about supplies, food options, and felt re-energized. “So, your wedding is April twenty-fifth and we have less than three months to get you every
thing you need. Wow, you are challenging me and I like this challenge very much.”
Isabel squealed. “I thought I would be more nervous, but instead- I’m so freaking excited.” She walked up next to Kenzie, and said, “Okay, now onto the next topic. Joshua. Drew is worried about him and so I worry, too.” She asked, “Should I be worried?”
Kenzie turned toward Isabel and grabbed her hands. “I promise you this, you never have to worry. I plan to stay here in Wilmington always, and I plan to make Joshua all mine. He doesn’t know yet, but that’s the plan.”
Isabel pulled Kenzie in for a hug. “Oh, we are so on board with this plan, and will help you with anything you need. Joshua is fantastic and deserves to be happy.”
“I agree,” she said, leaning in and hugging Isabel. She hoped she could make Joshua hers. There was still the past that had been unsaid between them. She worried that some of her past may change how the Winters family looked at her.
“Okay, put away the dress images or swatches, or whatever you girls use to decide on dresses. We’re coming in,” Drew said, holding his arm across his eyes.
Joshua chuckled. “They’re hugging and standing in the middle of the room. My guess is, you’re safe, bro.”
“What’re you doing here, handsome?” Isabel asked, walking over to remove his arm from his eyes. “I thought we would meet at The Clam Bake later?” Drew shrugged his shoulders. “I couldn’t wait that long.”
Isabel smiled and leaned forward to hug him. “Awww, you’re two sweet, baby. Guess what? We may have found the perfect dress today. You will fall in love with me all over again.”
“I like the sound of that,” he said, reaching for her hand, stepping back, and twirling her in place. “I’m not sure that’s possible but I’m up for the challenge.” He glanced toward Joshua “I ran into Joshua and dragged him here with me.”
Joshua laughed. “Drag me here may be extreme. I finished up at school, so stopped and said “hi” to him at the firehouse. Now, here we are.”
“Or did you just want an excuse to see me?” Kenzie teased.
“Do I need an excuse?”
Izzy laughed. “Okay, so we’re all love-sick teenagers, who need to get a hold of our hormones.” She grabbed Drew’s hands and pulled him in. “But I do like being a love-sick teenager around you.”
Kenzie shook her head. “I need to finish a few more things here. Should I meet you all at The Clam Bake?”
Joshua walked over and leaned against the counter. “Unless you don’t have time? I know you have been feeling the pressure with opening day fast approaching,” he said, looking around. “I love seeing all the furniture, it looks like a fully stocked boutique. Almost opening day.” He smiled at Kenzie. “You getting excited?”
“Six more day,” she said, and let out a heavy sigh. “I think I feel excited, but nervous, too. I have gone over everything, trying to make sure I forgot nothing. I’m sure I forgot something.”
Isabel walked over and placed her hand on her shoulder. “You know I have a little time in the mornings to help you. Please don’t hesitate to ask me for help.” She winked. “I could run the bar and food area.”
“Bar and food area?”
Kenzie laughed. “I like Izzy’s idea to have snacks and booze here. Nothing elaborate, but something to calm and make my customers happy. That is an after-thought though. First, we need to open this bad boy up.”
Izzy squealed, threw her hand to her mouth, and looked at them with excitement in her eyes. “Oh my word Kenzie, how did I not think of this before? We should do a story for the news and promote Curvalicious Boutique!” She ran over and grabbed Kenzie’s hands in hers. “Wouldn’t that be fantastic and an amazing way to share your story?”
Kenzie felt ill and a little light-headed. On the outside, she managed a small smile. “Ummm… sure, can I think about it?”
“Not much into being on camera, huh?”
Kenzie smiled. “Right.” Immediately she thought about how to get out of being on camera. She had no desire to share her story with anyone. Okay, maybe Joshua, but not the world. Couldn’t she just have her little boutique and enjoy all the happy faces as they left the shop? Being interviewed was not in the plan she and her family wrote up in Arizona. Nope, interview, news segments, talking to press, none of that was on the original proposal. Her mind was reeling, and she was feeling a little queasy. She smiled. “Oh, I forgot I need to make a call right now. I will meet you all at The Clam Bake soon,” she said, turning toward Joshua. “You can go with them.” She turned and walked to her office, shut the door, and sighed as she leaned up against the wood surface. Her mind was reeling- on the news, no, no, no. She needed to call her parents, and now.
“Why don’t you guys’ take-off. We’ll meet you there,” Joshua said.
Isabel seemed confused. “Do you think I said something to upset her?”
Joshua walked over to Isabel and pulled her in for a hug. “I don’t know.” He looked toward the closed door, and admitted, “But I will try to find out. We both haven’t sat down and talked about the past ten years. I guess we both have demons we’re not ready to share.”
Drew looked at Joshua with concern. “I have a feeling she may have more demons than you, bro.”
“I think you may be right.”
Kenzie was still leaning up against her office door taking in deep gulps of air. She heard her bell chime on the front door, so she knew they all three had left. She looked around her cluttered office, there was stacks of clothes, a few boxes- and bottle of red wine calling her name on her desk.
With shaky legs, she walked over to her desk, and ignored the wine for a moment. She sat down on her office chair and let out a deep sigh, then reached for the phone to call her dad.
Her family was her rock, her everything. She could remember when her mom received the call that her dad had been injured during his last tour of duty in Afghanistan. It felt like her world fell around her. She had always been close to her dad. He taught her how to ride a bike. He took her on fishing trips, hunting trips, and they always went to a baseball game or football game together. She was not a girly girl, but was daddy’s girl through and though.
When her dad arrived back state-side from Afghanistan, he was in rough shape. He was on a ventilator, unable to move, and had so many cuts and bruises all over his face. It was weeks before he woke up and even then he was not himself. He was confused and crying out he couldn’t move his legs. After several weeks, it was determined that her father had lost all mobility below his waist. She and her mom knew life would never be the same.
Kenzie should’ve gone into her senior year of high school, but instead she opted to help her family. Her mom was not happy with the decision but knew she needed help. Kenzie’s brother Gage was also a challenge for them, so between caring for her father, and trying to reel her brother in - life was more than demanding.
Here she was ten years later and still no high school degree, not even a GED. With her elbows resting on the table, she placed her head in her hands. Time seemed to pass by way too fast. She was caring for her father, working odd jobs, and going through the motions of life. She picked up the phone and dialed her parents number.
“There’s my girl! How are you, sweetheart?” Her dad always sounded happy.
“Hi, Dad! You busy?”
“Never too busy for my girl. Now, why do I hear sadness in that voice of yours?”
“I can get nothing by you, can I?”
He laughed. “No sweetie, you can’t. Now, talk. What’s got your emotions all stirred up?”
She took in a deep breath, then as she exhaled. “I found him, Dad. It happened. I found him.”
Her father was silent for a moment, then asked, “Sweetie, this is what I was hoping to hear from you. Why do you sound sad then, you should be happy! Hell, you should be out celebrating.”
Kenzie laughed. “Well, there is celebrating… kinda. We’re both happy. I’m trying to apologize for my actions in high sc
hool, but he wants to move on from the past. Dad, I still haven’t talked to him about my past, and now…” Her voice had trailed off, and she sat there.
“Kenzie, darling? What about now?” he asked, sounding worried.
“Dad, I’m surrounded by all these smart people with degrees, and amazing careers. I guess I regret never going back and finishing high school. I kinda wish I had a college degree, which sounds bizarre,” she said, doodling on a piece of paper. “Even Joshua is smart; he became a math teacher.”
“Listen, sweetheart. You’re smart and you’re talented. If you want to get your GED or a college degree, well then, do it.” He laughed. “What’s stopping you? Nothing has ever stopped you before. So what that it took ten years. Hell, if you wanted to wait for another 20 years to get the degree, we would support you still.”
“Well, the other thing… a friend who’s the local anchor on the news wants to interview me. She wants to get the word out about the opening day for the boutique. How do I share about me and my background when I don’t have anything special to share? Well, besides the love and support from my family to open the boutique- which I love.”
“Oh honey, you know how to dodge questions, you always did at home. Just share what you want and promote that gorgeous boutique.”
“Okay, okay, so quite sulking?” She thunked her head on the desk. “It feels uncomfortable to tell Joshua, I feel embarrassed.”
“Honey, if he cares about you, he will not judge. If he does, well then, he’s not the one for you. Plain and simple.”
Kenzie laughed. “You do always try to make it sound so simple. Thanks for that, Dad.”
“It is simple! Now, I have one request. Send a link of the interview and images of the boutique when it’s finished!”
