Kyla crossed her arms. “Anthimos, no, I’m not. Where did you hear that?”
“Ah, word gets around. But as long as I keep getting my fresh produce, you can be as hard as you want.” He winked and elbowed Miles again. “This one’s a real beauty isn’t she?”
Kyla’s eyes popped, and she looked like she wanted to crawl under the table.
Miles and Anthimos were definitely on the same page about that, but Miles didn’t want to embarrass Kyla any more than she already was. He’d never met a woman who blushed so easily at a compliment. “You know, Anthimos, I was thinking the same thing. She’s a natural beauty.”
Kyla threw her hands up. “Okay, thank you, but now I feel like a horse.”
Everyone laughed. “Oh, no, that was not my intention. I just wanted the young man to know how lucky he was to be dining with such a beautiful young lady. I’m going to go back into my kitchen and let you two finish your lunch.” Anthimos gave Kyla another hug. “We’ll see you again in a few days. Tell everyone at the house I said hello.”
Miles sat down as Anthimos turned to him. “Enjoy your stay, and come again. We’re open for lunch every day.”
“I will, thank you.”
Kyla sat down, shaking her head as Anthimos walked away. “That man is something else. He’s as sweet as he can be, and a big flirt.”
“I think he likes you,” Miles commented.
Kyla shook her head. “You have to know Anthimos. Every woman is the prettiest woman in town to him. He and his wife have no daughters and two sons. They help him run the restaurant, and neither one is married. I think he’s trying to find a wife for one of them.”
Miles laughed. “So he’s trying to set you up with his son?”
She turned her lip up and shook her head. “He tried. It didn’t work. Not my type.”
“So, what is Kyla’s type?” Miles asked.
She looked him up and down for a moment before looking away. From the way she twisted her lips, he thought maybe she’d answer him, but she abruptly changed her mind.
“No time for all that. We need to get back. Are you finished eating?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m finished.”
And so is this conversation, I guess. Unfortunate.
Chapter 8
Tuesday morning Kyla had to drag herself out of bed. The night before, she hadn’t been able to focus on her studies because she had Miles on the brain. She even stopped and Googled him once more, but this time she read the articles about his hookups and breakups with a renewed interest. One article suggested that some of his hookups had been fabricated for publicity.
All morning she thought about why he would want or need to do that. She was still thinking about Miles when the truck ride was over and she was helping Tayler before her workshop.
She followed Tayler out onto the front porch with a pitcher of water for the plants.
“So, you think this is a good idea, huh?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah!” Tayler stood on a stepladder to water the hanging ferns. “I think his presence may have lasting benefits for the B and B. Now, if we can just get him to do a commercial for us.”
“Huh! I don’t know about that,” Kyla said.
A gray Chrysler pulled up to the B and B, causing Kyla to squint and take a deep breath.
Tayler stopped watering the plants and held her hand up to shield the sun. “Who is that? We’re full, so I’m not expecting anyone.”
A tall, handsome young man in dark shades climbed out of the car with a big smile on his face. A smile that Kyla hadn’t necessarily wanted to ever see again. “It’s Don.”
“Oh, yeah, I was going to ask you about him.”
He walked up the steps. “Good morning, beautiful ladies. How’s everything on this bright, sunshiny day?”
“Hey, Don.” Kyla hoped the lack of enthusiasm in her voice revealed her level of excitement.
“Hello, Don. We haven’t seen you in a while,” Tayler said.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve been working over in Mt. Sterling. I ran into an old friend at the grocery store who told me Kyla was working full-time for the summer. So I thought I’d stop by and say hello.” He never took his eyes off Kyla as he talked.
Tayler climbed down off the stepladder. “Well, I’ve got some rooms to clean, so I’ll leave you two to talk.”
“It was nice seeing you again, Mrs. Coleman.”
“It was nice seeing you, too, Don.”
Kyla wasn’t about to fall for Don’s sweet guy routine. He was a jerk.
“What do you want Don?” she asked.
“Like I said, it’s been a while, so I thought I’d stop by and say hello. You know, see how you’re doing since you stopped returning my calls.”
She crossed her arms. “I’m doing fine.”
He gave her one of his don’t you think I’m sexy smiles. In return, she gave him one of her I’m not impressed with you looks.
“I can see that.” He paused to lick his lower lip. “Girl, you always look good. So, you’re hanging out here for the whole summer?”
“I’m working here all summer, yes.”
“Like, you moved out of student housing and everything?” He walked over to one of the rocking chairs and sat down.
“It was a graduate apartment, and yes, I moved out.” She followed him with her eyes but not her body.
“That’s cool. You know I finished my master’s and accepted an occupational therapist position over at Ephraim Medical Center.” He started rocking back and forth.
“No, I didn’t know that. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. That’s probably because you didn’t return my call. I thought we had a good time. What happened?”
Kyla didn’t want one of the guests to walk out in the middle of their conversation, so she motioned for Don to follow her. “Come on. Let’s take this out to your car.”
He stood up. “Sorry. I forget this is like a hotel.” He followed her down the steps.
The last time Kyla and Don went out she’d sworn would be the last. After a couple of dates he’d started smothering her. What little time she had for herself, he wanted it all spent with him. They went to the movies, out to eat, the typical small-town dates.
Truthfully, she’d found him—and the dates—boring.
Once they reached his car he turned around, facing her with his back against it. “So why’d I get the cold shoulder?”
She crossed her arms. “The last time we went out you were a little...how do I say this?”
“Assertive. Pushy. Maybe overly aggressive.” He reached out and grabbed her by the elbows. “Kyla, when I want something, I go after it.”
“That’s the problem Don. I’m not something. I’m somebody. I needed room to breathe. Relationships should start off as friendships.”
He let go of her and crossed his arms. “I thought we were friends.”
Kyla shook her head and knew Don would never understand.
“How about we start over? I’m living here now, and you’re not driving back and forth from Lexington. Somebody’s trying to tell us something, don’t you think?”
Kyla remembered explaining her program to him. He said it was cute and asked how that would help her get her degree. She chuckled at the thought. “Don, I’m sorry, but I have to go. My next workshop starts in a few minutes.”
He pushed away from the car and reached out for her hands. “So, how about I call you in a couple of days and we can catch a movie or something?”
She kept backing up. “Sure.”
He released her hands, winked and gave her the gun fingers. God, how she hated that.
“I’ll see you soon.”
From her peripheral vision she could see a few guests headed down the path to her workshop. She waved at Don as he pulled off. When she turned around,
Miles was standing on the front porch talking on his cell phone. He waved at her.
She waved back and then headed to her workshop.
How much of that had he seen?
* * *
Miles stood on the porch talking to Glenda as he watched the guy in the Chrysler slowly moving down the driveway and Kyla heading toward the gazebo. She didn’t look back once. For some reason, that gave Miles a glint of satisfaction. If the guy meant something to her, she’d at least have given him one more glance.
“Have they turned you into a farmer yet?” Glenda asked through the phone, interrupting his concentrated focus on Kyla.
“Not yet, but she’s working on it.” He stepped off the porch and waved at the Nelsons, who were getting into their car. The Chrysler disappeared from sight down the long driveway.
“If you can tear yourself away later, maybe you can ride up to Nicholasville to see that piece of property I was telling you about. It’s headed into foreclosure. I’ve emailed you all the information.”
Miles walked down the path toward the gazebo. “Glenda, I’m not sure I’ll be able to get away today.”
“Miles, you’ve been down there for two days now. What would it hurt to slip away? I’ve already seen the property and it’s perfect. I also contacted Dave Johnson, our real estate investor.”
He tried to focus on Glenda, but couldn’t get Kyla out of his mind. Maybe the guy in the Chrysler was her boyfriend? The subject of dating hadn’t come up in their conversations so far.
“By the way,” Glenda said, “I took Brandon with me and explained the negotiating details of buying foreclosed property. He already knew a lot. He’s a smart kid.”
“Of course he is. He’s a Parker.”
“Okay, I’m going to let you have that one.”
Miles approached the gazebo where Kyla was poised and ready to transform into teacher mode—and he was ready to learn. When she glanced up at him, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up. “Hey, I gotta run,” he said to Glenda. “I’ll make it up there before the week’s out, promise. I’ll call you back with a full report.”
“Thank you, Miles.”
He hung up and placed his phone back in his pocket. Glenda didn’t need to know the challenges he faced—like rethinking the vow of celibacy he’d made after spending only two days with Kyla.
* * *
Miles sat in the passenger seat of the truck with his elbow resting on the inside ledge of the door, as Kyla drove down a quiet backroad to Shiloh Baptist Church. He’d helped fill the truck bed with baskets of fruits and vegetables, and offered to help Kyla deliver them. She’d almost said no, thank you, due to the close confines of the truck, but Miles, with his firm thighs and strong arms, would be helpful. Besides, he was only interested in her program—not her.
“So, you make this run every Wednesday evening?” Miles asked.
Kyla took a deep breath to get her head right. She tried to look at Miles as if he were any other guy she’d met, but that was hard. “Yep, me or Kevin, but usually me.”
“Is this part of Rooted Beginnings?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s part of being a good Christian. The church gives out free food to those in need, so we try to add a little variety to the meals—some vegetables and fruits to balance out a good diet.”
He nodded. “Wow, that’s nice.”
“I guess you can say it’s a part of Rollin’s tithing to the church. He’s a big supporter of giving back. When he started the B and B, a lot of church members helped him—some even worked for free. And when he started selling at the farmers market, the members came out in mass support. This is Rollin’s way of saying thank you.”
“That’s cool. Rollin’s a good dude.”
“I’ll tell you something that is a part of Rooted Beginnings that you can help me with.”
“Sure, what’s that?”
“On Friday, I’ll be spending a couple of hours visiting a local elementary school’s summer food program. It’s an interactive miniworkshop that, for me, is the heart of my program. I love working with kids, and I could use a helper. I think you’ll enjoy yourself.”
“That’s cool. I wanted to see what you do with the school system, so thank you for the invite.”
She shrugged. “You’re welcome. You know, after we leave the church we’ve got some time before I have to be back for my afternoon workshop, so I was thinking about something. Do you remember my presentation at World Hunger Day, when I mentioned my friend’s natural postharvest protection project? It prolongs the life of organic vegetables.”
He glanced over at her. “Yeah, I remember, and I wanted to ask you more about that.”
“Well, he doesn’t live far from here, and you did say you were open to new concepts in farming. So, if you’re interested, I’d like to introduce you guys. I’m trying to help them get exposure. It’s a wonderful project. If you’re game, we can stop by their farm.”
“Sure, I’m game.”
“Great. It might be just the thing you’re looking for.”
“Who says I’m looking for something?”
She shrugged. “You’re here, but your business has nothing to do with organic produce. You’re searching for something.” Somehow she figured it was more than just a learning experience.
“I’m seeking knowledge from the queen of organics,” he proclaimed.
She laughed. Uh-huh, sure you are.
After a minute of silence, she asked, “Didn’t you say your father was a minister?”
“Not a minister, but a missionary. He was a member of United Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta. My whole family goes there.”
“Do you go home often?” she asked, as she honked and waved at a passing motorist.
“A couple of times a year. I spent Mother’s Day there a few weeks ago. It’s always good to go home.”
She agreed with him, which made her feel guiltier about the last time she was home. “With the work you do, I’m surprised you didn’t go the same route as your father.”
Miles laughed. “Me, a missionary! I’m afraid I went in the opposite direction as soon as I finished high school. There’s no other man like my pops. He was one in a million.”
“Did he ever see you play professionally?” she asked as they arrived at Shiloh and she pulled into the parking lot.
“Yes, he did. Many times.”
“You’re blessed,” she said.
“That I am.”
She backed the truck into a parking space close to the back door. Several vehicles were scattered around the lot, a few of which Kyla expected. She had dreaded riding alone with Miles, but after their conversation she couldn’t remember why. He sounded like a solid guy with a good head on his shoulders. She’d enjoyed his company.
He grabbed the baskets from the truck bed, displaying his muscular strength, as if they weighed an ounce. She was grateful for the help and happy for the view. He followed her through an unlocked back door down the hall to the kitchen. Kyla showed him where to leave the food, and they walked out. When they reached the church’s atrium, the sound of female voices filled the air.
“Are they having bible study?” Miles asked.
“No, it’s The Color of Success. Tayler and Corra run a nonprofit empowerment group for young women. The program holds workshops here every Wednesday evening for girls in the community,” Kyla said as they reached the classroom and she peeked in.
Miles stopped beside her. His voice lowered, he asked, “Exactly what do they do?”
Several heads were turned around, peeking back at them. “She teaches them how to be young ladies and how to succeed in life,” Kyla whispered, as Tayler motioned them in.
Miles glanced down at his dirty shorts and T-shirt before giving Kyla an apologetic look. They’d been out working in the garden most of the morning and s
eeding after lunch. This ride to the church was the first real break Miles had taken all day, and he still looked handsome.
“Don’t worry about it, they’re kids. I doubt they know who you are.” Kyla shrugged, hoping to make him feel better. Miles slowly walked into the room.
Tayler started introducing Miles before he reached the front of the room, and once there, she asked him to tell a quick story about what it took to make it to the major leagues. He was exactly the type of successful person Tayler wanted to parade before the girls.
Corra joined Kyla, giving her a quick hug. “I’m so glad you guys stopped by when you did. What a wonderful opportunity for the girls.”
Kyla smiled, knowing that Miles would be a hit. “Yeah, I just hope he doesn’t mind. We’ve been working really hard, so I know he wasn’t prepared for this.”
Corra crossed her arms. “I’m sure he doesn’t mind. I can’t believe we didn’t think to invite him. If Tayler had asked, I’m certain he would have said yes. He’s such a nice guy.”
Miles was a natural orator. He spoke to the girls as if he’d already had something prepared. Kyla liked his display of confidence and how he seemed at ease in any situation.
“So, what’s it like having a celebrity shadow your every move?” Corra asked.
Kyla turned and whispered in Corra’s ear, “Nerve-racking.”
As promised, once their stop in the workshop was finished, she swung by her friend Rorie’s small farm and introduced Miles to his natural postharvest protection project. The two men had a lot to talk about and Miles seemed genuinely interested, which made Kyla happy.
Miles was going to leave there with more than an education, if she had anything to do with it.
Chapter 9
Kyla heard sounds of excitement coming from outside as she walked down the hall toward the back door. It was Thursday afternoon, and several of the guests were out enjoying the town or participating in whatever event had brought them to Danville. However, she was surprised when she opened the back door and saw Miles among the crowd of people scattered about the yard.
“Okay Jamie, remember what I told you about raising your heels. Only the balls of your feet and toes should be in contact with the ground,” Miles instructed as he prepared to toss the ball to Corra’s son.
Something About You Page 7
