Lovebird Café Box Set

by Dylann Crush

  I eyed myself in the mirror. The shaggy sides had been cut close and tapered but she left it longer on top. “Looks good.”

  “Thanks.” Her gaze met mine in the glass. “Now let’s get a move on or we’re going to be late. I brought my stuff so I was planning on just changing in the bathroom. You want to wait over there?” She nudged her chin toward the waiting area.

  “Sure. I should pay you for the haircut though.” I waited for her to rip the Velcro cape off then reached for my wallet as I got out of the chair.

  “It’s on the house.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah. You’re doing me a real favor tonight and I appreciate it. Now give me ten minutes and we’ll go make an appearance.”

  I moved to the waiting area and took a seat on a pale pink loveseat. After looking over the magazine choices, I settled on the one that promised to “share the secrets to making a man fall for you.” With one eye on the door where Scarlett had disappeared, and one eye on the article, I tried to keep from following Moriah around the space as she swept hair clippings into a pile. I tried to imagine what Scarlett went through as a high school senior, learning she was pregnant and finding out the guy responsible had no intention of stepping up.

  I’d been an ass in high school, and an even bigger one in college. I figured if I couldn’t win the attention of my parents at least I’d have the admiration of everyone else. When I led our team to state my senior year of high school, I had more attention that I’d bargained for. Girls came out of the woodwork, and I took full advantage of my temporary time in the spotlight. If I’d ever gotten one of them pregnant, I like to think I would have stuck by them. But thank God I hadn’t.

  I could relate to how Scarlett felt because I used to be part of the very crowd that looked down on people like her. Maybe this was my chance to try to make that up. I stood, and pulled my tie out of my pocket. As I studied myself in the mirror in front of Scarlett’s station, I positioned it behind my collar. I’d never mastered the art of tying a tie. Even with all of the times I had to wear a suit for game day, it had always taken me multiple attempts to perfect the knot.

  “Need some help?” Scarlett stood in the doorway behind me. I caught sight of her in the reflection of the mirror.

  She had on a long black dress that almost reached her ankles. The fabric hugged her torso, clung to her hips, and left little to the imagination as to what kind of curves were underneath. Her hair was swept off her shoulders leaving her neck bare.

  It took me a moment to compose myself enough to speak. “You look nice.” Nice. Yeah. That wasn’t an accurate description. She looked more than nice. She looked amazing. She looked like she was ready to rock her reunion. And she looked like she was ready to rock me.

  10

  Scarlett

  The expression on Theo’s face was exactly the kind of reaction I was going for. I wanted to remind everyone that I was still here, still the feisty gal underneath the years of anxiety, worry, and heartache.

  “You ready to go?” I swept my wrap around my shoulders and tucked my bag under my arm.

  “You look…well, you look very pretty tonight.” He hesitated like he wanted to say more. I wouldn’t have minded hearing it. My ego could use a little pick me up after years of living on the sidelines.

  “Thanks. You don’t look half bad yourself.” That was a lie. He looked positively stunning. While I’d been getting ready in the bathroom, he’d slipped on a tie and pulled a fitted jacket over his shoulders. There was something about a man in a suit and tie that immediately turned me on. Maybe it was because I so rarely spent time around any.

  “Shall we?” Theo held the door open.

  “See y’all later.” I waved to the few stylists left in the shop and headed into the evening. “You want to ride together or should we drive separate?”

  “Oh, I assumed I’d drive. If you want to look like a couple, wouldn’t it be strange if we showed up in separate cars?”

  “Good point.” I turned away from my truck and followed him to his. In true gentleman fashion, he pulled open my door for me and offered a hand while I climbed onto the running board and got settled in the front seat. I’d better be careful or I’d get used to this kind of treatment. For a moment, I felt like Cinderella on her way to the ball. Never mind that by midnight my fairytale evening would dissolve and I’d be left with a guy I’d tricked into accompanying me and the promise to help him locate flying furry rodents.

  Theo climbed in and started the truck. “You’ll have to direct me since I have no idea where the club is.”

  “Just turn right out of the parking lot. It’s on the other side of town.”

  “So, are you nervous?” His thumbs tapped on the steering wheel as he navigated onto the main road.

  Nervous. Yeah, I had a few lazy butterflies beating their wings against the walls of my chest. But I was more pissed than nervous. It was high time I faced April. I’d let her push me around all these years in an effort to keep the peace. Tonight was about finally getting out from under her thumb. “Not so much nervous as just ready to get this over with.”

  He glanced over and grinned. “Yeah, me too.”

  For a heartbeat I felt a little guilty for dragging him into my feud. But he’d volunteered. Whatever he wanted to get out of finding those bats had to be valuable to him to put up with a stranger’s high school reunion.

  “So how long have you been in the bat business?” If we were going to pretend to be dating I probably ought to have a clue about who he was and what he actually did for a living.

  “It’s not really a business. I’m a scientist.”

  “A bat scientist.” That made sense, I supposed.

  “My dad started the Bat Conservation Alliance over thirty years ago, and he spends all of his time doing research and trying to learn more about bats, especially the endangered species.”

  “Like this Indiana bat you’re trying to find.” I stared out the window, watching my hometown zip by. Fields of dried cornstalks waved in the early evening sun. How could someone spend so much time underground in caves and caverns?

  “Yes. Myotis sodalist is the scientific name. They’re on the endangered species list.”

  “Why?”

  “Mainly due to human interference. They need an undisturbed space where they can hibernate and breed. With so many people exploring caves and much of our natural resources being depleted or secured for development, it limits their access to adequate living quarters.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “Yeah. Plus they’re susceptible to a new disease that scientists haven’t quite figured out.”

  “Rabies?”

  “No. It’s a white powder fungus that’s been wiping out bat colonies all over.”

  I wrinkled my nose. Bats were bad enough. But bats with fungus? That was about enough to make me lose my appetite. I was about to ask about a cure when my phone buzzed. Rodney made plans to go to the dance with a small group of friends. He’d banned me from being “that mom” who had to meet up to snap pictures, but he’d promised to send some so I wouldn’t feel like I’d missed out.

  Rodney: Symone’s parents can’t drive us anymore. Can you take us?

  Me: I’m on my way to my reunion. Can’t someone else ask their parents?

  Rodney: It’s just me and Symone. Should I call Grandma?

  This was a good reminder of why it didn’t make sense to try to have a social life of my own. I twisted to face Theo. “Hey, do you mind if we take a quick detour on the way?”

  “This is your night. I’m just along for the ride.” His hands tightened on the wheel.

  I sent Rodney a text to find out where he was. So much for him going with a group. We had a pretty tight relationship, as close as I could expect for a son who’d grown up without a father. But now that he was starting to show interest in the opposite sex, it seemed he was shutting me out more and more. At least since Dustin moved back to town he had a positive role model in his l
ife. But Dustin was so busy with his fiancé and their own growing family that he didn’t have a ton of extra time to spend with his nephew.

  For what felt like the millionth time in my life, I questioned my decision to raise my boy on my own.

  “Where we headed?” Theo asked.

  “Rodney needs a ride to the dance. I thought he was just going with a group of his guy friends but it sounds like he’s actually got a date and they’re stranded.” I fidgeted with a fold in my skirt. This wasn’t how I’d pictured the start of my own evening out.

  “No problem. Just tell me where to go.”

  I directed Theo to Symone’s house. We’d barely pulled in the drive when Rodney came out. “What the hell does he have on?”

  Theo followed my gaze to check out Rodney’s ridiculous ensemble. He must have raided one of his friend’s dad’s closets. The jacket hung down to the middle of his thighs and the tie sat crooked with some sort of loose loopy knot at the top.

  “He’s got his own sense of style.” Theo bit his lip like he was trying to keep from splitting into a giant grin.

  Symone followed Rodney to the truck. I leaned out the window and tried to perfect an appropriate mom smile. “Hi, Symone. You look real pretty tonight.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Jarrett.” She glanced up, barely meeting my gaze. Like most of the kids Rodney went to school with, I’d known her and her family her whole life. As far as I knew, she was shy, quiet, and not one of the popular girls. The exact kind of girl I’d hope Rodney would go for.

  “Thanks for picking us up.” Rodney leaned in the window and glanced across me to smile at Theo. “This is a sweet truck.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Go on and get in, we’re already late.” I raised my window, not wanting my hair to get blown to bits.

  While we waited for Rodney to walk around and get in the back, Theo opened his door and hopped out. “Just need to check something real quick.”

  At this rate we might get to the reunion dinner in time for dessert. It was my fault. If I hadn’t taken so much time getting ready, we probably would be knocking back shots right now, trying to numb ourselves from the horrific experience of spending forced time with people I didn’t give two shits about any more.

  “So, are you excited for the dance?” I glanced over my shoulder, figuring this might be my only chance to get to know Symone a little better. What the heck were those boys doing on the side of the truck? They’d moved back toward the rear bumper and I couldn’t tell what was going on.

  Symone fiddled with the wrist corsage. Had Rodney come up with that? What other things wasn’t he telling me? “It should be fun. I’m sorry you had to come get us. My dad said he’d take us but then he got called into work.”

  “It’s not a problem. Do you need us to pick you up after?”

  “Dad said he could.”

  “Okay.” The doors opened. Theo and Rodney climbed in. Theo’s tie was gone and he’d unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt. I peeked at Rodney who’d changed his tie. It now rested against the top of his collar in a nice, even square knot.

  Theo wrinkled his nose at me and slid the truck into gear. “Everyone ready?”

  We backtracked to drop the kids off at the high school gym. As Rodney walked around the truck to open Symone’s door, I slid out of the passenger seat. “Can I get one picture?”

  Rodney rolled his eyes and hung his head but Symone put her arm around his back and smiled. “Come on. One picture for your mom.”

  I took advantage of the split second they both looked at my phone and snapped a photo.

  “Now I get to take one of the two of you.” Rodney held out his hand, the same smug grin on his face that made my pulse ratchet up when I used to admire his dad from afar. Sooner or later someone was going to realize how much he looked like a certain local man. My heart stuttered at the idea of someone putting two and two together and coming up with four. But I swallowed down the fear like I did every time the panic tried to escape and pasted on a smile as Theo stepped next to me and pulled me into his side.

  He smelled like my favorite styling cream—I’d used that one on purpose when I finished his haircut. But underneath there was something else. Something earthy, something primal. Something that pleasantly reeked of adult male—a scent I’d been missing from my life for too long. It was enough to send my hormones into shock. Except for a few botched fix ups I’d been dateless and man-less for over a dozen years. Being this close to an eligible member of the opposite sex had me grasping for excuses as to why we should turn around now and not venture into the lion’s den of the Class of 2004’s reunion.

  “Y’all have a good time tonight.” Theo clapped Rodney on the back.

  “I’ll get your tie back—”

  “I’m not worried. Just have fun.”

  We stood on the curb while Rodney and Symone shuffled toward the gym door. It had been propped open with one of those metal folding chairs. The bass of the DJ’s sound system thumped through the open doorway.

  “How did he end up with a date? I thought a group of them were going as friends.” I shook my head as I turned toward the truck.

  “Maybe he didn’t want to talk about it.” Theo took a few long strides to pull my door open.

  “Thanks.” I drew my wrap around my shoulders as I thought about what he’d said. Maybe Rodney didn’t want to talk about it. Or maybe he didn’t want to talk to me. I wasn’t ready to tell him the truth about his dad, but the day was coming where he’d either find out on his own or someone would figure it out. I knew I had to tell him first but how does one admit that she’d been lying to her son for the past fifteen years?

  “Ready?” Theo put the truck in gear and navigated around the circle drive.

  I nodded. I was ready. More ready than I’d ever been. For fifteen years I’d been trying to find a way to gain a little traction in my losing battle against April and her posse. I didn’t have unrealistic expectations. There was no way that one evening with a tall, dark, and handsome stranger would erase the drama, tension, and bad blood between us. But I hoped it was a step in the right direction.

  11

  Theo

  Maybe it was better I had no idea what I was getting in for when I made the deal with Scarlett to be her plus one. As we pulled into the parking lot of the local country club, we passed under an arbor of twinkle lights. The lights stretched all the way up the drive and ended in a dazzling display that outlined the entire building.

  “Is it always like this?” I slowed the truck as I steered into the line for the valet. All of the rows had been blocked off, so self-park wasn’t an option.

  “April’s in charge of the reunion. She was class secretary our senior year just so she could always have a hand in future parties.”

  “Wow. That’s some commitment.”

  We reached the front of the line and the valet opened her door. As Scarlett took the guy’s hand and allowed him to help her out of the truck, she let out a sigh. “You have no idea.”

  I left the truck running and took the claim ticket the guy handed me. Scarlett stood on the walkway leading to the double doors. Twinkle lights reflected in her eyes, and bounced off the rhinestones she wore at her ears and around her neck. This may be just a deal, an equal exchange where we both walked away with something we wanted, but damn, she looked fine. We might be faking it, amping up the dramatics to get that band of bitches off her back, but it had been a long time since I’d spent the evening with someone whose company I enjoyed so much, and I planned on having some fun.

  “Shall we?” I crooked my elbow and she linked her arm with mine.

  I didn’t mind having a hot, curvy woman in a tight black dress on my arm. Not even the knowledge that she had a son almost my height could cool off the attraction. The double doors opened, and we entered a high-ceilinged foyer.

  A couple sat at the check-in table. The woman tapped the arm of the man next to her as we approached.

  “Hurdle numbe
r one. April’s second in command,” Scarlett muttered under her breath.

  “Oh, Scarlett. We weren’t sure you’d show.” The blonde’s lips curled back to reveal supernaturally white teeth. The kind of shade only achieved by using unrecommended amounts of lightening gel.

  “Hi, Tish. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.” Scarlett handed over our tickets and Tish gave her two tokens in exchange.

  “Well, wherever else would I be? It’s Homecoming weekend.” She faked being taken aback and possessively clamped her hand around the guy’s arm. “You know Andy, of course.”

  “Of course. How’s your mom doing?” Scarlett asked.

  “She’s better. My dad’s been doing most of the day to day stuff.” Andy shot us both a tight-lipped smile.

  “Make sure you tell her I said hi, will you?” Scarlett asked.

  “Sure.”

  Tish’s gaze flitted back and forth between her man and Scarlett. “Those tokens are for drinks. Bar’s through the door on the right.” She didn’t even try to smile, which made it easy for me to read the dynamic. She seemed threatened. Interesting. Made me more curious than ever about Scarlett’s teenage years.

  “Want to get a drink?” Scarlett turned from the check-in table to face the doors leading into the party.

  “It’s like you read my mind.” I took her hand and guided her into the room. The lights were low, giving the whole place a vibe like the school dances I remembered from back in my own high school days. The sparkly twinkle light decor spread into the dining room as well. Lines of lights crisscrossed over the ceiling giving everything a golden glow.

  “What’s your poison?” Scarlett rested her forearms on the bar. Her shawl thing slipped, revealing her shoulders. She adjusted it, pulling it back up, but not before I’d taken a hit to my reserves at the sight of soft, smooth skin.

  “Whiskey?” I could use a little something to settle my nerves.