First Kiss, On the House

by Judi Lynn

“Yeah, I like my creature comforts.” She took a long swig of her beer, and then Tuppence left Adele to jump on her lap.

  Adele looked at the rowboat. “Can we take a ride on the lake?”

  Miriam shrugged. “If you wear a life jacket and your dad does all the rowing. This is my lazy day.”

  Joel huffed a laugh. “I saw the piles of papers you graded today.”

  “Okay,” Miriam amended. “This is my lazy night.”

  “Good enough.” He motioned to Adele. “We won’t go far. We’ll be back soon.”

  Miriam watched them push away and follow the shoreline until they reached the reedy patch of water where the channel emptied into the lake. Then they started back. Adele’s lips moved the entire time and Joel nodded often, encouraging her. She was obviously excited.

  The sun was starting to set when Joel pulled the rowboat back up the bank and propped it against the sycamore tree in Miriam’s yard. Miriam pushed to her feet and started toward the kitchen. “Want some tea?”

  She fidgeted with the AGA, but it didn’t cooperate. “Damn thing!” She gave it a kick before Joel came to help her. The traitorous stove lit on his second try, and soon they had boiled water. Miriam chose Constant Comment tea, but Joel and Adele settled on a hot chocolate mix for their drinks. They sat outside and watched the last hint of pink leave the sky before they went to the living room to get comfortable.

  Joel glanced at the books on her built-in bookshelves and looked at her, surprised. “Dead Men Do Tell Tales? A Handbook for Poisoners?”

  She smirked. “For mysteries. I like to solve the case before the detective does.”

  Adele picked up the TV’s remote and found a show she enjoyed. “Is it okay if I watch this?”

  “Go for it. It’s Saturday night.” Miriam turned on the lamp next to her end of the sofa.

  Joel dropped into the armchair opposite her. “This is personal, so if you don’t want to answer, just tell me, but have you ever been married?”

  Miriam snorted. “No takers.”

  “Do you come from a big family?”

  “Two sisters. Both married. One has kids. We’re close.”

  Joel’s lips pinched together. “We used to go to my parents’ for meals every Sunday. Adele’s going to miss that.”

  “So come with me to my family’s meal tomorrow. We get together twice a month. The more, the merrier.”

  He grinned. “Easy for you to say. You don’t cook.”

  He had her there. “I bring the wine and beer. With my family, that’s a commitment.”

  He laughed. “Can I bring something?”

  “Just you and Adele. We’ll make you feel welcome.”

  His expression softened again. “I can’t tell you how nice this was for us tonight. Thank you.”

  “No biggie.” She walked him and Adele to the door when they stood to leave. She watched the car head back toward town and realized she’d enjoyed herself, too. Joel was easy to spend time with. Then she called her mom. “I’m bringing someone for our family meal tomorrow.”

  “A man?” Her mother sounded too hopeful.

  “Not like that. Someone new to Mill Pond,” she said and explained.

  “Sounds like the man needs a little TLC. He’ll like Neil. Your sister’s husband loves to yak as much as he loves beer.”

  When Miriam got ready for bed, she thought about Joel again. He’d face trial by fire tomorrow. Her family was loud and boisterous, people talking on top of one another. They weren’t Italian, but you’d never know it. If he survived them, he’d be a shoe-in for Mill Pond.

  Daphne called just before she turned the lights off. She and Daphne kept close tabs on each other. They’d been best friends forever. “How did supper go with Joel and Adele?”

  “It was nice. He’s devoted to his daughter. I don’t think I’m getting laid, though. He’s all about starting his microbrewery and taking care of Adele, maybe even his brother.”

  “That’s a tall order.” Daphne yawned.

  “I heard that,” Miriam told her. “You waited as long as you could before you called, so you wouldn’t interrupt my night. But you’re dead on your feet, I can tell. Get some sleep.”

  “Are you crashing now?”

  “I’m already under my blankets. I invited Joel to my family’s big meal tomorrow.”

  “You did?” Daphne sounded more alert.

  “Don’t read anything into it. The man’s lonely and the kid misses her grandparents.”

  “You’re a good person.”

  “Yeah, but don’t put that on my tombstone. How boring. I want something interesting like Glad This Bitch Is Dead.”

  Daphne laughed. “We have to get together soon.”

  “Let me finish out the school year and then you’ll get sick of me.”

  “I never get sick of you.” Another yawn. “But I’m pooped. See you later.”

  ‘’Night, friend.” And Miriam turned out her light. She rolled over onto her side and her cats nuzzled into their favorite spots. She listened to the water lap on the shore of the lake before sleep claimed her.

  Chapter 7

  When Joel pulled onto the asphalt drive that led to Miriam’s parents’ house, he spotted Miriam’s older-model Mercedes parked next to two SUVs near the back door. He turned to Adele. “This must be the place.” It wasn’t that far from his microbrewery. “Nice house, isn’t it?”

  The wide, gray bungalow with white trim sat in the center of a large yard surrounded by farmland, but the fields stretched to a barn and silo farther down the road. Joel guessed Miriam’s parents only owned the house and the property it sat on. A swing dangled from a huge willow tree in the front yard. A small gray barn served as a garage. A picturesque setting. Two teenage boys were shooting hoops at the backboard attached above the garage door. Joel parked far enough away not to bother them, and they turned and waved when he and Adele started toward the back of the house.

  The door opened and a short, plump woman came hurrying toward them. Her dark hair, streaked with gray, was pulled back in a bun. “You must be Joel and Adele!” An apron covered the front of her body. She wore jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a smile tilted her lips. She went straight to Adele and crushed her in a hug. “You’re as pretty as Miriam said you were.”

  His daughter’s face glowed with happiness and Joel’s heart swelled with pride. She was a sucker for compliments.

  The woman let go of Adele and turned to him. “I’m Penny, Miriam’s mom. Come on in and join the fun.” A large patio held clusters of lawn furniture and a fire pit. She passed them by and led them into the house.

  They entered a large kitchen with an arch that opened into an even bigger dining room. Joel’s mouth watered. The aroma of beef, onions, tomatoes, and garlic filled the room. People milled around the long farm table that served as a work island, prepping food, and when Miriam glanced up and saw them, she came over to make introductions. She motioned toward a woman to her left. She was as tall as Miriam, with auburn hair that frizzed to her shoulders.

  “This is my sister, Sue-Ellen. She and her husband, Neil, run the florist and honey shop closer to town.” She pointed out the window to the two teenage boys, both tall, who were shooting hoops. “Those are her kids.”

  Joel held out a hand in greeting, but a man with a rangy build and graying hair came up behind him and smacked him on the shoulder.

  “I’m Neil, Sue-Ellen’s better half. Nice to meet you.”

  Joel winced from the smack but smiled as he gestured to his daughter. “This is Adele.”

  Miriam’s mother came over to tug her to the other side of the worktable. “Don’t get any ideas. She’s mine. We need to start dishing up.”

  Adele beamed, happy to be included, and Neil led Joel to Miriam’s other sister, Clair, equally tall, with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. Joel glanced at a man who was six four with red hair at the end of the table. Neil grinned and nodded. “Yup, the girls all got their dad’s height.” He hitched a th
umb to the man her dad was talking to. “Clair’s husband, Max.”

  If Joel could remember all the names, he’d consider himself lucky. Miriam tried to steal him away, but Neil wasn’t ready for that yet. He shoved a beer in Joel’s hand and said, “Glad Miriam invited you today. You get to meet the whole family. Heard you moved here to open a microbrewery. Now, that’s right up my alley.”

  “You make beer, too?” Joel asked.

  Neil laughed. “Hell no, but I love to drink it. I make honey.”

  They talked about bees and hives until Miriam’s mom clapped her hands and said, “Everyone grab something to carry to the table. It’s chow time.”

  Miriam grabbed a huge Dutch oven filled with mashed potatoes. Neil and Max each carried a platter of Swiss steak. Green beans, sautéed with onions and bacon, followed. The sisters brought bowls of tossed salad, one for each end of the long harvest table and the boys brought baskets of rolls. Penny sat at one end and placed Adele close to her. Her husband sat at the opposite end. Miriam took Joel’s hand to seat him next to her. The gesture surprised and pleased him. So did her touch.

  Sitting by her side, Joel couldn’t help but notice that she sat higher than he did, but that helped him focus on her sharp cheekbones, smooth olive complexion, and pointy chin. She wasn’t a soft woman, and he liked that.

  When everyone was seated, Penny’s husband rose, looked at Joel, and said, “I’m Miriam’s dad, Phil. Nice to meet you. Now let’s eat.”

  People dove in and the noise level escalated.

  “Hey, pass the butter,” one of the boys called.

  Sue-Ellen wagged a finger at him. “You can wait till it reaches you, like everyone else.”

  Max ladled sauce over his mashed potatoes and glanced at Phil. “Did you make it to the golf course this week?”

  “Three times. Did some decent putts.”

  Miriam turned to Joel. “Dad loves golf. Since he retired as a salesman, he can hit the links as many times as he likes.”

  Her dad’s gaze locked with his. “Do you play golf, Joel?”

  “Sorry, I never took it up.”

  “Just as well; it’s addictive. Clair plays, and so does Max, but they make me work too hard. Our Clair’s always been good at sports; why she went into teaching phys ed.”

  Joel looked at Clair. “What grades do you teach?”

  “Elementary.” She pushed a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear. She struck him as shyer than the rest. “Max teaches middle-school science.”

  Joel chuckled. “Between the three of you, you have every school building in town covered.”

  Miriam cleaned her plate and motioned for more mashed potatoes. The woman could eat! “You’ve got that right. We like to keep the kids in Mill Pond on their toes.”

  Her family obviously took kids seriously. At the other end of the table, her mom and Sue-Ellen were asking Adele all kinds of questions about her favorite movies and music, keeping her involved in the conversation. This wasn’t a children-should-be-seen-and-not-heard family. The kids were an integral part of it.

  When everyone was finished eating, the men rose to clear the table and the women went to the kitchen to carry in dessert. Joel stared at the two pineapple upside-down cakes and decided he’d hit the jackpot today. Miriam’s family cooked like his mom used to. Since he and his brother, Miles, had grown up and moved out of the house, Mom only bothered with big meals on Sundays, but he sure loved it when she invited them for supper.

  As always, when he thought about Miles, he worried. Joel knew Miles hadn’t quit drinking, but he was managing somehow, showing up for work every day. Somehow, he was coping. If that changed, though, it would be better if he could move him here and keep an eye on him.

  When Phil finished the last bite of his second piece of cake, people streamed to the kitchen, and each one seemed to have a job. Sue-Ellen’s boys rinsed the dishes, Miriam and Clair each loaded a dishwasher. Joel was surprised to see there were two of them. Neil parceled leftovers into Baggies for people to take home and Joel and Adele were assigned the job of wiping down the dining room table. The pace was fast and efficient, and then the boys took off to go outside. Everyone else started out after them.

  Joel looked puzzled. “Where are we going?”

  Phil answered. “The boys have challenged us to a game of PIG. We always do something after we eat.”

  Penny walked to the fire pit in the backyard and motioned for Adele to join her to watch. Everyone else lined up to shoot hoops.

  The boys started with a three-point shot, and Phil, Sue-Ellen, and Neil all missed to earn a P. Five shots later, Sue-Ellen, Neil, and their grandpa had been eliminated from the game, Max had P-I, and Joel had a P. When they were kids, Joel and Miles had played HORSE every chance they got. They were both too short to make their high school team, but they got really good at hitting the basket. Joel watched as Miriam sank another shot. He raised an eyebrow at her.

  “I was on the girls’ team all through high school,” she told him. “I’m going to crush you.”

  She wouldn’t win any awards for femininity, but he had to give her an A+ for confidence. He grinned up at her. “In your dreams.”

  Her eyes went wide, then she threw back her head and laughed. “Good luck, little man.”

  Oh, she was going to eat her words. He intended to beat her if it took everything he had.

  Then the boys, who’d controlled the game so far, got in a hurry and missed a hard shot. Clair was next up to shoot, and that’s when the game changed. Miriam’s sister didn’t miss. Ever. Miriam went out next.

  As she left the court, Joel held out a hand and said, “Sorry to see you go. Okay, not that sorry. Remember, I’m still in the game. You’re not.”

  A smirk curled her lips. “Maybe I underestimated you.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “That always works to my advantage.”

  She narrowed her eyes, studying him more closely. “Are you any good at Wiffle ball?”

  “Miles and I were in Little League for years.”

  She grimaced. “Golf?”

  “No.”

  “Then we’ll putt the next time you come.”

  That surprised him. “Is it that important to you to win?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t give a fig one way or the other. I just don’t want you to get a big head.”

  He laughed as Clair sank another shot. Max went out next. Finally, Clair hit a tricky side shot Joel and both boys couldn’t make. She won the game. Joel went to slump in a chair close to Adele and Miriam reached over to pat him on the head.

  “You’ve learned your place in the world, friend. Women rule.”

  He’d never argue with that. To him, women set the tone of a house. He’d build a pedestal for his mother if she’d sit down and rest on it. “Great, I’ll make you my queen.”

  Miriam laughed again. She thought he was joking.

  He wasn’t. He loved how strong the women in this family were. They owned their power. When he looked up, he saw Miriam’s mom watching him. She had a gleam in her eye. That gave him confidence. He got the feeling Penny was rooting for him. He also had the feeling it would take every trick he knew to catch her daughter.

  Once Clair had been announced victor, everyone meandered back into the house and headed to the living room to visit. People talked about their week, any new news, and anything they’d heard of interest. Joel thought he’d feel like an outsider, but he enjoyed their camaraderie. So did Adele. Finally, when the clock hit four, people started to leave. Joel took that as his cue and rose, too.

  “Thanks for inviting us. We really enjoyed ourselves.” Miriam’s parents were the best. “You made us feel like part of Mill Pond.”

  “You are part of the town now.” Phil patted his shoulder; must be a family trait. “Miriam will have to bring you again some time.”

  “We’d like that.”

  On the drive home, Adele never quit talking. It had been a long t
ime since he’d seen her so animated. He’d have to make a point of doing something fun with her every Sunday. They were making a great start in Mill Pond. He wanted to keep it going that way.

  Chapter 8

  Miriam poised with her pen over her paper. “Okay, Mark, who are you going to interview?”

  “Coach Stafford. Without him, I wouldn’t have a football scholarship to IU.”

  Miriam nodded. Mark hurried out of the room and she turned to Alicia. “You?”

  “Principal Snyder. He knows every kid in this building. He’s special.”

  He sure as hell was. He always put his students first. Miriam nodded, and Alicia took off to start on her assignment. The last person who stood before her was Maya. This would be this year’s final edition of the school newspaper, a Goodbye, Mill Pond High tribute. Miriam finished every journalism class this way.

  Instead of sending Maya on her way, Miriam asked, “So, have you been accepted into any colleges yet?” She had a horrible feeling she had, but that she wasn’t acting on it.

  Maya bit her bottom lip and looked away.

  Miriam sighed. She’d never been good at tiptoeing around issues. “Look, I’ve seen you with T. J. You’re making choices here; you know that, right? Guys can interfere with goals. When I started college, I told myself I’d finish, that nothing would get in my way, not even a boyfriend, that everything else could wait.”

  Maya shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I don’t know what I want right now. I don’t want to leave T. J. I want to stay in Mill Pond.”

  A scream built inside her, but Miriam stifled it. “You could see T. J. every weekend if you drove home. Mill Pond is close enough to the IU campus.”

  Maya scrunched her face in a grimace. “We see each other every day. T. J. would find someone else if I left him.”

  That pissed her off. “Then how much does he care about you? If he can’t support your dreams, he doesn’t love you.”

  Maya took a deep breath. “But he does. He just doesn’t care about college. And he doesn’t like being alone. He’s happy here.”

  Miriam gave her a long, hard look. “But you’ve always wanted more. You wanted to leave here, to expand your horizons. Are you willing to give everything up for a boy?”