One Hot Summer

by Heidi McLaughlin

  Although, doing so wouldn’t have given her Kori, and she wouldn’t give her up for anything. Not even the massive check her in-laws wrote, suggesting she walk away without her daughter. She hadn’t told anyone, not even her parents or Melody, and didn’t really care if Alan knew whether his parents tried to buy her off. She wasn’t for sale. Not in the divorce and definitely not when it came to her daughter.

  Music played in the background while she mixed the batter for her next batch of muffins. There were cupcakes baking in the oven now and a tray on the cooling rack waiting to be frosted. It was only after she frantically called her mother, did she agree to come in to help. Kelly didn’t tell her that she drank a bottle of wine the night before and barely slept, or that she spent the morning on the beach with Danny Weatherly, where had it not been for Kori, she’d still be. She wanted her mom to believe she was busy, that the first day was so overwhelmingly successful she couldn’t keep up. The look in her mom’s eye though told her otherwise. Did she know about her encounter with the sexy town doctor?

  When he’d pulled her legs into his lap, she’d wanted to melt, to fall into him and have him hold her. Her heart raced. Her palms became sweaty. It was like they were back in high school, shyly flirting with one another, until he kissed her under the moonlight with the waves lapping at their bare feet. They say you never forget your first kiss, which she definitely agreed with, because sitting out there with him this morning reminded her of everything they’d shared.

  As she poured batter into the muffin pan, her hips swayed slightly to the music. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt like dancing or even smiling for that matter. She also didn’t want to look into the future and see Danny by her side, but the thought was there. Could they rekindle their romance? Not necessarily pick up where they left off but reignite the fire and desire they once had for each other. She wasn’t naïve to think a high school romance held a flame in adulthood. They had both changed. Nevertheless, they had a shared a deeper connection and sometimes even time and wasted opportunities weren’t enough to sever and change those.

  She busied herself and tried to think about work, but her mind continued to drift to Danny and how caring he was with her when he could’ve easily ignored her. It’s what she deserved after the way she had treated him, but he acted like the past didn’t matter.

  The door separating the kitchen from the café swung open with so much force it banged loudly as it crashed into the counter. Kelly looked up and blanched as her mother cringed. “Is something wrong? What is it?” She stood, whacking her hand on the top coil of the oven, she cried out and started shaking her hand up and down. “Oh ouch,” she muttered as tears began to fall. Her mom rushed forward, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the sink where Mindy turned the cold water on and stuck her daughter’s hand under the faucet.

  “I’m so sorry, Kelly. I forgot that your father oiled the door and it doesn’t need much of a shove to open up.”

  “It’s okay.” It really wasn’t but she refused to make her mom feel worse than she suspected she already did. Her hand throbbed. She wanted to scream out and say a few choice words but bit down on her tongue instead and let her tears fall freely. She was afraid to pull her hand out from under the cold stream to see the damage. This was the last thing she needed. There was a business to run, foods to bake and a child to take care of. She couldn’t afford to work one-handed, let alone a bandaged hand that would prevent her from working fully. This meant she would have to ask for help and that would mean the people closest to her would have to put their lives on hold.

  Her mom pulled her hand out from under the water and dabbed it dry. The sting was almost too much to bear and she attempted to pull it away from her mother’s grasp. Mindy’s grip was tight, and Kelly had no choice but to let her mother inspect the burn. “Oh honey, this looks bad.”

  She was afraid to look but peered over her mom’s shoulder anyway. “It hurts but doesn’t look bad.”

  “It’s definitely blistering.”

  She leaned forward and tried to see what her mother was looking at. “I don’t see a blister forming.”

  “Mother’s intuition, you shouldn’t doubt me.”

  “Huh. Don’t I have the same intuition, being a mother and all?”

  Mindy shook her head. “Only with your child, not yourself.” She continued to hold her daughter’s hand and placed a wet paper towel on it before placing a large piece of plastic wrap around it. How her mother managed to do this one handed was beside her, but she watched with apt attention, taking mental notes along the way. “I’ll call Dr. Weatherly and let him know you’re on the way.”

  “Wh-what?” Kelly stuttered.

  Her mother wasn’t listening as she picked up the phone and pressed a series of numbers in rapid succession. A few things were going through her mind right now, one of them being how she wished landlines no longer existed in Gray. The other was Danny and how a small part of her was excited to see him. She thought about him while her mom rambled into the phone.

  “Good news, Dr. Weatherly is free and can see you immediately. I really hope there isn’t much damage.”

  She nodded and looked down at her now wrapped hand. “Can you finish the muffins and cupcakes while I’m gone? I really need the extra for the afternoon rush.”

  Her mother placed her hands on her shoulders. “Of course. I’ll have your aunt come down and maybe your cousin.”

  “Coral’s in town?” she hadn’t heard her cousin was visiting but liked the idea that she was.

  “She arrived last night. It was unplanned. I figured you had heard.”

  “I hadn’t, but this news makes me happy. I haven’t seen Coral in a few years. We have a lot to catch up on.”

  “You need to hurry, or you’ll miss your appointment.”

  “Yes, with Danny Weatherly, who just happens to be single and my former boyfriend. That, I might add, my parents forgot to tell me had moved back to town.”

  Her mother waved her off. “Danny’s a good boy and acted like a teenager. You on the other hand,” she sighed. “I will never understand why you left.”

  Kelly shrugged. “Maybe I was scared of the future.”

  “Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. You’re back in Gray.” She smiled and all but shoved her toward the door, pushing her through it while laughing. Standing in the middle of the empty café was Danny and Rambo.

  She held up her hand. “I was just on my way to see you. My mother tried to kill me.” Danny dropped the bag he was holding and rushed around the counter, taking her injured hand in his.

  “What happened?” The look of concern etched across his face made her heart swell, even though she knew deep down it shouldn’t. She’s wasn’t sure she was ready, even though her heart was screamed that she was.

  “She startled me, and I touched a coil in the oven. It was brief and I believe she’s making it a bigger deal than necessary.”

  Danny gently unwrapped her hand, peeling back the cold compress to inspect her wound. He turned her hand, held it up possibly for better lighting. His expression had her confused. “Does it hurt?”

  “It stings, mostly. And is tender.”

  “You were coming to see me for this?” His fingers ghosted over the burn, careful not to make contact with the wound. He dropped her hand but didn’t let go. His finger linked with her pinky. Sweet, caring, everything she wanted. “It’s barely a burn, Taffy.” Danny’s voice was soft, with a hint of laughter.

  Her nickname warmed her, it gave her a certain hope and longing she hadn’t felt in a long time. She ducked her head in an attempt to hide the red tint her cheeks were surely turning. The embarrassment wasn’t because of her less than minor injury, but because of how she felt. When his finger touched her chin and softly lifted her face, she met his gaze and her legs wobbled. If he saw, he didn’t say anything, much to her relief. Desire pooled in her belly. It would be so easy to lean forward and kiss him, to throw herself at him and ask that he help he
r forget everything. Danny would do it, this much she was sure. What she wasn’t sure about was whether or not she’d regret it.

  “My mother…” she had to pause and gather her thoughts. Her mind pictured her once boyfriend moving over the top of her. Their secret lovemaking had been a challenge, one both of them accepted all those years ago. As adults, they wouldn’t have to sneak around. As adults, the hurt and pain would be the same if they were to break-up.

  The door to the kitchen crashed open again, causing her to jump. Thankfully, there wasn’t anything in her hand. “Oh, you’re doing house calls now.”

  “I always do house calls, Mrs. Taft. However, I was stopping by to bring Kelly some lunch when she told me about her hand.” Kelly turned to look at Danny, but not before she saw her mother smile. Any doubt she had about why her mother was sending her to the doctor’s office has all but faded away. Someone must’ve seen her and the doc on the beach this morning and told her mother and leave it to her mom to make sure there was a reason Kelly needed a physician’s care.

  “Well, I have a few errands to run. The cupcakes are in the oven and I’ll be back to finish those and the other baking, honey.” Mindy walked out of Java Hut as if her tail was on fire. The set-up should bother her, but it didn’t. There was a remote possibility this was all a plan of hers. But she was happy Danny was here.

  “You brought me lunch?”

  He nodded. “I don’t know why, so please don’t ask. I just ordered my usual and yours, assuming you still like the double cheese burgers with bacon from Bob’s.”

  The smile she had earlier was back, and he had one of his own to match. “Still my favorite, I think,” she laughed. It had been years since she had one of Bob’s burgers but couldn’t imagine they had changed that much. As far as she knew, Bob was still the man behind the grill. She led Danny to one of the tables, where he started pulling their grease filled lunch out of the white paper bag. Before sitting down, she locked the door and drew the blinds, making sure to switch her sign to closed. The people who walked by would talk. They would become town gossip and while the thought unnerved her, she didn’t care. For a few minutes, she wanted to enjoy lunch with her friend.

  12

  Danny

  Danny looked down at Rambo and laughed. His dog sat obediently by his side with his leash hanging out of his mouth. One too many times he had been fined for not having his dog secure, despite his protest that Rambo wasn’t going to hurt someone. Run off, yes, since his dog had a penchant for chasing birds, giving random sloppy kisses, and brushing up against anyone wearing black pants, but he never caused harm to anyone. Still, the law was the law and he wasn’t above it. No one said, though, that he actually had to carry the leash in his hand.

  He had yet to knock. He could hear Kori and Kelly up above, laughing. Music played and he imagined the women dancing around while finishing dinner preparations. The thought warmed him even though he was nervous. The deep breathing techniques he often advised his patients to practice weren’t working and he felt an asthma attack coming, which was ridiculous since he didn’t suffer from such an ailment. He could be having a heart attack though, he surmised. His heart was beating rapidly, much faster than normal. One could easily say this was due to the nervousness he felt. Surely, he was in shape and very fit for someone his age. The daily surfing had done wonders for his physique. The evidence was beneath his shirt.

  He slapped his hand against his forehead in self-admonishment. The last thing he should be thinking about is his abs when he should be knocking on the door. He raised his fist but couldn’t bring himself to pound against the wood. This time he felt flushed and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what had his blood pressure soaring. Dinner seemed like the logical way to end, what he considered an amazing day. He and Kelly had spent a fair amount of time together, all of it unplanned, and yet today had been one of the best days he’d had in a long time. His hand dropped to his side. He wasn’t sure if it was out of defeat, regret or just plain old anxiety. He definitely didn’t have any regrets. Hadn’t been defeated since she walked away from him, so it had to be anxiety. Deep down he was afraid of messing up with her again.

  It was in that moment, standing in front of her door and listening to her and her daughter laugh and carry on that he realized he wanted a second chance, not to make things right, but to start anew.

  He felt Rambo’s head under his hand, and his finger automatically started brushing the dog’s fur. He glanced down, watching his dog. He finally realized the cause of his uneasiness. It was Kori. Sure, as a doctor, he was amazing with children, but he’s never dated a single mom before, and the thought scared him.

  Dating. Using that word was a bit presumptuous, but it’s what he wanted and hoped Kelly was heading in the same direction. The more he thought about it, the more he missed her. Not only after she left, but in the years that followed as well. They had a connection he hadn’t experienced with anyone else, and they still did. He was sure she felt it when they were together.

  He had laughed when she invited him and Rambo over for dinner. She was clear the dog was invited. Maybe she was more interested in Rambo than she was his owner. It wouldn’t be the first-time women flirted with him because of Rambo.

  In fact, she hadn’t even asked him if he had plans. He wasn’t sure what that said about him though or her for that matter. Had she known he planned to sit at home eating in front of the television or did she assume he’d change his plans to hang out with her?

  Danny adjusted the two bouquets in his hand, squared his shoulders and finally raised his free hand to knock on the door. The sweet sound of Kori’s voice rang out as she yelled, “I’ll get it,” followed by her mother’s reply of, “I’ll go with you.” He had many reasons to smile, least of which were due to the happiness he was feeling. He was excited about getting to know Kori, sharing the evening with the Franklin women, and being in Kelly’s presence.

  The door swung open and there stood Kori with her mother behind her. His eyes went from Kelly’s right down to her daughters, where he crouched and handed her one of the bunches of flowers. Her eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped opened. “Are these for me?”

  “They are. They’re from Rambo. He wanted to say thank you for having us over for dinner.” Instantly, the little girl’s attention turned toward his dog, who was standing tall.

  “May I pet him?”

  “Of course. He really likes it behind his ears.” With the newfound knowledge of Rambo’s favorite petting spot, Kori stepped through the doorway and dropped to her knees. Both, Danny and Kelly watched as their two loves got to know each other. When he felt Kelly brush against his hand, he turned toward her. “These are for you.”

  “From Rambo?”

  He shook his head. “No, definitely from me.”

  She brought the flowers to her nose and closed her eyes. He didn’t want to ask when the last time someone had done something as simple as bring her flowers was. He had a feeling the answer would enrage him and the last thing he wanted to do was spend the evening fuming over how poorly her ex had treated her. “These are beautiful.”

  “Like you,” he blurted out before he could catch himself. Their eyes met and he shrugged. He wasn’t going to take it back. He spoke the truth. She was beautiful, and he thought she should know.

  Kelly tilted her head to the side and motioned him to follow her upstairs. “Dinner’s ready.”

  “I helped!” Kori jumped, and Rambo bent to pick up his leash. She started laughing. “He’s a funny dog.”

  “Yes, he is.” Danny waited for Rambo and the Franklin women to go ahead of him. “Thank you for having us.”

  “You haven’t eaten yet,” she reminded him. “What if we’ve poisoned the food?”

  “If you’re the last thing I see before dying, it was all worth it.” He took a chance by leaning in and kissing her on cheek. He didn’t want to hide his feelings or send her any mixed messages. He was clear on how he felt. He felt her brea
the in. He had startled her, and he hoped it was in a good way.

  He waited for her to close the door and then he placed his hand on her lower back and walked with her up the stairs. He stepped over the threshold and looked around her quaint apartment. The doors leading to the balcony were open, reminding him of a French Riviera terrace, without the stellar view of course. Kelly fussed with her flowers, setting them in a vase and finally on a small table by her couch, where Rambo and Kori were sitting together.

  “Rambo,” he yelled and pointed to the floor. The dog’s head dropped, and he slowly slinked to the ground, where he sat obediently next to Kori. If he expected the girl to complain, she didn’t. She simply slid down and sat next to her new best friend. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Don’t be. I’m sure she invited him up. She’s wanted a dog for so long but living in the city…” Kelly trailed off and turned her attention toward the oven. She pulled open the door and his stomach growled. “Hungry?”

  “Apparently, I’m starving.” His hand rested over his abdomen as it continued to grumble. Without asking, he started to set the table. At first, he felt odd, opening her cabinet doors, but once she told him where to find everything, he felt at home, like he belonged here with them.