Loving Spoonful

by Candice Poarch

  His sister finally let go of Kimberly from the bear hug and someone else took her in her arms. They were making their rounds. Suddenly, her eyes touched his. He knew she saw the desire he didn’t even try to hide. And something delicious and hot flickered in her eyes. She wasn’t immune to him, not by a long shot. She might give him grief, but on one level they were always on the same page.

  They were having another baby. At thirty-eight, some men would want to put child rearing behind them, but he loved his children.

  His eyes caressed Kimberly as if he were touching her. She was still watching him, and he saw the blush steal over her features. She wiped her brow. How could he have missed the signs? He wanted to lift Kimberly into his arms and walk off with her, like a caveman. He wanted to take her to bed and make love through the night.

  But he could imagine just what Kimberly was thinking—that this time, like twice before, he’d leave her to raise the child alone.

  Things were different now. Both of them were older. Jack frowned. He’d participate more. He wouldn’t give her room to complain.

  Sam patted him on the back, tearing him from his thoughts. They did a high five.

  “Congratulations, man. We’ve got to pull out the Cuban cigars for you. It’s a day to celebrate.”

  Jack swiped a hand across his head. With the way his world had turned upside down, he was a long way from celebrating. But he knew one thing. He wasmoving back home. Kimberly wasn’t in a rational frame of mind.

  She needed him.

  Jack signed the final papers for the bar in Prince George’s County earlier that day. Any business deal he’d ever negotiated had gone better than negotiations with his wife.

  “Hey, hey,” Lauren said, handing a tall glass of beer to him. “Congratulations.”

  The glasses clinked and Jack took a long swallow. It went down smoothly, but the victory was bittersweet. In the past, the celebrations had always included Kimberly. This was the first time he was celebrating without her. And he was saddened and frustrated.

  They should be celebrating the baby he wanted so badly, too. Was she happy about the pregnancy? Did she think this child was going to get in the way of her career? Was that the reason she kept it a secret? And had she known she was pregnant when he’d asked her on Canter Island? She’d said no. Could he believe her?

  God. Now he was questioning her integrity.

  His staff members approached to shake his hand.

  With the openings of the last two bars, though, Kimberly had seemed less enthusiastic. He should have noticed the signs.

  But suddenly he wanted to be with her. They were still married. This was as much her success as it was his.

  “I have to leave. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

  It was the height of rush hour, and the drive to his house took forty-five minutes.

  He missed driving in the neighborhood. Waiting to see the children going about their business, Kimberly rushing around the house with one task or another. Or asleep, if he came in late. Mundane, everyday things, but he missed them. He would not miss this baby growing up.

  He debated whether he should use the key or ring the doorbell. Any little thing set her off. This time he parked in the driveway, not in the garage. He wondered if his spot was still empty.

  This was still his home. He wasn’t ringing any doorbell. He took out his key and opened the front door, but before he stepped completely in he called out Kimberly’s name.

  “Kim,” he shouted. But she didn’t respond. “Kim,” he called again. When the house remained quiet, he went to the garage. Her car was there. Closing the door, he headed to the stairs and to their bedroom.

  Kimberly was sleeping soundly on the bed.

  He smiled. Expectant mothers needed their rest. He was having another baby. Jack couldn’t help the deep warmth that spread through him.

  Jack started to wake her, but instead he shucked his shoes and laid on the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. He rubbed his hand over her abdomen. There was a small bulge. He’d thought it was from weight gain. Kimberly felt warm and soft in his embrace. She moved closer to him and he snuggled her tightly against him. This was how it should be.

  Holding her in his arms and dancing during the poker game had been pure torture. He wanted to strip off her clothes and kiss her all over, touch her until she screamed for mercy. But he didn’t.

  He didn’t want her to hold one more thing against him.

  He breathed in deeply, inhaling the sweetness that was always a part of her. He missed this most of all, he thought, as, for the first time since Canter Island, he drifted off to sleep in the middle of the day.

  Kimberly came awake slowly and smiled. Eyes still closed she rubbed her hand up the arm thrown across her waist. She felt warm and contented. Her eyes opened slowly.

  And then she started, and twisted sharply, barely holding in a yelp. She swallowed hard to keep her stomach from roiling.

  “What are you doing here?” She pressed a hand to her chest. She hadn’t slept well since Jack left.

  Jack’s eyes popped open. “Umm.” He rolled over in bed.

  Kimberly scooted toward the center of the bed. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I came to talk to you, but you were asleep. I thought to rest a few minutes, but I must have dozed off, too.”

  “What was I doing plastered up against you?” Kimberly asked suspiciously.

  “I was asleep, baby. How would I know?”

  She continued to give him a skeptical look, but Jack wouldn’t change his story.

  “Why did you come by?”

  “I’d like all of us to go out to dinner.”

  He was upping his war to move back in—for the baby’s sake.

  “Why?”

  “Why not? This separation is tearing the family apart. We need to do something together.”

  Kimberly resisted the urge to tell him she’d been saying that for years and he hadn’t listened.

  “Why don’t you take the children to dinner?”

  “Why can’t you come?”

  Kimberly shook her head. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”

  “Can’t we eat together? Do you have to make everything so difficult, Kim?”

  “Fine.” Kimberly got up to go to the bathroom to brush her teeth and dress.

  When the kids got home, April was ecstatic to see her father.

  Byron was overjoyed, too, although he wasn’t as effusive with it as April was. They drove to a restaurant close by.

  Both of the children were happy about the new baby.

  As they walked to the door, April pulled her father aside. “Are you moving back home?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Oh.”

  “Chin up.”

  They were led to tables and studied menus, then ordered drinks and dinner. The waiter brought filled glasses to the table.

  “I forgot to congratulate you on the new brewpub, Dad,” Byron said.

  Kimberly’s gaze swiveled to Jack. “New brewpub?” she asked.

  “I signed the papers today,” he said. “You know, the place I always wanted finally came on the market and I was able to buy it.”

  She held up her glass of iced tea. “Congratulations.” But something died inside her. She guessed this was their last hurrah.

  Jack knew exactly what Kimberly was thinking. And it was all wrong. He’d been thinking a lot since Lauren’s comment about him being too hands-on, and had begun to give his managers more control in the pubs. He’d been sticking closer to the main office lately, surprising everyone.

  “So, how do you like your new job, son?”

  “It’s okay.”

  “How would both of you like to be more involved in the process of renovating the new pub? You’d get to see what happens after a property is purchased. Everything from the architectural plans, the interior designer, staffing and the big grand opening.”

  “Really, Dad?” April asked.

&nb
sp; “I think it’s time.”

  “What about Mama?”

  “She can, too, if she wants to.”

  April’s eyes lit on Kimberly.

  Smart move, Jack thought. If she didn’t come aboard, she’d look churlish.

  “We’ll see,” Kimberly said. The last thing she wanted to talk about was brewpubs. It was Jack’s obsession with them that was damaging their marriage. Although she wanted her children to have solid work ethics, she hoped he wasn’t teaching the children to be workaholics like he was.

  “The kids have school, but they’ll have time.”

  “It’s summer now, and we’ll do a lot before school even starts,” Jack said. “Can’t afford to have an empty building.”

  “Can we go by there tonight?” Byron asked.

  “I don’t see why not. You don’t work tomorrow, do you, Kimberly?”

  “No,” she said quietly.

  “Then we’ll go after dinner.” Jack really wanted Kimberly to be happy about this project.

  After Lauren’s comment, he realized he was keeping part of his life from Kimberly. It was divided in different segments. His work, his children and his wife. But maybe he should show more interest in her work, maybe even help with her volunteer work. And bring her onboard with his projects so she’d feel more included.

  He gazed at Kimberly. “Shall we celebrate with a glass of wine? What will you have?”

  “Lemonade,” she said. Convincing her wasn’t going to be easy. Jack ordered a glass of chardonnay, and when he made the toast, her lemonade glass touched his wineglass. He knew he couldn’t hang a lot of hope on that one move, because she could very well be putting on an act for the children. But for the first time that day, he felt hope build in his chest.

  After dinner, he drove them to the new site. His lawyer had handed him the key just that day, and he pulled it out to open the door. There was an air of desertion about the place, although the old furniture was still in place. The parking lot was empty. No music filtered from the door.

  “They’re going to haul all the furniture out in a couple of weeks,” Jack said.

  “I want to watch, Daddy,” April said.

  “Of course you can. We’ll all watch. I’ll schedule it for when you’re off, Kim.”

  She nodded.

  “We own both of these units. The walls are going to be knocked out, and we’ll have one room large enough to encompass both the restaurant and bar.”

  “Is it going to look like the other bars?” Byron asked.

  “Exactly like the others.”

  “This doesn’t look anything like your bars, Dad.”

  “It will. See those condos going up over there? This place is within walking distance of single-family homes, town houses and condos. A great customer base. People don’t cook as much as they used to. Everyone’s busy.”

  “Most of my friends’ moms don’t cook much, but Mom’s a great cook,” April said loyally.

  “Yes, she is,” Jack agreed. Even some of his cousins’ wives rarely cooked. Often, they stopped by his place for takeout. Funny, he hadn’t thought about it until April mentioned it. Even when Kimberly was busy, she prepared nutritious meals for the family.

  “Did I ever tell you how much I appreciated that?” Jack asked.

  Kimberly threw him a surprised look. “No.”

  “Well, I do.” He tapped April on the nose. “And you two should appreciate the fact that you don’t have to eat cold cereal or energy bars in the mornings. Your mama has me fixing oatmeal from scratch, hot pancakes and real eggs. You get a real breakfast. That’s your mother’s plan, also,” he said. “Not mine.”

  “You actually prepare the meals,” Kimberly said. “That’s a big deal.”

  “I followed your schedule.” Jack smiled. “We’re becoming each other’s cheering committee.”

  April beamed and Byron looked on in approval.

  Kimberly couldn’t help but wonder if this was one of Jack’s games to enlist the children against her if she didn’t come in line with his plan.

  “I realize that, in the past, I haven’t talked much about what I do. But it’s important that you become a part of this business,” Jack said to the kids. “It’s all going to be yours one day.”

  As disappointed as Kimberly was about Jack’s new purchase, she didn’t know how to read this change in attitude. She didn’t know whether it was a change or just an act. But bringing them all out there for once was different. Letting the children participate was different, too. She couldn’t deny the kids were thrilled about being included.

  It was dusk, and Jack was pointing out some things to the children. They were soaking it all in like sponges. All this would be theirs one day. It stood to reason that they should be involved in the business. They weren’t too young to appreciate it.

  “How do you like your new job, Byron?” Kimberly asked during a lull.

  “I love it. I can even serve by myself now.”

  “Boy was a quick learner,” Jack said.

  “I want to work, too, Daddy,” April said.

  “I’ll find something for you to do. You’re a little young yet to work in the restaurant, but we can find something for you in the office.”

  The kids went off to peep into the building.

  “Nice going, Jack. I hope you don’t disappoint them.”

  “The way I’ve disappointed you?” he said, peeved that all his efforts were taken the wrong way.

  “You’re making an effort now, but will it continue when you’re in the thick of your new project? Was all this to lure me into believing you’ve changed?”

  The anger seemed to drain from Jack. “Kim, Kim,” he said, shaking his head. He moved behind her, wrapped his arms around her, his hands moving tenderly over her womb. “You’ve got to learn to trust me, baby.” He planted a sweet kiss just beneath her earlobe, hearing her quickly indrawn breath.

  Jack moved his hands higher. Her heartbeat had definitely increased.

  He wanted to buy her a gift, but she’d put the wrong interpretation on it, accuse him of getting it for the baby, and not for her.

  Either way, he’d come up on the wrong side of her temper. What was a man to do?

  Chapter 9

  Kimberly kept thinking of her mother. She didn’t want to end up losing her husband because they were living parallel lives—both headed down a narrow road, but not together. Nor did she want to raise this child alone. But Jack was happy about her pregnancy and was ready to do the chivalrous thing. In the past month, Jack had spent more time with her and the kids than he’d done in the previous six months. She was close to giving in.

  It was the beginning of August, and the children were spending a couple of weeks with Jack’s brother in the Caribbean. Kimberly had thought it was the perfect time for them to talk and sort out some things. But now, all of her old worries were creeping back in, and she wasn’t so sure. She’d never been away from Jack so long.

  Truthfully, Kimberly missed the children terribly. Three days with them gone gave her the feel of how things would be when they left for college.

  The house was lonely without the extra noise and fights. Of course, this little one would definitely keep her busy. And as tired as she got of them fighting, she’d rather endure that than this aloneness. But they enjoyed their trips to the island. And besides, she had her friend’s wedding coming up. Her sorority sister from college was getting married, so she could forget her problems and share in someone else’s joy. The wedding party was arriving soon, and at least she’d be busy with friends and sorority sisters.

  Kimberly wasn’t in a celebratory mood tonight, but she’d hired the woman who usually did her cleaning to spend the weekend, because three of her sorority sisters were staying with her.

  Since most of her friends from school were scattered all over the country, the bridal shower was to be held at Kimberly’s house the next night. She’d had the cleaning crew in that week. The wedding rehearsal was Friday, followed by the r
ehearsal dinner.

  The bachelor party was tomorrow night, too, at one of Jack’s brewpubs. No doubt they’d have women there for a great send-off.

  Kimberly thought the shower would depress her, but she found herself having a wonderful time, socializing with her old friends.

  She still didn’t know what to feel about Jack’s new behavior. Maybe she should give him the benefit of the doubt.

  They’d already played Bride Bingo, word games and a couple of adult games, with prizes ranging from the sedate to the slightly kinky. They listened to music and danced.

  And when the bride-to-be opened the gift from Vicky, there were two gifts inside, one for Kimberly, as well as one for the bride.

  “What’s this?” Kimberly asked, tearing off the wrapping paper.

  “I thought the two of you could benefit from this one,” Vicky said, with a smug smile on her face. The book was entitled, How to Make Your Man Behave in 21 Days or Less, Using the Secrets of Professional Dog Trainers.

  “No, you didn’t,” Kimberly said.

  Vicky shrugged. “Thought you could use a few pointers. And since we have a new bride here, she needs advice on getting it right.”

  Someone took the book out of Kimberly’s hand and flipped through the pages.

  “I like this one about flight and chase.”

  “Oooh. I like that,” someone said. “Especially when he catches me.”

  “He’s doing the flight, honey. This tells you how to catch him.”

  Kimberly hadn’t laughed so much in ages.

  But the bride’s mother hustled the bride off before midnight. Dress rehearsal was tomorrow.

  Kimberly didn’t believe for a moment that the guys would retire before the next morning.

  She sighed. She had guests to entertain, so she went upstairs to the top floor to shoot the breeze with them.

  It was like a pajama party of old, when they would sit up until the wee hours of the morning, talking about nothing and everything.

  “Hey, Kim,” one of her sorority sisters said, “my husband and I stayed at Canter Resort last winter. It was some trip. And Jack’s brother is handsome. I tried to hook him up with my sister, but he came up with some lame excuse. Do you think you can help me out?”