Time to Laugh Romance Collection

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Carolyn held her breath, waiting for his reaction to her lack of confidence in his ability.

  “That’s very nice of you. I appreciate it.” He folded his hands on the table and smiled.

  Carolyn opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  When she got home from school earlier, the first thing she had done was to continue searching through more cookbooks for the elusive chocolate dessert square recipe she had tried to find a few days ago. Instead, she’d come across something similar that looked really good, and before she thought about what she was doing, she had started making the recipe.

  He watched her in silence as she added the whipped cream to the cooled creme mixture. The uncharacteristic silence and his constant goofy smile unnerved her so much that she threw herself into teacher mode.

  “You’ve already learned how to fold ingredients together versus stirring. You do the same thing here to mix the whipping cream in with the filling. It’s kind of tricky because you have to make the filling by adding everything individually, at the right time, in a double boiler. Here.” She dipped a spoon into the filling to give him a taste.

  He closed his eyes as he savored the rich chocolate cream filling. “Mmmm. This is great.”

  Carolyn waited for him to say more, but he only sat there and smiled at her. “Mitchell, are you feeling okay?”

  He continued with his insipid grin. “Just fine. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason,” she mumbled then busied herself in spreading the filling on the first layer.

  Mitchell continued to watch. It didn’t take long before she couldn’t stand the silence. “You said you were in the neighborhood. Where exactly were you?”

  He smiled again as he spoke. “At the mall.”

  Any other day, Mitchell would not only have expounded on what he purchased, he would have also shown her and explained in full detail.

  She placed the second layer on top of the filling then began spreading again. “I read in the paper they’re going to be renovating the mall, expanding and modernizing it and maybe even adding a second level.”

  “That’s nice. What’s a double boiler?”

  “And I hear they’re putting in a new …” Carolyn blinked at the abrupt change of subject and tried to figure how long it had been since she’d mentioned the double boiler. “A double boiler is for cooking or melting heat-sensitive items that are prone to scorching. It’s kind of an inaccurate name, because the water shouldn’t actually be boiling, as that’s too hot.” Rather than explain, she rested the spreader on the side of the bowl and picked up the double boiler from the stove, where she had left it, separating the top, which still held a few dribbles of the filling mixture, and held the set up for him to see. “This is a double boiler.”

  “That’s just two pots.”

  “They stack. First you put water in the bottom one and then …” Carolyn let her voice trail off. He hadn’t come for a cooking lesson tonight. However, she didn’t know what he really had come for.

  She put the pieces back together, returned them to the stovetop, picked up the spreader tool again, and started mindlessly spreading the remaining filling. “How’s your mom doing? Is she getting ready for the big day?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Ellen says Mom’s getting crabby. She says the cast is awkward and itchy, but I know she’s enjoying the attention.”

  Carolyn waited for him to expound on the wedding plans, but nothing came out. She placed the last layer on top and began to spread the last of the filling.

  “Mitchell, are you sure nothing is wrong?”

  “No, everything is right. Just right.”

  “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

  “I’m trying to figure out where to take you for dinner tonight.”

  “Dinner?”

  “Yes, dinner. I hope you haven’t eaten yet. I haven’t, and I was thinking about asking you to go somewhere soft and romantic. Somewhere we can talk. Unless you already have other plans.”

  Her eyes opened wide. She didn’t want to go somewhere to talk to him—not when he was acting so strangely. And she certainly didn’t want to go anywhere romantic, but she couldn’t lie to him. She didn’t have plans. “How about Pedro’s? I haven’t had Mexican food for a long time.”

  “Pedro’s? But that’s so loud and crowded.”

  “I know, but the food is great. I’m really craving enchiladas. And I hear they have a new mariachi band that’s really good.”

  He blinked twice in rapid succession then crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you serious?”

  Carolyn nodded quickly. “I heard it’s really good. And you don’t need a reservation if you go early enough.”

  “That’s not exactly what I had in mind.”

  Carolyn nodded so fast her glasses slid down the bridge of her nose. She pushed them up and kept talking without giving him time to protest. “We’ll have to go now to get a good table. I think we’re both dressed appropriately for Pedro’s.”

  “Now wait a minute. I don’t think—”

  She rose and quickly set the bowl into the fridge, spoon and all. Without breaking her movement, she grabbed Mitchell’s hand and started leading him to the door. “I can show you how to make that dessert another time. Suddenly I’m really hungry and really want to hear that new mariachi band. I just love the way they play those brass horns, don’t you?”

  “But—”

  “Oops. Wait here. I have to get something.”

  Before he could reply, Carolyn ran into the bathroom and tossed the package of antacids into her purse, something she’d learned the hard way from her last visit to Pedro’s.

  Desperate times called for desperate measures.

  Mitchell stared glumly at himself in his bathroom mirror, covered his stomach with one hand, and burped, making no effort to hold it back. The release of pressure didn’t give him the relief he needed, and the taste of jalapeño peppers still tainted his mouth. He dumped another couple of antacids into his palm and popped them into his mouth just as Jake appeared behind him in the bathroom doorway.

  “Did I hear you correctly? What did you do last night?”

  Mitchell shook his head to try to clear the ringing in his ears. “I said we went to Pedro’s and got a table right next to the band.”

  “The Mitchell Farris I know hates brass bands and can’t stand real spicy food. Are you my roommate’s evil twin?”

  He burped again. “Shut up, Jake.”

  Jake shrugged his shoulders, unaffected. “Just checking.”

  Mitchell grumbled something rather impolite, but Jake ignored him.

  “You were with Carolyn, the cooking teacher, right? I have a feeling there’s more cooking there than food.”

  Mitchell pulled out his shaver. “Don’t you have somewhere to go?”

  Jake let out a boisterous laugh and left, leaving Mitchell alone in the house.

  Last night had been a night to remember, although not in the way he would have preferred. Besides the fact that everything was far too spicy and it wasn’t the private, romantic evening he’d planned, they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves over dinner. The band wasn’t what he normally enjoyed, but Carolyn had, and for now, that was what mattered.

  Even though he hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to Carolyn about where he wanted their relationship to go or give her the ring, some good did come out of the evening. Since she had chosen the table right next to the band, he had moved his chair to sit beside Carolyn so they could watch the band while they played. He’d snuggled in beside her and held her soft little hand while she listened to the music. For his part, he had been thinking of someplace more romantic he could take her another time.

  His bubble had burst when he took her home and she disappeared inside without letting him kiss her good night. Still, the fact that she had held his hand encouraged him. And no matter how slowly things were progressing, they were progressing.

  He dumped dog chow into Killer’s bowl and sat at t
he table to eat his own breakfast while Killer happily crunched hers beside him. He poured himself a large glass of cold milk to settle his stomach.

  After he brushed his teeth, only one thing remained to do before he left.

  Mitchell sat on the couch and prayed. Once again, he asked for guidance and maturity in his relationship with Carolyn, and he prayed for assurance that it was God’s will, not just his own, that they would be together. He didn’t know exactly what Carolyn was seeking in the man whom she would one day fall in love with and marry, but he prayed that he could be everything she needed and wanted.

  She was certainly everything he needed and wanted. She was kind and gentle, yet held her own in trying times. She had certainly been braver than he had been in the skirmish with the killer mouse. Carolyn also possessed charm and a quick wit, which he enjoyed immensely. He didn’t know what kind of activities she pursued on a routine basis, but so far what they had done together had been mutually enjoyable.

  Again, he prayed for God to show him the right path.

  When he was done, he grabbed his jacket and left. Today, whatever he did with Carolyn, it would be somewhere quiet, without a crowd.

  An hour later, he found himself at the gopher enclosure at the zoo, Carolyn at his side, unable to figure out what convoluted process had gotten him there. Absently, his hand rose to pat the little ring still in the pouch, safely nestled in his pocket.

  “Oh, look! They want my popcorn!”

  “Carolyn, the sign says not to feed them.”

  She sighed and Mitchell smiled. Not only was he getting used to her cute little sighs, he was becoming adept at predicting them.

  She pointed to one of the big gophers, which was sitting up on its haunches, looking at them. “Look at his face. He’s so cute. I wonder if they practice so people will feed them.”

  “I don’t think gophers practice being cute. They’re too stupid to practice anything.”

  He received a smack on the arm for his knowledgeable deduction.

  After an unreasonable length of time watching the gophers balance on their fat, pampered bottoms, they continued on their way.

  When Carolyn tossed her empty popcorn bag into the garbage can, she inhaled deeply and raised her hands. “Spring is in the air!” she exclaimed as she twirled around.

  Mitchell pulled his jacket collar tighter. Wind was in the air, and it was nippy. “That’s not spring. It’s manure. We’re next to the pony rides.”

  He received another smack on the arm for his comment.

  They kept walking, pausing for a few minutes to look at each animal as they wandered through the zoo.

  When they stopped in front of the bighorn sheep enclosure, a large number of the magnificent animals grazed and a few bleated their opinions of whatever it was sheep thought about.

  As Carolyn stood to watch, Mitchell rested his hands on her shoulders then shuffled right behind her so they were pressed together.

  Carolyn tilted her neck to look up and back at him. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m sheltering you from the wind so you’ll stay warm.”

  She sighed again but didn’t pull away, which he took as a positive sign.

  A blast of wind came up from behind. Carolyn wrapped her arms around herself but otherwise didn’t move. In an effort to warm himself, Mitchell dipped his head forward and nuzzled his face into the top of her head.

  A pleasant herbal scent filled his nostrils. Mitchell closed his eyes and inhaled deeply in an effort to commit this moment to his memory forever.

  Everything around them drifted into oblivion as he nuzzled Carolyn’s forehead through her hair. The zoo in itself may not have been the most romantic place in the world, but where he was standing now, so close to her, touching her, it suddenly held a lot of promise he hadn’t acknowledged before. The setting was casual, but he’d never been so close to her when she was relaxed, and all around them was quiet. She smiled up at him, and he was lost.

  Very slowly, his fingers lifted from her shoulder to tip her chin up a wee bit higher. He leaned slightly forward, lowered his head, and kissed her lips. The position was a little awkward, but it was worth it to kiss her. The air around them was cool, but he ignored it for the heat of kissing Carolyn.

  “Mommy, what are they doing?”

  At the child’s words, Carolyn pulled herself away and stepped forward to rest her hands on the railing, putting an inordinate amount of concentration on watching the sheep.

  The mother’s voice immediately followed the child’s. “The boy sheep are butting heads. It’s what sheep do to see who is the biggest and strongest of the herd.”

  “Why do they have to fight to do that?”

  “Because the winner wants to be the husband of the prettiest lady sheep.”

  The little boy continued to ask countless questions about the sheep. Slowly, Mitchell approached Carolyn.

  She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of his footsteps. “That shouldn’t have happened, Mitchell.”

  “He wasn’t looking at us. He was looking at the sheep.” He reached out to touch her shoulder, but she shuffled away.

  “It’s not okay. This is a public place.”

  The only public around them was one small boy and his mother, who were now discussing what sheep ate for breakfast on school days; but if it bothered Carolyn, he wanted to respect her feelings. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Would you like to keep going and see the rest of the animals?”

  She nodded, so they continued their journey through the zoo; but for the rest of the day, he didn’t make any attempt to hold her hand or touch her in any way. Eventually the tension left her, and they were able to enjoy the zoo as they had before the sheep enclosure. One thing he knew. After they left, he would never be able to think of sheep without remembering their kiss.

  On their way out, since they had to exit through the gift shop, Mitchell decided to buy her something so she would remember the entire day as fondly as he knew he would. While Carolyn browsed at the souvenir T-shirts, Mitchell made his selection.

  He suspected he might have made the wrong choice when, while sitting in the car before they left the parking lot, he presented her with a stuffed plush sheep.

  He bit his bottom lip as she held it in her hand, staring at the poor thing like it was made of something toxic.

  “Come on, you’ve got to admit it’s cute.”

  “It’s cute,” she mumbled.

  “And it’s nice and soft.”

  Cautiously, she petted it then smiled just enough to give Mitchell some faint glimmer of hope. “Yes, it’s soft.”

  “It’s cuddly, too. Just like me.”

  She whacked him over the head with it before he had a chance to raise his arms.

  On the way home, they chatted about the animals they had seen—every animal except the sheep.

  His plan to give her the ring today didn’t quite work out, but he’d managed to give her something else as a reminder of their time together. With any luck, tomorrow would present a better opportunity.

  Again, she didn’t give him a chance to kiss her at the door, but before the door closed, he did have the chance to say that he would pick her up for church, and she didn’t turn him down.

  Mitchell smiled the entire way home. As always, God had provided a way.

  Chapter 9

  Good evening, everyone. We’ve got a lot of things to do today, so let’s get started quickly.”

  Carolyn prepared the pastry dough, warning everyone to work slowly to prevent it from tearing during the rolling process. She specifically cautioned Mitchell that too much handling would make it tough, but he took being singled out with a smile and a wink.

  Next, she demonstrated making the strudel, rolling and shaping it, and showing how it was different than the previous project, then sent everyone to their kitchenettes to do it themselves.

  As she walked from group to group, several times conversations stopped. Carolyn had already noticed many of the ladies
glancing back and forth between her and Mitchell all evening, and the combination gave her cause for concern. It appeared many of her class members thought she and Mitchell were an item.

  Even though she hadn’t meant it that way, Carolyn now realized that she had fueled their thoughts when she kissed him on the cheek in front of the class. She’d only meant it in jest, but it had backfired on her. And, if the class took it the wrong way, she was afraid to think of how Mitchell felt.

  She certainly didn’t want to encourage him in whatever it was he thought he was doing by hanging around her so much. It was neither fair nor realistic for her to be spending so much time with him. She hoped and prayed that her actions had not given him the wrong impression, but she feared they had.

  The truth was, she really didn’t know exactly how she felt about Mitchell. She would have been lying if she tried to tell herself she didn’t like him; but she was more than ready for a permanent relationship. Such a relationship had to be based on more than simply liking someone and being easily amused by them.

  She forced herself to ignore the whisperings and pushed the class forward. Soon, everything was done, and the only person left to clean up his mess was Mitchell. He tucked the last baking sheet away as Carolyn gathered up her purse, bag of utensils, and cookbook and headed for the door.

  The cupboard door closed with a bang, and his footsteps echoed behind her. “Can I walk you out?”

  “The custodian will be watching to make sure I get to my car safely,” she called over her shoulder, not slowing her pace.

  “But I need to talk to you.”

  She didn’t want to talk to him. She was too afraid she would weaken if he started talking about anything besides cooking, which he probably would, since cooking class was over.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to go,” she mumbled, not slowing her pace.

  Carolyn didn’t slow down until she reached the friendly custodian, who was standing dutifully beside the door. She nodded and mumbled a good night to Mr. O’Sullivan as he held the door open and she stepped outside into the brisk night air. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mitchell starting to exit, as well.