"You're the best," she said, fighting tears. It felt good to talk to him, to have her feelings out in the open. Her dad gave her the latest updates he knew about her old friends- who'd gotten married, which ones had kids, and what they did with their lives. She felt happy for them but sad knowing everything she missed out on.
"You should visit soon," he said, eyes on his watch, noting it was already five. "They would all love to see you. Now that you're looking the best I've seen you in a while, it has to be the best you've felt in a long time. I think it's time we leave or order dinner before they kick us out of here."
She laughed. "If you want to eat dinner here, just say so!"
"You know I want to," he laughed, patting his oversized belly.
"I like the idea. Let's get a smile from the waitress, instead of the glower we've gotten over the past couple hours!"
"It's so nice to hear you joking around, Denise. You've had to deal with so much tragedy in your life. I would give anything to change that for you."
"I know you would. You really are a great dad."
"I should've been better for you these past few years."
"I didn't want to hear it, I wasn't ready. You know I always had to learn things the hard way. I'm stubborn, just like the old man," she laughed.
"You did get that from me," he said, waving the waitress over. "Now, let's see if their dinner menu is as good as the lunch."
******
The night crowd rolled in just as Denise and her father were finally about to get up to leave. They'd spent enough time there, but it soon became obvious her dad was enjoying the music and the people watching.
"I don't suppose you would want to dance with your old man?" he asked shyly, and she smiled.
"I wouldn't be ashamed of you, that's not the issue. It's just..."
"Look, we wouldn't be the only ones out there," he said, pointing to the dancing couples a few feet away. "It's not a romantic song, so it wouldn't be creepy."
Denise laughed. "I can't do it, I'm sorry."
"Come on, I'm your dad. It's my job to embarrass you," he said, rising and pulling her up with him.
"You're really going to make me do this?" she laughed, unable to stop him as he urged her to the dance floor. "I forgot how pushy you are!"
"It's been a momentous day, best in a long time. I'd like to end it with a dance with my favorite daughter."
"Your only daughter," she corrected. She suddenly wondered what it would be like to dance with Alex, to feel him wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close. She knew she would like it very much, and the thought shocked her.
"Lucky for you," her dad said as they circled the dance floor. "You always got to be the favorite because of it."
"Did you and Mom ever want to have more children? If you say I was so much trouble, you wouldn't want another, I will punch you," she said, remembering how often he said that when she was a kid.
"I doubt it. Here, in front of all these people? They would notice you, and you wouldn't know what to do with yourself."
"How could I forget how much you used to tease me about my shyness? You were the worst dad, now that I think of it," she laughed. "Remember the time you came to my school in those overalls with your flannel? In that old beater truck, too. All my friends were laughing and felt sorry for whoever you were getting. And what do you do? You got out and waved, calling my name! I had to tell everyone you were my crazy, drunk uncle! Now I don't know why I thought that would sound better."
"How could I forget?" he laughed. "You didn't speak to me for a week. I still don't see the big deal."
"I was in the seventh grade, everything was a big deal!"
"Apparently, you're not over it."
"It's still not funny!" she exclaimed, pulling away from him now that the song was ending.
"Keep complaining and I'll find a new way to embarrass you. Maybe find a microphone and give an epic speech about you to everyone here."
"You wouldn't," she said, laughing. She gasped when she noticed Alex coming their way, looking gorgeous as ever.
"Hi," she breathed out when he reached them.
"I didn't know you danced," he said, grinning.
"I don't." She shot her dad a friendly glare. "I had no choice."
"Must be someone special to get you out on the dance floor and laughing like that. I might be jealous."
"Alex," she said, feeling flushed suddenly.
"I'm kidding, don't worry. Hi, I'm Alex Evans," he said, holding his hand out to her father.
"Richard Taylor," her dad said, heartily shaking Alex's hand. "Things are becoming a lot clearer."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, confusion on his handsome face.
"I have an idea," her dad said, shamelessly pushing Denise towards Alex. "Dance with my daughter."
"Dad!" she said, wanting to sink into the floor. "This is seventh grade all over again. You get that, right?"
"I'll be at the bar," he said before disappearing into the crowd. She had no choice but to face an amused Alex.
"You would think this is funny," she said, making a face at him.
"It's hilarious. My mom is at the bar, maybe he'll meet her. That'd be cool."
"Yeah, and maybe they'll fall in love and get married. Wouldn't that be a laugh riot?"
"Feisty tonight, I see," he said with a teasing smile, leading her back to the dance floor.
"Alex, no," she said, even as he wrapped his arms around her, just as she'd pictured moments before.
"Already happening. You look great tonight, by the way."
"Thanks," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You were watching me dance?"
"Yes, I'm not ashamed of it. You looked beautiful dancing with him. You looked happy."
"I was," she admitted. "It's good to see him. I forget sometimes how much he makes me laugh."
"I'm glad for it," he said, pulling her closer to him.
"We've been here since this afternoon," she said, gaining the courage to rest her face on his chest and breathe in the smell of him. He gently grazed his fingers down her back.
"You must love it here. My mom comes most Friday nights."
"Was she here with you a couple weeks ago?" she asked, remembering he had been in a party of three.
"Mmm hmm," he murmured into her hair.
"That means I've known you two weeks," she said, daring to look into his eyes.
"So, it's been two weeks since you crashed into me? You were so rude about it, remember?" he asked casually, which got a huge laugh out of her. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips on hers.
"I can't believe you did that," she said, pushing him away instantly.
"I'm sorry. Please don't go."
"I have to," she said, suddenly aware of the how crowded the restaurant was, when before it had seemed like it was only the two of them. She turned to walk away, and he followed her outside to the back deck.
"I'm sorry," he said again, and she ignored him. It was crowded outside, with people sitting at picnic tables as they listened to music and ate their dinners. She walked down the steps and to the parking lot on the other side of the building, where her car was parked. He followed her. "Wait, where are you going? What about your dad?"
"I'll text him from the car," she said, trying to wave him off.
"Denise, wait, please. I shouldn't have kissed you, that was stupid."
"You promised me, Alex. You promised you wouldn't try anything," she said when they rounded the corner and were away from the crowd. She found a lone bench and sat down, ignoring the tingling she felt on her lips. It had been the shortest, briefest of kisses, but her lips tingled all the same.
"I know," he said apologetically, sitting down beside her. "You smelled so good and you looked so good, and then your laugh..."
"You can't say things like that. I thought we were going to try being friends. I can't handle anything else." She turned to face him, pulling out the two wedding rings she kept hidden on the long
chain around her neck. "Until tonight, he was the last one to kiss me."
"I'm sorry," he said, not taking his eyes off the rings.
"I should probably thank you," she admitted. "He died four years ago, so it's probably time I move on. At least date again. He would want that for me."
"My mom told me last night. She didn't know the details, but she knew you lost your husband."
"I should've known. Sometimes I wondered if she was purposely trying to cheer me up," she said, still holding the rings in her hands. He surprised her by gently taking them out and placing her hand in his.
"He was lucky to have you, and I'm sure he thought he had a full life. I don't really know you, but I have a feeling about you. Every time I'm with you, I tell myself not to flirt, that I'm not allowed to even touch you. When I found out last night you lost your husband, I told myself I can't handle that. I don't know how to deal with something that big. It's time for me to go back to Chicago, to go back to my regular life and forget about this time I've spent here. Then I see you..." his voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes.
"Thank you," she said, pressing her lips gently to his cheek before scooting away from him and letting go of his hand.
"I seem to tell you all the time I'm sorry, but it's true. Especially now."
"Thanks, Alex," she said, turning to face him. "It's okay to get caught up in the moment, I guess. Part of me has forgotten what that was like. My head is a mess and I'm sure yours is, too. My dad is here, probably for the weekend. Maybe you and I need that breather, and we'll try to be friends on Monday? You can come to the bookstore if you want."
"Sounds like a plan," he said, smiling. "Have a fun weekend with your dad." He stood up, waving before walking away. Her fingers traced her lips and she sighed. Despite what she said, she felt as if something new opened inside her the moment Alex's lips found hers.
Chapter Fifteen
Denise woke up tired on Monday, having stayed up late the night before waiting on her dad's call, letting her know he made it home safely. Luckily for her, she had a best friend who loved to surprise her at work with coffee on her lunch break. Shelly had planted herself on a chair, watching Denise organize her workspace.
"When are you leaving?" Shelly asked, bummed after hearing Denise's decision to go to Dallas for a visit.
"Next weekend, but no need to pout. I was going to see if you could come with me."
"Are you serious?" Shelly asked excitedly. "I would love to, and that'll give me time to take off. You can show me around Dallas, I've never been! I'm sure there's great shopping."
"Definitely. I'm hoping to run into some old friends that are still in the area, too. My dad said he'll get some numbers for me, so I can at least text them. I can't help but think it'll be a little awkward. It's been four years."
"Oh, phooey. I swear if you would get with the times and get on social media. I don't even care which one!" Shelly sighed, knowing it was a hopeless cause.
"Ugh," Denise groaned. "I don't care about that stuff. What good will it do me?"
"What good will it do?" Shelly yelled, throwing her hands up dramatically. "You can see what all your old friends are up to and which ones you might not want to meet up with. Not everyone has remained as sweet as you, so get with the program. I'm getting off track. Because the most important thing of all, you will never guess in a million years."
"What's the most important thing?" Denise asked, laughing at the animation on her friend's face.
"You can find Alex and see what he's up to on there! What else can you do, you might ask? Look up his ex! What did you say her name was?"
"Wendy," Denise answered, embarrassed at the thought of stalking Alex online.
"We need to know what this Wendy looks like. Tell me you're not a little curious."
"No, no," Denise said, waving her off.
"How many times can you straighten up that counter? Look around, no one is here you need to impress. Have a seat," Shelly said, motioning to the chair beside hers. "I'm on my account. What's his last name?"
"Shelly, no!" Denise cried out, going for the phone Shelly held in her hand.
"Don't fight this. What's his last name?"
"I refuse to answer that," Denise said stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest.
"What am I going to do with you? I'll ask him next time I see him. I swear, I will find out everything about him. Just because he's cute and seems nice doesn't mean he's good enough for my girl."
Denise laughed. "You're the one who has been trying to throw me at him since you first saw him."
"I'm trying to work an angle here. Let me think. You can't honestly tell me you're not the least bit curious to see what kind of pictures he puts up, or what she looks like."
"No, I think we should respect his privacy," Denise answered, then groaned. "Who am I kidding? I am a little curious."
"Then tell me his last name! Come on, you know you want to!"
Suddenly the door opened and Alex came in, surprising them both. "How's it going, ladies?" he asked, and they stared at him wide-eyed. "Is there something on my face?"
"No, Alex. You're still perfect as ever," Shelly purred. She stood up and stretched, feigning a yawn. "I should go. I have to work tonight, I need to squeeze a nap in."
"Subtle," Denise muttered.
"Alex, can I ask you a personal question?" Shelly cooed, ignoring Denise.
"Ask away," Alex said, wearing a bemused expression.
"I'm gonna need your last name," Shelly stated seriously.
"Shelly!" Denise had no choice but to push her friend to the door. "Go nap. You work tonight, remember?"
"Denise," Shelly complained. "Let me do this."
"Can I ask what's going on?"
"Nothing to worry about, Alex. I just want to check up on you, see if I can find anything out online," Shelly answered.
"Gotcha," Alex said laughingly. "You can ask me anything, I'm an open book."
"What's the fun in that?"
"Shelly!" Denise scolded.
"I'm just saying. He can tell us anything we want to hear, don't you think? My way, and we can see how many friends he has, right? If he has any weird fetishes or something like that."
"You do realize he's right there," Denise said, nodding in Alex's direction. They locked eyes for the first time since he walked in, and he smiled warmly at her. She smiled back. "Excuse my friend here, Alex. Don't take it personal, but she likes to stalk people online. She's upset because she can't find any information on me, even."
"Aren't you two the best of friends? Why would she have to online stalk you?"
"Y'all know I'm still here, right?" Shelly asked, waving her hands to get their attention.
"How could we forget?" Denise teased.
"This is for your benefit, Denise," Shelly huffed.
"I know, and that's why I love you."
"I give up. Bye, you two," Shelly said, then she was out the door. As soon as she was gone, Denise felt the shyness creeping in.
"I would've called, but I don't have your number," Alex said, then laughed. "I just realized I could've called the store to get ahold of you."
"Yeah, I guess so," she said, smiling.
"It was on the way, anyway. I came here to see if you can meet me at the lake tonight, around seven?"
"Really?" she asked, feeling nervous.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to try anything. I just want to talk, it has to do with my mom."
"She's okay, isn't she?" she asked, rushing to him and grabbing his hand. He looked momentarily caught off guard.
"Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, and she smiled.
"Okay, good." She gave his hand a squeeze, and suddenly his eyes darkened with desire. She let his hand go and turned away from him. "Seven, you say?" she asked nervously, and she heard him clear his throat.
"If that's a good time for you."
"It is," she said, straightening up some magazines in their rack, her heart pounding in
her chest. "I'll be there."
"I'll see you tonight."
"Okay," she said, turning around to face him. Before she knew it, she was in his arms, her lips on his. His hands gripped her back, holding her tight against him.
"Denise," he whispered hoarsely. Her fingers grasped at his hair wildly as she sucked on his bottom lip. He moaned. His fingers kneaded her back, and she felt the hardness of him pressed against her thigh. She shuddered in pleasure. "Denise."
"Not here," she whispered, her dazed brain remembering they might as well be in a fish bowl, with the big glass windows on the front of the store. She pushed him away from her to flip the open sign to closed and lock the door. She turned to face him, holding her hand out.
As if in a dream, she led him to the storage room. The second she shut the door behind them, he had her pressed against the wall. He looked intently into her eyes, as if he wanted to make sure she wanted this, and she nodded. He kissed her neck, and his hands made his way underneath her shirt. His fingers traced her stomach along the top of her pants, tickling her. She moaned.
"You like that?" he asked, his voice raspy, and she nodded.
"Alex," she whispered frantically, and his mouth found hers. Their tongues danced, and she gripped the back of his shoulders. He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him as he pressed her harder against the wall.
"I want you," he said, pulling his mouth from hers to lick behind her ear and along her neck. That undid her.
"Oh!" she cried, her chest heaving. "Oh, Alex!" It took him a moment to realize what was happening, but then his kiss became more charged, and he thrust his hardness against her over and over until she came explosively. She laughed and buried her face in his neck. He held her for a long time, and she breathed him in. Finally, they pulled away and he set her down.
"Are you real?" he asked dreamily, cupping her face in his hands. She smiled and kissed his lips, feeling bold.
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