My phone rang just as I opened the door. I was certain it had to be Josh, since I hadn't heard from him yet. I checked the screen.
"Hello, Josh"
"Sorry to be calling so late, Cass, but I got sidetracked."
"That's okay. So what's the verdict?"
"Most of the appliances are in the warehouse, except the overhead exhaust fan. The clerk said it would probably take six weeks for delivery, so I'm suggesting we order it right away."
"Will -I have to make a deposit?"
"Yes"
"Then we have to wait. From what Dad says, it won't take long."
"I have several paint chips I'd like to show you," he said.
"When would you like to do that?" I asked.
"I was hoping now, if that's okay"
"Can you come over to my place? I just got in, and I'd like to kick back after a long day."
"Sure. I'll be there as soon as I can."
I put my things away and made a pot of coffee. I searched around the kitchen for something to go with the coffee, when I remembered I'd been playing around with a recipe last night using dates. I decided to try my creation out on him. Did I dare? I convinced myself it was now or never.
I removed the no-bake mixture from the refrigerator and waited for it to soften. Just as I coated the last date ball in confectioners' sugar, the doorbell buzzed.
I opened the door for Josh. He sent chills though my body when he passed by me. I couldn't believe the effect this guy had on me. It was like drinking a magic potion.
"Thanks for letting me come over," he said, and handed me a small pot of basil. "Here, I saw this and thought of you. I figured with the warmer weather on the way, you were going to need a new pot of basil."
I was touched by his thoughtfulness, especially after the way we'd left things. Maybe this was his way of saying he understood. He placed the plant in my hand, and I sniffed the earthy aroma of mint with a hint of licorice. "You are such a generous man" He beamed. "I love the smell of basil. Thank you so much."
He followed me into the kitchen, a folder in his hand. He spotted the dish on the counter, filled with the little treats. "Ooh, what are those?"
"Something I created. I'm calling them date balls." I made a face. "I haven't even tasted them yet, but I've decided if you're willing, I'd like you to be the guinea pig."
"Hey, anytime you want to try out a recipe on someone, I'm your man"
"That's good to know."
He placed his folder down on the counter and walked over to the dish and picked one up. He sniffed it. "These smell yummy"
"Good. Okay, take a bite" I cringed, waiting for him to taste them. "I hope you like them. They're made with-"
"Wait, don't tell me. Let's see if I can guess."
"Okay"
He took a bite and chewed for what seemed like an eternity. "Mmm, oh, man, these are delicious. Mmm, you used dates" A look of surprise encompassed his face. "Oh, now I get it." He grinned again. "Seriously, Cass, you could have just come right out with it."
"Come out with what?"
"How clever," he said in between chews. "This is your way of hinting-I mean serving me something made with dates?" His finger moved back and forth between us. He recognized the confusion on my face. "What? You're not getting it?"
"I guess I'm not. Enlighten me"
"Dates. I love dates"-he shot me another wink-"both the eating kind and the going-out-with-a-woman kind-especially someone like you"
"Oh, my God, no. I wasn't hinting." He looked at me with skepticism. "No, honest," I said, my hand posed in the swearing position. Nervous tension collected in my shoulders. "No, these treats are the "no date" kind of date balls, if you get what I mean"
He laughed. "I don't believe you." He picked up another and bit into it. "So if I tell you how much I love these, will you go out with me?" He gave me an expectant stare. "C'mon, you know you want to. What do you say?"
I released a nervous laugh.
"What?" he asked. "Did I say something wrong again?"
"You are such a smooth operator."
"I think you're afraid you'll fall in love with me"
I took another step back, trying to guard my heart against infiltration, but the intensity of his expression had my heart booming inside my rib cage. I pulled the collar of my blouse tighter so he wouldn't notice the V in my neck pulsating. "No, I'm afraid of you falling in love with me"
"So why would that be so bad?"
"I have a new business. I can't be distracted any more than you've already distracted me" I had no idea why I was explaining myself. I prided myself on reflecting internally, not externally, and certainly not to a guy. The fact is, I was caught up in the possibilities and didn't want it to end. The anticipation had my heart thundering inside my chest.
"Why? Multitasking not your thing?" He moved closer, his voice now lowered to a whisper. "I know, I'm distracted by you. So, c'mon"-he came up beside me-"go on a real date with me"
I struggled to maintain my cool and found myself exhausted from the workout. The effect this guy had on me was of major proportions and not the good kind at this point in my career. "What would be so different from what we've already done?" I didn't move my eyes from his face or flex a muscle for fear I'd miss something.
"They'd be the same-only I'd kiss you." The feel of his warm hands cupping my face made me shudder as his lips brushed lightly against mine, slowly applying more pressure until it was a full mouth-on-mouth, wonderful kiss that made my toes curl. My mind blanked, leaving me in a temporary fog. I stood frozen in place, my hand on my heart, and not a single syllable squeaked out of my mouth. When my cell phone rang, it snapped us both back to reality.
"I have to get that"
"Okay" His eyes followed my movement. I was in such a daze, I couldn't even remember where I'd put my cell phone. It didn't matter. I missed the call anyway. When I returned, he was still chewing on the date balls and looking at me expectantly, no doubt waiting for me to give him an answer. "I can't stop eating these"
"Eat away," I said, feeling relieved we'd moved past the dating talk. "Why don't you sit down, and I'll bring the tray over so you can have them with coffee. I'm glad you like them."
"I'm loving the combination of peanut butter, dates, chocolate, and nuts. You're an awesome chef." He took another bite. "I'd love to know how you made these. Will you be making these in your class?"
"You really like them that much?"
"Absolutely" He tossed another into his mouth. "This is dinner."
"Oh, geez, you haven't eaten yet?"
He shook his head. "No. I worked all day and then had some running around afterward, so I just didn't have time."
"You should have said something sooner."
His face creased into a sexy grin. "I had other, more important matters to discuss with you"
I pulled a plate of fried chicken from the refrigerator. He leaned over to look through the plastic wrap. "You made fried chicken too?"
"No, I had dinner at my parents' house. Mom made it."
"I don't want to take your leftovers from you"
"Are you kidding?" I pointed to my body. "Do I look like I need more fried food?"
"You look incredible to me" His eyes grazed over me from head to toe. I shifted from one foot to the other, slightly uncomfortable. Not that the compliment hadn't made me feel beautiful and sexy, but had I subconsciously opened the door by asking him to look at my body in begging for a compliment, or was I secretly hoping to feel his warm breath on my lips one more time? Either way, baby, bring it on!
NO-DATE, NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT
BUTTER DATE BALLS
The guy shouldn't be on your mind at a time like this, but your thoughts have gone to Haiti in a handbasket. Making these "no date" date balls sent a clear message you weren't fooling around. Uh, unfortunately, it sounds like you're the only one being fooled here. You're crazy about the guy. Admit it!
No? Then focus on your cooking skills and ignore the heart palpitations
whenever he's around. Tell your alter ego to take a hike and stop messing with your mind. But seriously, he's right. You did use dates for this recipe. You could have used another dried fruit.
Melt the butter, peanut butter, and corn syrup in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir to incorporate; let bubble, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove from stove and add cocoa. Blend with spatula.
Combine the chopped dates, nuts, and crushed wafers in a large bowl to safeguard your heart from being crushed. Pour chocolate mixture over top and work with your fingers to form into pliable dough. If the dough is too dry, add 2 tablespoons of hot water, one tablespoon at a time, and blend.
Keep your eyes on the prize of success as you form the dough into 30 one-inch balls and less on his abs while you roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar. Place in an airtight container with a lid to keep them fresh. And in the event you become tempted to go to the other side because you think you're missing another window of opportunity, break the freakin' window!
interviewing the handful of candidates who'd applied for the job was harder than I expected, especially after being so lucky to find Jamie on the first try.
After the fifth interview, I sat sipping my smoothie and feeling slightly defeated. I knew my parents would help me stock the shelves when the merchandise was delivered, but I didn't want them to put their plans on hold to accommodate mine. What if I weren't able to find anyone? There was no way I would settle for an employee who wouldn't work weekends, answer the phone when the store was busy, or close the store at night. I downed the rest of the cold liquid and was preparing to leave, when a girl, probably in her late teens, slid into the seat across from me.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't wait until tomorrow to interview," she said in a deep Southern accent. "I'm sure glad I came a day early, 'cause I've been eavesdropping on your interviews." Her hand went up as she closed her eyes. "I know, I know. It's not very nice of me, but I'm your girl. Really, I am. I have what you're looking for, and seriously, you'll be glad you hired me. I'm Allie Meyers." She shoved her hand toward me.
I snickered at her confidence. "This feels a little strange, but okay. I haven't had much luck with the other candidates, so let me tell you what I'm looking for in an employee."
Her hand went up again. "You don't have to. I already know. Heck, I don't mind working weekends, closing the store, answering the phone, or washing the dang windows every day to make sure the store looks presentable."
"What kind of experience do you have?"
"What kind do you want?" She shrugged. Her oval face and toothy smile that could melt the ice off a windshield had me slightly amused.
"Where have you worked before?"
"Well, I've made sundaes at an ice cream parlor, was one of those baristas at the Coffee Grind, and I waited tables in a diner. What more do I need?"
"You look awfully young to have worked at all those jobs" I sighed, thinking this might be another dead end. "I'm not interested in hiring someone who job-hops the minute she doesn't like something."
"Oh, I'm no job-hopper," she answered with disdain. "My kinfolk own all these places, and I'd be happy to give you their phone numbers so they could give me a reference, but honestly"-she shrugged-"they're only gonna tell you how wonderful I am"
"Hmm, I see your point." I looked at her with a cautious eye. "How old are you?"
"Twenty-two" She seemed surprised I couldn't tell. "I'm working age if that's what you're worried about"
I continued to scrutinize her. Long blond hair, dark blue eyes, deep-set dimples, and a perky personality dripping with confidence. After all of today's interviews, I wasn't sure there were any young people who shared my work ethic. But as I listened to her give me more details about her background and watched her animated expression, I began to feel more comfortable. It was worth a shot. Once the loan was approved, I'd have merchandise to stock on the shelves. Allie could give me the start I needed; if it didn't work out, well, I'd let her go.
She stopped talking and blew out a breath of air, apparently impatient I hadn't already offered her the job.
"Listen, I just moved here from North Carolina," she continued. "I had to get away. I love my family, but it was time to do something for me. Move on-you know what I mean? I'm not like my friends who stagnated in Carolina." Her bright eyes stared at me. "So, what do ya think?"
"Okay, I'm willing to give you a try. Understand that I'm only paying minimum wage, but as my business grows, and if you're really as good as you say you are, there will be raises. And I can relate to how you feel about moving on."
Allie's shoulders hunched with excitement, then she yelped a little too loudly, drawing the attention of others in the restaurant. "Oops, I'm sorry. I can get a little too loud at times. Did I embarrass you?"
"A little. Maybe you could tone it down a bit for the new store, though, okay?"
"I gotta remember this is New York and not North Carolina. Ma'am, thank you for hiring me. You are my savior, and I promise to do a good job"
I patted her arm. "It's okay. Now, fill out this application with your contact information. And please stop calling me ma'am" I had to admit, her excitement was contagious, and I had a flashback to my first, giddy days on the job at Merrill Finance.
"I'll try to remember not to call you ma'am, but that's how I was reared to address my elders, and my mama-"
She stopped abruptly, her face lighting up as she stared at something behind me. I felt an adrenaline rush when I breathed in the familiar scent of his aftershave.
"Well, will you look at who's here?" Josh's voice rang out. I grinned, but Allie sat and stared, mesmerized. Hey, I understood all too well, but I was suddenly feeling jealous-like I had some claim on him. We hadn't communicated in a few days. I was hoping he'd call, but he hadn't. This situation was becoming more and more confusing by the day. I needed time to figure out if he was what I wanted, now.
"Hi, I'm Allie Meyers" She waved.
"Hello, Allie," he said, then turned to address me. "It's been a few days since we've spoken. Have you heard anything?"
"Dad said I should be hearing from the bank soon."
"Do you mind if I join you?" He pulled the chair out before I'd had a chance to respond.
"Not at all," Allie blurted out, quickly glancing at me for reassurance. She was making herself right at home.
"Sure," I mumbled. His nearness made my heartbeat feel like I'd put the pedal to the metal. My heart was getting quite a workout these days. I pushed back in my chair to put some distance between us and cleared my throat. "Allie, this is Josh Benson."
"Hi, Josh," she said again. "I just moved here from North Carolina, and Cassie here has hired me to work in her store"
"That's great!"
"Josh is going to work for me too. He'll be redesigning the kitchen in the shop for the cooking classes."
"Oh, my goodness," she giggled, her hand covering her mouth again. "I thought he was your fella."
"She doesn't think I'm good enough, Allie."
"That's not true" shot out of my mouth in defense.
He gave me a side glance. "Then what's the problem?"
I bit my lip. I needed to do some fast footwork to get out of this one. "All I meant was that ... I was waiting ... oh, never mind." I cleared my throat again. "Listen, I'd prefer not to discuss this."
"And there you have it." He gestured with his hand as he spoke to Allie. "I guess it's going to continue to be a mystery."
"Hey, y'all, I didn't mean to start anything here. I just meant-"
I shook my head. It was awkward having Josh mention our relationship, whatever we were calling it these days, in front of Allie, especially since she was about to become my employee. "It's okay, Allie. Here" I pulled out a business card and handed it to her. "This is how you can contact me. As soon as my plans are finalized, I'll give you a call."
"Thanks, Cassie." She shoved the card into her purse and stood. "I'll be goin' now. Thanks for the opportunity."
"Yo
u're welcome."
"Hey, I'm sorry," Josh spewed as soon as Allie was a safe distance away.
"Listen, Josh" I threw my hands up to show my exasperation. "I didn't appreciate you pleading your case in front of Allie. You were totally inappropriate."
"You're right. I was completely out of line, but now I'm even more confused. I guess the other night meant nothing to you and I've been reading way too much into it." He studied me for a minute. "You know, I really expected a call from you, but I guess we're right back where we started-nowhere. But not to worry." His hands went up in the air and came down, slapping his legs with gusto. "I'm done." A few seconds later he pushed back his chair and left me sitting alone.
Josh's words hadn't fully registered until his abrupt departure. I stared into space, chastising myself and replaying his words over and over in my head, while a war of emotions ripped through me. I needed comfort food.
I sat for a good long while mulling it over, wondering why I'd let things go so far the other night, until my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but I was curious.
"Hello," I answered.
"Cassie, this is Allie. You remember, you just met me?"
I laughed. "Yeah, Allie, I remember. I'm not ready for the old-age home yet"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, I just keep saying all the wrong things. I want to make a good impression, but more and more stupid stuff keeps comin' outta my mouth." She groaned. "Are you alone? Or do you have company?"
"You mean Josh?"
"Yeah. Him."
"I'm alone. Why?"
"Well, first, I'd like to apologize."
I could relate to stupid stuff coming out of one's mouth. "You don't need to apologize. What can I do for you?"
"Thank you. I was wondering if you'd like to hang out some night after work"
"I think that would be a lovely idea. When would you like to get together?"
"I'm free now. Maybe we could grab some food and hang out for a while?"
"Sure. After the day I've had, that sounds pretty darn good. Where do you live?"
Dishing Up Romance Page 9