by T. I. Lowe
Leah concentrated on driving. “Whatever.”
Crowley sighed and searched the radio for a likable station, settling on a country station. He sat back in his seat and hummed along to the twangy song.
“No,” Leah said.
“No?” Crowley asked as his head bobbed to the rhythm of the music.
“No.”
“You can’t live in the South and not like country music.”
“I do live in the South, and just let me tell you…NO!” Leah took over the radio controls and was glad to hear the Steve Miller Band serenading away about being a space cowboy.
Crowley lit up at the familiar tune and started singing.
Leah cranked the volume and joined in. She was belting out lyrics when Crowley turned the volume off. Startled at hearing only her voice all of a sudden, she shot him a scolding look.
He was staring behind them. “We just drove past the donuts.”
“Good instructions, Space Cowboy,” Leah said as she made a U-turn and parked where Crowley instructed.
“I wouldn’t be doing illegal car maneuvers without a license, Lee.”
“Don’t give me a hard time, and I’ll let you take me to the DMV next week.”
“It’s a date.” Crowley smiled.
Leah shook her head. “No wonder you’re single, Crow. You don’t get what constitutes as a real date.” She took in the shop’s appearance as they sat at the curb. It looked like a little red barn with a wooden sign. Nate’s Cakes. “I thought we were going to a donut shop.”
“Nate can bake up a mean cake, but he also serves these amazing gourmet donuts.” Crowley climbed out and waited for her to join him on the sidewalk.
Maybe having Crowley along wasn’t such a bad idea after all, Leah thought as they entered the quaint shop, decorated tastefully to resemble a barn. Leah closed her eyes and inhaled. The sweet aroma lingering in the air was heavenly.
“You’re gonna love this place,” Crowley whispered into Leah’s ear as he led her to the display case.
A young woman wearing a red bandana in her hair stood behind the counter. She gave Crowley a big smile in recognition. “Hey there, Crowley.”
“Hey, Emma. Is Nate in?” Crowley asked as he casually draped his arm across Leah’s shoulders.
“Sure. I’ll go get him.”
As they waited, Leah wrangled from beneath his arm and checked out the glass display case full of treats. Her mouth watered as she absent-mindedly stoked the hand-carved wood trim.
“Not them,” Crowley said.
“Why not?”
“Be patient,” he said as a blond-haired guy walked in from the back. “Nate, my man, how’s it going?”
Nate walked around and joined them on the other side of the counter. He shook Crowley’s hand and gave him a slap on the back. “It’s been a while, man. You haven’t been able to sneak away from Lulu lately?” he asked, laughing.
“Something like that. I’d like to introduce you to my friend here, Leah.” Crowley motioned towards her.
Nate reached out to shake her hand. “I’m Nate, young lady.” He smiled warmly and she responded in kind. He looked over to Crowley. “Hey, she’s taller than me. You finally found you one with the right height.”
“Yep. Leah’s the perfect fishing partner,” Crowley said, winking at Leah as if it were their inside joke or something.
“What can I get the two of you?” Nate asked.
“Whatcha got?” Crowley asked in an exaggerated tone as his eyes wandered over to the kitchen door.
“I just finished up two fresh batches. One batch is powdered donuts with a strawberry and fig–preserve filling, and the other is a chocolate, hazelnut, and banana–stuffed batch. Some coffee-mocha ones will be done soon.”
“Give me two of each,” Crowley said. “What do you want, Leah?”
Leah’s mouth watered even more at the donut choices. “The chocolate-hazelnut donut sounds good.”
“And two bottles of water, please,” Crowley said.
“Sure thing, buddy. Just give me about five minutes.” Nate headed off into the kitchen as they took a seat by the front windows.
“How did you find this place?” Leah asked as they waited.
“The courthouse is right up the road. I go by here on my way to work. Nate delivered some special-ordered donuts to a litigation meeting a couple of years ago, and we became quick friends. He serves the best apple fritter you could ever find.”
Leah thought of a place that could give him a run for his money and almost blurted it out. Crowley, sensing she was about to say something, asked, “What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
Leah almost purred when Nate carried out the treats and placed her donut in front of her. The massive donut filled the entire plate. It was sliced in half and brimming over with fresh sliced bananas and a chocolate-hazelnut filling oozing deliciously all over. She looked over at the platter holding Crowley’s large order. Two delicately powdered ones she was sure to be filled with the preserves and two chocolate coffee–glazed donuts that resembled a cake-type dough accompanied the chocolate, hazelnut, and banana–stuffed donuts.
“There’s no way you can eat all that.” She eyed the large platter apprehensively.
“I’ve seen him do it before.” Nate laughed. He set the bottles of water on the table. “Y’all enjoy. I’ve got a delivery to make.” He looked over at Leah. “It was nice to meet you. Try to keep this one in line,” Nate said, motioning over to Crowley.
Leah laughed. “I don’t know if that’s even possible. It was nice to meet you too.”
Nate headed back into the kitchen, leaving them to eat.
“Why aren’t these in the display case?”
“They were probably a special order,” Crowley said as he dug into his first donut.
“So we just snatched a part of some person’s order?”
“He always makes a few extras. You worry too much, Lee. Just enjoy your treat,” he said around a mouth full of coffee donut. “Hmm…this is amazing.” He offered Leah a pinch.
She took it and popped it in her mouth as she watched him dig into the next one. The chocolate-coffee goodness just melted in her mouth. “Please never bring me here again,” she said before digging into her own donut.
“You don’t like it?” he asked as he finished the second donut.
“That’s the problem. I like it too much.” She took another bite. “I’m a donutaholic.”
“We have this problem in common,” Crowley said as he moved to the preserve-filled powder donuts.
“Yes, but you can eat a half dozen donuts and walk away looking like that.” She motioned to his body.
“I’m long. I’ve got a lot of space to fill.”
“Well, if I eat that amount I blow up to the size of a house.” Leah sighed and pushed the remaining half of her donut over to Crowley, who gladly finished it off.
“Do you always eat this many?” She watched in amazement as he devoured his last donut.
“No. I usually just eat one or two with a cup of coffee.” He shrugged. “Please don’t tell Lulu. She would be spitting mad at me.”
Leah took a swallow of her water. “Your secret is safe with me.” She got up to go settle their bill, with Crowley following. She noticed as he started to pull his wallet out. “Don’t even think about it.” She pulled her money out to pay.
Crowley shrugged and slid the wallet back in his pocket. He felt like he had already offended her enough lately. “Emma, can I get another preserve-filled donut for the road?”
“Sure. Let me go grab it.” She hurried into the kitchen.
Leah shook her head. “Really, Crow? That’s your seventh donut.”
Crowley shrugged.
After leaving Nate’s Cakes, Leah drove in the direction of the courthouse.
“We’re heading in the wrong direction,” Crowley said as he slowly ate his donut.
“I want to see the courthouse. I see you in a suit so
metimes, but you may be joshing me about that too.” Truth was, she just wasn’t in a hurry to head back yet. Crowley might have upset her earlier, but she genuinely enjoyed his company.
“I kid you not, Lee.”
They rode in silence until they came upon the massive historical courthouse. Leah did another U-turn and headed home.
“Happy?” Crowley asked.
“Just peachy,” Leah said as she turned the radio up a bit and sang along to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”
“How do you know all these old songs?” Crowley asked.
“I lived with a couple of hippies for about a year when I was a kid. They taught me all I needed to know about this music and all I needed to know about peace, man.” Leah made a peace sign and directed it towards a smiling Crowley. She then focused back on the road. “They were cool and had great taste in music, but they were pretty forgetful on the whole parenting business. They had about five foster kids at once. We never had to wash regularly, and sometimes they would forget to feed us.”
“That’s terrible.” Crowley’s smile was gone.
“Not really. It was one of the best foster homes I ever stayed in. I got to attend lots of music festivals. When the school reported that me and the others had missed more school that year than we attended, we were removed from their custody.” She shrugged. “I was twelve, so I thought it was a pretty cool year.”
“What happened to your parents?” Crowley couldn’t help asking.
“I don’t know. They threw me away like I was garbage when I was a baby, so who cares?”
The song on the radio changed to Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride.” Crowley decided they’d had enough with the heavy discussion and started belting out a silly performance.
Leah fought a smile. “How do you know all of this music?”
“I’m cool like that, sweetheart.” He continued singing as he played his air guitar.
Leah punched him in his arm to get his attention, and then she turned the radio down some. She was trying really hard to stay mad at him, but she was slipping. “Why are you always so darn happy?”
“Why not?” Crowley asked.
“I don’t know if you’re faking it or if it’s genuine.”
“You’ve seen me at less happy times. I know you recall I wasn’t too happy the day you limped into Lulu’s or the day after searching all night for Jessup,” he said.
“But you plaster a smile on anyway.” Leah turned into the back lot of the café and parked.
“It feels better than a frown.” They sat in silence for a few moments before he spoke. “Look Leah, I don’t have a clue what life has put you through. I actually know very little about you—”
“You’re one to talk, as you parade around like a poor country lawyer who trades his services for chickens.”
Crowley raised his hands up in defense. “Hey now! I’ve only done that once.”
Leah rolled her eyes. “Can you ever be serious?”
“I am. Mrs. Jacobs gave me a roast chicken last year for notarizing some papers for her.” He grinned.
“You really need a license to flash that thing,” she said as she motioned to his grinning mouth.
“Lee, that’s the second compliment you’ve paid me today. I think you’re starting to like me just a little bit.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Crow.” She made the mistake of looking back to his stunning face. “Humph!” Leah opened her door to get out.
Crowley placed his hand lightly on her forearm. “Life’s too short.”
Leah pulled her arm free. “It feels too long to me.” She slammed the door and headed to the back café entrance with her half-empty water bottle, trying not to look at him anymore.
“Thank you for the donuts, ma’am.”
She couldn’t resist turning around and looking at him, even as she told herself not to. Her frown quickly dissolved and was replaced with a smirk. “You saving some for later?” she asked, pointing to the corner of his mouth where a glob of strawberry-fig preserves sat.
Crowley leaned in close to her. “Why don’t you get it off for me?” His alluring greenish-blue eyes gazed seductively into hers.
Leah grabbed the bottom hem of his white T-shirt and held it out while she took a gulp of water. She then spit the water into his shirt and yanked it up to his mouth, smearing the preservatives all along the front of the shirt. “There,” she said pleased with herself.
He moved so quickly that she flinched, thinking he was about to strike her. He ripped his shirt off and tossed it at her. “I hope you’re happy. Now I have to walk all the way home half naked. I can’t be seen with donut smears.” He grinned at her.
Leah went from one shock to the next, taking in his perfectly-toned chest and abdomen. “You. Have. Got to be kidding!” she said as she motioned towards his physique. “You just ate a pile of donuts, and that’s what’s hiding underneath your shirt. Unbelievable.”
“Why? What are you hiding under yours?” he asked while he playfully pulled at the bottom of her shirt before she yanked it away.
“Certainly not that. Now go away.”
He raised his hands in surrender and pranced away, letting her take in his bare, broad shoulders that culminated nicely into a V-shape near his low-riding shorts. She held her breath until he was out of sight. She stomped up stairs and went straight to the laundry closet to retrieve a bottle of stain remover. She smirked at her bold actions. It felt good to not let some man get the best of her. He seemed so pleased to let her, too.
Her demeanor softened at the thought, and she couldn’t resist holding the T-shirt up to her nose to take in the smell. The scent was a manly clean scent with a touch of spice. She inhaled several deep breaths before she caught her reflection in a mirror. Feeling foolish, Leah doused the stain and put the shirt into the washing machine.
****
The next morning when Crowley opened his front door, he found a plastic bag dangling from his door knob. Inside was his shirt, freshly laundered, with a note.
Sorry about yesterday. You have a right to your privacy. ~Leah.
He was glad she sounded over it. He thought back to her flinching at his quick movement as though she expected him to hurt her. He stared down at the note. “Who has hurt you, Leah,” he whispered and returned into the house.
Crowley itched to go over to Lulu’s to see Leah, but he felt she needed a break from him. He made his own meals for the day and kept himself busy with some paperwork he had to catch up on. Crowley didn’t have a secretary or a paralegal. His dad had ingrained in him to never have someone do something for you that you can do yourself.
Chapter Twenty
Crowley eased into the café the following day well after closing. Leah was in the process of mopping. She looked up at him as he locked the door.
“You still full from all those donuts?” she asked as she wrung the mop out and finished off the kitchen floor. She rolled the mop bucket behind the counter as he came up beside her.
“Where’s Lulu?” he asked, swiping an extra cold sandwich from the small display fridge. He laid into it at his normal manly speed.
“I made her go on another play date with her old ladies group,” Leah said.
“You’ve been really good for her,” he said between bites. “You managed to succeed in something that I’ve been trying to do for the past fifteen years.” He smiled in appreciation.
“She’s been really good to me,” she said as she mopped behind the counter.
Crowley took the last bite of the sandwich and tossed the wrapper. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder to get her attention. She stopped mopping and turned towards him. “Leah, would you take a ride with me?”
“I guess…just let me finish up here first.” She began to mop again.
Crowley pulled the mop from her hand. “Here. Let me finish and you can get washed up.”
“It’s my job. It won’t take too long. A customer shouldn’t do the
mopping.” She held her hand out, but he started mopping anyway.
“I’m not a customer. I’m the owner of Lulu’s, so it won’t hurt me to mop my own floors,” he said sheepishly without looking up.
“What? I thought Lulu was the owner.”
“I own the café, but never confuse the fact that she is still the boss.” He chuckled as Leah stared at him. “I purchased the café from Lulu to try to get her to slow down and smell the roses. Once she didn’t have to worry about the books anymore, it freed her up to consume her time with just running the business. So technically, my idea totally backfired on me. I wanted her to retire comfortably and not have all these worries.” Crowley held the mop in one hand and motioned around the dining room with his other.
“Why do you always pay for your food, if you own this place?”
“It’s no one’s business to know I’m legally the owner.”
“Then why admit it to me?” she asked.
“Because you and I are going to be friends for a long time, and I think we need to start trusting each other. Don’t you agree?”
Leah nodded then turned towards the stairs. “I’m going to get a shower real quick.”
“I could help you out with that too,” he said as he started mopping again.
“Knock it off, Crow,” she said before shutting the door. She thought about locking it, but figured he had a key for that door too.
Fifteen minutes later, Leah, wearing a pink cotton shirt that hung off one shoulder and a pair of black leggings, met Crowley at the foot of the stairs. Her hair was still wet from the shower.
“You look as fresh as a spring flower, ma’am,” Crowley said, full of his southern charm. He pulled her close and nuzzled his nose along her neck to the tip of her bare shoulder, taking her scent in and causing goose bumps to rise on her skin. “You smell as fresh as a flower too.”
“Stop getting fresh with me, and tell me where we’re going,” she said but didn’t pull away from him.
Crowley breathed in her scent one more time before lifting his head to meet her eyes. “I want to show you my farmhouse.”