Childhood Dream

by Theresa Paolo

  “I can see that.” She gazed around him. “Now can I see? I won, after all. The painting is mine.”

  A laugh rumbled up his throat, and he slid his chair away, revealing the painting and his heart and soul.

  She walked around the canvas and bent at the hips, eyes focused on the details. Her hand lifted, landing on her lips as her eyes widened and filled with tears. “That’s beautiful. You made me look…beautiful.”

  “I didn’t do anything. I just painted you exactly as I see you.”

  A slight crimson brushed across her cheeks, and she bit her lip as she straightened. She inhaled sharply, probably not expecting him to be so close, but he couldn’t resist any longer. He needed to be near her, to feel her heat, and be surrounded by her waffle cone scent.

  “And you are beautiful. So damn beautiful. Maybe now you can see that.”

  Her lips parted then pressed together as if she wanted to speak but was forcing back her thoughts.

  Say something,” he said, cupping her cheek and running his thumb across her jaw.

  She blinked, but it was too late. He’d already seen the emotion in her eyes. The wall that she erected cracked under his words. “I… It’s getting late. I should go.”

  Defeat engulfed him again, and he let his hand fall to his side. “Do you want me to drive you?” He knew she’d say no, but he had to ask.

  “That’s okay. I’m actually starting to like my walks.”

  His head tilted as he took her in. “Seriously?”

  She nodded. “Helps me clear my head.” She grabbed her coat and slipped it on. “The forecast is clear the next few days.”

  “I’ll be at Scoops first thing tomorrow,” he said.

  “Great. Let me know if you need anything.”

  The only thing that he needed was her. “I will.”

  With a smile and an awkward wave, she hurried out the door and into the night, taking with her the scent of waffle cones and his heart.

  Chapter 11

  The sun glittered across the water’s surface, and seagulls squawked high above. A reminder of warmer days ahead, when tourists would fill the streets and the air would smell like sunscreen and barbeques. She’d spent the morning looking around her house, looking for a good spot to hang Tony’s painting of her.

  In the end, she decided her bedroom was the only suitable place. He’d captured something in her that was not only raw, but intimate. She didn’t want to share that with anyone. It was private. She’d always been good with covering her emotions, not exactly one to wear her heart on her sleeve like Ella, but somehow, Tony saw beneath the walls she hid behind and found the real Krissy.

  It was a bit unnerving that he could penetrate her carefully structured walls so easily, yet it didn’t surprise her. Tony’s sensitive side allowed him to dig deeper than most people were capable of, and he could see that side in others even if hidden beneath a million layers.

  Krissy pulled back onto the road and headed toward Scoops. Tony was getting started today, and while he said he’d let her know if he needed anything, it couldn’t hurt to stop by and make sure.

  She turned into the parking lot and was surprised to see that the awful red paint was already disappearing. There was still a faint tinge of red beneath the coat of white, but Tony had warned her that it would take several coats to cover. What time did he start to be so far along?

  In the space, she put the car in park and got out. Tony was on the right side of the building. A bandana held his curls back and his jeans and black thermal had splatters of paint on them. His head bobbed, and Krissy wondered what he was listening to. Probably something older. Despite his age, at his core, Tony was an old soul. Maybe it had to do with being raised by his grandparents. What other twenty-five-year-old man watched classic movies and didn’t miss an episode of Jeopardy?

  She tapped his shoulder, and he jolted. When he noticed her, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He yanked the earbuds from his ears. “Hey. Coming to check on my progress?”

  “I was actually coming to see if you needed anything, but it looks like you have everything under control.”

  “Couldn’t sleep, so I got an early start. This is only the first coat, but it covered more than I expected.”

  “It looks great so far. Are you cold? Do you want me to go get you a coffee?”

  “I brought a thermos with me and grabbed a Pop-Tart on my way out, so I’m good.”

  “Your grandpa made you the coffee, didn’t he?”

  Tony laughed and rubbed a hand under his chin, the paintbrush dangling from his fingers. “Only because he dominates the coffeepot in the morning.”

  Krissy suppressed a laugh. “I remember Ella mentioning he is very particular about his coffee.”

  “That’s a way to put it. So anyway. I should be done here by nightfall.”

  “You don’t have to work until nightfall. That’s ridiculous.”

  “It’s beautiful out, and I have nothing else to do. I don’t mind, really. It’s either this or stare at a blank canvas for hours on end.”

  “Still blocked?” Though, when he had painted her, he had been lost in the process, completely engulfed in the brushstrokes, so much so that he hadn’t even realized the movie ended. If she hadn’t snapped him out of his zone, how long would he have spent zeroed in on the canvas?

  He nodded.

  “Did you need me to sit for another portrait? For more practice, I mean.” She didn’t realize how much she enjoyed sitting for him, watching a movie of his choosing, until she didn’t have plans to go back.

  “You already filled your end of the deal. I wouldn’t want to impose.”

  “You wouldn’t be imposing. I’m offering.” She motioned to the building. “I expected this to take days and the fact that you’ll be done in only a day. I feel like I should reward you for that.” She also thought they’d have more time together.

  “I don’t need to be rewarded,” he said. “But if you want to volunteer your time for another session, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. I could situate you in a different way, maybe add props, different lighting and try to capture an entirely different viewpoint.”

  “I’d be happy to, but on one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I get to watch another movie.”

  He laughed, the sound bringing a smile to her face. “Liking my choices so far?’

  “Love them, actually. I can’t believe I hadn’t seen either movie. They were so good.”

  “I have the perfect movie then.”

  “I can’t wait.” She bit her lip to keep her lips from expanding too far. “I need to work on a few things inside so if you change your mind and need something, please let me know.”

  “I will.”

  He popped one earbud in, and she held her hand up. His eyes locked on hers. “What’s up?”

  “What are you listening to?”

  “Etta James, why?”

  “No reason.” She smiled and spun toward the door with her keys in hand. Opening the door, she stepped inside and went right to the freezers. She wanted to make sure the new flavors she had made held up well. Resting her hand on the metal, her heart sank. It wasn’t nearly as cold as it usually was. She flipped the top open and she gasped. “No. No. No,” she exclaimed, her voice echoing loudly in the small space as she reached into the pools of soupy ice cream. “How?”

  “What’s the matter?” Tony asked from the doorway.

  She turned to him, holding a container of ice cream soup, fighting back tears that pressed against her lids. “I think there’s something wrong with my freezers.” She plopped the container down on the counter and it sloshed over the sides. A sigh burst out of her, and she rubbed her temples. “I need to call my maintenance guy to come and look at it.”

  “Let me see if I can figure out what the problem is,” Tony said.

  “What do you know about industrial freezers?” she asked with a little too much bite, and he glanced at her with those sweet
eyes. “Sorry, I’m just frazzled.”

  “I get it.” He moved by her, surrounding her in the smell of paint. He rested his hands against the freezer and bent forward, the weight causing his arms to flex. “I don’t know much about industrial freezers, but I do know they need to be plugged in to work.” He held up the cord.

  “How did that happen?” she asked.

  “Did you accidentally kick it?”

  “It’s purposely plugged in on that wall and the wires placed behind the freezer to avoid that very thing.”

  “Maybe opening and shutting the freezer caused the freezer to shift, and it hit the plug.”

  “I guess that’s plausible.”

  “You don’t think this is related to the vandalism and the fire, do you?” Tony asked, and it wasn’t until the question was out, hanging between them that she was able to admit to herself, it was exactly what she believed.

  “If not, I’d consider it one hell of a coincidence, no? I mean I have run this place for four years, and have never had any issues, other than normal wear and tear type stuff. Now all of a sudden it all seems to be imploding.”

  A headache started at the base of her neck, and she dug her fingertips into the tense skin.

  “You okay?” Tony asked.

  “I get these tension headaches sometimes.” Her dad said it was from her constantly looking down at her e-reader. He was probably right.

  “Here let me.” Tony’s hand wrapped around her wrist and lowered it to her side, replacing her hand with his own. His thumbs pressed into the tight skin of her shoulder blades while his fingers worked their magic above. The pain slowly dissipated as he worked the tension away. A moan slipped from her lips, but she didn’t even care. This type of headache would last her all day as she tried every means to dispel it, but Tony’s fingers were like miracle workers, forcing the tight skin to loosen beneath his touch.

  Her head flopped forward as he continued, and her body became limp as it fell into a deep state of relaxation.

  The motion of his fingers turned from a massage to a caress, and he stilled. “Better?” he asked, his breath warm against her ear, sending an unexpected line of goosebumps down her neck and spine.

  “Yes. Thank you.” She stepped away from him before she lost her senses and focused on the mess of ice cream slopped on her counter.

  “Do you think you should call Reid?”

  If she called Reid, he’d want to check the security tapes which she could do herself. He’d also drag attention to the place as Allison Winters could sense a story from five miles away. Opening day was nearing, and Krissy didn’t want any negative press. It was bad enough the vandalism was the top headline that day. Besides, Tony’s explanation was plausible. She most likely slammed the freezer door, jolting it back. Or even when Tony had backed her up into the freezer and her body gave it a good bump.

  Plus, there was no sign of a break in. The door was intact and none of the windows were broken. Her brain was only thinking worst-case scenario because of everything else. This was an unfortunate accident. She was just happy the only flavors in the freezer were her newest creations and not the entire spring/summer lineup.

  “No, I don’t think it’s necessary.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I’m going to clean up this mess. Go back to doing what you were doing. I’m fine.”

  The look in his chocolate brown eyes told her he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t argue. He ducked his head and strode to the door. His paint-stained hand rested on the doorframe, and he glanced at her. “Holler if you need me.”

  She nodded, knowing he’d come running if she did. “I will. Thanks.”

  Krissy cleaned up the mess, then since she had fulfilled her soap orders and just had to package and ship, she decided to remake her ruined batches of ice cream. She got to work, losing herself in the process, sampling every creation as she progressed through each batch.

  By the time she was done, the sun was setting. She took off the apron she had tied around her waist and smiled at all the new batches lined up in the freezer. Setbacks in life happened, but she wasn’t going to let them ruin a good thing.

  She had a career she loved, a life—while at times lonely—she wouldn’t change a thing. She loved everything about it. This ice cream shop was her pride and joy, a family legacy that she would uphold and maybe one day pass along to her own children. A little boy and a little girl popped into her head at the thought. The little girl had her long brown hair pulled into pigtails, glasses on her face, and bangs just like her. The boy had unruly black curls and a loving smile that reached all the way to his chocolate brown eyes just like… Tony.

  What the…?

  “Hey!” Tony said from the doorway.

  “Hi. Hey. What’s up?” She sputtered through words, hoping it came out more coherent than she assumed.

  He hitched his finger over his shoulder. “I’m finished out here and I’m going to head out. Marco is back from his honeymoon, so I’m meeting up with my brothers down at the Shack.

  She nodded.

  “I wanted to see if you need anything before I leave.”

  “No, I’m good.” She smiled.

  “What about later? Want me to bring you anything back from the restaurant? I’m sure I can sneak out a lobster roll or two.”

  She didn’t want to inconvenience him, but a lobster roll from Vinny’s was her weakness. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Of course.” He flashed that loving smile that made her knees weak. She gripped the freezer beside her. “One or two?”

  “Is it even possible to eat two? I mean you guys load it up with so much lobster.”

  “Enzo could down three if he’s hungry.”

  Enzo was a big guy who was extremely active, but three? That was still a tall order. “Impressive.”

  “He actually only did it once when Marco and I dared him after a few beers. He puked it up shortly after.”

  “Gross.”

  “So three lobster rolls.”

  “Better make it four.” She gave him a wink, and they both laughed.

  “I’ll see you tonight.” With one last smile for her, he closed the door and disappeared into the setting sun.

  Krissy finished cleaning up, washing all the dishes she made, cleaning out the machines, and putting everything back as she had found it. There was an order to the space that Aunt Doris had started, and it allowed for ease when working, so Krissy kept it just as it had always been.

  A knock drew her attention to the door. “Tony, is that you?” she asked. She had heard his car pull away, but hadn’t heard it pull back up. She went to the door and glanced out the window, but he wasn’t there. Strange. She opened the door and peered around the building, but still no one.

  “I must be hearing things.” She shut the door behind her and finished putting the last of the things away when a loud bang jolted her around. Hands resting on the cool surface of the freezer, she glanced from window to window. Maybe it was a raccoon; they tended to rummage through the trash at sunset. But she’d been closed for months and the garbage men had passed by just that morning. There was no trash for them to knock over. Unless Tony had thrown stuff out.

  Yes, that was probably it. She was just being paranoid. Taking a deep breath, she went back to doing what she was doing before her imagination got away with her. She was just on edge, was all, and there was no need to be. It had probably been a bunch of bored teenagers who thought it’d be cool to act out.

  Fifteen minutes passed, and she finished cleaning up. The new batches of ice cream were in the freezer, and tomorrow Ella could come by to taste them as originally planned.

  With a pep in her step, she grabbed her bag. A loud bang reverberated against the window, and Krissy stumbled back, smacking into the counter.

  That was definitely not her imagination.

  She straightened when another bang sounded from a window on the other side. She spun toward it, panic pressing in on her, maki
ng it impossible to breathe. The bangs grew louder, going from one window to the next. One side of the building to the other. She couldn’t keep track. She ran to the door and turned the lock, backing up to the only area without a window.

  Fear strangled her, making it impossible to scream. Tears pooled in her eyes as the terror being unleashed was too much for her to handle. The bangs grew louder still, the relentless beating against the windows a never-ending nightmare.

  She fumbled in her bag, searching for her phone, pushing aside makeup, spare glasses, lotion, eyedrops, a hairbrush, and every other unnecessary thing that filled her bag.

  With shaking hands, she found Reid’s number and tapped the call button. He answered on the second ring, loud voices and laughter in the background. “This is Reid.”

  “Reid, it’s Krissy.”

  “What’s the matter, Krissy?”

  “I don’t know.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced out words around it. “I’m at Scoops and someone is pounding on the windows and won’t stop.”

  “Is the door locked?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do not open. I’m on my way.”

  “Thank you.” She hung up the phone and slinked onto the floor, hoping whoever was outside would stay there.

  Chapter 12

  Tony and Enzo laughed at something Marco said, but when Tony heard Reid say Krissy’s name, his entire body froze. The stupid joke his brother said was now the last thing he cared about. Reid hung up the phone and jumped up.

  “What is it?” Tony asked.

  “Someone is banging on the windows at Scoops. Krissy is locked inside.”

  Anger and rage, Tony didn’t even know he could feel, ran through his veins, turning the warmth inside him ice cold. If someone hurt her…

  “I’m coming.”

  “I can’t let you. If the person is armed, you’re not trained. It’s a dangerous situation.”

  “Krissy is there all alone. I don’t give a shit.”

  Marco stood up and clamped Reid’s shoulder. “Let him go.”

  Reid nodded, and Tony didn’t wait. He ran for the door, letting the rage inside of him guide him. Reid ran up beside him and pointed to his car. Tony rounded the hood and hopped in the passenger seat. Reid had just got off the clock and joined them for a drink not even ten minutes before Krissy called.