by Debby Mayne
"Speaking of Kate, did you know she's been in to talk to the pastor?"
"I'm not surprised, since you're involved."
Paula frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You have a way of getting people to see the important things in life. So do you know what they talked about?"
"According to Amanda, mostly her. The pastor convinced Kate that Amanda would get so much more out of church if the two of them went together."
"I agree," Nick said. "What does Kate think about it?"
Paula shrugged. "As far as I know, she's agreed to do it. She really loves her daughter."
"Why would she kick Amanda out of the house if she loves her so much?"
"Oh, that's another thing. I finally got Amanda to talk about it, and that was only half the story. Apparently, Kate was being truthful when she told us Amanda knew she wasn't really getting kicked out. They argue a lot, and when Kate gets really mad at her, she tells her if she's so smart, she can just leave and go take care of herself. This time, Amanda said she was gonna do it, and Kate pointed to the door."
"I can't imagine a mother telling her child to do that, even if she doesn't mean it."
"Maybe you can't," Paula said, "but I can."
"I don't remember your mom telling you to leave."
Paula leaned her head back and scrunched her face. "She's the one who always left, remember? My mom ran away from home more than any teenager I ever knew."
Nick nodded.
"Anyway, they had a fight, Amanda called her mom's bluff, and she hightailed it to my shop to tell on her mother, knowing she'd get some extra attention."
"So it was just harsh words spoken in the heat of an argument." Nick shook his head. "I should have figured that. You do realize Amanda manipulated you, right?"
"Yes, of course. I might be a bleeding heart, but I'm not blind. I recognize the need for attention when I see it."
He changed the subject. "So I'm glad my cousins are working out so well. Alexa seems to be in her element."
"Alexa is definitely in her element. She can run that place without me there. I have complete and total trust in her. She and Steph both have been lifesavers."
Nick smiled. "I'm glad, because according to the family rumor mill, Alexa's goal in life is to take your business international, and she's been working on some ideas."
"She does have some great ideas." International, huh? Paula had never dreamed that big, but it sure sounded good.
They were seated right away at Crabby Bill's. "Looks like we beat the crowd," Paula said. "Last time I drove by, there was a line out the door."
As soon as the server took their order, Nick propped his forearms on the table and leaned forward. "We need to talk about where we're going."
"Where we're going? You mean where you're going. I'm not going anywhere," Paula reminded him.
"I'm talking about with this relationship."
She shrugged. "I think the fact that you're leaving soon and I'm staying here makes that a moot point."
Nick smiled and leaned back. "Not necessarily."
"Long-distance relationships are hard," Paula said. "And I don't think that's such a good idea anyway."
"I don't want to keep talking about the same old thing."
"Then why do you keep bringing it up?"
"I think we can work through the problem, Paula. Where we live is just a place. You and I belong together. I think you know that as well as I do."
Paula couldn't deny she often thought that. She lowered her gaze and lifted her shoulders in a half-shrug.
"What if I decided not to reenlist when the time comes? I can come back to Tarpon Springs for good."
She looked up and met his gaze. "Would you be happy, though? Seriously, Nick, as much as you love the Air Force? We've already talked about that enough."
"At least you got it right this time," he said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Air Force. You used to say Army."
"Whatever. I don't think you'd be happy stuck in Tarpon Springs, working for your dad, no matter how many compromises we make."
Nick held her gaze for several seconds before he slowly nodded. "Paula, if I can have you, I'll always be happy, no matter where I am or what I'm doing."
The thought of Nick staying more than appealed to her, but she couldn't hold him back from his dreams. "No, I don't think that's such a good idea. You don't need to pin all your happiness on me. That's too much pressure for both of us, and you'd wind up resenting me and Tarpon Springs."
"Are you willing to at least give us another try, or do you just want to end it all right now?"
"Whoa." Paula fidgeted with the corner of her napkin. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"
"I think we're past all that."
"True."
"Then answer me. Are we over for good, or do you think there's any hope for us?"
Paula wasn't about to lie, even if it meant baring her feelings to the one person who could still hurt her. Since he'd laid his feelings on the line, she looked him in the eye and blurted, "I never quit caring about you, Nick."
The corner of his lip twitched, but he didn't smile. "Does this mean what I hope it means—that one of these days we just might . . . well, you know . . ."
She propped her elbows on the table, folded her hands, and rested her chin on her hands. "If you're asking if we might wind up living happily ever after, it doesn't look possible, but . . ." She looked into his eyes. "I guess we can still see each other when you come to town."
"How about coming to see me in Texas?"
"That might be more difficult. I have a shop to run, remember?"
"Yes, and you have some key employees who can take over in your absence. You even said Alexa can run the place without you."
Paula pointed a finger at Nick. "You're right. I did say that."
"I might consider coming for a short visit," she said softly.
"That's all I needed to hear." Nick's grin widened, and her resolve all but melted away.
Paula was always smart, but Nick saw right through her tactic of steering the conversation back to his family, the shop— anything but their relationship or her feelings. Even though they started with the same old argument, she gave him a little more hope each time they were together. And he understood. After growing up the way she did, she was used to feeling abandoned. She wasn't about to put herself in that position again, which was why she didn't want to leave her business in someone else's hands and put her life completely in his.
Every now and then he caught Paula watching him, but when he looked her in the eye, she would glance away. She'd once told him that he was the only person who had a clue what she was thinking.
After dinner they drove to Crystal Beach and walked on the path that ran between the water and the church. They talked a little, but when silence fell between them, Nick felt the strongest connection.
They were almost at the end of the path when Nick stopped, turned Paula toward him, and pulled her close to his chest. He felt a slight bit of resistance, but she relaxed as he wrapped his arms around her. This felt right. Paula had always fit him so well, and that hadn't changed.
When she sighed, he knew it was a sign to release his grip, but he didn't let go completely. She leaned back and looked up at him, a silly grin on her face.
"What?"
She snickered. "Ya know there's a fine line between hugging and holding on so tight the other person can't escape."
He lifted an eyebrow with a challenging gaze. "Are you trying to escape?"
"Maybe."
"Want me to let go?"
She scrunched her face and shook her head. "Nah, I didn't say that."
"So are you saying you like hugging me?"
She bobbed her head. "If I tell you, where's the mystery?"
"Oh, trust me, Paula, with you there's always plenty of mystery."
"C'mon," she said as she pulled away, still holding onto one of his hands. "Let's he
ad on back. I'm done with this walk."
He wanted to think that was all she was done with. As he held the car door, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss.
He grinned down at her. "What was that all about?"
"You just look so kissable I couldn't resist."
"Now that's something I need to practice."
"Don't. You'll lose some of the charm."
He tweaked her nose. After he closed the door and got into the driver's seat, he turned to her. "Where to now?"
"How about some ice cream at Strachan's?"
"Your wish is my command."
He got back on Alternate 19 and headed south. A few minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot and found a spot by one of the wooden cows.
"I miss stuff like this," he said.
"I can imagine." She hopped out of the car and waited for him to walk up to the tiny ice-cream shop. After she told him what she wanted, she glanced out the window. "Why don't I go save us a seat at a picnic bench outside?"
The girl behind the counter smiled. "You and your wife make such a cute couple."
Nick opened his mouth to set her straight, but the only thing that came out was, "Thanks."
"What would you like?"
He ordered two double ice-cream sundaes with everything. Paula hopped up to open the door for him then rubbed her hands together. "That looks yummy!" She grabbed her sundae, put it on the picnic table, and glanced at his. "Copycat."
"I know. I didn't want to get something different because you always make yours look so good."
Nick knew Paula was doing everything she could to keep things light, and he suspected this would continue for the duration of his time in Florida. As she chattered with her cute, funny quips, he knew he would never stop trying to prove that he was what she needed.
Suddenly, mid-sentence, she stopped. "You haven't been listening to a word I said, have you?"
"I'm hanging on every word."
"No, you're not. What did I just say about this caramel sauce?"
Nick thought before saying, "You said you like it."
"See? I knew you weren't listening. I didn't say anything about the caramel sauce."
He put down his spoon, lifted his hands, and laughed. "Busted."
"At least you still fess up."
"But only after I'm caught." He lifted his spoon. "You have to admit this is excellent caramel sauce."
"The best." She licked the back of her spoon before refilling it with ice cream.
"Mama asked if we could stop by later. She said she has a present for you."
"A present?"
"She made another batch of baklava."
"If I keep eating all that baklava your mother sends home with me, I'm gonna get fat."
Nick looked back and forth between her nearly empty ice-cream bowl and her. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."
She shoved her bowl away. "Okay, in that case, I'm done messing around with ice cream. Let's go to your parents' house for some serious baklava."
When they arrived at his parents' house, Nick's dad was outside whacking at some shrubs. "Need some help, Papa?"
"Nah, I'm just about done. Your mama's been after me to trim the yard, so I left the store early."
"I would've done it if she'd asked," Nick said. "It's late. Why don't you let me take care of this tomorrow?"
His dad stopped, smiled at Paula, then looked at Nick. "Sometimes wives want their husbands to do things just to show their love. I think this is one of those things. Your mama never was one for flowers, but she's crazy about me when I do yard work." He lifted the clippers and took a few whacks before pausing again. "It helps to keep the romance alive."
"Interesting," Nick said before lowering his voice to a whisper only Paula could hear. "But a little strange."
"Not really," Paula whispered back. "That's called love language."
"Love language?"
She nodded. "There's a book about it."
"So this is a book you like?"
Paula shrugged. "I guess. The pastor mentioned it during a sermon, so I got it. I read it one day when business was slow. It's pretty interesting, if you like that sort of thing."
Nick made a mental note to buy that book. He needed every advantage he could get.
24
The clerk handed Nick the bag. "I hope you enjoy the book. I had my husband read it, and it's made a huge difference in our marriage."
Nick tucked the bag under his arm. "Thanks. That's good to know."
He left the bookstore and headed back to his parents' house, hoping to get to his room without having to stop and chat with his mother. He wanted to start reading right away, just in case the book had some sage advice he needed to take before he left.
He'd nearly made it to his room when he heard his mother's voice. "Nick, I've been looking all over for you."
He turned to face her. "Did you need me to do something?"
"That woman Kate has been calling."
Nick groaned inwardly. He wasn't in the mood to fend off advances of a delusional woman.
"You need to call her back. I think it has something to do with Amanda."
He nodded. "Okay, Mama. I'll call her in a few minutes."
"Whatcha got there?" She pointed to the bag.
"Oh, I just bought a book. I figured it would be good for some of my alone time." He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't ask specific questions about it.
"Good idea. I'm glad you like to read. You'll never be bored as long as you have a book."
As she turned to leave, he felt his muscles relax. That was a close call.
He wanted to start reading his new book, but instead he found Kate's number and called her. To his surprise, she didn't offer even a hint of flirtation. Instead, she got right to the point.
"Amanda's been so difficult since she became a teenager. I just wanted to thank you for everything, Nick."
"Paula's the one you should thank."
"Yeah, I know. I figure what's been happening is payback for how I was when I was Amanda's age."
"Amanda's fine," Nick said.
"Now I'd like to pay you and Paula back for being so helpful."
"You don't have to—"
"I know, but I want to," Kate said. "It's nothing, though— just a helpful hint on relationships. Don't let her get away. You and Paula were meant to be together."
"Uh . . ." Nick was speechless. He didn't expect something like this.
"Oh, and Sam and I have been talking. Ya know, he's a decent guy. Back in high school, I managed to lure him to the wild side for a night, but I never dreamed he'd ever be interested in me later."
"So what are you saying, Kate?"
Her eyes seemed to twinkle. "Each time we get together to talk about Amanda, we wind up talking about us. I think we might just have something special."
Nick tried to hide his surprise. "That's awesome. Good for you."
"You and Paula deserve to be happy, Nick, so don't ever give up on each other."
"Thanks for the advice, Kate. Have a good day."
After he hung up, he thought about Kate's words. At first he didn't think she'd changed, but now he realized that she had matured.
He pulled his book out of the bag, flopped over on his old bed, and started reading. No wonder Paula liked it. There was quite a bit of wisdom in the pages. By the time he finished reading he knew exactly what he needed to do.
Nick freshened up and went to the kitchen to let his mother know he'd be back late. "I'm going to spend some time with Paula before I leave."
"I thought you were giving her some space."
"Changed my mind. I'd rather see if there's anything I can do to help her around the shop."
Mama smiled and tweaked his cheek. "Smart boy. Let her know what she'll be missing if she doesn't take you back."
Shaking his head, he snorted. "Can't pull anything over on you, can I?"
"As Paula would say, not in this lifetime."
> Paula glanced up at the sound of the bell on the door in time to see Nick walking toward her, apparently on a mission. "Hey."
"You look nice today," he said as he pulled a bouquet of flowers out from behind his back. "I brought you something."
Paula smiled and took the flowers. "How nice. Thank you."
"Is there anything I can do around here to help out?"
She cast a curious glance at him. "What do you mean?"
He followed her to the back room, where she grabbed a tall glass and filled it with water at the sink. "Anything need fixing? Do you need some extra hands?"
She turned around and shook her head, the curious expression still on her face. "No, everything is just fine. Why?"
He took a couple of tentative steps toward her and reached for her free hand. "I want my last few days in Tarpon Springs to be special."
Paula stood transfixed, not knowing what to do or how to react. Nick was always attentive, but something seemed different. "Okay. Maybe we can do something tonight after I check on some things at the Senior Center."
"Want me to go with you?"
"Nick, what is going on? Why are you acting like this?" She pulled her hand away from his, turned, and walked toward the front. He followed. She placed the flowers on the counter then spun around to face him. "Who are you and what have you done with Nick Papadopoulos?"
He folded his arms and set his jaw as he stared at her, looking like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to say it.
"Just tell me," she urged.
Nick lifted his hands in surrender. "Okay, so I went out and bought that love languages book you told me about."
She grinned. "And you read part of it, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I tried to figure out which one was yours, and I can see a little bit of all of them, so I thought I'd try everything."
Paula tried to hold back the laughter, but she couldn't. He looked hurt. "I'm sorry. If you'd asked, I could have told you."
"But I thought—" He rolled his eyes and grinned. "I want to make you happy, Paula."
"Quality time is my love language."