His hand flew over his heart.
“I’m hurt beyond repair.” Her laugh tinkled in the air. Zeke thought his face would break from smiling so much. She pulled into the parking lot, and they grabbed the food and drinks. Sophie waited as Zeke paid the admission price. She felt like she was on a date, but wasn’t sure if she could categorize this celebration as such.
“Aren’t your feet killing you in those heels?” Zeke asked after they’d walked inside.
“Yeah, but they’re worth it. They make my legs look great.”
He handed her the bag of food and swooped down to pick her up in his arms. She was in the air before she knew what he was doing.
“Put me down, you idiot.” She laughed as he held her tight.
“I’m giving your feet a rest. Besides, I like the way you feel in my arms.” He set his jaw and marched forward until he found the perfect bench in the shade. When he sat down, she was in his lap. She set the food bags beside them and placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed back, swiveling her head around to see who was watching. When she was satisfied that they had sufficient privacy, she pulled him in for a kiss. She told herself she was just doing some testing. She wanted to see if the kisses would get better and better. So far, so good, she thought as she pulled away for a breath.
“I’d like to eat now. Could you put me down?” She liked the way he held her tight without making her feel restrained. For a big guy, he was surprisingly gentle.
“I don’t want to let go. I might wake up.” He leaned in for another kiss, but she pushed him back. Her laughter rang out, and he loved the sound of it. He lifted her off his lap and watched as she straightened her skirt. When her hand hovered over the buttons of her suit jacket, his words made her stop.
“Unbutton it.”
“She didn’t move. Her eyes were downcast when she said, “Not here.” The gruffness of her voice made the blood rush from his head.
“Let’s go somewhere, then.”
“No. I’m hungry.” She sat down and pulled her cheeseburger out of the bag. She took a big bite, and the juices threatened to fall. He used a napkin to wipe the side of her mouth. All he could think of was how hungry he was for her. She’d awakened something like a sleeping dragon in him.
“Eat.” She pushed the bag over toward him.
He ate. They sat in companionable silence until the food was gone. He took her hand and pulled her up from the bench.
“Let’s check out the roses.” She let him pull her along. His hand felt strong and warm in hers.
“I’d like to buy your dad a present,” she said out of the blue.
“What?” He stopped and turned to her with a quizzical look on his face.
“It was his idea to throw us together. I’m having fun. Aren’t you?” She let go of his hand and bent to smell a big yellow rose.
“I’m not going there with you,” he said. He moved to the rose and started pinching it off with his fingers.
“You can’t do that,” she whispered. She looked around to see if anyone was watching like she’d done when they were kissing.
“Sure, I can. As a matter of fact, I just did.” He held the rose out to her.
“I’m not taking that and getting kicked out of here.” She shook her head and kept her hands at her sides.
“OK.” He pushed the stem into the buttonhole of his jacket and began strolling along with his hands in his pockets.
“You can’t pick them,” she said. “If everybody did that, there wouldn’t be any for us to see.”
“Too late.” He started whistling a tune.
“You’re a total delinquent.”
“You’re worse than a Catholic school nun.”
“You’re impossible.” She stomped off in the opposite direction. He hurried to catch up to her, reached for her arm, and swung her around to face him.
“Hey, I thought we were playing nice.”
She deflated a bit. “We are. I’m sorry. It’s just. I like rules. I like knowing what’s right and what’s wrong. What’s expected and what’s not allowed. It gives me boundaries.”
“I’ll try to tone it down for you, then.” His sparkling eyes and mischievous grin did nothing to convince her of his sincerity. Some part of her was attracted to his devil may care attitude. She’d stamped that part of herself down for years. Maybe it was time to loosen up if only a little.
“Thanks.” They’d made their way back to the car.
“I hate this tin can,” he said as he swung the door open and started folding himself inside.
“Hey, you’re talking about my baby.” She patted the dashboard then reached over to open the glove compartment. He had to move his legs to allow enough room. She pulled a large pair of sunglasses out and donned them.
“What I hate is wasting an afternoon like this by driving back to the office.” She’d muttered those last words quietly, but he heard. Before she could insert the key into the ignition, Zeke leaned over and took her face in his hands. He waited for her to give him a signal that it was all right to proceed. When she nodded slightly, he kissed her breathless.
“Well.” She straightened up and patted her hair. She turned the rearview mirror toward herself and took a look again. She looked like someone who’d been ravished. Her lips were swollen, her hair was mussed, and her cheeks were flushed.
“I guess it’s a good thing that we have a long drive. If we walked into the office looking like this, everyone would think we’d had a quickie for lunch.”
“I should be so lucky.” Zeke’s impish grin was back.
“You wish.” Sophie started the car and backed out. She switched on the radio and rolled down the window.
Zeke wished, that was for sure. He wished this day would never end. He just hoped this new Sophie would be there tomorrow when he strolled into the office. It would be a damned shame if not.
Chapter Ten
It was Thursday, and that meant family dinner night at the Malloy household. Sophie stepped into the house where she’d grown up, carrying a casserole of Shepherd’s Pie. Not much in the house had changed since she left for college. Her dad’s beat-up recliner still sat directly in front of the television, which was one of the only concessions to time moving on. It was a fifty-inch flat screen, but it had pride of place on top of the previous television console. A ball game was playing, but no one was watching.
She winced as she passed by her eighth-grade school picture. Those braces had caused her no end of suffering. Not only had they been uncomfortable and caught every stray piece of food she’d eaten, but they’d also made her the brunt of endless teasing. She remembered one day when the teasing turned to bullying. Zeke had come to her rescue and hit her tormentor in the nose. Why had she forgotten that? Because the Harts were the enemy in this house.
“Hey. Set that right here,” Sophie’s mom moved a stack of plates to make room for the hot casserole dish. She removed her oven mittens and hugged her mom.
“Don’t you think it’s about time to take those old school pictures down?”
“Oh, no. I love those pictures. So many wonderful memories.” Sophie’s mom got a faraway look and began humming a happy song.
“I made Shepherd’s Pie again. I hope that’s OK.” She moved to the sink and filled an awaiting glass with ice and tap water. She hated cooking, so she’d mastered three casserole dishes and alternated them on the nights she was supposed to bring the main dish.
“That’s great. You know we all love it.” Her mom was busy decorating a cake with chocolate frosting. Sophie’s sweet tooth was screaming at her to lick the bowl. Her smile fell as her mom filled the bowl with water and washed the yummy icing down the sink.
“How’s my girl?” Sophie turned and hugged her dad. He picked her up in the bear hug she’d come to love. When she was a little girl, he’d been so big and strong. He’d been too rough. Her mom had constantly reminded him to be gentle. Nowadays, his strong arms simply warmed her heart and soul.
“Good.
Working on a big deal. It’s coming together nicely.” That was about all she would tell her parents. They didn’t need to know that Zeke was involved. The Harts had moved to the farming community where her great grandparents had migrated and settled many years ago. The town grew up around the Malloys, and they watched as their peaceful settlement became a thriving bedroom community to Dallas. Grandpa Malloy had bad-mouthed the Hart family for as long as Sophie remembered. He’d died thinking they were the devil. Sophie’s dad had inherited his dislike for big companies and real estate developers, and her mom followed his ideology.
“Sounds great, hon.” Her dad patted her shoulder and pulled a beer from the refrigerator. He sniffed like the big teddy bear he was and said, “Something smells good in here.” When he tried to remove the aluminum foil from Sophie’s dish, her mother swatted him away.
“Not until we sit down. You go watch your game. I don’t need you in here getting in my way.” He pecked his wife on her cheek and left his two favorite women alone.
“He’ll never change,” Sophie said.
“Why should he?” her mom asked. “He’s got a bird’s nest on the ground, here. I cook his meals, and all he has to do is cut the grass, take out the garbage, and rescue me from the occasional bug. The man’s spoiled rotten.” The love in her mother’s voice made Sophie smile.
“You two.” She pulled a drawer out and gathered flatware in her hands.
“Make that for five. Your brother is coming tonight, and he’s bringing Patrice. I like that girl. Hope she sticks around for a while.”
Sophie heard her brother’s voice about that time. She had missed the usual slamming door that accompanied his arrival. Maybe Patrice would be good for him.
“Sounds like he’s in there now.”
“Let’s get this food on the table,” her mom said. She removed the foil from Sophie’s dish and inhaled the aroma before taking it into the dining room.
“Aren’t you going to say hello to your momma?” She set the dish on the table, wiped her hands on her apron, and opened her arms. Sean moved into her arms and kissed her cheek.
“Hey, Momma. You remember Patrice, right?” His date had moved to his side, and he took her hand in his.
“Of course, I remember Patrice.” Mrs. Malloy pulled Patrice in for a hug and said, “Glad you’re here. Have you been keeping this son of mine in line?”
“I try.” Patrice smiled broadly, and her eyes sparkled when she looked at Sean. Love was in the air tonight. Sophie was glad to have the attention off of her and her job. Her parents were lovely, but they could get downright nosey at times.
“Sit, sit,” Mrs. Malloy pulled a chair out for Patrice.
“Thank you.” She sat and placed the cloth napkin on her lap as Sean sat beside her. He touched her knee, and they exchanged smiles. It was cute. Sophie was happy for her brother. The meal proceeded with easy talk about the changing weather and what the manager of the Dallas Cowboys could possibly be thinking lately with decisions he’d made that the Malloy men wouldn’t have made. Sophie enjoyed the back and forth of the people she loved. She thought about Zeke telling her how he never lived up to his dad’s expectation, and her heart went out to him.
Sean clinked his fork against his tea glass. Everyone stopped and stared. He stood up and beamed down at Patrice.
“Patrice and I want to tell you that we’re engaged.” He reached for her left hand, and sure enough, a beautiful diamond twinkled on her ring finger. Her smile was contagious. The room erupted in joy, and congratulations filled the air.
After the excitement died down, Sean took his seat and hugged Patrice with his right arm.
“Told you they’d be happy for us.” They grinned at each other, and Patrice laid her head on Sean’s shoulder. She let out a contented sigh. Everyone started eating again. Questions poured out. No, they hadn’t set a date yet. Yes, they had picked out a venue. They were going to marry in the church, which made the older Malloys exceedingly happy.
“And, when can I expect my first grandbaby, Sean? Your mother and I have given up on that one.” Mr. Malloy pointed his fork at Sophie.
“Well, actually,” Patrice began, “We weren’t planning to say anything yet, but...
All heads turned to give her their full attention. She was rummaging around in the salad bowl picking out olives and putting them on her plate. Sophie watched her dad’s hand stop in midstream; his fork poised halfway between his plate and his lips. Her mom’s hand flew to cover her heart, and her eyes were about the spill out of their sockets.
Patrice placed two tomato slices and another olive on her plate, and only then did she look up at the stunned faces staring at her.
“Just kidding. Sean and I have already discussed having a family. We think it would be better to get used to living together as a couple for a year or two before I start trying to get pregnant.”
Sophie’s mom exhaled audibly. She began patting her hair. Her eyes went back to normal. Mr. Malloy finally got his forkful of food in his mouth.
Sean patted Patrice’s leg.
“Good one, Patrice. You had ‘em all going there for a minute.”
Sophie shoulder bumped her future sister-in-law.
“You are going to fit into this family just fine. I’ve always wanted a sister to take the heat off me. You might as well get used to being asked about grandkids. These two are relentless.”
“Sean warned me.” Patrice took a bite of her salad. Cool as a cucumber, that one. Sophie was impressed. Not many people could stop Billy Malloy cold, but Patrice had done it with only a few well-placed words.
“I think this calls for a celebration.” Mrs. Malloy pushed her chair back and went to the kitchen for the cake. Sophie’s mouth watered. She rarely gave in to her cravings for sweets, but her mom’s chocolate cake was not to be missed. Her mom dished out generous slices, and they all dug in with moans of approval.
“As delicious as ever, dear.” Sophie’s dad had always been quick with compliments about his wife’s cooking. Her mother beamed.
When the meal was over, the dishes were washed and put away, and the game ended, Sophie went to the kitchen to get her empty casserole dish. As she said her good-byes, Sean stood up and walked to the door with her.
“I’m happy for you, Sean.” She kissed her brother’s cheek. “She’s a keeper. You did well.”
“Thanks, sis. She’s great, isn’t she? Sophie patted the cheek she’d kissed and nodded.
“Goodnight and congratulations.”
Sean leaned down and whispered. “Are you all right? You seemed distracted tonight.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, big brother.”
“If you’re sure.”
She nodded again and stepped through the door. He closed it gently behind her. It was nice to think that he was concerned for her, but this was his big night. She would never throw the Hart name into a pleasant conversation, and especially not tonight. She’d had a wonderful time with Zeke lately. He made her sing in the shower, but she didn’t think it would last. He had a terrible track record where women were concerned. She knew she’d have her heartbroken at some point in the future. She simply would remain in denial about that until she couldn’t. She’d handle it when it happened, just like she’d always done. In her own way, at her own pace, and no one in the family would ever know a Hart had broken her heart.
Chapter Eleven
On the other side of the tracks, as Tucker Hart liked to say, the Hart family get together was still going strong. The Harts had moved into the town of Hartford during Zeke’s grandfather’s time and kept the farm for cattle and recreation. He’d built a plantation-style home and hired a gardener who planted English style gardens that were still trimmed and tended to this day with great care and at a high cost. The gardens were Phyllis Hart’s pride and joy, along with her boys. Zeke was nursing his second glass of Chardonnay at his mom’s insistence. As always at these gatherings, he longed for a cold brew, but Phyllis Hart thought beer
beneath their standing.
The mayor, Sid Greene, was holding forth on his success at synchronizing the traffic lights in town. Nat sighed deep and loud and was rewarded with a side-ways glance from Phyllis that would wilt a lesser man. Zeke was glad his brother was the brunt of her displeasure this time. It was usually directed towards her oldest, and Zeke was tired of the exalted position.
“It’s looking like the town will be getting some new business.” Tucker’s puffed up chest was a clear indication that he was pleased, for once, with his eldest son’s attempts.
“That deal going through?” Mayor Greene asked Zeke.
“We’re waiting for Walsh’s legal team to rubber-stamp the deal. We could start construction by next quarter.” He was about to say something about Sophie’s part in the deal-making but was interrupted by his father.
“I knew you had it in you, my boy,” Tucker belted out. He slapped his big hand on Zeke’s back. “Put ‘em in the fire and burn off the dross, that’s what I always say. I threw him this bone, and the boy took to it like an old hound dog. Couldn’t be prouder.”
Zeke knew the bragging was for the mayor’s benefit only. His father would never pay him a compliment like that with only the family around.
“Great work, Zeke. The town can use the revenue. Jobs too.”
Zeke translated this to mean more votes for Sid Greene at the next election.
“Could bring over one hundred jobs, if my estimates are correct.” Tucker nodded proudly.
“Good work, bro,” Nat said. Zeke took that as a sincere compliment from his little brother. Nat was the son Zeke wished he’d been. The youngest, Nat, had escaped the relentless push from Tucker. By the time Nat had come along, Tucker and Phyllis had spent about as much energy on their first two sons as they had. Nat was, therefore, not pressured to succeed. And having no pressure, he’d managed on his own quite well.
“Thanks,” Zeke said. “I hear things are going pretty good over at your place of business these days. Rainy says Delilah is behaving herself after you finished with her. That little dog was a menace to society before.”
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