Page 44 of Patio Lanterns

After putting the key back into its rightful slot, Mrs. Crawley took down a box of condoms and added them to the bag. “Take these too.”

What the heck? “But I just bought some.”

“My eyes may not be what they used to be, but I know what I saw between you and that Hunter fellow.”

Robin gulped. “I—I uh… I was talking to him, yes. We’re neighbours.”

“I wasn’t born yesterday, child,” she said, making the understatement of the century. “Do you even have the slightest idea what you’re doing with an older man like that?”

Robin shook her head, trying to reassure her. “I think there’s been some misunderstanding.”

“Oh?” she said. “Then I suppose you can use the extra prophylactics to make party balloons.”

“You don’t understand. I’m telling you, I really don’t need—”

“Take them,” she insisted. “What do you kids say these days? Wrap it before you tap it?”

Robin’s jaw dropped. “Mrs. Crawley!”

“For all I know, you and Hunter are probably already going at it like rabbits,” she mumbled with disdain. “He was in here earlier and bought a box then, too.”

He did? She wondered if that was why Crawley had such a sudden hate-on for Rick. But that still didn’t make sense. After all, he had to be the sweetest guy in all of Lake Whippoorwill.

“At this rate, I’m going to have to re-stock before the weekend,” Mrs. Crawley grumbled.

Crawley’s was the last place Robin expected to encounter resistance to her romance with Rick. She’d told him last night that she didn’t give a shit about what others thought, but now the risk of running afoul of Mrs. Crawley niggled at her. Clearly, she did care. At least a little. Maybe it was because she actually cared about Rick.

She placed her hand over the old woman’s. “I’d really appreciate it if you don’t mention this to anyone, please? Can we just keep this between us girls?”

With a distant, almost mystical look in her clouded eyes, Mrs. Crawley stared deeply into Robin’s soul, holding her gaze for what felt like an eternity before snapping out of her trance-like state. “I won’t say a word,” she promised. “But please, for the love of all that’s good and holy, child, be careful. Or suffer a fool’s consequences.”

15

Rick

What had she done to him? Days ago, he’d had a perfectly fine, peaceful existence, unable to fathom anything better than the life of solitude he’d found at the cottage.

And then, Robin walked in. She not only changed the air in the room, she rearranged all his molecules.

She had opened his eyes to a spectacular universe of colours he didn’t know he’d been blind to, having wasted hundreds of worthless evenings living alone in his drab grey world. He’d woken up from a long hibernation feeling like a whole new man.

Well, part man, part lovestruck buffoon, really. His head was filled with all sorts of romantic, candlelit scenarios that ended with him sweeping Robin off her feet. He’d been drawn into her orbit, enticed by her celestial body and heavenly smile, but now, he was captivated by each and every one of her ethereal charms.

Everything Robin had to say the night before had shaken him up. But she was right. There was no denying that they’d clicked. And the uncommon connection they had really was like catching lightning in a bottle. He’d be a fool to pass up being with her, even for just a few more precious days, because he sure as hell wasn’t getting another chance like it in this lifetime.

Women had come and gone from Rick’s life after his divorce, especially back when he was still a player in every sense of the word. As he matured, he became more selective about his girlfriends and was content to settle into longer-lasting relationships. Six months. A couple of years. Eight and a half years had been his longest and most recent, although that had come to an end coming up on three years ago. He found comfort in being committed to one person at a time, even if none of those relationships were built to go the distance. He liked the stability, the security, the trust, and, quite honestly, it was nice to take his foot off the gas and relax into the idea of being himself without the pressure to constantly impress.

With Robin, he’d been his authentic self from the beginning, and he liked that she seemed to like him for who he was. She was a breath of fresh air, free-spirited, and fun. Heaven knows he needed more Robin Pelletier in his life.

Eager to get to know her better, he wanted to ask her out. For a real date. He hadn’t done that in years, definitely not since he’d moved to the lake, and it immediately put a flutter of nerves in his chest. Back in the day, when he had game, getting a date was never a problem. Of course, it used to be as easy as buying a girl a drink to get her number or sending flowers to win her over. Even if Lake Whippoorwill had a florist, which it didn’t, roses probably wouldn’t have done the trick with Robin anyway. She didn’t strike him as a flowers kind of girl.

Speaking of Miss July, she finally came out of the store and approached the Jeep, carrying a bulging paper bag.

“Groceries?” he asked, as she handed it to him. He tucked the bag behind her seat as she hopped in.

“Oh, that’s just my mail,” she answered. She pulled the seatbelt across her body and clicked in. “And a box of condoms. They’re a gift from Mrs. Crawley, who seems to think you’re quite a randy fellow.”

“Me?” He started to laugh. “Oh, Christ. It’s got to be because I bought condoms when I stopped by earlier.”

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