Page 35 of Home Body
Speechless, she impulsively stood on tiptoe and kissed him, a gentle show of her gratitude. “Thank you, Bart. That’s the sweetest thing any man has ever said to me.”
For his part, Bart slowly wrapped his arms around her waist to draw her closer. He lowered her head to kiss her deeply, passionately. Kenyon found herself melting in his arms.
“Hey, look!” someone exclaimed. “It’s the lovebirds!”
They looked up to see a couple that had been in the bar. The couple waved and the woman threw them a kiss.
“They’ll be married in no time,” the woman told the man as they walked away.
“I have to go,” Kenyon said, forcing herself out of Bart’s arms.
“I know. I’ll get my car and be out front.”
Suddenly shy, she nodded and trotted up to the hotel. Half an hour later she and Jessa were in his car and not long after she was saying goodbye to the man that a drunken crowd at a Tiki bar in a tropical haven far, far from home thought would soon be her spouse. When she said goodbye to him, she felt certain she’d never see Bart the Bartender again.
CHAPTER 21
Dalia hadn’t seen Rose’s father since the day six years earlier when she’d told him she was pregnant. Every once a great while a thought of him would flash across her mind. It would occur to her that the man had no idea what he was missing by not wanting to have anything to do with his own child.
Rose was such sheer joy. But he’d never know that. All those years ago, when he found out Dalia was pregnant, he’d told her he didn’t have time for a kid. It was her senior year of high school; they’d been dating for six months; and he was a freshman in college.
He and Dalia had gone to the same school where he’d been a big-time football star. He was a year ahead of her. All the girls drooled over him. So when he asked Dalia out, she’d been thrilled, being only sixteen after all. She’d been head-over-heels in love. He’d been screwing two other girls as well as her, as it turned out.
He’d gone on to be a football standout in college and had graduated to the pros. Dalia didn’t watch football, but she did know he’d since married and had a child as well as another out-of-wedlock child. At least, that was according to the gossipin town. He didn’t live there anymore, though, playing for the Miami Dolphins. That was a long way away. Good riddance, she thought.
“Mommy,” Rose said, interrupting Dalia’s thoughts, “I don’t want you and Grammy to come with me tomorrow when I learn to flip and stuff.”
“You don’t? Why not?”
“Cuz I wanna do it myself. Then when I get real good you can come and watch my show.”
“You’re going to have a ‘show’?”
“Ah huh. Me and the other kids. It’s called…” Rose had to think about that “…it’s called a extra-bittion.”
“Maybe an exhibition?”
“Yeah. That’s what I said. A extra-bittion.”
Dalia and Mamie exchanged knowing glances. Their little girl was reaching that stage when a child wants to test independence. They hadn’t expected that so soon, as Rose was only five. But the girl had always done everything early – walking, talking, reading. The grownups supposed they shouldn’t be surprised.
“Okay, honey,” Dalia said. “We’ll wait for the exhibition, unless you change your mind and want us to come sooner.”
“I won’t.”
They walked down the sidewalk on Main Street in town, Farmdale bustling with activity for a Monday morning. Since her encounter with Brody on Friday night, Dalia’s weekend had passed quickly on one hand, what with Farmer’s Market on Saturday and a busy day baking on Sunday. But the time had crawled with her ache to see Brody. He’d called to tell her he’s been sent out of town to track down a thief who got away. She hoped that was true and that she hadn’t misjudged him as a good guy. Something told her there truly was a bad guy out there about to get caught.
She and her mama and her daughter had visited the gymnastics studio, having taken a tour of all its facilities. Rose had been thoroughly enchanted, asking question after question. Her class would start the next day.
Dalia and Mamie had quickly figured out that the “scholarship” Llayne O’Brien had told them about had been paid for by Llayne herself. While talking to the owner, they pretended not to know that, doing Llayne the favor of respecting her desire for privacy. Still, they greatly appreciated the gesture and made the owner promise to thank the “anonymous” giver.
After touring the studio, Dalia promised Rose a chocolate malt at the soda fountain in the Farmdale Drug Store. They’d left the studio and were walking the two blocks to the pharmacy when they passed the empty shop with a sign in the window saying, “Closed. Under construction.”
Dalia paused, reading the sign she’d seen a hundred times. The building was owned by the mayor and president of Farmdale Bank, Vik Van Natter. He and Dalia had a deal that as soon as she’d earned enough money, Mama Mamie’s Bakery would become a reality. He’d been saving the space for her, a very generous thing for him to do considering Dalia suspected he could have rented it out by now. She also suspected the rent he’d quoted her was below market value.
“Come on, love.” Having walked ahead, Mamie stopped, turned around, and coaxed her daughter. “It’s all right.”
Dalia looked at her watch. “You two go on. I need to stop at the bank. I’ll be there shortly.”
