Page 61 of Lorna's Savior
He set a heavy-looking pan on the stove. “This is cast iron. My mother gave it to me when I moved here. It’s been in the family for generations.”
“Wow, a pan can last that long?”
“As long as you condition it after each use, then yes. And they are terrific to cook in. I’ve read the recipe and this will work just as well as a stockpot. Actually, I think it’s better. I remember my grandmother making fried chicken in a skillet like this.” After looking at the ingredients, he began mixing the coating for the chicken, all the while talking Lorna through how to mix up the sauce for the coleslaw. By the time they were ready to eat, both of them were starved, and a little giddy. They’d drunk two glasses of wine while they cooked.
“Oh my, that looks fabulous,” Lorna said as they sat down at the table.
“And smells even better.” Andy grinned. He picked up the platter of chicken and passed it to her. While she selected her piece, he dished up the rest of the food. They looked at each other as they both held a piece of chicken and bit into it together.
“Holy Monk balls, this is delicious,” Lorna moaned, and took another bite. They didn’t speak again until they’d eaten their fill, then sat back and patted their stomachs.
“That was excellent,” Andy said as he looked at their empty plates, and the food left over. “Looks like there’s enough for both of us to have lunch tomorrow. If you don’t mind that I take some home with me?”
“Not at all. When I can move, I’ll pack it away for us. You’ll just have to pack a lunch from here in the morning.”
“You’re going to let me stay?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe we can have a full night together. If you recall, you’ve left me twice.”
“And you left me once.” Lorna pointed out.
“Touché. Maybe we can make it all night tonight, but I’m not putting any pressure on you to have sex. Just sleeping with you in my arms is fine with me.”
Lorna’s heart melted when he said that. Rising from her chair, she went to him, and walked right into his arms. She refused to step away for several minutes. She sighed when he wrapped his arms around her and held on tight. When they stepped back from each other, she looked at him, and whispered, “I’d like that.”
Chapter 25
The night Lorna and Andy cooked fried chicken together set up the parameters of their relationship. They were practically living together. However, they didn’t spend all their time in just one apartment. They alternated days and nights. When Lorna would leave for her job, Andy would go to his home office and work on his current cases. Since closing the case for Marvin, he’d been able to keep busy with new cases coming in almost every week. Some were cut and dried, while others required more work. But so far, nothing had been as intense as the Marvin case.
Several weeks into the new relationship, Andy answered his cell phone without checking the caller ID.
“Ball Investigations.”
“Mr. Ball, this is Marvin Hepplewaite.”
“Oh, hey, how is everything?” Andy said then frowned as he scratched his head. “I thought the case was closed.”
“It is, and I thank you for the plethora of information you were able to gather. I’ve now realized the last investigators I hired had been turned on by Kristen’s charm. I know this for a fact, because I called and asked them.”
“Okay.” Andy stretched his legs out beneath his desk, and leaned back in his chair. “If you’re happy with everything, why are you calling me now?”
“Because, I’d like you to run an extensive background check on my daughter, Lorna.”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry, Marvin, but I can’t say it any plainer than that. I will not do it.”
“May I as why?”
“Honestly? Because I’m dating her. We are in an exclusive relationship.” Andy paused and sat forward. With his elbows on the desk, he drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s bad enough if she finds out I investigated her mother. I already know there will be hell to pay because of that. However, I never used her to garner any of the information I presented to you. I received all my intel from the staff working for Kristen. The only thing I used Lorna for was what you heard her say on the tape.” He paused and sipped his coffee, before he continued. “I have a fear if she finds out, the shit will hit the fan. I’m not looking forward to that. So, no, I will not investigate Lorna.”
“Thank you for your honesty. I have to ask, how serious is your relationship?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, Sir, but I’m in love with her. I plan to ask her to marry me soon.”
