Part 5 (1/2)
”True enough.” Lauren thought a moment. ”They've always been best friends and helped each other with their stores. If Aunt Hedy had boxes to unpack, I'd expect Morning Glory to help do it.”
”Maybe. Maybe not. Hedy's got a powerful sense of independence. Morning Glory wouldn't want to make Hedy appear weak or incapable to herself or anybody else in town.”
”You're right.” Lauren scratched her head in frustration. ”I can't come to town after all these years and stick my nose into other people's business. Imagine how that'd go over around here.”
”You're family. n.o.body'd blink an eye if you helped your aunt. Fact of the matter, folks would expect it.”
”That's good to know.” She glanced back at Adelia's Delights. ”I'll do my best not to come on too strong or make Aunt Hedy feel uncomfortable.”
”Sounds like the way to go.”
Lauren nodded thoughtfully as she turned to look at the lavender-and-white display of luxurious bathrobes, bath salts, lotions, shampoos, and facial products. All of it appeared wonderfully decadent for a spa day of complete relaxation. A long-haired ginger cat that lay curled up in the folds of a white bathrobe opened one eye, gave a slit-eyed look, and returned to sleep.
”I wish we could solve the problem of Hedy right here and now,” Kent said. ”It seems like maybe she's got some kind of secret.”
”If so, I'll try to find out what.”
”Thanks. For now, best thing we can do is get barbeque and take it to her.”
Lauren glanced up at him, saw his concern, and nodded in agreement. ”You're right. Besides, I want to get back to Hannah.”
”And I want to meet her.”
Everything in Lauren went still as she looked away from him, suddenly wondering how he'd feel about another man's child. ”Do you really?”
”Why wouldn't I?”
She heard the surprise and almost hurt tone in his voice. She quickly tried to read what was in his darkened eyes. ”It's just-”
”She's your daughter. Nothing else matters.”
”Hannah means everything to me.”
He smiled, flas.h.i.+ng his dimples. ”Of course she does. I wouldn't expect anything else.”
She returned his smile, feeling a warm tenderness toward him uncurl deep within her. She'd almost forgotten how that feeling had combined with desire to forge their connection so long ago.
”Let's get some grub.” He gestured toward the cafe.
She was glad he'd broken the direction of her thoughts. The past was the past. ”I can smell delicious barbeque from here.”
”You bet.”
She gave the cat a little wave before she looked up and read ”Chuckwagon Cafe” on the carved wooden sign painted in red and white that hung from hooks above the boardwalk, squeaking slightly as it swayed in the breeze. Red-and-white checked curtains filled the lower half of the large, front windows set in redbrick walls.
”Familiar?” Kent asked as he reached for the doork.n.o.b.
”It hasn't changed a bit.” She smiled at a sudden thought. ”You don't still work here on weekends, do you?”
He laughed, shaking his head. ”Not lately. But Granny Duval still rules the family roost and the Chuckwagon Cafe. If she says jump, everybody asks how high.”
Lauren chuckled, too, as she remembered the silver-haired, iron-willed, honey-sweet grandmother. ”I've never forgotten the great food.”
”How about the tidbits I used to bring you after I got off work?”
Lauren felt her mouth go dry as she slipped back in time again. Kent would drive her up to Lovers Leap where they could be alone, sitting close together in the bed of his blue pickup. He'd feed her tasty morsels one by one from his long fingers and whisper sweet endearments in her ears until all her senses ratcheted into overdrive. Soon other hungers would propel them down onto the old, soft quilts and into each other's arms.
”Remember?” Kent asked again.
”Oh yes.”
She jerked her mind back from the past, remembering all too well. She felt hot and bothered just like in the old days when he knew exactly how much she wanted him and she knew how much he wanted her. Young love. She doubted it could ever arrive unscathed in the here and now, but she felt just as hot and achy right now in Kent's presence. But she needed to keep those feelings as echoes of the past and not something that was in the present, or risk heartache again. Even more, she now had a daughter to consider above all else.
Kent opened the cafe's front door and she stepped inside, hearing bells jingle against the door as it closed behind them. She looked around the long room, noting the high ceilings covered in pressed tin squares and the smooth oak floors. Wagon-wheel chandeliers-old lantern-type globes attached to the outer spokes of horizontally hanging wooden wheels-cast soft light over round tables covered in red-and-white-checked tablecloths. A tiger oak bar with enough dings and scratches to testify to its age stretched across the back of the room with battered oak bar stools in front and a cash register on one end. A window behind the bar revealed a kitchen updated with chrome appliances.
She heard her stomach rumble with hunger as she smelled the delicious scents of the cafe.
Kent chuckled at the sound. ”I feel the same way.”
She smiled in acknowledgment of the fact that he'd always known how she was feeling or what she was wanting. And he'd always done his best to help her achieve her goals. This time it was food.
A group of local folks seated at a nearby table glanced up, then nodded in greeting as they got up and headed for the front door. She didn't recognize any of them, but that didn't mean she might not have known them in the past. People could change appearance with new hairdos and clothes or as time pa.s.sed and they grew older.
”Hold your horses!” a man hollered in a deep, rough voice from the back of the cafe. ”I'll be out in a minute.”
”If I didn't know better, I'd think we were back in high school,” she said in amazement as she glanced around the almost empty cafe.
”I told you the place hadn't changed one iota.”
”I'm glad. There was no way to improve it.”
At the only occupied table, Lauren's attention was caught by the sight of a young woman with strawberry blond hair and a six-year-old with a mane of wild, ginger-colored hair that by looks alone had to be the woman's daughter. Lauren immediately thought of Hannah and felt sudden anxiety at being away from her own daughter for so long. But she'd soon be taking her great food.
”Lauren?” the woman called as she stood up, revealing her tall, willowy body.
”Sydney!” Lauren didn't know any other beautiful Valkyrie types except her old friend the basketball player and rodeo star.
Sydney took several long strides toward Lauren.
The little girl, dressed in blue jeans, a red pearl-snap s.h.i.+rt, and a wide, flashy, rhinestone-studded belt with a large buckle, leaped out of her chair and ran across the cafe.
”Uncle Kent!” She flung her small, muscular arms around his legs, grinning up at him.
”If it isn't my favorite cousin named Storm.” He leaned down and gave her a big hug.
”I'm your only cousin named Storm!” She giggled as she stepped back.