Chapter Eight

Aubrey pulled into the parking lot of Tess’s church. The little plaza had once been home to nearly a dozen small businesses, now it held three: a payday loan type business, a liquor store and a little church.

She opened the door to be greeted by gospel music and plenty of voices. Tables had been set up at the back of the room. Church members worked the tables, collecting money they hoped to use one day as a down payment on a church building.

She spotted Tess and walked over to her table.

“Where are these raspberry and cream cheese brownies you keep talking about?”

“They’re blackberry and cream cheese and I have one baggie left.”

She held up a clear plastic bag by one corner. “Six delicious brownies. And they freeze well.”

“Sold.” She started to pull out her wallet, then paused. “I’ll take the pineapple upside cake, too.”

Tess’s brown eyes widened. “I’ve never known you to have much of a sweet tooth.”

“I was going to give it to Jim and his dad.”

“Oh?” One dark eyebrow raised in question.

Aubrey knew she was blushing. Her cheeks were on fire. “I went with him yesterday when he was taking some pictures. It was nice. I just wanted to thank him.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It was.”

Tess glanced around before motioning Aubrey closer. “Did he ask for a little something else as a thank you?”

“Tess. You’re in a church.”

Her friend shook her head. “Go to the table at the end,” she whispered, “and see if she has any pineapple upside down cake left. I have no idea what Becky puts in them but they are incredible. The boys and I already bought one.”

Aubrey was thrown by the sudden change in topics. Apparently it showed on her face because Tess laughed. “I plan on getting all the details, girlfriend, I just want to make sure you get the right cake to impress him. Get it and get back here.”

Feeling somewhat bemused, she headed to the other table.

She waited in line at the last table, hoping one of Becky’s cakes would still be there. When they’d stopped to eat on the way home Jim had told her his mother’s specialty had been pineapple upside down cake.

After buying the last cake—must be save the last one for Aubrey day—she returned to Tess’s table.

“Give me the details, girlfriend.”

Aubrey shrugged, trying for nonchalance. “We have a date tonight.”

Tess frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’s a date, not a lifetime commitment.” Why couldn’t Tess just be happy for her?

Tess’s face softened. “Are you looking forward to this date? You’re not feeling pressured or guilty?”

“Why would Jim pressure me to go on a date? He’s a good looking man. He was dating a woman who looked like a model. I don’t think he’d have any trouble finding another date if I’d said ‘no.’”

After glancing around to make sure no one was listening, Tess said “You are pretty and you’re sweet and smart. Of course he wants to spend time with you. I want you to be happy, Aubrey, but let’s face it, he split up with his girlfriend on Wednesday and now he’s asking you out. I don’t want to see you get hurt by someone who’s on the rebound.”

****

Aubrey opened the door. Jim let out a whistle. “You look even more beautiful than usual.”

She pressed her lips together to contain her joy and looked at the floor to hide her blush. The navy blue dress was one of the ‘fat dresses’ she used to accommodate the extra fluid before dialysis.

He ran his fingers over her hair. “This is the first time I’ve seen it loose. It’s lovely.”

“I got something for you and your dad. I thought you’d want to wait until you dropped me back off to pick it up.”

His hand reached the end of her hair and rested at her waist. “You’ve got me curious.”

“Oh, it’s just a pineapple upside cake. I was at a church bake sale and I remembered you saying your mother used to make them and I just thought…” she shrugged.

He pressed his palm against the small of her back, bringing her closer. The fingers of his free hand caressed her cheek. “Beautiful and sweet.”

His lips brushed her temple, then her cheek. He straightened abruptly. “If I keep this up we’ll never get to dinner.”

He took her to Cracker Barrel, one of her favorite restaurants. She tried to keep the fluids to a minimum, but the waitress kept topping off the water glass making it easy to lose track of how much she’d had.

She squirmed a little at first, nervous. But as the evening went on she relaxed.

“My mother passed away six months ago,” Jim said, as their waitress placed the main course on the table. “My folks were married for forty-three years. I knew my dad would be lost without her.”

“And so you moved back home?”

“It wasn’t intended to be permanent. I was tired of the West Coast and ready to come back here for a while. I thought I’d help him pack up Mom’s clothes and donate them. Help him get through those first weeks without her.”

“And now?” she asked. She could fall in love with him, she knew that from the way her heart flew around in her chest whenever he was near. Please stay, she wanted to beg.

“Apparently my dad thinks it’s permanent. He keeps suggesting places where I can put in for a ‘real’ job.”

“But I thought photography was how you made your living.”

He nodded. “I make a living with my camera. I’m not rich but I do okay. I think my dad figures that as long as I’m not locked into place by a job I might just get up and go.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I thought it was, but now… My dad and I’ve grown close lately. I know he’s lonely and he likes having me there. He doesn’t like living alone.” He drained his water glass and set it back down on the table. “I guess I feel a little resentful at times. I’m thirty-four. I’m supposed to be living my own life. Then I feel guilty for thinking that way.”

He laughed without any humor. “I’ve spent the last ten minutes spilling my guts. What about you? What happened to you after your parents died?”

“Nothing very amazing. I went to live with my grandfather. My grandmother died when I was little, so it was just me and my grandfather, living in the apartment over the shop.”

“No siblings?”

“Two older brothers. One’s a cop in Houston and the other’s a soldier in Afghanistan.”

“Are you close?”

“More so now than when we were kids.”

Switching to something a bit lighter he told her about growing up on a small ranch in Wyoming until he was eleven.

After dinner he took her home, walking with her up the outside stairs. When she fumbled the keys trying to get them in the keyhole, he took them from her, opened the door, and held it back for her.

Now what? she thought. It had been over a year since she’d had a date. She supposed she could offer him something to drink, but she’d already gone way over on her fluids this weekend. Of course she could just pretend to drink hers.

He stepped behind her, sliding his arms around her waist and drawing her close. His lips found the responsive little spot below her ear, grazed the spot with the gentlest of kisses then gave it a little nip.

She leaned her head back against his shoulder. His ministrations moved down to the curve where her neck met her shoulder. She let out a soft moan. His hand moved to her breast, cupping it gently as his thumb brushed over the nipple.

She whimpered, wanting to turn, but trapped by the strength of his arms.

“You have the softest hair and skin,” he murmured.

She wriggled until he loosened his hold, then turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. Between the cold outside, and the heat he was creating inside, her nipples were stiff little points. Her breasts ached and she pressed against him hoping for a little ease.

His hands cupped her bottom, lifting her from the floor and pressing her tight against his body. The apex of her thighs snuggled the ridge of flesh pressing against his zipper.

Oh, it had been so long. She had almost forgotten how wonderful that delicious tension felt. She would have been happy to spend eternity kissing him.

She didn’t realize he had slipped one hand beneath her dress until his fingers dipped into her panties.

“Tell me you’re on birth control,” he whispered in her ear.

His question acted like a bucket of cold water. Her libido slammed on the brakes. She shook her head, breaking their kiss. She hadn’t been on the pill in two years, maybe a little longer.

“We barely know each other,” she stammered.

He rained quick, warm kisses across her face. “We can change that.”

“You just broke up with your girlfriend a couple of days ago. You could be on the rebound.”

“Trust me, I’m not on the rebound.”

“And I’m not on the pill.”

He cupped her cheek. “Any condoms?”

She shook her head.

“Okay. I could drive to the pharmacy.”

“No,” she said, her voice so low even she couldn’t hear it. She pressed her hands flat against his chest. “I like you. I had a goodtime yesterday and tonight. It’s just things are moving a little faster than I’m comfortable with.”

His chest swelled as he took a deep breath and let it out in a ragged exhale.

“Not happening tonight. Gotcha.”

“Are you angry?”

The harsh lines across his forehead faded and a smile touched his lips. “I’m disappointed as hell, but no, I’m not angry.”

Some of the tension let go of her shoulders. Would he ask her out again?

His lips brushed hers. “And on that note, I’ll take my upside down cake and say goodnight.”

****

His father was sitting at the kitchen table when Jim returned home.

“Why do I suddenly feel like you’re going to tell me I missed my curfew and you’re taking the car keys?”

His father laughed. “I tired to go to sleep. Just kept tossing and turning. Anyway, it was your mother who always waited up when you had a date. Couldn’t sleep ’till she knew you were safe and sound.”

Jim set the cake on the table. His father leaned forward to look at it. “Pineapple upside down cake?”

“Aubrey bought it for us at a church bake sale. I’d mentioned that Mom used to make them.”

“Your mother used to put just a little bit of sour cream in the batter and a tiny bit of brandy and orange juice in the pineapple part. That was how her mother used to make ’em. The two of them took the prize at the county fair every year back when we lived in Wyoming.”

Jim glanced at the half-full carafe sitting on the coffee maker’s warming plate.

“Coffee still hot?”

His dad nodded. “It’s unleaded. Can’t drink the good stuff this late at night.” A grin split his face. “It would go pretty well with a slice of that cake.”

Jim opened cabinets and drawers, pulling out paper plates, forks and a cup for himself.

“You and you’re lady friend have a nice time?”

Jim chuckled. “Yeah, she’s a sweet lady.”

“You gotta hang on to the sweet ones. Your mother was a pretty girl, but she was also sweet. And she knew how to handle life. ‘Hard work and prayer,’ she used to say.”

He looked up as Jim set a slice of cake in front of him. James broke off a forkful and put it in his mouth. Tears glazed his eyes.

“Dad, you all right?”

His father nodded and swallowed the bite of cake. “Sour cream,” he said. “Sour cream and brandy.”