Quatre

 

December 20

 

Kelly drove to Bazet with Chelsea in Denny’s car. He’d left her the keys for his second vehicle so she wouldn’t have to rent a car. The thoughtfulness and consideration of the Labouve family amazed her.

In Bazet, angels adorned each lamppost. Their gold wings constructed from iridescent garland sparkled in the sunlight. This must be how the residents know it’s Christmas. The weather sure wasn’t an indicator.

“Miss Kelly?” Chelsea held the folder Denny had forgotten at home. He’d called just as they were leaving and asked her to drop it off.

“What is it, honey?”

“What’s it like to live in the mountains? To walk on snow?” Her eyes shone like blue crystals surrounded by long curly lashes.

Kelly couldn’t imagine never knowing the crisp sound of walking on fresh snow or the breathing-taking beauty of gazing up at the snow-capped majesty of the Rocky Mountains. Again she wondered how she would ever feel the Christmas spirit here. She struggled to breathe in the thick humidity.

“Well, hmm. Let’s see. I think living in the mountains is like God telling me every day, ‘Hey, look what I made, look how beautiful this is. I made this for you.’ And walking on snow is fun. It’s a little like walking on sand, but it’s puffier.”

Chelsea giggled, “Puffier’s not a word, is it?”

Kelly resisted an overwhelming urge to reach over and tickle the little girl. Her wide-eyed innocence drew her heart. “I don’t know. We’ll look it up later.”

“I’m going to see the mountains one day. My dad said he would take me on a ski trip when I get older. Only, I don’t want to wait until I get older.”

Kelly smiled. “I understand.” She remembered her first time on the slopes. She must have been four or five. It seemed so long ago.

“There’s Uncle Carroll’s newspaper.” Chelsea pointed to an old brick building. The Bazet Daily Courier was chiseled in stone on the face above the door.

The young girl acted as Kelly’s tour guide showing her the sights of the small town where Denny’s company was located. “My dad’s company is off the end of this street.”

The image of Denny’s crooked smile came to mind. Her attraction to him had caught her off guard. The last thing she expected was to encounter someone who triggered a longing for romance. Brent’s unexpected breakup had made her wonder if she’d ever love again. Her chest clenched when she remembered that she’d agreed to be Brent’s date for the New Year’s charity gala his hospital sponsored. Why had she agreed to attend? Since their breakup last January, she’d only seen him twice—once when her father died and then a few weeks later when he’d taken her to dinner to see if she was OK.

“Turn right here.” Chelsea’s pointed toward the upcoming intersection.

Kelly turned around the corner and toward Denny’s business while Chelsea drummed her fingers against the folder.

He greeted them at the glass door of Labouve Pipe and Supply. The large metal building stood next to acres filled with stands of pipe.

“Welcome to my world, Kelly Shepherd.” He stepped aside for her and Chelsea to enter the reception area. “And how’s my lovely daughter today?”

“I’m good. I’m taking Kelly for a tour of Bazet.” Chelsea returned his hug.

Denny nodded with arched eyebrows. “Are you now? That should take all of one hour or less.”

He glanced up toward Kelly, the left side of his lips curled into his signature smile and his left eye closed slightly as he laughed. The sight did crazy things to her heart.

She calmed her turbulent emotions. “So far it’s been nice.”

Chelsea handed him the folder then turned toward a glass jar of Christmas mints on the receptionist’s desk. “Hello, Miss Earline. You have different ones today.”

“Yep, just bought them yesterday. Here, take a couple.” The black-haired receptionist held the jar out to Chelsea.

She grabbed two of the mints, told Earline thank you, and then headed down the hallway.

Denny pointed with the folder to the woman sitting behind the desk. “Kelly, this is Earline. She’s our receptionist.”

She shook hands with Earline whose hand sat limp in Kelly’s while offering a less-than-welcoming smile. Earline gave a quick hello then turned her gaze back to Denny.

“Earline’s made a fresh pot of coffee. Let’s grab a cup, and you can tell me what you think of south Louisiana so far.” He led her down the hallway where Chelsea had disappeared.

Earline’s nasal voice trailed after them. “Don’t forget, Denny. You have an appointment at ten o’clock.”

“Thanks, Earline.” He directed his attention to Kelly. “The kitchen is just to your right.”

Against the far wall, a large stainless-steel gas stove with six burners, flanked by ten-foot granite counters and a commercial-grade refrigerator filled the space. Chelsea stood with one of the double doors of the refrigerator opened while reaching for a soft drink from the full shelf. The kitchen seemed more like something in a restaurant than in a business. She glanced around shaking her head. “This kitchen is beautiful.”

He grinned, obviously amused by her astonishment. He lifted the coffee carafe and poured dark brown liquid into a paper cup then handed it to her. “Most people are a little surprised when they walk in here. I cook often for our employees and have crawfish boils for our customers. So I like to have good equipment.”

Did she hear him correctly? He cooked? Was this guy for real? The more she learned about him, the more her admiration grew.

He pointed to a chair at one of the five rectangle tables. “So what do you think of Bazet so far?”

“Seems like a nice place.” She sat and placed her sunglasses on the table.

“It is. Carroll likes living here. You couldn’t get him to move to Caneville for anything.”

A glance at the clock showed ten minutes to ten. “Well, perhaps we should get going. There’s touring to do, and you do have that appointment in ten minutes.” She stood.

“How about lunch? Ya’ll could meet me at The Shack.”

She glanced toward Chelsea who stood grinning. “If it’s OK with Chelsea. I promised her lunch today.”

His gaze darted toward his daughter and the smile in his eyes dimmed slightly. “Well, I wouldn’t want to interfere with a girls’ day out.”

“It’s OK, Daddy. You can come.”

“You sure?

“Yep.”

“Then it’s a date. I’ll meet ya’ll at The Shack at noon. My treat. Chelsea do you remember how to get there?”

Chelsea started for the door. “Sure do.”

Kelly followed, and Denny walked behind her toward the front door. When she turned to say good-bye to Denny, she met the receptionist’s glare.

“I’ll see you both at twelve.” He blew Chelsea a kiss and nodded toward Kelly.

There was no imagining the contempt in Earline’s eyes. Especially the way they’d narrowed when Denny revealed their lunch plans.

Somehow, like his mother, Denny had the uncanny ability to make her feel like she’d known him much longer than a day. It surprised her how comfortable she felt around this man and his daughter. Not a good thing.