School’s finally out. I race home to grab a quick bite and then rush over to work. I run upstairs and change into the Rapunzel outfit. The purple dress is perfect. All I’m missing is my prince and a frying pan. Fernando has outdone himself again. Behind the glass are cupcakes with the most gorgeous roses made of frosting I have ever seen. There are roses of every color imaginable. I send a Snap to JuneBug. “Everything’s coming up roses…. Not…”
She Snaps me back. “You’re so cheesy!”
“I’m Goud-a!” I snap back.
I rush to the back to congratulate Fernando and find him and his wife lip-locked. Puke-in-a-bucket. This is sooo embarrassing. I back up, bumping into pots and pans and making all kinds of noisy clatter.
They break apart slowly. His wife giggles like a schoolgirl. “It’s our anniversary! Did you see all the beautiful flowers my Fernando gave me? Aren’t I the luckiest woman in the world?”
Pretty hard to argue with that. “Yes, they are beautiful. I would say you are a very lucky woman indeed.” They start kissing again, and I turn around and march right out of the kitchen. It’s very impressive they are still so in love, but it’s just weird. They’re like, old.
An impulse of generosity comes on, and I choose not to curb it. I cough and pop my head in. “How about you two cut out early tonight for your anniversary? I think I can manage until closing time.”
Fernando looks at me. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. I’ve totally got it. No worries.” I give them two thumbs-up.
The lovebirds leave, and I’m left alone to run the cash register and wait on customers. Fortunately, it’s a slow day and not too hectic. About half an hour before closing time, Oliver strolls in. He walks up and down the display case and looks at each cupcake carefully. I tire of waiting for him to decide and head to the back to snag a cup of coffee and some creamer.
He finally chooses a cupcake. It’s my favorite rose. How does he know these things? He pays and his hand brushes mine. Electricity flies between us. It’s pure torture. I hand the cupcake over. “This one’s my favorite,” I grudgingly admit.
His eyes light up. “Really?”
I nod. “Yep.”
He gets all shy. “Could I, uh, can I maybe have a cup of coffee?”
I can’t help but smile. He’s being so sweet. “Sure. Since you’re my only customer and all, I suppose I’ll make an exception just this once.”
He winks at me. “You know it.” He swaggers over to a table. I tear my eyes away and go to the back for the coffee.
I bring it out to him. “Here you go.”
He looks up at me with his killer brown eyes. “Thanks. Do you have any cream and sugar?”
“Yep.” I walk to the back once more. I pull the fancy pitcher of creamer from the fridge and a lidded container of sugar. I set them on his table.
His hand brushes mine again. It’s wonderful. “Thank you.”
I nod and turn to busy myself with washing down the counters. I mop the floor. All this time, Oliver sits there, calm as can be. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone eat a cupcake as slowly as he is right now. He’s a super sexy eater, or I’ve gone a little bonkers.
His plate is empty. I take it. He holds onto his half-full coffee cup, fumbles in his bag, pulls out a book, and starts reading. Great. He’s just going to sit here in silence while I work. Every once in a while, he picks up his coffee and takes a sip. I try to shut him out, but he’s one fine, distracting specimen. I clean all the windows.
I glance at the clock on the wall. “It’s time to close shop.”
“Can I stay? I’ll just sit here with my book.” It’s an honest request, but how can I trust such a player? My heart flip flops every time I look at him. Against my better judgment, I follow my heart.
I flip the OPEN sign to CLOSED and then the locks. “I’m just going to finish up in back.” It takes a little time to clean up the back before heading back to the front to count the money in the register to make sure it all balances out. I write up a report and leave it on Fernando’s desk.
I step toward the front door. “I’m done. It’s quitting time.”
Oliver puts his book in his backpack. He reaches in and pulls something out. It’s a pen with a head on it shaped like a rose. “Here. I brought you a flower that won’t wilt.”
My heart skips a beat. “Thank you.”
He takes my hand in his. He grazes the back of my hand with his thumb, giving me the shivers. “Dance with me.”
I giggle nervously. “There’s no music.”
He gets his phone out and starts playing “All I Want is You” by U2. It’s incredibly romantic. I walk into his arms. We dance, and I lean my head on his shoulder. His hands stay on the small of my waist. I want this moment to last forever. I find myself longing for his kiss, yet he doesn’t try anything. The song ends, but we continue dancing for another fifteen to twenty minutes, swaying to the sound of silence. I glance at my watch hand that rests on his shoulder.
“Crap. I gotta go. I’ve got homework.”
“Right. I just wanted your first dance here to belong to me.” His lips are so close to my ear, I feel his warm breath. He’s so hot.
I’m tongue-tied for all eternity. This boy makes me melt like butter. It’s so not fair! “Well. Um.. I need to lock up.”
He leans back just a little and gives me a dimpled grin. “You already did that.”
“Right, I mean, I need to unlock and then lock it again.”
I unlock the doors and we leave the shoppe. I lock them again from the outside. I stare inside a few seconds and commit our dance to memory. I know every time I walk in the shop, I’ll remember.
He takes my hand and lifts it over my head. I do an ungraceful twirl as he pulls me toward him and lays the softest of kisses on my lips. “Goodnight, Katy-did.” He keeps a hold of my hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I touch my fingers to my lips, whispering back, “Night, Oliver.”
He pinches my pinky finger just a little. “Tell your boyfriend I say hello.” He lets go of me and swaggers away, whistling. The flamin’ turd! He totally knew what he was doing the whole time, and I fell for it. So hard.
I’m speechless. I stomp over to my dad’s truck and lean on the door as I shamelessly stare at smokin’ hot Oliver. I don’t know how long I can fight his charm. He could give Zac Efron lessons. I’ve never felt so cherished. Even though Oliver’s a huge, shameless brat, I drive home on cloud-9. I think of calling JuneBug to tell her, but I decide against it. Some moments I want just for me. I get home and run upstairs, taking two at a time. I reach the top step and it registers.
I Snap JuneBug. “My mom is making out on our couch!”
“Take a picture!”
“Absolutely not!”
I race back downstairs. Sure enough, there sits my mom with Mr. Handyman. Or should I say handsy man? I clear my throat. They separate.
I try to level him with my eyes as I stand over him. “Jack. What are you doing here?”
My mom buttons the top of her shirt. My eyes shoot to the ceiling. “Um. Jack came over to check on the plumbing.”
Seriously. Could you at least try to talk in code? Wow. “Is that so? And tell me, Jack, how is the plumbing? Does the drain need snaked or anything?”
I should really bite my tongue. That was uncalled for. My mother is a grown woman, and yet somehow the tone of this conversation is over her naïve, unassuming, angel brain.
Jack cocks his head at me and chuckles while he covers his mouth with his hand. “Nope. Drain is all clear, I think. I haven’t had a chance to check it yet.”
I squint my eyes at him. “Well. Thank goodness for that. Sometimes drains are better left alone. I mean, they have a tendency to take care of themselves.”
My mom looks at the two of us like we are aliens. “Excuse me? What’s all this talk about drains? Do you know something I don’t, Katie? Is there something wrong with our drain? Which one? The tub or the kitchen sink?”
I shake my head vigorously. “Um, no. Mom. Probably not. I was just checking in with Jack, here. That’s all.” I go back up the stairs, mortified that I just spoke in sexual code about my mom like she’s a naïve preschooler, and it turns out she pretty much is. Wow.
I’m even more shocked Handyman Jack answered in kind. Will wonders never cease. I suppose he thinks I’m a silly over-protective daughter and that my mom can take care of herself. And I imagine she can. She’s going to have to learn to. But she’s so trusting, and I don’t want to see her hurt again. My dad was such a bloody wanker.
I sit in my room on my bed and moon over the dance and the whisper kiss. Oliver has got some serious moves. I know I should be more worried, but right now, I’m just basking in his attention. It’s about this time that I look down and realize I’m still wearing the purple Rapunzel gown. Wow. I really can’t keep my head around the guy.
I hear the front door shut. I know I should leave some things alone, but I find I can’t. I rush down the stairs in all my purple Rapunzelness and fly out the front door to catch Jack as he climbs into his old pick-up truck. I run up to his window and wait as he rolls it down. “I’m serious, Jack. Leave the drain alone. My mom, um, hasn’t known many snakes. I’d like to keep it that way.”
Jack looks me at with a devilish grin. “Your mom is a grown woman, Katie. She can make up her own mind.” He winks at me. “Don’t worry darlin’, I’ve never gone where I wasn’t invited.”
Ugh. The guy might be good looking, and he might be a relative of JuneBug’s, but I don’t have to give him any breaks. “My mom’s had a hard time, Jack. She’s on the rebound. She’s not a one-night-stand kind of person. Steer Clear.”
Jack laughs as he backs out of my driveway. He knocks on the side of his truck door with his hand as he backs out, giving me a cool pointer finger wave and a wink. I fight the urge to flip him the bird. Mom raised me better than that. I’m not sure I want him to come back.