Her Lifelong Dream (19 page)

"I guess it couldn't hurt to look," she said, reeling.

"So, you will think about it?" Jo Anne asked, gleefully.

"Yes," Leedy said. "I'll think about it." It was an idea
that had never occurred to her before, but now that the seed
had been planted, she was starting to like it. Suddenly the
idea of two people with the same dream working together
seemed like the obvious solution to both of their problems.

Jo Anne reached across the table and squeezed her other
hand. "I have a feeling this is the start of something great,"
she said, echoing Leedy's sentiments.

"We have lawyers at the bank who can help you put
together a partnership agreement," Terry offered. "You will
need to present a business plan, and a ..."

"Stop talking like a banker, Terry!" Jo Anne warned.
"I'm too excited to think about the business details. Right
now, I just want to revel in my euphoria!"

"Okay, okay!" he laughed. "But Leedy hasn't agreed to
anything yet. Give her a few days to get used to the idea.
Then she will be able to make up her mind."

"She's already made up her mind," Jo Anne insisted. "I
can tell. And we'll work out all of the details later." Leedy
looked at Jo Anne and smiled. "This is it, kid!" Jo Anne gushed. "What you and I have both been working for! I
know we can make it happen!"

The waitress set down the plates of food onto the table,
but no one seemed hungry. Jo Anne was too excited about
her business proposal and Leedy couldn't seem to take her
eyes off Terry. The events of the evening had become too
much to take in. First Krissy Montgomery was cast away,
once and for all, then Jo Anne made her stunning proposition. And throughout it all, there was Terry. He was sitting close enough for her to feel his firm body next to hers
and smell his fragrant masculine aroma. It was all too much
for her to contemplate in one night.

Jo Anne's face broke into a smile and she suddenly stood
up and stretched across the table so she could give Leedy
an enormous hug. The position was an awkward one so
Leedy had to let go of Terry's hand so that she could span
the distance of the table and return the embrace.

She shut her eyes while they hugged and, suddenly, she
could see the restaurant she had been dreaming of for so
many years. The vision only lasted for a fleeting moment,
but she could see it so clearly, she could almost touch it.
There it was, in an old building with large windows all
around. There were black shutters on the upper-level windows and a dark green canopy framed around the front
door. Leedy knew, just from the outside, that this restaurant
was hers. And she knew it was beautiful. It was grand and
comfortable, elegant and sophisticated, all at the same time,
and the food offered was the best in town. She could barely
see herself standing inside the doorway. But she was not
standing alone. In the doorway to her dream restaurant, Jo
Anne was standing with her. They were both smiling and
waving, welcoming in the hungry patrons. It was a won derful sight, Leedy and Jo Anne together in the doorway
of this grand restaurant. Standing side by side, working to
make their dream come true.

She returned the hug with an enthusiasm that came from
deep inside her. This was the moment when Leedy and Jo
Anne became partners. A union formed by necessity and
sealed with an embrace between friends.

Jo Anne pulled away, wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm
so excited!" she gushed. "This went much better than I
dared to expect." Terry pulled a handkerchief from his
pocket and handed it to her. She softly wiped her eyes,
clutching the soft white cotton as tears spilled down her
cheeks. Then they sat down to talk about the restaurant that
would come to be while they ate their cheeseburgers.

They were sipping a second cup of coffee when Jo Anne
suddenly jumped to her feet. "This has been the best night
of my life," she said. "Well, almost the best ... I'm not
that pathetic! But if you two don't mind, I'm going to go
home and tell my husband the good news."

She pulled on her coat and grabbed her purse before
Terry barely had a chance to get to his feet. "Stay for dessert?" he offered.

"And keep you two dunderheads from finally talking to
each other alone?" Jo Anne exclaimed. "Not a chance!"

Leedy gazed at Terry pensively and saw that he was
smiling gratefully at Jo Anne. "Thanks," he said, helping
her on with her coat. He kissed her on the cheek and gave
her a hug. "I'll call you in the morning and let you know
the time of the first of many meetings."

"No, Terry," Jo Anne said, grabbing him around the neck
and planting a sloppy wet kiss on his check. "Thank you!
You have been wonderful! Neither Leedy nor I could have come this far without your help. And, if we somehow manage to get this thing up and going, you're the one who has
made it all possible."

"Shut up," Terry said, grinning. "I did not do any such
thing. You two are the most resourceful women I've ever
met. You each would have made your restaurant eventually.
I didn't do anything but teach my stupid class."

"That's not the way I see it," Jo Anne said, grinning.
"The three of us are a team now, Terry. I can feel it in my
bones! And we are going to do just fine with our one restaurant." With that, Jo Anne slapped Terry on his rear end,
gave Leedy a bawdy wink and took off out the door before
another word could be said.

"I don't know what to say," she told Terry. "I feel happy
and confused and overwhelmed ... all at the same time."

"Do you like the idea?" he asked. "Because if you feel
the slightest bit of apprehension, you should put it out on
the table now."

"It's not that," she said. "I think Jo Anne and I will make
a wonderful team. We'll work through any snags that might
come up. I know it won't be easy, but we're both smart,
savvy women who understand the restaurant business.
Right? Naivete was never the problem for either of us. No,
I think Jo Anne and I will build a great restaurant together.
And it will be successful too. Heaven knows, we both have
worked hard to get it."

"That's true."

"And we want the same thing. The motivation is there
for both of us."

"And you both are blessed with similar easygoing personalities," Terry pointed out. "If you should happen to disagree on something, you'll both be willing to sit down
and discuss it."

Leedy cocked her head to one side. "Right," she said.
"It's not like I would run out of anyone's office in tears or
anything."

"That was before," he said. "You've changed since
then."

"I have, have I?" she noticed the grin on his face. "Don't
be so sure of that," she warned. "I could cry at the drop of
a hat."

"No," he said. "It was only one little teardrop, and it's
okay to be human. Take your time and think this over before you give Jo Anne an answer. It is your decision and
only your decision. Don't rush into any business arrangement until you have considered every pitfall."

"Don't worry," she said. "I will. But, Jo Anne was right
when she said I had already made up my mind. I have."

"You have?"

"Yes," Leedy said. "Or rather, let's just say my mind is
ninety-eight percent made up."

"You're that certain?"

"Yes. I don't know why, but as soon as Jo Anne said it,
I knew it was a great idea. I can't explain it, but I have a
good feeling about this."

"I can't explain it either," Terry said. "But I do too ...
And I'm notoriously cautious about recommending business partnerships. However, in this case, it just makes good
sense."

They sat there next to each other in the close booth,
despite the recent vacancy in the seat across from them,
and looked at each other. Leedy suddenly became very
aware of the proximity between them. She could feel him, barely touching her body with his, and for a moment she
simply enjoyed the closeness of his body. Neither one
spoke.

She swallowed and took a deep breath. "Look," she said
and winced at the sound of her shaking voice. "I ... um
... There's something I have been meaning to ask you."

"What is it?" he asked.

Leedy was determined to say what she had to say before
she chickened out. "Do you remember my friend from Mr.
Hobo's? Brittany?"

"Yes," he said. "Cute blonde girl, right? She's the one
getting married?"

"Yes," she said. "As a matter of fact, her wedding is
next Saturday and I was wondering if ... I know this is
short notice ... But I was wondering if you ..."

"I would love to," he said. His voice was low and sexy
and he was almost whispering in her ear.

"But you don't know what I was going to ask you yet,"
she said.

"Were you going to ask me to escort you to your friend's
wedding?" he asked.

"Yes. I mean ... if you're not too busy, that is."

"Then, I would love to go," he said again.

"Are you sure?" she said. "Isn't Deanna coming home
for the weekend? I don't want to mess up your plans. I was
going to ask you last week, after class, but ..."

"But Krissy was there?" he asked, finishing Leedy's sentence. Her face flushed and she nodded.

"Are you seeing her?" she asked. She knew she had no
right to ask, but she had to hear the truth from him about
his relationship with Krissy. No matter what it might be.

Terry softly took her by the hand. "I wanted to talk to you after class last week too," he began. "But Krissy asked
for a ride to the garage, and ..."

She looked into his eyes and she saw the familiar expression again. The expression of yearning and passion. It
was a look of longing that made her forget all about Krissy
Montgomery.

"Leedy, you have nothing to worry about with Krissy,"
he said. "I never had any interest in her whatsoever. I've
been wanting to tell you that for weeks, but ..."

"But what?" she asked.

"But you were so dedicated to your restaurant," Terry
admitted. "And you were afraid of what people would think
if we were together. Not that I care about what people
think ..." His hand tightened on hers and he looked at her
mournfully. "It is just that I was not sure if you had room
in your career plans for a monkey wrench like me." He was
looking into her eyes, drinking her up.

Leedy felt her insides ache with desire as she melted into
his arms.

"You wouldn't be a monkey wrench in my plans," she
said, her voice quivering. "As a matter of fact, you would
be helpful. Um ... Jo Anne and I may need some help
filling out all the forms and ... paperwork. You know all
about financial paperwork, right?"

Terry slid closer to her, a soft smile playing on his lips.
"Yes. I know all about forms. I can help you and Jo Anne
with the loan application," he said softly. "The Approval
Committee meets next week. If we work quickly, we can
get the application to them by then."

"Okay," Leedy said, breathlessly. He was so close she
could feel his warm breath and smell his aftershave. Terry
looked into her eyes.

"I'll help you..." he murmured, his voice low. He
reached out and gently touched her chin, caressing it softly.
"I'm sure we can hammer out all the details," he whispered,
just before he kissed her.

His mouth closed over hers, deliciously soft and warm.
Leedy returned the kiss with an urgency that surprised her.
It was as if she had been waiting for his kiss for almost as
long as she had been dreaming of her restaurant. His tongue
hungrily found hers and she felt as if she would explode
with yearning.

"I've been wanting to kiss you again ever since that first
time," he whispered.

"Oh?" she said dumbly, her head in a fog of passion.

"Yes," he said. "I've wanted to kiss you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Ever since the day you walked
into my office." His mouth found hers again and they
kissed for a long, burning moment. "I think about you all
the time. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can't think of anything
but you." He kissed her again, his mouth moving down to
her neck.

"Ahem," a voice said from above them. Leedy and Terry
looked up and saw the waitress standing at the table next
to them, a wide grin on her face. "Can I get you two anything else?" she asked. "More coffee? Some dessert? Or
maybe you're ready for the check?"

His face reddened. "Just the check, please," he said and
Leedy broke into embarrassed giggles. He looked at her
and then he began laughing too.

"We should learn to use some self-control when we're
out together in public," he said, kissing her again.

"I don't know," she said, holding him tightly. "This way
is kind of fun too."

The old bakery building on the corner of Seventh and
Market Streets was more spectacular than either Jo Anne
or Leedy expected. The two-story structure was made of
weathered grey stones, and it sat far back from the street,
but not so far as to be hidden. Although it was more than
one hundred years old, the previous owners had renovated
it in all the important places while not disturbing the building's timeless beauty. The corner building was blessed with
large front windows that overlooked the bustling main
street of downtown Madison.