LLOYD, PAUL R. (21 page)

“Why not?” The
young woman ran her right hand through her silken hair.

***

The explosion rocked the coffee
shop, rattled windows and shook the furniture. Micah looked up from the floor
and rolled Barbara off his chest. He stood and checked out the huge hole
occupying the space previously filled by a plate glass window.

Barbara came to his side for a
quick hug before climbing through the window hole. “That’s just not right.”

“Told you that black Lexus was
following us.” Micah reached through the window to brush dust off the back of
Barbara’s blouse.

“How many black Lexus cars travel
between Oak Brook and Naperville during the rush hour?” Barbara brushed dust
from her red hair.

“You guys okay?” Peevy arose from
the shelter of the counter.

“Think so,” Micah said.

“We should buy a gun now.” Barbara
leaned through the window to hug Micah.

“I’m a convicted felon. No weapons.
Don’t need a gun.” Micah stepped back from Barbara and covered a cough with his
hand.

“Why not?” Barbara climbed into the
coffee shop.

“Got my sword and shield.” Micah said.

“You believe in that stuff now,
don’t you?” Barbara coughed several times.

Micah pulled Barbara towards the
door. “Yeah. Dusty in here.”

Peevy wiped her face with a towel.
“Say, Barbara, when will you return to work? I could use the help with Bob gone
and this mess to clean up.”

“Sorry, Peevy. I’ve been busy.”

“I see.” Peevy placed her hands on
her hips.

Barbara took Micah’s arm. “Hey,
we’ve been good. Besides, when I said ‘busy,’ I meant getting kidnapped and
nearly killed.”

“Yeah, you guys were on the news.”
Peevy smiled. “Something about a coffee maid and her wealthy perv.”

Micah asked, “So how come you can
keep the coffee shop open if the owner passed away?”

Peevy gave Micah a cold stare.
“Bob’s attorney is the executor for his estate. She said to continue operations
as normal and deposit the money in the bank. She will handle the bills and
salaries until the estate is settled. I’m serving as manager until the heirs
take over.”

Micah asked, “Isn’t Bob’s family
stepping in right away?”

“He didn’t have any family as far
as I know. He may have some distant relatives somewhere, but there doesn’t appear
to be anyone around here.” Peevy smiled. “Go. I’ll call for help. We’re closed
until I can clean this place.”

Barbara gazed back over her
shoulder at Peevy. “Sorry to run out on you.”

“Police will want to talk to me,”
Micah said.

“What about?” Barbara made eye
contact with Micah.

Micah gestured through the window
hole. “That cop staring at the blown-up Jag in the street will want to talk to
me. Seems I own it.”

“And it’s the
second one you’ve destroyed. Must be a rich perv thing.” Barbara hugged Micah.

***

“This is weird.” Micah sliced
another piece off his horseradish crusted steak and slid it into his mouth. Flames
from the table candles danced in the dully lit room breathing life to a series
of black and white photographs from the nineteen forties. The images showed
young people drinking with men in military uniforms. Micah imagined the guys
enjoying one last fling before shipping overseas to join the World War II
allied invasion of Europe.

“What’s weird? Your steak or the restaurant?”
Barbara poked her fork into her chopped salad and pulled up a chunk of roasted
chicken.

“Us.”

“What’s wrong with us? You’re not having
second thoughts are you?”

“We live together in separate rooms,
and we’ve fallen in love.”

“Those are good things, right?”
Barbara placed another forkful of salad into her mouth.

“Yeah, but we also want to, you
know, pray and grow closer to God.”

“You’re praying enough for the both
of us. Do you mean this living together thing is interfering with your
conscience?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“What do you propose we do?”

“I’m not sure.”

Barbara waved her fork at Micah. “Uhmm,
back up to what I just said. See if you can find a little hint.”

Micah smiled. “You lost me.”

“Not yet, but I’m about to.”
Barbara slid her hand across the table to touch Micah’s hand. “What did I say a
moment ago?”

“You asked me what I… oh, I see…”
Micah took her hand.

Barbara searched Micah’s eyes. “I
understand. We haven’t known each other long. I’m a working girl having a lark
hanging out with a rich dude who swept me off my feet so if you don’t want to
or aren’t ready…”

“No, I’m ready.” Micah lifted
Barbara’s hand to his lips and kissed it. “Almost.”

“Almost?” Barbara pulled her hand
back.

“It’s something Bob said.”

“Which was?”

“He said I was on a quest. That’s
not something that interests me, but now that God got into the act, it appears
to be my fate. However, my main interest in life is clearing my name. Peevy is
almost ready to believe me, but Janice needs to confess she lied.”

Barbara brushed back her red hair
from her face. “What does any of that have to do with us?”

“Nothing except I used to be in
love with Peevy.”

“But you’re not in love with her
now, are you?”

“Yeah, we broke up a lifetime ago over
a lie. But how will I feel if Janice confesses and Peevy wants me back?”

Barbara rolled her eyes. “So you
still have feelings for Peevy O’Malley?”

Micah stared at the ceiling. It was
covered with a tin metalwork pattern painted white. “Let me think. This is a
bit fast for me. No. I don’t think so. I mean, I know I have feelings for you.”
Micah gazed into Barabara’s eyes. “You are super. I love you, Barbara. I love
your red hair and the way your face goes bright red when you are embarrassed
like right now, for example. And I love the way you accept me and believe me
about my past. I couldn’t ask for a better lover.”

“But?”

Micah squeezed Barbara’s hand. “You
know what, Barbara, you’re right. Thank you. It’s not weird. I’m not in love
with Peevy. I still have a warm place in my heart for her, but we could never
get back together. I love you. Only you. We should get married.”

“But?”

“No buts, Barbara. You are my
love.” Micah knelt on the floor. “Will you marry me?”

The wait person, a giant of a man
carrying two large trays, did a somersault as he tripped over Micah. The man’s
head almost bashed against Micah’s. Once they hit the floor, neither man moved.

Micah looked up at Barbara who had
her hand to her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle her laughter. At first, she
was able to keep a smirk partially covered. A giggle hiccupped out followed by
a spray of salad bits. She roared.

By the time Barbara calmed down,
which took a few minutes, the waiter had rolled over and raised himself to a
kneeling position. Barbara looked demurely at Micah. The waitperson mumbled an “excuse
me” and moved on.

Micah smiled as he stared into Barbara’s
deep green eyes. “Should I take your laughter as a yes?”

“Yes, darling, you may.”

Cheers and applause rose up from
around that part of the Oak Brook restaurant.

Micah looked at the people and smirked
before returning his attention to Barbara. “I guess we have an audience?”

“Dearest, you did put on a show
with your dance partner.”

“So that means I have to leave a
big tip?”

The manager appeared above Micah.
“Are you all right, sir?”

“Yes, fine. Sorry, I should have
gotten up by now.”

“May I be the first to congratulate
you, sir?”

“Not until I kiss my intended.”
Micah stepped up to Barbara. He placed a gentle kiss upon her lips and enjoyed
the warmth of her arms placed around his neck as she pulled him in closer and
returned the kiss with passion.

When Micah pulled back, the manager
said, “Congratulations, sir, and you, too, miss.” The manager turned to a waitperson
nearby. “Renaldo, bring Champagne for the happy couple.” Turning back to Micah,
he said, “It’s on the house.”

The wait person brushed bits of
salad and potato off his uniform before scurrying away.

“Guess we’ll have to go shopping
after dinner, Barbara.”

“Whatever for, darling?”

“We’ll need to
place a rock on your left hand.”

***

“Are you admiring the ring or checking
out the light glistening off it?” Micah asked.

“I’m amazed they set it while we
waited.” Barbara flopped on the couch in the living room of the Oak Brook
house. She held her left hand out in front of her. “I guess it pays to be
rich.” Barbara continued staring at the rock on her finger.

“Yes, it pays and you pays. It’s
the way life works.”

“Rich get richer…”

“That’s in books and movies, dear.
You can lose a billion dollars almost as fast as a million.” Micah sat down beside
Barbara and put an arm around her shoulders.

“Have you ever lost a billion?”

Micah kissed her on the cheek. “The
company has. Good economy they go up, bad economy they go down. It’s a cycle
thing. The key is to make sure you remain viable in the bad times so you can
soar when the economy turns your way.”

“I’ll leave the money in your
capable hands, dear. I’m just a coffee girl.”

“Don’t be fooled by me quoting my
dad. I’m just a simple ex-con who knows zilch about business. So what do we do
now?”

Barbara kissed Micah on the lips. “Go
upstairs, I guess.”

“To our bedroom?”

“That’s the thing isn’t it?”

 “I don’t want to push you,
darling. I can wait if you’d like.” Micah kissed Barbara back on the lips.

“It’s not like I’m a virgin.”

“You’re not?” Micah placed a hand
on Barbara’s lap.

“Darling, coffee girls don’t hold
their fire forever. Waiting is for those born agains.”

“So you’re a tainted lady?”

“You’re what, thirty-eight? You’re as
rich as Midas so the odds of you being a virgin are slim, aren’t they?”

“Except for one evening with a
young lady in Phoenix and one night with Denise Appleby, I’m pretty much unspoiled.”

“No kidding?”

Micah massaged Barbara’s leg above
the knee. “Peevy and I were eighteen when we broke up. I know teenagers hop
into bed with each other, but we didn’t. Peevy wanted to wait, so we waited.”

“That was like twenty years ago,
right?”

“Fifteen of them in prison.”

Barabara pulled back. “Eww… we
don’t want to go there, do we?”

“Don’t recommend it.”

Barbara lifted Micah’s hand off her
lap and held it in front of her. “You didn’t … you know… pick up any social
diseases?”

“Nah, my father paid them off.”

“Paid off whom? The other
prisoners?” Barbara returned Micah’s hand to her lap, but a tad higher than it
was before.

“Warden, guards, and a few, select
big prisoners who were compensated to be my, uhm, friends.”

“Your personal guards?”

“Yeah.”

“So you never had to deal with
abusive sexuality in prison?”

“Some characters tried to get out
of line, but I’m not a weakling. I took care of myself. You learn how to defend
yourself in prison. The advantage is I’m a pretty good street fighter if I have
to be. Not many billionaires are, you know. You’re marrying someone very
special.”

“Yeah. A near-virgin male. You’re
not gay are you?”

“Would have saved my father a lot
of money while imprisoned if I was.”

“I bet, but you’re not acting gay
at the moment.” Barbara leaned her head back as Micah moved in for a long,
passionate kiss.

Barbara placed a hand on Micah’s
chest. “So, you’re not kidding, are you?”

“No.” Micah shook his head.

“What about the five years you’ve
been out of prison? You must have run into more than one girl before me?”

“Two girls.”

“Denise doesn’t count. She’s a hag.
Was she good?”

“Never underestimate the sexual
prowess of a devil worshipper.”

“Don’t say another word about her.
I don’t want to hear it.”

“I spent my time caring for my
father. He was sick for a long time before he passed, and I wanted to spend
every moment I could with him.”

Barbara turned sideways in her seat
and rested her head on Micah’s lap. She gazed into his eyes. “So you never
dated?”

Micah caressed her cheek. “Once in
a while somebody from the company would try to play matchmaker, but to be
honest, I wasn’t interested except for one time. She was the aggressor. I was
focused on my father and on hating everything and everybody in the world.”

“Sounds like a lot of hate.”

“And anger.”

“What about now?”

Micah fingered Barbara’s bright red
hair. “Fair question. I came to Naperville to see if it was possible to clear
my name and earn a living on my own.”

“So your name isn’t cleared, and your
fixer-upper burned down. I’d say you’re oh for two.”

“One for three.”

“Weren’t there two things?”

Micah caressed Barbara’s cheek. “The
third was a surprise. Finding you makes me a winner. I don’t care what the
score is.”

Several minutes into the passionate
necking that followed, Barbara pulled back and said, “Doesn’t matter.”

“What, that I’m almost a virgin?”

“No, that matters. What doesn’t
matter is the sleeping arrangement in this house. I’m yours right here on this
couch. No need to go upstairs.”

“How soon do you think we can be
married?” Micah planted another kiss on Barbara’s red, wet lips.

“Couldn’t we fly somewhere and marry
right away. Tonight?” Barbara’s voice was husky.

“Yes. But I have a feeling we
should wait. And we should wait for the sex, too.”

Barbara sat up and leaned back
against Micah. “Why should we wait?”

“Darling, I’m a guy who doesn’t
believe or is just learning to believe or doesn’t yet understand what’s with
God, but I’m hearing a lot from him. I think God wants us to speak with Pastor
Fromritz about our wedding plans.”