Lulu's Loves (6 page)

“So?” the bartender asked.

“So?” I repeated.

“Where ya from? I’m a bartender, people talk to me. You ain’t talking, so I guess I have to ask.”

“Jacksonville, Florida,” I replied.

He turned to fix a drink for someone who’d just walked up to the bar. A few minutes passed and he returned to me.

“What brings you to Kiawah?”

“Peace and quiet,” I replied.

“Well, you won’t find that here,” he laughed. “Thom keeps it hopping, even when no one’s here. He’s a tad hyper,” he whispered loudly as the swinging door flew open again.

Thom deposited a plate in front of me. “Did he say I was hyper?” he asked, cocking his head toward the bartender.

I didn’t answer. I lifted the top bun up from the sandwich. Thom put his elbows on the bar watching me.

“Lettuce, tomato,” I pulled the onions off.

Thom reached over and put them back on. “Won’t be the same without them.”

“I don’t care for onions.”

“It won’t be the pub special if you don’t at least try it,” he said watching me.

I continued exploring. “Cranberries, Bleu cheese, hamburger.”

“Nope.”

“Turkey?” I asked.

“Nuh unh.”

“I give up,” I laughed.

“Pork,” he said. “Now take a bite.”

I cut the sandwich in half. Picking up a piece, I bit into it. As I chewed, the flavors came alive in my mouth. I left the onion. I picked at the French fries that accompanied the sandwich. I took another bite, and then another. Half was all I could eat. “Wow! That was delicious. Can I wrap the other half to have later?”

He picked the other half up and took a big bite. “Nope.”

“You’re an interesting character,” I laughed.

“You’re a beautiful lady,” he replied and finished the sandwich half and the fries.

“Thank you for dinner and the compliment.”

“My pleasure. How about another glass of wine?” he asked, already pouring it in my glass. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Parking in a lounge chair on the beach, reading. I’m looking forward to feeling the sun kiss my body and feel the breeze blow my hair. That’s my idea of heaven right now.”

“That sounds inviting. May I join you?”

“I believe I’d like that,” I said. “I think!”

It got busy and I sat there a while longer, watching the banter between Thom and Danno. I watched, exhaustedly, as he made his way back and forth to the kitchen. He’d come back to me every chance he had.

“Sorry. Ike, my cook called out, and Danno ain’t no good at anything in the kitchen!” He flashed a wink my way.

“It’s getting late. I should probably pay up and call the trolley.” I pulled my wallet out and he turned toward me with his hands on his hips.

“One. Don’t insult me. I invited you to come here, dinner’s on me. Two. I’m not letting you ride home alone this late. I’ll get you back safely. Give me another twenty minutes, okay?”

“Sure, but you…”

“I will take you,” he made a ‘chk’ noise from the corner of his mouth and winked again.

As we drove, it was quiet.

“Thank you for spending your evening with me. I enjoyed it.” He glanced my way with a smile.

“Me, too. Thank you.”

When we arrived, he walked me to the door to make sure I was in safely.

“Good night, Lulu.”

After he was gone, I washed my face, slipped on my pajamas, and crawled in the bed to read. I read one page three times, because I couldn’t concentrate. My thoughts wandered.

He’s a nice looking man, late-thirties would be my guess. Wonder how he came to own a pub? What’s his interest in me? Is he just being nice? This man has captured my thoughts. I’ve never felt butterflies before. Now, what the heck do you do about that, Lulu?

Saturday morning, I packed the beach bag I’d brought with a blanket, sunscreen, my book, and a thermal bottle of water. As I started down the steps, I saw him waiting.

“Good morning! It’s a beautiful day in Kiawah! Let me run this back to my porch,” he said taking the bag. “I’ll fix a bite of breakfast. If that’s all right,” he stammered.

“That will be nice.”

              He took off in a run and I walked the same direction. In a moment, he was back by my side.

“Let’s walk a bit. Did you sleep well?” he asked, as we walked along the shoreline.

“Mmm hmm. You?”

“Not at all. I was restless. My brain wanted to keep thinking.” He stopped walking and took my hand to stop me. “As the vision of you remained in my mind, I realized who you reminded me of.”

I looked up, waiting for what he would tell me.

“Catherine Zeta Jones. Your dark beauty and your almond shaped eyes bear a strong resemblance.”

“Thank you. She’s beautiful. I look like my mom looked at this age.”

He reached to touch my cheek, brushing a stray hair away. “You’re beautiful. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Lulu. I’m not sure what to do about that.”

“I know that feeling.” I smiled. “You occupied a great deal of my thoughts, as well.”

We began to walk again. Thom reached for my hand. I hesitated, but his smile spoke to me.

Go with it, Lulu!

“This is quite different for me. I’ve never known this feeling before. I date a woman for a while and decide how I feel about her. Sometimes, I don’t get to the second date. There are times that I date a woman for a few weeks, and then realize that there isn’t really a connection. But with you, I can’t describe it. I can’t describe what I think or how I feel. I know that I am not going to like it when you leave.”

I’d been watching my steps as we walked, listening and concentrating on his words, but mostly the tone, because I could feel his emotions in them. He was still holding my hand and I felt him squeeze it.

“Are you listening?”

“Yes.” We stopped walking and he turned me to him. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve never felt anything like I feel right now, either. I feel the emotion in your words.”

“Do you, Lulu?”

“I do. I’m afraid to say anything because I don’t want to say it wrong,” I told him.

“Just speak from your heart. I find that’s usually best.” He seemed anxious for my words.

“I haven’t met anyone, in a while, who I wanted anything more than a hello from. The last guy I shared anything with hurt me, physically and mentally. I’ve been terrified to explore the idea of sharing my heart with anyone. You make me want to share myself. You make me want to step out from behind the shield I’ve held before me. I won’t say that I’m not frightened, I’ll say that I won’t let fear hold me back any longer.”

“Will you come back to me, Lulu? Soon?” he asked.

“I don’t know how soon, but if you want me to, I’ll come back.”

He squeezed my hand again and we started walking. “It’ll be soon,” he said.

We spent a lovely day together on the beach.

“I have to go to the bar for a bit,” he said after a couple hours in the sun. “Do you think it’d be alright if I stopped by afterward?”

“I’ll be right here.”

His smile was as bright as the sun we’d spent the day enjoying.

“I’ll bring a bite to eat, if that’s okay.”

“I’ll see you then,” I replied.

After Thom left, I went to the screened patio and lay in a hammock which stretched from one side to the other, giving me a perfect view of the ocean. My head was spinning. Twenty minutes later, my phone rang.

“Hey, Dad,” I said when I saw it was him.

“Are you enjoying yourself? Are you relaxing?” he asked, before I answered the first question.

“I am, and yes; I’m lying here in a hammock, looking at the waves rolling onto the beach below.”

“I’m glad, Lulu. You needed some down time. I love you.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

I’d set the timer on my phone for seven and was waiting when Thom arrived. He had a bottle of wine and a pizza box.

“Thanks for letting me come over,” he said, kissing my cheek as he breezed by me to the kitchen. “Spinach and feta cheese pizza from the pub. Oh, and your sissy white.”

He found plates and motioned for me to join him on the sofa.

“I hope you rested this afternoon. I have an idea for tomorrow, unless you have other plans,” he added.

I turned to listen.

“We should go to Charleston. I’d be happy to show you around.”

“I’m sure you have better things to do than show a tourist around.” Suddenly, I hoped that he didn’t.

“We’ll go early and I’ll be back in time to do my bar owner thing. There’s a place called the Fat Hen, best brunch in Charleston. I’ll pick you up.”

“I’d like that.”

The time we shared was pleasant and casual.

I set the alarm on my phone for 7:30 Sunday morning. Thom arrived at 8:30.

“Good morning!” I said happily, as I opened the door. He just stood there, looking me up and down. I felt naked. I snapped my fingers.  “Hello?”

“Making sure you had on comfy shoes. You look beautiful. Comfy shoes,” he said looking down, distractedly. He grabbed my hand. “Come on, we need to get going.”

We walked outside to an old red Mustang. It looked like new. He’d driven a small truck the evening before.

“It’s a 1965 Shelby. It was my dad’s. He left it to me and I had it restored. I save it for special occasions. Sweet, huh?”

“Sweet,” I laughed.

He held the door open for me and then darted around the front of the car. “Windows down,” he said and put the car in gear. I grabbed a hairband from my purse to pull my hair back. He drove fast, making his way through the gears like a pro. It was about a forty-minute drive. When we arrived, he parked at a lot near the waterfront. We began walking.

“Historic churches first, if you’ll indulge me.” I nodded, and he reached for my hand. I told myself it was to hurry me along.

“I love the architecture. Look at the spires and steeples – so majestic,” he noted. “Every one of these has deep history. You should come back, and I’ll take off to give you a real tour.”