The Icing on the Cake (7 page)

After the adults had set the picnic
table and carried out the food and beverages, the kids came running.  “I’m
hungry,” Devon said.

“Me too,” the Williams’ middle son,
Pete, said.  About the same age as Devon, the two had hit it off right away,
particularly after discovering they attended the same elementary school.

“Mom, we should have brought Suki with
us,” he said, as he sat down at the picnic table.  “I bet she misses us.”

“You
should
have brought her
along,” Joe said.

Mary looked to her husband and back to
him.  She winced.  “Well…”

“What is it?” Joe asked, watching her
expectantly.

“It didn’t occur to me to tell you when
I gave her to you, but Gracie doesn’t do very well with little dogs.”

He cocked his head, surprised.  “She doesn’t
hurt them…?”

“Not on purpose,” Mary said wanly.  “You
see, she’s kind of motherly.  When she encounters a tiny dog, she sort of lays
on top of him and somehow manages to wrap her paws around him.  Then she rolls
over on her back and…”

“And?” he said, watching her with a
cautious alarm.

“Well, she proceeds to soak him with her
tongue.  I believe she thinks she’s washing him, or is … maybe showing him
affection…”

“But they don’t usually like it much,”
Pete cut in.   

Joe appeared to consider their words. 
“I’ve never seen that particular behavior in a dog,” he said.  “I’ll have to
talk to the vet.”

“Yeah, you’ll probably want to train it
out of her.”  Jim laughed.  “Until you do, my perfect little Suki will not be
spending time with Gracie.”

“Jim!” Mary cried, and socked him in the
arm.

“I’m hungry,” the youngest of the
Williams’ children announced.  The little girl, about three, began pounding on
the tabletop.  “Hot dog!  Gimme a hot dog!”

“Alyssa!” her mother scolded.  “Where
are your manners?”

Joe obliged the little girl and passed
her a hot dog.  Soon, the whole group found seats.  In addition to the hot
dogs, Joe grilled a couple steaks for the adults.  A green salad, potato salad,
and fresh fruit rounded out the spread.  For dessert, he brought out a platter
of cupcakes from Branton’s Bakery.

“When did you get these?” Kristine
asked. 

“Yesterday,” he answered.

“I didn’t see you come in.”

“You were out back,” he informed.

She nodded, wondering why he hadn’t
asked for her, but then, why would he?  The last time, she hadn’t been
particularly accommodating.

As he tended to his guests, she watched
him furtively.  It was kind of him to invite the Williams out to see Gracie and
the wonderful dog run he’d built for her.  The dog was clearly happy with him,
as evidenced by the fact that she was currently curled up at his feet.  Unlike
most dogs, she wasn’t begging for a morsel, perhaps because he had given her a
bowl of dog food.  Apparently he didn’t want her feeling left out.

“I wish Lori was here,” her mother
said.  “I know she’d be thrilled to see you again, Joe.”

He only nodded in reply, though his eyes
lit on Kristine.  She met his gaze and both held the visual contact.  Kristine
was first to look away.

“It would be nice to see Lori,” Joe said
distractedly, as he turned his attention back to his guests.

“Thank you so much for having us, Joe,”
Mary said.  “We had a wonderful time.  And it’s clear Gracie is so content with
you—much more so than she was with us.”

As the Williams’ children bid Gracie
goodbye, he looked on, smiling.  After everyone had had a chance to pat her,
Gracie hurried back to Joe, as if fearful he might have a change of heart and
send her packing.

 Suddenly, Pete charged toward them and
knelt down beside Gracie.  He wrapped his arms around her.  “We miss you,
girl.  Don’t think we don’t.  We love Suki, but we still love you…”

Joe ruffled his hair and escorted him to
the family minivan.  Mary had already climbed into the passenger seat and Jim
was behind the wheel.  Joe stood window-side and bid goodbye to the family. 
Devon joined him, standing close and waving at his new friends.

As they drove off, Joe draped an arm
around Devon.  “It looks like you have a buddy,” he commented.  “You and Pete
really hit it off.”

Devon smiled brightly.  “Yeah.  Pete’s
my friend.”  He grinned impishly.  “You know what?  Pete got kicked out of
afterschool care.”

Joe’s brows rose and he appeared
slightly taken aback.  Devon seemed downright delighted that his new friend had
been ejected from afterschool care.  He wasn’t allowed to ponder the reasons
why, since Ruth joined him as he watched the minivan drive away.

“Joe!” she said eagerly.  “Lori just
called.  I told her you’re back to town and she’s delighted.  She said she’d
love to see you again.”

“Oh, okay, sure,” he answered.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the
liberty of giving her your address.  She was so eager to see you again, she
asked if she could stop by now.”

“Oh, okay, sure,” he repeated, feeling
awkward and uncertain.  Seeing Lori didn’t top his wish list and he wondered
how Kristine might feel about her sister’s arrival.  Maybe she wouldn’t have an
opinion one way or the other, but something told him otherwise.  And something
told him her feelings were justified…

***

“Joe!” Lori cried.  “It’s so wonderful
to see you.”  She sent a mock-scolding glance at her mother and sister.  “I
cannot believe these two didn’t tell me sooner about your return to Cooper
Glenn.”

“I only found out a few days ago
myself,” her mother said indulgently.  “And in my defense, you’ve been busy.”

“True,” Lori said, smiling into Joe’s
eyes.  “But I would have gladly cleared my calendar for Joe.”  She clutched his
hand and held tight.  “What brings you home, Joe?”

“I moved home,” he told her, gently extracting
his hand.  “My dad is having health issues and…”

“You’re home for good?” she
interrupted.  “That’s wonderful!”  Her eyes did a pass over the front façade of
his house.  “And your home…  It’s absolutely beautiful.  I’ve always been
partial to the Tudor style myself.  If I ever build a home, it will definitely
be Tudor.”

“Mommy,” Devon said, as he moved to
stand beside her.  “Joe has a new dog.  Her name is Gracie…”

“Yes, okay, son,” she said, failing to
look at him.  “Run and play…”

Joe didn’t miss the wounded look in the
little boy’s eyes.  “Devon, would you like to play a video game?”  He directed
his next words to Lori.  “I have several age-appropriate varieties inside.”

“Sure, sure,” she said dismissively. 
“Run along, Devon.”

“I’ll go with you, Devon,” Kristine
said, taking the little boy by the hand.  She paused and gave Joe an inquiring
look. 

“Let me show you where the games are,”
he said.  He turned back to Lori briefly.  “I won’t be long.”

He led Kristine and Devon into the
family room and pulled several video games from a cabinet beneath the
big-screen TV.  He held them out to Devon.  “Take your pick.”

Devon grinned and selected a favorite. 
Joe inserted it into the game console and Devon was soon enthralled by the
action on the screen.  Kristine sat down nearby.  “I’ll keep an eye on him,”
she whispered.

To her surprise, Joe sat down beside
her.  She watched him expectantly for several seconds.  “Joe, Lori and Mom are
waiting for you…”

“Oh. 
Oh!”
  He grinned ruefully. 
“Sorry.”  He rose and started toward the front door.  “I’ll be … back.”                                                                                                       

He rejoined Ruth and Lori, who were
standing out front, admiring the property.  “How many acres do you have, Joe?”
Lori asked with interest.

“Two,” he answered.  “Shall we go out
back and have a seat?  There’s plenty of shade.”

Ruth smiled widely.  “I think I’ll join
Devon and Kristine in the family room.  I know you two would probably like some
privacy to talk about old times.”

Since he couldn’t very well object, Joe
led Lori out back, while Ruth detoured to the family room.

He sent a quick glance into the room and
spotted Kristine, still on the couch, and yawning.  Her mother had taken a seat
in the recliner, while Devon was still enthralled by his game.

He smiled when he noted Kristine had
apparently let Gracie inside.  The dog was sprawled across her lap and she was
absently stroking her head while watching Devon play his game.

He longed to join her on the couch.  The
scene of domestic bliss tugged at him in a way that surprised him.  Lately,
he’d been thinking about his future and his goals for himself.  His dad had
also recently asked him if he’d given any thought to settling down.  He was
nearly thirty-three and did want to be married with children someday.  He
wasn’t getting any younger.

“Joe,” Lori called to him from the
French doors.  “Are you coming outside?”

With a sigh, he joined her out back.  He
dropped into a chair, while she chose a chaise.  She carefully sat down and
extended her long, silky legs.  She gave a sigh of pleasure.  “This is so nice,”
she said, smiling seductively at him.  “It’s wonderful to simply sit and
relax.  I’ve been so busy lately I’ve hardly had time to come up for air.”

“Helping out at the bakery?” he asked,
knowing full well she hadn’t been.

“Oh, yes, that, and other things.  As
you know, running a business is a lot of work.”  She yawned.  “Sometimes I
wonder if it’s worth it.”

He wondered if her mother had mentioned
to her that she was considering selling the bakery.  He refrained from saying
anything about it, since it wasn’t his place.

“It must be difficult, working and
caring for a small child,” he observed.

She nodded, her expression suggestive
that she had the weight of the world on her smooth, tanned shoulders.  “It’s
difficult,” she sighed.  “A boy needs a father.  Unfortunately, Devon’s dad
isn’t especially tuned in these days.”  She cocked her head in thought.  “I
can’t even remember the last time he called Devon.  He has visitation rights
but he isn’t interested in spending time with Devon.  It’s … sad,” she said woefully,
but abruptly grinned.  “But
you
!  Tell me what’s been happening since I
last saw you.”

He shrugged.  “Well, I sold my company
and I’ve moved home to run my father’s business.  He’s unable to continue
working because…”

“So you’ve assumed the helm, eh?” she
cut in, sounding impressed.  “Well, your father groomed you from Day One to
take over the business.  I was always surprised you went off on your own when
you were already set for life.”

“How so?” he asked with interest.

“Well, you know.  Your dad practically
owns this little town.”

“Mmmm,” he mused.  “Well, I guess I
wanted to make my own way in the world.”

She laughed, a sound like tinkling ice. 
“Well, the important thing is, you’re back.”

Joe’s attention was diverted from her
when he heard Gracie tapping on the glass with her front paw.  “Oh, excuse me. 
My dog needs to be let outside.”

He rose and opened the door.  Gracie
charged past him and toward the back of the fenced backyard.  After doing her
business, she spotted a butterfly and began chasing it, leaping and dancing in
the air as she attempted to catch it in her teeth.  Joe chuckled, but Lori
appeared not to notice the dog’s antics.

Finally, giving up on the butterfly,
Gracie ran in a tight circle, chasing her tail, and then diverted to delicately
sniff at the flowers in a nearby bed.  Joe shook his head, always surprised
when Gracie went from flower to flower, seeming to delight in their scents. 
He’d never seen a dog so enthralled by flowers.

Finally, she ran back to Joe, who had
sat back down in the chair.  She noticed Lori then and sprang up and greeted
her with a kiss on the face.

“Oh, my!  The dog just licked me!”  She
made a face and reached for her purse and began rifling around inside. 
Finally, she pulled out a tissue and gingerly dabbed at her cheek.  “Doggy
drool,” she said with a wince, as she urged Gracie away by fluttering both
hands in her general direction.   

“Sorry,” Joe said.  “Gracie tends to
kiss first and ask questions later.”

Lori laughed at that.  “I tend to prefer
that characteristic in a man…”  She smiled seductively his way.

Joe was tremendously relieved when Devon
opened the French doors and stepped outside.  “Joe, will you come inside and
play a video game with me?”

“No…” Lori said.

“Sure, son,” Joe said at the same
instant.  He smiled at the eager little boy and turned back to his mother. 
“I’d hate to disappoint him.”

“Devon,” Lori said, taking a scolding
tone.  “You know better than to interrupt adults when we’re talking.  I taught
you better than that.”

“I just wanted Joe to play with me.”

Joe took the opportunity to make his
escape.  He started inside, but paused.  “Come, Gracie.”

The dog joined them inside, dashing back
to claim her place on Kristine’s lap.  “She really likes you,” Joe observed
with a smile as he sat down beside Kristine on the couch.

“And I like her,” Kristine said, leaning
forward to kiss Gracie on her velvety head.

Gracie turned and lavished a sloppy, wet
kiss on her lips.  Kristine laughed and kissed her again.  “We’ve bonded,” she
said, patting Gracie’s side.  “Girl power,” she said with a chuckle, as she
pretended to fist-bump Gracie’s paw.

Joe smiled.  “For a dog who supposedly
prefers men, Gracie sure likes you a lot.”

Kristine smiled at Gracie.  “She’s a
good girl and a terrific judge of character.”  She drew silent for a moment. 
“I’ve never had a big dog,” she shared.  “But this one seems pretty special.”

“I agree,” he said, but his eyes, boring
into hers, seemed to indicate the words were directed at her.

She felt her cheeks redden, but she
couldn’t manage to avert her gaze from Joe’s.  When Lori suddenly appeared and
interjected herself into the conversation—and into the small space between them
on the couch—their eye contact was severed.

As Lori placed a possessive hand on
Joe’s knee, Kristine felt a pique of … jealousy? 

No.

That was ridiculous.  She didn’t even
like Joe.  Well, maybe she liked him.  He was a grown man now.  He seemed to
have many fine qualities.  He didn’t tease her incessantly as he’d done when
they were kids.  He was actually a pretty thoughtful guy.  Generous.  Kind. 
Loving…

Whoa.

Where did that come from?” she thought. 
Sure, he’d shown a good deal of deference to her, seeming to discern quickly
that she worked too hard.  He seemed to believe she needed a break.  He’d
invited her to his home, and when she’d included Devon and her mother into the
mix, he had been gracious and welcoming.  He was great with Devon, who she knew
craved the attention of a male.  The little guy missed his father terribly, but
had given up inquiring when he was going to see him again.

“So, Joe,” Lori said, interrupting
Kristine’s thoughts.  “Do you think I could have a glass of water?  I’m so
thirsty.”  She smiled his way, her eyes wide and lashes fluttering like the
butterfly Gracie had chased after earlier.

Apparently Gracie spotted those enticing
lashes, because she leapt up and made a grab for one.  Lori screamed in
terror.  “That dog just bit my eye!”

Ruth leapt from the chair.  “Lori!  Are
you all right?”

Devon flung himself off the floor and
toward his mother.  “Mommy!”

Lori continued shrieking.  “My eye!  She
tried to take my eyeball out of the socket!” she wailed.

Joe stood by, mortified.  “Gracie!” he
finally shouted when he found his voice.  He aimed a finger toward the back
door.  “Let’s go!” he said firmly.

She dropped her head and started off. 
She paused long enough to cast Kristine a longing look, and then slunked to the
back door.  Joe proceeded to take her outside and to her dog run.  Kristine
could hear him scolding her all the way to her kennel.