Kindergarten Baby: A Novel Page 12

  Tension between Anthony and Shawna mounted. After Christmas, Anthony’s chiropractic office was busier than he’d ever experienced, probably due to the fact that everyone had managed to injure themselves in the name of fun during the holiday time off. Plus, a lot of adults had made New Year’s resolutions to be healthier and take better care of themselves‌—‌a resolution he’d seen made and broken far too often. Consequently, he spent extra hours at the office and came home more exhausted than ever before.

  Shawna had been somewhat successful at keeping him from talking about Lindsey; she wanted no part of his ex-wife’s memory in their home. She’d also managed to prevent him from thinking about leaving her due to her odd, night-owl lifestyle, at least for the time being. Between the long hours at work and extra attention paid to him at home in the evenings, the relationship managed to creep forward.

  As soon as he walked in the door, Shawna met him, dressed in a long black dress, slit on the side to her waist. “Darling, come with me,” she said seductively. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

  He groaned. “Not tonight, Shawna. I’m tired. I just want to eat and go to bed.”

  “Well, then this is your lucky night, Dr. Sommerfield, because that is exactly what I want, too.” She took his hand and led him toward the dining room. Anthony stopped at the entrance to the room, staring. The room had been transformed into an Italian Café, complete with sights, sounds, and smells of Italy. Shawna had outdone herself, and Anthony was thrilled. She was actually doing something that he liked, and they weren’t even in the bedroom. That was a first. A step in the right direction. Maybe, just maybe, this relationship could work.

  “Everything is amazing, Shawna. Thank you. Thank you for this.”

  She snuggled up against him. “I’m smarter than you think, Anthony. And I do want you to be happy with me, you know. I want a life with you.”

  His arms tightened around her. “We’ll make it work,” he assured them both. “We’ll find a way.”

  They lingered in the dining room, candles flickering, holding hands, and finishing off the second bottle of wine. When they were finally done, Shawna stood and motioned for him to follow her. Happy, tired, and tipsy, he obeyed, completely happy that she was catering to all his needs tonight. That was something she rarely did. Ah, sleep. He soon would be asleep.

  Seconds after his head hit the pillow, it began with the snap of handcuffs as she put one on each of his wrists then onto the bedposts. He groaned when she pushed the button on her light machine, painting psychedelic swirling patterns around the walls and ceiling. He knew what was next: the seductive removal of her clothing until she was clad in nothing but her signature black lace panties.

  “Shawna, stop it!” he yelled. “Don’t do this tonight. I need a normal night just this once. Don’t ruin our best evening together.”

  “Ruin it? How dare you? How dare you shout at me after all the trouble I went through to please you tonight. How dare you?”

  “Take the cuffs off now, or I swear I will leave you.”

  She set her hands on her hips, giving him a wry grin. “And just how will you leave me if you are cuffed to my bed?”

  The yelling went on longer that usual, but Anthony refused to play any games. He hated this…‌and yet he loved it.

  ***

  The following week, Lindsey selected an extra story to read to her class every day, and each story contained explicit examples of one or more of the five steps in the writing process on which she and Laura had worked. She was amazed at how quickly her students were picking up the terminology.

  Lindsey checked her email at the end of the day and found the usual, annoying spam, but there was also a message from Laura. It read:

  It is Friday, and I know something you don’t know! AND be sure to keep a week from Saturday unencumbered. We are going to celebrate your birthday! Laura.

  Before Lindsey could log out, her friend was standing right behind her, reading over her shoulder.

  “So? What don’t I know?” Lindsey asked.

  Laura beamed. “The name of our bartender buddy.”

  “Your bartender buddy. I’ve never even laid eyes on your phantom friend.”

  “Oh, I am quite sure he’s going to be far more than a friend,” Laura clarified.

  Lindsey puffed out a breath. “Come on. You’re kidding, right? You can’t be serious about a bartender that you barely know.”

  “I know him a little better now,” Laura assured her. “I’ve seen him three times since we were at the Coyote Café last Monday.”

  “What? You’ve gone to a bar four nights‌—‌four school nights, in a row?”

  “It isn’t as bad as you make it sound,” Laura said, scowling. “Besides, I went during the day.”

  “Oh, that’s much better. You skipped school to visit a bartender? Wow. That is really, really not like you.”

  Laura held up her hands as if to fend off her friend. “Let me explain. It began quite innocently. One of the teachers cancelled my time with her class due to a field trip she forgot to tell me about. I was in the office when the nurse and the principal cornered me. They asked me to drive Enrique home because he was sick, and his mom didn’t have a way to pick him up. Coincidently, Enrique lives just three blocks from the Coyote Café.”

  Lindsey regarded her, unconvinced. “So?”

  “So, after I dropped him off I drove by the Café. Well, actually, I drove into the parking lot, not thinking he would be there, since it was only one o’clock in the afternoon. But he was.”

  “Let me guess. You went in to get a Coke‌—‌a low-carb Coke‌—‌and one thing led to another, and—”

  “That’s it exactly! There was hardly anyone there, so we talked for about an hour. That was okay because it was my lunchtime by then. He’s so cute and intelligent and really sensitive. He wanted to get to know all about me. Of course he won’t always be a bartender. He’ll quit that when he’s finished with school.”

  Lindsey couldn’t believe her eyes or ears. Her friend was actually going ga-ga over a guy. She’d never seen this happen before. Not even with Brad, a talented, rich, already graduated, has-a-real-job guy.

  “I think I’m happy for you, Laura,” she said tentatively as she gathered up her book bags, planner, and purse, and edged toward the classroom door. “It’s just all so sudden, and you’re acting so…‌so high school. It’s thrown me for a loop. Hey, I’ve got to go. Emmett and I are going out for dinner. He’s so perfect. I couldn’t ask for a nicer guy. Sorry to run. Call me tomorrow and we’ll talk more about your guy,” Lindsey hollered as she dashed down the hall.

  It wasn’t until she was on her way home that she realized she hadn’t stuck around long enough to hear the name of Laura’s mysterious boyfriend.

  Lindsey tried to be calm, tried to feel sophisticated as she carefully applied more make-up than usual and slipped into the little black dress she had worn only once before. Perhaps if she hadn’t been humming “Whistle While You Work” she might have pulled it off. Instead, she felt like an awkward teenager preparing for her first real date.

  “Oh my,” she said to herself. “It’s a good thing no one is around to witness this silliness.” Then she laughed at her reflection. Not only did her voice sound like Snow White’s, she even looked like the fairy tale character after she’d added red lip gloss and tons of mascara. She applied the finishing touches of mineral powder and blush, and was just about to say, Mirror, Mirror on the wall …‌when she heard the front door open and close.

  “I’ll be right there,” she called out happily, but there was no reply. “Emmett, is that you?”

  Puzzled, she peeked down the stairs, but she couldn’t see anyone from that vantage point. She cautiously tiptoed far enough to see the entire living room, including the front door.

  “Emmett?”

  Emmett wasn’t there, but she noticed something on the stand next to the door. She felt a pang of delight and hurried toward it.

&nb
sp; “A beautiful red rose,” she said. “How thoughtful. Ouch!” She stuck a finger into her mouth and tasted blood. “Ooh. A sharp red rose,” she corrected herself, then her eyes went to the other item on the stand. An apple. “Interesting,” she mused. “A red rose for Rose Red, and an apple for Snow White? A poison apple perhaps? Huh. Emmett!”

  No reply. Where was he?

  Moments later, Emmett casually walked through the front door and gave a slight bow. “Your carriage awaits, my lady.”

  Lindsey grinned. “Terrible acting, Emmett. Just terrible,” she said, giving him a knowing wink.

  A tall, slim, hostess pulled open the glass door to the chic Northside Restaurant, and Lindsey smiled reflexively, her eyes scanning the restaurant. She hadn’t been there before, but she’d heard all about it and had read about it in the paper. Northside was the place to go, apparently, and from the looks of it, Lindsey wasn’t going to be disappointed. The walls were mostly glass, providing a splendid view of Tucson’s lights, and the rest of the walls were brick. There was an abundance of chrome and wood along with large orange lamps, and the décor was sleek and modern, hip and upbeat‌—‌a far cry from a kindergarten classroom. The only commonality was the noise; Northside was noisy, too.

  The hostess seated them at a table by the window and handed them menus. Soon after that, their waiter arrived, bearing glasses of ice water. “Good evening folks, my name is—”

  “Justin?” asked Lindsey. “Is that you?”

  The waiter stepped back, startled. “That would be me. You guys look familiar. Give me a clue so I can catch up.”

  “The Grand Canyon, just a few weeks ago. You were our waiter at the Arizona Steakhouse, remember?”

  His smile warmed. “It’s coming back to me now. But weren’t there four of you?”

  “Yep. That was us. This is so cool,” said Lindsey, grinning girlishly at Emmett.

  “Hey, Justin, good to see you,” he said, then reached over to shake his hand. “Did you quit your job?”

  “Oh, no. I always work the Canyon from June through December; then I spend December through May here in Tucson. Works out great. Can I get you guys something to drink?”

  While they waited for their drinks, Emmett reached over to take Lindsey’s hand. He looked directly into her eyes, and she was immediately captive in his gaze.

  “Lindsey,” he said softly, “I may be good with words on paper, but in person it’s not so easy for me. Especially in matters of the heart. I don’t often talk about things like that. What I’m trying to say is that my feelings for you are speeding along much too fast. My gut tells me to slow down, but my heart keeps pushing me forward.”

  She leaned closer, eager to encourage him. “Emmett, I don’t feel like you are pushing too fast or rushing into this relationship.” If the truth were known, she thought he was moving far too slowly, playing the perfect gentleman card a little longer than necessary. She hoped tonight might be the night they became lovers.

  Justin arrived with the wine, and they drew apart slightly. “Here you go, folks. Have you been here before?” Emmett and Lindsey shook their heads, and Justin launched into his speech. “Well, you’ve come to one of Tucson’s hot spots. The guy over there’s the mayor. The man at the table right behind me is the U of A football coach, and he’s here with his wife. The ladies at the tall two-top to your right are both news anchors. Well, you get the idea. It’s a happening place. You’re going to love the food, too. Are you ready to order?”

  They were. They started with zucca chips and salads. Lindsey ordered a chopped salad with pine nuts and Gorgonzola vinaigrette, and Emmett went with a classic Caesar. As they ate, his eyes scanned the large, busy room, but they always returned to her. She watched him, curious. She was touched by the fact that he’d noticed her fascination with fairy tales, but she was getting impatient, waiting for him to comment on the trick he’d played back at the house.

  She sipped on her water, waiting, but when he didn’t say anything, she did. “I thought by now you might have asked what I thought of your joke,” she inquired demurely.

  He frowned. “Joke? What joke?”

  “Oh, come on. I’m not stupid. The red rose from Rose Red and the apple from Snow White,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “I heard the front door open, but you were pretty fast. I never saw you. Doesn’t matter. I figured it all out. And I loved it, thank you.”

  He slowly shook his head. “It wasn’t me.”

  She scrunched her nose and grinned. “Why are you being so secretive? It’s just a little joke, and I actually really liked it.”

  “Uh, because I didn’t do it. I wish I had, but I didn’t. Besides, I don’t know anything about fairy tales.”

  “Oh,” she replied, vaguely uneasy. She quickly changed the subject, giving him a coy look. “I’ve finished the assignments you gave me. Do you want see the answers?” He nodded, and she pulled a sheet of paper from her purse. “We will stay in a villa, and I don’t care which one as long as it is on a sandy beach.” She bit her lip, daring herself. “And I think we should pick a one-bedroom villa, if that is all right with you. Anything larger starts at $4,000 a week. We can get a one-bedroom for a little under that. As far as restaurants go, I think we should go to La Plage, Grand Cul de Sac, and Gustavia, although there are over…”

  She knew she was taking over the conversation, but once she began talking about the trip, there was no stopping her. Just when she could see that he thought she was finished, she brought out a second sheet of paper and grinned. “I took it upon myself to complete a little ‘extra credit.’ Here is your very own copy of additional information about the island. You know, things like the official language is French, though most speak English, too.”

  “Wow,” he said, sounding a little stunned as he glanced down at her extra work. “That’s even more information than I’d hoped for.”

  Justin showed up with their main courses, and then returned with a shared side of grilled asparagus with Parmesan reggiano. “I heard you talking about Bart’s Island,” he said. “My uncle goes there every year. It is a tropical paradise, and a playground for the rich and famous. You guys are going to love it!”

  Lindsey settled back in her chair, completely content. She’d had two glasses of wine, an exquisite meal, and had made plans for the vacation of a lifetime with this take-charge man that treated her like a lady.

  Emmett seemed just as happy. “Ah, Lindsey, you are so beautiful.” He kissed her knuckles and watched her eyes. Then he grimaced slightly. “A small problem came up today. I hate to discuss it with you, but I don’t want any secrets between us. It seems I need to prepay the airfare and the cost of our villa within the next ten days. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem for me, but then again, they don’t usually send me to places like Bart’s Island. Neither the Grand Canyon check nor my partial advance for the Bart job will arrive in time to meet this deadline. I’m not sure what to do. With this promotion comes more responsibilities, and I don’t want to let down the publisher, nor do I want them to know that I haven’t been putting away money for a rainy day or situations like this one.”

  “How much do you think you will need?”

  “Well, it is Bart’s Island, and you know the price of a small villa, so I’d say around six or seven thousand. Thank God all my expenses are paid by the publisher. It’s just the timing of this trip that’s causing a temporary problem. Try not to worry, Linds. I’ll think of something.” He smiled apologetically. “Now tell me more about little kid writing. It is fascinating how you get them to write at such a young age.”

  Lindsey was a natural planner and problem solver. Using those talents, she began thinking about solutions to Emmett’s dilemma. They decided to skip dessert, but they each had a warmed snifter of Grand Marnier. They took their time, sipped their drinks, and anyone glancing their way would have sworn they were in love. Justin brought the check as their glasses emptied, and Emmett excused himself, heading for the men’s room.

/>   “Hey, Justin, ol’ buddy,” called Emmett when he was a good distance from the table. “This is so embarrassing, and such a cliché. I either lost my wallet or left it at home. At any rate, I need your help. Can you cover tonight’s bill for me? I’ll bring cash by for you tomorrow.”

  “Well, uh,” Justin stammered in disbelief. This was a first. “I suppose I could but I don’t work tomorrow. In fact, I am taking three days off. Can you bring the money by next Tuesday?”

  “You got it. Thanks, man. I owe you one. A big one! And here’s our address and phone number just to make you feel better about this whole thing.” Justin didn’t feel better. Emmett on the other hand, felt great.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  She had been warned. Laura was trying her best to hide a mischievous smile, and it was driving Lindsey crazy.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asked. They were headed west on Speedway Boulevard, past The-10, top down, hair blowing wildly in the wind.

  “You’ll see,” was all her friend would say. “It’s your birthday. I’m allowed to surprise you.”

  They kept heading west as the road narrowed and became steep, meandering through what resembled a forest, except the leafless trees were massive saguaro cactus. To see one or two was a great sight; to see an entire hillside filled with saguaros was out of this world. Especially in this February, late afternoon light.

  “We’re going to Old Tucson, aren’t we?” guessed Lindsey. It had been a long time since she’d been there, and she’d never gone without the task of keeping twenty-five kinder kids safe and accounted for. This would be fun.

  Laura was cryptic. “You’ll see.”

  Lindsey sat back and enjoyed the drive, making a conscious effort to keep memories of past birthdays with Anthony from slipping into her thoughts. Laura turned north at the next crossroad, and Lindsey frowned.

  “I guess my prediction was wrong. We’re not going to Old Tucson, are we? The only other place out here is the Sonora Desert Museum. That’s it, isn’t it?”