Page 66 of Love & Rockets

“I imagine it’s the ribs. There’s something about tearing meat off a bone that makes a man feel like a man, I suppose.” She wrinkled her nose and shuddered as she glanced up from under dark lashes. “Strange creatures, aren’t they?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Darla responded automatically.

“You know what’s odd?” She didn’t pause long enough for Darla to answer. “Jake stopped coming to Sunday supper for a while there, but all of a sudden he’s back. Then, yesterday, he shows up at my table looking like he’d stood outside hugging a tree in the middle of a category three hurricane.” Mrs. Dalton lifted her head to meet her gaze full-force. “I thought I might come by and tell you straight up that I love my son, Darla Kennet, and I won’t see him hurt again.”

Shocked by the intensity of the other woman’s stare, Darla stepped back. Jake’s mother seemed to know more than he thought she did. “I, uh,” She stammered, stopped, then she said the only thing she could think to say. “I do, too. Love him, I mean.”

A split-second later, Jake’s mom was beaming up at her, bright as the sun. “I’m glad to hear you say so.” Softening her smile, she reached out and gave Darla’s hand a gentle squeeze. “You plan to tell him soon? The poor boy is miserable. You know, as a mother, how hard it is for me to see.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Her mind racing, she tried to figure out exactly what she’d agreed to do. At last, she gave in to the pull and slid into the booth across from Jake’s mother. “I love him, too, but I have to tell you, I think I’m really bad at this relationship thing.”

“I doubt you’re as bad as you think.”

“I don’t know how to do this.”

“Of course you do. You love that beautiful little girl of yours. Anyone with eyes in their head can see you do.” The woman’s confidence was so absolute, Darla wanted to wrap it around her like a blanket. “Love is love, Darla. All you have to do is let it in.” She made a horrified face, then shuddered. “My mama would say I sound like a hippie.”

Darla swallowed hard, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t force her biggest fear down again. “I’m not sure I deserve him.”

“Of course you do,” Julia repeated, this time with even more steel in her tone. “I met your daughter at the fundraiser, you know. I was very impressed.”

“No, I didn’t know,” she whispered.

“Jake tells me she’s brilliant, too.” Julia smiled wanly. “Trust me, no one knows better than me how disconcerting raising a child with such a keen intellect can be. You must be proud of her.”

“I am, but—”

“Oh, I know the ‘but’ part very well.” Julia grinned. “I have to confess, I’ve wanted grandchildren for the longest time. I thought I’d have to wait on Brian and Brooke, but now I’m thinking I might get a granddaughter even sooner.”

Determined to work at least one complete sentence in, she tried again. And failed. “Mrs. Dalton—”

The other woman held up a hand adorned with only a classic diamond solitaire and a wide gold band. “Julia,” she corrected. “Now, we know you love him and he loves you, so let’s see if we can figure out exactly what we need to add to the mix to get the outcome we want.”

“I’m not sure what I want.”

“Why don’t you run along and put in the order for Drew and pour me a glass of sweet tea while I wait.” Julia Dalton flashed a smile proving her worthy of a ‘Super-Saucy’ T-shirt. “That’ll give you a few minutes to recover from the ambush, then we can have a little chat before things get too busy for you.”

“I, um...”

Too stunned to string three words together, Darla glanced over her shoulder. First, at Mr. Beau and his friends, who were watching her exchange with Jake’s mother with bright-eyed interest. Then, at the kitchen, where Zelda Jo stood behind Bubba, giving his biceps an admiring squeeze. Rock. Hard place. One of the Circles of Hell. She didn’t move. Instead, she chose to bash herself against the rock.

“I hurt him. I’ve had some pretty huge screw-ups in my life, but I have to tell you, I think this might be the biggest.”

Julia Dalton gave a sage nod as she digested the gravity of the situation. “I understand.” She pursed her lips as she considered the problem. “Let me go have a word with Mr. Beau about getting you the afternoon off—”

“Oh, no, I—”

“Need a grand gesture,” Julia Dalton said with a decisive nod. “And coming up with a gesture grand enough to get a Dalton man to clue in requires a good deal of planning.” She waved a hand in annoyance. “They get so absorbed in other things.” She pointed one perfectly manicured nail at Darla, as she slid from the booth. “You’re going to need the day off.”

****

“There,” Laney Tarrington’s pronouncement came out a bit muffled due to the straight pins she held clinched between her lips.

Darla released the breath she’d been holding, amazed to note not one of those pins had pierced her skin. She was sure Laney’d get at least one good jab in.

Laney pulled the pins from her mouth and nodded to the gilt-edged three-way mirror outside the curtained fitting room. “Take a look and see what you think.”

Brooke Hastings pushed away from the wall. “Hooo-eee. I think this dress is going to fog up poor Jake’s glasses.”

---