Page 31 of Vodka and Chocolate Drops

Her hand drifted down to his name tag, tracing the letters over his breast pocket. She loved that even now he held her tight and wouldn’t let her drift away. She should stop touching him, stop enjoying his attention and how good it felt dancing with him, but couldn’t seem to force herself to let go. He was definitely going to get the wrong idea.

“Sorry. I’ve got to check this out,” he said, after getting a code through his walkie-talkie. He released her, leaving her feeling abandoned and cold. As he backed off, he pointed at her in a way that pinned her to the spot. “You still owe me a dance if I don’t come back.”

“Yeah,” she said weakly. “Any time.”

Her mind was fuzzy and her body was sending messages that were definitely earmarked for the beyond-friends forbidden zone. She needed to get her life together. She needed to overcome the hopeless feeling that she would never have true love with a man as wonderful as Scott. The despair that needled her was causing her to take notice of any men who were 100% all male--such as him. She looked toward the bar, where Moe was drying a glass. He was cute. Maybe she could latch her lusty need onto him.

Problem was, he wasn’t doing a thing for her.

There was just something so right about Scott. Every inch of her body that he’d brushed or touched during their impromptu dance was burning, waiting to feel him again. Their history and his gentle kindness were making him an easy target for her melted mind. Right now, the way she was feeling, if the man had had groupies following him every time he was in uniform it wouldn’t have surprised her. In fact, she’d ask to join the club.

He was going to make some woman lucky someday. Very lucky. But until he found someone she was going to take advantage of his attention.

* * *

Her mother had left.Signed up for a cruise and taken off, just like that. And it wasn’t the fancy cars show ’n’ shine, cruise around town that Frankie Smith and his parts store buddies had planned again for this June. It was off to see the world on a giant ship. Alone. Immediately.

Amber didn’t like it. Her mother knew Amber needed answers and yet she’d run off for ten days in hopes of finding herself.

It didn’t help that Amber already had two emails back from possible siblings saying they’d already found their families. The emails had brought with them a strange mix of anger and sadness that left Amber down in the dumps for days. She couldn’t take much more uncertainty. She needed answers.

Although maybe if her mother found herself she would see that she needed to unbury her secrets and spill her guts--completely. Both to Amber and Amber’s father.

But waiting another ten days sounded a lot like torture. Patience was not all that and more, as everyone said. Good things came to people who waited? Yeah, maybe. But even better things came to those who went out and snagged it for themselves. They got a bigger chunk of that pie, not the leftover crumbs that were missing the chocolaty middle goodness.

Great, now she wanted a slice of Benny’s chocolate maven pie.

Opening her laptop, Amber checked the job queue to see if there was any work waiting for her, then headed to Benny’s in the golf cart. One slice of pie with a tall glass of milk coming up. Being back in Blueberry Springs had definitely been hard on her hips.

She parked out back of Benny’s and let herself in through the delivery entrance. “Hey, Benny!” she said as she passed his office on the way to find Leif.

“Oh, I’ve been meaning to call you today.”

“Well, here I am!” she said brightly.

He joined her in the hall, moving out of the way of a waitress heading for the kitchen, and pulled Amber in for a one-armed hug. Was he her dad? He’d always been paternal. Somehow she just couldn’t see Benny’s family causing interference with his love life. Plus he’d been married for about thirty years and lived in town. Not her father.

“I know I’ve said this before, but your mother sure is happy to see you home. It’s astounding how similar you two are. I don’t know many mothers and daughters as close as you. ”

Except for the secrets, of course. That was acting a bit like a pry bar at the moment.

“She is a pretty awesome mother.”

“Awesome waitress, too. With her finally asking for some holiday time I couldn’t say no, although it’s left me in a bit of a pinch. I don’t suppose you’d consider helping out? I know you have a job and all, but maybe a little extra to help you save up for moving back to the city again? Your mother makes astounding tips.”

“Um…” The look on Benny’s face was going to do her in. His double chins, his big round eyes pleading like a puppy’s.

“Think about it.”

The man had been there for her with hugs and food for eons.

“Leif’s in the kitchen and I have it on good authority that he just made another batch of pie.”

Oh, the pie. Shealwaysgot free pie.

Talk about giving her a ticket to guilt express.

He needed help.

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