Page 18 of Do Me
“Hey, Mom. How are you and Dad enjoying the Bahamas?” They were ten days in to a month-long stay in the country.
“Hello, my darling daughter. Oh, my goodness, we’re having a fabulous time. If I had known how nice it would be to sleep in, then get up just to lounge on the beach and eat copious amounts of food, I would’ve retired years ago.”
She laughed. “Well, you look great.” Last summer, Drs. Dwight and Paulette Grant had sold the general practice they’d established twenty-five years ago to enjoy the fruits of their labor while they were still in reasonably good health.
“Hey, baby girl.” Her dad poked his head in the screen.
“Hi, Dad.”
“You doing okay?”
“I’m fine. Just jealous I can’t be there enjoying all that warm weather,” Londyn said with a mock pout.
“Keep living,” her mother said. “You’ll get there. Have we missed anything?”
She hesitated for about two seconds before blurting, “I met someone.” She hadn’t planned to say anything yet. For all she knew, whatever they had going could be over long before her parents returned and she didn’t want to have to explain another failed relationship.
Paulette’s gaze softened. “Oh, sweetheart. That’s good news…isn’t it?” She searched Londyn’s face looking for whatever mothers did when concerned about her child. Though Londyn never fully disclosed what happened with her ex, her mother knew that Londyn had been hurt badly enough to call off the wedding three months before she and Antoine were scheduled to exchange vows. Fortunately, the invitations hadn’t gone out and saved her from further embarrassment.
“Yes. His name is Braxton Harper and, so far, he seems very nice. I met him at the wedding.”
“When I asked you about the wedding, you never mentioned meeting someone.”
She kneaded the dough as she talked. “That’s because we only shared a couple of dances and didn’t exchange phone numbers. We met again when the company he works for was hired to design a computer network for the office.”
“It’s about time,” she muttered. “I don’t know why Harold continued to operate that office the same way we did three decades ago. I’m sorry baby. Go ahead and tell me about this young man.”
Londyn chuckled. She flattened the dough and wrapped it in plastic wrap. “We’ve only gone out twice, so we’re still getting to know each other.”
“Is that dough I see?”
“Braxton and I are having dinner tomorrow. He’s going to prepare the meal and I’m making a peach cobbler for dessert.”
“Hmm, I see. Where is this dinner taking place and how old is Braxton?”
“His place, and he said almost forty, so either he’s thirty-nine or close to it. What did you mean by ‘I see’?” Her mother had a strange expression on her face.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him when we come home.”
“That’s almost a month away. I don’t even know if we’ll still be seeing each other by then.”
“You will,” she said emphatically. “And, as I said, your father and I will be looking forward to meeting him. I have to run, sweetheart. Your father and I are going downstairs to the lobby to have drinks and listen to music. The resort has a band playing tonight.”
Londyn shook her head. “When I grow up, I want to be like you and Dad. Love you guys.”
“Love you more. Talk to you soon.”
Before the connection ended, she heard her father say something. Whatever it was had her mother giggling like a schoolgirl. After more than four decades of marriage, her parents still sometimes acted like newlyweds. A pang of sadness hit her. She wanted that same kind of love.
* * *
Braxton woke up Saturday morning with more energy than he’d had in months. Instead of going over to his sister and brother-in-law’s house, he had told Jared he’d be there to help finish the deck tomorrow, leaving him free to make sure everything was perfect for his date with Londyn. The person who cleaned his home twice a month had come and gone, saving him from having to do the task himself. After she left, he’d jumped into his car and didn’t stop to analyze why he was driving twenty miles to a meat market for prime grade ribeye steaks because Londyn had mentioned not being able to cook them well. He seasoned the meat and placed the plate in the refrigerator next to the ones holding the cracked lobster and vegetable kabobs. The temperatures were slated to reach the sixties, so he’d planned to prepare the entire meal on the grill. He would’ve preferred to eat on the patio, as well, but it would be too cool by evening.
He still hadn’t been able to convince her to tell him what she intended to make for dessert and his mouth watered, hoping it would be more of those delectable brownies. Even if she’d made something else, he didn’t doubt it would be just as good. Braxton cleaned up the kitchen and drove to the gym where he, Cole and Axel met to shoot around on the basketball court.
Both his friends were already on the court when Braxton arrived. After a round of greetings, the three men practiced shooting free throws, and three-pointers.
“How are things going with…what’s her name again?” Cole asked as he sank a corner shot.
