Chapter FIVE
After spending the afternoon cooking and prepping for dinner service at the restaurant, Melissa went home to prepare for her meal with Dirk.
She’d brought a beautiful piece of cod from the restaurant that she intended to broil with a lemony butter sauce and breadcrumbs. She’d quickly steam green beans from her garden and garnish them with butter and almonds. Seasoned rice would complete the main course. Simple and easy.
As she moved around her kitchen, she turned on Chopin piano concertos heard through the sound system she’d had installed in her house. The music helped her concentrate on the meal, stop conjuring up images of Dirk, and wonder what it might feel like to make love with him. Ross had told her to be herself, but he didn’t know how awkward she sometimes felt.
She’d had boyfriends before, but none that made her feel truly accepted for herself. Since she’d been back in town, she’d made male friends, but none interested her until Dirk. He was someone she could imagine a future with. Ross and his friends were successful men accustomed to a more glamorous life and gorgeous women. None of those words described her.
Dirk was attractive in his own way and was a sweet person, someone who might be able to accept her sometimes awkward ways.
When Dirk arrived at her door, Melissa had convinced herself to relax and enjoy the evening.
Smiling, Melissa waved him inside.
He stood in the hallway momentarily and then said, “Chopin’s Nocturne in E Flat Major. One of my favorites.”
She smiled with satisfaction. “I thought you might like it. Come on in. It’s a lovely evening. We can sit out on the porch for drinks and appetizers. I hope you’re hungry. I think I got carried away with the shrimp cocktail. You aren’t allergic, are you?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “As long as it’s legitimately food, I’m all in. I don’t count insects and bugs as real food.”
“Have you tasted things like that?”
Melissa asked.
“My family took a trip to China, and we experienced some pretty weird stuff,”
he said. “My father works for the government.”
“How interesting,”
said Melissa, leading him into the kitchen. “What’ll you have to drink? I have both red and white wine and beer, of course.”
“Thanks. I’ll take a beer. So refreshing on a warm evening.”
She handed him a cold Heineken from the refrigerator and poured herself a sauvignon blanc.
She handed him a plate of cooked shrimp topped with lemon slices and a side container of cocktail sauce for dipping. She carried small plates and napkins and led him to the screened-in porch.
“This is nice,”
said Dirk. “My rental is perfect for now, but eventually, I want to have a house of my own.”
“You can’t do better than building with Collister Construction,”
Melissa said. “I have no complaints and many compliments about their work.”
“It’s so cool that many “townies”
have returned to Lilac Lake to live. It says a lot about the town and the area.”
“Yes, it does. At one time, I would never have thought I’d want to live and raise a family here. But I think it’s a wonderful place to do just that.”
She hoped she hadn’t been too outspoken.
“So, you want a large family?”
Dirk asked.
“Yes. I was an only child and desperately wanted a sibling or two. I would never want a child of mine to be a ‘lonely only.’”
Dirk studied her. “Interesting. Many of the women I’ve met aren’t sure about having kids. Not a lot of them, anyway. Even my sister tells me she doesn’t think she wants kids, that they’re a commitment she doesn’t want to consider.”
“Sarah Bullard Miller, an old friend of mine, is a widow and is back home with 4-year-old twin girls. I see how adorable they are and think about a family of my own.”
“It’s nice to know not all women think like my sister,”
said Dirk. He picked up a couple of pieces of shrimp from the bowl of ice onto which she’d placed them. “How did you become interested in becoming a chef?”
“My father is a chef, and I grew up thinking and talking about food. When I was young, he worked for a restaurant in Boston, and when I was eleven, he and my mother bought Fins. I grew up knowing I’d be there to help them. It was a vision we all shared, and I admit, it gave me a purpose in life.”
“I did the same thing with my career. My uncle, Rich, was someone I looked up to, especially when my father was unavailable because of work. I saw how happy he was living in Lilac Lake, enjoying sports in the area, and I knew I wanted a life like his. It is something better than the pressure cooker lifestyle my parents have always had.”
“Rich Robinson has always been a part of Lilac Lake,”
she said, grinning. “Not that I wanted to go to the dentist that often. But he made it as comfortable as possible.”
“I like the idea of helping people,”
said Dirk. “The hours are regular, much more than other medical services.”
“So, you’re looking forward to many years here?”
she asked.
He nodded. “Yeah, as soon as I started working with my uncle, it seemed right.”
“Good. We need you,”
said Melissa, beaming at him. He was perfect for her.
###
It satisfied Melissa’s ego to see how enthusiastic Dirk was about her food. Like any chef, she enjoyed watching someone smack their lips and rave about her cooking. Wasn’t that what it was all about?
“Let’s enjoy the rest of the evening on the porch. It’s cooled off and is peaceful. Can I fix you coffee, get you a beer or water?”
“Water would be great,”
said Dirk. “That was such a delicious meal; I don’t want to disturb my tastebuds too much.”
Melissa laughed. “Okay, water it is. Go ahead and get settled, and I’ll bring it out to you.”
Dirk left, and Melissa went into the powder room to rinse her mouth and ensure nothing was caught in her teeth. It had been a wonderful time so far. She hoped the evening would continue with kisses and wanted to be ready.
Satisfied she was fine, she carried their water out to the porch.
Dirk was sitting on the wicker couch. He looked up at her, smiled, and patted the cushion next to him. “Have a seat.”
She lowered herself onto the couch and handed him his water. “Here’s to an enjoyable evening!”
she said, raising her glass in a salute.
He clicked his glass against it. “It’s been great. Delicious dinner.”
He took a sip of water and gazed out at the woods behind her house. “I understand you still have a lot of wildlife visiting the neighborhood occasionally.”
“Yes, though my favorites are the little brown bunnies. With the tall fence I’ve put around my garden, they can’t get in, which makes them even cuter.”
Dirk laughed, then, becoming serious, set his water glass down on a nearby table and turned to her.
“Thanks for a nice time. I enjoyed the food and conversation and the music, of course.”
He was giving her a look that sent tingles through her. His gaze went from her eyes to her mouth, and he reached for her.
She went into his arms and lifted her face in anticipation.
His lips met hers, and his kiss was warm and comfortable.
She gave an inward sigh and kissed him back.
He responded, and they continued kissing, learning the touch and taste of one another.
When they pulled apart, Melissa couldn’t hold back a smile of satisfaction.
“I’d better go.”
Dirk sat up and checked his watch. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”
Melissa got to her feet. “Okay. Thanks for a great evening.”
She realized she was sounding like the guest, not the hostess. “I mean, thanks for coming. I hope we can do this again.”
“Me, too,”
said Dirk, heading for her front door.
She followed, feeling confused and let down. The evening had held such promise. Maybe he didn’t like her as much as she’d thought.
###
Over the next couple of days, Melissa didn’t hear from Dirk. At first, she told herself he was too busy to call. But before long, she scolded herself for thinking he’d ever been interested in her.
She continued going to the baseball practices, hoping to see him there, but he’d mysteriously disappeared. Ross hadn’t asked her about the date, and Melissa was too embarrassed to talk to him about it.
When the time came for the fundraising baseball game, Melissa was jittery with pent-up emotions over having to see Dirk again. When she said hello to him, he smiled and responded as if they hadn’t ever kissed, making her wonder about him.
Determined not to let it ruin her day, she lined up with the others as Ross and Mike told each team member where they’d be playing in the outfield.
Melissa was glad to be placed in right field. Hopefully, not many balls would come her way. Ross was taking center field, and Mike was pitching. Melissa was relieved Dirk would cover third base away from her. He made her feel so unsettled, so insecure.
From her place on the field, Melissa gazed at the bleachers, noting how crowded they were. Hopefully, seeing all these people positively indicated support for the tennis and baseball center.
Ross’s baseball-playing friends, Tyrus Jackson and Bo Bonner, were easy-going guys in their late thirties and had been stars in their day. The high school baseball team members were thrilled to be guided by them and were excited to play with them. Her team of locals seemed more relaxed about the game. She didn’t know if that was good or bad; she just knew she would try her best, no matter what it took.
The first inning was full of laughter and no runs.
Between innings, Mike pulled their team together. “Okay, we need to step it up. They’ve got some heavy hitters coming up. Everyone, be alert.”
She trotted to the outfield and stood ready. When the batter hit the ball with a resounding smack of bat against ball, Melissa watched, as if in a dream, as the ball flew toward her. She lifted her glove and, keeping an eye on the ball, she ran to get it.
Wham!
Melissa ran into Ross with a thud that took her breath away. They fell in a heap, with Melissa sprawled on top. Shocked at how fast everything happened, she gazed down into Ross’s face, hoping he was alright.
He gazed up at her, his blue eyes sending a silent message of interest in her as more than a friend. Her pulse sprinted. Melissa felt the world around them slipping away as they stared at one another. She looked up to find Dirk running toward them.
“Hey! Is everyone okay? Melissa, are you hurt?”
He helped her to her feet and then offered a hand to Ross.
“No, don’t help me.”
Ross grimaced. “It’s my left knee. I twisted it. It’s bad.”
Mike stood by. “Can you make it back to the bench?”
Ross shook his head. “I need a few minutes, and then you’ll have to give me a hand. I don’t think I can make it there on my own.”
He looked up at Melissa. “Did you catch it?”
Melissa held up her baseball glove and stared at the ball tucked inside. “Wow! I did! I caught the ball.”
“Fantastic!”
said Brad Collister. He stepped forward from the players crowding around them, took the ball from her, and held it up for the other team to see. “Tyrus Jackson, you’re out!”
“Great job,”
said Ross, gazing up at her with a look of satisfaction.
She studied him. He was wearing shorts, and she could see his knee was swelling already.
She knelt beside him. “I’m so sorry. Are you going to be all right?”
“I think I’d better watch the rest of the game from the sidelines,”
he said, grimacing.
Tears sprang to her eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She moved out of the way so Mike and Brad could help him to his feet.
Ross made it to the bench using their support and hopping on his healthy leg.
Emmett, who’d been watching from the bleachers, examined the leg. “I think a specialist should look at it. In the meantime, let’s get some ice packs on it.”
They made room on the dugout bench for Ross to stretch out his leg, and Emmett placed an ice pack on both sides of the knee and offered him a pain pill.
“Do you want me to sit with you?”
Melissa asked, wringing her hands.
“No, you’re good at this. We need our team to win,”
said Ross.
“I’ll stay with him,”
said Crystal.
Melissa did as Ross asked and went back onto the field. She had to help the team win for Ross.
When she wasn’t worried about catching a ball, she thought about how Ross gazed up at her. No man had ever looked at her quite that way. If it were anyone else, she might have thought it was lust. But she knew it couldn’t be that. Ross had had many opportunities to change their relationship but had never tried.
She glanced at Dirk at third base. It was sweet how he’d run over to see if she was okay. Taylor had called him shy, and his concern made her happy.