Lulu's Loves Page 4

  “Congrats to you. Your dream was the NFL and you’ve achieved it. I hope it’s everything you hope it will be.” I’d heard from Rachael that the chaperone was gone and now he had a handler, because he’d become quite the partier.

  “It’s huge already. What about that welcome home?” he laughed. “Hey, have a drink with me? The club at 5th and Main?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Still holding grudges, I see.” There was a smile in his voice; I heard it.

  “No. I just think we’re better leaving the past the past. I wish you well, and I hope it’s everything you wanted.” I spoke from my heart, because at one time, I knew his.

  “Are you sure? We were good for a while.”

  “I’m sure, Jason. I’m happy. You have great things ahead of you. Good luck.”

  “Bye, Lu.” And with that, he was gone.

  Thom

  1999

  A year after I started as a research assistant, I completed the masters program. The professors of the English department made the recommendation for me to teach undergraduate courses. They appreciated my thoroughness and dedication; they pushed hard to make that happen. It was a huge leap for me. I’d be teaching at the university and I was only twenty-three.

  “Lulu, you’ve worked so hard; I think you need to take a vacation,” Dad said over dinner one evening. “A real vacation.”

  “Where would I go?” I laughed. I had girlfriends, but most of them were married or so wound up with a guy that it’d take them a week to get untangled.

  “Someplace with a change in latitude to change your attitude,” he joked, quoting a Jimmy Buffett song.

  I laughed out loud. “I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” He looked up, arching a doubtful eyebrow. “I will – I swear!”

  I went out for drinks with guy friends, but I hadn’t dated anyone seriously since Jason and I split. That was almost four years ago. It didn’t bother me, I was happy. But for some reason, it worried my dad. After Dad said good night, I sat with my laptop and Googled the words ‘beach vacation, USA.’ Hawaii was the first thing that popped up.

  Not in my budget.

  California, New York, and Massachusetts all popped up. I just wanted a quick getaway. A beach where I could just relax in the sun, with a good book, was exactly what I was looking for; somewhere I could drive to so I had money left to explore.

  Boom. Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

  I looked at pictures, read everything I could find about the beach and surrounding area.

  This is it!

  I found a one-bedroom villa in my price range where I could bring my own groceries and just relax. It was a short walk to the beach, and if I wanted touristy, Charleston wasn’t too far away. I looked at the prices and with gas, groceries, and some play money; I could keep a long weekend under a thousand dollars. I hadn’t spent a dime of my college graduation money, so with only a tad bit of hesitation, I booked it.

  Three nights – just me and a good book.

  On Friday morning, the car was loaded, and I hit the road at six. By noon, the last bag was inside the room. The villa was on the second floor. I threw open the curtains to find a beautiful view. There was a screened porch, and I could see wooden steps that led to the beach below. I looked around; it wasn’t fancy, it was cozy. Perfect.

  I unloaded the groceries, unpacked my things, and slipped on my bathing suit top with a pair of shorts. I grabbed my sunglasses and a pretty straw hat and headed down the wooden steps to the beach to explore.

  It was late summer, so it was busy but not packed. I walked and walked. It was quiet, the time of day, I guessed. I loved the sound of the ocean waves rolling up on the beach. The sun warmed my skin, but the cool breeze off the water kept it from being too hot.

  I walked for a while. It was peaceful. Finally, I turned to walk back the direction I’d come from. I watched a man walking my way, until we met.

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Hello. It’s beautiful here! What a gorgeous day.”

  “The view from my vantage point is quite gorgeous as well.” I looked around. When I looked back, he smiled. “You.”

  “Are you like some beach stalking gigolo, flirting with me?” I giggled after I said it.

  What am I thinking?

  “No. Are you?” He slipped off his sunglasses and I saw inviting, sexy blue eyes.

  I know exactly what I’m thinking…he’s a nice looking man, older. He’s tall. I’m 5’8” so he’s probably 6’3”. He looks like Gerard Butler with brown, wavy hair. There are kisses of gray here and there. It lies in soft curls on the nape of his neck. He’s flirting with me and I’m flirting back.

  “No, I came here to be alone for a few days.”

  “Well, that makes me extremely unhappy. I was hoping you’d like some company.” I looked at him a moment. “I have fresh squeezed lemonade on my porch.”

  He pointed to a house just a ways back. “I saw you walk by and decided I needed to come out and look for sea shells.”

  His smile is like a model in a toothpaste ad. I notice these things.

  I hesitated.

  “You don’t have to come inside.” The smile widened, knowingly.

  “I’d love some lemonade, but I don’t drink with strangers. It’s not safe.”

  “Thom Miller,” he said, flashing that toothy smile once more.

  “Lulu,” I said, and we started walking up the beach.

  “It’s a pleasure. Lulu?” he inquired.

  “Louisa. My friends call me Lulu.”

  “Well then, welcome to Kiawah, Lulu.” He winked and slipped his sunglasses back in place as we headed back toward his place.

  When we were inside his porch, I slipped the sunglasses and hat off and fluffed my hair a little. I sat at the table and he went inside to get ice.

  As he returned, I noticed him looking at me.

  “Sorry. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, and I will remind you that I am not a beach stalking gigolo flirt, but you are stunning.”

  Just say thank you, Lulu – that’s all you need to say.

  “Thank you.”

  “What brings you to Kiawah?” he asked, as he sat down across from me.

  “A Camaro,” I said, and took a sip of the drink he handed me. I felt flirtatious, something so out of character for me that I blushed.

  “Nice.” His laugh radiated through our space, causing me to giggle.

  “I just needed some time alone,” I replied.

  “Am I intruding on that time?”

  “Pleasant distraction,” I answered. “I’m about to begin my first teaching job and needed some time to get my head wrapped around my future. I worked so hard to get through school…”

  “Elementary, middle, or high school?”

  “Undergraduate English at The University of Jacksonville. Florida,” I replied. I thought he would choke on a mouthful of lemonade, but he got it down.

  “I’m sorry I assumed. English undergraduate. Wow.”

  “Yeah, I’m a pretty big deal,” I snickered.

  “May I ask…” he began.

  “Twenty-four in October.”

  Not twenty-three, I feel like I need to make myself older or he’ll not find me appealing.

  “I have a bachelors and a master’s in English Literature. I went on to be a research assistant. I guess I did a bang up job because they fast-tracked me right to teaching.”

  “And again I say, wow.”

  “And you? What do you do?” The lemonade was just the right combination of sweet and tart, and the tart caused my cheeks to pucker. He noticed.

  “I own a pub in town. I’ll have to be heading there soon. Why don’t you stop by for a drink later? There’s a Pub Crawl Trolley that will get you there safely and return you when you’re ready, if you don’t want to drive.” He scribbled the number on a piece of paper and handed it to me. “Sit at the bar and ask for me.”

  Half an hour later, he walked me up the beach to the sta
irs of my retreat. “I hope I’ll see you sitting at the bar, later. Enjoy your time here,” he said. Turning back toward his place, he began to jog.

  Oh my.

  I fanned myself as I made my way up the stairs.

  I slipped on a sundress and sandals. I heard him say ‘stunning’ in my mind, and stood in front of the mirror for a closer look. I was tall and with the exception of my boobs, everything was proportioned well. I was not skinny, I was just right. My chestnut hair laid on my shoulders and my make-up was perfect for an evening out. I accentuated my brown eyes with natural colors.

  Not bad, Lulu.

  At last, I dialed the number he’d given me, only to realize that I didn’t know the name of the bar. When the gal picked up on the other end, I started laughing.

  “I’m not sure where I’m going. I have this number to call you for a ride but he forgot to tell me where to go. He owns the bar, I know that.”

  “What’s his name?” she inquired.

  “Thom…”

  “Miller,” she said before I finished. “The Do Drop Inn.”

  “Original,” I laughed.

  “We’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” she replied.

  I slipped a tube of lipstick from my bag. Looking in the mirror once more, I applied a light nude color to my lips and sat back waiting for my ride.

  What am I doing?

  It was an open trolley ride, and there was a nice breeze as the driver told me a little about Kiawah. When he pulled up in front of the bar, he handed me his card. “Just tell Thom to call me when you’re ready to return to your place.”

  “Thank you,” I told him.

  I walked to the door. I could tell by looking around that it was a quiet evening but that the place could get busy in peak times. It looked like a fun place as soon as you walked in the door. It reminded me of Cheers on TV. I walked to the bar and took a seat on a stool.

  “What’ll it be, pretty lady?” the bartender asked.

  “A Pinot Grigio and Thom Miller,” I replied.

  The bartender winked and beat repeatedly on a shiny antique looking silver desk bell that rested on the bar, the kind used years ago to get someone’s attention. “She’s here!” he yelled.

  Thom came through a swinging door, wiping his hands on an apron that was tied around his waist.

  “I’m glad you came,” he said. “Danno, what’s she drinking?”

  “Sissy white wine,” he laughed.

  “Hey! I’m no sissy. I am a classy lady,” I proclaimed.

  “Yes, you are. Bring her the sissy juice. I’ll have bourbon, neat. You look beautiful.”

  “You have to stop. My head will get so big it won’t fit in the car when I have to leave.” I laughed lightly.

  “Can’t help it. Facts is facts,” he joked, flashing those pearly whites. “Did you eat?”

  “Fruit,” I replied.

  “Ya can’t live on stuff that grows! Hey, you aren’t one’a them vegetarians, are ya?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Thank God. Let me get you one of the pubs’ specialties.” With that he was back through the swinging door. I sat quietly for a moment.

  “So?” the bartender asked.

  “So?” I repeated.

  “Where ya from? I’m a bartender, people talk to me. You ain’t talking, so I guess I have to ask.”

  “Jacksonville, Florida,” I replied.

  He turned to fix a drink for someone who’d just walked up to the bar. A few minutes passed and he returned to me.

  “What brings you to Kiawah?”

  “Peace and quiet,” I replied.

  “Well, you won’t find that here,” he laughed. “Thom keeps it hopping, even when no one’s here. He’s a tad hyper,” he whispered loudly as the swinging door flew open again.

  Thom deposited a plate in front of me. “Did he say I was hyper?” he asked, cocking his head toward the bartender.

  I didn’t answer. I lifted the top bun up from the sandwich. Thom put his elbows on the bar watching me.

  “Lettuce, tomato,” I pulled the onions off.

  Thom reached over and put them back on. “Won’t be the same without them.”

  “I don’t care for onions.”

  “It won’t be the pub special if you don’t at least try it,” he said watching me.

  I continued exploring. “Cranberries, Bleu cheese, hamburger.”

  “Nope.”

  “Turkey?” I asked.

  “Nuh unh.”

  “I give up,” I laughed.

  “Pork,” he said. “Now take a bite.”

  I cut the sandwich in half. Picking up a piece, I bit into it. As I chewed, the flavors came alive in my mouth. I left the onion. I picked at the French fries that accompanied the sandwich. I took another bite, and then another. Half was all I could eat. “Wow! That was delicious. Can I wrap the other half to have later?”

  He picked the other half up and took a big bite. “Nope.”

  “You’re an interesting character,” I laughed.

  “You’re a beautiful lady,” he replied and finished the sandwich half and the fries.

  “Thank you for dinner and the compliment.”

  “My pleasure. How about another glass of wine?” he asked, already pouring it in my glass. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  “Parking in a lounge chair on the beach, reading. I’m looking forward to feeling the sun kiss my body and feel the breeze blow my hair. That’s my idea of heaven right now.”

  “That sounds inviting. May I join you?”

  “I believe I’d like that,” I said. “I think!”

  It got busy and I sat there a while longer, watching the banter between Thom and Danno. I watched, exhaustedly, as he made his way back and forth to the kitchen. He’d come back to me every chance he had.

  “Sorry. Ike, my cook called out, and Danno ain’t no good at anything in the kitchen!” He flashed a wink my way.

  “It’s getting late. I should probably pay up and call the trolley.” I pulled my wallet out and he turned toward me with his hands on his hips.

  “One. Don’t insult me. I invited you to come here, dinner’s on me. Two. I’m not letting you ride home alone this late. I’ll get you back safely. Give me another twenty minutes, okay?”

  “Sure, but you…”

  “I will take you,” he made a ‘chk’ noise from the corner of his mouth and winked again.

  As we drove, it was quiet.

  “Thank you for spending your evening with me. I enjoyed it.” He glanced my way with a smile.

  “Me, too. Thank you.”

  When we arrived, he walked me to the door to make sure I was in safely.

  “Good night, Lulu.”

  After he was gone, I washed my face, slipped on my pajamas, and crawled in the bed to read. I read one page three times, because I couldn’t concentrate. My thoughts wandered.

  He’s a nice looking man, late-thirties would be my guess. Wonder how he came to own a pub? What’s his interest in me? Is he just being nice? This man has captured my thoughts. I’ve never felt butterflies before. Now, what the heck do you do about that, Lulu?

  Saturday morning, I packed the beach bag I’d brought with a blanket, sunscreen, my book, and a thermal bottle of water. As I started down the steps, I saw him waiting.

  “Good morning! It’s a beautiful day in Kiawah! Let me run this back to my porch,” he said taking the bag. “I’ll fix a bite of breakfast. If that’s all right,” he stammered.

  “That will be nice.”

  He took off in a run and I walked the same direction. In a moment, he was back by my side.

  “Let’s walk a bit. Did you sleep well?” he asked, as we walked along the shoreline.

  “Mmm hmm. You?”

  “Not at all. I was restless. My brain wanted to keep thinking.” He stopped walking and took my hand to stop me. “As the vision of you remained in my mind, I realized who you reminded me of.”

  I looked up, waiting fo
r what he would tell me.

  “Catherine Zeta Jones. Your dark beauty and your almond shaped eyes bear a strong resemblance.”

  “Thank you. She’s beautiful. I look like my mom looked at this age.”

  He reached to touch my cheek, brushing a stray hair away. “You’re beautiful. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Lulu. I’m not sure what to do about that.”

  “I know that feeling.” I smiled. “You occupied a great deal of my thoughts, as well.”

  We began to walk again. Thom reached for my hand. I hesitated, but his smile spoke to me.

  Go with it, Lulu!

  “This is quite different for me. I’ve never known this feeling before. I date a woman for a while and decide how I feel about her. Sometimes, I don’t get to the second date. There are times that I date a woman for a few weeks, and then realize that there isn’t really a connection. But with you, I can’t describe it. I can’t describe what I think or how I feel. I know that I am not going to like it when you leave.”

  I’d been watching my steps as we walked, listening and concentrating on his words, but mostly the tone, because I could feel his emotions in them. He was still holding my hand and I felt him squeeze it.

  “Are you listening?”

  “Yes.” We stopped walking and he turned me to him. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve never felt anything like I feel right now, either. I feel the emotion in your words.”

  “Do you, Lulu?”

  “I do. I’m afraid to say anything because I don’t want to say it wrong,” I told him.

  “Just speak from your heart. I find that’s usually best.” He seemed anxious for my words.

  “I haven’t met anyone, in a while, who I wanted anything more than a hello from. The last guy I shared anything with hurt me, physically and mentally. I’ve been terrified to explore the idea of sharing my heart with anyone. You make me want to share myself. You make me want to step out from behind the shield I’ve held before me. I won’t say that I’m not frightened, I’ll say that I won’t let fear hold me back any longer.”