A Valentine for Kayla (11 page)

A smile touched her lips. She loved surprises, and her mom's were always good. “What is it?”

Mom dragged a finger across her lips; then she mimed locking them and tossing the imaginary key.

“Not even a hint?” Several people milled around outside Bridget's. Hadn't her church service gotten out on time? She glanced at her cell phone and gasped. “We're ten minutes late!”

“No worries. I sent someone ahead to get us a table.” Mom's eyes gleamed mischief.

Kayla's insides trilled in anticipation of the surprise. She pulled the door open, motioned for her mom to go in first and followed.

Mom greeted the hostess, then strode toward the back dining room, where it was generally a little quieter. Bridget's Diner had been a staple in Oak Knoll for as long as she could remember and they'd been having Sunday lunch here for years. Mom stopped beside a booth where a handsome man sat. With his trim physique, tanned skin, and salt-and-pepper hair, he reminded her of George Clooney.

He grinned wide, flashing his perfect teeth, and stood. “I was beginning to wonder what happened to you.” He pulled Mom into a hug and kissed her cheek.

“Close your mouth, dear,” Mom said as she scooted into the booth. “Stan, this is my daughter, Kayla. Kayla, meet Stan.”

Kayla tipped her head to the side—
the
Stan from Florida? Why was he here, and why did she have a feeling life had just taken a crazy twist?

“Your mother has told me so much about you.” He slid in beside Mom.

Kayla gave a tentative smile as she sat across from the couple and worked to form an intelligent thought. “She said she had a surprise waiting, but I never imagined it would be you. It's nice to meet you, Stan. Where are you staying?”

“The Best Western.”

“Oh.” She'd half expected he'd be staying in her guestroom, but then, maybe her mom didn't feel comfortable with that arrangement. It
was
Kayla's house, after all.

“Stan flew into Portland on Friday.”

“So you've been in town a couple of days, and my mom is just now getting around to introducing us?” She raised a brow and sent her mother a you-have-some-explaining-to-do look.

Mom's face glowed and she seemed clueless to Kayla's tease. She looked at Stan with such love in her eyes. What was really going on here? Kayla narrowed her eyes, and then she saw it. Her mom's left-hand ring finger held a rock she had to be blind not to have seen.

“You're engaged? Oh my goodness!”

Mom nodded and held out her hand for Kayla to examine the ring.

“You sure didn't waste any time. Congratulations!” Excitement tempered with caution bubbled through her. Her mom deserved to find love again, but she and Stan barely knew each other. How could they possibly jump into marriage so quickly?

Stan chuckled. “When it's right, it's right.” He looked to her mother and cradled her hand between his.

Mom's eyes shone with adoration.

How had she missed that her mother was so much in love? She
had
been distracted since Derek walked into the flower shop last month.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” Mom's forehead scrunched. “I'm sorry for springing this on you. I didn't think—”

“I'm fine. I'm sorry I was so caught up in my own drama that I missed yours.”

“You've been focused elsewhere lately, what with the festival preparations and mooning over Derek.”

“I wasn't mooning.” Kayla cast a quick glance at Stan. A knowing smile covered his face. “I was… Oh, I don't know what I was doing, but it wasn't mooning.”

Stan chuckled again. “She's exactly like you described her, Livy.”

Mom nodded.

Livy?
No one had ever been allowed to shorten Mom's name. She'd always demanded that everyone call her Olivia. Clearly her mother was in love, but marriage? Kayla looked down and realized she was shredding her paper napkin, but she really was happy for them, and Stan seemed like a kind man who clearly loved her mother, but still… They'd known one another for only a couple of months.

Derek's baby blues danced in her mind, sending her heart into overdrive. So what if she'd known him a few days before tossing around the idea of marrying him? Besides, she hadn't followed that train of thought all the way to the station. “When is the wedding?”

Mom and Stan glanced at each other. His face sobered. “We still need to tell my children, and I'm not sure they'll take it as well as you.”

Kayla gulped. She'd been an only child her entire life, and now she would have three stepsiblings. But they were all adults, so they'd probably never see each other except at holiday gatherings. Her gaze darted toward the exit. She needed time to digest this news away from her mother. Mom knew her too well and would sense her unease. “How about you lovebirds take lunch to figure things out? I can grab a bite to eat at home.”

“Are you sure, honey?”

“Yes. I'll catch up with you later. And, Stan, don't be a stranger. I expect to see you at our place for dinner every night you're in town. That is, unless you have other plans.” She scooted out and stood, not waiting for a reply.

On the way to the exit, she bumped shoulders with a man. “Excuse me,” she mumbled, and kept going.

“Kayla?”

She looked up and started—Derek.

* * *

Derek studied Kayla's pale face. “You okay?”

“I'm fine, but if you plan on eating here, you're going to stay hungry for a while. They're packed.” She pressed her lips together. “You have to get here early to get a table on Sundays.”

“Now you tell me,” he said playfully. He'd planned to meet his mom here. Estelle was supposed to drop her off, but she'd just sent a text saying his mother had been cleaning the house all morning and was taking a nap instead. He'd been on his way out when Kayla had rammed into him. “Have you eaten?”

She shook her head.

He grinned. “In that case, let's get out of here. I have an idea.”

“I don't know, Derek. I feel a headache coming on.”

Her face registered turmoil. What was going on? He gently guided her out the door into the cool sunny day—the perfect spring afternoon.

“What a relief to be out of there.” She rubbed her palm on her forehead. “I skipped breakfast.”

“Is that why you have a headache?”

“Probably. That and the fact my mom and her fiancé just announced their engagement.”

He let out a low whistle. “We've both had quite a day. How about grabbing takeout and eating in the park?”

She looked around. “Where's your entourage?”

“I think they gave up and returned to Los Angeles. Estelle never leaves the house, although she was going to drop my mom at Bridget's Diner. She must have lain low long enough the paparazzi figured she'd gone home.”

“So she's still here?”

Was that censure in her eyes? He probably deserved it, but after talking with Pastor Miller the other day and praying, he felt it was best to let his mom decide when it was time to send Estelle packing.

“She's a guest of my mother at this point, or I'd have sent her away a long time ago. My mom seems to enjoy her company, and she feels strongly that she needs to share the Lord with Estelle. After all Mom has been through, I don't want to upset her.” He shrugged. “It's her house. I'm staying in the guest cottage out back.”

“Okay.”

“Okay to get food or okay about Estelle?”

“Both.” She grabbed his arm. “Come on. I'm starving and food will probably help ease this headache.” She tossed him a grin as they set out on foot.

“Where are we going? Not Deli on the Rye, I hope. I'm getting burned-out on sandwiches.”

“We're headed to the church to get my car.”

“Hmm. Someplace we need to drive to. Intriguing.” This playful side of Kayla intrigued him. “I can drive my rig.”

She chuckled. “I'd never be able climb into your pickup with this skirt.”

He admired her fitted black skirt and red heels. “Okay, I see your point.” He spotted her car in the church parking lot, and within minutes she'd whisked them off to the other side of town where a food cart sat on the side of the road. “I didn't know Oak Knoll had food carts.”

“This one only comes to town on Sundays. I discovered it when my mom was in Florida. They make the best pulled-pork barbecue you'll ever taste. Trust me when I say order the special.”

“Two specials, please.” He had no idea what it was, but he trusted Kayla's advice. He withdrew his wallet and paid.

“I can get my own.”

“No way. Not after you saved me from those women at church this morning.”

She grinned. “They were harmless.”

“To you, maybe, but not me,” he said with a dramatic flair.

He took a large bag that seemed rather heavy for only two meals, and Kayla grabbed the giant drink cups filled with lemonade. “Where to now?”

She pointed across the street to a neatly manicured grassy knoll that looked onto a pond half-covered with lily pads. “There are a few benches and picnic tables.” They strolled across the road side by side. “I can't believe we get this place to ourselves. Maybe there's something to eating after the lunch rush.”

“This is normally a busy spot?” He placed their bag on a large wooden picnic table.

“On nice days like today, yes.” They sat and Kayla pulled out two foil-wrapped packages and handed him one.

As he unfolded the wrapper, steam billowed out, carrying the barbecue aroma straight to his taste buds. He blessed the food for them, then dug in. Flavor exploded in his mouth. She hadn't been kidding that this sandwich would be the best he'd ever tasted. He didn't even mind that it was a sandwich.

Kayla caught his attention and pointed to her chin.

He reached for a napkin and wiped the dripping sauce. “Thanks. How do you feel about your mom remarrying?”

“I'm happy she's happy. They both look very much in love.”

“But?” He suspected there was more, or she wouldn't have been in such a hurry to escape the restaurant earlier.

“I'm worried they're rushing. Stan has three grown children, and apparently he doesn't expect them to welcome my mom, and that
really
bothers me. And then I thought about family gatherings and realized I may have to deal with hostile stepsiblings. I've never even had a sibling. It's a lot to process.”

“I didn't know you're an only child. I am, too.”

“How would you handle the situation if it were you?”

“I'd buy them all trips to Italy, and they'd adore me for life.” He took another bite.

She shook her head. “Be serious. What would you do?”

He swallowed and sobered. “I don't know, Kayla. It's difficult to see myself in that situation, considering my mom's health issues.”

She frowned. “Sorry.” A little sauce clung to the side of her mouth.

He wanted to kiss it away but instead reached across the table and gently wiped it away. Her eyes widened and locked on his. “Sauce.”

She cleared her throat. “Thanks. Have you noticed how often we eat together?”

He hadn't until she mentioned it. “Why do you suppose that is?”

“I don't like to cook and neither do you.” She propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her laced fingers.

“Ah, I learned another thing about you. You don't cook.”

“I didn't say I don't cook. I don't
enjoy
cooking, so I eat out often.”

He dipped his chin. “You want to walk?”

“I'd love to, but these shoes weren't made for walking, and I've already done more than my feet appreciate.”

“Okay, let's just sit and talk some more.” He racked his mind for a safe topic. “The float is ready to be painted.”

Her face lit. “That's great news. Why didn't you say something sooner?”

“I forgot.”

“Can I see it today?” Excitement danced in her eyes.

“Sure. Let's go.” Would she like the extra something he'd included that wasn't in the original design?

M
onday evening after work, with paint roller in hand, Kayla rested her knees on the float and carefully applied primer to one end of the bridge while Derek worked toward her from the opposite end. Jill and Charlie worked on the arbor near the front. Jill's laughter brought a smile to Kayla's face.

Derek's surprise had turned out to be a swing attached to the arbor rather than the simple bench. Whoever rode the float would get to sit there. They were holding a drawing at the shop to see which lucky citizen would get to ride the float. She almost wanted to do it herself, but she'd be way too busy with other things.

Contentment settled on her. This was the life. Sunshine beat down on her back, increasing her pleasure. “I had no idea painting could be so relaxing.” Kayla shot a grin toward Derek.

“When you're with friends, and it's not detail work—it's fun. But tedious painting is not for me.” Derek loaded his roller.

“I'll be sure to get someone else to paint the tedious spots. I can't thank you enough for designing and building this.” Kayla would have to think of a way to thank him, but later. Right now she was enjoying the company and the unseasonably warm weather. Spring had taken a leap toward summer. The thermometer in her car read seventy-five degrees on her way over, and she loved the warmth.

“It's been fun.” He flashed a grin before returning his attention to the bridge. “It was a nice change of pace to use my hands in a creative way.”

Kayla tipped her head to the side. “I imagine your life as a singer didn't lend itself to this kind of thing.”

“Nope. But change is in the air.”

Kayla studied his profile in the dim light. Was he trying to tell her he'd decided to return to LA? Or was he suggesting something else?