Dakota Love (52 page)

“I will say that scared me a little. Wasn’t expecting it.” Walt kept both hands clamped to the desk’s edge.

“I told you it might take awhile for your balance to even out.”

Walt nodded.

“I’m sorry, Walt. The first day I was here, I tried to safe-proof your house while you rested. Guess I missed a chair with wheels that could roll out from under you.”

“It’s not your fault, Speedy. We didn’t plan on using this room for a while.” Walt motioned for his walker.

Placing both hands firmly on the grips, Walt angled around. “Maybe we’d better move one of the dinette chairs from the breakfast area over here for the time being.”

“Good idea.”

“Where’s that walkie-talkie?”

“Right here.” Lil stretched to reach the communication device then handed it to Walt.

He slid it into his overalls pocket. “There”—he patted the pocket—“a little peace of mind.”

He put the ring of master keys in another pocket. “You go on to your camper. I’ll just get the pillows and finish up here.”

As much as she needed to return Tiffany’s call, Lil wasn’t leaving Walt alone.

“Just how do you plan to carry the pillows? I’ll stay.” Lil pushed the rolling chair out into an open space. She grabbed the closest dinette chair and waited for Walt to round the counter before she placed the chair in front of the computer.

“I don’t know. It might be a little low.”

Walt leaned over the counter. “Well, I won’t really be using it much anyway.”

Lil studied the chair from various angles. “I’m concerned for your safety.”

The door jingled open and several people pulling suitcases came in. For the next hour, Lil helped Walt get everyone settled into their rooms, giving them all extra towels and pillows since the front desk wasn’t open all night.

Lil listened while Walt instructed his guests on how the back door worked after hours then told them that a hot breakfast would be served in the morning.

He knew Sam’s children but not their children. The family members seemed to know that he had opened the hotel just for them, and they promised not to be any trouble.

Walt watched his guests pull out of the hotel’s driveway before he turned tired eyes to Lil. Weariness was etched in the lines of his face.

“My stomach says it’s getting close to suppertime.”

“Mine, too, but with your doctor’s appointment and this”—Lil waved around the room—“I forgot to take something out.”

Heading toward the kitchen, Lil noted Walt hitching his step. He’d been on his feet too long.

“Walt, you’re limping. Is your hip bothering you?”

The walker scooted along as Walt purposely stepped heel to toe. “I have some pressure, not really pain. Just reverted to that bad habit because it helped for so many years.”

“You can take some pain reliever, you know.”

“I know.” Walt guided the walker to the kitchen table and lowered himself onto a padded dinette chair.

Lil put her hands on her hips and looked around the kitchen as if that would make dinner magically appear.

“I know you like to eat healthy.”

Lil braced. Walt had plenty of processed food that she could heat up.

“But I’d like to treat you to supper. The drive-in a few miles from here makes a pretty good pizza, and they deliver.”

“Clear out here?”

Walt nodded. “Farther. Won’t take a tip either. What do you say? You have to be tired, too. We deserve a treat, don’t we?”

“Actually, that sounds really good.”

“The number’s by the phone. Order any kind you like. I’m not fussy about pizza—just make it a large.”

After the pizza was ordered, Lil started to pick up the quilt pieces from the tabletop.

“I can help with that.” Walt started to rise.

“You set there and rest.” She pointed a finger at him before arranging the various-shaped pieces in a stack and placing them on the counter. She moved the sewing machine to the far end of the table.

Just as she reached into the cupboard for paper plates, the hotel door-opening indicator sounded.

Lil looked at Walt before placing the plates on the counter. “That can’t be the pizza man.”

“No, he’s not that fast. It’s probably some of Sam’s family.” Walt started to get up.

“I’ll take care of this. You were on your feet too long this afternoon. You’re going to take some pain reliever with your dinner.”

“Well, print then, so I don’t need a decipher ring to decode your writing.”

Lil stopped, placed her hand on her hip, and pulled a face at Walt before she hurried from the kitchen.

“Thank You, God, for the great timing,” Walt whispered as he rose from the chair. It should take Lil at least fifteen minutes to get the guests checked in. That’d give him enough time to turn the kitchen into a cozy atmosphere and their dinner into a date.

To get close to the counter, Walt used his walker, then left it behind and steadied his steps and balance by hanging on to the edge of the counter for support. He put the paper plates away.

Making it to the cupboard where his mother’s china was stored, Walt carefully lifted out two plates, sliding them along the countertop. He made his way back to the end of the cupboards by the table where he’d left his walker.

Leaving the plates on the edge of the counter, he maneuvered himself between the counter and the table. Once the plates were on the table, he retraced his steps to gather other keepsakes of his mother’s—wineglasses. They’d add to the ambience even though he planned to fill them with ginger ale.

Keeping his ears alert for Lil’s returning footsteps, he finished setting the table. He lifted the liter bottle of ginger ale from the refrigerator, trying to carry it and push the walker. The walker had a mind of its own, veering off to the side. Tucking the bottle under his arm so both hands could steer the walker, Walt took a step, but the slick plastic bottle slid down the arm of his flannel shirt.

Letting go of the walker, he caught the bottle before it could hit the floor and make a mess. That certainly wouldn’t be a romantic evening, scrubbing sticky soda from the floor. Realizing he’d have to leave the soda carrying to Lil, he returned the bottle to the refrigerator.

Glancing at the clock, he found he’d used a full fifteen minutes just getting the table set. Walt stood back. The table looked fancy, but the brightly lit kitchen distracted from the cozy feeling he was going for.

He needed a candle for romantic lighting, but being an old bachelor, he never kept candles around. He had flashlights for power outages. Walt rested his weight through his arms on the walker. His hip did ache; he had overdone today.

He didn’t have time to bring a table lamp in for dim lighting. Walt scanned the room, then smiled. Would Lil give him points for creativity? He pushed her machine closer to the place settings and turned it on.

Then he walked to the kitchen light switch and flicked it off. The machine’s light gave a soft glow to the table, and the crystal wineglasses sparkled. Just the setting he’d wanted to create because Lil deserved to be pampered.
A Rose of Sharon
.

Walt stood at attention when the door buzzer sounded. Was it a guest or the pizza delivery person?

“Hello.” Lil’s voice rumbled through his home. “Just a minute and I’ll get my purse.”

The pizza had arrived. Walt had expected them to deliver to the back door, not the office. He pushed his walker and stepped as fast as his sore hip allowed. He wasn’t sure where Lil’s purse was, but he was paying for this
date
.

Nerves shot small jolts of electric current through his body, weakening his limbs at the thought. He hadn’t dated since the mid-1970s. He gave up because the women he went out with couldn’t hold a candle to Nancy.

Walt tried to herd up his rampaging emotions as he hurried through the living room, almost mowing Lil down with his walker.

“Where you going in such a rush?” Lil sidestepped just before the front bar of the walker bumped into her. “I told you to stay put.”

With a clear path, Walt kept pushing the walker forward. “I’m going to pay for the pizza.”

“I was getting my purse to do just that. Now you go back into the kitchen and rest. Come on.”

Walt stopped at the sound of Lil’s retreating footsteps. She’d ruin the surprise if she went in now. He wanted to see her face soften and her pretty green eyes sparkle with appreciation, just like they had when she’d seen the table setting the day he’d made the tea party.

“No, Lil. You come with me.”

Lil spun around, eyes wide at the commanding tone Walt used.

At least he got her attention. Although, by her stern look, it appeared he might be getting a lecture.

“Please?”

She frowned, opened her mouth, then snapped her jaw closed but held it tight as she walked toward him and followed him into the office.

Once he’d paid and chitchatted with the deliveryman, Lil started for the kitchen with the pizza box.

“Just a minute, Speedy. I need to go first.”

Lil stopped and turned. “Why?”

“My legs feel a little weak, so it’d be best if you follow me.” His legs
were
weak—not from today’s exertions but from tonight’s anticipation of a first date with Lil.

“I knew you had overdone today when you started limping. Just because you started feeling better doesn’t mean you can resume normal activities. It takes time for your body to heal.” Lil brought up the rear of their short parade to the kitchen. “Besides, how am I supposed to help you, carrying a pizza box?”

“Guess you’d have to drop it on the floor.” Walt fought back the snicker in his voice.

“Why’s it so dark in here…”

Lil’s voice trailed off as Walt moved to the side, allowing her a clear view of the kitchen table.

“Surprise.”

Lil’s mouth gaped, her face void of expression.

This might have been a mistake
. Walt sucked his pursed lips in and out. Lil was a hard woman to read.

She looked from Walt to the table and back again. “What is all of this?”

Walt’s heart pattered as Lil’s eyes softened. The corners of her lips quivered.

“Our first date—that is, if you’ll do me the honor of having dinner with me.” Like a maître d’ ushering her to a reserved table, Walt bowed a little and held a hand toward the dinette set.

The pizza box twitched from the tremble in Lil’s hand as she nodded acceptance to Walt’s invitation.

Speechless. Lil was speechless. This was a first and another unreadable sign. Was that good or bad?

She set the pizza box on the table.

“Before you sit down, would you mind getting the ginger ale out of the fridge?”

Lil gave her head a shake and headed in the direction of the refrigerator.

“I tried bringing it to the table, but it’s too bulky for me to carry with this contraption.” He lifted the walker.

Lil’s head popped up from retrieving the soda. “You need that contraption. Look what happened this afternoon. Walt, you haven’t found your new center of balance yet.”

Speechless didn’t last long.

“I know. I was just saying.” Walt stood beside Lil’s chair. “Set that on the table. I’ll pour it later.” He really did need to sit down for a while.

To his surprise, Lil didn’t argue or fuss. She placed the bottle on the table, smiled at him, then sat down. He guided the back of her chair as she helped by scooting it under the table.

“Thank you.” Every etching in her face shone with happiness.

“So I take it you’ve accepted my invitation to a dinner date.” Walt gave her a wide smile as he poured the soda into the glasses before sitting down.

“I figured that any man who could create a mood using the light on a sewing machine didn’t deserve to be turned down.” Lil placed her napkin in her lap and reached toward the pizza box.

“Allow me.” Walt lifted the lid then pulled out a slice of pizza.

Lil held her plate up to accept her portion.

After Walt plated the pizza, he reached for Lil’s hand.

“Let’s give thanks.”

Grasping Walt’s hand, Lil bowed her head. The softness of her hand melted into Walt’s palm. The fit of their hands was in perfect partnership, hers not small and lost in the expanse of his, but holding its own against his strength.

“Dear Father, thank You for providing Lil with quick response times, protecting me from near disaster, again. Be with us during the coming week and help us bring comfort to Sam’s family. Thank You for this nourishment, the teamwork of the Joy group at church, and for a new friend I’ve found in Lil. Amen.”

Without thinking, Walt brought Lil’s hand to his mouth. His lips brushed against the silkiness of her hand.

His gesture surprised Lil. Her sharp intake of breath ended in a squeak that echoed through the silent kitchen. Walt smiled before he turned her hand over and planted a longer, deeper kiss in her palm, hoping it would take root and linger there before he released it.

“Walt.” Lil’s voice was soft, almost shy. “We can’t do this. I’m your nurse.”

“This world is too politically correct for me, Lil. I think you’re special and I want you to know it. People meet in all kinds of ways. My needing care after surgery was our way.” Walt wagged his index finger in the air between the two of them.