8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sam

I 'm still reeling from that kiss last night. I took the morning off because Brandy arrived last night, and I need to talk to her desperately. My doorbell rings, and I put the cookies that I baked aside so I can rush over and let her in. As soon as I open the door, she comes barreling in and practically runs me over. She stops, however, and pulls me into her arms.

"Oh my god, Sam, it's so good to see you."

"Hey, bestie, glad to have you back, even if just for two weeks."

She pulls back and gets a good look at me.

"Oooh, you're keeping secrets."

"How can you possibly know that?" My eyebrows rise.

"Wait! I've got presents."

I clap my hands. "Can I open them now, or do I have to wait for Christmas day?"

"Some you can open, some will have to wait. Whoa, it smells like chocolate chip cookies in here."

"Baked a batch just for you."

Behind her, just beyond the doorway, I see several bags that I imagine contain my goodies. She picks them up and puts them all on my living room table to be opened as we gossip the morning away. I go to the kitchen, put the cookie plate on a tray, and add one hot chocolate and one glass of cold milk. Even though it is cold as heck out there, Brandy likes her cookies with cold milk.

I place the tray next to the presents and sit beside her on the couch. She picks up her cookie and milk and looks straight at me.

"Tell me the secret."

I hesitate, and then my shoulders slump. "Remember the handyman?"

"You asked him out!"

"This is me we're talking about."

"Oh, right. Well, what happened? You wanted him to do some repairs in the shop, as I recall."

"Yes, I asked him that, but…you know how I tend to get flustered when I'm in front of a cute guy?"

"Yup, I know I've failed you. Want to work on that while I'm here?"

"No need. I asked him to give me dating lessons—” I read her face, “—but there's been a glitch."

"Back up a minute. Are you doing this to get Mayor Douchebag to like you?"

"Don't call him that."

"Are you?"

"I thought it might help. Talking to him always overwhelms me, and I don't know what to say or do in front of him."

"So what's the glitch?"

"He kissed me."

"The mayor?"

"No, for god's sake, Brandy, pay attention. Ben kissed me during one of our lessons."

"Did you kiss him back?"

I blush profusely at her question, and she snickers while taking a bite of her cookie. It's not a good look for her.

"That kiss floored me, and then I ran away. I didn't know what to do with all the feelings it gave me."

"That kind of kiss, huh? Good for you, bestie. What's next, second base? Is it scheduled already?"

"I don't know if I can keep up with the lessons, Brandy."

How do I tell my best friend that I'm enjoying the lessons way too much for comfort? That now I want more from him, and I don't think I could ever tell him that.

"Why the hell not? Oh, you like him."

"He's very easy to talk to. Wouldn't it be better if I tried making conversation with the man that I'm interested in instead of a replacement? I need to get desensitized to the mayor's charms."

"Tell me more about Ben Hoffer."

"You've got a chocolate chip at the edge of your mouth. Seriously, bestie, you've no class. I've missed you so much!"

I hand her a napkin, and she wipes her mouth with it.

"You know better than to try to distract me. Be honest. You're enjoying these lessons far more than you expected, and now you are freaking out."

"We're not twins, you know."

"I can read you like a book, Bower," Brandy says.

"What am I going to do? He's still installing the booths in the cafe. That and the repairs I asked him to make will take him at least four more nights of work. I can't face him."

I wait expectantly to see what she has to say about it, and in the meantime, snatch two of the cookies off the plate before she eats them all.

"Well, it just so happens that I'm going to need your support the next few days. You don't have to see him at all once you let him in to do the work."

"Thank you! Yes, we've been apart too long. We need time to catch up."

"That's what's up."

Ben

Sam's bestie is cock blocking me, and it's pissing me off. I ask my brother Danny to meet me at Flora's Baked Delights for breakfast, and I order for us while I wait for him. He comes in and is stopped several times before he's able to make his way to our table. My brother Danny is well-loved by the folks at Woodland Falls because he spends the day before Christmas helping people with minor repairs or chores they might not be able to handle themselves. When he finally gets to sit down, the words out of his mouth are all about helping me.

"Hey, what's this big emergency you need me for? You need backup at work?"

"More like backup with my dating life."

"You still crushing on the owner of Over the Roast?"

"It's evolved, unfortunately."

"Do tell."

"God, we sound like the old biddies, gossiping."

He adds cream and sugar to his coffee and stirs it while looking expectantly at me. That's actually the reason I wanted to meet at this place instead of Sam's. There's a group of senior citizens that gossip and give advice even when it hasn't been asked for. We call them the old biddies, and I think they're proud of the term.

"Sam asked me to give her dating lessons."

"Oh, wow. That's interesting. I take it you said yes and are now in over your head?"

"More like I said yes, and everything new I learn about her makes me want her more. I kissed her a couple of days ago, and she's been ghosting me since. Well, we talk, but only about business, and then she leaves for the night with her best friend, Brandy."

"Why don't you invite them for dinner? Merry and I can host."

"What would that do for me?"

"We can talk you up. She can see we are a close-knit family. I don't know. It's just a suggestion."

"I'll think about it."

"If you really want this girl, Ben, you need to bring out your inner alpha male and sweep her off her feet."

"I don't know if I have an alpha male inside me. I've always thought of myself more of a cinnamon roll or golden retriever type."

Danny waves his hand at me. "So go up to her, put your paws on her shoulders and lick her face. She'll fall for you in no time."

"You're no help."

"You know how long I waited for a chance with Merry, and when she gave me the slightest opening, I made sure I gave it my all. Now we're happily married and expecting."

"You've made a wonderful life together with your wife, brother. I'm proud of you."

"I don't even know why we're having this conversation, Ben. You're the most romantic person I know. You love the little details that make women swoon. Why haven't you done that with Sam?"

"I have, to some extent. She's just—she’s been hurt before. Especially by men like the mayor who take advantage of people."

"Still waiting for you to announce your candidacy." Danny teases.

"That would be easier than winning my girl's heart."

We talk about our business for a long time and when my brother leaves, I still wonder what I will do to separate the beautiful duo so that I can have some more time alone with Sam. My main goal is for us to go to that Mixer together and for her to forget all about Mayor Douchebag. My brain keeps spinning all day long, coming up with ideas and then discarding them when they don't seem feasible.

I walk into Over the Roast at six o'clock sharp and see the dynamic duo. Before they get a chance to leave, I stand in front of the door, blocking their path.

"Sam, can I have a word with you in private?"

"Um, we're in a hurry."

"It's important."

"You can say anything to Sam in front of me, Ben Hoffer," Brandy says.

They're putting me on the spot, but if they think that will stop me, they've got another thing coming.

"Sam, will you go out with me Saturday night?"

"Like…like…"

"A real date, yes."

"I…" Her eyes slice to Brandy and back to me.

"She'll love to go with you! I'll have her ready by eight."

With that declaration, Brandy hooks her arm through Sam's and they both leave in a flurry of giggles. I'm left wondering if the real cock blocker was Sam and not Brandy.

I can't think about that right now, though. I've got a date to prepare for.