Page 117 of Second Chance

“Dolores. I’m giving her some time off from life. We decided to give the diner to Hollilyn for the time being.”

“Hollilyn? She’s ready to pop any day!”

“She said she has a month.”

“Do you see how big she is? That baby won’t wait.”

I chuckle at the stress in her voice. I love how animated she is. I love her.

“Calm down, Grandma.”

“Ugh. I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

“Well, get ready.” I’ll never be a grandpa. I’ve never been a father. The two concepts have never concerned me until this moment. Have I missed too much? “Anyway, it gives me time to fix the place up. I’m hoping Dolores will stay away a while. I’d like to spruce it up in here and then sell, maybe to Hollilyn.” I take another look around at the old paneled walls, the chipped tile floor, and the dated Formica countertop.

“You’d sell the diner? Out from under Dolores?”

“I don’t want her to feel tied down anymore. I’d just like her to have some freedom. Once she takes it, she might not want to return.”

“Stranger things have happened,” she reminds me, her voice quiet, still a little untrusting of our situation, a little unsure of my staying put.

“It took me too long.” It’s true, but I’ll take as long as I need to prove I’m not going anywhere. “I’m also going to rehab Magnolia’s. Let’s just see what happens with her. She needs some supervision, that one. And I could use the project seeing as I won’t be America’s next top model.”

“What do you mean? I thought the shoot in Costa Rica…” Her voice dips and I realize we have one more thing to clear the air about.

“The shoot was for Mature Life.” Mati’s nose wrinkles and she looks adorable.

“What’s that?” Her voice drags, and I laugh.

“A magazine for the seasoned reader.” Mati gasps and her fingers cover her lips.

“You aren’t old! What happened to ‘Fit over Forty’ and Healthy Male?”

“It went to someone not forty.” I wave dismissively. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I realized on the way to Costa Rica I was fulfilling the wrong dream. Or maybe my dream just changed. I’m allowed to do that, as a mature man.” I air quote, and we both laugh.

“You’re definitely seasoned,” she drawls, leaning toward me and tickling her fingertips over my peppered jaw.

“You know it, Spice.” I take her lips and plan to show her how seasoned I can be. Grabbing her at the waist, I lift her to the counter and scoot to the stool she vacated. Positioning myself between her dangling knees, my hands climb her thighs and spread them.

“Denton,” she whimpers as I pepper kisses on her inner thighs, dragging her to the edge of the countertop. “People will see.” Her eyes shift to the large diner window with the blinds at half-mast. The closed sign will surprise people, and I’ll need to make an announcement about the new management, but I have other things on my mind.

“Still ashamed to be seen with me?” I tease. We established all this last night. The kissing in front of her brother. The dancing at the party. “Those windows are frosted, and the door’s locked.”

“Not ashamed. I just don’t need everyone to know our business.” Her voice catches on the last word as I nuzzle my nose over her moistened underwear.

“Our business. I like the sound of that.” I ignore her concerns as I blow heat on her sex. “But if they are going to talk about us, we should give them something to talk about. These need to go.”

“Denton,” she purrs both admonishing and encouraging me as I wiggle her underwear down her legs.

The delicacy of the day will be ȧ la Mati.

+ + +

Two weeks later, Mati coaches the girls’ volleyball state championship game with her team. It’s a packed house, and my girl is a local hero. The parents love her. The fans want this win. Her girls are determined to make Mati proud, but the pride shows in her face when the final ball drops and the points fall in favor of Blue Ridge High School, making her the winningest coach in their history.

Mati was excessively nervous about this game, snapping at me a time or two in the days before it. Then like a mischievous kitten, she’d saunter up to me and apologize, curling into me for comfort and a little bit more. I was always happy to oblige.

So, I’m not concerned as I struggle through the crowd, hoping to get to her for our own congratulatory kiss until I near her and find two men in suits along with a woman in dress pants and a crisp white blouse.