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We begin to walk through a butterfly atrium and find a stone bench to sit down. A bright yellow butterfly lands on the back of Lina’s hand, and she gasps with delight, holding completely still. But I’m fast. I take a picture of it seconds before the butterfly flits away and when we look at the photo on my phone, we both marvel.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispers. “So gorgeous.”
“Yes,” I agree hoarsely. “You’re gorgeous honey.”
She blushes, looking down, but I lift her chin with the tip of my finger.
“You are beautiful,” I reiterate. “The most ravishing woman I’ve ever seen.”
She blushes even more then.
“You’re just exaggerating Tim.”
But I shake my head, totally serious.
“No, I’m not sweetheart. You’re gorgeous inside and out, and that’s what counts. When I met you at the Krazy Kat, and then again at the bachelor auction, I feel like it must have been Fate intervening. I’m not a woo-woo type of guy, but who would have thought that we’d meet twice in such a short span of time? Karma, wouldn’t you say?”
She looks like she’s about to say anything, but then stops.
“What is it honey?”
For a moment, she looks conflicted, but then smiles brightly. I must have imagined it.
“You’re very romantic, Tim,” she whispers with a smile. “Much more than you know.”
“Good,” I growl before giving her another sweet kiss. “I like being romantic with you.” I sling an arm around her shoulder, and she leans against my shoulder, sighing with satisfaction. “So are you enjoying yourself?”
She nods happily. “Very much so.”
“How about the rest of Prescott? Have you made any friends?”
She sighs a bit.
“Not a lot, to be honest. I have Marlene at the Krazy Kat, and I love her, but we don’t really talk much outside of work. Oh, but there is one girl I got back into touch with recently. Her name’s Rachel, and we used to go to elementary school together, if you can believe it. We used to sell Girl Scout cookies together.”
“Oh really?”
She nods and giggles.
“I was really bad at selling, but Rachel was really good, so I think she even credited me with some of her sales. I don’t remember since we were in fifth grade then, but she was really nice, and we’re exploring our friendship again. It’s nice to get back in touch sometimes.”
I nod.
“How about your parents?” I ask. “Are you in touch with them?”
Lina sighs and makes a face.
“Honestly, my mom isn’t someone that I want to talk to much. Judy is a piece of work, let’s just put it that way. And my dad? He left us soon after I was born, so I’ve never known him. To Judy’s credit, she raised me as a single mom, and it wasn’t easy.”
I nod thoughtfully.
“I can relate to that. My birth mother died when I was just a kid, so my dad was pretty much my only parental figure. My dad remarried once, but they weren’t together very long. Besides, I was already an adult by then.”
Lina nods pensively.
“And thus the mysterious stepsister, right?”
“Yep. I still can’t remember her name though, it was so long ago.”
Lina looks like she’s about to say something, but it’s not what I expect.
“I’m sorry about your mom,” she says, looking up at me again. “It must’ve been hard on you and your dad.”
I shrug.
“I doubt it was harder than it must’ve been for you and your mom.” I kiss her forehead. “Single parenthood is always tough, and it’s not something that I want for my kids. I mean, babies take a lot of work, so imagine doing it all on your own. It would be hell.”
“So you want babies?” Lina asks, looking up at me from beneath her lashes.
“I do,” I confirm in a low growl, slipping both arms around her waist now. “Lots and lots of kids. I was an only child, and while my upbringing was fine, it can get lonely. I’d like to have a passel of children. How about you?”
Her cheeks flush as she smiles.
“Me too,” she confesses. “I’d love to have at least three.”
“Three?” I yelp. “That’s far too few. I was thinking along the lines of six or seven.”
“Seven?” she gasps. “Like the Von Trapp family?”
My brow creases.
“Who’s that?”
She giggles, swatting my arm lightly.
“You know, from the movie The Sound of Music. The Von Trapp Family Singers from Vienna! Or Salzburg! Or wherever they’re from.”
I shake my head.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen The Sound of Music.”
This time, Lina gasps so loud that a few other guests turn to look at us.
“Never seen The Sound of Music? But that’s sacrilege!” I pull her close, chuckling into her hair.
“Then, you’ll have to watch it with me someday. But don’t blame me if watching a movie turns into something else,” I wink. “If I’m anywhere near your curvy form in private, you know what I like to do.”
