Welcome! This week the word prompt is "orange". We have another excerpt from "Too Late for Goodbye", a contemporary small town romance. Comments are the best!! Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales and the fabulous stories there. Thanks for stopping by!
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Flint patted his
brother on the back. “Absolutely. You’ve covered for me upteen million times.
Now it’s your turn. Take off. Have fun. Get laid.”
“Get laid? With her kids around?”
“You’ll figure it out. Brotherly love stops
at the bedroom door.”
Marty laughed. He paid a few bills, checked
their bank balance, and called Jen.
“I was wondering. What your plans are for
spring break?”
“Plans?”
“Yeah. There’s lotsa stuff to do here in
Pine Grove. And I’d like. Well, I’d kinda like to do stuff. I mean, take the
kids to the park or playground.”
“Really? You want to hang with me and the
kids?”
He smiled. “Yeah, I do.”
“Don’t you have to work?”
“I’m going to take the week off.”
“For us?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, Marty. That’s so sweet.”
Sweet? Sexy, handsome, strong, brilliant
– but sweet? He wanted to facepalm, but his phone was in the way.
“You really know how to hurt a guy.”
“Women love sweet men.”
“Do they? I thought they preferred handsome,
rugged, brilliant, rich, and did I say handsome?”
She laughed. “You did. You are handsome.”
“Me? Come on, be serious.”
“I am. I’m very serious.”
He swallowed. “Wow. Okay. Thanks. I wasn’t
fishing.”
“Yes, you were. It’s okay.”
“I think you’re the most amazing and
beautiful woman I’ve ever met.” Now he put the phone down and facepalmed.
“Oh, Marty. Damn. That’s so sweet.”
They both laughed.
“I’ll figure out when we’re coming, and we
can talk about plans.”
“Great. Looking forward to it.”
“Me, too.”
“Take care.” He clicked off his phone and sighed.
At lunch time, he went shopping. He schlepped the bags into his office and plucked an orange from the fridge. As he checked out the receipt, Flint walked in.
“What’s all that?”
“Stuff.” He ripped off a section of fruit.
“Yeah, I kinda figured it was stuff. What
for?” Flint unwrapped a juicy cheeseburger from The Cozy Café.
“It’s for Jen’s kids. What do you think?”
Flint sat back in his chair and eyed his
brother. “I think the word pussy-whipped might apply.”
“Stop! Seriously. This is all for the kids.”
He pulled out a soccer ball, two pails and
shovels, drawing paper, an enormous box of crayons, and a small checkerboard
and checkers.
“What’s the pail and shovel for? It’s too
cold to go to the beach.”
“Playground has a sandbox.”
Marty peeled the orange as he watched his brother shake his head.
"Bad. You got it bad."
Love the sweet awkwardness of the phone conversation and his desire to please her kids. Great scene.
ReplyDeleteI love that line when he blurts out that she is amazing and beautiful. The fact that he is smitten enough to lose his guard and be truthful is amazing. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you bring out Marty's devotion to her and the way he goes about courting her and the kids. Also, Flint is a riot and always knows the perfect crack me up thing to say.
ReplyDelete