Passion in James County XIV: A Week In The Mountains
Chapter twenty-three
Kay held the keys to her newly-purchased cabin in her hand and kept gazing at them while Frankie drove away from the real estate office. "I can't believe I really own it," she murmured. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy.
Frankie looked over at his companion. She had on a pair of brown leggings, an oversized white corduroy shirt, and a kind of oatmeal colored cardigan sweater over that. The leggings clung to her lovely legs as if they'd been painted on.
"You look terrific today," Frankie said. "That's a really neat outfit."
"You think so?" Kay replied and flushed a little.
"You're a knockout," Frankie said, "I'd like to buy you to lunch to celebrate your new place."
Kay leaned over and gave him a kiss. "You really are a sweet man, you know that?" she said.
Frankie blushed. "I...I try, you know?" he murmured.
They went to a nice restaurant for lunch. Frankie parked in the restaurant's parking lot, got out of the car, and went around to hold the door for Kay.
"I can't get over what a gentleman you are, Frankie," Kay commented when she slid out of the car. "I thought your generation didn't bother with things like holding the door for women."
"I'm just doing what my folks taught me," the young man said as they walked into the restaurant. "I do what I want, I don't care what other kids in my generation think."
"Two for lunch?" the maitre de asked. He was an effeminate-looking little man with an affected French accent.
"Yes," Frankie said. "And non-smoking, please." Because of the man's phony accent and feminine affectations, he assumed the maitre de was gay.
The man gave Kay an approving look. "Non-smoking, madam, m'sieu?" he asked. "Is zat correct?"
"Yes, non-smoking," Frankie replied. Having seen the way the man looked at Kay, he decided he wasn't gay after all.
The maitre de nodded. "Of course," he said. "Please, follow me." He seated them and handed them menus. "Your waiter will be Charles," the man said, pronouncing the name "Sharle." "He will be with you in just a moment."
"Charles," Frankie said. "I don't think I've ever known my waiter's name before. You have to read the nametags to find out the names at McDonald's."
"I hope you emptied your piggy bank before you left this morning," Kay told him, "I have a feeling this place isn't cheap."
"I'm not worried," Frankie said. "Besides, I don't mind spending my hard-earned money on someone who looks as great as you do."
"Flatterer," Kay said. She began looking at the menu. "My word, Frankie! Look at these prices!"
"Don't worry," Frankie told her. "I've got plenty of money, and I know how to wash dishes if I don't have enough."
"I don't believe this," Kay continued, "Five dollars for a hamburger is obscene!"
"It's only four ninety-five and it isn't a hamburger, it's a flame-grilled chopped sirloin sandwich," Frankie said. "And it comes with the all you can eat salad bar and dessert."
Kay frowned. "I don't care," she said, "there's no way I'll ever pay five dollars for a hamburger."
"I'm going to have the poached salmon," Frankie said. "What are you having?"
"I think I'll have the Chicken Divan," Kay said. "Do you like fish?"
Frankie shrugged. "I've never had poached salmon," he said. "It sounds like it might be good."
Kay laughed. "I like that. You're adventuresome," she said.
The food was fantastic, and Charles was an attentive and pleasant waiter. Frankie left him a large tip.
"How big was that tip you left?" Kay asked as they walked out to the car.
"Twenty percent," Frankie said, "Eight bucks."
"Frankie, you only need to tip fifteen percent," Kay said.
Frankie held the door for her and she slid into the car. "Being a waiter isn't easy," he said. "And he was the best waiter I ever saw."
Kay shrugged. "It's your money," she said.
"You want to go and see your house before we go back to our place?" Frankie asked when he slid behind the wheel of the car.
Kay nodded. "Yes," she said, "I do. But we have to be careful today. If your mother sees us drive by the house, she might come up."
Frankie drove back to the lake past his parents' cabin and up the road to the cabin Kay had purchased. When he turned into the driveway, Kay reached into her purse and handed him something.
"What's this?" Frankie asked, examining the small device.
"It's a remote control for the garage," she said, smiling. "If you put the car in the garage, nobody will know we're there, will they?"
Frankie grinned broadly. "No, I guess they won't, will they?" he replied. He pushed the button on the remote control, the garage door opened, and he drove into it.
Kay looked around the garage. One of the bays was filled with all manner of woodworking equipment. There were machines she didn't recognize and, on shelves on the wall were all manner of power tools.
"My goodness, look at all that stuff," she said.
"Mr. Williston was a carpenter," Frankie said. "He built this place himself. I used to come up and help him sometimes. He taught me a lot. He built all the furniture in the master bedroom. I helped with that."
"Even that roll-top desk?" Kay asked.
Frankie nodded. "That was hard," he said. "He worked on it for almost a year."
They got out of the car and walked into the house. The minute they were inside Frankie, smiling and started toward Kay. When he was close enough, he grabbed her, pulled her into his arms and covered her lips with his.
Kay pressed against him and her tongue forced its way into his mouth. Heat rushed through her as his body pressed against hers. Excitement blossomed through her while their tongues lashed.
"Come on," Frankie said when the kiss ended. He led her past the stairs to the second floor and toward the living room.