to my brother's boot."
Aside from the congenial time the four of them spent together, the obvious reason Jimmy and Ed showed up daily was because of little brother's crush on Kim. Jockeying for the closest seat to her, Ed offered special treats his mother had prepared and did his best to be clever and charming like his big brother. Unfortunately for Ed, his attempts at wit often sounded like insults. When Kim wasn’t flirting with Jimmy, she was chastising Ed.
Lily sat munching on her lunch and watching the fireworks. The three of them put on such a good show that she often found herself eyeing the clock, anticipating the next performance. She wasn’t sure if Kim was making any romantic progress with Jimmy, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying. So she wasn’t all that surprised to return home one evening to find a beat-up truck blocking her space under the carport, and the owner under her sink.
Kim stood leaning against the counter in her shortest shorts and tightest top chatting away. When Lily walked in, Kim called, “Welcome home, roomy.”
“W hat strange man did you bring home tonight, ---roomy?”
Kim shot her an angry look and mouthed, “ Very funny ,” and out loud added, “It’s just Jimmy. He’s come to fix our sink.”
“Does he know what he’s doing under there?”
Jimmy pushed himself out from under the sink revealing the chiseled face that went with those long hard legs and well-worn cowboy boots. He winked and drawled, “Darlin’, this ain't my first rodeo. Somebody hand me that wrench.” Kim jumped into action, handed him the tool, and returned to her alluring pose. Jimmy crawled back under the sink and continued, “It looks to me like your landlord didn’t have your garbage disposal hooked up right. I’d say he’s either not much of a plumber or looking for a reason for the two of you to keep callin'. Not that I could blame him.”
Absorbing every bit of his compliment, Kim said, “I invited Jimmy to stay for dinner as our thanks for fixing the sink. I thought we’d order pizza if that’s all right with you, Lily.”
“Works for me,” Lily answered and then mouthed, “ Do you want me to leave?”
Kim mouthed back, “ No it’s okay. You can stay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, stay.”
Lily was tired and gladly acquiesced. “I’m going to go get changed out of my work clothes; let me know when the pizza arrives.”
“You bet,” Kim called as Lily retreated to her room.
The dinner bell rang an hour later; Lily left her room to find Jimmy sprawled out on the cowboy couch with a beer and Kim talking away while serving up pizza. Lily curled up on Fido with a couple of slices and watched the show. Half melted lit candles covered the milk crate they used for a side table and a radio played soft music in the background. It was amazing how little was needed to set a mood, and Kim was definitely doing her best to provide a romantic stage. But still, Lily noticed that Kim seemed a little off. Her smile wasn’t as genuine and the conversation wasn’t as fluid. Either something went wrong while Lily was hiding in her room, or Kim was crazy nervous and it showed. Jimmy, cool and calm as always, let Kim administer to his every need while he gobbled down most of a pizza.
Lily didn’t want to be drawn to him, but she had to admit he painted a seductive picture; a handsome cowboy on her beloved cowboy couch. In the novels she read, the hero rode a horse. Close enough. He radiated confidence that was hard to resist. When he was around, she felt both excited and scared. She reminded herself friendship before boys that was the rule. Besides, it would never work out anyway.
Like a satisfied king on his throne, Jimmy took a long swallow of beer, patted his full but firm belly, and declined a treat from the headless clown cookie jar. “Who does your decoratin'? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place with so
Aside from the congenial time the four of them spent together, the obvious reason Jimmy and Ed showed up daily was because of little brother's crush on Kim. Jockeying for the closest seat to her, Ed offered special treats his mother had prepared and did his best to be clever and charming like his big brother. Unfortunately for Ed, his attempts at wit often sounded like insults. When Kim wasn’t flirting with Jimmy, she was chastising Ed.
Lily sat munching on her lunch and watching the fireworks. The three of them put on such a good show that she often found herself eyeing the clock, anticipating the next performance. She wasn’t sure if Kim was making any romantic progress with Jimmy, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying. So she wasn’t all that surprised to return home one evening to find a beat-up truck blocking her space under the carport, and the owner under her sink.
Kim stood leaning against the counter in her shortest shorts and tightest top chatting away. When Lily walked in, Kim called, “Welcome home, roomy.”
“W hat strange man did you bring home tonight, ---roomy?”
Kim shot her an angry look and mouthed, “ Very funny ,” and out loud added, “It’s just Jimmy. He’s come to fix our sink.”
“Does he know what he’s doing under there?”
Jimmy pushed himself out from under the sink revealing the chiseled face that went with those long hard legs and well-worn cowboy boots. He winked and drawled, “Darlin’, this ain't my first rodeo. Somebody hand me that wrench.” Kim jumped into action, handed him the tool, and returned to her alluring pose. Jimmy crawled back under the sink and continued, “It looks to me like your landlord didn’t have your garbage disposal hooked up right. I’d say he’s either not much of a plumber or looking for a reason for the two of you to keep callin'. Not that I could blame him.”
Absorbing every bit of his compliment, Kim said, “I invited Jimmy to stay for dinner as our thanks for fixing the sink. I thought we’d order pizza if that’s all right with you, Lily.”
“Works for me,” Lily answered and then mouthed, “ Do you want me to leave?”
Kim mouthed back, “ No it’s okay. You can stay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, stay.”
Lily was tired and gladly acquiesced. “I’m going to go get changed out of my work clothes; let me know when the pizza arrives.”
“You bet,” Kim called as Lily retreated to her room.
The dinner bell rang an hour later; Lily left her room to find Jimmy sprawled out on the cowboy couch with a beer and Kim talking away while serving up pizza. Lily curled up on Fido with a couple of slices and watched the show. Half melted lit candles covered the milk crate they used for a side table and a radio played soft music in the background. It was amazing how little was needed to set a mood, and Kim was definitely doing her best to provide a romantic stage. But still, Lily noticed that Kim seemed a little off. Her smile wasn’t as genuine and the conversation wasn’t as fluid. Either something went wrong while Lily was hiding in her room, or Kim was crazy nervous and it showed. Jimmy, cool and calm as always, let Kim administer to his every need while he gobbled down most of a pizza.
Lily didn’t want to be drawn to him, but she had to admit he painted a seductive picture; a handsome cowboy on her beloved cowboy couch. In the novels she read, the hero rode a horse. Close enough. He radiated confidence that was hard to resist. When he was around, she felt both excited and scared. She reminded herself friendship before boys that was the rule. Besides, it would never work out anyway.
Like a satisfied king on his throne, Jimmy took a long swallow of beer, patted his full but firm belly, and declined a treat from the headless clown cookie jar. “Who does your decoratin'? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place with so
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