Todd Lake works and apologize for your cowardice.”
“Give it up, Joe. He was the wrong valentine, or at the very least, not one meant to be mine for more than one dinner. In a week, he will have forgotten all about me. I’m just one tiny fish in the vast sea of his adoring female fans.”
“No. I don’t buy that at all. I saw the way he looked at you Friday night. Unless you were super bitchy to him over his pineapple concoctions, his heart is breaking right now because of your refusal. The man was interested—like sincerely interested. Do you know how rare that is?”
“Shut up, Joe.”
“No, I won’t shut up, and don’t give me that disbelieving look. I swear, talking to you is like talking to a wall sometimes. If Martin wasn’t my brother, I’d go kick his ass for making you feel like you’re not attractive. Because you are, even if you are older and curvier than that bony plastic doll Martin married. Hell, even my Todd said you were hot. He made me think he was going to turn out to be bi the way he went on and on about you.”
Sabine hid her face in her hand. “Joe, can we please drop this discussion? When I start dating again, it’s going to be some normal guy. Todd Lake is going to end up with one of those soccer mom workout queen types. The man’s muscles have muscles. The only working muscle I have is my brain.”
“Oh, I bet you have a few others he would find appealing. I bet he has some you’d like as well. That’s the full benefit of actively dating, sweetheart.”
Sabine pointed her empty fork at her torturer. “I will get laid in my own time and in my own way. I’m not using that sweet man for casual sex no matter how gorgeous he is. I like him, but he’s just not right for me. Now please . . . let’s change the subject. Finish your dinner before it gets even more inedible. Last night may have just ruined me for cooking my own food.”
“I’m hoping it’s ruined you for a lot more than that,” Joe said, picking up his fork. “Want to bet he comes up with a way to be in your life?”
Sabine laughed at Joe’s endless optimism. “Valentine’s Day is over, Joe. You can drop the romantic stuff now.”
“Fine. I’ll skip the romance. But I bet dating sexy Todd Lake is going to look like a much better prospect when you see the double-D assets my new sister-in-law got compliments of your retirement.”
Sabine snorted and glared. “Why are we friends?”
Joe made a smoochy motion with his lips and kissed the air. “Because as a man who fell in love with you at first sight, I immediately saw the signs when Todd Lake did the same thing.”
“This is the sad story of my love life. My husband left me for a skinny woman and a gay man loves me madly,” Sabine said.
She rested her fork on her plate and gave up trying to eat.
“And this has got to be the worst meal I’ve ever cooked for another human being. Don’t eat it, Joe. I’ll give you money to buy takeout on your way home.”
Joe looked at his food and back at her. “You’re just having withdrawals. Plus, I’m a way better friend than that. Now go open a can of pineapple for dessert. After I eat this, I’ll sing Blue Hawaii while you dance the hula.”
Sabine thought of what Koka might say if he ever heard Joe being flippant about his homeland and culture. He would probably make some incredibly nasty insult in his native language and say it meant something benign like “thank you for smiling”. But she would know the truth by that little huff of exasperation Koka would make when Joe looked merely pleased at the poetic sounding Hawaiian words.
“Are you thinking about Elvis before or after the banana sandwiches?” Joe asked.
Shaking her head at his teasing, all Sabine could do was laugh at them both.
***
At her request, her day nurse, Denise, opened the newspaper and began to read. Suddenly, she laughed. Pekala searched the younger woman’s face trying to decide if she wanted to know what had been said
“Give it up, Joe. He was the wrong valentine, or at the very least, not one meant to be mine for more than one dinner. In a week, he will have forgotten all about me. I’m just one tiny fish in the vast sea of his adoring female fans.”
“No. I don’t buy that at all. I saw the way he looked at you Friday night. Unless you were super bitchy to him over his pineapple concoctions, his heart is breaking right now because of your refusal. The man was interested—like sincerely interested. Do you know how rare that is?”
“Shut up, Joe.”
“No, I won’t shut up, and don’t give me that disbelieving look. I swear, talking to you is like talking to a wall sometimes. If Martin wasn’t my brother, I’d go kick his ass for making you feel like you’re not attractive. Because you are, even if you are older and curvier than that bony plastic doll Martin married. Hell, even my Todd said you were hot. He made me think he was going to turn out to be bi the way he went on and on about you.”
Sabine hid her face in her hand. “Joe, can we please drop this discussion? When I start dating again, it’s going to be some normal guy. Todd Lake is going to end up with one of those soccer mom workout queen types. The man’s muscles have muscles. The only working muscle I have is my brain.”
“Oh, I bet you have a few others he would find appealing. I bet he has some you’d like as well. That’s the full benefit of actively dating, sweetheart.”
Sabine pointed her empty fork at her torturer. “I will get laid in my own time and in my own way. I’m not using that sweet man for casual sex no matter how gorgeous he is. I like him, but he’s just not right for me. Now please . . . let’s change the subject. Finish your dinner before it gets even more inedible. Last night may have just ruined me for cooking my own food.”
“I’m hoping it’s ruined you for a lot more than that,” Joe said, picking up his fork. “Want to bet he comes up with a way to be in your life?”
Sabine laughed at Joe’s endless optimism. “Valentine’s Day is over, Joe. You can drop the romantic stuff now.”
“Fine. I’ll skip the romance. But I bet dating sexy Todd Lake is going to look like a much better prospect when you see the double-D assets my new sister-in-law got compliments of your retirement.”
Sabine snorted and glared. “Why are we friends?”
Joe made a smoochy motion with his lips and kissed the air. “Because as a man who fell in love with you at first sight, I immediately saw the signs when Todd Lake did the same thing.”
“This is the sad story of my love life. My husband left me for a skinny woman and a gay man loves me madly,” Sabine said.
She rested her fork on her plate and gave up trying to eat.
“And this has got to be the worst meal I’ve ever cooked for another human being. Don’t eat it, Joe. I’ll give you money to buy takeout on your way home.”
Joe looked at his food and back at her. “You’re just having withdrawals. Plus, I’m a way better friend than that. Now go open a can of pineapple for dessert. After I eat this, I’ll sing Blue Hawaii while you dance the hula.”
Sabine thought of what Koka might say if he ever heard Joe being flippant about his homeland and culture. He would probably make some incredibly nasty insult in his native language and say it meant something benign like “thank you for smiling”. But she would know the truth by that little huff of exasperation Koka would make when Joe looked merely pleased at the poetic sounding Hawaiian words.
“Are you thinking about Elvis before or after the banana sandwiches?” Joe asked.
Shaking her head at his teasing, all Sabine could do was laugh at them both.
***
At her request, her day nurse, Denise, opened the newspaper and began to read. Suddenly, she laughed. Pekala searched the younger woman’s face trying to decide if she wanted to know what had been said
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