Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology) (7 page)

Was Frank thinking of her too?

Chapter 6

Kari slipped in and out of sleep as they drove to the restaurant, the homely pub a favorite of most New Yorkers. It was nestled into one of the suburban strip centers, the owner a little old Asian couple who made the best cheeseburgers known to man. Kari smiled at the thought of the two of them. Their story was a perfect analogy to the American ideal that you could do anything you wanted - opinions be damned. The car stopped and Kari sat up, stretching and leaning up between the seats where her two friends were arguing over something.

"I seriously think it would be best to have all the walls the same color. I don't think the house would look right to have ten different colors as you walk through it. It will look like a Mickey Mouse Playhouse," Sicily growled, reaching up to adjust the hot air vent toward herself.

"I like Mickey Mouse," Kari added in, reaching up to turn the radio volume down so she could participate in whatever was going on in the front seat.

"See? Mickey Mouse is boss. I'm not having the walls all look the same, Sicily. And knowing you, it would be some plain cream-colored cleanly looking shit." Lisa shook her head, her eyes moving in the rearview mirror to give Kari a look of appreciation for the backing.

"Plain!" Sicily yelled. "You think I'm plain?"

Lisa laughed and Kari sat back, rolling her eyes. Sicily was anything but plain and the girl knew it. She was extravagant and exotic looking, her cooking skills were off the charts, and her creativity was unmatched.

"I'm not even answering that. We're not having one color palate throughout the whole house." Lisa held up her hand to stop everyone from interrupting, "... but we're not having ten either. We'll all go room by room and just hang out in there with some color palates from Home Depot or something."

"Okay, I'm good with that, I guess." Sicily sat up and pointed to something out the front window. "It's our lucky night. Parking spot right up front."

"You know, we could just get Kari to pick the colors. She's our resident artist." Lisa moved the car gracefully into the spot and they all got out, huddling against the cold near the front of the car.

"I haven't expressed myself artistically in years, guys. Not sure I even see in color anymore." Kari shrugged, the weight of her situation more than she wanted to discuss.

"You're a brilliant photographer. You have loads of talent." Sicily looped her arm into Kari’s and Lisa's and moved them toward the pub, a rail-thin girl opening the door from the inside.

Her smile was big and her hair was dark purple. "Hey, guys! Welcome to Addey's! Hurry up and get in out of the cold."

The girls hustled their way into the small restaurant, the smell of greasy food filling the air. Kari breathed in deep and untangled herself from her friends, reaching up to smooth her hair. She looked around to see that most of the tables were full, the place a local hangout for years.

"Three of you tonight?" the girl asked and reached for some menus and silverware.

"Yep, unless you have three hot guys with large wallets waiting on us." Lisa tilted her head and smiled, the girl laughing as Kari smirked. Leave it to Lisa to be inappropriate as usual.

"I wish, though I'd not only be checking them for large wallets." The girl winked and moved in front of them. "This way, ladies."

Sicily's cheeks flushed as she looked to Kari, Lisa walking ahead of them. "Did she really just say that?"

Kari laughed and wrapped an arm around her friend. "She sure did. She and Lisa should hang out sometime."

"I'm right here, shit," Lisa muttered, looking over her shoulder with a wicked gleam in her eye.

They chuckled and slipped into the booth, Kari picking up the menu though she knew without a doubt that it was a double bacon cheeseburger sort of night.

"Anyone want to split a salad with me?" Sicily asked, picking up her menu and studying it.

Kari laughed and Lisa snorted. "Hell no..."

Kari tried with tact to pick up where Lisa began. "She means that no, we'd like to gorge ourselves, seeing that it will be a while until we're here again."

"No, I didn't. I meant, 'hell no'." Lisa laughed as Sicily reached across the table to slap at her. Kari moved over as to not get hit.

A handsome Asian boy walked up to the table, his eyes on Kari as he spoke. "Hi, ladies. How are we tonight?"

Lisa reached up and tugged on his thin black tie. "We're good, handsome. Heading out to start a new life tomorrow. Just needed to stop in here and enjoy one last burger."

The boy turned toward Lisa and carefully pulled his tie back, a smile on his lips. "Hey, Lisa. You haven't been in here in a while. What gives?"

She shrugged all girl-like and laughed. "I'm trying to watch my figure. Still haven't been offered a ring by anyone."

The boy chuckled and turned his gaze back to Kari, her cheeks growing warm at the way he looked at her. "That's a shame. World’s obviously gone to hell in a handbasket."

"Obviously!" Lisa proclaimed and picked up her menu. "I need a beer, Keith."

"Me too." Sicily pulled the menu down, looking toward Kari. "You too?"

"Yeah, I'll take a Bud Light in a bottle if you have it." Kari pointed to the menu. "We need this fried basket of goodies too."

"Great choice." He winked and turned his attention to Sicily. "What kind of beer are you looking for?"

"Strong, stout, and wet," Lisa mumbled, giggling as Kari and Sicily just shook their heads. Keith laughed with her.

"I'll see what I can find in the back." He smiled and left the table.

"He's cute. See the way he kept looking at you?" Sicily waggled her eyebrows at Kari as Lisa poked her in the side.

"Ouch! Keep your hands to yourself." Kari poked Lisa back and shrugged. "He was just being friendly. People are being very friendly lately. I guess you can see rejection sitting on someone like a bright beacon."

"That's dumb. He's flirting because you’re hot," Lisa said very matter-of-factly and picked her menu up. "I'm getting a steak. I'm not in the mood for anything green."

"You never eat healthy and yet you still manage to look like you do. Makes me ill," Sicily growled at them.

Lisa set her menu down and pressed her forearms to the table between them. "You look way better than me. I'm starting to get this odd roll above my jeans when I wear the really tight ones."

"I don't look way better than you. That's the problem. I work out all the damn time and eat lettuce and carrots and am barely the same size as you."

Kari handed her menu to Lisa. "Yes well you're both beautiful, so shut up."

"You're a baker, by the way. If you want that bakery we're going to start for you in Maine to work you're going to have to start putting on a few pounds." Lisa took the menus and waved to Keith to come back over.

"I don't have to be fat to be a good baker." Sicily pulled her napkin into her lap and thanked Keith as he put their beers in front of them.

"Let's ask Keith," Lisa chided.

"Ask Keith what?" he spoke, smiling as he took the menus from Lisa.

"Ask you if you think someone needs to be fat to be a good cook or a baker?" Kari jumped in. He looked back at her, a precious smile playing on his lips. He simply stared for a moment before shrugging.

"They say you can't trust a skinny cook." He laughed as Sicily huffed loudly.

"Why do they say that?" Kari asked, leaning toward Lisa and putting her chin in her hands as she took the boy's attention.

"Because they obviously don't eat their own food. What baker would create something delicious, sinfully buttery and not indulge until he or she was satisfied?" he asked with a wink.

Kari sat stunned by how quickly he pulled the silly conversation into something attractive and almost taboo. He was talking about pastries, right?

She needed to get laid. Donuts were turning her on all of a sudden. She sat back and pulled her napkin in her lap, looking up to laugh at the look on Sicily's face.

"Alright… Enough of this madness. Fat cooks are the way to go. I need a steak, baked potato, and ketchup, please." Lisa sat back, looking up at Keith.

He smiled and looked at Kari. "You, miss?"

"I'll take a double bacon cheeseburger and fries."

"You the baker?" He laughed as Sicily swatted at him.

"No, that's me, and I'll take a side salad, no cheese or croutons, and the dressing on the side," Sicily responded.

Kari picked up her beer and let herself relax a little as her friends finished ordering and messing with their adorable waiter.

The basket of fried goodness showed up just moments before Keith left them, Lisa growling softly before reaching to get a long fried pickle spear. She bit into it and yelped at the hotness.

"It just came out of the fryer, Lisa," Sicily reprimanded her, reaching for a mushroom and putting in on her plate before carefully cutting it into several pieces.

"I know that, but your mouth is supposed to handle hotter things than other parts of your body," Lisa responded, reaching and taking a long drink of her beer.

"This is a conversation I've always wanted to walk up on." A guy moved to stand in front of their booth, his suit and tie telling of his corporate life. Dark sandy blond hair sat messy on his head, his hazel eyes intriguing, his voice deep and almost commanding.

Lisa took the lead without hesitation. "Oh yeah? What part of the conversation grabbed you most? Me talking about putting something in my mouth or the hotness that my body can handle?"

He chuckled and looked around the table before setting his gaze on Lisa. He was built, the suit fitting him well. His looks put him in his forties and his confidence meant that he was married or quite successful. He was looking for something to do after dinner.

"Both, beautiful vixen." He looked over his shoulder and nodded before looking back at the girls. "I have a few friends with me. You ladies looking to have company for dinner?"

Sicily scoffed. "Um, we have company, each other’s."

Lisa reached over and swatted at their friend. "What she meant was that we're having a girls’ night out, so maybe some other time?"

He winked at Lisa and pulled a card from his pocket, offering it to her and then looking over at Kari. "We'll be across the room and would love to buy your meal either way. Not too often that you find so many beautiful women at one table."

"Everyone gets lucky now and again." Lisa reached over and touched his arm. He smiled at her before turning and walking toward two other men who looked similar to him.

"Damn... he was hot." Lisa turned her head toward her friends and sighed. "Why couldn't I have found him earlier this week?"

"Lisa, he's probably homeless and trying to score with some well-to-do chick so he can lie around and do nothing but suck off your wealth," Sicily said knowingly.

"I'm not sure it's your wealth he wanted to suck on." Kari laughed as Sicily turned toward her.

"Oh no! Not you, too. She's bleeding vulgar onto you."

Lisa lifted her hand and Kari slapped it in a high-five, the two of them laughing. The mood in the room was light and fun, the music low, and the conversation fast and energetic. The greasy food dipped in Ranch dressing was just what the doctor ordered, and between the handsome waiter and the sexy businessmen across the room eying them, Kari began to realize that the future held options.

Options as to her business opportunities. Options for what color the house would be and how it could easily represent the broad strokes of her and her friends’ personalities. Options on where she could traverse and wander in the beautiful countryside and small cities within New England. Options where love was concerned...

"Earth to Kari." Sicily waved her hand across the table and Kari came to.

"Oh, sorry. I was thinking about all of the great adventures we're going to have in Maine. I was looking at the pictures of the city we're going to, and it honestly looks like something out of a painting."

"It's gorgeous." Lisa pushed her small plate of half-eaten appetizers away. "You remember when Sicily and I went up there last year?"

Kari nodded and sat back, lifting her beer to her lips.

"We scouted everything out, and honestly just fell in love. The scenery was to die for, the people so nice, and kind and the atmosphere just very communal. It felt like a dream come true." Lisa looked over to Sicily. "You thought so, too?"

"Yeah," Sicily whispered, her eyes getting a faraway look. "I'm going to open a little bakery on Main Street and start my days with a long jog around the bay where the house sits on the side of it. The evenings will be at the house cooking, or at little local pubs like this."

Lisa jumped in. "You finally decided on the bakery?"

Sicily smiled shyly. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good," Kari responded before Lisa took the conversation back.

"There are little cobbled streets everywhere and the shopping is just fantastic. Small places to dip in and out of and there are a few wineries, though I'm not at all sure where they get their grapes from."