Magnolia Blossoms (14 page)

“You really don’t have to do this,” I assure Nick.

“I know I don’t have to. I want to, but it’s very loud in here. Let me take you to the restaurant. Dessert’s on me.”

“I don’t think…”

“Ah, come on. I’ll let your friend know where you’ll be, and don’t tell me you don’t like dessert. Everyone likes dessert. I’ll get you a huge chunk of chocolate cake? A wedge of cheesecake? Apple pie? Ice cream? Come on, throw me a bone here,” he says with a chuckle.

“Key lime pie is my favorite,” I answer.

“I don’t know if they have it. Hold on, I’ll be right back.” He gently moves my foot so he can get off of the stool then replaces it just as softly. He meets up with Honey, and after a conversation that lasts a couple of minutes, he returns. “Your fairy godmother gave me permission to take you for a proper slice of pie. It isn’t gonna come from here, so we’re off on a little adventure, okay?”

“But, Honey? And how am I going to get home? And what about…”

“Shhh. You’re going to be with me, and it’s my job to worry about all of that stuff. Your job is to enjoy yourself.
Capisce
?”

My response is a smile. He helps me from the stool, and for the first time since the incident, I put weight on my ankle. It’s not horrendously painful, but it’s enough for me to wince.

“Wrap your arms right there,” Nick says, pointing to his neck. I do, and he swings me so he’s half carrying me on his back, half on his side as he walks through the doors. People give us strange looks while we break through the crowd on the main casino floor, but Nick is quick to joke around. “Don’t go into the bar. I don’t know who she is, but she won’t let go.” He comes up with a quick witted comment for each strange look we get, and I’m laughing so hard that I’m almost crying when we reach the exit. Jace gives me a half-hearted salute as we walk through the doors. I give a quick wave back.

“So, this is me,” Nick says, setting me down beside a midnight black Challenger. My immediate thought is that the car fits his personality. He starts out of the parking lot, but we’re met with a mess of a traffic jam. Standstill traffic for as far as the eye can see. He puts the car into park and turns to look at me.

“Well, this isn’t cool. Looks like we’re stuck here for a while. Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

“You already know nearly everything about me. Before I met you that night, my life consisted of riding my scooter to the archives building for work. Riding my scooter home from work. In between that, I watched movies and occasionally ate pizza. That’s it.”

“Your father’s a high priced attorney. It seems to me like he’d have the means to make your life a little more enjoyable than that.”

“They took me with them on one of their trips. I was left behind, so I quit going after that.”

“Why didn’t you just do things on your own then?”

I sit in silence while I try to put it into words. “The more invisible I was, the easier my life became.”

“But…”

“But what?” I ask.

“But something had to happen to get you to this point, or else you’d still be sitting at home watching your movies. What was it?”

“You sure are inquisitive.”

“It’s my job.”

I nod. “There finally came a point where I didn’t want to be invisible anymore. I hatched a stupid plan to get attention, and luckily, it didn’t work.”

“What was the plan?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?” he asks.

“Because…”

“Was it illegal?”

“Yes, but it never worked out, so technically, I did nothing wrong.”

His eyebrows arch upwards. “I hope you know that you’re going to have to tell me about this maniacal plan of yours.”

“Oh, no I don’t,” I say with a smile.

“Yes, you do,” he counters.

“I don’t think so.”

He touches my cheek with his finger. “Why would someone so special spend her life trying to be invisible?”

“You don’t know me well enough to call me special,” I say, moving away from him.

“I’ve been a cop for seventeen years now, and never once have I had a victim, detainee, or anyone else for that matter, catch my attention like you have. There’s something very special about you, and that’s coming from an asshole like me. Imagine what a goodie-goodie would think.”

“You’re not an asshole. You just like people to think you’re one.”

“I guess we both have our secrets, don’t we. Now what was your plan?”

“It was so incredibly stupid, and it went nowhere. I could never go through with anything so heinous…”

“Jesus, what in the hell were you considering?”

“For about thirty seconds, I contemplated becoming a serial killer.”

The darkened interior of the car filled with laughter. “How’d that work out for you?”

“Not so good once I realized I’m incapable of killing anything.”

“Well, for the sake of mankind, I’m glad you’re incapable. How far did you get into this scheme of yours?”

“Not very far. I accidentally nicked someone with a hobby knife at the art store and passed out when I saw the blood. That’s how I got my new face. I smashed into the counter then the tile floor. Jace picked me up. Anyway, that’s when I knew for sure that my plan was a bust.”

“Oh, my God. I can’t believe I’m hearing this. This is priceless. Please tell me there’s more.”

“I accidentally caught myself on fire, and that’s why my hair is so short now. Jace was there for that one, too.”

“You’re making this up.”

“How I wish I were,” I confide.

“Your secret’s safe with me. Promise. How did Honey LeReaux come into the picture?”

“I was looking for a prostitute because I wanted to pay someone to teach me about intimate things. I spooked her, she popped me with a stun gun, and then she felt sorry for me afterwards. I’ve seen her every day since.”

“Wow. This is incredible. I look at you now, and I saw the picture of you then. It’s so hard to believe the change. If I saw you walking down the street, I’d think to myself, ‘There goes a confident, sexy as hell woman.’ Then I’d try to get your number, even though I’d assume you were out of my league.”

“Me!? Out of your league? Now that’s funny!”

“I’m serious. You’re kind hearted, witty, gorgeous as hell…” His gaze settles on me, and the air in the car suddenly changes from lighthearted and carefree to thick and sexually charged. “You said you’ve been kissed before. Did you like it?”

“Yes,” I breathe.

“I really want to kiss you right now,” he says swallowing hard. With a boldness I didn’t think I possessed, I lean toward him. He meets me halfway, and before I know it, his soft lips are upon mine. Jace’s kiss was nice, but Nick—Nick’s kiss makes me want to strip naked and let him have his way with me. I’m breathless by the time he pulls away. Gazing deeply into my eyes, he uses his thumb to lightly stroke my lower lip. “I think you’ve done that more than once.”

Still unable to put thoughts into words, I shake my head. He has a glint in his eye as he smirks at me. “Traffic is moving. Put on your seatbelt. I’m taking you to get the biggest slice of key lime pie I can find, and I don’t care if we have to travel to Florida to find it.”

Nick stops at three different all-night diners before he finds one that serves key lime pie. I told him that all the running around was unnecessary, but he insisted. He reclines back in the booth, sipping on his cup of coffee while watching me eat.

“This is so good. You should get yourself a piece.” I try to taunt him by slowly pulling the fork out of my mouth after taking a bite. “So good.”

“I’ve never had it before, but I’ll buy the entire pie for you if you keep eating it like that.”

“You’ve never tried key lime pie?” I marvel. “And here I thought I was the sheltered one. Here, try some.” I put a good sized bite onto the fork and hold it out to him. He looks hesitant at first, but eventually concedes.

“Where have you been all my life?” he asks as his eyes roll up in his head. “That’s outrageously good.”

I beam. “Told you.” I offer him another taste, but he declines. Instead, he waves the server over and requests two more slices. “What’s your favorite dessert?” I quiz.

“Nonna’s cannoli,” he says without hesitation.

“What’s cannoli?” I ask.

He gives me a blank stare. “Seriously? You’ve never heard of cannoli? Oh, you’re breaking my heart. I’m making a second date with you even though we still haven’t technically had our first date yet. Saturday, we’re going to dinner and a movie, but Sunday, you’re coming to my Nonna’s for Sunday dinner.”

“No. No way. I couldn’t. Without a doubt, I’ll do something to embarrass you, and I’m not going to do that in front of your family.”

“
You
aren’t the one who has to worry about being embarrassed.
I
, on the other hand, do.”

“I’m confused,” I confess.

“You won’t be after Sunday. Dinner is served at noon. Not a minute before; not a minute after. I’ll pick you up at eleven fifteen.”

“Nick, this is all moving so fast…”

He covers my hand with his. “Hey, it’s just us hanging out and having fun. I won’t even kiss you anymore if that will make you feel more comfortable.”

“No, don’t stop that. You have permission to kiss me anytime you want.”

Nick eyes darken. “Do I?”

Looking down at the pie the server deposits on the table, I casually run my fork across the top of it to leave a wavy path of tine marks. “Yes, you do.”

He stands, pulls a wad of bills from his pocket, and deposits a couple onto the table. “Let’s get out of here.”

I’m not sure where he’s taking me until I start to realize what part of town we’re headed towards. He’s taking me to Honey’s. Part of me is sad. Part of me is fine with it because I’m getting tired. My ankle was better, but now it’s starting to throb some. A few pain relievers, a hot soak in the tub, and a warm bed beckon me. Nick walks me to the door, and before I can finish telling him goodnight, he pulls me close and draws me in for a kiss that lasts at least five minutes. I can barely get the door open before he reminds me about Saturday evening. I nod. “See you Saturday,” I promise before closing the door.

“What the fuck?” Honey practically yells as soon as I click the latch into place.

“Why are you yelling at me? I didn’t do anything! He was a perfect gentleman all night.”

“It’s an act.”

“It’s not. He’s sweet. He just can’t let people know it because of his line of work. He invited me to dinner and a movie on Saturday and to dinner at his nonna’s on Sunday. What’s a nonna? Is that his mom? Grandma? Aunt?”

“It’s Italian for grandma. He invited you to meet his family?” she asks suspiciously.

“Yes, he did.”

Honey relaxes somewhat. “You must’ve made some kind of impression for him to bring you to meet his family. That’s usually a pretty serious step in a relationship.”

“Really? Maybe I shouldn’t go.”

“Go. If anything, you’ll get a good meal. The Italians can cook the shit out of anything. Maybe I’m being too harsh on him. My only dealings with him have been law related, and let’s face it, we’re on different sides of the fence with that one.”

“Thanks for agreeing to give him a chance. He really is very sweet. I’m excited for Saturday! What am I supposed to wear? He said he’s going to pick me up from here. Should I get him something? Do I offer to pay since he’s driving? Help me, Honey!”

“Calm yourself, child! He pays, you don’t get him anything, picking you up at the door is the least he can do, and we’ll find you something to wear tomorrow. Now, it’s bed time for me.”

“Okay, Honey. Thank you for tonight.”

“I didn’t do nothin’. See ya in the morning.”

I hobble to the bathroom for a nice long soak. Afterward as I lie on the sofa, I replay the night over and over in my head. I feel myself falling for Nick, but I’m not sure if it’s normal. This morning I despised him, then I semi-liked him, and now I’m his girlfriend. His words! Girlfriend. I imagine introducing him to my parents,
Big Daddy and Sunny, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Sergeant Nick Ferrera. I believe you might remember him from some of your court cases, Big Daddy.
I imagine Sunny embracing him, while Big Daddy gives a solid nod of approval. Nick won’t be able to take his eyes off me, and I won’t take my hands off him. I give a contented sigh. My dreams are going to be some good tonight!

I see that Jace is by himself sitting on the bumper of the ambulance when I bring Honey to the hospital clinic for her follow up. I touch her arm, and she nods, shooing me with her hands. “Go tell him hi. I’m fine. I’ll be out as soon as I can.”

I follow her advice, and even though I’m practically in front of him, Jace doesn’t sense my presence. He looks like shit: blood shot eyes, mussed hair, five o’clock shadow that’s working its way towards eight o’clock shadow. “Jace,” I call gently.

He snaps out of it. “Oh hey, Mags. How’s the ankle?”

“It’s fine,” I reply, taking a seat beside him. “You okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m good.”

“Okay.”

“So you’re seeing Nick? How’s that working out?”

“I can’t really say. We haven’t even been on a date yet. We only ran into each other at the club. We started talking, and we hit it off.”

“He goes from arresting you to dating you in less than a month. Interesting,” Jace comments.

“Am I missing something?” I ask.

“Like what?”

“Like why are you upset about this?”

“Am I?” he remarks.

“Sure seems that way to me. Did I do something wrong?” I draw my hands to my mouth. “Jace, that day you kissed me in the park, was that more than just a pity kiss? Did you…”

“Stop right there. First of all, it wasn’t a pity kiss. It was something I wanted to do for you. Second, Mags, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but we can’t be more than friends. I’m bad news, and you deserve way better than I could ever give you.”

“What do you mean you’re bad news? You’re the kindest man I know.”

“It has nothing to do with kindness, Mags. I work non-stop, and on the rare occasion when I’m not, I’m in a barroom or some place equally depressing. I can’t keep a girlfriend because despite their assurances that they’re okay with my busy lifestyle, they never really are. Seriously, I enjoy seeing you here and there. I think you’re beautiful inside and out, and that any man who lands you is the luckiest guy there is, but that guy can never be me. Do you understand?”

“I-I think so,” I stammer. “I guess I should find Honey. Take care of yourself, Jace.”

“Thanks, Mags. You, too.”

It’s not something I’d normally do, but I feel compelled to kiss his forehead. When I do, he encircles his arms around my waist and hugs me tightly. I hold him back. After a minute or so, he pulls away. “I needed that. Thank you.”

I give Jace a smile before strolling off to find Honey. He’s gone by the time we leave.

********

Saturday afternoon turns out to be a Honey and Magnolia primp party. A couple of glasses of wine, no serious make up related injuries, and some pulse pounding music make the afternoon fly by. I’m still staring at my reflection when Nick knocks at the door.

I’m wearing black slacks with a sleeveless cowl neck shirt and the same wavy, dark brown wig from before. Plus, Honey outdid herself on my makeup. The only jewelry I’m wearing is a pair of hoop earrings. One look at Nick’s face and I know my assessment is right. I’m looking okay.

“Where are ya off to, kids?” Honey asks in a parental fashion.

“Dinner at Chez Fontaine then a movie. It’s up to Maggie as to which movie we’ll be seeing.”

“Oh, I don’t know if you should be leaving that up to me. I don’t know much about new releases,” I nervously reply.

Nick smiles. “We’ll figure it out. Relax. You look beautiful, by the way. I brought these for you,” he says, pulling a bouquet of stargazer lilies from behind his back.

“They’re beautiful! Oh, Nick. No one has ever given me flowers before. I love them.”

Honey takes the bouquet from me. “I’ll put them in water. You two get out of here and have a good time. If there’s a sock on the door, it means I’m entertaining. Disappear for thirty minutes, then come back.”

Nick shoots Honey a warning gaze.

“It’s a fucking joke, tight ass. Lighten up.”

“Baby steps, Honey. We’re not quite there, yet.”

“Well, excuse the hell out of me,” she snaps.

“Gotcha! See, I’m not the only one who needs loosening up,” Nick teases.

“Later, pig.”

“In a while, ho.”

“Are you two finished?” I ask.

“For now,” Honey replies. “You treat my girl right, Nick. You make her cry; I make you cry.”

“Understood,” he says, holding the front door open for me. He’s still chuckling when he gets outside. “That one doesn’t hold her tongue at all, does she?”

“No, not usually.”

The ride to Chez Fontaine is pretty quiet. Once we are seated, and our orders have been placed, I decide it’s time for Nick to open up to me a little. “You know all about me. Tell me some things about you,” I prompt.

“I’m the youngest of six kids, and the only boy, so I had to grow up tough. I guess it’s obvious that my family’s Italian. Nonna’s still old school, but the rest of us are a little more relaxed. My real name is Niccolo; you’ll hear that tomorrow. I started working for the PD when I was twenty, and I have been there ever since. Never been married. No kids. Work dominates most of my time, but once I settle down, I plan to correct that. I shoot guns for fun, and I kick ass at poker.”

“Are your parents still around?” I ask.

“Yep. Dad’s a butcher; Mom’s a retired teacher. Angela, Lina, Sofia, Giana, and Rosalie—all teachers.”

“Wow. I’m an only child. I can’t imagine growing up with that many siblings.”

“I got picked on a lot. Dressed up like a baby doll a lot, and if that gets out, you’re toast. It really wasn’t that fun. It still isn’t. They still act like a bunch of mother hens. Again, you’ll see tomorrow.”

The rest of the night is primarily small talk. The movie is so awful that we leave halfway through and decide to walk along the river front. Nick tells me about some of the most memorable calls he’s responded to in regards to the Mississippi River, and I listen in complete fascination. How he was able to keep his cool during some of the situations he describes is beside me. Hearing those stories makes me admire him all the more.

We stop talking for a while, both staring across the river as we watch a huge vessel navigate the channel. It is then, as the wind gently tosses my hair in the breeze that he finally leans in for a kiss. “I should get you home. I don’t need Honey to come tracking me down,” he teases.

He holds my hand the entire ride to Honey’s and gives me another kiss after walking me to the door. Every second I spend with him, I fall harder and harder. Aside from the day we first met, everything he’s done or said has been charming. Maybe this is what all the pain and heartache I’ve felt my entire life has led to? Maybe I’m getting close to my happily ever after? That’s the last conscious thought I have before drifting off to sleep.

Honey says I should be a little more casual for Sunday dinner, so I’m dressed in a pair of white capris and an emerald green and white striped, loose fitting blouse. Nick shows up right on time, and he and Honey share a few lines of witty banter before I’m able to get him out the door.

I’m a nervous wreck the entire ride to Nonna’s. I’m not good around crowds, I’ve never been required to meet someone else’s family, and as if I’m not socially awkward enough, I’m not up to date on any current events. What am I supposed to talk about with them? Nick stops my nervous hand wringing by covering my hands with his big hand. “Stop. They’re going to love you.”

Nick pulls his car behind the last of the four in the driveway. We’re not even to the back door when I hear loud chatter from inside, and I’m terrified that something is wrong. Nick doesn’t even give it a second thought. “Niccolo!” a chorus of female voices calls from inside as soon as Nick crosses the threshold. “Oh, and he’s brought a guest to dinner. Quick, Angela, set another place next to Nick for…”

“Maggie. Everyone, this is Maggie,” Nick announces to the curious group.

I’m immediately encircled by a gaggle of women all commenting on my hair, my clothes, and my figure. I think some of them introduce themselves, but I can’t be sure over the cacophony. They all hug me after completing their inspection, and one by one, they welcome me to the home.

“They tell me that Niccolo has brought a woman to dinner,” a matronly woman with silver hair wound into a tight bun says. Her skin is olive and wrinkled, and she wears a simple black dress, rolled stockings, and orthopedic shoes that click when she walks. The room falls silent, and I realize that she’s coming towards me.

“Nonna, this is Maggie. Maggie, this is my nonna, Maria Ferrera,” Nick says.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Ferrera,” I mumble.

“Does this one eat?” she asks, spinning me around to give me a once over. “You need fattening up. Come Maggie, you sit; we eat,” she says, leading me to the long table laden with dinnerware. “
A tavola
!” one of Nick’s sisters yells, and the room suddenly fills with hungry relatives, ages ranging from newborn to elderly.

They must have assigned seating because they automatically veer off in different directions before settling into their seats. Nick pulls out the chair next to him, and once I’m seated, he reaches under the table to give my hand a squeeze. I watch in amazement as noodles are heaped on my plate, a hunk of garlic bread is plopped in front of me, and a pungent cheese is sprinkled over the meatballs and sauce that are now covering the noodle pile.

No one touches his or her fork until Nonna picks up hers and digs in. The room remains silent except for the clinking of silverware against the plates and the occasional cough. I do my best to do what the others are doing, but even though it’s probably one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had, I have hard time shoveling it down as quickly as they do.

The forks go down, and then the talking starts. Loud talking! Lots of laughter, too. Many of the jokes go over my head, but I still smile and laugh with the rest of the crowd. One of Nick’s sisters leans towards me and whispers, “Don’t worry. The more time you spend here, the more normal this will become.” I smile my thanks to her.

Nonna leaves the table and returns with a massive tray of cannoli. “For my Niccolo. He loves his Nonna’s cannoli.” She smacks the hand of the grandson-in-law who tries to take one from the tray. Once Nick grabs one for himself and me, the rest of the tray is emptied by the gang. One bite and I know why Nick loves them so much. The cannoli makes the entire awkward dinner worthwhile.

We leave Nonna’s not long after dessert, and Nick gives me a curious look while stopped at a red light. “What?” I ask.

“I was wondering if you’d like to see my place.”

He must have seen the uncertainty in my eyes. I’m still not ready for sex! I need to go over a few things with Honey before I take that plunge. “Hey,” he says, touching my hand. “No pressure. Just a visit.” Nodding, I give him an appreciative smile.

His apartment is small but well furnished. The walls are a dark gray color, the furniture black leather, and though we’re in South Louisiana, a fireplace is the focal point of the room. Mounted above the mantel is the largest television I’ve ever seen, so large that it practically takes up the entire wall. To the right is a nice, though compact, kitchen with top of the line appliances. A granite topped snack bar separates the kitchen area from the living room. Just beyond the kitchen is a small dining room with a cherry wood table and four chairs. To the left is the bedroom, but the door is cracked so I don’t see much of it. Nick notices me checking it out, so he takes my hand in his. “It’s okay. Come see.”

The door opens, and I’m in love. Room darkening blinds, as well as the dark colors adorning the walls, keep it nice and cozy. The bed is monstrous in size, with a huge, dark wood head and foot board. Across from the bed is a wall of closets. We pass through another doorway, and inside is a bathroom any girl could love. A huge whirlpool tub with three rows of tiled steps sits in the middle of the room. To the right side is a tiled glass-enclosed shower. To the left are his and her vanities, and across the room is another door, which I assume houses the commode.

“I would be happy to live in your bathroom. Seriously, a sleeping bag in the tub, and I’m good.”

Nick laughs heartily. “Come check out the bed. Look, no funny business. I keep my promises. See?” He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “Go on. Hop in there and give it a spin.”

Curious to see if the bed is as inviting as it looks, I kick off my shoes and climb in; I instantly feel as though I’m wrapped in a warm fuzzy cloud. “Oh, this bed is amazing!” I sing, fighting the urge to crawl under the covers and take a nap.

As if he can read my mind, Nick offers, “Feel free to take a nap if you like. I know I usually do after Nonna’s noodles. I think she laces the sauce with sleeping pills.” He notices my hesitation. “You can get under the covers, and I’ll stay on top if that will make you feel better.”

He kicks off his shoes, empties his pockets on top of his dresser, and then takes off his belt and hangs it on a hook inside the closet. He clicks off the light and joins me in the bed. I turn to my side, facing away from him, and he edges closer to spoon with me.