Pictures of the new reigning champions of the St. Helena Fall Fling were flooding Facebook, and yes, Nora was tagged in every single one. Heather was beside herself with excitement over their win, but it was more likely over the realization that she may have found the person she was meant to be with than the large gaudy gold toned Championship Dance Cup.
Standing among their group of friends and family, the chatter around her drowned out, and the people faded as she pinned her stare on Clay Walker. He stood several feet away, taking a call from the babysitter, smiling at her while he spoke to the teen charged with Tommy’s care. He looked different to her, in that moment, she even felt different…there were a hundred fluttering butterflies dancing in her belly.
His smile didn’t fade when he made his way back to her, if anything, it grew. “You okay?”
“Ye…ye..yes,” she stuttered, “why? Everything okay with Tommy?”
He chuckled at her response, “Just the way you’re looking at me…are you staring at me, or through me…or…”
“I’m just, watching you.” her eyes scanned over him, from head to toe, taking in every inch of her handsome man, before meeting his eyes again.
His eyebrows raised, his voice dropped to low sultry tone. “Like what you see, twinkle toes?”
A long steamy pause stood between them, neither had eyes for anything but each other until the sound of awkward throat clearing, and giggles reminded them they weren’t alone.
Giving her head a quick shake, to clear her thoughts, Heather asked, “So, everything okay at home? With Tommy?”
“Oh, uh…no.” he said with a cringe. “Tommy seems to have some sort of stomach bug and I’ve been called home to clean it up. Apparently, the teen can’t…poor kid was gagging just telling me about it.”
A sense of urgency sparked in her at the idea that Tommy wasn’t feeling well. She grabbed her purse, and said, “Oh geez, let’s go.”
“Are you sure? I would completely understand if you want to stay.”
“Nope, I’m with you. My car is at your house anyway, and the sitter needs to be driven home…you can’t do that with a sick boy.” Her matter of fact declaration, and how natural the choice seemed with genuine concern for Tommy surprised not only her, but Clay as well.
He tilted his head as he sized her up, giving her an endearing look of something she couldn’t quite put her finger on before he smiled and said, “Let’s go.”
***
“Becky, I’ll take you home, hon. Doc’s going to…clean up, and tend to Tommy. Car’s unlocked; I’ll be there in a minute.” Without hesitation, the teen bolted out the door, without collecting her wage with her t-shirt still covering her nose.
Clay handed Heather a few bills, folded in half. “Well, she’s ready to go. Would you mind giving her this?”
“Got it. Want me to come back, help you out? I’ve cleaned up my fair share of…this over at the dance studio.”
Leaning in, he kissed her forehead. “As much as I would love that, and finish up where we left off on that dance floor, I would hate for you to catch whatever he has. There’s a twenty four hour flu going around and I have a sneaking suspicion it’s Tom’s turn with it.”
“Oh no, his birthday party is tomorrow!” she cried, disappointment in her words.
“Oh geez, yep. I think I’m going to have to cancel. I am supposed to pick up the cake in the morning too…may not need that now.”
“Well, it’s too late to call everyone and cancel tonight. I’ll pick up the cake in the morning, bring it by, and check on you guys. Maybe it’s not a bug and just a long day of rich food and fun catching up with him.” Her arms crossed her chest while trying to find a hopeful resolution that didn’t include cancelling Tommy’s birthday party the next evening.
“Sounds like a plan, twinkle toes.”
***
Feelings. That’s what she was having…deep, warm, fuzzy feelings that she never thought she would, or could, have. Heather woke the next morning before the sun, chirps of nature, and half the town. She hadn’t slept well, spending half the night going over the whirlwind of emotions she had experienced the past several weeks – the previous night more specifically.
Something had changed, a shift in the wind, planets aligning, the universe cooperating…she didn’t know. It was complicated as much as it was simple. Clay was easy, caring, devoted…and that’s what made it complicated. She didn’t know what to do with that. She loved how it felt in the moment, but feared how it could feel, should it all fall apart. Her plan to move back to St. Helena, avoid men until she was an old maid with a dozen or more cats and no one would want her had failed her.
Ready for her day, it was finally a decent hour, and the Sweet and Savory would finally be open. She had a cake to pick up and her guys to check on. The size of the town had bothered her when she originally returned, but having everything in town within a five to ten minute radius was making small town USA a lot more appealing.
***
Cake in hand, among a few other things she picked up from the Sweet and Savory like soup, crusty bread, and a few different pasta salads, she made an awkward attempt at knocking on the door, avoiding the doorbell in the event Tommy was still sleeping. To her surprise, the jingling sound from the door unlocking led to a three year old on the other end when finally opened.
“Tommy, where’s your dad…” she didn’t have to finish, dad was found standing behind him, pale, dishelved, and with the look of death on him. “Oh no. You got it too?”
“It appears so, hit early this morning. Seems it doesn’t last in the three year olds nearly as long though.” he said, nodding his head toward Tommy.
“I can see that. Feeling better, buddy?”
Tommy nodded his head, “I just feel a little yucky tired but my tummy isn’t mad at me anymore.”
“Good to know,” she said, looking between an exhausted Clay, who was looking greener by the minute, and a happy little boy who had his eyes on the cake and box of cupcakes she was holding. “How about I keep this guy company, and you go back to bed?”
“Heather, I can’t ask you to do that. The house needs to be burned to the ground and de-germed before we have company.”
“You aren’t asking, I’m offering. Move over and let me in, my arms are getting tired.” She pushed her way past the door, and a reluctant Clay heading straight for the kitchen.
Big strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, a gentle kiss landing on her neck, “How did I get so lucky?”
“I don’t know, but don’t forget it. Now get to bed before you breathe on all the food.” she turned in his arms to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck, “Party?”
“Ugh, I need to cancel. He is doing better but not great and there’s no way I’m up to that many three to six year olds, full of cake.”
“Got it. Get to bed Doc, I’ll take care of it. I’ll be in to check on you in a while.”
He didn’t need to be told twice, he was gone in a flash with his hand over his mouth, headed straight to the bathroom. Heather went back to unloading the food, into the refrigerator, and then went about calling all of the parents to cancel Tommy’s birthday party. The look on Tommy’s face broke her heart in two.
The next several hours were spent snuggling on the couch, with soft cozy blankets, watching every single one of Tommy’s favorite movies and shows. She tried coloring, playdoh, and games, but Tommy was content snuggling, so snuggles he received.
Each time she had checked on Clay, he had been asleep. She hadn’t heard him rustling around, rushing to the bathroom for a few hours and had to assume that was a good sign. It must have been passing.
It was getting late, the sun had been retired for the day a good couple hours, when she heard a rumble in Tommy’s tummy. “Hungry, buddy?”
He nodded his head, placing his hand on his tummy. “Can we have cake? Pretty, pretty please?”
Laughing at his innocent plea for the good stuff, she briefly contemplated just how bad of an idea it was, before giving in. “You know what? How about we start with a tiny bit of soup? Then we can try a tiny bit of cake.”
“Okay!” Before she could get to her feet, Tommy was long gone, pulling containers from the refrigerator.
While Heather went to warm the soup, Tommy was working on something else behind her. Over her shoulder, she said to him, “I’m not sure cake this soon after a yucky tummy is the best idea, but…”
Crashing sounds behind her interrupted the thought quickly grabbing her attention. Cake and cupcakes were all over the floor, a teary eyed Tommy standing in the middle of it all. “I broke the cake.”
“Oh, Tomster,” her heart broke at the sadness he wore, first his party was cancelled, now his cake ruined. “We can get you another cake tomorrow.”
With his arms and legs crossed, he sat on the floor to continue his pout. Heather joined him, sitting just across the kitchen floor, the cake and cupcake mess between them. Unsure what possessed her to do so, she grabbed a handful of cake from the top of the pile and took a bite.
Tommy watched her in awe, grabbing his own handful and giggled. A couple of bites each, Heather took the next handful and launched it at the little boy. Eye’s wide, he smiled brightly and returned the favor with a handful of cake. The exchange carried on, along with their deep belly laughs, until a scolding throaty sound interrupted them, drawing their attention to the entry of the kitchen where Clay stood, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed with an amused expression.
At a loss for words, all Heather could do was look at Tommy and begin to laugh. The mess was fairly isolated to a two to three foot radius around them, but they were each covered in cake and bright colored frosting. Tommy’s adorable little belly laugh kicked back in and Clay joined them.
“Bud,” Clay said, “lets get you in the bath! I better carry you or this is going to get everywhere.”
The tot got to his feet, but before leaving the kitchen for his much needed bath, he ran to Heather, launching himself into her arms. “This was a good cake, Miss Heather. It tasted good dis way. I’m gonna take a bath. Can we still snuggle when I’m done?”
Hugging him back, her heart felt full, leaving her speechless, her eyes filling when he cheered at her nod. She had no idea why or how he was having such an effect on her, but he did…he had a little piece of her heart. She hadn’t just fallen for the dad; she was falling for the kid too.
***
Heather warmed the soup, and had it waiting when her guys made their way back to the living room where she was resting on the couch after a long day. “There you are. You guys hungry?”
“Actually,” he said, “I am. Hey, aren’t you eating?”
That’s all it took to boost her to her feet, jetting to the bathroom. The flu had her.
Clay insisted she stay with them, where he could keep an eye on her, and Tommy did the same. With cool rags on her head, pillow fluffing, and plenty of kisses, they took care of her until they all crashed for the night, Tommy camping on the floor at the foot of the bed, and Clay holding her close.