Lulu's Loves (20 page)

“Since you immediately have a response, I’m anxious to hear what it is you think I think,” I told him, blinking back tears.

“A meeting after work…A girl from the office…a hug…that’s all.” He spoke like they were fact one, fact two, and fact three.

“You disappoint me.” I turned away. “I’m not stupid.”

“I swear, Lulu. Nothing happened. NOTHING!”

I wanted to run away, go home to my dad, but I wasn’t going to run home. I put dinner on the table and he asked about my day. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him, so he decided to elaborate on the meeting after work, to further explain and ease my doubts.

“We’re exploring a high-end line of clothing by Davis Brothers. Malayna has been working with them on a few exclusive items to drive business. They are up and comers and we would be very lucky to get on board with them.”

Malayna…

She was the assistant manager at Lofton’s Lapels. She’d just come to Jacksonville from Hawaii. Malayna was a tall and thin, exotic looking woman with long dark hair.
Plumeria,
I smelled it again and the idea went through my thoughts.

Robbie was still talking about what the addition of this line of clothing could mean for Lofton’s.

I picked my dishes up and started to clean the pans I’d cooked with. Robbie came up behind me, putting his arms around me.

“I love you, Lulu.”

I didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure what to say, so nothing seemed best. I’m not a fighter.

“I’ll sleep in the other room,” I told him calmly, and walked away.

He grabbed my arms. “Lulu, believe me. I swear – nothing.”

“Good night, Robbie.”

Lying in bed, I was torn. In my heart, I’d been waiting for this. I prayed it wouldn’t happen, but I wasn’t surprised when it did. No matter what he said, I knew it was more than a hug. He’d said, in the beginning, that he wasn’t a one woman guy.

I fell asleep. Later, I woke and felt him beside me. He’d showered and the perfume smell was gone, but I wasn’t ready for him to be beside me.

“Lulu. I’m sorry you’re hurt, but I swear, nothing happened.”

“So you’ve said. I don’t want you in the same bed as me, right now. I have to think about the way I feel. Please leave.”

His hands on my hips, he slid down my body. No. Tonight it felt like he slithered. I didn’t like it. I tugged under his shoulders and pulled him back. “No.”

He wasn’t giving up. He lay beside me, his head on my chest. He traced circles on my breasts through the nightgown I wore.

“You’re wrong, Lulu. You’re the only one for me. I love you.” His declaration was so heartfelt that I caved.

“I love you, too. It’s just that the scent, the Plumeria scent, it’s so unique to Malayna. She’s sexy and beautiful…”

“You are far more sexy, but you don’t see it. That makes you even sexier and more beautiful to me.” His hands slid under the nightgown. His lips found mine in a passionate kiss. He pleasured and excited me with his hands, and finally, we made love.

I had dinner with my dad on Thursday.

“How’s married life?” he asked. I’d gone early and made his favorite meal. Robbie was working late.

“A journey. A learning expedition with a few bumps in the road,” I answered.

“Lulu?”

“It’s just different than I thought.”

“You didn’t really have an example, did you? You were too young to know your mom and my early journey, as you put it.” He smiled as though he was remembering.

“Did I ever tell you about the time she was so mad at me that she threw the backdoor open and was chucking pots and pans at me to keep me from coming inside?” He laughed and I was intrigued.

“No!” I was shocked. “I can’t even imagine. The mother I remember was so sweet and caring…”

“She was, Lulu, but oooh wee, she had a temper,” he snickered.

“What on earth did you do to make her so mad?” I asked as I placed our meal on the table.

“A misunderstanding. After it all played out, she laughed, and then cried over the dented pots that I retrieved from the lawn. I was working and Aunt Edie, Welkie’s mother’s sister, came by the dealership with a fender bender. It wasn’t a bad one; she just didn’t like that it “announced to the world” that she’d backed into something. I made arrangements for the guys in the repair shop to pop the dent out the next day. You remember how tiny she was. She kissed me on the cheek to say thanks and got lipstick on my collar. Your mom just knew it was another woman…”

I bowed my head in shame.

“What is it, Lulu?”

“I had a similar situation with Robbie last week–perfume.”

“It takes time to trust. You will.”

“Are you sure?” I wiped my mouth with the napkin I’d been twisting in my hands, while my dad told his story.

He reached across the table for my hand. “Lulu, every day is a learning experience. You’ve had some bad ones and trust seems to be an issue. You have to let that go, or you will live your life on pins and needles. You’ll be so worried about being hurt that life will pass by and you’ll miss it.”

I hear Keelin Wynn in my ear when we first became friends. “LIVE!”

“I love you, Dad. Thanks for telling me about the pots and pans.”

When I got home, Robbie was waiting. He was on the sofa and rose to greet me.

“Nice suit,” I said as he wrapped his arms around me.

“Custom fitted, Davis Brothers.” He grinned, trying to contain his excitement. “My bonus for helping get the deal.”

“Robbie, you look like a model in that suit. It kind of makes me want to see what’s under there.”

He roared with laughter at my comment. “I have to take it off. It needs to go to the cleaners. I wanted you to ‘experience it,’ and you need to go shopping.”

“For?”

“A formal for a gala that Lofton’s is hosting to debut the line. You have a month to find the perfect dress. I want to see just enough to make me wonder what’s under there.” He stepped closer and nuzzled my neck.

We went upstairs and made crazy love. Lying in bed afterward, he leaned up to kiss me.

“How was dinner with your dad? I got off track when you commented on the suit and forgot to ask.”

“You’re sweet. It was good. It’s always good. I made his favorite dinner and we talked. Sometimes his talks are lessons for the soul. Sometimes they are memories that he wants to share. Tonight was both.”

“Tell me,” he said and kissed behind my ear, pulling me closer.

“He asked how things were going. I told him it was a journey with bumps in the road. He then told me about a bump him and my mom experienced. I’m sorry that I didn’t give you more of a chance to explain the night you came home smelling like Malayna’s perfume. Dad told me a lipstick story, and I’ll just tell you that you faired better than he did.”

“Lulu. Let go of the past. I won’t ask you to tell me why you are hesitant. I’ve seen it since day one. When you’re ready to tell me, you will, but you need to trust us.”

Work kept us both busy the next week. When the weekend came, we took off for Orlando to go dress shopping. I told him I’d ask Keelin, but Robbie wanted to help me pick the dress. When we arrived, we had a nice lunch and then the shopping began. The first mall we stopped in had three stores with formal wear. We scoured the racks in the first store and found three dresses that we both liked.

I took the first one to the dressing room and slipped it on with a pair of shoes that I brought with me. They had the heel height I usually chose. After I was in the dress, the attendant zipped it up. I turned in the three-way mirror. It was beautiful, pewter and red, with rhinestones in a splash across the bodice. I stepped out for Robbie to see.

“Beautiful.” He stepped closer and kissed my neck. It embarrassed me a little. I teasingly pushed him away. “Nice lines. It reveals just enough.”

He ran his hand down my hip. The dress hugged my body like a glove. “I like it.”

I went to the dressing room for the second dress. The attendant who was helping me let out a faint gasp when she zipped it. I turned to look. It was gorgeous.

“Your husband has good taste. He knows your body. I mean what looks good on you,” she stammered.

“He knows clothing,” I smiled.

I stepped out and found my husband with a more than satisfied smile. “Do you like it?” he asked.

“No.” He looked up, quickly. “I love it.”

“Me, too.” This one was steel blue with silver rhinestones from the left shoulder to my right hip. It was mermaid-like and showed off every curve of my body. I saw his eyes follow the lines of the dress, and the smile that came next had me wondering what he was thinking.

Suddenly, all I could think about was getting home.

He noticed and grinned. “Ellie,” he said, noticing the gal’s name tag. “We’ll take this one.”

It was the first weekend in December. On the evening of the gala, Robbie seemed energized and alive.

“You look even more beautiful than the day we got married, and you looked pretty fucking hot that day. Damn, Lulu.”

“You picked it.” I said, flashing a seductive smile his way.

His eyes devoured me. He took my hand and kissed my cheek. “So I don’t mess up your makeup.” He put my hand on his crotch. “This is how hot you look, Lulu.”

“Oh my.” I fanned myself and sighed. I moved his hand away. “You look pretty hot yourself. I swear that suit is almost as sexy as naked.”

“I have something special in mind for you when we get home,” he teased.

“I hate surprises. Tell me, so I can think about it all evening,” I whispered in his ear.

“Just think about later. Think about us. Now, we better go, or we won’t get out of here,” he said, and I knew it was true.

The Lofton’s had a beautiful home on the river. When we drove up, it was alight with white starlight lights in the trees. There was a circular driveway and we pulled up to be valet parked. Robbie took my hand and led me inside. The house was dazzling, decorated beautifully for the holidays ahead.

Mrs. Lofton spotted us and made her way over. “Louisa, you look stunning.”

“Thank you, please call me Lulu.”

Mr. Lofton joined us at that moment. “Gorgeous, Lulu! You look gorgeous. You too, Robbie,” he said with a laugh and a thump on the back.

There were several guests already present. Mr. Lofton took me around to introduce me. Robbie smiled whenever I was able to steal a glance. Then she walked in. If my dress was gorgeous, hers was ten times more so. I felt my back straighten when she leaned to Robbie for a hug. I tried to shake it.

“All right? Lulu?” Mr. Lofton asked. Then he saw what I saw. “No need to worry over her, my dear. Robbie loves you. He’d be an idiot to stray. Come on.”

I let his words seep into my soul. Robbie loved me.

Let it go, Lulu
.

Finally, we made our way back to Robbie. Malayna had wandered off and I was relieved.

“Your wife is the most stunning in the room, next to mine,” he added with a wink to Mrs. Lofton.

“I believe you’re right.” Robbie said. He reached for my hand to go get a cocktail.