Lulu's Loves (34 page)

When I woke in the morning, I rolled over and found him watching me, waiting for me to wake up.

“Good morning,” he said, and leaned in for a kiss. “Make love with me, Lulu.”

I moved closer. I always loved that he used the word ‘with.’ It meant that both of us were working together, not one to the other. I rolled on top of him and he wrapped his arms around me holding me close.

Scooting lower, I pushed his legs apart and rested on his erection. Rocking gently back and forth I felt him ready, and I took him for a ride. He cried my name over and over, and I felt myself fall deeper in love with him.

Satiated and exhausted, I fell on his chest. “Jesus, Lulu. I love you.”

“Because of good sex?” I teased.

“No, because you’re everything I dreamed of before I met you. You’re all that I dreamed of while we were apart, and all I can think about now. I can’t tell you how happy I am.”

“Keep showing me, Thom.”

Our days together in Kiawah were a familiar routine. We ran, we went to the pub, and we made love.

Back at my home we worked on projects, spent time with my dad, and had fun together. It was an amazing relationship where we learned, and grew from our past mistakes. And every day we shared brought us closer.

It was March, and we’d been back together for three months. One evening as we were sitting on the sofa at my place, Thom turned to me with a serious look. “I’m going to sell the Do Drop.”

“What?” I asked, shocked.

“Danno wants it. I’m going to sell it to him.”

“No,” I said. “You love it there. What will you do?”

“I love it here more, Lulu. I love being here with you more than that bar–more than that place.”

“But what will you do? You love Kiawah, we both do. You need to think about this,” I told him.

“I have. I do love Kiawah, but I hate that you are here and I can’t ask you to come there because I know how much you love teaching…”

“I do, but we need to talk this through and make a plan.”

“We do?”

“Yes, Thom Miller, this isn’t just about you.”

“I like the way you think, Lulu.”

I’m not sure, but I think I just opened the door to a future with Thom Miller.

Two weeks passed. He came to Jacksonville on those weekends and the following Thursday, Thom was waiting when I got home from the university.

“Come on, we have someplace to go,” he said as he folded me into his arms, kissing me wildly.

“Well, since you are dressed for going out somewhere, I assume that we aren’t just going upstairs,” I laughed.

“Later,” he said, waggling his eyebrows. “Do you need to freshen up?”

“I would like to go change. Do I have a few minutes?”

“Go, go…” he shooed me away.

When I returned, he took my hand and we headed for the car. “You look beautiful,” he whispered in my ear.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“It’s a surprise. For both of us,” he added with a chuckle.

He pulled up in front of a small bar in an eclectic part of town. There were people coming and going and it looked busy.

As we entered, Thom took my hand.

“Fun,” was the first word that came out of my mouth once we were inside.

It was a buzzing place and it appeared that everyone was having a good time. There was a young man playing guitar in the corner and the music was just right for the small crowded establishment. Thom led me to the bar. Once we were seated, the bartender came to greet us.

“What can I get ya?” he asked in a thick southern accent.

“She’ll have a sissy white wine and I’ll have a Coke for now. Thom Miller, I’m here to see Angus Lee.”

“He’s waiting. I’m Gus, I’ll be back with your drinks.”

“He’s waiting?” I asked.

Thom nodded. “When he gets here we’ll fill in all the blanks.”

A large, robust, white-haired older man, with ruddy cheeks and gray hair came to join us. He made me think of someone who could play Santa – a genuine looking Santa.

“Angus,” he said extending his hand to greet us.

“Thom Miller, and this is Lulu Welk,” Thom replied in a businesslike manner.

This is a meeting
.

“I reserved a table for us. Join me.”

He led us to a table in the corner and the bartender brought our drinks.

“So what leads you to Jacksonville?” he asked. “I’ve read up on you and your business is thriving in Kiawah. Are you selling or thinking of expanding?”

“It would be neither. I believe that if the establishment already exists you never change the name–the Do Drop was the Do Drop before me and will remain the same, just as I believe that Hooligans should remain Hooligans to whomever buys it. I have a need to be in this area and I think this would be perfect.”

“You’re thinking of buying this place?” I asked.

“And the apartment above it,” Thom said and turned back to Mr. Lee who was smiling. “I’ve done my homework and I think it’s a good move. I’d like a good look around.”

“Join me for a tour!” Suddenly, Angus Lee was jovial and I was curious.

He took us behind the bar to show us that everything was sparkling clean. You could tell it wasn’t just polished up today for Thom’s visit. He led us to a wall filled with ‘The Best Of’ this and that, articles from local newspapers over the years and a couple of mentions in national publications.

The kitchen was state of the art and everyone was busily preparing orders for the patrons who waited. “Refurbished in 2011–all stainless,” he said proudly. Thom opened doors, drawers, and looked under and above; he seemed pleased with his exploration.

We went out the back door where everything was in order and went up a set of stairs to the apartment above–once more, everything was neat, clean, and Thom was smiling.

Mr. Lee motioned to the table in his kitchen and we sat down to talk.

“I’ve gone over your offer, Mr. Miller; my attorney and I feel that it’s a good offer and no counter is needed.”

“I’ll call my attorney and we’ll get everything signed. I will be proud to continue the traditions of Hooligans.” Thom rose to shake his hand, confirming a gentleman’s agreement.

“Join me downstairs for dinner!” Angus Lee said, happily.

As we walked down the stairs to return to the pub, Thom squeezed my hand letting me know there was more to come. We had a lovely dinner with Angus Lee and left for home. It was only four blocks from my house.

“I’ve been to lots of places in the neighborhood, but I’ve never been there. It was nice,” I said, attempting to get Thom to start a conversation.

“I put the word out to my attorney that I was looking for a place. He found this right away and called me. Let’s get in and have a drink; I’ll tell you all about it.

When we were inside, Thom fixed drinks and we joined on the sofa.

“So?”

“So, I decided that I want to be here, close to you, but I’m not one-hundred percent sure exactly what you’re ready for. This property is not only the pub I’m looking for, it has a place for me to live until you’re sure you want me here all the time. Either way, I’m closer if you want me to be.”

“What do you mean you aren’t sure what I want?” I felt hurt, and the question came out a snip.

“Lulu, this is a big step for you, not for me as much. I will move into the apartment when I come, and when we’re both sure you’re ready for what comes next we will act on it. I didn’t make this decision–the bar, I mean-based on moving in with you. I don’t make assumptions like that, but I want to be closer to you. I hate the distance. The weeks in between the weekends kill me. I believe with everything I have that we are beyond our past, but you have some past that I want to make sure you’ve left behind, so that you’re ready for us.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“We’ve only ever shared long weekends. How do you even know you want me around all the time,” he said with a teasing tone. “You’ve been married before, you’ve been in love. I know that you love me, but because of the way your marriage ended, I don’t want you to have trust issues with us. I will ask you to marry me–some day soon,” he said, and his smile melted my heart. “But I want you to be sure. I don’t ever want to lose you. I screwed up too badly before. I want to make sure when we make that step that you are mine forever.”

“I already am, Thom, but I’ll play your silly little game,” I laughed. “I love you. I never really ever stopped.”

He scooted closer and kissed me. “But what about Kiawah?” I asked.

“I’m not selling it. Danno wants to buy it, but he can’t get financing right now, so he will continue to run the place. Once things are settled here and I have a “Danno” here that I can trust as I do him, we will spend one weekend a month there. We can go whenever you’d like. I’ll never sell the beach house. Every inch of that place–inside and out–reminds me of us. It reminds me of our beginning, our difficulties, and what I lost. It reminds me that I won’t ever let what’s important slip away from me again.”

We ran the roads for three months getting things settled in Kiawah and bringing what he wanted with him to Jacksonville. Thom was finally living above the bar. As many times as I encouraged him to just move in with me, he protested. Sometimes I felt hurt over it, but in the end I too want to make sure I have no doubts.

Hooligans saw no real changes–different items were added as specials, but he kept everything pretty much as it was. He enjoyed two crowds of people that were regulars–the locals who lived close by, and the work crowd from surrounding businesses for happy hour. I didn’t go every night, but when I did, there was a barstool that had my name on it–literally. No one sat there but me and it was funny. Every chair and barstool in the place would be filled to the point of standing room only and my stool would remain.

Keelin and Dad were frequent companions for dinner and both developed a good relationship with Thom. He was charming and no matter what our past held, they both brought him in with open arms. My dad and I talked often about my relationship with Thom.

“Lulu,” he said over dinner one night as he watched Thom behind the bar with Gus, the bartender. “He’s a good man who made a mistake.”