She pulled her gaze away from his and looked down at the hula dancer. Her head bobbed as she mumbled, “I think so.”
Lifting her left hand, he kissed the gold band that fit so well. “I’ve been so lonely without you.”
The moment was too intense. Her face wore a trapped look, like she felt overwhelmed by the sensations. Passion, joy, fear. Did they race through her like they did him? Maybe that was the reason she made a joke.
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”
Hurt flashed across his face. Solemnly, he denied that. “Never. I’ve never said it to anyone but you. Never wanted anyone but you.”
Holding up her hand, Bonnie moved it and played with the lights. They reflected off the band, lending a twinkle to her bright eyes. “Looks like you have me, now.”
“Is that such a bad thing?” He worked to keep any hurt out of his voice.
Still holding the orchid, Bonnie gripped her hands together. JT gently pried it from her grasp. “Let my mother guard that for you. We can have it preserved. I’ve seen that done before.”
His wife—his wife!—nodded and released the flower. Mildred had followed the conversation and stepped closer to take it from JT.
The fact that he didn’t need to ask his mother to take the orchid reinforced the lack of privacy. “This isn’t the right place for us to talk. Do you have a house we can go to?”
A giggle burbled out of Bonnie. It rang of both humor and fear. “Shouldn’t my husband already know that?”
Unable to resist, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Just think of the fun we can have learning about each other!”
Bonnie lowered her eyes. “That’s a little bit of what I’m afraid of. I’ve never—”
He cut off her words. Grabbing her hands, he lifted them to his mouth. Tenderly, he kissed the backs of both. “I haven’t either. It’ll be okay.”
“Are you seriously considering—” He didn’t cut her off this time. She simply stopped speaking and stared at him.
“That’s what we need to talk about. Alone.”
She agreed quickly. “Yes, let’s leave. It feels as if I’m on some weird sitcom. The kind ‘filmed before a live studio audience.’ Those are the words I’ve heard at the start of a few shows.”
Around them, men dismantled “the set”. They broke down the platform. Plastic palm trees and tiki lamps disappeared. People scattered through the parking lot to pick up any litter. Amazingly, JT realized there was very little of that. It really was a nice town. Too bad his job wasn’t here.
Rita and Mildred both waved the couple away when they moved to help with the trellis. Rita was the first one to speak, her words rushing out nervously. “You two go on. Have your discussion.”
Mildred reached into her huge macramé purse and pulled out a magnetic key card and a folded sheet of paper. Bonnie saw the card and guessed it was the type motels used.
“Now, you head to the Grove Inn. Everything’s waiting for you in the honeymoon suite.”
In unison, the new couple turned to look at each other. “They got us a room?” Bonnie gasped out.
He nodded, the stunned look of an animal facing a light at night flashing across his face before he realized how perfect the situation was. “We need the privacy to talk. Come on to my Explorer. I’ll drive and you can direct me.”
A little smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. “Guess we’ll have a breakfast date after all.”
Spend the night at a motel with a stranger? Bonnie would have sworn by all that was holy she would never do such a thing. Suddenly, being married by Elvis made this all right.
At the motel, they’d parked in front of room seven’s door, as directed by Mildred’s written instructions. Inside, everything they needed for a stay was laid out. Bonnie’s electric toothbrush and JT’s shaver lay side by side in the bathroom. Her robe hung on the back of that small room’s door.
Very little tourism happened in their town. The inn was basically used by out of town relatives. She didn’t want to think of who else might use it for an hour or two as she looked at the large bed with its heart-shaped headboard. That velvet headboard had been red but was now faded to an odd pink.
A large suitcase sat on a folding, metal luggage rack, it’s top opened. She saw it was filled. In it were clothes she recognized from her own closet as well as a man’s clothes. JT’s, she guessed. So, her mother and his had planned this together. Along with the whole town—or most of it.
A filmy ivory peignoir set lay suggestively on the faded red satin bedspread. JT looked at it pointedly, and Bonnie blushed. Her face flamed and she shook her head when he eagerly asked, “Are you going to model that for me?”
With a gasp, she raced for the door. Before she could leave, he grabbed her arm. The grip was gentle but unbreakable.
“Okay, no more teasing. Should we talk now or try to get some sleep?” He kept his tone neutral so she couldn’t tell which he wanted to do.
She frowned. “Talk? We didn’t have to use that key the mothers gave us. Just being here says something about what we both want, doesn’t it?”
He hummed. “At least, it tells me you trust me.”
Did she? Odd that she wasn’t having a panic attack. Bonnie knew JT wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.
“Odd.” She muttered the word. JT watched her, waiting for an explanation.
I just mean that it’s odd. This took some time to plan out. But how did the mothers expect to get you here? After all, Gus’ fall
