"Man Miss Howe my cousin Woody described everyone so perfectly but he never mentioned how darn pretty you are! And what a good kisser you are too!"
Rebecca blushed. "Well, Russell, it's not exactly as if I've kissed your cousin Woody."
"That sure would be awkward wouldn't it! Imagine kissing cousins! I mean I've had a kissing cousin before, her name was Sue Anne, and my mama told me everyone would talk if we did that again," Russell continued to ramble.
"I'm not exactly Sue Anne, am I?" she teased as she held on to his face. He was, for the lack of a better word, just plain adorable, and she was thankful she'd come to her senses before it was too late.
"No ma'am. You fill out your skirts in ways that me and Woody only talked about!"
Rebecca wasn't sure whether to be insulted or flattered. She decided to go with flattered. "Oh, Russell, you're so young, so naïve, so inexperienced. I don't know if things between us could ever work out."
"Why not? Don't ya love me?"
"Love?" she laughed nervously.
"I sure do love you Miss Rebecca," he grinned and she couldn't help but fall for him all over again.
"Why Russell, I'm fond of you, as you know. But love? Don't you think you're...don't you think we're getting ahead of ourselves?"
"Why not? A woman as pretty as you comes along only once in a lifetime, and I don't know about you, but I think we'd be foolish to let our love slip away."
She pushed him off of her. "Would you stop saying you love me?" she yelled, frustrated. In her heart she knew she didn't deserve any of the praise he was heaping on her, so she had to cut to the chase.
"What are you saying Miss Rebecca? Don't you love me too? I thought you did by the way you kissed me."
"I'm sorry, Russell. I don't love you. I'm not saying..." she felt horrible for she could see the look of heartbreak on his face. "I'm not saying it won't lead to love or anything, but don't you think we're different?"
"How so?"
"We want different things from life. I've been aiming for Donald Trump, not Donald Duck."
He looked down. "I should have known someone as pretty and sophisticated as you could never love me."
"Please don't take it like that, Russell. I push everyone away who tries to get close to me. Ask Sam..."
It hit her why she couldn't think of Russell in the way he wanted her to see him. A certain ballplayer had been chasing her for so long that she'd gotten used to pushing people away. What the hell was she doing, thinking of Sam anyways?
"Mr. Malone you mean? My cousin Woody loves him to pieces! Not loves him, loves him. But he loves him. I'm probably not making any sense here am I?"
"Yes, Russell, you're making sense. Perfect sense. I know that Woody wants to be just like Sam."
"Yes, Ma'am. That's all he ever talks about. Sam Malone this, Sam Malone that. He also told me Sam Malone loves you."
"He said that? He thinks Sam loves me?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I could never compete with a fancy bartender like Sam Malone, but all I can be is myself. I hope that's good enough for you."
Rebecca sighed. Sometimes she really hated herself. "I'm not...the truth is I'm not good enough for you. I hope someday you can forgive me. I have to go now. I'm sorry. Oh and will you please paint the wall?"
"I'd do anything for you, Miss Rebecca."
It was then and there that she knew what she had to do. Russell's attentions were flattering, but somehow she'd begun to see Sam in a different light. She didn't know what the future held for them, but all she knew was that she could see a future...one with him in it. And for the first time in her life, that thought made her happy.
Maybe tbc