Mom is so lucky that I love her. All Bell could do was stare at the wide assortments of spices and ingredients that surrounded her from her stance at the kitchen island. Help me make a nice dinner, Bella. Tying her hair up into a simple ponytail, she began to boil water on the stove top. It will be some nice bonding time. Her mother was upstairs, frantically trying to find the "perfect" outfit, leaving Bell to overlook the cooking. I knew she would run. The woman loves my pasta too much to not have me cook it. Max had finally taken her advice and called her mother to schedule a date. Mom, being mom, wanted it to be a nice home cooked meal. Bell was pretty sure that her mother wanted to have the meal at home because she was nervous. Lucy Emerson's last date was in 1970 and it was only a handful of months after that she was married to the very same man. That marriage did not end well so Bell could see where the anxiety was coming from. But Bell trusted Max. She had from the very moment she saw him, spoke to him. Something told her that he was truly interested in her mother and Bell wanted nothing but the best for her mother. It was what she deserved after all. Her father was a class act that pushed and pushed until the little family that they had created was nothing more than a distant memory that not even he thought of as he committed his acts of infidelity. She shook her head. Nope. Not going to go down that rabbit hole. Beginning to pour the spaghetti noodles into the now boiling water, Bell could not help herself from smiling.
Her voice was soft, laughter clear in the tone, as she said, "Oh, Maxie Boy, we are so going to have a long talk tonight."
Warm summer air whirled through the open kitchen window and brought with it the smell of warmth and the promise of a lovely evening. That was the hope at least. Just as Bell was pulling the pan of freshly baked garlic bread out of the oven, there was three knocks at the door. Throwing her oven mitt off to the side, she rushed to answer it as she could still hear her mother fumbling around upstairs. Play it cool, Mom. In a swift motion, the door was open, and she was greeted by the sight of Max standing on the other side and holding a bouquet of flowers. Oh, she is going to eat this up. A smile lit up her face as she turned her neck to call out, "Mom, your lovely dinner date has arrived."
Turning back to Max, she watched with a keen eye as he stood just outside the threshold of the home. She watched him with a soft smile, "Are you going to hurt her, Maxie?"
His smile faded at the question, and she could see confusion in his gaze, "Why would you think that?"
One hand braced itself on the door frame, "Because I would hate for her to be another missing person flyer on that wall of gloom on the boardwalk. A victim of a late-night guest perhaps."
"I would neve-"
"You will give her the choice, right? To drink or not to drink? To be or not to be like you."
Immediately his eyes were on hers. Alert.
Max was on edge. She knew and he knew that she knew. Before he could say another word, she simply said, "I figured it out on my own. But promise me she will have a choice, Max. A choice. He always took her choices away from her."
The glint of anger that had been in his eyes was gone and what was left was something akin to respect, "I swear, young one."
She couldn't help herself, "We don't have to vow in blood or anything right?"
His lips twitched into a smile, "No, we do not. A bit archaic for even my tastes."
"Please come in, Max. Welcome to the family."
One step came through the threshold, "I could say the same, dear."
"We can talk about it another time. I hear something more important coming down those stairs right now and she is super nervous, and I need you to be your awkward and not blood sucking self for her."
His attention was immediately behind her, and she could see the admiration there spark at the sight of her mother. Cute. Turning her head to look at her mother, she could see the same look returned.
"I'm just going to head back to the kitchen real quick."
Making her exit, she could hear them start an endearingly awkward conversation that had her rolling her eyes at them.
"Going to be the next Betty Crocker before I know it."
The kitchen back door began to open, and she caught sight of Sam coming in with two new faces not far behind. Her eyes flashed to the cookies that she had yet to finish making and the dishes soaking in the sink. A smirk grew as a plan manifested.
"Oh, Sam. Need your help, bud."
"But I have friends over and-"
"Nope. Family overrides friends any day. You know the rules."
His brow furrowed as though he was searching for those very same rules before smoothing out as he sighed, "Friends tend to bend. Family till the end."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Her eyes cut to the red bandana wearing stranger in her kitchen, "Watch your mouth or grandpa will wash it. I don't care but he does and you're totally still a kid so cool it."
His cheeks flushed and his mouth opened to respond but she interjected, "Who are you and what are you doing here on my mother's date night?"
Red bandana spoke up, "Edgar Frog."
Military jacket was next with, "Allen Frog."
"Oh, so you guys are the Frog brothers. Sam kept mentioning you and your comic bookstore. I keep meaning to stop by and check out the inventory. Well, since you guys came in this doorway, it means that you have to help me finish up and clean up."
Sam ran his hands through his hair aggravatedly, "But, sis, we have plans to hang out. Things to do you know."
"Things to do like help me make some cookies and wash some dishes. Come on, Sam. Think about my special double chocolate chip cookies. I'll even throw a splash of caramel on there for you. I know it's your favorite."
She knew she had him when his head tilted in the direction of the Frog brothers, and he sighed while shrugging his shoulders. Never could win against big sis, Sam.
Clapping her hands together, she called out, "Alright, let's get this show on the road."
Thirty minutes later, there was a set table with candles along with freshly made cookies and a clean kitchen. Not too shabby. Ignoring the mutterings of the three teenage boys that she had left in the den to eat, Bell went to collect her mother and Max. She found them not too far off from the dining room, in her grandmother's old day room. The open windows shined through with moonlight along with the candles that had been lit through out the entire house. They were sitting side by side on the love seat, quietly conversing while her mother ran her hands over the petals of the flowers that he had brought for her. She looked happy. Bell could not even remember a time that her mother had looked like that in the presence of the Emerson patriarch. Standing in the entrance way to the day room, she cleared her throat. At once, she had both of their attention and she simply smiled, "Dinner is ready and the table is set."
Max's lips curled, "A lovely host you make, my dear."
Lucy's smile was warm, "Her talent in the kitchen goes beyond my own. She got that from her grandmother."
"Come on now. We can't let my hard work go to waste."
They both got up and began to follow her into the dining room. The table was set for two, the candles on the table giving the room the romantic lighting that she envisioned for their first date. A plate of stuffed rigatoni pasta smothered with red meat sauce was placed in front of the two set chairs. A platter of garlic bread sat in the middle as well as a bowl of salad for them to make to their liking. Bell was quite happy with herself. Turning back to face her mother and Max, she simply said, "Dessert is cooling in the kitchen for when you all are ready for it. I have already fed everyone else in the house and sent them to their areas. Enjoy your evening."
She could tell that her mother wanted to say more but she needed to make a hasty exit to avoid the waterworks she knew her mother was working on. Max seemed to understand and began to guide her to her seat at the table. Bounding up the stairs, two at a time, she had one mission.
Get herself showered, shaved, and smelling amazing for a night to remember.
The first thing she heard as she hit the final stair was the sound of motorcycles. Right on time. Walking toward the front door, she called out, "Heading out to the boardwalk. Might be out pretty late. Love you."
"Be careful, little one."
With a smile on her face at Max's words, she ran out the door toward the parked bikes at the end of their driveway. In a blur, David had pushed the kickstand down and opened his arms for her running figure. His arms were instantly wrapped around her, pulling her closer to his chest. Her hands were instantly in his hair, tugging his face toward her own, already craving the taste of him. Spice met her as he opened his mouth to her own. A hand wound its way through her curls, wrapping strands around a clenched fist, dragging her closer. One of her own left his platinum locks to cup his cheek, wanting to be surrounded by him. Another tug of her curls had a whimper leaving her mouth and her hips rolling toward his own. At the small noise, David nipped her bottom lip before pulling away completely, his icy blue eyes now darkened with heat. Bell tried pulling him back toward her but the hand in her hair tightened. The thumb of his free hand rose up to run along her lower lip. Without even pausing to think about it, she bit into the flesh. David's body went taught as her tongue ran along the broken skin, drawing from the small wound. He leaned down to rasp into her ear, "Are you hungry, flower? Do I need to feed my girl?"
Her hips rolled once more as she released his thumb from her mouth, the small wound healed as though it had never existed in the first place. The hand that was still on his cheek pulled him closer, making them share the same breath. With her lips brushing against his own once more, she whispered, "I'm starving. Feeling a bit empty as well."
"Do you need me to make you full? Fill you right up?"
"Please."
"Marko, were you aware that Lil' Bit could beg?"
"No, Paul, I can say that I never thought I would see the day. Poison, I thought you had more fight."
Ripping away from David, she locked eyes with the troublesome two, "How do you know that he will not be the one begging later?"
A lip brushed her ear, "I don't beg, Belladonna."
She calmly pushed his face away, "You will."
Her gaze refocused on Marko and Paul, "We finally going to set the world on fire?"
It was Dwayne who answered her, "We were thinking of starting with a bonfire."
A soft smile took over her face, "Time to join the club, huh?"
"Yeah, we've been meaning to get a mascot, Poison. So honestly your timing is perfect."
"Marko, man, I think she should be our cheerleader. Think about it. We could create a team. Be surrounded by hot chicks all of the time."
"Paul, I am going to shave you in your sleep."
Arms wrapped around her shoulders, holding her in place. David's lips ran up her neck, "It's time to go, flower."
The others began to whoop and rev their engines, Bell turned back to face David. Her voice was quiet when she asked, "Will it hurt?"
His eyes were soft as he ran a lone finger down her cheek, "Only if you deny what you want, sweet girl. What we want."
Taking one of his hands in her own, she began to lead him back towards his bike, "I do love a good party."
"Oh, this one is going to be killer, Lil' Bit."