Love by Love - 07
Reba had to go to the charity event in less than a week and she still didn't know whom she would go with. She still needed to ask if Barbra Jean would be able to look after Kyra for the night. She phoned Barbra Jean. She could have just walked to the next door but she didn't want to see Brock. She had been avoiding him for almost a week now.
"Hello?" Brock answered the phone.
"Can I speak to Barbra Jean?" Reba got right to the point. Brock glanced at the call display; she called from her house. Still holding the phone in his hand, he walked over to the kitchen, their kitchen windows were also aligned. She was at her house sitting in her living room. He just saw the back of her head.
"She took Cheyenne to the build-your-own teddy bear store. Can I be any help?" Brock sat by the window, looking at her, talking via the phone.
"No, that's fine. Thanks." She hung up. Brock called her back.
"Reba, I want to apologize-"
"Never mind, I don't want to talk about it." Reba hung up the phone again. Brock called back.
"If you hang up again, I'm coming over!"
"What the heck do you want from me? I said never mind and I don't want to talk about it!" She yelled at the phone, turning red.
"It wasn't entirely my fault you know. I was fixing the roof. I didn't pounce on you on purpose."
"So I should apologize for not being decent on my own property?" she gritted her teeth.
"I did, when you saw me-" Click. She hung up. Brock put the phone down and ran over to her house. Reba rushed to lock the door, but he was faster. "Reba, why can't we just be mature and talk like two mature people."
"Why can't we just forget it and never speak of it again?"
"Because you're not accepting my apology."
"Fine! I accept your apology! Happy now?"
"Can you at least mean it?"
"I didn't mean it."
"Then you'll never hear the end of it. Although, I have nothing to say but compliments"
"Okay, okay! I forgave you, it was an accident!"
"That's better." Brock grinned. "Here, you can have this back." Reba just noticed the book in his hand: a worn out swollen book. "It isn't in mint condition, but at least it's dry." Reba turned red and snatched it from his hand. It was the book she read in the pool. She thought it flew somewhere when the mattress flipped and she fell into the water. She didn't know Brock had found it.
"Mom, I'm hungry. Are you cooking dinner soon?" Asked Kyra rubbing her tummy.
"I'm going to cook as soon as Mr. H leaves, honey."
"Why does he have to leave? You don't like him, mom?"
"He has to go home to his family, honey." Reba chose to answer just the first question.
"Actually, Cheyenne's out with Barbra Jean. I'm home alone. So I don't mind staying for dinner with you." Brock pulled the girl to a hug, ignoring Reba's deadly glare.
"Can he stay? Mom?" It wasn't because of Brock's puppy dog's eyes that made her let him stay for dinner; it was her daughter's.
Groaning she murmured, "Why do you like him so much?" Thanks to Kyra, Brock was able to stay for dinner with them. Kyra talked to him during dinner while Reba just sulked.
Barbra Jean went to see Reba after coming back from having pizza with Cheyenne. Brock called her cell and tell her to take Cheyenne out to a pizza place, his treat, when Reba was busy cooking. So he got to have dinner with her and Kyra. Reba kicked him out to go back home after dinner.
"Hey Reba, Brock said you were looking for me."
"Yes, I'm wondering if you can help me babysit Kyra this Friday. I have to go to a charity event."
"Ooh is that the Tim Horton Foundation fundraising?"
"Yeah, why?" Reba puzzled.
"Nothing, I should have been going with my current beau, but he said his wife would kill him," told Barbra Jean flopping on a chair.
"What is it with you and married men?" Reba rolled her eyes.
"So, who are you going with?" Barbra Jean changed to subject.
"I don't know yet. I was thinking about asking a guy at work. But he's quite a handful. And I don't want his hands all over me if he asks me to dance." Letting out a long sigh, she continued. "Or I might go alone. Who knows, maybe I'd be lucky enough to meet someone."
"Not likely," Barbra Jean shook her head. "For some strange reason, people that go to this event usually go with their spouse or partners. Ooh... Why don't you see if Brock would go with you?"
Reba almost jumped out of her skin. "What? NO!"
"Why not? He's quite a gentleman you know, you don't have to worry about his busy hands."
"He would be the last person I ask!"
"Ask me what?" Brock came in catching just the last part of the conversation.
Reba banged her forehead lightly on the table when Barbra Jean said, "she's looking for someone to go to the Tim Horton Foundation fundraising with her."
"Sure, I'm available." Brock replied immediately.
"What the heck are you doing back here again, Brock?" Reba changed to topic of the conversation.
"Oh I promised Kyra I'll read her a bedtime story."
"She's my daughter! That's my job! How would you like it if I go over at your house and read Cheyenne a bedtime story?" Reba cracked.
"I think she'd love that. Sleeping Beauty is her favourite." Brock replied with a grin. Kyra came in to the kitchen for her glass of milk before her bed. And she was so happy Brock kept his promise.
"Why does she like him so much?" Reba whined watching Brock carried Kyra in his arms taking her up the stairs.
"Who doesn't like Hunky Bear?" Mumbled Barbra Jean. Reba glared at her.
Brock came to her house the next day to find out what she would wear, so he could wear the right tie to go with her dress.
"I did not agree to let you go with me."
"I know you hadn't yet agree to go with me, but I already agree to go with you. So we both agree that you agree not to let me go and we also agree that I agree that I'll go." Brock argued back trying to confuse her. "What's the color of your dress?" He asked while she was trying to figure out his confusing comment.
"Black"
"Black, it is"
"Wait, you're not..." Brock left before Reba could finish her sentence. "Urggg!" Well, looked like she had to take him to that event now.
Friday evening, Reba was getting ready to go to the event she was invited. Barbra Jean brought Cheyenne to her house so she could take care of both of them. Brock was getting ready at his house. He was looking forward to this since college. He had always wanted to ask her out to a dance, but he never had opportunity. He couldn't wipe a stupid grin out of his face. At work, he was smiling away showing off his beautiful white teeth to his patients. Eugene, his partner, even teased him about how overly joyful he looked.
"Do you need help putting on make-up?" Barbra Jean offered.
Giving her friend an evil glare, Reba refused the offer. "I can do it myself."
"I mean the right way..." Barbra Jean showed the expression of disapproval. Same expression spreading on Reba's face, but different reason. "C'mon, Reba. Let me do it." She turned Reba around and redid her make up. She applied a bit of sheer foundation on Reba's face, made sure no to cover up her freckles. She applied dark shade of eye-shadow and blended it evenly, create a smoky shade on her eyelids. She also drew a fine line along her lash-lines to open up her intense blue eyes. She brushed a peachy blush along Reba's cheekbones to create flushed cheeks and a little bit of bronzer for healthy glow. She applied a light shade of shiny rouge lip lacquer making Reba's pout looked even more kissable. Barbra Jean also applied three coats of mascara for more dramatic effect. "There, how's that?"
Reba looked at herself in the mirror and gasped. She had never seen herself looking this sultry before. Barbra Jean also did her hair: Reba had long tight curly hair, almost frizzy. Barbra Jean used big roller to loosen her curls. Reba was going to tie her hair into a bun, but Barbra Jean said Brock would prefer she let her hair lose.
"I don't care what he likes, I'm going to put my hair up!"
"So he had better access to your neck?"
"Never mind then" Reba suddenly changed her mind and let Barbra Jean continue to style her hair. When Reba slipped on the dress, she thought maybe she should change. The dress looked way too sexy with the make-up and hair. When she tried on the dress, she tried it on with her regular everyday-use brasier. She didn't try it on with the strapless low-back push-up bra. And now it looked like two bald guys trying to pop out of her chest. Reba was going to change, or at least changed her bra, but none of them were suitable for her backless dress. She had two option; wear it and exaggerate her cleavage or not wear it and risk showing more than he should see. She turned red when she recognized that he had seen her already in broad daylight, in her pool. But she wouldn't allow that kind of accident happened again so she went with the bra.
The doorbell rang, Reba's heart raced for no good reason. Barbra Jean helped her open the door, and there he was, so handsome in his brand new tux carrying a bouquet of beautiful long stem red roses in his arm.