Second Chance at Love(8)

Hearing her sister’s melodious laughter caused a smile to curve her soft lips. As children their mother had taught them to verbally spar with one another without the harshness of nasty words. When they were younger they would go on for hours and hours until one of them would finally concede. It’s not going to be me, Karen thought as she withdrew a bottle of water from the refrigerator.



“Ah, touchy, touchy aren’t we? From your reaction I would have to say my little birdie’s information is right on target.”



Karen laughed. She had to give it to her little sister. The brat could still push her buttons. Well, she could push all she wanted. No way was she telling her about her impromptu date with Dom. If one really could call it a date. All they had done was go out for cheesesteaks and ice cream. Dom hadn’t even come in after he dropped Karen off, which disappointed her. For the first time in years she was enjoying the company of the opposite sex. She was even more disappointed when he didn’t try to kiss her at her front door.



“There’s nothing for me to be touchy about,” Karen nonchalantly answered.



Starr let out an exaggerated sigh. At the rate they were going, volleying back and forth, their mother and stepfather would be back with the toddlers. “Since you’re not going to come clean, I suppose I’ll have to tell you what the little birdie said.”



“And just want did this little birdie say?” Karen asked just as she was readying herself to take a swig of water.



“That you and that fine specimen Dom were all hugged up, cozy and everything last night in line at Tony Luke’s getting cheesesteaks.”



The water sliding down Karen’s throat ended up going down her windpipe as she gasped in a breath of air. Hearing her sister’s sputtering and choking, Starr became concerned. “Are you okay?”



Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she nodded her head as if Starr could see her. “Yeah, I’m okay.” Whoever saw her and Dom hadn’t gotten their story wrong. The cold December night air had them snuggled up. Karen wanted to tell herself the snuggling was to keep her warm, which was partly true. It certainly didn’t hurt that it felt so darn good being so close to Dom. Karen supposed anyone looking at them would figure they were an item.



Gaining her composure, she had a funny suspicion of who this little birdie was. “I know it wasn’t nobody but that nosy little Summer. I thought that was Nick’s car I saw speeding by.”



Starr couldn’t help but to laugh. Karen had hit the nail right on the head. Before she could get her foot good out the bed and set it on the floor this morning, Summer was ringing her phone. “Hey, don’t talk about your other sister like that. If she didn’t tell me, you sure weren’t going to tell me. Besides, you need to get out.”



Karen twisted the top back on the water bottle and padded back to the laundry room to finish her ironing. “I do get out.”



“Girl, stop being smart. You know what I mean. With a man and not with us the girls all the time.” Starr often felt bad when she and Summer would talk about their dates with their husbands as Karen listened, trying to pretend she wasn’t affected. Starr always sensed that her sister wanted someone for herself, but was holding back from finding someone because of her children.



Playing down her excitement of having been out on a pseudo date, Karen lied. “It was no big deal. We just went to get something to eat. Dom brought me right back home. No big deal. He didn’t even come in once he dropped me off.” Lord help me. I wanted him to so he could kiss me senseless again.



“Mmm-hmm. What about the snuggly-snuggly in line?”



Karen laughed. “Fool, it was cold out there last night. That wasn’t no snuggly-snuggly. That was surviving.”



Now it was Starr’s turn to laugh. “Yeah, whatever you say big sis. Listen, I have to get ready to go. I hear the gang coming in the back door.”



“Alright, honey. Tell Mommy and Poppa Patrick I said hi. And kiss my nieces and nephew for me.”



“Okay, will do.” Before hanging up, Starr just had to know one thing. “Did you have a good time last night?”



Smiling, Karen honestly admitted, “Yes, I did have a good time with Dom.”



Karen could feel her sister’s smile. “I’m glad.”



“Thanks Starry.”



“You’re welcome big sis.”





Chapter 5





“Put your hard hat on, buddy.”



The little boy smiled up at Dom. “Okay.”



Excitement coursed through Kyle as he settled the hard hat construction workers wore on his head. He obediently lifted his head as Dom adjusted the strap under his chin to keep the hat from moving so freely on his small head.