Read Online For Better or Worse by Jennifer Johnson - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Johnson
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you.”
Harold smiled at her compliment. It was he, the old, scruffy, nowhere-near-as-educated bachelor who felt humbled and awed that she would accept him.
Before he could respond, a waiter dressed in a getup that may have cost more than the coat and tie Harold was wearing approached their table. He and Kelly opted for soft drinks, and Harold tried to focus as the man rattled on about goat cheese and mushroom cappuccino and other things he’d never heard of that they would choose from to be their first plate. Harold tried to appear interested and able to understand what the guy was saying, but who had ever heard of mushroom cappuccino? It sounded gross.
His frustration must have been apparent as Kelly smiled at him when the man had finished. “Honey, if you’ll try the chicken broth, medley of vegetables and chicken meatballs, I’ll try the field greens and tomato carpaccio, and cantaloupe-peppercorn emulsion and maybe we can taste a bit of each other’s.”
Harold wasn’t sure he understood what Kelly was getting, but he knew the words chicken and meatballs were for him, and that sounded good enough. He looked up at the waiter. “I think she has a good plan.”
“Wonderful.”
Harold reached over to take Kelly’s hand in his, but the man began to prattle on about second dishes. Oh boy. Again, Harold tried to figure out what the guy was talking about, but all he could do was focus on the small mole on the guy’s neck. It was in the shape of a star. He’d never seen a mole look like that.
Kelly saved him again, ordering some fancy shrimp for his second dish. When the man went on to the third plate,
Harold wondered how long this would take. But this time, he heard the words “black Angus” and Harold knew what that meant. A good steak. Now, the guy was talking Harold’s language. What red-blooded American man didn’t love a good steak?
The guy finally left and Harold leaned toward Kelly. “You know I have no idea what I’m eating—except the steak.”
Kelly giggled. She took the napkin from the center of the plate and placed it gently in her lap. “You know I would have been just as happy at a regular old steakhouse, as long as you were with me.”
Harold smiled at the sweet woman beside him. “I know. But I also know that you love that we’re here right now. I want to make you happy. Next time we’ll go to that regular old steakhouse.”
“Deal.”
Kelly leaned back in the passenger seat. She enjoyed the dancing of the city’s lights as Harold drove out of Wilmington and toward their hometown. The hotel dinner had been absolutely marvelous. The waiter was wonderful, the ambiance stunning. It had been a treat she’d remember forever. She peeked at her fiancé who silently studied the road.
God, You have been too good to me
.
Her cell phone vibrated in her purse. She glanced at the clock. Sadie would have dropped the younger girls off at the house around a half hour before. Kelly was surprised she hadn’t received a phone call with them fussing before this. She pushed the talk button.
“Mom, Candy won’t let me watch my show. She had the TV last. Now it’s my turn,” Brittany squealed.
Kelly sighed. No “Hi, Mom. How was your date?” Just instant fighting. She could hear Candy’s voice in the background. “Mom, it’s that law show. I hate that show. It scares me.”
“You watch it all the time in Mom’s room. You just don’t want to watch it right now,” Brittany retorted.
“Brittany.” Kelly tried to get her middle daughter’s attention. “Brittany.” She tried a little louder.
Harold looked at her and grinned. Kelly rolled her eyes. “Brittany.”
“Mom, tell her,” Brittany squealed.
“Brittany, I’m not going to let either of you watch TV if you don’t listen. Let me talk to Candy.”
“Mom wants to talk to you.” Brittany’s voice sounded muffled, but Kelly could still make out the mocking in her tone.
“Mom,” Candy whined into the
Harold smiled at her compliment. It was he, the old, scruffy, nowhere-near-as-educated bachelor who felt humbled and awed that she would accept him.
Before he could respond, a waiter dressed in a getup that may have cost more than the coat and tie Harold was wearing approached their table. He and Kelly opted for soft drinks, and Harold tried to focus as the man rattled on about goat cheese and mushroom cappuccino and other things he’d never heard of that they would choose from to be their first plate. Harold tried to appear interested and able to understand what the guy was saying, but who had ever heard of mushroom cappuccino? It sounded gross.
His frustration must have been apparent as Kelly smiled at him when the man had finished. “Honey, if you’ll try the chicken broth, medley of vegetables and chicken meatballs, I’ll try the field greens and tomato carpaccio, and cantaloupe-peppercorn emulsion and maybe we can taste a bit of each other’s.”
Harold wasn’t sure he understood what Kelly was getting, but he knew the words chicken and meatballs were for him, and that sounded good enough. He looked up at the waiter. “I think she has a good plan.”
“Wonderful.”
Harold reached over to take Kelly’s hand in his, but the man began to prattle on about second dishes. Oh boy. Again, Harold tried to figure out what the guy was talking about, but all he could do was focus on the small mole on the guy’s neck. It was in the shape of a star. He’d never seen a mole look like that.
Kelly saved him again, ordering some fancy shrimp for his second dish. When the man went on to the third plate,
Harold wondered how long this would take. But this time, he heard the words “black Angus” and Harold knew what that meant. A good steak. Now, the guy was talking Harold’s language. What red-blooded American man didn’t love a good steak?
The guy finally left and Harold leaned toward Kelly. “You know I have no idea what I’m eating—except the steak.”
Kelly giggled. She took the napkin from the center of the plate and placed it gently in her lap. “You know I would have been just as happy at a regular old steakhouse, as long as you were with me.”
Harold smiled at the sweet woman beside him. “I know. But I also know that you love that we’re here right now. I want to make you happy. Next time we’ll go to that regular old steakhouse.”
“Deal.”
Kelly leaned back in the passenger seat. She enjoyed the dancing of the city’s lights as Harold drove out of Wilmington and toward their hometown. The hotel dinner had been absolutely marvelous. The waiter was wonderful, the ambiance stunning. It had been a treat she’d remember forever. She peeked at her fiancé who silently studied the road.
God, You have been too good to me
.
Her cell phone vibrated in her purse. She glanced at the clock. Sadie would have dropped the younger girls off at the house around a half hour before. Kelly was surprised she hadn’t received a phone call with them fussing before this. She pushed the talk button.
“Mom, Candy won’t let me watch my show. She had the TV last. Now it’s my turn,” Brittany squealed.
Kelly sighed. No “Hi, Mom. How was your date?” Just instant fighting. She could hear Candy’s voice in the background. “Mom, it’s that law show. I hate that show. It scares me.”
“You watch it all the time in Mom’s room. You just don’t want to watch it right now,” Brittany retorted.
“Brittany.” Kelly tried to get her middle daughter’s attention. “Brittany.” She tried a little louder.
Harold looked at her and grinned. Kelly rolled her eyes. “Brittany.”
“Mom, tell her,” Brittany squealed.
“Brittany, I’m not going to let either of you watch TV if you don’t listen. Let me talk to Candy.”
“Mom wants to talk to you.” Brittany’s voice sounded muffled, but Kelly could still make out the mocking in her tone.
“Mom,” Candy whined into the
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