Hot Cooking Spanker Wanted (16 page)

I
went online and ordered the Bible for dummies. I got the cliff notes,
too, while I was online anyway. Just in case Ryan still wanted me.

Two
days later the phone rang while I was sitting on the couch reading my
Bible books. I reached for the phone still totally concentrated on
what I was reading.

“
Hello.”

“
Katherine,
it's me, Ryan.” I could feel it and see it coming. This was the
courtesy call to say goodbye.

“
Hello
Ryan.” I sounded meek. There was no other word for it.

“
I
just finished reading the book, like a minute ago. I had no idea.”

He
sounded sad and I wasn't sure how to respond to that so I stayed
quiet.

“
Katherine,
I'm sorry that I made you feel so small and hopeless. I think the
book is great. I know it will do well. I just don't like having
written proof of the worst moments of our relationship.”

I
nodded understanding that. I hadn't used any examples from our
relationship, but he would be able to feel when I had written what.

“
You
are very gifted. Thank you for sharing the book with me.”

“
You're
welcome.” I figured that I should show some sign of life before he
started asking, if I was still there.

“
Do
you still want me, Katherine?”

I
sighed relieved. “Of course, I do. I was afraid that you didn't
want me anymore, because I had used you.”

“
Katherine,
I will want you forever. That isn't something you have to worry
about. Do you understand that and believe that?” He was using his
strict tone on me.

“
Yes,
sir, I understand,” I giggled.

“
It
feels so good to hear you laugh, darling. Tell me what been going on
in your life.” I could hear him relaxing too.

“
Your
mom called.”

“
She
did? She didn't call me.” He was surprised.

I
decided to make him nervous. “We chatted for over an hour.”

“
Oh?”

“
Yep,
they invited us to come over for a week.”

“
How
did you respond to that?” It worked he was nervous.

I
told him to check his calendar if he had time in that time frame too.
He did, surprisingly enough. It was all settled.

“
We
need to pick out a church here. I have a funny feeling that they will
ask.”

“
I'm
sure, you're right, Darling.” His accent was starting to come out.

“
What
confession are you?”

“
Baptist.”

“
Okay,
I'll check out what we have here along those lines.”

“
Hold
on, darling. What confession are you? You don't have to change just
for me.”

“
I'm
Lutheran but I see myself as being a christian first and foremost. So
I will go and check out what we have here. If I hate it I will let
you know. Trust me, as soon as snakes show up, I'm out of there.”

“
Don't
worry there will be no snakes. We the no nonsense type of Baptists
but my father would like what you said about being a Christian. Have
you been doing any reading?”

“
As
we speak I have the Bible For Dummies and Cliff Notes on my lap.”

“
Are
you serious?” he laughed. “They have Cliff Notes for the Bible?”

“
Yes,
I'm trying here. Don't laugh at me.” I had expected praise not
ridicule.

“
I
hope it works.”

“
What
if it doesn't?” Would his parents say 'no' to our match? Would he
listen to them?

“
Then
my father will pull me aside and explain that it is my duty, duty
mind you, to worry about your soul, and to guide you on the path of
righteousness.”

“
So
you would get the talking to, not me? Hmm – that's tempting.”

“
You
would get one too. They would tell you that you have to listen to
me.” He sounded so satisfied with himself. “Hmm – tempting.”

I
laughed. “I love you, Ryan.”

“
I
love you so much too. I miss you. I have kind of gotten used to
sleeping next to you. Now that, we can't tell my parents. We will
have separate rooms there. It is going to be so hard knowing that you
are just across the hall and I can't touch you.”

“
Ryan
stop, you are going to make me cry.” I sniffled and wiped away a
tear. My heart was aching for him.

“
I'm
sorry, baby. It's hard for me too.”

We
talked about the movie and what he all had to do because I thought to
write about it. I told him he would be needing a stunt double for the
next one.

We
laughed, talked and got along. I missed him so much.

Ryan
stopped the car in front of an old white house with antennas going to
and from it. It was a two story house that looked like it grew out of
the earth in a perfect square. Everything else was flat. In Wisconsin
things go up and down with lots of water in the form of rivers, lakes
and waterfalls. California had either uphill or downhill too, but
this was just flat.

His
parents were standing out in front of the house, smiling. That was a
good sign, right? They didn't look like they were planning ways to
make my life miserable.

His
mother stepped forward and opened my car door. She took my hand and
pulled me out. She had tears in her eyes as she hugged me.

I
hugged her back. “It's really nice to meet you.” We were holding
each other by our elbows and smiling at each other. Ryan looked like
his mother. She had friendly eyes.

Ryan
and his dad were getting our bags out of the trunk.

“
Let's
get you two settled in the house.” She linked her arm in mine and
walked me into the house. “I made up the guest bedroom for you and
there are fresh towels in the bathroom for you. They are even labeled
guests. They're practically new but we have had them for years.
You're the first girl that Ryan has ever brought home.”

I
glanced over my shoulder and looked at him. I wanted to see how he
was taking this but he was still smiling in a very friendly way. He
was probably so used to her attention that it didn't bother him
anymore.

I
kicked my shoes off inside the door just like she had. There was a
pile of shoes there. At my house they would have all been in the
closet lined up in pairs on shelves. This was more comfortable. We
entered in through the kitchen. It was what I figured a farm kitchen
would look like. It had thousands of cupboards and I'd bet they were
filled with preserves made from their own garden. There was a table
in here and it looked very homey.

She
pulled me up the stairs and to a bedroom. Her husband set down my
bags. “By the way, I'm John and we are both pleased to have you
here. See you kids at supper.” He left then.

Ryan
was leaning in the door. We all watched his father leave. Ryan looked
back at me. His eyes were dancing with delight.

His
mother smiled at me once again. “I have to see about getting supper
on the table.” She left pulling Ryan out with her. “Let her get
settled in peace. Katherine, all the drawers are empty and the closet
is too. Just put your things where you want.”

“
Thank
you, Mrs. Nobles.” I called after her as she was closing the door.

“
Now,
we will have none of that. Call me Molly.” She really left then. I
could hear her giggling in the hall with Ryan. “Well, you picked
out a pretty one, and so smart too.”

“
Yes
mom, I got lucky.” I heard him say. “I'll hurry so I can help you
in the kitchen.”

No,
I had gotten lucky, I thought to myself. He was a great guy and we
had so much fun on the flight here. We had talked and laughed and
there had been paparazzi at the airport. Cameras had been flashing as
we walked past them. They had called out to us asking where we wanted
to go. They wanted to know if we were going away on our honeymoon.

Ryan
had his arm around me and smiled at them. “Just taking my girl home
to meet my parents.” More lights had flashed when he smiled like
that. He guided me into the VIP lounge. He got me something to drink
and we caught up on each other's lives.

I
hurried with my unpacking and went down to the kitchen. Ryan was
already there. He was chopping up some vegetable so fast that my eyes
couldn't quite follow it. He didn't know it but I had written a
section in the new book where he had to cook for the heroine. I had
made him a bad cook. She had to take over and save the meal but it
was too late and in the end they order a pizza. It would be funny to
anyone who knew him and he could prove in talk shows or whatever that
he could really cook.

He
could also do one of those TV shows where famous people cook for one
evening and then they go to the other's houses and then they get to
eat and give points on the meal. I'd bet he would like something like
that.

“
Can
I help?” I offered. They both turned and smiled at me.

“
Sure
darling, you can set the table.” His mother steered me away from
the cooking. I almost felt a little offended. Had he told her that I
couldn't cook? That was an argument that we often had. It came right
after me getting enough sleep.

I
listened to them talk. His mother hadn't seen him in so long and he
was telling her lots of stuff. I had probably just been in the way of
their mother / son quality time.

I
set the table as pretty as I could. I needed to make a good
impression. This was a once in a lifetime chance. We would be getting
married soon and I would never have to worry about finding love
again. I had somehow pictured my life as being said and done. I had
it all planned out. I would have written book after book and lived in
my beautiful apartment all by myself. I wouldn't have been unhappy
but this was so much better.

His
dad came in and he smiled at me. “They wouldn't let you help?”

“
I
got to set the table.” I shrugged my shoulders, and he threw his
head back and laugh. I smiled too then.

His
dad sat down and patted the chair next to his. I sat next to him and
he asked me if I had ever been on a farm before.

I
told him about visiting cousins as a kid and playing in the barn. We
played detective and things like that.

He
confessed that he read my books. He had become a fan.

“
Ryan?
You watching me moving in on your girl?” he teased.

“
I'm
not worried. She could be with anyone she wants, why even a movie
star but she chose me,” he laughed, playing along.

His
mom started carrying things over to the table.

“
Can
I help?” I offered.

“
You're
our guest, you don't have to help.” His mom was all smiles. I
wondered what he had all told her about me when they talked on the
phone.

We
all sat down and everyone reached for everyone else's hands. Ryan had
warned me about this. I bowed my head as his father prayed and
blessed everyone at the table. He even welcomed me again. Ryan's
thumb pet over the back of my hand. I felt so moved that I almost
cried. I gathered myself and said Amen with everyone else.

We
talked nicely about what they all had planned for us to do this week.
Showing the happy couple off at church tomorrow morning seemed to be
the highlight. His mom even had activities planned for just the two
of us. I would be going with her to pick out her dress for the
opening night of the movie. I liked that idea because I didn't have
one either yet. I had no idea what to wear.

We
talked all evening. We played a board game and everyone helped clean
up. It was off to bed then. I showered and changed into very proper
pajamas. I laid down in bed and was about to fall asleep when I felt
the covers being lifted and someone had joined me.

“
Ryan?”

“
Well
who else would be climbing into your bed?” The bed shook as he
tried not to laugh.

“
It
could have been a test and your mom could be in there. I would have
reached over and pet your face and she would have jumped up and said
a-ha.”

The
bed continued to shake.

“
So
what do you think of them?”

“
They
are very nice people. Now get out.” I rolled away from him.

“
Are
you mad at me?” He was up on his elbow. The bed moved again. They
had to be hearing this.

“
No,
but I think it's disrespectful. This is their house and their rules.
Go to bed. We can see each other again in the morning.”

“
I
think she's right.” His dad was standing at the door. My heart was
beating a mile a minute. “Get out, Ryan.”

Ryan
made a huff noise and threw the covers back. He was mumbled something
like he was just saying goodnight. He went to his room and his father
shook his head and closed my door. I heard his parents laughing about
a minute later. Then I heard Ryan say ha, ha, ha. I smiled to myself
and went to sleep.