“Yes,” she said. “Wild hair, huh? And Doc Wall—doesn’t he look so young? You know, he was at all my graduations.”
“Never made him out to be a clown.” Nick smiled. “Who can juggle, no less!”
“That man is full of surprises.” Nick followed Shelly to the
kitchen.
“That he is, and I think he’s warming up to you.”
“I noticed. But I know one thing, if I do anything to upset you, Popcorn the Clown is going to hunt me down. Maybe even squirt me with his poison flower.”
“You worry too much, Nick. Okay, tour’s over. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
“My chariot awaits, Madame.” Nick motioned toward the front
door with his right arm.
They walked by her car and Nick decided not to say a word.
“Some rain would be nice,” Shelly said.
Nick couldn’t resist. “You better hope for a monsoon, then.”
*****
After dinner, Shelly and Nick decided to take a walk through Wilshire Park as they did the first night. The October evening was lovely. Shelly hooked her arm in his.
“Aren’t you going to ask me?” she asked.
“Ask you what?” Nick said. He glanced at Shelly’s arm around
his.
“Why I never really dated,” she said. “I never really told you
about me.”
“Let’s go back for a minute. What do you think you know about me?”
“Let’s see, you’ve overcome lots of challenges in sports and life in general. As a young man, you were successful in high school, fell in love, did well in college …”
Nick stopped her. “Fell in love?” “Sorry. I heard about Kristen.” “Let me guess. My dad.”
“He told me the night I came for dinner. You were upstairs on the phone. I didn’t mean to …”