Free The Devil Has Dimples by Pepper Phillips

the wrapped cake in my
hands, “Here let me take that.”
    She seemed nervous under that gracious facade.  Tastefully
groomed, she personified the perfect Southern Belle.
    “Come on in.  I thought we could eat in the kitchen, it’s so
much cozier there.”
    She led the way and we followed.  The inside of the house
was tired, for the lack of a better word.  Antique furniture would have been a
better choice for the entryway, however, someone choose furniture that was
several decades old.  It needed to be redone and replacement seemed a better
idea.  What was going on here?
    Margie turned left at the end of the hall.  It was a
pleasant surprise, it was perfect.  A kitchen that was designed for someone who
liked to cook and entertain.  Golden oak cabinets surrounded three walls, with
a granite countertop that complimented the walls and floor.  An island in the
middle.  My fingers itched to cook in this kitchen.
    There was an informal seating arrangement before the entry
into the kitchen, with a love seat balancing it out on the other side.
    A large man was sitting at the table, reading the
newspaper.  He reluctantly set it down and stood up.  Grant walked over to him
and shook his hand.  It seemed so formal.
    “Dad, I want you to meet Sara, Maudie’s daughter.  Sara, my
father, Leonard.”
    He seemed delighted to see me.  Instead of a handshake, he
opened his arms and hugged me gently and then pulled back and looked at me.
    “My.  I can’t believe it, Maudie’s daughter.  Who would have
thought?  And don’t call me Leonard, everyone calls me Lenny.”
    Everyone except his son, apparently.
    He took me by the elbow and guided me toward the table.
    “Here, sit.  Can I get you anything to drink?”
    “No, I’m fine.”
    “I’m making fresh coffee, decaf, of course.”  Margie said.
    Lenny laughed.  “If I’d known coffee would keep me awake at
night, I would have drunk it more when I was a teenager.”
    Margie playfully slapped him on the arm.  “You’re so bad.”
    I could feel the love that surrounded this couple, I glanced
at Grant to see what his reaction was, and found him frowning.  How strange. 
Why wouldn’t he want to see them happy?
    “Oh, your cake looks absolutely delicious.  I can’t bake a
cake to save my life, they always end up hard, like rocks.”  Margie took down
dessert plates from a cabinet, and began to cut into the cake.  “What did you
say the name of the cake was again?’
    Grant spoke first.  “Better Than Sex.”
    Margie and Lenny stole a quick look at each other and burst
out laughing.
    I couldn’t help myself, I laughed with them.
    Lenny wiped tears from the corners of his eyes.  “Times sure
have changed.”
    “Can I help?”  I was embarrassed.
    Margie gave me a big grin.  “Sure, the silverware is in that
drawer to the right of the sink.  Now, stop your laughing, men, you’re making
her blush.”
    Grant turned and looked at me.  His chocolate eyes melting
my resolve.  He was definitely better than any cake I ever had.  With that
thought, I knew I turned even redder than ever.
    “Now, that’s unusual.”  Lenny said.
    “What’s that?”  Margie questioned.
    “Maudie blushed just like that, creeping up the neck and
then onto her cheeks.  That is, if you could ever get her to blush.”
    “I don’t think I ever saw Maudie blush.”  Grant said.
    “I remember one time,” Lenny stated, “the six-pack were
sitting in the bleachers, watching the football players go through their
drills.  Some guy threw a pass and it landed in Maudie’s lap.  It got a big
laugh, especially when she tried to throw it back and it landed in the
bleachers two rows in front of her.  She blushed like the dickens.”
    “Bitsy was telling me about the “six-pack,” I said.
    Lenny looked sad.  “Yeah.  It’s hard to believe that there
are only three left.”
    Margie brought coffee cups to the table, then the pot, and
began to fill them.  I helped