CHAPTER 1NEW YEAR’S EVE
BB
Barbara Benson, aka BB, looked stunning in a black sequin cocktail dress as she danced on the crowded dance floor at the New Year’s Eve party with Richard Jones, her daughter’s high school softball coach. BB’s daughter, Kelly, graduated high school over a decade ago, but they all still called him Coach. BB couldn’t believe how she got roped into the date. She vaguely remembered proposing to Kelly that she would ask Richard out if Kelly told Gabe how she felt.
Gabe was the son of her best friend, Audrey, and best friend and business partner of BB’s son, Kyle. Kelly had crushed on Gabe since she was a teenager. Gabe's return to Shiloh with a pregnant wife drove Kelly to Chicago. Gabe’s divorce was finalized a couple of weeks before Christmas. At the same time, Kelly returned home to Shiloh after being laid off. BB believed it had been the perfect time for Kelly and Gabe to finally get together. Kelly and Gabe both admitted their feelings on Christmas day. ‘And now here I am on this li’l date with Richard,’ BB sighed mentally.
BB hadn’t been out dancing in years, but she kept up on the dance floor because she danced around her house daily. The DJ played Hot in Here by Nelly, who was from St. Louis. BB lived across the river in Shiloh, Illinois, but occasionally claimed St. Louis as home. Therefore, BB was a huge fan of the homegrown rapper. ‘When this song was released in 2002, I was a young married mother and four dress sizes smaller. Now, I’m a widowed grandmother with knees that won’t let me be great,’ BB thought as she danced with the tall, dark, and handsome man more than a decade her junior. She let her eyes move up Richard’s body while she swayed her hips from left to right. BB liked that Richard was taller than her, which wasn’t easy because she stood six feet in her two-inch heels. BB also liked Richard’s athletic build with thick thighs, broad shoulders, and muscular arms. He looked strong enough to make her fluffy body feel feminine. BB began singing along to the song in her head about taking her clothes off.
BB turned her back to Richard to stop the dirty thoughts that tried to creep into her mind. She felt a little self-conscious because the peplum of her dress stopped halfway around the back, exposing her ample backside. BB looked back over her shoulder and caught Richard admiring her butt. ‘This youngin better stop looking at me like. Like I was just looking at him.’ BB chuckled at her hypocrisy.
The DJ lowered the music and a countdown appeared on a large screen behind him. The clock started at 120. “We are a couple of minutes away from the new year,” He announced. “So, grab your champagne.” A cheer rose among the crowd as people scrambled to get a glass of the bubbly.
Before BB and Richard could leave the dance floor, Kelly and Gabe walked over to them, each carrying two flutes of champagne. Following behind Kelly and Gabe were BB’s son, Kyle, and daughter-in-love, Tammi. BB couldn’t help smiling at her children. Both were tall like she and her husband, but BB felt her children took each of their best features and turned out gorgeous. Tammi had been Kyle’s high school
sweetheart. Tammi loved Kyle in such a way that made BB happy and not mind that she was a pretty, petite blond with blue eyes.
“We bought you champagne,” Kelly announced as she handed a glass to Richard, and Gabe handed a glass to BB.
“Thank you,” Richard and BB said in unison.
The clock behind the DJ hit 10, and everyone shouted, “Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!”
Auld Lang Syne played loudly as black and gold balloons fell from the ceiling. Some of the partygoers blew noise makers. With a grateful heart, BB smiled and raised her glass to her family and Richard. The group clinked flutes with each other and took a sip. Then Gabe turned and kissed Kelly. Kyle followed suit and kissed Tammi. Not to be left out, Richard pulled BB into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. She gasped parting her lips which Richard took as an invitation to deepen the kiss leaving BB breathless. The DJ cranked back up the music, and everyone danced. The kiss shook BB. First, because she hadn’t kissed a man in years. Second and most importantly, BB liked being in Richard’s arms and kissing him. BB shouted inwardly, ‘There is absolutely no way I can fall for Ricard!’
As much as BB wanted to wobble with the rest of the partygoers, her legs felt like they would give out on her. So, she whispered, “Can we sit down for a while?”
“Sure,” Richard answered.
BB and Richard grabbed the champagne flutes from the others and walked back to their table. BB plopped down, then picked up a glass and gulped down some water. Richard watched BB intently.
“You good?” Richard asked.
BB shook her head, “Not really. That kiss caught me off guard.”
“I’m sorry. I got caught up in the moment,” Richard shrugged.
“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s just that I don’t know if I’m ready...”
Richard raised his hands in surrender and assured, “It was just a Happy New Year kiss, not
a be my lady kiss.” Richard smiled, then added, “Friends?” Richard extended a hand to BB.
Relieved, BB returned his smile and shook Richard’s hand as she repeated, “Friends.”
RICHARD
‘For now,’ Richard thought to himself as he held onto BB’s hand a little longer than he probably should. Yes, Richard wanted to be her friend, but he also wanted so much more. However, Richard could wait patiently a little longer.
Richard met BB when he coached Kelly on the high school softball team. At the time BB was happily married. However, it wouldn’t have mattered if she had been single because Richard had a rule never to date the mothers of his students. Many of his students didn’t have fathers in the home, and Richard was often the only man in the lives of his students. He took his role in the community seriously, and dating mothers would complicate his relationships with his students.
Nevertheless, Richard looked forward to seeing BB after practice, during games, or just hanging around the school. He enlisted BB to be team mom so that he could spend more time with her. Richard admired BB’s tall, curvy body, beautiful face, and large dimples that appeared every time she smiled. He liked how she was both laid back and driven. There was a lot that Richard liked about the widow, Barbara Benson.
Richard sent flowers and attended the funeral of BB’s late husband, whom everyone called by his last name, Benson. Richard offered his condolences and told BB to call if she needed anything. He knew that BB was surrounded by people and wouldn’t need anything from him. ...
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