The Donut Man

"I promise not to look too closely," I laughed.

"Even when I'm in the shower?" he quipped, this time sounding a little livelier.

"Sorry, can't promise that. Come on, you know it's a good idea."

"Okay, I'll be over as soon as I can."

I went about getting the spare bedroom around, then got out a washcloth and towels for him to use. It was about fifteen minutes afterward that I watched as he pulling into the driveway. I walked out to meet him and I found his face covered in at least a two-day-old beard, he looked ruggedly handsome, but there was no doubt he was bone-weary as his tired smile greeted me.

We shared a short, sweet kiss. He was home! He had his duffel bag in hand as we walked in and greeted my parents briefly and then I took him into my room so he could use the shower before going into the spare bedroom to sleep. When he came out he was freshly shaved and appeared to be a little livelier as he took my hand and caressed it.

"That shower felt really good and so do you."

"Do you want something to eat before we go to sleep?"

"No. I'm fine. Too bad we'll be sleeping in separate beds," a weak smile on his face, "It would be nice to have you beside me."

He wasn't making it easy, I had thought the same thing before he arrived. I would love to have him hold me as I drifted off to sleep tonight. I wondered now if I was sane, I had never thought about spending the night with a man before, at least not without him bringing it up first. Now I knew we were both thinking along the same lines.

I smiled as we walked into the spare bedroom, then we shared another kiss. "Go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

I walked out into the living room and sat with my parents for another ten minutes, then returned to my room and undressed, casting an eye towards the closed bedroom door opposite my own. He was just a few short steps away in distance, but a few long steps away in terms of my hesitance to do what I really wanted to do—I wanted him to hold me, caress me, and to pleasure me where I now needed it most. I had another set of lips that wanted his attention in a most demanding way. I wanted my Donut Man in the most intimate way I had ever thought of.

The next day and the following week returned to a semblance of normal. True, it was a new normal, but one I was entirely comfortable with. I saw Wade most mornings when he stopped to get donuts, then for a few hours each night after he got off work before going home for the night. It was on Friday night he asked me if I would go home with him to his parents' home for his mother's birthday on Sunday, my day off. I was pleasantly surprised to be asked and accepted without pause, though he still hadn't said much to me about his parents, only that his father was in real estate and his mother had ended her career in marketing and sales soon after they were married. He did have a brother who was two years younger than his twenty-eight years.

It's funny how we relate what we heard about other people through our own experiences. I pictured a nice home in a subdivision on an oversized lot with trees and lawn, perhaps a flower bed for accent. But as we turned into a long drive, it quickly became apparent I was far off the mark. There was a brick fence with pillars at the entrance with a gate that swung open after you put in a code or called the house on a call box. The lot appeared to be about twenty acres of well-manicured lawn with several large, stately oaks that framed a large, white, two-storied house with a porte-cochere. As we approached, I saw the attached three-car garage with doors standing open—two BMW's and a newer Lincoln Towncar sat inside. Parked along the wide drive were a Cadillac Seville, a BMW, and a Porsche. I immediately felt out of place as we stopped beneath the porte-cochere to get out. My non-poker face communicated my discomfort to Wade.

"Robyn, it's fine. Relax okay."

"Wade you could have told me. I'm not sure I'm dressed nicely enough for this."

"Robyn, what was I going to tell you? That my parents have more money than they know what to do with and want me to be the same way. I hope you can tell I don't feel as they do. But I didn't want you to prejudge them based upon what I told you. You have to make up your own mind. Fair enough?"

I gave a weak smile. "Yeah. I understand. But I'm still nervous."

"Don't be. You won't embarrass me no matter what happens. Just be yourself, that's all I expect and it will be more than enough," he said reassuringly.

Wade took the wrapped gift he had from behind the seat and we walked to the door. He rang the doorbell and stepped in, not waiting for someone to come and greet us. We were just inside a large foyer when a nicely dressed woman entered with a smile, her gaze directed at Wade, then to me. She looked a little confused for a fraction of a second after looking at me. I felt small as I gave a broad smile, hoping it hid my inner discomfort.

"Wade, it's so nice to see you. I saw the news story on the fire in the UP. I hope you weren't involved in that whole thing. Ridiculous to spend so much money to protect a few trees. So, this is your guest?

Wade obviously hadn't told them about his time on the fire line. At least he had mentioned me in some fashion, as I wasn't a complete surprise.

"Mother, this is Robyn Stover, she's from Abbeyville. She works at her Aunt's bakery and is attending Ashton Community College where she is studying to be a Radiological Technician."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Robyn," she replied a little stiffly, as she took my hand with barely a hint of a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Simmons."

Wade handed the gift to her as we turned to go into the next room. I almost gasped as we entered, I had never been in a home this lavish as the furnishings seemed works of art, the room large with high ceilings, graced with wide windows that opened onto an interior courtyard. I turned my attention to the five people standing together in a group, one of them obviously his father, an imposing gray-haired man in a sports coat, dress slacks, and shirt with no tie. The other man, I took to be his younger brother and two women—the older about the age of his mother, the younger woman about my age. At first, I thought perhaps she was his brother's girlfriend.

Mrs. Simmons held the gift in her hand up and announced, "Wade was thoughtful enough to get me a gift and this is his friend Robyn."

Wade went about introducing me to each of them in turn, starting with his father, then his brother, Bruce, and finally Mrs. Burrows and her daughter Lydia. The latter two were cordial, but I felt a little...well...unfriendly. Not something I could my finger on, though I had noticed Wade had positioned himself behind me when he introduced me to Lydia, almost as if he were trying to tell her something without telling her—as if he were shielding himself from her using my body.

I felt outclassed by Lydia as she was wearing a dress that not accented her shapely body and legs, but was something I could never afford to buy—at least unless I was willing to let loose with at least a couple of months pay, it was a designer line dress. Her long flowing blonde hair stylish, her nails obviously saw a salon almost every week, and her shoes something to die for. She wore an expensive necklace and glittering bracelets on her left arm, a ring on her right hand.

I don't think I had ever felt as inadequate as a woman as I felt right then. I could tell there was something between Wade and herself that was unspoken as she glanced at him several times with more than a subtle appreciative eye and a broad smile that quickly disappeared whenever she spoke to me.

A few other people arrived and I was introduced to them as we all headed to the dining room where a catered lunch was waiting for us. Wade stayed at my side, making eye contact with me often as to assure me I wasn't alone. After a while I relaxed a bit more, finding his brother was something of a free spirit with several remarks that brought his mother's gaze to bear, followed by a frown. Wade seemed to be minding his manners and after a while came to take my hands in his as we talked, then I leaned towards him, asking the location of the restroom. He excused us and led me into the hallway and pointed it out, then, before he left to return to the dining room he smiled.

"Robyn, you're doing fine. I'm impressed, my parents can be intimidating, as can their friends. Bruce has taken a liking to you for sure and sometimes he can be as difficult as the rest of them."

I walked into the bathroom wondering what I had gotten myself into. Maybe he had been right in not telling me beforehand, otherwise, I might well have declined to come. Now, I just felt as if I were a peasant girl who had been invited to the ball wearing rags with little more than a smile to act as an accessory. I was sure there were things I didn't know about Lydia and himself; some things just can't be hidden—I just didn't know what exactly.

After lunch, we adjourned to what I assumed was the sitting room or library. Wade was pulled aside by his father and I watched at a distance as they engaged in an animated discussion.

Bruce came to my side and whispered, "Dad still wants him to take over the company and Wade has told him numerous times it should be me as he has no interest."

I was surprised Bruce seemed so tranquil about it I thought to myself. Then I decided to ask. "Don't you want the business if Wade doesn't?"

"Of course, but Dad is old fashioned, the eldest should lead with the younger being a partner. Dad doesn't like Wade being so independent, always going his own way, and never has. They get along well except for that."

"So you and Wade have an understanding?"

Bruce smiled. "Yes, we've talked about it for years. I've told him numerous times the easiest way is to say yes to Dad, be a figurehead, and let me run the business after Dad retires. Wade can be a bit stubborn too."

"So, you don't have a stubborn streak?" I asked carefully.

He smiled. "I definitely do. But only when it comes to Lydia."

"You mean, she wants Wade, and you want her," I asked incredulously.

He smiled. "Wade always did have the knack for finding smart women to date. Looks to me like he scored again."

I was speechless. This couldn't be real. Not really. Here was this gorgeous, well-heeled woman, who wanted him, and Wade was here with me.

I heard Bruce continue, "Lydia and Wade dated years ago and our mothers have insisted ever since they are made for one another. The problem is, Wade doesn't think so and Lydia doesn't want to disappoint her mother. Lydia and I like one another, but she refuses to consider a deeper relationship as long as Wade is theoretically available."

"Bruce, why are you telling me this? I have dated Wade just a few times. I don't think you should jump to conclusions."

"Robyn, Wade just doesn't bring any woman home with him, he never has. The only one he did was over a year ago, and she found herself in this same situation and bolted like a horse never to be seen again. My mother is a power to be reckoned with, so I'm giving you a heads-up. Don't let her scare you off. It's not like I don't potentially have something to gain. I do. So, I may as well be upfront about it."

Bruce was called over by his father. I started towards Wade thinking I was happy my parents didn't interfere with my personal life as his mother was doing. I had a decision to make, how much did I feel comfortable revealing how I really felt about Wade? I wasn't inclined to just roll over and play dead just to avoid irritating his mother. Either I was in or out. The other girl had obviously decided to run for the hills, should I do the same? I stood thinking for a few seconds, then knew I wasn't going to be the meek, unsophisticated, poor girl from the sticks. Decision made as I watched Wade talking with his mother, I walked over to join them.

Wade glanced at me as I approached and smiled. I walked up and took his hand into mine, feeling his hand firm around mine. I looked at his mother as her eyes went down to our hands—a message sent.

"Mrs. Simmons, this is a beautiful home and I'm pleased Wade gave me an opportunity to meet you on your birthday. You should know Wade is very well respected by his colleagues at the Forest Service. You have every right to be proud of him, as I'm sure you are."

I watched as the expression on her face changed. She probably had never had someone mention his job before who actually knew him as he worked. I was amused as she struggled to respond.

"Why thank you for telling me, dear. It's not often we talk about Wade's work. It's nice to know he is respected."

I felt Wade's grasp firm and looked at him as a smile crossed his face, when our eyes met I knew I had scored big time. I felt my confidence grow—this girl wasn't going to be meek—let his mother squirm a little. I was tempted to lay it on a little heavier but then thought there was another parent who needed to hear it too. I smiled as I released Wade's hand and as I turned away I saw Lydia looking at us—another message sent. I felt confident now, I felt I had power, it was my life and I knew what I wanted—I wanted a chance to succeed, a chance to love and be loved. If this was a competition I was going to bring my A-game.

I walked over to where Mr. Simmons, Bruce, and Mrs. Burrows were talking and stood listening for a few minutes. I joined the conversation when I felt comfortable, then when it seemed like a good time I looked at Bruce.

"You know Bruce, Wade wrote and edited most of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed new forest management plan. I spoke with their Chief Forester two weeks ago when he was in the bakery and he told me Wade was the youngest ecologist to ever be tasked with that responsibility. He told me everyone at headquarters was impressed with the quality of the writing and analysis, one of the best they had ever read."

"Wow! That is impressive. I didn't know."

I smiled. "It's not like Wade would ever tell you himself. He loves what he does and he's good at it. Not everyone can say that about their work."

I watched Mr. Simmons for a reaction. I saw his jaw firm as he swirled the ice around in his glass, then he looked at me.

"Young lady, do you really expect me to believe my son is that talented, that he is so good that he will be rewarded by a government agency for what he does? That I should be proud of that?"

"Yes, I do. I would think as a father you would be. I'm impressed with him. I guess I wouldn't understand why you wouldn't be as well."

I turned away and saw a small smile on Bruce's face as he turned away from his father to look at me as I walked back to Wade. I hadn't waited for a response from his father—either I had made my point or really put my foot in it. I figured it was a toss-up, but I had done what I felt I needed to.

Wade looked at me as I stood next to him as he talked with his mother. He had made little effort to talk with Mrs. Burrows or Lydia, though he had talked with Lydia for a few minutes and it had appeared to be cordial.

"Robyn, I would like to show you the courtyard, I think you'll like it."

We walked out into the courtyard and down the stone path beneath a large maple with a bench beneath hand in hand. The plantings consisted of smaller shrubs and flowers consisting of both perennials and annuals, the beds weeded and mulched suggesting they hired someone to maintain it. Mrs. Simmons didn't seem the type to dirty her hands with such work and if she had any real attachment she would have taken the time to show it off herself—gardeners, after all, like to show off the fruit of their labors. Wade pointed out various plants and told me how he and Bruce used to play together here, pretending it was the deep forest and that wild animals lie in wait for them.

I laughed. "So, you grew out of this and went to a larger one."

"Yes, I guess that's one way of looking at it. But I hadn't expected my little Robyn to turn into a tigress either."

I gave him my demure look. "Why whatever do you mean."

He chuckled and squeezed my hand gently. "You know exactly what I mean."

As we walked back inside Lydia was watching us from the window, her face not showing a radiant smile, but a small grin. We hadn't spoken together outside of the initial introduction and I guess it was fair to say we had both taken the time to size one another up in the meantime. After my time in the courtyard with Wade I was even more confident I had made good decisions in regards to how to approach his family. Now, I had to tread more carefully after what Bruce had revealed to me. After all, someday we might be related by way of marriage. The thought seemed strange and at the same time plausible.

"Robyn, we should probably start to say our goodbyes, we have a drive ahead of us yet. Let's use the restroom first and then get ready to leave."

I watched as Wade started towards the hallway, then disappeared.

"Wade seems rather attached to you." Lydia offered in a neutral tone of voice.

I turned with a smile. "Yes, I think so. We have just started dating and I was surprised when he asked me to come with him. Have you known him for a long time?"

A trace of a smile appeared. "We dated for a while years ago. But his education and job took him elsewhere and we've kind of grown apart and remain friends."

I looked at her, sensing there was more to her comment than my first impression had detected.

"Kind of?" I replied.

She looked at me, a pained expression on her face. "It's complicated. It's our mothers."

I was beginning to pick up on the group dynamics—and I thought small-town gossip was something to deal with. It still seemed strange to me though that her mother held so much influence over her life. But families are different in that respect too, after all, Tim's family certainly influenced the way he thought. I was kept from asking more questions as Wade and Bruce came to join us. Just then I had an idea, maybe there was a way subtle way to influence the situation without outright being in your face with the mothers. I turned to Wade with a smile.

"You know, all of us should get together sometime for dinner or a day out. Wade, I'll be right back and then we can say our goodbyes."

I saw the expressions on their faces and walked away to let them think about it without me. I had planted the idea, it was up to them to make it grow. Lydia wasn't a threat to me, why not make her an ally as it would allow Bruce and her to be together in a way that wouldn't be obvious to either Mrs. Simmons or Mrs. Burrows—in their minds the main focus would be on Lydia and Wade.

I returned and Wade and I bid his parents and guests goodbye. I felt myself relax as we pulled out onto the highway not realizing how nervous I had remained the entire time we were there. I wondered what kind of impression I had made, probably not a good one, but an honest one in my mind. Wade came clean on the way home about the time he had spent dating Lydia and how his brother and he knew the day would come when they would have to stand up to what their father wanted in terms of passing his business on to his sons. They both knew and agreed on, what they wanted for themselves.

The only thing Wade said to me regarding the visit was, "Robyn, no one should ever underestimate your diplomatic skill. I'm more than impressed."

It was late enough that Wade took me straight home rather than stopping at his apartment—I was disappointed just as I knew he was. We spent time visiting with my parents and then he left for home after we shared a few kisses. Then, as he turned around to get into his truck, I pinched his butt. He jumped in surprise and quickly turned to me.

"Robyn, I going to make sure you pay for that," he said with a laugh.