Burgers and Caviar
a humorous contemporary Romance

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See Excerpt below:
 

           .

           Forcing all disturbing thoughts from her mind, Marcie drove the distance from her condo to the tidy white house with the white picket fence and a border of pink azaleas.

            The door chime played a whimsical tune.
            "The door's open," Loralei called.  "Come in."

            Stepping into the entryway, Marcie looked around and smiled.  The living room was furnished in patterns and various textures of  burgundy and navy blue.  Lining the navy sofa back were a row of burgundy  pillows. 

            "I'm Loralei Morgan."  Seated in her wheelchair, surrounded by pillows, the white-haired matron motioned Marcie to come in.  "I'm so glad you didn't wear a nursing uniform.  I detest hospitals, and anything that reminds me of them."

            "I don't like hospitals either," Marcie agreed.  "Unfortunately, in my profession, it's hard to get away from them."

            "Please sit down," Loralei said, gesturing toward the sofa. 

            The tables at either end of the sofa were crowded with family photos.  One in particular caught Marcie’s eye:  a snapshot enlargement of a man who appeared to be somewhere in his early to mid thirties.  His brown hair was disheveled beneath his Pittsburgh Steelers cap.  His lips were curved in a winning smile.  But that’s not what caught Marcie’s attention.  It was his eyes.  The sad expression in the man’s brown eyes didn’t seem to go with the smile.  It was as if he had smiled obligingly for the camera, but the smile hadn’t gone beyond his lips.

            "My grandson, Rick," Loralei said proudly.   “He’ll be coming here later today.”

            “Oh?” The instant she had spoken, Marcie regretted the eagerness in her voice.  “Does he live in the Paxton area?”

            “In Chino Hills,” Loralei replied.  "He's a football coach."

            Another coach.  Was there no getting away from them?  “He looks more like a baseball coach, or someone who’s into track.”

            “He’s done both," Loralei replied.  "But football’s his favorite.  He isn’t burly enough to play professionally, so he fills his need by coaching.  At first, I guess you could say it was a trade off.  But he loves working with kids.  It was the right decision.”

            The man in the picture was slender and well-muscled.  It occurred to Marcie that if he had tried, he could probably have made a success as a model. "Your grandson's a very attractive man."        

           Gesturing toward a photo of a child’s birthday party, Loralei smiled a bittersweet smile.  "There he is with my great-grandson, Eric.  Six months after that picture was taken, he and his mother were rear-ended by a semi.  Megan was thrown free, with only minor injuries. Eric was killed instantly."

            The pain in the old lady's soft blue eyes wrenched Marcie's heart.  "I'm sorry."

            There was a moment of silence as Loralei reflected.   When she spoke, her voice was brusque.  “That's enough about my family.  Let’s talk about you.  I already know you're qualified. I've checked your references and qualifications. How do you feel about learning to play Canasta?"

            Fifteen minutes later, a decision had been reached.  "As far as I'm concerned, the job's yours," Loralei beamed.  "I just need you to meet my grandson.  If he likes you as well as I do, you're hired."

            As the old lady dialed the phone, Marcie noticed her hands were smooth and devoid of age spots. She hoped when she was Loralei’s age she could say the same of her own.  She could hear the sound of the phone ringing, and the faint sound of a man’s voice at the other end when the call was finally answered.

            "Hello, Rick?  I've got a young woman here from the nursing agency I'd like for you to meet... You're almost through?  Good...  Okay.  Just a minute."  Placing a hand over the receiver, the old lady spoke in a loud whisper.  "Rick says to ask you if you like In and Out burgers."

            Puzzled, Marcie responded  "I  love In and Out. "

            "Good.  Rick says he'll meet you there. He'll be wearing a dark blue sweatsuit. Hold on... " Returning her attention to the portable phone, Loralei spoke with a smile in her voice.  "She's medium height, and has long auburn hair pulled back in a clip.  She's wearing a pleated green skirt with a flowered silk blouse.  You won't have any trouble spotting her."  Looking up at Marcie, the old lady winked.  "Yes, Rick.  I'm sure you'll like her legs."

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