Time to Laugh Romance Collection Page 10

  “I’m hungry! I’m hungry!” the feathered creature screeched. “The ferry’s coming! The ferry’s coming! Awk!”

  Tabby glanced to her left. Sure enough, the Vashon Island ferry was heading toward one of the piers. Enthusiastic children jumped up and down, hollering that the ferry was coming, and the noisy parrot kept right on mimicking.

  “I don’t know who’s more interesting—that guy with the long hair or his obnoxious bird,” Seth whispered to Tabby.

  She giggled. “The b–bird has my vote.”

  “I heard this story about a guy who owned a belligerent parrot,” Seth remarked.

  She looked up at him expectantly. “And?”

  “The parrot had a bad attitude, not to mention a very foul mouth.”

  “So, what h–happened?”

  “The guy tried everything from playing soft music to saying only polite words in front of the bird, but nothing worked at all.”

  “Did he s–sell the parrot then?”

  Seth shook his head. “Nope. He put him in the freezer.”

  Tabby’s mouth dropped open. “The freezer?”

  “Yep, for about five minutes. When he opened the door again, the parrot calmly stepped out onto the guy’s shoulder, a changed bird.”

  “He didn’t use b–bad words anymore?”

  “Nope. In fact, the parrot said, ‘I’m truly sorry for being so rude.’ Then the colorful creature added, ‘Say, I saw a naked chicken in that icebox. What’d that poor bird do?’ ”

  Tabby laughed, feeling happy and carefree, and wishing the fun of today could last forever.

  Seth sobered, nodding toward the edge of the sidewalk. “You see all kinds down here.”

  Tabby watched with interest as a group of peddlers offered their wares to anyone who would listen. Everything from costume jewelry to painted T-shirts was being sold. Several men lay on the grass, holding signs announcing that they were out of work and needed money. An empty coffee can sat nearby—a place for donations. Tabby thought it sad to see people who were homeless or out of a job, reduced to begging. These few along the waterfront were just the tip of the iceberg, too.

  “It’s hard to distinguish between who really needs help and who’s merely panhandling,” Seth whispered in her ear.

  She nodded, wondering if he could read her mind.

  “Ivar’s has a long line of people waiting to get in,” Seth said. “Is it okay with you if we try Steamer’s Fish Bar instead?”

  Tabby glanced at the restaurant he’d mentioned. The aroma of deep-fried fish drifted out the open door and filled up her senses. “One fish-and-chips place is probably as good as another,” she replied.

  They entered the restaurant and placed their orders at the counter then found a seat near a window overlooking the water. Tabby watched in fascination as several boats pulled away from the dock, taking tourists on a journey through Puget Sound Bay. It was a beautiful, sunny day—perfect weather for boating.

  “Would you like to go?”

  Seth’s sudden question drew Tabby’s attention away from the window. “G–go? But we j–just got here,” she said frowning.

  Seth grinned. “I didn’t mean go home. I meant, would you like to go for a ride on one of those tour boats you’re watching so intently? We could do that after we eat, instead of browsing through the gift shops.”

  “Do w–we have t–time for th–that?”

  Seth glanced at his watch. “I don’t see why not. My shop’s closed for the day, and I don’t have to be back at any set time. How about you?”

  Tabby shook her head. “I have all d–day.”

  “Then would you like me to see about getting a couple of tour-boat tickets?”

  Tabby felt the tension begin to seep from her body as she reached for her glass of lemonade. “Actually, if I h–had a choice, I think I’d r–rather take the ferry over to V–Vashon, then ferry from there b–back to Tacoma.”

  Seth’s face brightened. “Now that’s a great idea! I haven’t ridden the ferry in quite a while.”

  Tabby hung tightly to the rail as she leaned over to stare into the choppy waters of Puget Sound Bay. The wind whipped against her face, slapping the ends of her hair in every direction. It was exhilarating, and she felt very much alive. Seagulls soared in the cloudless sky, squawking and screeching, as though vying for the attention of everyone on board the ferry. It was a peaceful scene, and Tabby felt a deep sense of contentment fill her soul.

  Seth was standing directly behind Tabby, and he leaned into her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Warm enough?” he asked, his mouth pressed against her ear.

  Tabby shivered, and she knew it was not from the cool breeze. “I’m fine.”

  Seth rested his chin on top of her head. “This was a great idea. I’ve had a lot of fun today.”

  “Me, too,” she murmured.

  “It doesn’t have to end when we dock at Point Defiance.”

  “It doesn’t?”

  “Nope. We could have dinner at the Harbor Lights.”

  Tabby glanced down at her outfit and grimaced. “I’m not exactly dressed for a fancy restaurant, Seth.”

  He chuckled. “Me neither, but I don’t think it matters much. A lot of boaters pull into the docks at the restaurants along Tacoma’s waterfront. I’m sure many people will be dressed as casually as we are.”

  Tabby shrugged. She was having such a good time and didn’t want the day to end yet. “Okay … if you’re sure.”

  “I’m positive,” Seth said, nuzzling her neck.

  She sucked in her breath. If this was a dream, she hoped it would last forever.

  Seth sat directly across from Tabby, studying her instead of the menu he held in his hands. She was gazing intently at her own menu, which gave him the perfect opportunity to look at her without being noticed. When had she taken on such a glow? When had her eyes begun to sparkle? He shook his head. Maybe it was just the reflection from the candle in the center of the table. Maybe he was imagining things.

  Tabby looked up and caught him staring. “What’s wrong?” she asked with furrowed brows. “Don’t you see anything you like?”

  Seth’s lips curved into a slow smile.

  “What’s so funny?”

  He reached across the table and grasped her hand. “Two things are making me smile.”

  She gave him a quizzical look.

  “You haven’t stuttered once since we left Seattle.”

  Tabby’s face turned crimson, making Seth wonder if he should have said anything. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. It makes me happy to know you’re finally beginning to relax in my presence.”

  She returned his smile. “I do feel pretty calm tonight.”

  He ran his thumb across the top of her hand and felt relief when she didn’t pull it away.

  “You said there were two things making you smile. What’s the second one?”

  He leaned further across the table. “Just looking at you makes me smile.”

  A tiny frown marred her forehead. “Am I that goofy looking?”

  Seth shook his head. “No, of course not! In fact, I was sitting here thinking how beautiful you look in the candlelight.”

  “No one has ever c–called me b–beautiful before,” she said, a blush staining her cheeks.

  Great! Now she’s stuttering again. So much for making her feel relaxed. Seth dropped her hand and picked up his menu. “Guess I’d better decide what to order before our waiter comes back. Have you found anything you like yet?”

  Tabby nodded. “I think I’ll have a crab salad.”

  “You can order whatever you want,” Seth said quickly. “Lobster, steak, or prime rib—just say the word.”

  “Crab salad is all I want,” she insisted.

  Seth was about to comment when the waiter returned to their table.

  “Have you two decided?” the young man asked.

  “I’ll have prime rib, and the lady wants a crab salad.” Seth handed both menus back to the waiter
. “I think we’ll have two glasses of iced tea as well.”

  As soon as the waiter left, Seth reached for Tabby’s hand again. “I didn’t mean to make you blush a few minutes ago. How come you always do that, anyway?”

  “Do what?”

  “Turn red like a cherry and hang your head whenever you’re paid a compliment.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “I—I don’t know. I’m not used to getting compliments. You don’t have to try and make me feel good, you know.”

  “Is that what you think—that I’m just trying to make you feel good?”

  “Well, isn’t it?”

  His throat tightened. “I don’t pass out false compliments so someone will feel good, Tabby. “

  Her gaze dropped to the tablecloth. “Let’s forget it, okay?”

  Seth offered up a silent prayer. Should I let this drop, Lord, or should I try to convince her that I’m really interested in her as a woman, and that … He swallowed hard. What did he really want from this relationship? When he’d first met Tabby, he’d felt sorry for her. He could sense her need for encouragement and maybe even a friend, but when had he started thinking of her as a woman and not just someone to help? There was a great yearning, deep within him, and he wondered if it could be filled by a woman’s love. Tabby might be that woman. He had thought about her nearly every day since they first met. That had to mean something, didn’t it?

  Seth felt a sense of peace settle over him as he heard the words in his head say, “Go slow, Seth. Go slow. “

  Chapter 12

  I can’t believe you were gone all day!” Donna exclaimed when Tabby entered their apartment.

  Tabby dropped to the couch beside her and released a sigh of contentment. “Today was probably the best day of my life.”

  Donna’s eyebrows shot up. “Did Seth kiss you?”

  “Of course not!”

  “You’re turning red like a radish. He must have kissed you.” Donna poked Tabby in the ribs. “Tell me all about it, and don’t leave out one single detail.”

  Tabby slid out of Donna’s reach. “Don’t get so excited. There’s not that much to tell.”

  “Then start with when Seth picked you up this morning and end with a detailed description of his kiss.”

  Tabby grimaced. “I told you, there was no kiss!” Her inexperience with men was an embarrassment. If she’d been more coy, like that cute little redhead, Cheryl, maybe Seth would have kissed her.

  “Then what has you glowing like a Christmas tree?” Donna asked, pulling Tabby out of her musings.

  “Seth is a lot of fun, and I had a good time today,” she mumbled.

  Donna released a sigh. “That sure doesn’t tell me much.”

  Tabby leaned her head against the back of the couch. “Let’s see…. We drove to Seattle, and freeway traffic was terrible.” A long pause followed.

  “And?”

  “When we got to Seattle, we went to the Dummy Depot to pick up a ventriloquist figure Seth needs to repair.” Another long pause.

  “Then what?”

  “We went down to the waterfront, where we had a great lunch of fish-and-chips.”

  “You must have done more than that. You’ve been gone all day.”

  Tabby glanced at her watch and wrinkled her nose. “It’s only a little after eight. Besides, you’re not my mother, and I’m not on any kind of a curfew.”

  Donna squinted her eyes. “You look like you’re on cloud nine, so I figure you must have done something really exciting today.”

  Tabby grinned. “We did. We rode the ferry from Seattle to Vashon Island, then we caught another one to Point Defiance.” She closed her eyes and thought about Seth’s arms around her waist and his mouth pressed against her ear. She could still feel his warm breath on her neck and smell his woodsy aftershave lotion. That part of the day had been the most exciting thing of all. She wasn’t about to share such a private moment with Donna—even if she was her best friend.

  “What’d you do after you left Point Defiance?” Donna asked.

  “We went to dinner at the Harbor Lights.”

  Donna let out a low whistle. “Wow! Things must be getting pretty serious between you two. The Harbor Lights costs big bucks!”

  Tabby groaned. “It’s not that expensive. Besides, going there doesn’t mean anything special.”

  Donna gave her a knowing look. “Yeah, right.”

  “It’s true,” Tabby insisted. “I’m the queen of simplicity, so why would a great guy like Seth be attracted to someone like me?”

  Donna clicked her tongue. “Are you ever going to see your true potential?”

  Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Tabby shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I do have some worth.”

  After their day in Seattle, Tabby had hoped Seth might call and ask her out again. That would have let her know if he really was interested in seeing her on a personal level or not. However, the week went by without a single word from him. Today was Thursday, and she had another, previously scheduled ventriloquism lesson that evening. Thinking about it had very little appeal, though. If only Seth had called. If only …

  As she drove across town, Tabby forced her thoughts away from Seth and onto the routine she’d been practicing with Rosie. She was determined to do her very best this time. Even if Seth never saw her as a desirable woman, at least she could dazzle the socks off him with her new talent.

  When she arrived at Seth’s, Tabby was relieved to see he had no customers. The thought of performing before an audience held no appeal whatsoever.

  Seth greeted her with a warm smile. “I’ll be with you in just a minute. I have to make a few phone calls.”

  Tabby nodded and took a seat, placing Rosie on her lap. Mentally, she began to rehearse the lines of her routine, hoping she had them memorized so well she wouldn’t have to use her notes. Watching Seth as he stood across the room talking on the phone was a big enough distraction, but when the bell above the shop door rang, announcing a customer, Tabby froze.

  In walked Cheryl Stone carrying her dummy, Oscar. She hurried past Tabby as though she hadn’t even seen her and rushed up to Seth just as he was hanging up the phone. “Seth, you’ve got to help me!” she exclaimed.

  “What do you need help with?” Seth asked.

  “Oscar’s mouth is stuck in the open position, and I can’t get it to work.” Cheryl handed him the dummy. “I’m supposed to do a vent routine at a family gathering tonight, and I was hoping you’d have time to fix Oscar for me.”

  Seth glanced at Tabby. “Actually, I was just about to begin teaching a lesson. Why don’t you use your new dummy tonight—the one you recently bought from me?”

  Cheryl shook her head. “I haven’t gotten used to that one yet. Besides, Oscar’s so cute, he’s always a hit wherever I perform.”

  “Have a seat, then,” Seth said, motioning toward the row of chairs along the wall where Tabby sat. “I’ll take Oscar in the back room and see what I can do.”

  Cheryl smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Seth. You’re the nicest man.”

  The chocolate bar Tabby had eaten on her drive over to Seth’s suddenly felt like a lump of clay in her stomach. Cheryl obviously had her eye on Seth. For all Tabby knew, he might have more than a passing interest in the vibrant redhead, too.

  Cheryl took a seat next to Tabby, opened her purse, withdrew a nail file, and began to shape her nails. The silence closing in around them was broken only by the steady ticking of the wall clock across the room and the irritating scrape of nail file against fingernails.

  Should I say something to her? Tabby wondered. Just sitting here like this felt so awkward. Given her problem with stuttering, she decided that unless Cheryl spoke first, she would remain quiet.

  Several minutes went by, and then Cheryl returned the nail file to her purse and turned toward Tabby. “Cute little dummy you’ve got there.”

  “Th–thanks.”

  “Are you here to see about getting it repaired?”

&n
bsp; Tabby shook her head. “I–I’m t–taking l–lessons.” She glanced toward the back room, hoping Seth would return soon. There was something about Cheryl’s confidence and good looks that shattered any hope Tabby might have of ever becoming a successful ventriloquist, much less the object of Seth’s affections.

  Cheryl tapped her fingers along the arm of the chair. “I wonder what’s taking so long? Seth must be having quite a time with Oscar’s stubborn little mouth.” She eyed Tabby curiously. “How long have you been taking ventriloquism lessons?”

  “Not l–long.”

  “Guess you’ll be at it for a while, what with your stuttering problem and all.” Cheryl offered Tabby a sympathetic smile. “It must be difficult for you.”

  Hot tears stung Tabby’s eyes as she squirmed in her seat then hunkered down as if succumbing to a predator. She bit her lower lip to stop the flow of tears that seemed insistent on spilling onto her flaming cheeks. She was used to her family making fun of her speech impediment, but seeing the pity on Cheryl’s face was almost worse than reproach.

  Dear Lord, she prayed silently, please help me say something without stuttering.

  With newfound courage, Tabby stuck her hand into the opening at the back of Rosie’s overalls, grabbed the control stick, opened her own mouth slightly, and said in a falsetto voice, “Tabby may have a problem with shyness, but I don’t stutter at all.” It was true, Tabby noted with satisfaction. Whenever she did ventriloquism, the voice she used for her dummy never missed a syllable.

  Cheryl leaned forward, squinting her eyes and watching intently as Tabby continued to make her dummy talk.