All You Can Handle (Moments In Maplesville Book 5) Read online

  “How old will she be?”

  “Thirteen.”

  “Thirteen?” Sonny nodded vehemently. “You must have a boy/girl party if she’s turning thirteen. And you can forget about it being ‘nothing big.’ She’s becoming a teenager. You have to give her a party that’s fit to commemorate such an exciting event.”

  His dour expression wrenched a laugh out of her.

  “Why do you look as if you’re ready to lose your breakfast?” Sonny asked.

  “Have you ever planned a party for a thirteen-year-old before?”

  “No.”

  “Then you wouldn’t understand.”

  She managed to swallow her laugh. “No more frowning,” she said. “This is going to be fun. And it’s perfect timing. I just slipped my third layer in the oven and my safety pins need to harden a bit more.”

  Pushing the tray of pink, yellow and white safety pins she’d fashioned out of gumpaste to the side, Sonny wiped her hands on the front of her apron as she rounded the kitchen island. Then she took the apron off and folded it over the back of a kitchen stool.

  When she looked over at Ian, he was staring at her with an odd expression.

  “What?” Sonny asked.

  He nodded toward her hands. “I just noticed all your rings are gone. Your hands look strange without them.”

  She splayed her fingers. “Yeah, well they’re not very conducive to baking.”

  “It’s a shame. Those rings are a part of what makes you…well…you. They’re a part of your style.”

  Sonny reached in the front pocket of her jeans and came out with a fist full of rings. “They’re never too far.” She smiled as she slipped the rings on her fingers.

  “That’s better.” Ian’s answering grin had just enough of that flirtatious sexiness she’d already come to anticipate. And those eyes. Goodness, but she loved the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he grinned.

  She wondered just how long Kimmie would be at her friends’.

  Oh, no you don’t!

  “So, what party plans have you made so far?” Sonny asked, shoving away those tempting thoughts.

  “None,” Ian answered.

  Sonny’s mouth dropped open. “Her birthday is just weeks away and you haven’t even started planning yet?”

  He hunched his shoulders. “That’s why I came to you for help. I’m desperate.”

  “Oh, Ian, Ian, Ian. You have much to learn. Come on.”

  She grabbed him by the hand and tugged him toward the computer station. Once he was seated, Sonny stood behind him, clamped her hands on his shoulders, and crouched forward, peering at the screen.

  She felt Ian stiffen. He looked up at her over his shoulder. “If you want to avoid complications you may want to stop touching me,” he said.

  Sonny jerked her hands away as if his skin was on fire. “Sorry,” she said.

  “It’s for the best. That’s what we decided, right?”

  “Right,” she said. She swallowed hard.

  Ian’s fist clenched. He released a deep breath before speaking, “It’s a lot harder than you thought it would be, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Sonny admitted. “But I still think it’s the smart decision. For both of us.”

  He looked up at her over his shoulder. “You sound so sure about that.”

  “I am, Ian. Despite what happened last Monday, I don’t make a habit of sleeping with someone I’m not in a relationship with, and starting a relationship is not a part of my plans right now. You were supposed to be that one night.”

  “Your little indiscretion,” he said, his smile lacking the playfulness it usually exhibited.

  “More like an indulgence.” She said. “The fact is, I spent so much of my life doing what others wanted me to do, that yielding to my own wishes doesn’t come easy for me. I’m still learning how to put my wants first. And when I saw you, I wanted you. Allowing myself to do what we did last Monday night was huge. But taking it any further just wouldn’t…” She shook her head. “It’s just not a good idea.”

  Sonny didn’t want any strings tying her to this place when it was time for her to leave, and something told her that getting romantically involved with Ian would tie her in one huge knot.

  “Are we on the same page?” Sonny asked, her voice hopeful.

  His smile was reluctant, but at least he was smiling. “Yeah,” Ian said. “Did I ever thank you for letting me be your indulgence?”

  She laughed. “Renting me the apartment is thanks enough. Now, back to party planning.” She turned him back toward the computer screen. “What does Kimmie enjoy the most?”

  “Movies,” Ian said. “No question about it. From old black and white flicks, to Disney movies, to action films and even Bollywood, which I didn’t even know was a thing until she made me sit and watch them with her. She wants to be a director when she grows up.”

  “No kidding,” Sonny said, impressed. “Good for her. Hollywood needs more black directors behind the camera. A black woman director is even better.” She clapped her hands together. “Okay, so this will be easier than I thought. It goes without saying that her party should have a movie theme.”

  “That’s what I thought at first, but don’t you think the kids may get bored with just watching movies? I wanted to do something a little more exciting.”

  “I didn’t say they would sit around and watch movies the entire time. We’ll have the movies playing in the background, but that will only be a small part of it.”

  “As long as it’s better than a party at the skating rink.”

  “Why?” Sonny asked, her brow creasing with confusion.

  “One of Kimmie’s friends held her birthday party at the skating rink not too long ago. Apparently, Jerica is now the envy of every girl in school.”

  “Good. We have a goal. Beat the skating rink party.” Sonny snapped her fingers. “Oh, I know! You should rent one of those inflatable projector screens. Have you seen them?”

  Ian shook his head.

  “It would be perfect. You can set it up in the backyard and make it look like a movie drive-in. How many kids are you expecting?”

  “Uh, about twenty maybe?”

  “Twenty teens? You could probably get by with four trucks, although five would be even better.”

  “Five trucks for what?” Ian asked, his face the textbook definition of overwhelmed.

  “For Kimmie’s Movie Drive-In Birthday Bash,” Sonny said. She pushed his rolling chair to the side and started tapping away on the keyboard.

  “I’ll share with you the first tip when it comes to party planning. You can find whatever you need on Pinterest.” She pointed at the screen. “These little cars made out of cardboard boxes are adorable, but you can’t have that for a thirteen-year-old’s party. A better alternative is to get four or five pick-up trucks, put some pillows and blankets in the truck bed, and let them watch the movies from there. Just like an old fashioned drive-in.”

  Ian scowled. “I don’t know if I like the idea of a boy/girl party that includes pillows, blankets and beds of any kind. Even truck beds.”

  “The overprotective thing is cute, but you’re interfering with my party planning.” She scrolled through the mishmash of photos. “We can set up a concession stand with popcorn, and nachos, and boxes of movie theater candies. And I have a killer idea for her birthday cake.”

  She typed in movie themed birthday cake and brought up a picture of a four-tiered cake that looked like old-fashioned film reels stacked one on top of the other. The very top layer was in the shape of a red and white box of popcorn, with a director’s clapboard leaning against it.

  “You can make this?” Ian asked with a hint of disbelief.

  “I made this one,” Sonny said. She couldn’t disguise the pride in her voice even if she tried. Which she didn’t. That cake was one of her best creations yet.

  “You made this?” Ian swirled his chair around to face her. “No way.”

  “Yes way,” she said. She c
licked on the picture, which took her to the blog post of the local actress who’d hired her for the job a couple of months ago when she was bunking at Karen’s. “The cake was for a viewing party for a woman who was an extra in a show being filmed just outside of Baton Rouge.”

  “Wow,” Ian said. “That’s a pretty awesome cake.”

  “Pretty awesome? That cake kicks ass.”

  He held his hands up, a deep chuckle shaking his shoulders. “Okay, you’re right. The cake totally kicks ass. It can stand on its own. No need for anything else at the party.”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Sonny said. She turned the computer screen so they both could see it. “We’re going to throw Kimmie a kickass party to go along with her kickass cake. By the time her friends leave, they won’t remember that dinky skating rink party.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” He caught her by the forearm. Sonny looked down to where his hand covered her, then back up to his face. “Thanks,” Ian said. “I didn’t know the first place to start when it came to this party. I was so afraid I’d mess it up and ruin everything for Kimmie.”

  “There’s no need to thank me, Ian. I’m happy to help. Kimmie is a sweetheart. She deserves the kind of party that she’ll remember forever.”

  “You mean one that she’ll remember for the right reasons, and not because her older brother embarrassed her.”

  Sonny grinned. “You will always embarrass her. You embarrass her by merely existing.” She patted his arm. “But don’t take that stank attitude she throws at you personally. Most of the time she doesn’t mean it. I can remember what it was like to be a thirteen-year-old girl. It’s both horrifying and exhilarating. I was such an awkward duck.”

  “No way.”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “I was taller than all of my friends. I wore braces. And my parents could not care less about keeping up with the latest fashions, so my clothes were lame.”

  “You sound like Kimmie.”

  “She’s at that age where this stuff is her entire world. Being a teenage girl isn’t always easy.”

  “Yeah, well imagine what it’s like trying to raise one,” Ian said. He massaged his temples. “I could have used you when she got her first period. It was a freaking nightmare. I cried more than Kimmie did.”

  She stared at him for a moment before she burst out laughing. At the same time the rest of Sonny’s heart melted at the sincerity in his voice. It was hard enough fighting her attraction to him. When he reminded her just how sweet he was with all that he did for his little sister, it was too much.

  “At least Kimmie seems to appreciate how much you spoil her.”

  The affront on his face was laughable. “I don’t spoil her.”

  “Yes, Ian, you do. I’ve only been around you two for a week and I can see that. But I’ve also witnessed her hauling laundry from the clothes dryer in the garage and doing homework as soon as she comes home from school, so you balance it out.”

  “I still don’t think I spoil her,” he said.

  His cell phone rang. He nearly toppled out of the chair as he reached for it over by the printer.

  “That has to be the bank,” he said. He answered and started slowly pacing between the kitchen and the living room.

  Sonny pretended not to listen to his side of the conversation as she scrolled through the endless pictures on Pinterest, but she could tell by his weighty pauses that whatever was being relayed on the other end of the phone wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

  She heard a stern, “Not the house. That’s not up for debate.”

  Another pause. Ian stopped pacing.

  “The house isn’t even in my name,” he said. “I can’t offer it up, and I wouldn’t do it anyway. The house cannot be a part of the equation.”

  Then she heard, “I’ll get back to you by the end of the day,” before Ian released a sigh and shoved the phone in his front pocket.

  Sonny looked over and gestured at the phone. “Was that something you want to talk about, or are you good?”

  He shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Possibly,” he tacked on. He ran a hand down the back of his head. “Shit.”

  Okay, so he definitely was not good. Something was up. Something that was not her concern. He’d asked her to help plan his little sister’s party, not become involved in his life.

  But it was hard not to become involved, given their living arrangement. She’d found herself in Ian’s kitchen or the family room or Kimmie’s bedroom on several occasions over the past week. The younger girl had a serious case of hero worship, but Sonny didn’t mind. Despite Ian spoiling her like crazy, Kimmie was sweet and respectful. And even though she talked more than just about anyone Sonny had ever met, it was just another thing that she found endearing about her.

  As for Kimmie’s older brother…

  Well, the list of things she found endearing about him took on an entirely different tone.

  But none of that mattered right now. Right now, Sonny was more concerned about the tension lines bracketing Ian’s mouth. She wasn’t sure what was going on, or if she would be able to provide any insight, but it didn’t feel right to sit here and watch him suffer alone.

  “Tell me,” Sonny said. “Maybe talking it out will help.”

  He stared at her for a moment before releasing another of those bone-deep breaths and coming back over to the computer nook. He didn’t sit in the chair he’d vacated a few minutes ago, choosing instead to perch his butt against the desk. He crossed his legs at the ankle and folded his arms over his chest.

  “I want to start my own bike shop,” he began. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time—a dream I shared with my dad. But I need a loan from the bank in order to make it happen. That was the loan officer. He said they would be more ‘comfortable’ if I had something else to put up for collateral.”

  “Something like this house.” She’d gleaned that much from his side of the phone conversation.

  “Yes, but that’s not going to happen. The house isn’t mine.”

  He’d told her the house was in his mother’s name.

  “I’m not sure what all the legalities are, but I’m sure there’s a way to get the house put in your name if that’s what’s stopping you. It may take some time, but—”

  “All it would take is a call to my mom asking her to sign the house over to me,” Ian said.

  Sonny stopped short. “Wait, your mom is alive?”

  He nodded.

  That’s not what she was expecting. She hadn’t wanted to pry, but had wondered all week about his parents. Sonny had assumed they were both dead. It seemed the only logical reason for why someone as young as Ian was raising his little sister.

  “My mom’s living somewhere in Paris,” Ian said. “Or maybe she’s moved to the south of France. I think she mentioned something like that the last time I spoke to her. And before you ask, the reason I never bothered to have the house put in my name is because I’m planning to have my mom sign it over to Kimmie when she turns eighteen. It’s the only way to make sure her future is secure.”

  “But maybe you can—”

  “There are no ‘but maybes’ when it comes to this.” Ian shook his head. “I would never use this house as collateral for a loan. I’ll just have to figure out something else.”

  Sonny’s gaze searched his face. She didn’t want to pry, but the question pounding in her brain demanded an answer.

  “I hope you don’t mind my asking, but how did you end up raising Kimmie?”

  He shrugged. “My mom decided she could no longer do it.”

  Sonny couldn’t tell if he really was as indifferent about it as he appeared, or if the nonchalance was an act he’d perfected just to make it seem that way.

  “How long ago did she leave the States?” Sonny asked.

  He tilted his head to the side and scrunched his forehead. “Kimmie had just turned nine, so about four years ago.”

  Which meant Ian had just turned twenty-two. What kind of person left her twenty-two-yea
r-old son to raise her nine-year-old daughter?

  “And your dad?”

  “He died in an accident at work when I was seventeen. At the same oil refinery where I work,” he said.

  She just barely held in her gasp. “I’m so sorry,” Sonny said. The words seemed so inadequate. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you, especially at that age.”

  “It was hard for all of us,” he said. “Especially my mom. That’s why I wasn’t all that surprised when she decided she could no longer live here. She…she needed to get away.

  “The fifth year anniversary of my dad’s accident did something to her. I think she had a break with reality, or a midlife crisis or something. Do women have those?” He huffed out a humorless laugh and shook his head. “Anyway, it’s better for Kimmie that she’s not around. She’d probably have her going from one school to the other, dragging her around the country, or worse she’d be miserable having to live here in Maplesville with those memories and would blame Kimmie for it. I couldn’t allow that to happen. My dad would have wanted me to take care of both my mom and Kimmie, and allowing my mom to leave was the best thing I could have done for both of them.”

  Although he spoke as if his mother’s leaving was no big deal, Sonny could hear the resentment in his voice.

  “In a way, my dad is still taking care of her. It’s the worker’s comp settlement from his accident that made it possible for my mom to move to France. Dad would have wanted it that way. The two of them used to talk about going there when he was alive.”

  “But what about you and Kimmie? The two of you need to be taken care of, as well. Did you get anything from the accident?”

  He nodded. “Kimmie will continue to receive weekly death benefits from his worker’s comp until she’s twenty-two, the same as I did. There’s also money from an insurance settlement with the contractor who was in charge of the project, but because Kimmie and I were minors when the accident happened, the money was put into individual trusts. I won’t have access to mine for another few years. Something about saving on the estate tax by holding it until I’m thirty instead of releasing the money now.”