“Well, I have to take care of my parents,” she admitted. “They’re both sick.”
“Both? That’s tough. Tell me about them.” His sympathy was sudden and real.
“Well, it’s how life goes.” She took a gulp of her soda and then explained, “My dad is a great guy, gentle and caring, and very funny. He’s got this fantastic smile and a great sense of humor. He also has cancer, terminal cancer. He hasn’t got very long.”
Her voice cracked, but she gathered herself and continued, “My mother recently had a stroke, probably partially due to the stress of my dad’s illness. She recovered the use of her limbs and her speech, but her mind is just not the same. She slips in and out of reality.”
“So you’re the caregiver for both of them?” he asked gently. “How did you get away today? Wait, I remember, you said Laura was staying with your folks.”
“Yes.” Emily was still quiet, reminded of her parent’s problems.
“She’s an inveterate matchmaker. Did she mention anyone before you came? Tell you about any of the club regulars? Anything like that?” he asked quickly.
“Not really.” She shook off her sadness and grinned impishly. “She just mentioned that I should look out for a hunk named David.” She paused, watching his eyes widen in surprise.
“Oh! Do you think she meant you?” she asked ingenuously.
“I can’t answer that.” He grinned. “If I say no, you might agree with me and that would crush my fragile ego, and if I said yes, I’d sound really conceited.”
“Or truthful,” Emily said.
“Thanks,” David said smiling. “So does that mean you’ll have dinner with me tonight after the show?”
“I can’t,” Emily said sadly. “I have to stay with my folks.”
“Laura would be glad to stay with them,” he grinned at her, “just tell her that her matchmaking worked.”
“You don’t want me to tell Laura that,” Emily said with a touch of humor. “She’ll believe it and she’ll be like a shark smelling blood in the water, ruthless and relentless.”
“Who said she shouldn’t believe it?” Dave grabbed another piece of chicken. “Do you think it’s so hard to believe that I’m interested in you?”
“Why should you be? You’re very nice David, but why would you want to go out with me?” Emily’s eyes dropped. “I mean I saw the picture in the bedroom, the picture of the model. If she’s the type you usually date, I’m not in your league. She’s gorgeous, famous and rich. If that’s the kind of girl you like, why would you want to go out with me?”
“I choose the women I date because of their personalities,” David said tightly. “Looks are nice, but if the personality inside isn’t right, I don’t date the woman. I certainly would never date the woman in that picture.”
“And I wouldn’t date him either. It’d be too tacky.” Emily was startled to see Nikki standing behind her, grinning. “Of course, if David wasn’t my brother, I just might.”
“You’re his sister?” Emily found it hard to believe that the woman standing in front of her, dirty and without make-up, was that same glamorous woman she’d seen in all those magazines but it was undeniable. “But you’re a famous model.”
“He’s still my older brother.” Nicole went over to grab the rest of the carrot sticks out of the refrigerator. She also grabbed a piece of fried chicken. “I have to run. Go out with him, Emily, he’s not so bad. Really. He’s a fairly decent guy with basically good table manners, and some women say he’s a good escort.”
She winked at Emily then continued, “I’ve even heard some of them say he’s good looking, but I can’t see what they’re talking about. All I can say is he’s not too bad, for a brother.”
“Gee thanks.” David scowled at her.
“Anytime.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Seriously, Emily, he wouldn’t ask you out if he didn’t want to go with you.”
She sat down, peeled the skin off the chicken breast, and began to eat.
They finished eating and David brought out a chocolate cake. He cut a generous piece for himself and one for Emily, then he looked at Nick and raised his eyebrows. She nodded with a smile, holding two fingers out with barely half an inch between them. Her slice was correspondingly small.
“Wow! This is good!” Nick ate her tiny piece of cake very slowly, savoring it intensely.
“It sure is.” David ate his piece with gusto, Emily ate her piece slowly, almost reluctantly.
“I wish I had your willpower, Nicole.” She looked at the model.
“Please call me Nick or Nikki.” She smiled, her famous, dazzling smile. “No one calls me Nicole.”
They heard the announcer call out that the next event would start in fifteen minutes. David then excused himself for a moment to check on Target.
“David, check my horse too,” Nick asked before answering Emily. “If you had as tight a contract as I do, you would,” she told her. “Willpower has nothing to do with it, really. It’s dollars and cents. And I hate it. I like modeling, for now, but I hate the phoniness of it, the feeling that all I am is a collection of body parts. And the feeling that my only value is in this face I show the world.”
“I can see what you mean, but everyone is judged by their appearance, and most are found lacking,” Emily said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
“I know people can be cruel, but David won’t judge you by your appearance.” Nick stood up and began gathering up the plates and putting the leftovers in the small refrigerator. Emily stood up and helped her. “Are you going to go out with him?”
“I don’t know,” Emily whispered.
“What can it hurt?” Nicole smiled softly. “He’s a genuinely nice guy, and I can tell he likes you.”
“Well, okay, I’ll think about it.” Emily smiled back at her.
As soon as Nicole left the RV, Emily’s insecurities began to mount up again. David came back in and told her the events were ready to start.
“David, why would you want to go out with me?” Now that he had asked her out Emily’s thin veneer of confidence had fled completely. “I know I look terrible, I’m dirty and my hair is filthy.”
“So before we go eat, take a bath and put on something nice. I’m not going into a restaurant looking like this either.” He was patient.
“David, it’s not entirely that. I have a lot of responsibilities at home. I may not be able to go out.” Emily used another excuse, but it was a real excuse, based on fact.
“Couldn’t Laura stay with them tonight?” he asked.
“Maybe.” She sighed. “I can ask.”
“If she can’t, I’ll take care of finding someone to stay with them. It sounds to me like you need to go out. So take a shower, wash your hair, and put on something nice.” David smiled. “So when and where can I pick you up?”
“I don’t want you to take me out because you pity me. I know that I’m not very attractive.” Emily paused before continuing. Her voice was low as she finally added the dreaded words, “Besides that, I’m fat.”
“I didn’t ask you out of pity, I really enjoyed being with you today.” David looked at her long and hard, noticing the sadness and low self-esteem she wore like an overcoat. He paused, estimating her weight at well over two hundred pounds, before adding gently, “As for being fat, yes,