Page 95 of Taming I Do
“Thanks for being willing to spend some time with me.” He gave me a shy smile, nothing like the expression he wore while slinging burgers behind the grill.
“I want to get to know you. At least as much as I can while I’m still in town.” I fastened my seat belt. “Where are we going?”
“I figured I’d show you where your mother and I grew up. Give you a sense of our history together.”
“I’d like that.”
As he drove through Ido, he pointed out places I hadn’t noticed and told me about the people who’d lived there all their lives. Jojo had worked at the Burger Bonanza since high school and now made wedding cakes for Lacey’s brides. Kirby had spent decades as a recluse before starting a transportation company with a fleet of unusual limos.
“It sounds like the town pulled together to make Lacey’s dream come true.”
“It wasn’t just her dream. I guess we all needed something to work toward. She was the one who made us realize it.”
He pointed out a few places in Swynton where he and Stella used to spend time, then drove into Bellsview.
Tall trees lined a narrow street of nearly identical houses.
“There’s the house I grew up in.” Helmut stopped in front of a small white home with dark-blue shutters. “That front window was my bedroom.”
“Who lives there now?”
He shifted in his seat. “My folks.”
My heart stalled. “Your parents are still alive?”
“You’ve got kin, Delilah.” He covered my hand with his. “I don’t expect you’re ready to meet them, but when you are, they’d love to know you.”
Tears blurred my vision. “Why didn’t Stella come to them when she found out she was pregnant? Why leave when she had people who would have helped her?”
“Let me show you where she lived.”
He drove out of town and stopped beside a two-lane highway. A rusted trailer sat in the middle of an overgrown lot, part of its roof caved in.
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t picture Stella living there.
“I know it doesn’t look like much now,” Helmut said. “But your grandmother did the best she could.” He pointed towarda stand of trees. “Your granddad hung a tire swing over there. Estelle loved when I pushed her on it. That’s where we had our first kiss.” His voice shook.
“I’m sorry.”
“None of this was your fault.” He gave me a shaky smile. “I thought seeing where she came from might help you understand her.”
“It does. Thank you.”
He started the truck again. “I’ll show you the high school, then we can head back to the restaurant. I’d like to make you lunch.”
“There’s something you should know first.” I remembered Jasper’s warning, but I’d had enough secrets. “I’m a vegetarian.”
Helmut’s eyes widened. “A what?”
“I don’t eat meat.”
“I’m not sure I know what to do with that.”
“Maybe we can learn together.”
“I’d like that.”
By the time we returned to the Burger Bonanza, the lunch crowd had cleared out. Jojo sat at the counter with a magazine open across her lap.
