Kissing Cousins Read online

  “We’ve only ever been on one date,” she reminded him, as he swayed with her.

  “We’ve been dating for two years,” he told her. “Every day we worked here together. And if that’s not enough—we can date while we’re planning the wedding if you want.”

  Again the cheers erupted in the restaurant. It wasn’t long before a throng of well-wishers had surrounded Poppy and Swaggart.

  “Sorry for the hard time we gave you, Poppy,” one of the flirtatious young men at table ten said as he hugged her. “He told us we had to make it look good.”

  Poppy laughed, wiping tears from her cheeks as Rhonda Andrews hugged her next.

  “He’s something else,” Rhonda said. “You’re a lucky girl.”

  “I know,” Poppy said as more tears streamed down her face. She could hear people congratulating Swaggart—heard Bobby, Uncle Robert, and Mr. Dexter laughing and patting Swaggart on the back.

  “Hey, girl!” Whitney said, wiping tears from her own cheeks. “What did I tell you? Dreams come true every day—sometimes you just have to wait awhile, that’s all.”

  Poppy wiped the tears from her cheeks and hugged her beloved friend.

  “Thanks, Whitney,” Poppy said. “I know it was no accident that notebook made it to work in your bag that day.”

  “Consider me your fairy godmother,” Whitney said, sniffling.

  “Bobby!” Swaggart called above the noise. “You’ve got the kitchen for the rest of the night. We’re out of here!”

  Poppy gasped as Swaggart lifted her up in his arms then and headed for the front door. The applause of the crowd in Good Ol’ Days echoed out into the parking lot as Swaggart carried her toward his pickup.

  “I can’t believe it,” Poppy cried, burying her face in her hands as Swaggart let her feet drop to the pavement.

  “What’s not to believe?” he asked, kissing her cheek.

  “That you really—that you really love me enough to…to…” she stammered, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

  “You love me enough to—that’s what’s hard to believe,” Swaggart said.

  Poppy threw herself against his powerful body, broke into thrilling quivers as he embraced her. “Whitney was right,” she said. “Dreams come true every day.”

  “Oh, Whitney’s about to find out how true that really is,” Swaggart chuckled.

  “What do you mean?” Poppy asked, looking up at him. He wore the familiar expression of mischief she loved so much.

  “Look,” he said, turning her around to face the restaurant.

  Poppy smiled at the happy scene before her—there it was, Good Ol’ Days restaurant. As its windows glowed with warmth, the scene within brought more tears to her eyes. Families, couples, groups of friends—all smiling, laughing together. Some still seemed to be singing along with Dean Martin. Poppy giggled as she saw Mr. Dexter talking with Mrs. Peterson.

  “It’s beautiful,” Poppy said.

  “Watch the hostess podium,” Swaggart chuckled.

  From where they stood, Poppy had a perfect view of Good Ol’ Days front door and the hostess podium. Someone had just stepped through the front door, and Whitney had her back to them as she spoke to Uncle Robert.

  “Recognize anybody?” Swaggart said.

  Poppy gasped as she recognized her cousin Greg as the man who had just entered the restaurant. She gasped again as she saw Whitney turn around to greet him, her face turning crimson as she realized who was standing in the restaurant.

  “I don’t know what it is with you two and wanting to kiss each other’s cousins…” Swaggart began. “But I figured while we’re at it, we might as well all be kissing cousins.”

  “Oh my heck!” Poppy exclaimed as she watched Greg reach out and gather Whitney into his arms. “He wouldn’t!”

  “Oh, he will. Believe me,” Swaggart said. “I called him up yesterday and found out he’s had a crush on Whitney forever.”

  Poppy’s mouth dropped open as she watched Greg kiss Whitney then. It was no sweet little peck on the cheek either. Furthermore, she laughed when she saw Whitney’s arms go around Greg’s neck as she returned his kiss.

  “Did I make any brownie points for that?” Swaggart asked.

  Poppy glanced at the diamond engagement ring on her finger. Her tears of infinite joy renewed, and she looked up into the handsome face of Swaggart Moretti.

  “Do you really belong to me?” she asked.

  Swaggart tweaked her nose and smiled. “Heart, mind, body, and soul, baby,” he said.

  Smiling, Poppy ran her hands up over the white t-shirt covering his muscular torso to his shoulders and neck until at last her fingers were buried in the dark softness of his hair.

  “I love you, Swaggart Moretti,” she whispered.

  “I love you, Poppy Moretti,” he mumbled as his mouth found hers in a long, ravenous kiss.

  “Dreams to Do list—part two,” she whispered. “Item number one—kiss Swaggart Moretti forever.”

  “Okay,” Swaggart said. And he kissed her.

  EPILOGUE

  Wally Dexter smiled as he watched little Amore Moretti scramble down from her car seat and out of the car. Every Friday morning, Poppy and Amore arrived at the restaurant to visit Swaggart and have breakfast with “Papa Wally,” as Amore called him. As he watched the little dark-haired angel skip across the parking lot, holding tight to her mother’s hand, Wally could hardly believe it had been four years since he’d turned Good Ol’ Days over to Swaggart. He chuckled, remembering the night Swaggart had proposed to Poppy. What an event that had been! He chuckled again, remembering the way Poppy’s mouth had dropped open when Swaggart informed her soon thereafter that the restaurant was theirs.

  Wally sighed with satisfaction. He knew he’d done the right thing by giving the business to Swaggart. He shook his head, amazed at how well Good Ol’ Days had done since—the incredible improvements and profits Swaggart had made. Yes—he was truly perfectly happy in that moment.

  As Poppy pushed the door open, Amore ran headlong at Swaggart’s grandfather, arms flung wide, giggles trailing like the sweetest sound on earth.

  “Papa Wally!” Amore squealed as Wally gathered her into his arms. “We comed for breakfast!”

  Poppy laughed at the pure mirth and delight in Wally’s eyes as he hugged his great-granddaughter.

  “Did you now?” Wally asked. “And what are we having?”

  “Daddy’s making pannycakes for us!” the beautiful little girl squealed. Poppy laughed, delighted by her daughter’s adorable three-year-old verbiage.

  “With syrup?” Wally asked.

  “Mmm hmmm!” Amore said, her eyes widening with excitement. “And maybe stwabewwies!”

  Wally laughed. “Sounds delicious!”

  “I better see Daddy and wemind him about da stwabewwies!” Amore said, quickly kissing Wally on the cheek before skipping off toward the kitchen.

  “Good morning, sweetheart,” Wally said as Poppy hugged him. “She’s up and at ’em bright and early.”

  “Good morning, Grandpa,” Poppy said. “Good morning, Brittany,” she said as Brittany stepped up to the hostess podium.

  “Hey, Poppy! Amore’s in the kitchen with Swaggart—he said to tell you,” Brittany said. “She is the most adorable little girl I’ve ever seen.”

  “She looks like her daddy,” Poppy said. And it was true! Amore was the feminine counterpart to her gorgeous daddy—the same soft, dark hair, the same brown eyes. Everyone noticed it, and she was a beautiful little girl. Poppy secretly hoped the baby boy due in a few months would resemble Swaggart too. She patted her tummy as the baby kicked, seeming to know his mother was thinking about him.

  “Which table can we have, Brittany?” Wally asked.

  “Table two is free, Mr. Dexter,” Brittany said. “And I’m guessing you don’t need any menus.”

  “Amore worked out the menu with Swaggart last night before she went to bed,” Poppy explained. “She loves to talk menus with her daddy—I th
ink she likes menus and recipes more than bedtime stories.”

  “So he’s learning not to get her all wound up before bedtime?” Wally asked.

  “Oh, no,” Poppy explained following Wally to their table. “He still gets her wound up—it’s just that now, he winds her back down too.”

  “Mommy!” Amore squealed, racing toward table two. “Daddy says today stwabewwies and bluebewwies!”

  Poppy gasped, her eyes widening with dramatic excitement. “Wonderful! Do you think he’s teasing us?”

  Poppy giggled as Amore put her hands on her hips, tipped her head to one side, and said, “Mommy—you know Daddy nevew teases about stwabewwies.”

  “You’re right. Daddy would never tease about strawberries,” Poppy said.

  “And he told me Auntie Whitney and Uncle Gweg and baby Jack will be eating wiff us too!” Amore said, clapping her hands with delight.

  “Fun!” Poppy said, helping Amore to sit on the booster seat sitting on one chair.

  “Oh, Mommy,” Amore said, breathing a heavy sigh of pure joy, “I love dis place!”

  “Me too, baby,” Poppy said, kissing her daughter on the cheek. “Me too.”

  Poppy let her thoughts travel back for a moment. She’d always loved Good Ol’ Days, even before she’d worked there. It seemed she’d always loved Swaggart too. She remembered the night he’d proposed to her—right there, not far from where she sat now. It had been the most beautiful, wonderful, fabulous moment of her life, and she could almost feel the atmosphere of the restaurant that night, almost hear the cheering and Dean Martin singing “You Belong to Me.” She’d thought life could never be more wonderful than it had been in that very moment—but it was!

  Poppy watched as Wally helped Amore open a small package of sugar, telling her to lick her finger and stick it into the package to make the sugar stick. She shook her head, unable to believe how truly wonderful life was! Certainly there were trials, heartaches, and stress—but the joy Poppy knew through her husband and little girl was infinite and indescribable. Soon there would be another Moretti seated at a table at Good Ol’ Days each Friday morning for breakfast, and Poppy couldn’t wait!

  “Mmmm!” Amore sighed as she stuck her sugar-coated finger in the sugar.

  Poppy couldn’t believe she was allowing her daughter to eat a packet full of sugar—but how could she deny her little girl such a wonderful memory of her great-grandfather?

  Glancing around her, Poppy noticed the regular Friday morning customers scattered throughout the restaurant. Swaggart swore to her that some of the Friday morning regulars showed up simply to see cute little Amore’s reaction when her daddy brought out her breakfast.

  Poppy guessed he was right when Rhonda Andrews mouthed, “She is sooooooooo beautiful,” to Poppy as their eyes met.

  “Thank you,” Poppy mouthed in return.

  “And who are these beautiful ladies sitting with my Grandpa at table two?” Swaggart asked, kissing Amore on the top of the head.

  “It’s us, silly Daddy,” Amore giggled.

  “Hey, baby,” Swaggart said, kissing Poppy. Poppy couldn’t help but sigh as his kiss lingered on her lips, warm, sweet, and so wonderfully familiar. “How are you feeling?”

  “Fine,” Poppy said, smiling at him. It was incredible—the way her stomach still thrilled with loop-the-loops each time she looked at him. Swaggart seemed to grow more handsome with every passing day, just as Poppy loved him more and more with each sunrise.

  “Bobby’s gonna bring our breakfast out any minute,” Swaggart said to Amore.

  “Then you bettew do it now, Daddy,” Amore said, giggling and covering her mouth with one hand.

  “Now?” Swaggart asked.

  “You bettew, Daddy—befowe mowe people come in and see you,” Amore giggled.

  “Okay, but you have to do it with me,” Swaggart said, lifting Amore out of her booster and standing her next to him. “Ask Mommy if she’s ready.”

  “Awe you weady, Mommy?” Amore asked, giggling so hard she could hardly speak.

  “You mean for the pancake dance?” Poppy asked. Amore nodded with nearly tangible excitement. “Okay then, I’m ready.”

  “Okay then—it’s time for the pancake dance,” Swaggart said, swiveling his hips in his signature “Risqué Martin” way.

  Poppy and Wally both laughed so hard tears filled their eyes as Amore and her daddy wiggled their hips, performing their special pancake dance. Amore giggled and giggled, finally wrapping her arms around her daddy’s leg in a delighted embrace.

  “It worked, Amore! The pancake dance worked again. Look!” Poppy exclaimed, pointing to Bobby as he approached with two plates heaping with pancakes.

  “It worked, Mommy! It worked!” Amore squealed, scrambling onto her booster again. “Will you eat wiff us, Daddy?” she asked.

  “Of course, muffin,” Swaggart said. He sat down in the chair next to Poppy, kissing her on the mouth once more.

  “Daddy says Mommy tastes like cake, Papa Wally,” Amore said in a loud whisper. “That’s why he always kisses her so much.”

  “Is that so?” Wally chuckled.

  “Here you go, Amore,” Bobby said, placing a plate of pancakes in front of the little girl.

  “Did my daddy make these, Uncle Bobby?” Amore asked.

  “Of course,” Bobby answered. “Here you go, Poppy. I’ll get the others.”

  “Thanks, Bobby,” Swaggart said.

  “Look, Amore,” Poppy exclaimed. “Mickey Mouse today!”

  “I love the Mickey Mouse ones, Daddy,” Amore said, dipping a finger in the syrup on her plate and licking it.

  “I’m glad, baby,” Swaggart said.

  He looked at Poppy, and the incredible love evident in his eyes caused goose bumps to ripple over her arms.

  “Your old buddy Mark was in here this morning,” Swaggart said.

  “How’s he doing?” Poppy asked. Mark Lawson had been a regular customer at Good Ol’ Days since the first night he’d eaten there almost four years before.

  “Good,” Swaggart said. “His new fiancé was with him.” Poppy smiled as Swaggart propped one elbow on the back of her chair, caressing her cheek with the back of one hand.

  “He’s engaged? That’s great!” Poppy said.

  “Yep,” Swaggart said, twisting a strand of hair around his index finger. “She seems like a really nice girl. They’re getting married in June. They came in to ask me if I’d do their wedding dinner.”

  “You never do weddings,” Poppy said. “You’ve always said they’re too girlie.”

  Swaggart kissed her again and said, “Will you think I’m too girlie if I agree to do it for them?”

  Poppy smiled and reached up, running her fingers through Swaggart’s soft, brown, already tousled hair.

  “You couldn’t be girlie if you tried, Swaggart Moretti,” Poppy told him. The warm syrup of his eyes mesmerized her. Oh how wonderful he was—what a dream come true her life had become. Poppy sighed as she leaned forward and kissed Swaggart.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you too,” Poppy told him.

  At that moment, the strains of an all-too-familiar song began via the restaurant’s sound system. Poppy smiled as Amore jumped from her booster seat, tugging at Poppy’s sleeve.

  “Mommy! I think this is it! I think it’s going to happen today!” Amore squealed.

  “I think so!” Poppy giggled. In the next moment, she thought her darling little girl was going to fly apart at the seams as Dean Martin began to croon “That’s Amore.”

  Instantly, every regular customer enjoying breakfast at Good Ol’ Days began to applaud.

  “Daddy! Daddy!” Amore giggled. “It’s happening! It’s my song!”

  “It sure is, sweetie!” Swaggart laughed. He stood, picking up Amore and beginning to dance around the restaurant with her.

  Poppy glanced to Wally then, her emotions welling as she saw him wiping tears from his smiling eyes. Greg, Whitney, and
the baby arrived at that very moment and joined in the singing.

  “Mommy!” Amore squealed. “Come on, Mommy!”

  Poppy laughed and stood up to join them.

  As Swaggart pulled her against him, Poppy caressed her daughter’s happy face with one hand.

  “Who knew it would be so perfect?” Swaggart said, smiling at her.

  “We did,” Poppy said, gazing into Swaggart’s handsome face.

  Wally Dexter brushed a tear from the corner of his eye. As he watched the joy evident all around, he sighed with contentment.

  As Dean Martin and the patrons of Good Ol’ Days sang “That’s Amore,” Wally nodded. For all that could be harsh and hard in life—still the good, the beautiful, the marvel of it was wonderful.

  As Wally’s grandson and his beautiful young family laughed, danced, and loved before him, Wally raised his hands in the air and laughed, “That’s amore!”

  ###

  Author’s Note

  I honestly do not have any idea where to begin with this Author’s Note! In preparation for Kissing Cousins going in to print, I read the book again (of course)—making little notes as I went about things, events, or people that had inspired me in writing it. When I finished, I couldn’t believe how long the list was! Thus, I truly and seriously do not know where to begin.

  Maybe I’ll just fiddle around a minute or two—babble on about the story (which is always at the top of the list when people name their favorites of my books and e-books) and hope that, by some miracle, my brain finds a venue of order. (Ah ha ha ha! We all know what a miracle that would actually be!) I mean, in truth, it always sort of mystified me as to why Kissing Cousins is so often chosen as a favorite. However, about a year ago, I finally sat down and read Kissing Cousins again. I loved it! I had forgotten so much about it! And how I could ever have forgotten so much about it, I’ll never know—because there is a ton of fun stuff woven around in there. Whether I did it subconsciously, consciously, or a little of both (which is my suspicion), there are little things in Kissing Cousins that just delighted me to find!