Medium in Paradise: A Humorous Paradise Romance by Tabby Moray Page B

was working overtime. “If you get invited to a BBQ at Nick’s house, you should jump at the opportunity. His food’s amazing.”
    “Dat ain’t true,” he denied, vigorously shaking his head. “I invite plenty of other people but the only ones dat ever show up is you guys. Dere’ll be plenty of great food. I can’t say all of it’ll be healthy, but I’ve added some things to the menu I know you’ll approve of.”
    “Then I obviously can’t turn it down,” she said, grinning. It would be nice to have something to do on Saturday night besides stare at the television. If the conversation between she and Anthony went well, maybe she’d bring him along…
    “Good, den it’s…badda boom . Who is dat?” Nick breathed, raptly. Quickly wiping himself down with the towel thrown across his shoulder, he ran a finger through his hair, gave himself the sniff-test, grimaced and stood up straighter, sucking his prominent belly in until it looked like a dented barrel.
    Dina turned to see what had gotten him all worked up and was dismayed to see not only Molly Laurence and Paula Ingleson, but also her mother, sweeping in her direction. With their pastels, florals and chunky costume jewelry, they looked as if they were initiating a fashion war council with Dina as the poor, unsuspecting target. Her mother got to her first.
    After a perfunctory kiss on the cheek, her mother didn’t bother waiting to launch the first nuke.
    “Why is it that I had to learn from Paula and Molly that you were hosting a party?” Paula and Eileen hovered back a respectable distance. But they were still close enough to overhear anything juicy. “Why is your mother always the last to know?”
    “Hey, Dina,” Paula and Molly said, their soft southern twang chiming in unison, each with innocent looks on their faces.
    “We just naturally assumed your mother was already in on the plans,” Molly said, her heavily mascaraed eyes unapologetic.
    “As you should’ve.”
    “Mom, now is not the time or the place to talk about this,” she whispered, mildly uncomfortable that Detective Barney was witnessing her mother treating her like she was an impudent teenager.
    “I can’t catch you any other way because you haven’t been calling.” She finally took notice of the two men in the room, both watching the two of them with the sort of wary fascination a man wears when a beautiful woman that’s isn’t his own wife or mother is around. She frowned at Detective Barney Nichols, then smiled delightedly, saying out loud, “He is very interesting looking, Dina and his aura …calm, decisive, patient…I think I like this one. I’m Dina’s mother, Edith Ruiz. So nice to finally meet you. You must be the detective.”
    Dina cringed inwardly. Now the man probably thought they sat around having cozy chats about him while sipping from glasses of wine and nibbling expensive chocolates.
    “Nice to meet you, too.” Detective Barney Nichols shook her mother’s hand, all the while wearing a quizzical expression.
    “And while we’re makin’ introductions--,” Nick piped up, making his way over to Molly and Paula, but his eyes were trained only on Paula. Paula fluttered, smiling hugely. “I’m Nickolas Albani. But friends call me Nick.”
    “Nice to meet you Nick,” Paula said, extending a hand and smiling.
    Dina glanced quickly between both of their faces. Could the cool, sophisticated Paula actually be interested in a man as unrefined (and hairy) as Nick?
    “Same here,” Molly said, but with less enthusiasm. The hand that shook Nick’s was quickly snatched away.
    “I’ve gotta get outta here, but before I go, I’m having a BBQ tomorrow startin’ around six if all of you ladies and a few of your friends would like to stop by. I’m a great cook,” he threw out for the second time that evening. “And I’ll be makin’ my famous rum punch.”
    “Why thank you, Nick, but I already have plans. But, if you have another BBQ I may just take you up