With No Warning (Romance/Inspirational)(Complete)

CHAPTER 7: The Smell of Popcorn

CHAPTER 7: The Smell of Popcorn

Dakota frowned in distaste as the unappetizing aroma of burned microwave popcorn, wafted from the microwave. Why was this one task always beyond her realm of expertise?! Her grades throughout school and college had shown a bright mind. She had always been a logical person, able to figure out quick fixes, and ingenious solutions to everyday problems. So why couldn’t she count the pops per second and stop the power in time for perfect kernels?

       “Burned it again, huh?” Bretni entered the kitchen with her friend Cass on her heels and both pert noses were wrinkled against the acrid odor. The question was not even phrased as an inquiry. It was alliterated as a moot long term acceptance of a fact.

       Carefully disposing the steaming bag into the trash, Dakota replied, “Well you know what they say...”

       “What?” Bretni asked curiously when Dakota trailed off without one of the adages she was well known for.

       “Umm” Her attention was out the window and she completely lost her train of thought. “Umm they say Dakota Winslow can’t make popcorn.”

       Bretni and Cass gave a short forced laugh, at the unfunny, even stupid comeback, but Dakota caught the knowing look they exchanged when they followed the trajectory of her gaze.

       “Hello ladies, men.” Evan’s teasing husky greeting was heard addressing the occupants in the media room directly off the entry hall.

       Turning from the window where she had watched him alight from his truck, Dakota crammed the new unopened popcorn packet into Bretni’s hand. “Would you mind too terribly?”

       Evan filled the doorway. “Hey there, is that dinner that smells so great?” Cass and Bretni burst out laughing at his antics as he preceded to choke and cough.

       This particular weekend, as it turned out, Dakota was staying on campus because both Lora and Kelli had plans. Lora was going out with her coach, and Kelli was spending the two days with her in-laws. Always there had to be one adult on duty for the girls dorms and one for the guys. Since they couldn’t go out with Mark and Jolee, Dakota and Evan had decided to watch movies with the teens.

       Of the nine girls that hadn’t left for the weekend, there were four that hadn’t gone out for the evening, and they were currently arguing with the boys who were visiting, over which movie to view first. Kevin and a few of the guys were scattered around the room, and things got loud when they resolutely took their various sides.

       Kevin named a popular just released action movie and declared, “This is what ya’ll said we were watching, not some stupid show about a dancer who falls for a bookstore owner.” Raising his voice toward the kitchen he called, “Bretni, what is going on here?!”

       Bretni glided to the entry from the kitchen into the room of the debate. “We got the movie you wanted, but we’re watching the one we wanted first.”

       “Nooo.” Kevin shook his head and similar negative male grumbles backed him up. “I’m not sitting through some chick flick.”

       “Nobody said you have to.” Bretni returned flippantly without yielding. “You’ve got your own t.v. at your own house. Take your movie there.”

       The threatened banishment to their own dorm quieted the male gender quickly. “Aw, come on, don’t be that way...” The groaned admonishment came from Kevin’s friend, Dale who had stayed out of the argument up until then.