“See you later,” Joy said, stepping back from the curb.
Letty checked her rearview mirror and drove carefully out of the slot.
Joy went on to her class, excited and happy for her friend. Despite his worries, Chase would be ecstatic when Letty told him about her pregnancy. Joy had watched Chase with Cricket and marveled at how deeply he cared for the child. Lonny was a good uncle, too. In time, when he found the right woman, Lonny would make a good father himself. But she didn’t want to think about Lonny with another woman and pushed that thought from her mind.
Her day went relatively smoothly, considering that this was the last week of school and the children were restless and eager to be outside. When classes were dismissed that afternoon, Joy drove down Main Street to Franklin Rentals. She needed to double-check that the cotton candy machine would be there in time for the carnival.
“Good afternoon, Joy,” Bill Franklin greeted her when she entered the store.
She stepped around air compressors, spray paint equipment and a dozen other machines of uncertain purpose on her way to the counter. “Hello, Bill.”
“I bet I know why you’re here. Rest assured, everything will be in well before Friday. If not, I’m afraid I’d be ridden out of town on a rail,” he said with a laugh.
“Thanks, Bill.” She smiled at his mild joke. “I’ll tell the other committee members.”
“Thanks, Joy.”
After another few minutes, she retraced her steps through the maze of equipment that littered the floor.
She was headed toward her car when she saw Lonny Ellison strolling in the direction of Franklin Rentals. She stopped in her tracks.
He saw her, too, and froze.
Neither moved for at least a minute.
Lonny broke out of the trance first and walked, slowly and deliberately, toward her.
Joy’s heart felt as if it were attempting to break free of her chest, it pounded that hard and fast. Despite her reaction, she pretended to be unaffected. As Lonny neared, she lowered her head and said in a stiff, formal tone, “Mr. Ellison.”
Lonny paused, touching the brim of his Stetson. “Ms. Fuller,” he returned just as formally. Then he removed his hat and held it in both hands.
Lonny had stopped a few feet away. Joy stood there, rooted to the sidewalk. She couldn’t summon the resolve to take a single step, although her nerves were on full alert and adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream.
“You look…pretty…today,” Lonny said after an awkward moment.
Not once had Lonny ever complimented her appearance. Well, except for that embarrassing, backhanded attempt in the grocery store…“Thank you. You do, too.”
His eyes widened. “I look…pretty?”
She almost managed a smile. “Not exactly.”
“That’s a relief.”
This was ridiculous, she told herself, the two of them standing in the middle of the sidewalk like this, just staring at each other. “Have a good afternoon,” she said abruptly and started to walk away.
“Joy,” Lonny choked out.
“Yes?” Joy maintained a healthy distance for fear they’d find an excuse to kiss again, and in broad daylight, too.
He hesitated. “I—I hope the two of us will remain friends.”
At first Joy wasn’t sure how to respond. His evident sincerity took her by surprise. “I do, too,” she finally said.
His eyes crinkled with a half smile and he nodded once, then cleared his throat. “Also, I wish to apologize if I offended you by my actions.”
“Actions?”
He lowered his voice. “Those…kisses.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks instantly flushed with heat. He appeared to be awaiting her response, so she said, “Apology accepted.”
“Thank you.”
Her car wasn’t far away now and when she used the remote to unlock it, Lonny rushed over and held open the driver’s door.
Slipping inside the Cruiser, she blinked up at him. “Who are you and what have you done with Lonny Ellison?”
He chuckled. “I’m not nearly as bad as you think.”
She wanted to say she doubted that, but it would’ve been impolite—and untrue.
“I’m through with pretending, Joy,” he told her. “I cared about you two years ago, and I care about you now.” He took a step back from her vehicle. “I let foolish pride stand in the way and I regret it.” Having said that, he smiled, replacing his Stetson. “Have a good evening.”
“Thank you, I will.” Her fingers trembled as she inserted the key in the ignition. When she looked up again, Lonny was walking into Franklin Rentals.
Joy mulled over their short exchange during her drive home, still feeling confused. There was an unreal quality about it, almost as if she’d dreamed the entire episode. This strained politeness wouldn’t last; of that, she was sure. Sooner or later Lonny would return to his dictatorial ways.
She poured herself a glass of iced tea and sat at her kitchen table while she mentally reviewed her day, starting with Letty’s news. This evening would be a very special one for Letty and Chase.
Without warning, Joy felt a sharp twinge of emotion. One day that same pleasure would be hers, when she’d be able to tell the man she loved that she was pregnant with his child. A yearning, a deep and silent longing, yawned inside her. She felt the desire to be loved, to experience that kind of love. Out of nowhere, tears filled her eyes and she bit hard on her lower lip, trying to control the emotion.
Someday…She had to believe that someday it would be her turn.
Fourteen
T om Meyerson eagerly anticipated Lonny’s next trip into Red Springs. Fortunately, he didn’t have long to wait. At breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lonny announced that he had several errands to run that afternoon.
“Would you mind if I came along?” Tom asked as nonchalantly as he could. It was a habit from the years of living with his father. If his old man knew that Tom wanted or needed something, he went out of his way to make sure Tom didn’t get it. Through the years, Tom had gotten good at hiding his feelings.
He had to see Michelle and talk to her. He wouldn’t ask Lonny to take him, to make a special trip for him, nor would he borrow the truck. But if Lonny was going anyway…Sure, he could phone Michelle and he probably should have, but he wanted to see her eyes light up when he told her he’d be taking her to the dance, after all. At night, as he drifted into sleep, he imagined her smile and it made him feel good inside.
He waited for Lonny to answer, almost fearing his employer would turn him down.
Lonny shrugged. “As long as you’re finished your chores, I don’t have a problem with you hitching a ride.”
Tom smiled, unable to disguise his happiness. He cleared his throat. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Lonny slapped him on the back in an affectionate gesture. Before he could stop himself, Tom flinched. After years of avoiding his father’s brutal assaults, the reaction was instinctive. He held his breath, hoping Lonny wouldn’t comment.
Lonny noticed, all right, but to Tom’s relief, didn’t say anything. Instead, he checked his watch. “I want to leave around four.”
Michelle would be out of school by then and at the store, working in the office for her dad. Happy expectation carried Tom the rest of the day.
He’d watched the movies Lonny had mentioned two or three times each and had practiced a few moves in front of the mirror. No one was going to confuse him with Kevin Bacon or John Travolta, that was for sure. But he didn’t feel like a complete incompetent, either.
He’d been listening to the radio more, too, and was beginning to think he could handle a dance. Deep down, he sensed that his mother would be pleased if she knew. Perhaps she did….
At ten to four, Tom changed his shirt and combed his hair. When he came out of the barn, he saw that Lonny was already in the truck.
Tom hopped into the pickup beside him.
Lonny wrinkled his nose and sniffed the air. “Th
at you?” he asked.
Tom frowned; maybe he should’ve taken the time to shower.
“You’re wearing cologne,” Lonny chided.
Tom’s face turned beet-red, and Lonny chuckled. After a moment, Tom smiled, too, and then he made a loud sniffing sound himself. “Hey, I’m not the only one. Who are you going to see?”
Lonny’s laughter faded quickly enough, and he grumbled an unintelligible reply.
“I’ll bet it’s Joy Fuller.”
Lonny ignored him, and Tom figured he’d better not push the subject. He’d learned to trust Lonny, but he wasn’t sure yet how far that trust went. Still, he found he was gradually lowering his guard. Being with Lonny, talking to him about Michelle, had felt good. He liked Letty and Chase, too. Twice now he’d joined the family for Sunday dinner, and those times were about as close as he’d gotten to seeing a real family in action. He hadn’t known it could be like that, hadn’t realized people related to each other in such a caring and generous manner. Tom was grateful for whatever circumstances had led him to Red Springs and Lonny’s barn. It was, without question, the best thing that had happened to him in his whole life.
“Would you mind if I turned on the radio?” Tom asked as a companionable silence grew between them.
“Go ahead.”
Tom leaned forward and spun the dial until he found a country-western station. He looked at Lonny, who nodded. Tom relaxed against the seat and before long, his foot was tapping and his hand was bouncing rhythmically on his knee.
Lonny turned the volume up nearly full blast. After only a moment or two, they were both singing at the top of their lungs. Tom was sure anyone passing them on the highway would cringe, because neither of them could sing on key. Tom didn’t care, though. This was about as good as it got for someone like him. Cruising down the highway with the windows open, music blaring—and, for this one day, he didn’t have a worry in the world other than what kind of flowers to buy his girl for the dance.
The radio was playing at a more discreet volume by the time they reached the outskirts of Red Springs. Lonny pulled up across from Larson’s Feed, and Tom opened the passenger door and jumped out.
“I shouldn’t be longer than an hour,” Lonny told him.
“I’ll wait for you here.”
With a toot of his horn, Lonny drove off.
Tom jogged across the street and when he walked into the store, Michelle was behind the cash register, smiling at him.
“Hi,” she said shyly.
“Hi,” Tom answered, having trouble finding his tongue. She was so pretty, it was hard not to just stand there and stare at her.
“Would you like a Coke?” she asked.
“Uh, sure.”
“Dad has some in the office. I’ll be right back.”
“That’s fine.” He’d wait all day if she asked him to.
Tom leaned against the long counter, then straightened when Michelle’s father came in. Tom immediately removed his hat. “Good afternoon, Mr. Larson.”
“Tom,” the other man said, inclining his head toward him. Then, as if he had important business to attend to, he left almost as suddenly as he’d appeared.
Michelle was back a minute later, holding two cans of soda. “Dad said it’d be okay if we sat out front,” she said. The feed store had a porch with two rocking chairs and a big community bulletin board. The porch had weathered with time, and the red-painted building had seen better days, but there was a feeling of comfort here, and even of welcome.
They sat down, and Tom opened his soda and handed it to Michelle. At first she didn’t seem to understand that he was opening hers and they needed to exchange cans. When she did, she offered him the biggest, sweetest smile he’d ever seen. Tom thought he’d be willing to open a thousand pop cans for one of her smiles.
“Did you decide about the dance?” she asked, her eyes wide and hopeful.
Tom took his first swallow of Coke, then lowered his head. When he glanced up, he discovered Michelle watching him closely, and she seemed to be holding her breath. He smiled and said, “It looks like I’ll be able to go.”
Just as he’d anticipated, Michelle nearly exploded with happiness. “You can? Really? You’re not teasing me, are you?”
He simply shook his head.
She set her drink aside and pressed her fingers to her lips. “I think I’m going to cry.”
“Don’t do that,” he nearly shouted. Every time he’d seen tears in his mother’s eyes, he’d been shaken and scared. And he’d always felt it was his duty to make things right, even though he wasn’t the one who’d made her cry.
“I’m just so happy.”
“I am, too.” Tom wasn’t accustomed to this much happiness. He felt he should be on his guard, glance over his shoulder every once in a while, because disappointment probably wasn’t far behind.
Michelle picked up her drink. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Tom thought he should be thanking her. “I need to know what color your dress is,” he managed to say instead.
Her lips curved in a smile, and her eyes were alight with joy. “It’s pale yellow with little white flowers. It’s the prettiest dress I’ve ever had. I bought it even before I asked you to take me to the dance.”
Tom made a mental note of the color. He’d ask Letty what kind of flower he should buy for the corsage. He didn’t know much about flowers—or about any of the other things that seemed important to women.
He wouldn’t even have known about the corsage if Lonny hadn’t mentioned it. That’d brought up a flurry of questions on Tom’s part. Having never attended a school dance, or any other dance for that matter, he had no idea what to expect. He was afraid he might inadvertently say or do something embarrassing. He wanted this one night to be as perfect as he could make it. For Michelle, yes, and in a way he could barely understand, for his mother, too.
They sat in silence for a while, and Tom searched for subjects to discuss. His mind whirled with questions and comments.
“The weather will be nice for the carnival and the dance,” Michelle said conversationally.
“That’s good.”
“Dad says not to worry about—” She hesitated and looked away.
Tom frowned, wondering if Michelle’s father had said something derogatory about him. “What?” he asked, his heart sinking. He’d barely spoken more than a few words to Mr. Larson. Her father probably didn’t need a reason to dislike him, though. Tom had learned early in life that people often didn’t. Being poor, being a drunkard’s son—those had been reasons enough back home.
“I thought I should tell you.”
“Then do it,” Tom said, stiffening.
“Kenny’s dad phoned mine last Sunday.”
Tom didn’t like the sound of this. “About what?”
“Mr. Brighton said Kenny’s pretty upset about you seeing me. He said he’s afraid if you and I go to the dance together, there might be trouble.”
Tom relaxed, grateful this situation didn’t involve Mr. Larson’s feelings toward him. “Kenny Brighton doesn’t scare me.”
“It bothered my dad. He’s afraid Kenny might try to pull something at the dance. Mostly, he doesn’t want me caught in the middle.”
Tom hadn’t really considered that. “Your dad’s right.” He hated to suggest it, but he couldn’t see any alternative. “Maybe we’d better not attend the dance.”
Michelle’s reaction was immediate. “No way are we missing that dance! Not after everything I went through to get you to be my date.”
Tom started to protest, but Michelle was adamant. “I’m not letting Kenny Brighton ruin the last dance of high school. And…and you aren’t half the man I thought you were if you let him. Besides, Dad and I came to an understanding.”
Her words stung Tom’s pride. “What do you mean, half the man you thought I was?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean that part.”
He eyed her skeptically.
“Don’t you
want to know how Dad and I compromised?” she asked, obviously eager to tell him.
“All right.”
She smiled again, one of those special smiles that made his mouth go dry. “I had to get Mom on my side first, and then the two of us talked to Dad. After a couple of hours, he finally saw reason.” She paused long enough to draw in a deep breath. “Dad phoned Lonny last Sunday afternoon and asked him to volunteer as a chaperone for the dance.”
“I know.” He’d been thinking about it, and although he appreciated Lonny’s support, he’d begun to feel a little humiliated. Scowling, he said, “I don’t need anyone to do my fighting for me.”
“That’s just it, don’t you see?” Michelle insisted, her eyes pleading with his for understanding. “If Lonny’s at the dance, there won’t be any fight.”
Maybe, but Tom wasn’t convinced. Kenny and a couple of his friends could come looking for trouble, and if that was the case, Tom wouldn’t back down. He didn’t want Lonny leaping in to rescue him, either. Tom would take care of the situation, in his own time and his own way.
“Tom?” Michelle whispered.
He tried to reassure her with a smile, but he didn’t think it worked, because her expression grew even more distraught. “Don’t worry, okay?” he murmured.
“I can’t help it. You have this…this look like you’re upset and angry, and it’s frightening me.”
As much as possible, Tom relaxed. “It’ll be fine.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything. But at least if Kenny does start a fight, Lonny will make sure it’s fair.” She paused. “I hope there isn’t one, though.”
Tom didn’t respond.
Michelle leaned toward him and took his hand, clasping it between both of hers. Her hold was surprisingly strong.
“Look at me,” she pleaded.
At first he resisted. He knew he couldn’t refuse her, and he wouldn’t put himself in a position where he’d be bound by his word.
“Please,” she whispered, raising his hand to her lips and kissing his knuckles.
Hot sensation shot up his arm, straight to his heart. Tom closed his eyes rather than get lost in her completely.