Dorothy Garlock (37 page)
Authors: More Than Memory
“You’ll be going with the right honorable veterinarian and his spouse. I won’t let you wiggle out of it.”
“But, Rhetta, I don’t want to go without an escort. If Norris gets back, I’m sure he’ll take me, but—”
“—Horse hockey!” Rhetta interrupted. “There’ll be dozens of men and women there without escorts. In our town a woman would sit home all the time if she had to depend on an escort. Think nothing of it, and plan on going. Okay?”
Reluctantly, Nelda agreed to go. Rhetta had been a good friend. She couldn’t very well be rude and throw the invitation back at her. It would be her final farewell to Clear Lake society. The one nagging concern she had about going was having to see Lute with Miss Home Ec.
• • •
The night of the Winter Dance Party, Nelda was no more enthused about it than she had been when Rhetta invited her. Her friend had called and told her to be at their place at eight o’clock for a predance drink.
Nelda stood in front of the mirror and studied herself critically. The makeup she had applied to the dark circles beneath her eyes had done its job, but even knowing that she looked her best did nothing to put her in a party mood. She sprayed perfume from an atomizer and watched the fragrant mist settle on the soft curls surrounding her face.
She was wearing an emerald green skirt and a loose black jacket that reached to her hips. It was an outfit she could dress up or down. Tonight she wore an emerald green scarf about her neck. The color was a perfect foil for her light skin, dark hair and eyes, and the loose fit of the sweater would conceal her thickening waistline.
Involuntarily she both looked forward to and dreaded the thought of seeing Lute. Even if he asked her, she would refuse to dance with him. He would be sure to notice that she was no longer pencil-slim.
At a quarter to eight she pulled on her snow boots, put on her heavy coat, and carefully pulled
the hood up over her hair. Nervous as a schoolgirl off to her first prom, she picked up the small purse and slender-heeled shoes and went out to the garage. The night was cold and still. The forecast was for snow before morning.
the hood up over her hair. Nervous as a schoolgirl off to her first prom, she picked up the small purse and slender-heeled shoes and went out to the garage. The night was cold and still. The forecast was for snow before morning.
Nelda pumped the accelerator several times before she tried to start her car. When she finally turned the key, nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. She tried the lights. Again nothing. She breathed deeply, trying to calm her nerves so that she could think rationally.
The car’s battery was dead. Good! The perfect excuse not to go the Winter Dance Party.
Back in the house she dialed Rhetta’s number.
“Hi, there. Guess what? My car’s battery is dead, so I won’t be joining you tonight. Have a wonderful time, and I’ll call you tomorrow to hear all about it—that is, if your head will allow you to talk on the phone.” She even managed a small laugh.
“Hold it!” Rhetta’s voice was insistent. “Just hold it! There’ll be someone for you in ten minutes. I’ll send Gary or someone.”
“No, Rhetta. I’ve already undressed.” It was a fib that came easily to her lips.
“Well, get dressed, love. Ten minutes. ’Bye.” The phone went dead.
“Oh, damn, damn, damn!”
When she saw headlights coming up the lane, she pulled up the hood on her coat, picked up her shoes and purse, and stepped out into the crisp cold night. The car swung toward her and then away from her, momentarily blinding her with its high beams.
It backed up so that the passenger door was toward her.
It backed up so that the passenger door was toward her.
The door opened, and the interior light came on. Lute sat behind the wheel. Nelda was so startled that she just stood and stared. Lute, in a dark suit and topcoat, leather gloves on his hands, which gripped the wheel, and a grim look on his face, turned to face her.
Oh no! What now?
“Get in. The car’s warm, but it won’t be if you stand there much longer with the door open.”
Nelda got in and shut the door.
The closing of the door brought blessed darkness, but almost immediately the scent of peppery male cologne assaulted her nostrils, sending explosive quivers through her. She adjusted her coat, buying time and courage. Nothing could have been harder than being with Lute so unexpectedly. Her hands trembled until she clasped them together.
I’ll miss him dreadfully for the rest of my life. I’ll store up all these little last-minute images of him to carry in my mind and to tell our child someday.
The car left the gravel road and pulled out onto the highway. The silence was heavy. Not a word had passed between them since Lute told her so bluntly to get into the car. Nelda felt as if the two of them were involved in some last, elaborate game: her purpose being to behave normally and his to endure her presence.
“Sorry to put you to this bother. Rhetta said that Gary would come for me,” she offered in the way of apology.
“No bother. I was coming past your place anyway. What’s wrong with your car?”
She met his glance with a pretense of calm. “Battery. I’ll have someone come out tomorrow.”
There was another long tense silence. Nelda stared at the ribbon of highway unwinding before them, wondering how she was going to bear seeing him with Meredith.
“How is Alan?”
“All right. His mother asked me to thank you for looking after him.”
“Does he go to school?”
“Of course not. Children are cruel to someone like Alan.”
“Kelly didn’t mind how he looked.”
“Yeah, sometimes dogs have more sense than people. I found out how he got into your house. He went in through the coal chute. He’s small enough to wiggle through the outside door and slide down the chute into the coal bin in the basement. I came over the other day and nailed it shut.”
“I didn’t even know there was a coal chute.”
“All old houses had coal furnaces. The coal was shoveled in through an outside door and down the chute to the coal bin.”
“I remember you told me to hide there when the schoolboys were banging on my door. Even the hoodlums could have come in that way,” she said accusingly.
“Nope.” He gave her a cocky grin. “They are way too big and would’ve got stuck in the chute.”
“I wish they’d tried. I’d have picked them off one by one.”
It was unreal to Nelda to be having a conversation with Lute without the two of them snarling at each other. The congeniality didn’t last.
“Rhetta tells me that you’re leaving soon. You stuck it out longer than I thought you would.” He changed gears violently, and the car shuddered.
“What do you mean by that?” Nelda knew, but she still had to challenge him.
“You know what I mean.” He glanced at her quickly and then looked back at the road.
“Yes, I guess I do,” she murmured, watching his dark profile.
A car swept down the road toward them, the headlights flashing briefly over his face. His lips were pressed tightly together, and his brows were beetled into a frown. His silence made her tense, and she began to shiver.
“Cold?” he asked instantly.
“A little.”
“Is this better?” He switched the heater control, sending a waft of warm air over her legs.
“Much,” she said, cuddling down in pretended comfort. “This is a nice car. I’m so used to seeing you in a pickup that . . .” Her voice trailed away. She didn’t know how to finish what she’d started to say.
“Farmers nowadays can afford a few luxuries. They send their kids to college, take winter trips to Hawaii or Las Vegas occasionally, and, in my case, have a decent car.” He was keeping his voice firmly
under control, allowing only a hint of sarcasm to surface.
under control, allowing only a hint of sarcasm to surface.
“I know that,” she said sharply. “I’ve enjoyed the income from Grandpa’s farm for a couple of years now.”
“That’s right, you have. The money is good, but the lifestyle stinks, right?” He was no longer hiding his feelings of contempt.
Nelda felt her skin flushing, and she looked away from him.
Let him think what he wants to think
, she thought bitterly. Lute slowed the car as he turned up the drive toward the veterinarian’s house and circled to park so she wouldn’t have to wade through snow to get to the door.
Let him think what he wants to think
, she thought bitterly. Lute slowed the car as he turned up the drive toward the veterinarian’s house and circled to park so she wouldn’t have to wade through snow to get to the door.
As soon as he braked to a stop, she fumbled for the door handle and pressed it, but it failed to give. Lute cut the motor and lights, then turned in the seat to look at her.
After a brief silence he said flatly, “You’re not coming back.”
“No.” She decided to make an honest break.
“When are you leaving?” He asked the question without emotion.
The day after tomorrow, but I’m not telling you that
. She tried for lightness when she answered.
. She tried for lightness when she answered.
“I haven’t decided, but soon. I’ve got a wonderful opportunity to decorate an advertising studio. If I can come up with something spectacular, I’ll truly be set in my career. The clients will be breaking down the door to get to me.”
“And that’s important to you?”
“Sure. It’s what I went to school for, ate cheese
sandwiches for, wore runny hose for, lived in a third-story room for,” she said, not meeting his eyes.
sandwiches for, wore runny hose for, lived in a third-story room for,” she said, not meeting his eyes.
“Smithfield would fit into your life perfectly, wouldn’t he?” The question was brutally sharp.
“Well . . . I guess so.”
“No guess about it. You two zeroed in on each other like homing pigeons!” The vehemence in his voice was frightening.
She tried the door handle again. It was still locked.
“Thank you for picking me up. I’m sure you want to get going and pick up your date.” Nelda felt her composure slipping through her fingers.
“You’re my date.”
Nelda’s head turned slowly toward him and found that he had leaned closer to her, his eyes finding hers and holding them.
“What do you mean?”
“That’s the second time you’ve asked that tonight.”
“What do you mean, dammit?”
“Just what I said.” The words left his mouth as if they were nasty. “We’re a twosome, a couple, a duet . . . a pair for the evening, anyway.”
Nelda drew back. He was too close! She could see the color of his eyes and smell the freshness of his breath. Irrational anger bubbled up inside her.
“I don’t recall making a date with you. Now, let me out of this damn car.”
“Why are you so riled?”
“I’m not riled, dammit! Well, yes, I am. You make me so mad I don’t know what I’m thinking,
much less what I’m saying. You take too much for granted, Lute. Didn’t it occur to you to call and ask me to go out with you?” She took a deep breath. “Or did you think you were doing me a big favor to take me?”
much less what I’m saying. You take too much for granted, Lute. Didn’t it occur to you to call and ask me to go out with you?” She took a deep breath. “Or did you think you were doing me a big favor to take me?”
“You wouldn’t have gone with me if I had asked you.”
“You’ve got it right there.”
“Do you know what I want?” He was grinning.
“I’m sure you’ll tell me . . . in time.”
“There is one line of communication we had right up to the very last—”
“—You’re being obnoxious!”
“And still have,” he continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “I’m going to kiss you, Nelda Elaine. What are you going to do about it?”
She knew that she wasn’t going to do a thing. She wanted him to kiss her, hold her, make her blood rush around her body, make a thousand little memories to tuck away and bring out again in her lonely future. She turned her eyes away, afraid that he would read her thoughts.
Lute reached out to cradle the nape of her neck and pull her head toward him. His face was grave, and his eyes held a tenderness she didn’t expect. Nelda felt the strength drain out of her, leaving her limp in his grasp.
“You’ll smear my makeup,” she said feebly.
“You don’t need makeup. Never did.”
“Rhetta will be wondering—”
“To hell with Rhetta.”
“I don’t want you to kiss me.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I’m not lying.”
“I could always tell when you were lying. Now hush.”
His eyes were astonishingly bright and luminous in the dim light. She clamped her mouth shut and tried to look away from him, but in the closeness of the car, and with his hand holding her still, there was nowhere else to look. He not only filled her eyes, but her senses, her mind.
His face came closer to hers.
“That mouth of yours always tells me what you’re thinking. Right now your lips are pressed together—you’re being stubborn. When I kiss you they’ll soften, because you like me to kiss you. You draw your bottom lip between your teeth when you’re puzzled and uncertain, and the corners of your mouth lift when you want to laugh but are trying not to. You get mad fast, but you get over it fast, too. Remember when you bit me?” He sighed deeply. “As soon as your teeth let go of my lip you were crying and kissing it. You were awfully sweet in those days.”
“Those days are over,” she whispered. That reminder of the past tore at her heart.
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