by Linda Ellen
Billy giggled as he watched his sister and Mr. Vic smooching in broad daylight.
As Vic pulled back a bit to gaze at his girl, it was only then that he realized her little brother was standing near. Unperturbed, as he naturally figured her whole family was aware of their relationship, he grinned at the boy and reached to ruffle his hair.
“Hey Billy. How you been?”
Before the boy could answer, Alec asked, “Who’s the kid?”
Louise glanced over at him, embarrassed. “His name’s Billy. He’s my little brother. Billy, this is Alec,” she explained. Afraid that the guys might think this would ruin the double date they had planned, she turned her eyes to Vic, but he was grinning as he exchanged chuckles with Alec.
“Well, looks like it’s family day,” Vic murmured, turning slightly and indicating a group of young people gazing their way as they stood in front of one of the large pillars at the entrance to the park. On closer inspection, Louise recognized Earl and Ruth, along with Earl’s younger sister Bernice.
In explanation, Vic glanced back at Louise, “Earl and Ruth wanted ta’ tag along…and then Earl’s mom insisted they take Neecee, too.”
Louise grinned, thinking things seemed to be working out. “Same here.”
Across the street, Bernice spotted Billy and remembering him from the long ride back to Louisville after the flood, the little girl grinned happily. Billy noticed her looking his way and he felt his face begin to flush. He remembered her, as well.
At first, Vic had felt frustration at the unexpected turn of events, as he had hoped for some romantic alone time with Louise. But now, he laughed amiably and turned, one arm slung around her shoulders.
“Ahh well. Let’s jus’ go have some fun,” he murmured, deciding to be happy that at least he was about to spend the day with his girl.
*
Dodging the crowd an hour later as they stood between a yellow ticket booth and a food vendor, the eight young people dug into sweet clouds of pink cotton candy. They had ridden the Ferris wheel, with Billy insisting he ride in the seat with Louise and Vic so that he wouldn’t get stuck riding with Bernice. Next they spent an exhilarating time riding the Scrambler and something called Loop-O-Planes, which were two cars shaped like airplanes attached to a tall pole. Billy and Bernice spent several rounds riding the Kiddie Kars, after which the group had decided to stop and purchase a treat as they made plans on what to ride next.
Vic had plans of his own. He wanted to be alone with Louise, but with her younger brother stuck to her side like glue, that had so far proved impossible.
“This is fun. I love Fount’n Ferry,” Bernice enthused as she licked errant sticky strands of fluffy spun sugar from her lips. She cast her eyes once again at Billy Hoskins, thinking he was the dreamiest thing she’d ever seen, as his big blue eyes glanced her way.
“Yeah, it’s my favorite place,” Ruth agreed, tilting her head to gaze up at Earl with a dreamy expression. He grinned and gave her a sexy wink as they shared a private look no one else could interpret.
“I want to go on the big slide next,” Fleet offered, giggling as Alec shared a bite of his spun treat with her. He smirked teasingly, “Aw c’mon, I thought we’d hit the Whip next.”
Fleet laughed and gave him a gentle shove. “You can. Last time I rode that, I got whiplash.”
Billy squirmed under Bernice’s constant stare, and he gripped the paper cone and swallowed a large bite of his candy. “I wanna ride some more stuff. C’mon Louise,” he whined, reaching to tug on his sister’s sleeve.
Vic turned his head and gave the boy a wink. “Hold your horses, son. We will.”
Earl tore off a large hunk of his confection and stuffed it in his mouth as he cast a glance toward his long time friend. He knew Vic was straining at the ropes to get his girl alone, and he felt a tiny bit bad that he and Ruth had invited themselves along. He had been of a mind to tease Vic and let him stew a bit, but suddenly feeling generous, he swallowed the hyper sweet concoction and said instead, “Look Chief, we don’t necessarily have to stay together. If, uh, you guys wanna mosey on, we’ll look after the kid for ya,” he added with a sly wink.
Vic grinned at his friend and slipped an arm around a silent Louise. She was wondering how Billy would react and if he would retaliate later as she met her brother’s eyes with a silent plea.
“But…” Billy began to protest. Bernice’s broadening smile was making him uncomfortable, though he couldn’t have put into words just why.
Opening her purse, Louise retrieved the coins her mother had given her that morning, and handed them to her brother. “Here, Billy. You can buy what ever you want, okay?”
Before the opportunity could slip through his fingers, Vic grabbed Louise’s hand. “That’s settled then. See you guys around five at the carousel,” he called over his shoulder as he tugged her through the crowd. In seconds they were out of sight. The group left standing looked at one another and laughed at Vic’s exuberance.
Once out of sight, the two began to stroll down the main midway-like thoroughfare lined with game booths and lovely shade trees, dodging mothers pushing strollers, old couples walking slowly, and kids darting to and fro. After a few minutes, Vic chuckled and unexpectedly pulled Louise up next to a corn dog booth. Entwining his fingers with hers, he quickly pressed her back against the side of the structure and brought her hands up beside her head. Breathless, Louise giggled at the sheer excitement of it all.
Then, his eyes alive with risqué mischief, Vic leaned down, mouth open, and covered her lips with his as he succumbed to the undeniable urge he’d been tamping down all day. Both sets of lips were still sticky with spun sugar.
It was already the most enjoyable trip to Fontaine Ferry she had ever experienced; and now that they had escaped the watchful eyes of her brother, she was finally where she had wanted to be all morning – ‘alone’ in the crowd with Vic, and in his arms. With tingles of overpowering attraction to the man who held her captive zipping through her body, she sighed helplessly and allowed him to have his way.
Moments later Vic finally pulled back, bringing the kiss to an end, his brown eyes glittering merrily. Gazing down into Louise’s own eyes, he was nearly overcome with the depth of his feelings for her. Pride alone kept him from letting her know just how tightly she had wrapped him around her pinky.
Clearing his throat, he murmured, “Okay, Miss Hoskins. Where to?”
Eyes twinkling happily, she shook her head to indicate she didn’t have a preference. She felt absolutely on top of the world.
*
An hour later, they walked by the entrance to the Tunnel of Love, its lighted words shining brightly over the domed entrance illuminated on the surface of the fast flowing water. Vic was surprised to see no line of people waiting.
He glanced over at his date. “Wanna ride with me?”
She nodded, and he grasped her hand, steered her over, and handed the operator two tickets. Holding on to one of the red painted safety bars at the edge, he helped Louise into a floating four-passenger craft.
Louise was a bit nervous. She had never ridden through the Tunnel of Love, and now to be doing so with Vic – completely alone, for at least the few minutes it would take to navigate through – it was sure to be high on her list of moments to remember.
Vic settled in at her side, immediately wrapping an arm around her shoulders as the operator used a long stick to push their boat into the flow of the swiftly moving water. In moments, they had crossed under the entrance and rounded the first curve into the winding tunnel, disappearing from sight.
The soothing sound of the water buoying their craft along helped to settle Louise’s nerves. She noticed that the walls were decorated with white hearts illuminated by a string of lights at the center of the ceiling. The tiny bulbs gave off just enough radiance to alleviate the fear of ‘sailing’ into a dark abyss. Just as she turned to make a comment regarding how good the cool interior felt on such a warm summer day, Vic turned h
er way.
“I been waitin’ ta get you alone like this all day,” he growled.
Wasting no time, his arms surrounded her and he pulled her into a close embrace as his lips took hers in a fiery kiss. Overwhelmed, she surrendered at first, her hands rising to touch his chest, the fingers of one hand brushing against his chin. The kiss was more than she had ever experienced before, as his tongue forced its way inside her mouth. Her head was spinning with sensations, some enjoyable, some a bit disconcerting. The heady masculinity of him thrilled her in such a way; she wouldn’t have been able to put it into words. His arms were so strong, holding her body against his. Louise could feel his heart thumping under her hands, and feel his warmth through the soft cotton of his shirt. Her senses registered that his jaw was pleasantly smooth from his careful shave that morning, and she could still detect the delightful aroma of the aftershave he had applied. Her heart pounded exhilaratingly.
But then Vic’s hands began to roam a trifle too familiarly along her side. As he pressed one palm intimately against the side of her breast, she suddenly stiffened in his arms and with a tiny whimper, broke the kiss and pulled back.
“What’s wrong?” Vic rasped, totally caught up in the moment.
Breathless, she tried to ascertain his expression in the dim light as the boat went around another curve, bumping into the wall as it went.
“Nothing…I mean…I…” she stammered, embarrassed that she had never ‘made out’ with a man before – at least not that passionately.
“The ride’s almost over…c’mere baby,” Vic murmured, leaning forward to try and engage her again in some serious sparking.
“Vic…no,” she protested, turning her head and pushing against his chest.
He relented, pulling back to stare at her profile as he strove to dial his passions back down.
Afraid he was angry, Louise chanced a look at his face, and was relieved to see he just seemed puzzled. Knowing she should explain, she mumbled, “It’s just…I’ve never…no man’s ever…touched me like that,” she finished lamely.
At that, he sat back a bit, chuckling at himself as he ran one hand back through his hair.
“I’m sorry, babe,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to turn into a wolf on ya…” he added, reaching to steady her as the craft bumped another curve and water splashed within inches of their seat. “Or a water snake,” he amended with a snort.
Louise swallowed nervously and smoothed her hair, catching her lip in a tiny grimace as she met his eyes. “Are you mad?”
Gazing at her as she sat there so prim and proper, how could he be angry with her? With a soft chuckle, he shook his head, reminding himself of what he had said to Earl just weeks before – she’s not that kind of girl.
“You were right to stop me…before ya needed ta slap my face,” he teased with a grin.
Thinking she couldn’t imagine ever wanting to slap him, for anything, she grinned back. She leaned into his side as he once again slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him, tilting his head to press his lips to the top of her head.
Just then, they rounded the last curve and saw the bright sunshine of the outdoors just yards ahead. For each one, the short ride through the Tunnel of Love had deepened their feelings for one another. For Vic, the few minutes had reinforced the respect and care he felt for Louise; and for her, it made her realize just how much of a hold this man had on her emotions.
Both knew they swimming in deep water, miles from shore. The realization was exhilarating, and even a bit frightening for the two young people.
*
The rest of the afternoon went by far too quickly for the fledgling couple. After emerging from the Tunnel of Love, they ran together, laughing and holding hands, to the Angel/Devil Slide. Vic insisted that they ride double on one mat, and ended up being Louise’s hero when he stopped her from leaning too far over, resulting in him suffering a friction burn on his forearm. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he assured her it was nothin’. He was secretly pleased, however, when she fussed over it, insisting that he get a Band-Aid at the small medical aid booth in the center of the park.
After that, they wandered from one game of skill to another, Vic spending quite a few nickels trying to win his girl a big prize. He came close several times, before finally managing to win a small figurine of a white knight on a smartly decorated steed. Minutes before, several youngsters chasing one another had run by too closely, one of them knocking into Louise. She would have fallen against the hard edge of a concrete barrier, but thinking quickly, Vic had reached out and caught her in his arms, swinging around and setting her safely on her feet. Breathlessly she had thanked him for being her ‘Knight in Shining Armor’. As Louise grasped the figurine to her chest, they laughed together over its unintended significance.
After that, they spent an idyllic time resting together on one of the many benches in the cool shade of the trees while feasting on corn dogs and red cream soda. It was an absolutely perfect summer day, with just the right touch of refreshing breeze. The best part, for Louise, was just being able to sit close to Vic, relishing in the comfortable feeling of his arm thrown around her shoulders as she snuggled against his side.
As they sat on the bench and watched children running by and others milling about, Louise turned her head to gaze at Vic’s profile. A question popped in her head that she’d been meaning to ask him, so swallowing a bite of her corn dog and dabbing her mouth with a paper napkin, she queried, “Vic…why do Earl and Alec sometimes call you ‘Chief’?”
His mouth formed a half smile and he let go a soft snort before taking a sip of his soda. “Aw, it goes back to when I was a kid. See, um…I’m the youngest of…three brothers,” he paused as an indefinable look came into his eyes, but he moved on. “And when we’d play Cops and Robbers, or Cowboys and Indians, I never got to be the head honcho.” He huffed a self-deprecating smirk. “I made the mistake ‘a tellin’ those two clowns that once, and after that Earl started callin’ me Chief. Then Alec picked it up. Their way ‘a showin’ me respect, I guess,” he shrugged, a bit self-conscious that he had bared some of his inner self to her, but she leaned into him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“I think that’s sweet.”
He cast her a mock affront. “Sweet? Babe, you know just how ta put a guy back in short pants, don’t ya,” he growled, albeit playfully. She giggled as he leaned over and gave her lips a quick smack.
They spent the next little while idly chatting, or observing the crowd. Vic glanced often at his watch. All through the day, he had been on the lookout for just the right place and moment to present Louise with his carefully chosen gift. Everywhere they had gone had seemed far too ‘public’, and the Tunnel of Love too dark…though truthfully, he had forgotten about it then.
Finally, at quarter to five, he suddenly stood up from the bench. Once again grasping Louise’s hand, he murmured at her silent query, “Let’s head on over to the carousel.”
“Oh, but we still have a few minutes…” she started to argue, even as she allowed him to tow her along behind him, hating that the day was swiftly coming to an end.
Arriving at the huge carousel just in time to step onto its ground level surface for its next cycle, Vic tugged Louise through the maze of majestic, beautifully carved and painted horses to one of the stationary seats.
“But…aren’t we going to ride a horse…” Louise began, but the intense look in his eyes stopped her protest and she followed him onto the seat. Gazing around at the dazzling lights and mirrors as the whistle blew and the large apparatus began to move, she marveled at how the carousel seemed like a work of art. It was beautifully painted and perfectly maintained, as all of its shiny surfaces gleamed and sparkled. The horses were so colorful and so gorgeously decorated as to appear quite regal. Glancing up for a moment into the open top of the ride, Louise was fascinated with the mechanics of the ‘jumper horses’. As a child, she had been almost mesmerized watching the smooth working
s go round and round.
It only contributed to the overall sensation of enchantment she had been feeling the entire day. Music played and children laughed and talked as Louise felt Vic take her hand and turn her toward him.
“I been wantin’ to do this all day long,” he murmured, gazing for a moment into Louise’s eyes. Then with his free hand, he reached into his shirt pocket and retrieved a small, velvet covered box. Her heart jumped as she thought he was about to present her with a ring.
With a shy smile, Vic explained, “I wanted to get ya something nice, and especially since I didn’t have any money to get ya anything for your birthday…so…well…I hope you like it.”
Taking the box, she opened it to find a small, but lovely pendant on a simple silver chain. Her lips parted in surprise and pleasure, as she gasped, “Oh Vic! An amethyst necklace! It’s beautiful!” He chuckled softly in relief at her pleased reaction, bending his head to see how to help her take it out of its moorings. Holding it up for her inspection, his eyes fairly glowed with affection as he watched hers sparkle with excitement. “I’ve always wanted a necklace with my birthstone in it. How did you know?” she asked, a large, happy grin adorning her face as she switched her gaze to meet his eyes.
He grinned and snickered, the dimple in his cheek pronounced. “Aww, let’s just say…a little bird tol’ me.”
Louise laughed softly in response. Never had she felt so cherished. It was as if all of her childhood dreams of finding her ‘Prince Charming’ had culminated in that moment. For a crazy second, she wondered if she were dreaming.
“Here, lemme put it on ya,” he whispered, undoing the clasp and reaching around behind her head to fasten it. She gathered her hair out of the way and settled the pendant within the v-neck of her dress. It was as if she had dressed in anticipation of it, as the necklace coordinated beautifully with the purple flowers in the material.
Louise knew Vic had wagered on the Derby and lost, as he had admitted as much to her the day after. But she didn’t know how much of his stash he had left, and now she worriedly drew her lip softly between her teeth. “Oh Vic, where did you get the money? This must have cost a fortune!” she murmured, gazing into his eyes as he sat back to view the pendant as it sparkled against her skin.