Cabin Fever

by Marilyn Pappano

  “Great. I was surprised by how many people showed up.”

  “How about a celebration? My friend Maggie McKinney has offered to baby-sit for us tonight if you’d like to go out and kick up your heels.”

  Nolie had never been the heel-kicking type, but the idea of an evening out with a new friend sounded like the perfect end to an almost perfect day. “We wouldn’t have to go all the way to Howland to do that, would we?”

  “Oh, no. We would go to the Starlite Lounge, right here in town. That’s where most of the single folks in town will be. We can have dinner there, if you happen to be craving a hamburger and fries, or we could eat at Harry’s or McCauley’s Steakhouse or, if you want to dress up, we could go to McBride Inn for heavenly food and sinful desserts.”

  Sinful desserts were Nolie’s weakness, but she was afraid the kind of dressing up required for dinner at McBride Inn would deplete what little energy she had. “A hamburger and fries sound fine, but let me check with Micahlyn first. She’s not used to spending so much time away from me.”

  “Okay. I’ve got to pick up Danny at my folks’ house. Why don’t you call me at home when you decide? My number’s in the book.”

  Nolie nodded, then returned Leanne’s wave as the other woman drove off. As she drove in the same direction, she wondered what kind of place the Starlite Lounge was. It sounded like one of the shabby little bars that dotted backcountry roads across the South, and not the sort of place a responsible single mother and respectable businesswoman would hang out. But wasn’t Leanne a responsible single mother and respectable businesswoman, too? Besides, what did she know about bars? She’d never once set foot in one.

  And she’d never once imagined she would ever be a single mother, or would leave the only home she’d ever known for another halfway across the country, or be attracted to a man with no apparent means of support and more secrets than any character on Marlene’s favorite soap operas. It appeared the old saying was true—there was a first time for everything.

  When she reached Angel Wings, Micahlyn was one of only a half-dozen kids playing in the yard under Gloria’s supervision. She called that she would be ready in just a minute, and while Nolie waited, Gloria greeted her warmly.

  “I was just talking about you a few minutes ago with Trey Grayson,” Nolie commented.

  “Oh, Troy. Isn’t he a wonderful young man? His parents have a lot to be proud of with him.”

  “I can see that. He didn’t seem to know who you were. Of course, I couldn’t give him your last name because I never remembered to ask it.”

  “You know how kids are. Us old folks all sort of run together in their minds.” Gloria grinned slyly. “I understand you’re celebrating your opening day success with an evening out on the town.”

  “How did you know—?”

  “Small town. News travels fast. Let’s see . . . it will be you and Louanne—”

  “Leanne.”

  Gloria gestured dismissively. “—dining and dancing at the Starlite Lounge.”

  “Well, dining and talking. I don’t dance.”

  “You should learn.”

  Nolie shook her head. How often did a woman alone get the chance to dance? Especially one so abundantly lush. Except for that one friend of Jeff’s who’d asked her out and, of course, Jeff himself, most of the guys she’d known preferred their women in a size six, not a sixteen.

  Though her weight didn’t seem to put Chase off. She would have sworn he was going to kiss her the other day in her kitchen—but he hadn’t. She’d been disappointed, then annoyed for the disappointment. If Chase considered her anything other than a pesky neighbor who refused to be brushed off, it was a friend, or a friendly acquaintance. Not a prospective date, girlfriend, or lover. And she was okay with that. Really, she was.

  “Have you ever been to the Starlite?” she asked, to get her thoughts back on track.

  “Me? Oh, no. But I have been to the Four Pines Tavern before. Or is it the Five Pines? Hmm. Whatever, now that’s a place you don’t want to go. It’s a tough joint.”

  The last words struck Nolie as amusing, coming from grandmotherly, plump-cheeked Gloria. “Is the Starlite a place I’d want to go?”

  “It’s about as respectable as a bar can get. After all, this is Bethlehem.” Gloria patted her arm. “Go. Have a good time. Michael Ann will have a wonderful time with the McKenzies. She won’t miss you at all.”

  Nolie didn’t bother to correct either her daughter’s name or the McKinneys, as Micahlyn was approaching. “I’m ready, Mama. Bye, Gloria. See ya tomorrow.”

  “Not tomorrow, dear, unless it’s in church. Sunday’s the Lord’s day. But I’ll see you bright and bushy-tailed Monday morning, all right?”

  With a giggle, Micahlyn bobbed her head, then skipped ahead to the car. All the way home, she chattered about her day, in such a good mood that when Nolie cautiously broached the idea of leaving her with a babysitter that evening, she agreed cheerfully. She liked Miss Maggie, whom she’d met at day care, and her little girl, Rachel, and their big dog, Buddy, and, oh, by the way, could they have a dog, too? Nolie was so pleased by her easy acceptance, she almost said sure, why not. Thank goodness, she caught herself in time.

  And so it was that Nolie found herself sitting at a table across from Leanne at the Starlite Lounge. All the booths around the outer walls were occupied, as were most of the tables and the stools along the bar. The bandstand at one end of the building stood empty, though a sign nearby announced that the live music would start at nine P.M. instead of the usual seven.

  So this was a bar. What would Marlene think if she knew Nolie had abandoned Micahlyn to a stranger’s care so she could spend the evening in a low-down honkytonk—Marlene’s words for such places, not Nolie’s. But it wasn’t up to Marlene to do Nolie’s thinking for her anymore. She was free from that at last. Now if she could just stop caring what her mother-in-law thought of her.

  “See anyone who interests you?” Leanne asked. “I’d be happy to perform introductions.”

  It took Nolie a moment to understand what she was offering, then she shook her head. No, no, she wasn’t up to a fix-up of even the most subtle type. Introductions to customers, neighbors, prospective friends—that was fine. Introductions in a man/woman looking-to-get-together-temporarily way, no way.

  “Come on, I know everyone here, and for the most part, they’re nice guys. There’s one or two you ought to stay away from. Like Mickey over there.” She gestured, and Nolie turned to look. “He’s not bad when he’s sober. Trouble is, he’s hardly ever sober. Give him one beer, and he totally forgets the meaning of the word no. And Jerry back in the corner.” Another gesture, another look. “He’s not a bad guy, either—just going through a bad divorce and pining for his ex. Gil, in the red shirt, has been divorced so many times he’s got it down to an art. His ex-wives don’t even hate him.”

  “Why aren’t you married? Are you pining for Danny’s father?” Immediately Nolie blushed. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business.”

  Leanne didn’t seem to mind as she shrugged. “It’s no secret. I told you, I have lousy taste in men. Greg ran out on me when I got pregnant. Steve knew all about Danny when we started dating and swore it was no problem, then broke up with me once I’d gotten serious, because he didn’t want a ready-made family. After that came Richard. He was a sales rep who passed through here every month or two. It took a while for him to convince me he was the marrying type, the father type, and the make-a-commitment-and-stick-to-it type. I was starting to fantasize about the perfect wedding, and then I found out he’d made a commitment, all right—to his wife and kids back home in Rochester.”

  “Ouch.”

  Leanne’s smile was thin. “Funny. That’s exactly what he said after I punched him in the nose.” Tilting her head to one side, she studied Nolie, her gaze measuring. “What about you? Are you looking to get married again?”

  “If I meet somebody I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without,
sure. But just for the sake of being married?” She shook her head.

  “Sometimes I think marriage for its own sake has a lot going for it. Someone to share the responsibilities and financial obligations. A father figure for Danny. Sex.” Leanne’s voice turned wistful. “I know Greg, Steve, and Richard were rats, but . . . I certainly do miss regular sex.”

  Nolie nodded, agreeing but also wistful. It had taken a long time after Jeff’s death for her hormones to come back to life. She could even pinpoint the day it had happened. She had gone to the grocery store with Micahlyn and Marlene, where they’d run into Jeff’s old friend, the store manager, in the produce section. While the others went on, Nolie chatted with him a bit. He’d asked her out, and like a bolt of lightning from above, she’d realized instantly that he was handsome, had a nice smile and a nice body, and was rumored to show his girlfriends a very nice time. It had been so long since she’d had a very nice time, and she’d been tempted.

  Just not enough to stand up to Marlene.

  Across the table, Leanne waved her fingers in front of Nolie’s face. “I take it by that dazed, distant look you’re wearing that you miss regular sex, too. Look around. Take your pick, and you can end the dry spell tonight.”

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “Of course it is.”

  “Sure, with your hair, your face, and your body. Besides . . . I’ve never been with anyone but Jeff. I’m a tad inexperienced.” Truth was, the thought of being with anyone but Jeff—of being that intimate, that vulnerable—was almost enough to make a life of celibacy seem . . . well, doable.

  “Oh, please. There’s nothing wrong with your hair, your face, or your body. Guys love red hair, women covet skin like yours, and men like curves.” Resting her elbow on the table, Leanne tapped one fingertip to her lips. “But, for the inexperienced part, we need to find someone special. Hmm . . .”

  At the mention of someone special, an image of Chase popped into Nolie’s head as he’d looked Thursday afternoon when he’d cornered her in the kitchen and moved so close and looked at her as if . . . as if he really wanted what he saw. Of course, he’d turned away without taking it, even though she would have gladly offered if she’d had the faintest confidence he wouldn’t have rejected her.

  Eager to turn the subject away from her, Nolie gestured toward the door. “Speaking of someone special . . . Tall, Blond, and Handsome just walked in, and he’s all alone.”

  Leanne swiveled to look, then laid her napkin on the table. “Ooh, Cole Jackson. I knew there was a reason the Starlite was calling out to me today. Do me a favor, would you? Trip any female who appears to be heading his way.”

  Nolie smiled as Leanne made a beeline for the man, then the smile slowly faded. She was new at this sitting-alone-in-a-bar business—for that fact, sitting-alone-anywhere—and she couldn’t help but notice that everyone else was in couples or groups. Of course, Leanne hadn’t exactly abandoned her. She would be back sooner or later, alone or with TB&H in tow. Still, Nolie felt obviously uncomfortable.

  With a sigh, she stacked their dishes together for a waitress to eventually claim. She’d polished off every bite of her hamburger and fries, while Leanne had eaten little more than half of hers, which was one of the reasons Leanne was thin and she wasn’t. But what could she say? She liked food. She found comfort in it, especially in sweets. A meal without dessert was no fun.

  Granted, neither was weighing a hundred and—well, what she weighed. Maybe she would start a diet Monday, and maybe, with most of the Marlene-and-Obie stress removed from her life, she would stick to it this time. After all, she was getting a lot more exercise these days than when she’d lived in Arkansas. She’d noticed just the evening before that she wasn’t as winded as usual after climbing the hill from the store to the cabin.

  And what if she was successful this time? Maybe the men in the bar would look at her the way they looked at Leanne and a number of the other women there—was that what she wanted? Not particularly, though of course it would be nice.

  Maybe Chase would corner her in the kitchen again, only this time he would kiss her? Oh, yeah. That would be way better than nice.

  Turning in her chair, she located Leanne and Cole on the dance floor, swaying to a tune on the jukebox. Four other couples shared the space with them, but there was something special about them. It might have been merely that they looked good together—two very attractive people, one fair, the other dark, each apparently lost in the other. Whatever it was, it stirred a yearning deep inside Nolie that made her restless and anxious to get away.

  She waited through a second song, then a third, before picking up Leanne’s purse and her own shoulder bag and seeking them out on the dance floor. “Sorry to interrupt,” she said, and Leanne blinked as if she’d completely forgotten her. “I’m going to head on home. It’s been a long day.”

  Leanne did another slow blink. “Oh. Okay. Uh, let me take you back to your car—”

  “That’s okay. I’d enjoy the walk.”

  “Are you sure it’s safe?” Cole asked. “We can give you a ride.”

  “Safe?” Leanne echoed. “This is Bethlehem, the safest place on earth. I doubt a serious criminal has set foot inside the city limits in fifty years. But, Nolie, it has been a long day, and I know you’re tired. At least let me give you my keys—”

  “I’m not that tired. I just want to pick up Micahlyn and get home. Here’s your bag. You guys have fun. I’ll see you.”

  CHASE LAY IN THE HAMMOCK, HIS ANKLES CROSSED, a pillow under his head, and stared in the direction of Nolie’s cabin. It was 9:15, the parking space out front was still empty, and the only lights burning were the ones she left on every day when she went to the store. She was probably out celebrating the reopening of the store with some of her new friends. It didn’t take a person long to make friends in Bethlehem. Its residents tended to be some of the nicest people in the whole damn world.

  But so what if she was out with other people? It was none of his business. He’d chosen to live alone. She hadn’t. She was younger, practically, than he could remember being, and she deserved some fun.

  “I can’t believe you’re freakin’ jealous,” he said aloud, scowling hard into the darkness.

  But he was. He’d gotten used to her being around. Once she made other friends, especially friends who weren’t in hiding, she wouldn’t have much time left for him. Not that he considered her a friend.

  He wondered how things had gone at the store, whether her teenage helper was worth the salary she was paying, how many people she’d met that he would know. Who was she celebrating with—just Micahlyn or maybe the Winchesters or the Thomases?—and how damn long did it take?

  Leaning over to the floor, he picked up a pack of cigarettes, shook one out, and lit it. He was down to a quarter of a pack a day, and he hadn’t had a single beer all day. He was cleaning up his act . . . but why? For whom? Himself? Or Nolie? Either way, it wasn’t as if he had much of a future.

  The sound of a car engine broke the night, laboring up the steepest part of the hill. He watched and waited for the headlights to break through the trees, shifting here, there, as she drove around the last curve. Finally the car appeared, angling into the parking space.

  The interior light came on, then went off again, as Nolie got out. She circled the car to the passenger side, lifted Micahlyn out, and settled her on one hip. She was moving slowly, as if she was tired. After ten hours at the store, then partying, she probably was.

  As far as he could tell, she didn’t even glance in his direction, though once she’d climbed the stairs, the shadows were too deep to see. A click in the still night indicated she’d gone inside and closed the door behind her. This late she would put Micahlyn to bed without a bath, and then she would probably go to bed herself, lying on pale green sheets, her hair a deep copper contrast against the lace-embellished pillowcase. He wondered if she slept in a T-shirt, nightgown, or nothing at all, and his body immediately responded to the possibilit
ies.

  Better not think about that.

  Closing his eyes, he shifted one foot to the floor and set the hammock swaying. If he gave himself half a chance, he could probably fall asleep right there. The night air was comfortable enough, the woods quiet enough. He’d never been particularly fond of camping as a kid, though he’d done it often enough with the Scouts and, in high school, with buddies who preferred to do their underage drinking away from home and parents. But this wasn’t camping. It was just relaxing.

  “You fall asleep with a cigarette and burn yourself up and my cabin down, I’m going to be very unhappy.”

  His impulse was to jerk his eyes open—and demand to know where she’d been, with whom, doing what—but he forced himself to do it slowly instead. She stood on his left, at the end of the porch and wore a loose, T-shirt-looking dress that fell all the way to her ankles and looked as comfortable as he now felt. Then he noticed that her feet were bare, and a little of his comfort turned to not-unpleasant tension.

  Still rocking the hammock, he lazily said, “I’m not going to fall asleep.”

  “Huh. You should see yourself from my point of view.” She seated herself at the front edge of the porch, leaning against the post, knees drawn up and hands clasped around them.

  “Want the hammock?”

  “No, thanks. I imagine there’s a weight limit on it.”

  “I meant, I’d get up and let you have it.”

  “That’s what I meant, too.”

  His jaw tightened and he scowled at her. “Why do you talk as if you’re so heavy?”

  Her smile was flippant. “I’m what’s called a plus-size woman. An abundant woman. I don’t believe I’ve been smaller than a size ten since I was ten. I’m excessively lush.”

  “Men like curves,” he said, and realized he was developing an appreciation for them himself. Every woman he’d ever been involved with had been tiny, petite, and delicate, but damned if he could remember at that very moment what it was about them that had attracted him.