The hint of heat in his steady regard and the intimate quality in his voice had the same effect on her as when he’d leaned across her desk as if he couldn’t help himself to touch her hair and tuck it behind her ear.
Her instinct told her that if they stood there a minute longer he was going to tighten his grip on her hands and pull her toward him.
She stepped back fractionally. “Where’re Carolyn and Alana?”
Gabe let her go with the thought that they had the whole evening before them. “They’re setting the table in the dining room.” He lifted the cover of her pot. “Don’t tell me you brought greens.” He inhaled the fragrance of the food. “Not only is she beautiful, she can cook greens, too!”
“Who’re you raving about?” Carolyn asked as she came in and stirred a pot on the back burner. “Oh, Makima. Time you got here, girl.”
“Sorry to be late,” Makima said.
“Actually you’re just in time. Everyone else is here, so let’s put it on.”
Makima took her food to the dining room, where Alana was placing silverware. She looked at Makima critically. “I haven’t seen that before. New?”
“No, just haven’t worn it until now.”
“Looks great on you,” Alana said approvingly.
“Thanks. You’re looking especially attractive in that red.”
“Do you think Gabe’ll like it?” she whispered.
“Any man would,” Makima said.
Her own earlier moments with Gabe had been so unexpected and intense she’d forgotten for that magical time about Alana. But now it all returned, the idea that this might be the man her sister really wanted. And that she shouldn’t be the one to stand in Alana’s way. Alana was impatient to marry, Makima wasn’t.
She went back into the kitchen to help bring out more food. Her life was already packed so full of obligations that she scarcely had time for social affairs like this. Regardless of what her mother and Miss Eliza thought, men came and went.
If and when it was her time, the right one would come along. Meanwhile, this one was for Alana. The knot in her stomach would go away as soon as she could eat something, even though her appetite had vanished.
The array of foods displayed on the long buffet brought excited comments from the crowd. The organizers had decided to award a prize to the best item in each category plus a grand prize for best of show. From hot ribs to baked chicken in sour-cream sauce to Gabe’s Cornish hens with wild rice, and several other meats, plus Makima’s turnip greens with cornmeal dumplings and candied yams with pecans leading the vegetable items and four kinds of salad as well as spoonbread, rolls that melted in your mouth and a baked-grits casserole, there was so much to tempt the appetite Gabe thought he’d never seen such a feast.
He’d taken his time filling his plate while keeping an eye on Makima. He’d picked out a table for them but she was making slow progress deciding what she wanted and was being followed by a few men whose attention to her was too close, as far as Gabe was concerned.
He mentally kicked himself for not making a definite comment to her about them eating together. His plate was finally full and he was holding up the line.
“Gabe, I’ve got a place for us over here,” Alana said brightly, coming to stand beside him. She had two tall glasses in her hands. “I’ve got our drinks, iced tea and lemonade. You can have either one.” Her eagerness to please was too apparent for him to do anything but follow her to the table for four where Valerie and Bobby were waiting.
He couldn’t look back at the buffet to see who Makima left it with, but after a few minutes there was a little stir as Carolyn placed a small table for two near them.
A tall slim man who wore glasses and a long-sleeved burgundy polo shirt with khaki-colored Chinos brought up two chairs and seated Makima in the one facing Gabe.
Gabe remembered meeting the guy and liking him. What was his name? Greetings were exchanged across the tables before they all settled down to eat. Josh Dixon. That was it. Did he live in Grayson or was he from out of town? He tried to recall what he’d heard while keeping up with the conversation at his table.
Whoever he was, he certainly held Makima’s attention. Their conversation was animated and continuous. So much so that he could never catch her eye.
He gave up trying and turned his attention to the conversation at his table when Alana asked about the Cornish hens he’d brought.
“That was Drew’s idea.” He entertained them with how his brother had made the suggestion and gently blackmailed him into Jeff’s sharing some with him.
“Even as we speak,” Gabe said, “they’re having two each.”
That led to anecdotes from Valerie, and the subject became serious as it turned to the education system, of which Jeff and Drew were a part.
Bobby, an independent insurance agent, said he had a fair number of clients who were paying on education policies so they could send their kids to a good college. “The problem is that tuition keeps going up every year.”
“Still, it’s better than nothing,” Valerie said. “It’s keeping them in school so they can graduate and qualify that’s the problem now.” She looked at her empty plate. “I wish I could eat more but I’m full.”
“What did you bring, Bobby?” Gabe asked.
“The ribs.”
“They were fork tender. How about you, Alana?”
“The shrimp salad. Our mom taught us all how to cook.”
“She did a first-class job. What was your dish, Valerie?”
“The bacon-and-egg potato salad. We could open a restaurant with what we’ve cooked tonight.”
“I hope we’re not having dessert right away,” Bobby said.
“That wouldn’t be any fun,” Alana said. She turned to Gabe, laying her hand on his. “First we clean up the plates, then games and dancing, then dessert, then voting and the awards. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Gabe said. A plan that might get him some time with Makima after all.
Alana jumped to her feet, clapped her hands for attention and announced the plan. Gabe helped clean up the table while noticing that Makima and Josh were still talking. He deliberately stayed in the kitchen helping Valerie and Alana and joining in the talk going back and forth.
They were all laughing at a comment Alana had overheard, when Josh and Makima came in with their dishes. At the same time Mark asked Alana to come with him to choose some music.
Makima took Alana’s place washing the silverware. “Loved the greens but I’d never had the dumplings before,” Gabe said.
Josh leaned against the counter. “My grandmother used to make them but they weren’t as light as yours.”
“I just followed my mom’s recipe,” Makima said.
The last thing Gabe wanted to hear was another cooking discussion. “You live in Grayson?” he asked Josh.
“In Orangeburg. I’m in programming at the television station. Carolyn’s my cousin and she invited me over.” He glanced at Makima. “I haven’t been in South Carolina very long and I’m glad to meet some people.”
Valerie came over from wiping off the stove and gathered up the clean silverware. “Where’d you come from, Josh?”
“Asheville, North Carolina.”
The paper plates and garbage had been disposed of and now the silverware was ready for the dessert service. Makima had been silent throughout the conversation, but more than that it seemed to Gabe that she had distanced herself mentally and emotionally.
Where was the vibrant, responsive woman he’d talked to in this very kitchen several hours ago? Now he couldn’t even make eye contact with her.
He heard the music begin in the other room with Luther’s “Bad Boy, We’re Having a Party.” Seizing his opportunity, he took Makima’s hand.
“Let’s dance,” he said, smiling at her surprise. Ignoring Josh and Valerie, he danced Makima out of the kitchen and into the living room where the small rugs had disappeared. They joined the other couples moving to the lively rhy
thm on the polished floor.
Makima seemed to pick up the energy of the music and he felt her relax as they danced in perfect harmony.
“Makima,” he said, “don’t go away again and leave me.”
“I haven’t been anywhere,” she protested.
“Yeah, you have. Right after we said hello in the kitchen.” He saw the faint color come into her face as she met his eyes. She knew exactly what he was talking about.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said softly.
“I was trying to wait for you so we could eat together.”
She looked up at him swiftly. “Oh,” she murmured.
Gabe didn’t know if he should tell her that truth since it was her sister that had spiked his plan, but he needed her to know his preference.
He took her hands and swung her around then brought her close to him.
The dance ended and Josh and Alana appeared. “Time to change partners,” Alana said gaily and whirled Gabe away to a hectic beat.
Makima was relieved to see them go. She hadn’t anticipated how difficult the evening would be and the only way she could get through it was to pretend that Gabe wasn’t there. It had helped to meet Josh and sit with him while he talked about his new position. Carolyn had told him about the clinic project and he thought he might be able to give her some exposure. That Gabe would immediately sense the remoteness she’d imposed upon herself surprised her. It made him much more dangerous.
For the rest of the evening she was careful to laugh and talk with him as long as it was with a group, and to be dancing with another man before he could get to her. That hadn’t been hard to do. It must be this jumpsuit, she thought. She’d never been so popular.
She wasn’t sure what Gabe would do when it came time to sit at tables again for dessert. Alana had made it clear throughout the evening that she and Gabe were a couple. Gabe wasn’t the kind of man who would embarrass Alana by sitting with Makima, so Makima put it out of her mind.
When it was dessert time, Alana came to Makima. “I want you to see what Gabe brought before it gets cut,” she said proudly.
The three-layer cake glistened with perfectly applied dark chocolate frosting. The top had deep curls of chocolate scattered over it and in each curl nestled a perfect strawberry.
“It’s gorgeous,” Makima murmured.
“He’s really special, Makima,” Alana whispered, her eyes shining.
“He certainly is.” She looked around. “Where is he?”
“In the kitchen getting his serving ware for the cake. By the way, he wants you and Josh to sit at a table with us, so don’t get caught up with anyone else.”
Thankful for the warning, she told Josh and they got in line behind Alana and Gabe. Makima met Gabe’s eyes now and then as she did her share of talking. There was an air of relaxation at the table as they slowly ate pie and cake and drank coffee.
She became aware that Josh and Gabe were vying with each other in witty entertainment. This was turning out to be the best part of her evening and she looked at Gabe appreciatively as she basked in the give-and-take of the two attractive men.
Carolyn stood and raised her hand. “Time to vote,” she said. “Mark is passing around paper ballots and some pencils. Vote first for the best meat dish. Valerie and Alana will count the ballots.”
Amid much laughter and joking comments the exercise was completed. Valerie announced there was a tie between the ribs and the Cornish hens. Both Bobby and Gabe received a paper rosette and a smacking kiss on the cheek from Carolyn.
Makima’s turnip greens won in the vegetable category. “I’m sitting at the winners’ table,” Josh observed and gave Makima a quick kiss on the cheek.
Not to be outdone, Gabe kissed her other cheek. “Great going, Makima.”
The other categories went by quickly. There were seven items as desserts. Gabe had sampled them all. He’d decided people here liked their sweets and didn’t care if they were sinfully rich. There was banana-cream pie with real whipped cream, caramel apple pie, pound cake that melted in your mouth, peach cobbler, coconut pie, cheesecake and his own chocolate cake. He’d had to taste it to see if it was moist and light like it was supposed to be and deeply chocolate.
It must have been because it won in the dessert category. He felt a little disconcerted because he was a newcomer and he knew how people often were territorial about these things.
Carolyn said, “We’re all good cooks, no doubt about it. We’ll have to do this again.” She waited for the applause to die. “This was Alana’s bright idea, so as soon as you vote for best of show, she gets to present the award.”
Gabe surreptitiously glanced at his watch. A little after midnight and he was ready to look in on Drew and Jeff just to be sure all was well. Drew had been right, there were only crumbs of the cake left although he’d hoped to take a slice home with him. Especially when he’d seen how many other desserts there were.
“The best of show winner is the triple-chocolate cake,” Carolyn said.
Gabe’s involuntary thought was, oh, no, not a third time. Then he saw Alana, smiling radiantly, coming toward him, and his heart dropped. He came to his feet to accept the third rosette and the wrapped package which had the shape of a book.
As everyone looked on applauding and whistling, Alana rose on her tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth.
More applause and whistles and he heard a woman say, “You go, girl.” He hoped he wasn’t flushing as he stole a quick glance at Makima then told the crowd thanks and he hoped he’d received a new cookbook so he could learn new dishes.
He sat down and asked Josh and Makima if the cake was really that good.
“Mom couldn’t have done better,” Makima assured him. “That’s the highest compliment I can give you.” She held his glance for a moment and he realized she was sending him a message. He couldn’t read it but it seemed on the positive side.
Anxious now to get away, Gabe said his goodbyes as quickly as he could. “It was a great party and I enjoyed it very much,” he told Alana, who walked him to the door.
“You’re fabulous, Gabe. You’re going home with three awards!”
“Not fabulous. Just lucky.” He put his hand on the doorknob.
“See you at church tomorrow?” she asked.
“I don’t think so. I’ve some work to do. Good night, Alana, and thanks again.”
On the way home Gabe reviewed the evening. He didn’t want to be conceited but he’d been around enough to know that Alana wanted his attention. She was the kind of confident woman who made no bones about men who attracted her. He liked her a lot, but not in that way. The problem was how to let her know without hurting her feelings or embarrassing her.
Or offending her sister.
He pulled into the driveway and went quietly upstairs. The light was on in Drew’s room but both boys were sound asleep in front of the television. Popcorn bowls and soft drinks were on the floor beside them.
He turned the television off and got the boys to their beds.
By the time he got to his bed, he found the brief interlude with Drew and Jeff had been sufficient to take his mind from the problem he’d come home with.
He doused the light and went to sleep.
Chapter 17
The sun was playing hide-and-seek, at one moment casting light on the canopy of trees Gabe looked at from the upstairs window, and several minutes later hiding as a swiftly moving cloud covered it.
It looked like it might rain later on, but it didn’t matter to him. He was in no mood to go to church today.
Jeff had gone home early to get ready to go to church, since he and Drew had talked to some girls named Angela and Penny last night, and arranged to meet them there. After service they were going with Penny, who’d promised to help her sister get ready for a party later that afternoon.
Gabe was glad to have the house to himself. The past week had been busy with the new job at the center. Then he’d found himself giving considerable time t
o Drew’s awakened interest in school and his new friends. He hoped that would continue but he knew there was no guarantee.
Saturday there was laundry, shopping, cooking and the party.
He moved away from the window. Hands in the pockets of his jeans, he slowly circled the bedroom he was in. He looked at everything as if he were seeing it for the first time, while letting his mind float free.
This was what had been missing. He’d let himself become immersed in those other things and had lost his connection with his great-grandfather. Without it he might never discover the clue to the treasured destiny he’d been sent here to find.
He took his time, moving deliberately through each room in the house. When images of Makima entered his consciousness, he ruthlessly suppressed them. He’d think of her later. By the time he reached the kitchen he felt in tune once more with the man who’d built the house.
The wind had come up, blowing the clouds more swiftly across the sky. Taking a jacket from the hook by the door, Gabe went outside. He unlocked the gate that led to the grassy field and the wooden bench.
He settled himself on the hard seat, stretched out his legs and buttoned his jacket. He put his hands in the jacket’s warm pockets.
In the next block a car started up. Music blared from the speakers then faded away as the car gathered speed. Two birds flew over the trees squawking at each other. Then all was silent.
Gabe surrendered himself to the solitude, the quiet and the breeze. He closed his eyes and relaxed his body. His mind now was crystal clear and he accepted into it any image, thought, memory, or fragment of idea.
The first image was Alana kissing him; it dissolved into a kiss from Makima after he won the third award. Then Reverend Givhans was looking for him with a lantern in his hand waving back and forth. A tall, noble, African man, walking with a cane, came into sight and looked steadily at Gabe before disappearing. Next, Mr. Moultrie told Gabe and Drew it had to be the sixth generation. Lastly, a light-skinned man gazed intently at something in his hand.
Gabe opened his eyes and meditated about what had come into his consciousness. He didn’t know what most of it meant. Perhaps in the future understanding would come. But Great-Grandfather had been kind in leaving him with a specific message. Gabe couldn’t have said how the transmittal had been made and at the moment he really didn’t care. He was just grateful and went at once to test it.
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