by Beth Wiseman
On his way back to the table, he bumped into Lacy St. John, the woman in charge of seating at the event.
“Thank you for my seating request,” he whispered with a smile.
“Well, it wasn’t easy. That’s the best table in the house. I had to bump Chuck Perkins for you to sit there.” She frowned, her eyes level under drawn brows.
Dave clamped his eyes shut for a moment and grimaced. “Oops. I didn’t know I was taking Chuck’s place.”
“Well, you did.” She folded her arms across a pink strapless gown. “And I hope she is worth it.” She glanced toward Dave’s table. “And, Dave, she is married, so you be careful.”
“Lacy, shame on you.” Dave shook his head. “It’s not like that. She’s Cara’s one-on-one teacher. I told you that. I just want to get to know her better.”
“I know what you told me.” She raised one eyebrow. “And you heard what I said.”
She breezed by him. He’d known Lacy and her husband since high school. They’d lost touch for five or six years until they all landed here in Round Top. Lacy’s husband was still a bit of a jerk like he’d been in high school—Lacy had caught him cheating on her years ago. One thing about Lacy. Nothing got past her. He made his way back to the table just as a woman’s voice rang through the crowd from the stage, asking for everyone’s attention.
In her opening comments, the emcee encouraged everyone to bid generously on the auction items so that the new wing at the school would become a reality. Dave planned to do just that, and he hoped others would as well. With enough funds, they could hire more teachers and expand the programs to include other children from surrounding areas who also had special needs, including children from lower-income families.
“Enjoy your dinner,” the woman said as she finished her speech. “The silent auction will close at nine o’clock, followed by a live auction. Then please stay to enjoy the band and dancing.”
Waiters were already bustling around and delivering salads, and a low buzz of conversation ensued after the woman left the stage. Dave shifted to his right so the waiter could place a salad in front of him. Layla grabbed the guy before he could head back to the kitchen, and she requested another glass of wine. He’d need to keep an eye on his friend tonight. She’d probably arrived in a limousine, as she was known to do for these things, but he also didn’t want her making a fool of herself—as she’d done once or twice after too much wine.
He’d considered asking Layla out awhile back. Not many single women lived in the area, and she was certainly beautiful. But he’d realized early on that Layla was holding on to a lot of baggage. Not just the loss of her daughter, but after being around her a few times, he sensed she was still in love with her ex-husband, Tom. Nonetheless, they’d become good friends. She respected his crisp reminders that Round Top wasn’t Hollywood when her ego occasionally reared its head, and he, too, accepted her frankness when he needed it. Despite her controlling tendencies, she was a warm, loving person.
Penny cleared her throat. “Darlene, I hear you’ve only been working at The Evans School for a couple of weeks. How do you like it so far?”
Dave glanced to his left at Darlene.
“I love it. I love working with the kids.” She turned to Dave briefly. “And I have Dave’s daughter, Cara, in the afternoons. She’s a pleasure to teach.”
When she turned back to Penny, Dave kept his eyes on Darlene. Her royal-blue halter dress showed off a delicate back, and loose tendrils of ash-blond hair swept against rosy cheeks. He wondered if she knew how pretty she was, and if her husband told her often.
“And what’s your degree in?” Penny took a sip of wine, her eyes staying on Darlene above the rim of the glass.
“Actually . . . I don’t have a degree.” Darlene’s cheeks reddened a little. “But Myrna and the other employees have been great, teaching me what I need to know to be effective in the classroom.”
“Cara likes her a lot,” Dave chimed in after swallowing a bite of salad.
“I remember a time when teachers actually had to have a teaching degree to teach. But even substitutes in the public schools don’t have to have a degree anymore.” Penny shook her head.
As Dave sipped his water, he glanced to his left. A polite smile trembled over Darlene’s lips. He took a deep breath, preparing to choose his words carefully, but George’s father, Bob, spoke up first.
“Penny, I don’t recall you having a degree,” the older man said, dabbing ranch dressing from his chin. He chuckled. “Except maybe a degree in how to shop and spend money.”
“Now, Dad . . . ,” Penny said as she tried to hide her embarrassment with a tentative smile.
Bob sat taller. “Well, it’s the truth.”
Penny cut her eyes at George, as if she expected him to muzzle his father. But George just shrugged and kept chewing his salad.
“Penny, that’s a beautiful necklace you have on.” Darlene changed the subject, a classy move, especially in light of Penny’s comment. “Are those emeralds?”
Penny reached up and touched the three-tiered drop around her neck. “Yes, an anniversary gift from George.” She batted her eyes at her husband. “Such a sweetie.”
Bob coughed, glanced at his son, then shook his head.
Dave leaned around Darlene a little until he could see Layla. She’d been awfully quiet.
“Layla, are you still taking care of your place by yourself?”
She finished chewing before she answered him. “Yes. It keeps me young.”
“I don’t know how you do it, Layla. You’re just amazing.” Penny flashed a smile at Layla. “I’d have to hire a fleet of cowboys to take care of a place that size.”
“Last thing I need around is a fleet of men.” Layla rolled her eyes.
Bob reached for a slice of bread as he coughed again. “Layla, you only need one man. And you know who it is. Just say the word.” The older man leaned forward and winked at Layla.
They all laughed, and the rest of the meal’s conversation was light and enjoyable. By the time they finished dessert, the band was preparing to start. Dave usually had to force himself to dance once or twice at these events, but tonight his heart beat a little faster in anticipation.
He was well aware that Darlene was another man’s wife, and he’d never do anything to mess that up. He just wanted to have her to himself, for a dance.
No harm in that.
Darlene casually walked up to the turquoise necklace and earrings, and her eyes scanned the names and amounts until she got to the last bid. Four hundred dollars. Double the amount she’d planned to spend tonight. She stared at the necklace and earrings, picturing how good they would look with a brown lace blouse she had at home. She tried to recall the last time she’d worn the blouse. But now that she was working, there were more opportunities to wear business casual. She leaned down and tapped the pen to the piece of paper.
“Just do it.”
She spun around. “That’s the second time tonight that you’ve snuck up on me.”
Dave grinned. “You’re easy to sneak up on. You are totally engrossed in your thoughts, which I’m guessing involve a decision about that necklace and earrings.”
“Yep. It’s over my self-imposed limit, so I’m trying to decide.” Brad had never given her grief about spending money. She’d never given him a reason to. She’d always been frugal when it came to buying for herself. Sometimes she splurged on the kids or something for the house, but rarely on something for herself. She smiled at Dave, then leaned down and wrote a bid for four hundred and fifty dollars next to her name.
“Good girl.” Dave eased on down the row of tables, as did Darlene.
When she came to the handmade items Layla said didn’t belong here, no one had put a bid on them. Except for Layla. Layla had bid five hundred dollars. Darlene smiled.
After she looked at the rest of the items, the emcee made a five-minute last call for the silent auction. Darlene tried to look casual as she made her way back to
the necklace and earrings, and her heart dropped when she saw a name underneath hers. Someone named Mary Copeland had bid six hundred dollars. Oh well.
A few minutes later, several women scurried to pick up the auction sheets, and Darlene made her way back to the table. Everyone was seated, and they were just starting the live auction. She watched, amazed at the bids being offered, careful to keep her hands firmly in her lap. When it was all over, Layla had won four pieces of artwork worth thousands of dollars. Dave had a beautifully sculpted piece of pottery and three other paintings. And after an intense battle with Layla, he also ended up winning a three-day spa package for two.
Darlene wondered who would keep Cara while he went to the spa. Maybe Dave would feel comfortable enough to leave Cara with her. Of course, there was always Myrna.
Penny and George didn’t bid on anything without first consulting with Bob. Several times, the elderly man shook his head, but Penny ended up with two paintings when it was all said and done. Darlene looked at her watch as she yawned. It seemed later than nine thirty, and the band was just getting ready to start.
“Oh, don’t start wimping out on me yet.” Layla took a swig from her wineglass. “I plan to kick up my heels.”
Darlene figured Layla would want to leave as soon as she could, to get away from all of the people who wanted to see her, but with each glass of wine, Layla became more talkative to those she’d snubbed earlier. Even Penny. After a few minutes, the band started playing a lively polka that enticed some of the older people onto the dance floor. Round Top and the surrounding towns had a large Czech influence, and lots of the elderly folks still spoke the language fluently. Dave and Darlene chatted as they watched Layla dancing with Bob.
“I can’t quite figure her out.” Darlene took a sip of her wine, which was warm now. “I mean, she was a movie star, now she herds cattle. She lives in an amazing house . . .” Darlene giggled. “And she herds cattle. Did I mention that? And she’s just . . .” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes she is so strong and abrasive, and other times it’s as if you can see clear to her heart.”
“She’s quite a woman.”
They were quiet for a few moments, then the band eased into a slow song. Darlene tried to remember the last time she and Brad had danced. Dave stood up and held out his hand.
“Shall we? Who knows when we’ll both get out again for something like this. Let’s make the most of it.”
Darlene didn’t move for a moment. “Oh, I don’t know, I—”
“Oh, please, don’t force me to dance with Layla. She always steps on my feet,” he said, grinning. Darlene wasn’t sure what else to say, so she stood up and accepted Dave’s hand. He escorted her to the dance floor, which was filling up quickly. They stood in the midst of a crowd of couples beneath a dark sky speckled with twinkling stars. As Dave cupped his arm against her bare back, it felt strange to be dancing so intimately with someone other than Brad, especially someone she barely knew. She kept herself taut against his hold, making sure she didn’t get too close.
When the song was over, they walked back to the table and fell into a comfortable conversation about plans for the new wing at the school. Dave was actively involved in every aspect of the planning, and he spoke with a passion about it. Then, in the middle of talking, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “It’s Myrna. Excuse me.”
He hurried across the room and out the door. Darlene glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearing eleven o’clock. She hadn’t expected to be out this late, and she was yawning when Dave walked back in and sat down.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
He scratched his forehead. “Yeah. Cara woke up after a bad dream, asking for me, and Myrna knew from past experience that it would just be easier to let Cara hear my voice rather than try to get her to go back to sleep without it. She seemed fine after I talked to her.”
“Glad everything is okay,” Darlene said. She watched Dave take a deep breath, then glance at his watch.
Darlene turned away to stifle a yawn, hoping Layla would be ready to go soon. She looked around the room, then turned to Dave when she heard him push back his chair. He held out his hand to her.
“One more dance?”
Darlene opened her mouth to decline, but when she saw everyone else at their table move toward the dance area, she nodded and accepted his extended hand.
This time, he held her closer than before and, once, rubbed his hand against her back. But he was right. There might not be another night like this for a long time. She tried to relax into his arms and enjoy the music, but she couldn’t ignore the churning in her stomach.
Beneath the starlit sky, Dave closed his eyes and breathed in the sweet smell of Darlene’s hair as he gently eased her closer to him. She felt good in his arms, and it was by far the most romantic thing he’d experienced in a long time.
As they danced, he couldn’t help but face his motives. He’d asked to sit next to her because he wanted to get to know Cara’s teacher better—this woman spent more time with his daughter than he did. But he knew that wasn’t the complete truth. Darlene wasn’t just beautiful and good with children, there was something else—a goodness about her, something that intrigued him, made him want to know more about her.
Dave thought of himself as a good Christian man, and these thoughts went against everything he believed in. Please, Lord, help me to fight this temptation brewing inside of me.
As the song ended, she eased out of his arms. A few seconds later, a light nearby illuminated her wedding ring. Maybe it was time for him to call it a night.
“I see you yawning,” he said as they walked back to the table.
“Yeah, I’m tired.” She looked at him and smiled. “But it’s been a lot of fun.”
Dave pulled out Darlene’s chair for her. After she sat, he took his spot beside her and looked around. “I wonder where Layla is. I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“I haven’t either.” She leaned forward over the table. “Penny, have you seen Layla lately?”
Penny applied lipstick as she stared at a small compact. “She was dancing with George earlier, then said she was going to the ladies’ room.”
“I better go check on her.” Darlene excused herself.
Dave looked at his watch. Myrna insisted on keeping Cara overnight, but he always felt unsettled when he was away from her.
A few minutes later, he stood and walked toward the ladies’ room, meeting Darlene and Layla as they were coming toward him. “Everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, Dave.” Layla raised her chin as she smirked at him. He glanced at Darlene. She bit her lip and gave a quick shake of her head when Layla turned to speak to a woman on their left.
He leaned down and whispered in Darlene’s ear, “Do we need to get her home?”
“Yes. I think so.”
Dave gently pulled Layla by the arm toward him. “Excuse us,” he said to the woman she’d been speaking to. He turned to Layla. “I think Darlene is ready to go, and so am I. I’ll walk you both to the car.”
Layla opened her mouth, but his scowl made her clamp it shut.
“Fine. Let’s go.” Layla marched ahead of them, smiling to people on either side of her as she walked by.
Dave followed close behind Layla, and when she started to sway, he latched onto her arm. After they exited the plaza, he quickly found the limo in the parking lot. He kissed her on the cheek and helped her get in. Then he turned to Darlene, and without thinking, he kissed her on the cheek too. “I had a great time.”
He could have smacked himself. This wasn’t a date he was on, and he barely knew Darlene. He stepped aside so she could get in the car.
“Me too,” she said as she offered him a strained smile. “See you Monday.”
Dave closed the door. Yes, see you Monday.
And as wrong as it was, he knew he was going to count every minute until he picked up Cara on Monday afternoon.
Darlene tr
ied to help Layla up the sidewalk to her house, but Layla shook her arm loose. “I’m fine. I don’t need you to help me up the walk.”
“Okay, well, I just wanted to make sure you were all right before the driver dropped me at my house.” She waited until Layla unlocked the door and stepped over the threshold. “Thanks again for inviting me. I had a really nice time.” She turned to leave, yawning again.
“No, don’t go. Come in.” Layla put a hand on her hip. “Have a glass of wine with me.”
Darlene knew it had to be close to midnight. “I can’t, Layla. We’ve got church in the morning, and I need to get home.”
Layla held up one finger over Darlene’s shoulder. “We won’t be too long,” she yelled to the driver before she looked back at Darlene. “Please.”
“Five minutes.” She followed Layla in and closed the door behind her. Layla kicked off her gold spiked heels in the middle of the room and kept walking toward the kitchen. Darlene followed, glancing at the clock on the mantel. Twelve fifteen.
She watched Layla pull two glasses from a cabinet in the kitchen.
“None for me, Layla.”
“You are no fun, you know that?” Layla filled both glasses and handed one to Darlene. She accepted the glass and watched Layla shuffle into the large living room where she plopped down on the couch with the carelessness of someone who didn’t worry that she might ruin a dress worth several thousand dollars by sloshing wine on it. Darlene, on the other hand, carefully lowered herself onto a wingback chair.
“So you’re church people, huh?” Layla chugged half her glass of wine. “I used to go to church.”
Darlene shifted awkwardly on the chair. “Well, I don’t think having a relationship with God is all about going to church, but I enjoy the fellowship of worshipping Him in a group . . . And I want my children to know Him and understand the Scriptures.”
Layla lifted her chin and squinted her eyes at Darlene. “I bet you’ve never had one bad thing happen to you in your life.” She paused, raised one eyebrow. “Have you? I bet your little world has just rocked along without more than a few speed bumps here and there.”