Tolly’s eyes widened. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“Not a bit of it,” Lucy said. “It’s tradition. It seems that some of the stores put up their bunting and painted their windows early back in the seventies, and Merritt High lost Homecoming. So it’s bad luck to decorate early. The only thing worse is to not decorate at all.”
“You mean to tell me,” Tolly said, “that Miss Annelle is going to trick out her interior design storefront with blue bobcats and such?”
“Well, we’ve got to be ready for the parade on Thursday,” Lucy said.
“And the boys will be coming downtown for the alum dinner Wednesday night at the hotel, with the prayer meeting after,” Lanie said. “Where is that this year? It was at our church last year. I know because I made candy for the dessert table.”
“That would make it the Baptists’ turn. They do not put out nearly as good a dessert spread as we do,” Missy said.
“And how does all this eating fit in with Nathan’s holy nutrition plan?” She could just about imagine how Nathan would feel about all this distraction from what was really important — football.
“Tradition. What good is nutrition if you mess with the mojo? There’s breakfast at Lou Anne’s Friday morning too,” Missy said.
“And don’t forget the bonfire after the parade,” Lanie said. “I’m keeping the store open late. I’m making bobcat shaped chocolates and I ordered some special cups for the coffee bar.”
“Anyway,” Missy said to Tolly, “you had better rest up. You are in for big week.”
“Don’t you mean Kirby is in for a big week?”
“Same thing.” She took another bite of pear salad. “You’ll have to chaperone the float building at least once. And take snacks. Lots of snacks.”
“Float building! What the hell are you talking about?”
“Do you think Homecoming floats just grow out of the ground? Those kids have to build them out of tissue paper and chicken wire. On a flatbed truck. They will have already designed them and bought the supplies.”
“Where is this float? When does it start?” Tolly’s voice came out a little shrill. This Homecoming thing was new territory. New territory always scared her.
“The seniors’ float will be in my father-in-law’s barn,” Lanie said. “As I understand it, that’s tradition too. The senator has let the senior class use his barn for years and years. In fact, we were out at the farm last week when they came and unloaded a bunch of stuff.”
“For sure, as long as I can remember.” Missy nodded. “My senior year, when she was supposed to be stuffing chicken wire, Jenny Pylant kept sneaking off to the loft with various members of the team when the chaperones weren’t looking. But she still did not beat me out for queen. Bless her heart. I hope she’s heard I’m getting to crown the queen this year.”
“So, now, on top of all this, you’re telling me that some girl is going to try and swap sexual favors with Kirby for queen votes?”
“Don’t rule it out,” Missy said.
Lucy said, “Did anyone mention the Homecoming yard rolling?”
“That’s the best part!” Missy said. “That will start Sunday night and go on every night until the game.”
“What is yard rolling?” Tolly had never heard of such a thing.
“You really didn’t get out much, did you? Yard rolling. Tree rolling. With toilet paper. The kids take toilet paper and throw it all over yards and in trees.”
“That is criminal mischief!” No wonder she’d never heard of it. She’d been a good girl. Mostly.
“That is tradition,” Missy said.
“Well, I won’t have it. I will tell Kirby he is not allowed. And I am sure no one will do it to him. He’s well liked.”
Again, Missy, Lanie, and Lucy dissolved into laugher.
“That’s the point,” Miss said. “The more you’re liked, the more you get rolled. My yard was rolled every single night. Since the Homecoming game is the night before Halloween, I expect the rolling to reach epic proportions this year.”
“Oh, no. No! Miss Caroline will have a fit!”
“Miss Caroline will expect nothing else. She was born in this town. She and Judge Brantley raised Brantley’s mother in this town. And then, there was Brantley.”
“And isn’t there just always?” Lucy said and rolled her eyes.
“Always what?” Missy asked.
“Nothing.” Lucy put a forkful of food in her mouth.
“I think it’s going to be bigger than ever this year,” Lanie said. “Merritt hasn’t won a Homecoming in five years. Luke says that since we aren’t going to the state playoffs this year, everyone kind of considers this like a championship game. Like the rebirth of a winner after a long dry spell.”
“I don’t like all this,” Tolly said. “It’s too much pressure for Nathan and Kirby and the rest of the team.”
“Honey,” Missy said. “You really don’t understand football, do you? They were made for pressure — they thrive on it, require it.”
“Still, it’s not good.”
“Next thing, you’ll be saying, ‘Why don’t we just play for fun and exercise? Let’s don’t even keep score!’”
Not a bad idea, but Tolly knew better than to say so. And she could just imagine what Nathan would think of that idea.
“Well.” Lucy got up and started picking up plates. “I think Homecoming week will be fun if you’ll let it. Now, how about we have some of those gorgeous cupcakes and let Missy open her gifts?” Lucy smiled her impish little smile. “Plus there’s ice cream. Full fat ice cream, made with real sugar.”
“Best idea since Homecoming queens!” Missy said.
• • •
“Must be book club night. What book are they not reading this month?” Lou Anne handed Nathan a stack of menus. “Pass these around, honey, and I’ll get your drinks.”
The diner was bursting with people and energy. Not surprising. It was chicken and dumpling night, one the best nights at the diner. How he’d gotten drawn into the Book Club Night Widowers and Orphans Club, Nathan wasn’t sure, but he didn’t mind. He liked these guys. There wasn’t much he minded these days except that he wasn’t having sex as often as he liked and he never got to wake up in the bed with Townshend. She wouldn’t have sex unless Kirby was gone or asleep and she wouldn’t let him stay overnight with Kirby there. Leaving Kirby alone all night was absolutely out of the question. In theory, he agreed, approved even. But he didn’t have to like it worth a damn.
“We haven’t told you what we want to drink yet,” Luke Avery said to Lou Anne as he wrestled a bib around three-year-old Emma’s neck. Cute kid. So was Harris’s boy, Beau. He wasn’t wearing a bib. Probably Harris thought bibs weren’t macho. He’d be right.
Lou Anne laughed. “I know what y’all want, Judge. It’s a talent of mine. Water for you. Milk for Emma and Beau. Sweet tea for Harris. Unsweet tea for Nathan and Coke for Kirby.”
“Wrong,” Nathan said. “Kirby will have milk too.”
Lou Anne looked to Kirby for verification. He didn’t dare disagree.
As she walked away, Beau Bragg called out, “Grilled cheese!”
“Yea! Grilled cheese,” Emma echoed and they laughed like it was the funniest joke ever. Then they began to slap their hands on the table and chant, “Grilled cheese,” over and over, laughing and squealing the whole time.
Nathan laughed too. Not at the grilled cheese mantra but at Harris and Luke trying to quiet them — to no avail.
“If I start yelling for fried chicken, do you think I can have it?” Kirby laughed. There for a while he thought he’d never see that boy laugh again. Townshend was doing a good job, he had to admit. She’d be a good mother. Wait. Stop. Where did that come from?
“Sure,” Nathan said glibly. “Y
ou can have all the bad for you food you want. It’s just that I thought you wanted to play college ball.”
“Man! Coach, you are mean.”
“Why, thank you, Seven.”
Lou Anne appeared with their drinks and — mercifully — two grilled cheese sandwiches. For the moment, the toddlers quieted down.
“Chicken and dumplings all around?” she asked.
Kirby met his eyes. “Is that what I want, Coach?”
Luke, Harris, and Lou Anne dissolved into laughter. Nathan might have been pissed off, if he thought for one second Kirby was being a smart ass, but the boy didn’t have it in him.
“Yeah,” Nathan said. “That’s what you want. It’s good to carb up the night before.”
Chicken and dumplings and guy talk. It was a good time. They talked about college and pro football, the round of golf they would play the Saturday after Homecoming, and how many doves Harris and Luke had shot last week. What they did not talk about was Merritt High football. No “Are y’all ready for tomorrow night?” No “You gonna get them tomorrow night?” God, he got tired of those questions.
“When’s my mommy coming?” Emma Avery demanded of Luke.
When indeed, Emma? I’d like to know that myself, because that’s when I’ll see Townshend.
“Soon,” Luke said, like that was helpful. “How about some banana pudding?” Well, banana pudding might be a substitute for Lanie, but it was a poor replacement for Townshend.
Someone walked up behind him. Townshend? Maybe they were done.
“Hi, Coach Scott.” Not Townshend. Only Jamie Fisher. She was always turning up. Of course, in a town the size of Merritt, everyone was always turning up. Still, he was glad Townshend wasn’t here. She had not mentioned that ridiculous notion about Jamie having a crush on him again. Probably she had forgotten about it. In fact, he hadn’t thought about it lately, but now that he knew Townshend had been hurting over him just like he’d been hurting over her, it was clear. She’d been jealous. Silly, sure, but he’d felt the same way when he’d seen her talking to Kirby that day after Miss Eula died. Jamie was looking at him, smiling.
“Hi, Jamie. Do you know Judge Avery and Mr. Bragg?”
“Hi,” she tossed across the table. “So I guess you’re all eating dinner?”
“Yes,” Harris said. “Our women have abandoned us. They’re together somewhere doing voodoo or casting spells.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” Luke asked.
“Judge Avery, you worry the facts too much. Can’t you settle in and go with the conversation sometimes?”
“No. Worrying the facts is what makes me a judge. Listen and learn and you may one day too be a judge.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be a judge,” Harris said.
“Sure you do. Everyone wants to be a judge. Beau, Emma don’t you want to be judges?” Luke asked.
“Yes!” Emma squealed. “Want a judge dress like daddy!”
“Garbage truck man!” Beau yelled.
“Right, son,” Harris said. “Let’s dream big.”
“So.” Jamie brought them all back to her with a single word. She liked being in charge of the floor. Nathan had noticed that in class. “Some of us are getting together at my house to watch a movie. Brent. Paula. Davis. Maybe Carrie and Spencer. And I was wondering if you’d like to come, Kirby?”
Kirby’s head popped up in surprise. This wasn’t his usual crowd. Spencer Mason was on the team, but he and Kirby weren’t particular friends. Jamie must be interested in Kirby.
“Uh. Maybe.” Kirby cast Nathan a look. What? Was he looking for permission or a way out? How was he supposed to know? And who was he to be granting or denying permission?
He didn’t want to embarrass the boy by making him call Townshend. No teenage boy wanted to have to ask mommy in front of a pretty girl, whether he was interested in her or not. He’d offer him an out.
“Have you done your homework?”
“Yes.”
“No test tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Well, if you want to. What time are you supposed to be home?”
“Usually 10:30 on a school night.”
“Jamie, are you parents home?”
“No. I mean, yes. They aren’t now. We were eating.” She gestured to the front of the diner. “But they will be there.”
“Well, go ahead if you want, Seven. I’ll tell Townshend.” Score! If the boy was going to be out until 10:30, he might get some much needed alone time with Townshend.
“You can ride with my parents and me and maybe Coach Scott can pick you up later?” Jamie dialed up her smile a notch. “You know where I live, Coach? Over on Martindale?”
No, no! No chauffeuring when he could have Townshend between the sheets until, say, 10:20.
“In fact, Coach,” Jamie said, “when you’re done here, if you wanted to come watch the movie, that would be fine. Then you could take Kirby home. My mother made Rice Krispy treats.”
Well, wouldn’t that just be a busman’s holiday to hell? Townshend and the sheets notwithstanding. Nathan liked the kids, but there were limits.
“Tell you what.” He reached into his pocket and brought out his keys and handed them to Kirby. “Take my truck. I’ll get up with Townshend when her little shindig is over and wait there until you get home.”
“Really?” Kirby looked thrilled. Letting the boy take his truck wasn’t totally selfish. It made up for having to quiz him about curfews and homework in front a potential girlfriend.
“Just don’t put it in a ditch.”
“Thanks, Coach!”
“Mind your manners to Lou Anne on the way out.”
“And tell her we need banana pudding,” Harris called after him.
“I’ve been meaning to ask y’all about something,” Luke said. “I know Nathan won’t have time until the season’s over, but my family’s got this deer hunting camp in Tennessee and I was thinking — ” Luke stopped and focused over Nathan’s shoulder.
“Oh, God,” Harris said. “Brace yourself, buddy.”
“What?” Nathan asked and turned — just in time to lock eyes with Daryl Grayson. Damn it all to hell. President of the Bobcat Booster Club. Father of second string QB Keith Grayson. Drunk and pushy arrogant ass, intent on making sure his boy saw playing time.
Daryl had been a star of sorts at Merritt High before Nathan’s time and had gone on to play junior college ball, but it had come to nothing. Now, he owned a few used car dealerships. Nathan had already tangled with him once when Daryl had tried to “lend” the senior starters cars. Wasn’t happening. The only perk his players were getting was the same one that all the Merritt High sports teams had always gotten — breakfast at the diner once a week during the season. And for that, Lou Anne got a full page ad in the game programs.
“Well, well, well! If this is not a tableful of up to no good.” Grayson started glad handing all around.
“Yeah, that’s us, Daryl,” Harris said. “We always take our toddlers with us when we want to raise hell. Right, Luke?” Still, they all rose and shook hands.
“You could be next, Coach.” Daryl winked. Nathan hated a winking man. “I hear you and Miss Tolly are keeping company these days.”
“Hmm,” Harris said.
“So, the team ready for the tomorrow night? Are we gonna get a w?”
No, of course, we’re not ready. What do you think we’ve been doing after school all week? Watching film of our opponent? Practicing? Certainly not. We have been piecing quilts for the needy. As far as a win? Well, let me get my crystal ball out. Wait. I left it in the Twilight Zone.
“We’ve got a good chance, Daryl. The boys have been working hard.”
“Mind if I sit?” Daryl asked as he lowered himself into Kirby’s vacated ch
air. “I’ve got a little something I need to talk to the Coach about.”
“We’ll just leave you two.” Luke reached for Emma and made to get up.
Nice try, my friend.
“No,” Nathan said. “Lou Anne hasn’t brought our dessert yet and there is absolutely nothing Daryl has to say that he can’t say in front of the whole town.”
“Well, sure. Sure,” Daryl said. “I don’t know about the whole town, but it’s nothing secret. Fact is, I’ve used my contacts at LSU to get a scout over here to watch Kirby Lawson play tomorrow night.”
On the surface that was good news. Kirby was good enough to play division one ball. He did not have the size and probably not the inclination to play pro ball, but he could certainly buy himself a degree on Saturday afternoons. But there had to be a catch.
“I didn’t know you had contacts at LSU,” Nathan said.
“I’ve got contacts everywhere. I might be able to get some boys from Auburn up here for Homecoming and someone from Tennessee for the last game.”
“Impressive,” Nathan said. Didn’t this fool know that between himself and Harris, they had everybody in the Southeastern Conference who was worth anything, plus two Texas teams, looking at Kirby? But still, a contact was a contact, and the more the better. Lou Anne appeared with banana pudding but did not linger. She was a tension detector from way back. “I know Kirby will appreciate it. And so do I. But you understand, I don’t want him to know about it.”
“Sure. And glad to do it, glad to. Here’s the thing.” Here it comes — the catch. “I’d appreciate it if my boy got some playing time tomorrow night. I’d like my guy from LSU to see him play.”
Nathan didn’t miss a beat because he wasn’t surprised. “And that will happen if the situation warrants it.”
“As I’m sure it will.” Daryl rose. “See you boys later!”
After he’d gone, they looked at each other in silence. Well, semi silence. Emma and Beau were babbling at each other, as best Nathan could tell, about how big spiders had green guts.
Scrimmage Gone South (Crimson Romance) Page 11