Charming Dave

by Doreen Alsen

  “He’s gone through a lot this past year, and he won’t respond well to an interrogation.” She sniffed. “He’s a very sensitive boy, and I won’t let you harass him.”

  What did she want? For Dave to take the kid to the park for a ride on the merry-go-round? “Coming to my office to talk to me is not harassment,” he said, speaking in his best I-am-king-of-the-school voice. “Would you rather I’d brought him in with the boys I thought were causing trouble?”

  Mrs. Logan, uh, Ainslie, sighed. “Do you know anything about his history? Why he’s here instead of the safe, secure private academy he’d been going to since kindergarten?”

  “I personally don’t, but I’m sure it’s on file in the Guidance Office.”

  She blushed. “Actually, it isn’t. That was a rhetorical question. I’d hoped our troubles could have stayed in Charleston and we could begin a new life here.” She sat up straighter. “Ruark and Shanna’s daddy is Bobby Lee Logan.”

  Huh? Who’s Bobby Lee Logan…?

  “Of the Cooper Logan Investment Firm? Crook extraordinaire, second only to Bernie Madoff, who I’m sorry to say, I entertained once in my home.” She snorted. “I should have had the caterer put rat poison in the paté.”

  She looked at him directly, chin high, color flaring on her cheeks. He felt like he had fallen down the rabbit hole into some alternate universe where truly horrible waitresses turned into super-heroes.

  Absolutely delicious, mouth watering super-heroes with bee stung lips and thick eyelashes over gorgeous brown eyes.

  Then what she had told him lazered through the testosterone haze clouding his vision. Bobby Lee Logan—the great-great-great-great grandson of Robert E. Lee, as he would tell anyone who would listen—had stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from his investment corporation and its customers. He was in jail. The money nowhere to be found. Bobby Lee, good ol’ boy and Son of the Confederacy, refused to tell the authorities what he’d done with it.

  “How did you end up here from Charleston?” Dave asked her. “Didn’t you have any family at home?”

  Ainslie sighed and sat back in her chair. “The shame was too much for the children to bear. And even though we sold absolutely everything of value we could, we couldn’t live the way we had before Bobby Lee went to jail. We’ll never be out of debt, unless Bobby Lee tells where the money is, and he won’t.” She rubbed her hands on her skirt. “I had no idea what Bobby Lee was doing. There was always money, I didn’t question where it came from.” She shrugged. “This has all been too much for the children,” she repeated. “They’re not used to me working, and they’re spoiled, I’m the first one to admit it. It used to be a hobby of mine.” She gave a half-hearted little laugh, like she was trying to make a joke.

  Dave cleared his throat. “Both Shanna and Ruark are very smart and well-behaved. She seems to be fitting in with the popular crowd, which I guess works for her.”

  Ainslie grimaced. “She does like to be in the center of it all.”

  “Ruark, on the other hand, seems to be having a pretty rough time of it.” Dave tried to get her to look into his eyes, but she was in avoidance mode.

  “Ruark lost so much. Not just his daddy. They got along once Bobby Lee got over the fact that music was it for Ruark, not sports.” She did look Dave in the eyes this time. “He has a beautiful voice. Like an angel.” She smiled. “I know I’m his momma, so I have some bias, but the boy has a rare talent. He was in a school specializing in the arts and was studying with Miles Maxwell.”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know who Miles Maxwell is.”

  Her eyes bugged out of her head. “Only the best bass in the world. You know? Opera?”

  He didn’t know opera from nano technology. “I’m sorry, I don’t really follow opera.” See? He wasn’t so proud he couldn’t admit to something he didn’t know.

  She smiled. “He has sung every bass role in just about every major opera house in the world. He’s in Charleston as Artist in Residence at Mayfield University. Ruark auditioned for him, and Max took him on as a private student.” Her mouth flattened out. “Taking that away from my boy was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. He acts so brave, but I know he’s dying inside.” She looked down and blinked away tears from her eyes.

  Oh, he was such a sap for brave women fighting back tears. He was also in a position to help her with her son, if only she’d let him. “Mrs. Kelly, you know, Andi?” He picked up a pen and tapped it on his desk blotter. “Mike’s wife? From The End Zone?” He could tell by her blank stare that she wasn’t going where he led. “She’s the vocal music teacher here. She’s actually mentioned Ruark to me.”

  Again, she went bug-eyed. “Oh lord love a duck, do all my children’s teachers eat at The End Zone?” Horror dripped off her in agonizing drop after drop.

  “No.” He said, trying to lighten the mood. “I’m pretty sure Mr. Randall from the chemistry faculty has never eaten there.”

  His insides turned to ice when she dropped her head into her hands and shook. Oh, crap. “Don’t be upset. I was only trying to be funny.”

  She lifted her head and looked at him with dry eyes. “Good thing you’re a principal and not a stand up comic.”

  “Yeah, it was a tough career choice to make.” He wanted to grin. Mrs. Logan was funny and sassy and in total control. “Look, I really want to bring Andi in on this. I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to work with Ruark.”

  Mrs. Logan pursed her lips together. “Chorus is probably the only class he likes.” She frowned. “He’s a very private kid. He doesn’t talk a lot about his feelings, but he’s my boy, and I know him. His daddy going to jail really hit him hard.”

  Dave nodded. “So I’ll talk to Andi. In the meantime, I’d really appreciate it if you could try to find out what happened in the locker room yesterday.”

  “I can try.” She shook her head. “He can be really closed mouth when he wants to be. Maybe Shanna knows. Now my girl, she has no trouble talking.”

  “Any information would be great.” He smoothed down his tie. “I won’t put up with harassment in my school.”

  “I appreciate that.” She looked at her watch, sighed. “I’ve got to go. I’m already going to be late for my shift as it is.”

  Without thinking, without hesitation, he leapt out of his chair and crossed around his desk to offer a hand to help her up. Mrs. Logan inspired gallantry.

  If she was surprised at his Prince Charming routine, she didn’t show it. Her big brown eyes were just gorgeous. He could stare into them all day. With a gracious smile, she took his hand and let him help her out of the chair. “Thank you for letting me know about Ruark.”

  He cleared his throat, his mouth suddenly dry, his palms suddenly sweaty. “I appreciate you coming in and working with us on this.” He stuck his hands in his pockets. “We really believe in the team approach around here. Parents are partners, not problems.”

  She looked at her watch again. “I have to go. Sandy’s waiting for me to relieve her.”

  He walked to the door and held it open for her. “Thanks for coming in.”

  She nodded, and just like that, Mrs. Logan walked out of his life. He wondered how much Ainslie took after her alter ego.

  ****

  Shanna mopped perspiration off her forehead with a scratchy, no-thread count towel. She sighed. The dance routine to Toxic was so hard. But she had to nail it to get on the cheerleading squad.

  She was one of the best cheerleading flyers in the state of South Carolina. Her daddy had been so proud of her.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Patsy the brat looking at herself in the mirror and trying to do all the moves. It was so embarrassing. Where was Ruark? He was supposed to be here ages ago to get Patsy.

  She picked up her water bottle and squirted some water into her mouth. It was warm and tasted, very slightly, of chlorine and plastic. In her old life, her real life, she would have had a brand new bottle of Smart Water. In this messed up excuse of a li
fe, she had a water bottle that she filled up with tap water.

  Ugh.

  “Hey.” Shanna looked to see Cecily Brewster behind her.

  “Hey.”

  “You’re lookin’ good out there.” Cecily smiled really wide. “Much better than anyone else.”

  “Thanks.” Okay. How did she say thank you without sounding stuck up?

  “Yeah.” Cecily looked over to where Patsy was showing off.

  Shanna wanted to sink into to floor. Patsy was currently trying to do a Russian jump. She looked totally spastic.

  “Your little sister is cute. I only have a little brother, and he’s a such a pain.” Cecily took a slug out of her own Vitamin Water bottle.

  “I told her not to get in anyone’s way. My brother will be here soon to take her home.”

  Cecily perked up. “Your brother is really cute.”

  What? “He’s okay, I guess.”

  Cecily nearly swooned. “He looks so much like Zac Efron. I’ve heard him sing in chorus. Does he dance?”

  Zac Efron? Ruark? Someone should just shoot her now.

  In the meantime, Cecily Brewster was staring at her intently, waiting for info on her dorky brother. Shanna reached up and tightened her hair tie. “He’s big into music.”

  “Omigod, his voice is so beautiful,” Cecily chirped. “I get chills when I hear him sing.”

  Some of the guys from the football team, led by Alden Bradford, marched into the gym, for all intents and purposes watching the cheerleading tryouts.

  Except not. Alden was watching her. It gave her a funky, fluttery feeling in her stomach. Her pulse was doing a little happy dance.

  Unless he was watching Cecily. In which case, life sucked hard.

  Alden elbowed one of his buddies, told him something that got a laugh, and jogged over. Shanna couldn’t worry about that, because she was having trouble breathing.

  It totally had nothing to do with the cloud of Axe that surrounded him. She stifled a cough.

  “Hey,” Alden said. “You girls are looking good.”

  “Um.” Shanna wanted to stay and bathe in the light that was Alden Bradford, but Patsy came out of nowhere, dragging her backpack. “Ruark’s here. We’re going home.”

  Shanna looked over where Ruark waited for Patsy. “’Kay. Stay out of my room.”

  “Kind of hard when it’s my room too.” Patsy scampered away and left with Ruark.

  “We should get back to practicing.” Cecily nudged Shanna with her elbow.

  Alden smiled, and Shanna’s insides did a belly flop. “I’ll see you later,” he promised.

  Shanna was tongue tied, which had never, ever happened before. “Okay,” she managed to squeak out.

  O.M.G! Her heart did a little cheering routine of its own.

  Finally! Her life was turning around.

  Chapter Four

  Dave figured the best place to catch up with Andi would be at The End Zone, and he was right. She and Mike were usually there on Wednesday night, grabbing a quick bite before going to choir practice.

  He couldn’t help grinning like a fool at the memory of how Andi sucker-betted Mike into joining her church choir. Damn, but it was a thing of beauty seeing Mike humbled by a woman.

  He was, however, not just looking for Andi. He hoped to see a certain waitress with big brown eyes and a voice that dripped Southern Comfort.

  “Hey, Mr. Mason! Lookin’ for Coach Mike?” All perky and chirpy, Chelsea Adams, Mike’s student teacher, bounced up to Dave, a big smile on her face and a tray full of drinks in her hands.

  “Hey, Chelsea. When did you start working here?” And how had he missed it?

  “Tonight’s my first night.” She made a sassy face and stuck her tongue out. “Gotta pay for school somehow.”

  “Look at it as an investment in your future.” He gestured toward Mike and Andi. “I want to catch Mrs. Kelly before she leaves for her rehearsal.”

  “Can I bring you something to drink?”

  “I don’t want to make extra work for you.”

  “Oh, it’s no trouble,” she burbled like a bubbler.

  “I guess I’ll have a Sam Adams, then.”

  “Coming right up!” Chelsea bopped away.

  Though it was a slow night, the noise level at the bar was pretty high. Dave was glad Mike and Andi hid away in one of the booths, which provided a little more privacy and quiet in the otherwise noisy bar. They were holding hands across the top of the table and looking at each other with love-goofy eyes, all romantic-like.

  Of course, that probably meant they wanted some privacy and quiet and wouldn’t welcome his joining them like they might on another night.

  Oh, well. He would have left them alone if he hadn’t made a promise to Mrs. Logan to talk to Andi. He pulled up a chair from a nearby table and straddled it. “Andi! Just who I was looking for.”

  Mike scowled at him. “Go away.”

  Andi, on the other hand, smiled. “Hi Dave. What can I do for you?”

  “I had a meeting with Ruark Logan’s mother today. You’ll never guess who she is.” Dave stole an onion ring off the platter in the middle of the table.

  Mike moved the plate out of Dave’s reach. “You interrupt us to play guessing games?”

  “No. Actually I do need to talk to Andi about Ruark.”

  “Did he shed any light on the locker room situation?”

  “No, but maybe Andi can get something out of him.” He looked at her. “He’s having a lot of trouble adjusting and the family situation is difficult.”

  Andi’s eyebrows raised. “Is he in a bad home?”

  Dave shook his head. “No, but it’s a broken home. His father is in prison for embezzling and swindling a lot of money. You know, that guy from down south?” He scratched his nose. “Bobby Lee Logan?”

  “Oh, dear.” Andi’s eyes clouded up. “Ruark’s got a gorgeous voice. Really remarkable.”

  “Yeah, well one of the things he left behind in Charleston was a special private school for the arts and a real high power voice teacher. I wonder if you can kind of take him under your wing and help him transition better.”

  “Of course.” Andi smiled. “You mentioned his mother.”

  Just at that precise moment, a huge crash came from the bar. Ainslie was in the house.

  He looked over his shoulder and, yep, Mrs. Logan had definitely left the building. “That’s her.”

  “Who, her?” Andi looked over his shoulder.

  “Ruark’s mom. Ainslie is Ruark’s mom.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Mike shook his head.

  “Nope. Apparently they had to sell all their worldly possessions and move here to start over where no one knows them.”

  Andi’s eyes filled with sympathy. “It explains why she’s such a bad waitress. She’s probably never had to work a day in her life before this.”

  Chelsea appeared with Dave’s beer and a grumpy look on her face. “Sorry I was so slow with this. Ainslie dropped a pitcher of Miller Light all over the bar.” She gifted him with a smile that bared a tad too many teeth.

  “’Kay. Can I get anything for you, Coach?”

  Mike shook his head. “Nope, I’m good.”

  “I’d like a re-fill on my Diet Coke.” Andi’s voice stalled Chelsea’s exit.

  “Oh, yeah.” She flicked Andi a cursory glance and smile. “Sure thing.”

  “Thanks,” Andi said to Chelsea’s retreating back, her tone crusted with sarcasm. “That girl’s a barracuda.”

  “You got nothing to worry ’bout, Spud.” Mike brought Andi’s hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss into her palm. “I have your name tattooed across my butt in great big letters.”

  “Now, that’s a sight I hope I never see.” Dave took a swig of his beer. Nice and cold, the tiny bubbles fizzed and stung his tongue, just the way he liked it. “It’d be great if you could take the kid under your wing,” he said to Andi.

  “I’m always happy to help out a kid, especially
one with so much talent.”

  “He’s that good?” Dave fiddled with the label on his beer bottle.

  “Oh, yeah. So much potential.” She smiled. “He sight-reads like a demon. Keeps to himself, though. I thought he was shy, but from what you’re saying, he’s just having a really hard time. I’m more than happy to work with him.”

  “Great. I’ll let Mrs. Logan know I talked to you. She’ll be relieved.” He winced when he heard a crash from the kitchen. “She could use a little good news, I think.”

  “Mrs. Logan, eh?” Mike waggled his eyebrows. “Not Bride of Satan?”

  Dave watched Ainslie trundle over to a table of rowdy kids from Barrett University. She was in the typical End Zone uniform of a logo tee-shirt and khaki pants. Gone were the expensive suit and skyscraper heels, but she still moved with the same grace and dignity she had earlier in the day in his office. Odd that he hadn’t noticed how elegantly she moved before this.

  And it looked to him like she had her hands full with those college kids. A couple of them tossed peanuts at each other and one had definitely sucked down too much beer. They were giving her a hard time about being so slow in getting their food out. In Dave’s opinion, they weren’t being very respectful, and if the drunk kid got any more obnoxious, he might have to be taught a lesson.

  He forced himself to look away and turn his attention back to Mike and Andi, who were both staring at him with expectant looks on their faces. “What?”

  “Did you hear a word we said?” Mike wanted to know.

  “No, sorry.” Dave felt his face turn red.

  “Spud here was just telling you that we’d both look out for him.”

  Dave opened his mouth, but clenched his jaw when he heard a burst of laughter coming from the college kids’ table.

  “What the hell?” Mike said as he looked beyond Dave at the loud table.

  Dave turned and looked then, and his temperature rose about hundred degrees. The morons were laughing as they flicked popcorn at Ainslie while she struggled to put their orders on the table.