Barbecue and Bad News

by Nancy Naigle

  “All done.”

  “See. We’re a good team,” she said.

  “Ready to head over to the dance?”

  “Yep. I’m eager to see what all the fuss is about your dancing.”

  “People are talking?”

  “Of course they are. It’s a small town. They wouldn’t have it any other way. Why do you think I haven’t been back home in years?”

  “Not once?”

  “Nope. If you hadn’t stopped me that day, it would have been my first visit back to Belles Corner in eight years.”

  “Belles Corner. Is that where Southern belles are grown?”

  “I guess,” she said in an exaggerated Southern drawl. “It’s a small town. Not so unlike this.”

  “So you were just pretending to be a city girl.”

  “No. I believe you jumped to that conclusion all by yourself without asking. But then I’ve lived in northern Virginia and DC ever since, so that might make me a city girl.”

  “How can you stay away from home for so long?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “We have all night.”

  She hesitated. But this thing with Scott, whatever it was, was going to be something or not. He might as well hear about her baggage. All of it. Because she couldn’t separate it from who she was. “Long story short, I was a senior in high school. I’d been drinking. I called my parents to come get me.”

  “Responsible.”

  She held her hand up and shook her head. “The accident that killed them happened on our way home. Another car swerved into our lane, and my dad veered to the edge of the road to give him room. Our car must have hit something because we lifted in the air and rolled into the ditch. The other car just kept on going.”

  “You were in the car.”

  She nodded.

  “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

  “I was too out of it to even have noticed what kind of car it was or anything. I was no help at all.”

  “Did they figure out who was behind the wheel of the other car?”

  “No. My dad and I were both thrown from the car. I didn’t even get a scratch. Not a one.”

  “You were lucky.”

  A black cloud seemed to settle in her eyes. “Everyone says that. I wasn’t lucky. I’d have given anything to be the one who died instead of my mom and dad.” Her words were steady. Flat. “They didn’t deserve that. I was the one who had done something wrong. I deserved to die that day.”

  “Savannah, your mistakes as a kid . . . they shouldn’t drag you down your whole life. Your drinking did not kill your parents. You have to know that by now.”

  “For a long time they didn’t even believe that my dad had swerved to avoid the other car. They even asked if I’d been driving at the time.”

  “It was an accident.”

  “It wasn’t a mistake. I didn’t hit a mailbox, or steal chewing gum.”

  “That accident wasn’t your fault.”

  “But I was the only one who survived. If I hadn’t been drinking that night, none of that would have happened. I’m the one they blame.”

  “They?”

  “Everyone.”

  “Do they blame you . . . or is it you placing all the blame on yourself?”

  “You weren’t there. You don’t know how people looked at me. The local sheriff was so determined to prove that I’d been behind the wheel of the car that night. I wasn’t. I’d called Mom and Dad just like they’d always told me to if I ever drank. I’d never done it before. If I hadn’t that night, they’d still be here. That sheriff ruined my life. Everyone in town thought I’d killed them, so I may as well have. Even my own aunt couldn’t look at me.”

  She thought of the little girl crying in that mural . . . she knew what that sorrow felt like.

  Savannah looked at her watch. “This is an old story, and I didn’t mean to just lay it all on you. I’m a girl with a ton of baggage; you don’t want to get involved with this. I’m a hot mess.” She tossed her hands up. “Let’s just have some fun. Let’s go to that dance. You can strut your stuff for me.”

  “You might be setting yourself up for a disappointment. I’m only good on the grading curve of the men in this town. That’s not saying much.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.”

  He helped her back into the front seat of the truck, and she scooched right into the middle next to him.

  “Savannah, I know it won’t change what you’ve been through, but I want you to know that I’m sorry you went through that. I don’t know how I can ease the burden you’ve carried for so long, but I would like to try. I will if you tell me how.”

  She held a hand to his cheek. “Thank you, Scott. That’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  He started the truck and headed back toward town. They had to pass the bank building on the way, and then just a few minutes later he pulled up in front of the Ruritan Club building. The band was playing loud enough that you could hear a pretty darn good rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama” from the parking lot, even with the windows rolled up.

  “Before we go in, can I say one more thing about Belles Corner?”

  She smiled. “Sure.”

  “Savannah, make your peace with what happened. That place. Those people. All of it. It’s the past, but you can’t erase it. Until you make peace with the past, you won’t be able to live your future. That town is your roots, your foundation. Those folks back there are part of your future too. Just think about it.”

  How many times was she going to hear this lecture, and why was she getting it from every direction from these people she barely knew? She sat quiet for a long moment. “I’ll think about it.”

  He didn’t look too hopeful.

  She giggled. “I will. I’ll think about it. I promise.”

  “Good. I’ll take that,” he said, but she wasn’t sure he believed her. Fair enough; she wasn’t sure she could really entertain those thoughts anyway. No matter how much, for the first time in years, she thought she wanted to.

  Sunset wouldn’t happen for quite a while yet, but behind the club there were lights strung across a makeshift dance floor under the sky. Mostly people were nibbling on appetizers from a long buffet table just inside the doors of the Ruritan Club building. A few seniors were slowly scooting around the inside dance floor, where it was cooler out of the sun.

  “They always get an early start,” Scott said, nodding to the two old couples on the dance floor. “They’ll be back home sleeping before the sun goes down.”

  “That’ll be you someday.”

  “Hope so.”

  “I hear you take your momma dancing every month.”

  “People really are telling my secrets, aren’t they?”

  “Is that a secret?”

  “Not really. My mom loves to dance. My dad took her dancing a couple times a month. When he died, I started taking her once a month. She loves it. It’s the least I can do to bring her some pleasure, and it’s good exercise for a gal her age.”

  “What kind of dancing? Like ballroom dancing?”

  “Lord, no. We two-step. Mom says it’s kind of a shagging two-step. It’s fun. I can’t spin her, though; she gets dizzy.”

  “Well, Jack told me that all of the ladies in this town line up to dance with you, so please know it won’t bother me at all to just watch you dance all night.”

  “You’re not getting off that easy. I fully intend to take you for a spin around that dance floor.”

  “What if I get dizzy?”

  “Then I’ll sweep you off your feet.”

  She laughed, but the truth was he already had swept her off her feet. She knew it before he even said those words, but hearing him say it just made it more real. And scary as all get out.

  As nervous as she f
elt about dancing with him, she didn’t even care if she looked like a fool if it meant he’d be holding her in his arms.

  It was wall-to-wall people, and there were kids in strollers and a couple granny types with walkers. It wasn’t what she’d expected at all. Too bad she and Scott had just eaten, because there were tables full of homemade goodies lined up at each end of the hall.

  “Yooo-hooo,” Daphne called from across the room. She stuck her arm in the air, waving it like she should be shaking a pom-pom. She wore a mother-of-the-groom kind of grin, almost downright teary-eyed.

  Savannah knew that woman was jumping to a thousand conclusions way too early. Even though she’d thought Daphne had been off her rocker in the beginning when she’d tried to hook the two of them up, she hadn’t been wrong about the two of them. But the secrets between Savannah and Scott, Savannah’s secrets, were too big for even a mother’s love as big as Daphne’s to ease the trouble they could bring.

  Scott and Savannah grabbed a couple of drinks and joined the others listening to music outside, where the band was set up.

  As the sun went down, most of the families and the seniors began to leave. “The real fun starts now,” Scott said.

  The band started playing “You Know Me Better Than That” by George Strait.

  “Excuse me,” Scott said. He waved a hand to his momma and she headed straight toward him.

  He took her by the hand and they eased into a two-step that was good enough to be on Dancing with the Stars, at least. It was obvious that they’d done it a million times before.

  When the song ended everyone clapped. Savannah stuck her fingers between her teeth and gave out a whistle. Maybe Scott was right; your roots are your roots, and hers had a little redneck in them.

  She watched as they headed back toward her, but then Brooke and Mike stopped Scott short. They spoke for just a moment and then Brooke walked off. Mike continued to talk to Scott, and that gave Savannah a nervous feeling.

  Scott was stopped by at least three more people before he made it back to her, and she quickly realized that the sheriff was one popular guy in Adams Grove.

  “You ready to dance with me yet?”

  She held Scott’s gaze. “I think I need another drink before I’m brave enough to follow that act.”

  “Oh, come on. It’s just for fun.”

  A brunette walked over. “Can I steal your date for just one quick dance? My husband only does slow dances, and then he just rocks back and forth and spins in a circle. It’s not pretty.”

  “Absolutely.” Savannah could just picture that action. “Go on.”

  Scott looked uncertain. “You sure?”

  “Yes, yes. Go on.” She watched as they danced. Not as good as he was with his mom; he looked fine, but his partner was stomping a little like she’d rather be clogging. Savannah cursed herself for sounding like a mean girl. She was in no position to judge. No telling just how silly she was going to look. Scott held the girl at a respectable distance. Maybe she could get him to do a slow dance with her instead.

  She walked over to the bar and got a beer for Scott and a sweet tea for herself while he was on the dance floor.

  When he walked back over she handed him the beer.

  “Thanks.” He slugged it back and set it on a table nearby. “Okay, your waiting time is up. Come on.”

  He pulled her onto the dance floor.

  Reluctant, she let him guide her. “I don’t know how to do this. It’s been a million years.”

  “That’s not true. I saw you dancing at the Cody Tuggle concert. Besides, it’s like riding a bike.”

  “I need training wheels.”

  “I’m your training wheels.” He pulled her into his arms, much closer than he’d held that other girl. “And your horn. And the little streamers on the handlebars.”

  And my kickstand, she thought.

  He was right; by the time they’d two-stepped halfway around the dance area, the lights had begun to twinkle against the sky and she was following his lead like they’d been dancing together for years.

  “Thought you said you didn’t know how to do this. Fibber.”

  The word stuck her like a fork in the arm. She had to either tell him tonight, or plan to hit the road and never look back. Neither option was appealing. “You’re a good lead.”

  “We’ll see.”

  He looked like he was up to no good, and she had a feeling she was going to regret that remark.

  He lifted his arm and guided her into a reverse and then a spin.

  “Fun!” She tossed her head back and laughed.

  “All you need is a hat and some boots.”

  He recognized the first few chords of “A Better Man” by Clint Black.

  Savannah started to head off the dance floor.

  “Oh, no.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her back in. “This song is all you.”

  They danced the entire song and then she began to walk off the floor again, and he followed her only to lead her off to the side near one of the cook sheds they used at the pork festival. He stepped on the seat of a picnic table and turned to sit. He patted the seat next to him. “Come here.”

  She followed his lead and sat, leaving about a foot between them.

  He scooted closer.

  “Remember that day I stopped you?”

  “How could I forget it?”

  “You said I looked familiar. I said something smart-assed back, but I want you to know that I had a feeling about you too. I couldn’t get you off my mind. Even remembered your name when I saw you sitting outside of Mac’s Bakery on the parade route that day.”

  “You did?” She felt like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer when he realized Clarice liked him, only she was more like the reindeer that had made fun of Rudolph in the first place. Could he ever forgive her?

  “I did.”

  “I’m glad.” She’d felt that connection that day. If she’d had any idea it would lead to this, she’d have had a whole different attitude about that traffic stop.

  He lifted his hand under her chin and tipped her mouth to his.

  Everything inside her unraveled.

  She welcomed the slow, thoughtful move. He dropped soft, gentle kisses on her lips, and she caught each one. Then, he pulled her into his arms and dropped two kisses in the crook of her neck that sent a thrilling chill right through her body.

  “You are something else, Savannah Dey.”

  She dipped her head forward into his chest. “You keep me totally off balance, and I like it. A lot.” Her heart was racing and she could see her own chest rise and fall with each breath she took. She’d never felt this way about anyone. She couldn’t afford to be distracted by romantic notions. She couldn’t fall in love. It wasn’t the plan.

  “I won’t let you fall.”

  And there it was again, like he’d read her mind.

  He lifted her face to his and kissed her again. Even more gently this time. “Think anybody would miss us if we left?”

  She shook her head. “No one’s going to miss me.”

  “I don’t care if they miss me. Come on.” He stepped to the ground and helped her down from the table. “Your place or mine?”

  “Mine’s closer,” she said.

  “I was thinking the same thing.”

  There wasn’t one single car on the road. Everyone must have been home already or still at the dance, so the ride to her building didn’t take but four minutes, but it might as well have been an hour. The ride was quiet. Neither of them said a word.

  He put his hand on hers, and didn’t lift it until he’d needed it to park behind her apartment and take the key from the ignition.

  She jumped out of the car feeling so nervous she wasn’t sure if she was even going to be able to walk. He caught her from behind as she opened the back door of the building and k
issed her on the neck.

  The kiss was feverish, like those kisses in the movies that always look so hungry. Now she knew what that felt like.

  That didn’t make things any easier.

  When he let go of her, she let him wrap his hand around hers and they climbed the stairs.

  As she retrieved the key from her purse, he took it from her and worked it in the door.

  “After you,” he said.

  “Thanks.” She stepped inside and reached for the wall, but he pushed his fingers between hers and held them. “Don’t bother.” He kissed her again, full on the mouth. She heard herself moan in response to his touch.

  “Do you want some—”

  “I’m not that patient.” He stepped her back toward the wall, one hand on each side of her. “All I want is you.”

  She initiated the kiss. It was easier than words. These kisses weren’t sweet or soft like those at the club. No, these were hungry, and her heart was pounding so hard she could hear her own heartbeat.

  He pressed closer. His hands running the length of her sides to her hips. His body against hers.

  She welcomed the frenzied feeling. The burn, the dizziness. It was unexpected in the most delicious way.

  He scooped her into his arms in one motion. “Which way?”

  She laughed out loud, but pointed toward the bedroom, only he must have misread her because they ended up in her office. At this point she didn’t even care.

  He set her down on the huge wooden desk and pushed the papers to the side. He had her shirt off in one easy movement, and laid her back against the cool wood.

  Hot kisses ran the length of her as he slowly removed the rest of her clothes. She couldn’t help but press against him from the need building inside her. The world fell away and there was nothing but him and her and power. The muscles in his arms flexed as he outlined her form with his strong hands.

  His clothes hit the floor, and every single touch set her body ablaze like nothing she’d ever even imagined.

  Making love was an act of the heart, not just a physical act. Something she’d never experienced until tonight. And in his arms she felt not only satisfied, but safe.