“You ready?”
For the first time in the tournament, she was ready. “As I’ll ever be. Let’s win us some money.”
With a big grin, and another toe curling kiss for luck, Buck and Marlene got busy trying to bowl. After the fourth frame with both of them throwing strikes, a crowd began to gather behind them. Marlene concentrated on Buck and just throwing the ball the best she could. If she thought about not throwing a strike, she would.
By the start of the ninth frame, they both had eight strikes. Marlene felt like nothing could stop her. Her confidence was flying as high as her heart. This was it. Her perfect moment.
Perfect.
That was it. She had described Buck as the perfect man. That’s what she was missing or perhaps refused to recognize. It meant taking a chance not only on him, but trusting him not to break her heart.
Marlene made her approach, trying to ignore the two hundred people watching her. One pin almost didn’t fall, but at the last second, it toppled.
Strike!
“Go, Marlene!”
“Yeah, Big Mac!”
Marlene turned to Buck and grinned. He gave her a high five and went to make his ninth strike. It was going to happen. They were both going to achieve that three hundred game. Together.
Buck threw the ball and it hit the pins too head on. The five and seven pins stood solidly on the lane. A collective groan rose from the crowd behind her. Marlene felt like a horse had kicked her. He stood there hanging his head with his hands on his hips. She approached him and touched his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, sweetie.”
“It’s okay. There’s always next year.” Buck turned and took her hand. “You can still do it. I believe in you.”
The honesty in his blue eyes finally broke through her armor. “Buck, I --”
“Not now, baby. You’ve got a game to win.” He kissed her quickly and turned her back to the ball return. Buck picked up the spare easily, and then it was her turn.
Marlene thought her confidence would desert her after he blew his three hundred game, but strangely enough, it didn’t. He believed in her and she believed in herself.
As easily as she’d done thousands of times, Marlene bowled her ninth strike. The crowd was getting louder behind them. Buck cheered and kissed her. He finished out his tenth frame with a strike and a spare.
Then it was Marlene’s turn. Tenth frame. Her three hundred game was three balls away. The time was now.
Her time was now.
Marlene bowled a messy strike, but all ten pins fell. The noise from the crowd reached a crescendo. Buck stood up and frowned at all of them, holding up his hands.
“Let her concentrate, y’all. This ain’t a rodeo! Especially you.” He pointed a finger at Terry Adams, and Marlene actually chuckled.
The noise settled down to a reasonable level, and Buck nodded at her. The confidence in his gaze was what she needed.
Marlene stood on the approach and closed her eyes. She balanced the ball in her right hand and focused on throwing the ball across her mark. Amazingly, when she opened her eyes and threw the ball, it was a strike.
The pressure was like an anvil on her head. It was completely self-induced and she knew it. She could do it. She knew she could do it. When the ball rolled back into the ball return, she picked it up. No use putting it off. The moment had arrived.
The hush behind her was almost as disconcerting as the noise. She ignored it all in favor of staring at the little arrow on the lane, the arrow that guaranteed her a strike. Her mark. Her blessed mark. Marlene didn’t realize she was holding her breath until the ball hit the pins and they scattered.
Marlene sucked in a breath and watched the pins seemingly fall in slow motion. When the tenth pin fell, the crowd erupted behind her. Buck picked her up and twirled her around. It was unreal! She realized she’d done it.
She’d done it!
The elation poured through her and her tears fell. Buck set her down and wiped her cheeks.
“There’s no reason to cry, baby. You did it!”
“I know. I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m so happy, I feel like singing!”
Through all the congratulations and the dozens of folks who wished her well, Buck stood by her side. Always there for her, sharing in her joy.
* * * * *
At the party Friday night, Marlene smiled so much her face hurt. She’d never expected her entire life to change in a week. It was like a lifetime of changes. She’d found a man, a measure of true self-confidence, achieved her dream of a three hundred game, and earned ten thousand dollars.
That meant she needed to think about where her life was going after this. More than one person at the party jokingly asked her about borrowing some of her winnings. Marlene knew it would take some careful planning to decide how and what she’d spend that money on.
The party was winding down and the last of the drunks were making their way to taxis or rides home with friends. Marlene stood at the door and watched them go, blissfully tired and happy.
Veronica and Patrice were just gathering their things. They looked so cute together. Marlene hoped they had a chance of success at whatever they decided to do.
“Good night, Marlene. It was a great party. I am so proud of you.” Veronica’s brown eyes were brimming with unshed tears as she hugged Marlene. They’d never been the huggy type of friends, but again, so much had changed.
“It was nice of you to invite me. I had fun.” Patrice’s soft smile assured her that Veronica was safe.
Next came Babs and her new man, Jimmy. He was the most polite, well-mannered man she’d ever met. Babs was different around him, more relaxed and less caustic. Marlene was glad to see that after ten years, they’d finally found each other.
“Great party, Marlene,” Babs said as she reached the door. “Jimmy and I plan on having one soon. You’re both invited.” She grinned like the Cheshire cat.
Jimmy shook his head, his raven hair gleaming in the glow from the front porch light. “Aijin, you had too many vodkas. Let’s go home.”
Babs laughed and kissed him. “You’re right. Let’s go so we can have wild sex.”
Marlene’s laughter followed them out the door as two strong arms came up behind her and squeezed her tight.
“Buck.”
“Hmmm?”
“I like you, too.” She wanted to say so much more, but that was a start. A beginning to what her life could be.
Buck turned her around. He kissed her hard. “So you ready to go to Wichita Falls for the weekend?”
She took a deep breath and smiled. “Yes, I’m ready. I think I’m finally ready.”
Marlene finally had herself a man.
Beth Williamson
Beth Williamson lives just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in New York, she holds a B.F.A. in writing from New York University. Beth has worked as a newspaper reporter, a poet, a novelist, and a technical writer.
Beth loves cowboys (long, hard, and packing), and anything from the Old West. She writes historical as well as contemporary erotic romance and romance. Look for strong women who know their minds and are not afraid to show it. No wimpy, whining, weeping heroines within a thousand miles! She professes a weakness, however, for alpha men and their controlling personalities. You can learn more about her work on her website at http://www.bethwilliamson.com.
The Perfect Score 3 Marlenes Man Page 7