“No. It wasn’t like that.” He reached out and took her hand, gently prying her fingers off the steering wheel. He held her hand in one of his and pulled off her knitted glove, then gently rubbed her hand while she stared at the process. “Dorothy, I am not a villain. You’re right, I didn’t always give the debtor as much thought as I should. But if it hadn’t been me, someone else would have done it. I tried to be kind. I told them what they might be able to do to get out of the mess, and sometimes that helped. Sometimes they were in so far over their heads, they couldn’t get out in any good way.”
He looked out the windshield to the darkness beyond. “I don’t know what happened then. If the loan went into foreclosure, it was out of my hands.”
“Hmm. Well, at least you’re thinking about it now. Maybe you’re not a complete troll.”
“I didn’t say troll. I said villain.”
“I was thinking troll. But like I said, maybe you’re not.” She peered into his eyes. They were such a lovely blue. “Okay, Charles McClain. I’ll consider forgiving you. Let me sleep on it. I’ll drop you at your parents’ house on my way home.”
Chapter Four
“He’s so cute, Dorothy!” Jeannie Adams held the Vogue magazine to her chest and sighed, flopping onto her pastel quilt. “I just can’t stand that he’s so cute, and he’s so darn handy, and you’re here with me instead of somewhere with him! You need to get out!”
“What? Like you’re an example to me? You seem to be here. We hang out together all the time. If that makes me a loser, it sure doesn’t make me the only loser.” Dorothy was tired of talking about Charles McClain, and deathly ill of thinking about him. She wanted him out of her head. “And besides, looks aren’t everything. I still think he’s a bit of a troll.”
“Define troll.”
“Lives under bridges, preys on unsuspecting innocent bystanders.”
“Got no clue what you’re talking about, Dorothy. The man’s family lives just down the street, nowhere near a bridge, and as far as I’ve heard, no unsuspecting bystanders have come up missing.” Propping her head on one palm, she stared at her friend. “I think you’ve got the hots for him.”
“Absolutely not. He’s a troll and a creep and a—a—banker!”
“Oh. Banker, huh? And he hasn’t been hanged by the neck yet? I should probably call the sheriff’s office and let them know there’s a loose banker running around.” Jeannie giggled. “Do you realize how silly that is, Dorothy?”
“I don’t think it’s silly at all. You know what nearly happened.”
“Nearly happened, but didn’t. It worked out.”
“It was awfully close.”
“Maybe. But come on, Dorothy, you can’t punish everyone in a suit because your dad got a loan with some weird credit place in the city. Did our boy Charles have anything to do with it?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Then let it go. Give the guy a chance. Remember what happened a few years back when Grant Winchester came back to Legend, and ended up marrying Kathleen Fields? Who knows—maybe you can convert Charles. Maybe he’ll give up the banking life and become something worthwhile.”
“Like what?”
“I dunno, Dorothy.” Jeannie started paging through her magazine again. “But I know you well enough to realize you like the guy. I guess you have to decide what’s a worthy enough job for him to have.”
“That makes me sound awfully sanctimonious.”
“Huh. Imagine.”
Dorothy stuck out her tongue, then sighed. “He hasn’t called since that night after work. I guess he found somebody else to antagonize, and I’m not going to worry about him one way or another.” She sat down in front of Jeannie’s makeup mirror and pulled her hair up into a messy cascade atop her head. “Listen. Let’s talk about something else. Guess what I’m doing Friday night.”
“Let me see...not going on a date with the handsomest bachelor in Legend, Tennessee?”
“No. I mean... Stop it, Jeannie! What I’m doing Friday night is helping chaperone the dance after the basketball game. It’s the holiday dance, and they need extra chaperones. Mr. McCarty called and asked me. He said I’d be a good influence.”
“Ooh. High praise from a chemistry teacher.”
“I guess. He’s a chaperone too, of course. Several of the teachers are. But they’re trying to steer away from asking parents to help. Give the kids a little freedom without mom and dad breathing down their necks.”
“Yuck. I don’t want to think we’re old enough to chaperone dances.”
“Don’t think of it as a matter of age. Think of it in terms of maturity. And maybe you’re not mature enough. But evidently I am.”
Jeannie lobbed a pillow at her friend. “You’re missing a night’s work to do this?”
“Yeah. I need the money, but I couldn’t turn Mr. McCarty down. He’s one of the reasons I got into pharmacy.”
“I know. He’s cool. So, you’re hanging out with the teachers Friday night after the Legend Dragons blow the competition off the basketball court.”
“Yep.”
“I take back what I said about you need to get out. Honey, you desperately need to get out.”
****
Charles watched the basketball game, yelling his lungs out. His brother Will was playing brilliantly tonight. The kid had talent. And he wasn’t completely cocky about it—actually played a good team game. He’d been pretty selfish not so many years ago, but obviously that had changed. The camaraderie with his teammates was obvious, and that, more than the athletic ability—or at least as much as the athletic ability—made Charles proud.
He turned to his sister Anne and started to remark on the game, but realized what a waste of air that would be. Anne was watching somebody in the crowd, paying no attention at all to basketball. She was dressed in her best jeans and a snug tee shirt, and her long dark hair gleamed. Charles wondered if she’d been wearing that much makeup and perfume when they left the house, or if she applied more after they arrived at the school. Their parents were a dozen yards away, and down near the gym floor. Maybe Mom wouldn’t notice. Maybe. Charles figured if she did, Anne would catch some grief. But she was nearly eighteen. Not much Mom or Dad could do about anything now. In just a few months Anne would graduate and head out on her own life’s path.
She must have felt him looking at her because she turned toward him. “What?”
“Oh. Nothing. Just...thinking how grown up you are.”
She brightened. “Good. I’m almost eighteen, you know.”
“Yeah. Just thinking about that, too.”
She pushed her hair back behind her shoulder. “Mom won’t give me a break. She wants me to be a baby.”
“No. She wants you to grow up, but it’s hard on her. Probably harder since you’re the only girl. Give her a break, Anne.”
“Why? It’s my life. She just needs to back off and let me do my thing. Dad, too. I’m finished with all this small town stuff. I’m ready to move on. Can’t wait til I graduate. That’ll be the last time Legend sees me.”
Sounded a lot like Dorothy Robbins. Also sounded a lot like things he had said a few years ago. Now, watching the animosity in his own sister’s face, it struck him hard.
This is what Legend kids, at least many of them, did. They convinced themselves that if they could get out, life would be better. He happened to know that wasn’t necessarily the case. Anne rolled her eyes and looked away again. She was zeroed in on some guy a few rows ahead of them. The guy looked back briefly and winked at her, and Charles felt, rather than heard, her sigh.
Great! Hadn’t even occurred to him that he might have to step into the middle of something tonight between his sister and some Romeo. Why had he agreed to chaperone the dance? Oh yeah—she and Will had asked him to, saying having him there would be so much cooler than having parents around.
The final buzzer sounded, and the Legend Dragons and what seemed like half the town celebrated noisily. After a moment
of watching Will jump around, high fiving his teammates and some of his buddies from the crowd, Charles nudged Anne out of the bleachers and along toward the cafeteria. He probably should have been there earlier to get instructions if there were any, but hadn’t wanted to miss even a minute of the game. He was going to watch Will play every chance he got while visiting home. Who knew when he’d get another opportunity? Next year he’d be a senior, and Charles had only seen him play a handful of times since he’d first taught the little guy how to play H-O-R-S-E at their family’s backyard goal.
Kids streamed along the wide polished hallway. Charles kept Anne ahead of him along the way so he wouldn’t lose track of her. She shot him some dagger-sharp looks a couple of times when he put his hand on her shoulder. Evidently he was acting too uncool for her taste. So sorry. He was big brother, after all.
The movement slowed to a crawl and he glanced ahead to the cafeteria entrance. Some teachers were there, eyeballing everybody who went in. Checking ID? Looking for smuggled alcohol? Charles didn’t even try to stop the grin that spread over his face. Banking was so much easier than being a teacher. Give him an office, some forms, and a stack of ledgers any day over this.
Eventually Anne was allowed in, and John McCarty looked up at Charles.
“Hey, Chuck! Heard you were fool enough to join us for the evening. Welcome!”
“Hey, Mr. McCarty. Yeah, my little brother and sister talked me into it. What’s a big brother to do?” He shook hands with his former teacher and entered the gym, looking for another teacher who could tell him what to do. McCarty was too busy checking the incoming horde. Anne was at the far end of the room, approximately an inch and a half away from the guy she’d been exchanging looks with during the game. Could be a long night. But to find another teacher—
“Well, if it isn’t Charles McClain. You make a wrong turn on the way to the bathroom?”
Recognizing the voice, Charles smiled and turned around, looked down at a very cosmopolitan version of Dorothy Robbins. She was even more beautiful than usual.
“Hm. You sound like someone I once met, but you look like a movie star. I like the hairstyle.”
She raised a hand and smoothed the side of her upswept hair. “Thanks. This is my first time to chaperone, and I didn’t want to look like one of the kids.”
“Good plan. You’re young and pretty enough. I wouldn’t doubt some of these teenage charmers will be coming on to you. I’d offer to help out, but I know you’re well able to handle any eventuality.”
“Got that right. So, you’re chaperoning?”
“Don’t look so shocked. My kid brother and sister begged me. They wanted somebody cool.”
“Uh huh. Have you been through the briefing yet?”
He laughed. “No. Just got here. Been watching Will play. He’s a talented athlete—like his brother, of course.”
“From what I recall, your game was football though, wasn’t it?”
It pleased him more than it should that she remembered. “Sure was.”
“Well, here’s the deal on chaperoning. Keep moving, don’t let anybody come back into the room if they’ve gone out, watch for alcohol and anything suspicious.”
“Come on, this is Legend. What are we, prison guards?”
“You’ve been gone too long. Legend isn’t without its problems. Some of the kids here tonight may be drinkers, or even into drugs—they’re in the schools, you know.”
“In Legend?”
“Yes, in Legend. Most of the crowd is probably fine. Just be watchful.”
“I can’t believe anything like that goes on around here.”
“Grow up, Charles McClain. The rest of us have had to.”
Two hours later Charles still hadn’t seen evidence of the demise of small town values. The kids behaved except for the occasional discreet groping which he was unfortunate enough to happen upon. At least he didn’t catch his sister or brother doing anything they shouldn’t.
There was a huge crowd on the dance floor when the DJ played KC and the Sunshine Band’s That’s the Way I Like It. Charles watched Anne and her guy dancing, and felt uncomfortable about the looks on both their faces. Will was leaning against a far wall, cutting up with a couple of his buddies.
Still scanning the room, Charles saw Dorothy, arms folded over her chest, the picture of disapproval. Charles smiled. Just how did Dorothy like it? Not at all, or just not in public? She saw him then, locked gazes with him, frowned, and looked away.
Dan was right—she was under his skin. He wanted to walk through the crowd of kids and pull her out onto the dance floor, see if she’d dance with him as opposed to making a scene to avoid it. Would she fit in his arms as well as he thought she would? She was petite and he was six-one, but Charles imagined her curves would fit him just right. Of course this wasn’t the kind of music you could really hold a woman and dance to. This particular song moved too fast, and Charles definitely didn’t want to move too fast with her. He’d already made her angry up at the lodge, and hadn’t totally repaired the damage yet.
“Hey, folks!” the DJ said too loudly into his microphone. “Let’s get the chaperones out on the floor, okay? Why should the kids have all the fun?”
There was a groan of complaint mixed with cat calls. Charles wondered if he himself had groaned. This was his chance though, wasn’t it? As a chaperone, he was practically obligated to get out there and show the kids the right way to do this.
“Okay, everybody. Kids off the floor, and chaperones—head out there. I’m looking for something slow for ya. Gimme a minute.” He shut off his mic with a crack and sorted through stacks of records as the chaperones slouched into the center of the room.
Dorothy’s eyes were wide. What? Didn’t she know how to dance?
He walked over and spoke quietly into her ear. “May I please have this dance?”
She surprised him with a relieved smile.
“Yes. Thank you.”
****
Dorothy sighed. She’d been afraid none of the chaperones would ask her to dance. There were a couple more women than men, and she wondered if the extra female chaperones would dance together, or if some high school boys would step out to even things up. Both possibilities would be embarrassing. This wasn’t quite as bad—dancing with Charles McClain. At least he was male, and old enough. Not to mention tall, and...
Well, it would probably be okay. But when the music started she wondered if making a dive for the ladies’ room would have been a better idea. The DJ had selected John Denver’s I’m Sorry. Denver often brought her to the edge of tears with his songs that were so obviously from the depths of his heart. Being at the edge of tears in Charles McClain’s arms probably wasn’t a good idea. But she was committed now.
Charles’ left hand swallowed her right one, and his right hand was warm on her waist. Wow. This felt way too good. And the words were perfect. She was sorry. Sorry that she’d jumped down his throat at the lodge the other day, sorry she’d avoided even driving down his street, and had been short with him this evening. She was sorry they couldn’t start over.
“I’m sorry too.” His breath was warm, and tickled her ear and neck. “I’m sorry you and I got off to a bad start, because, you know, I’d hoped maybe we could get to know each other. We have a lot in common.”
“We do?”
“Sure. Leaving Legend, for one thing. I left, you want to leave. Both of us are just here temporarily, and it’s a shame we can’t make the most of it.” He danced them around Mr. McCarty and somebody’s mom who were having an awkward go at dancing. “If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, Dorothy, I will. I’d love for us to be able to start over.”
Whoa. Don’t put that four-letter “L” word in there. “I’d like to start over too, Charles McClain. I may have overreacted the other day.”
“May have—” He cleared his throat. “Hey, that’s in the past. Let’s say it never happened. In fact, let’s say we just met. That work for you?”
<
br /> “We just met here on the dance floor?”
“Yes. Just a minute ago, when you looked up and smiled like you were actually glad to see me. That’s a good start.”
She let herself lean into him a little. “Mmm. It is a nice start. My name’s Dorothy, by the way.”
She felt his low chuckle. “And I’m Charles. So glad to meet you.”
The rest of the evening was nice. They still had their duties as chaperones, of course, but every once in a while Dorothy would glance Charles’ way and he’d smile at her. The dance ended and all the chaperones stayed around, some going out to make sure nobody got crazy in the parking lot, and some helping the janitor clean up the cafeteria.
Dorothy said good-bye to Mr. McCarty and told him she would chaperone again sometime if he needed her. At the door she looked back, but Charles was nowhere in sight. Disappointed, she pushed open the big metal and glass door and walked to her car.
“Hey there.” He’d been leaning against the old car, in the shadows, but stood up as she approached.
“I thought you’d left.”
“I made an exit, but I let Will drive the car home—he had buddies to deliver—so it’s either bum a ride or walk.”
“Oh my. And it’s, like, five blocks for you.”
“Yeah. Something like that. Plus it’s cold out.” He blew out a big puff of white vapor. “See my breath?”
“Please. You don’t do ‘pathetic’ very well. Just get in the car.”
“Not going to honk the horn, are you?”
She laughed. “No, you’re fine. Get in, Charles McClain.”
“I guess you’re going to take me straight to the folks’ house.”
“Um, I guess. Where do you want me to take you?”
“Loaded question. Do you have time to talk?”
“Some. I’m used to being up late, for work. Where do you want to talk?”
“The lodge?”
She shrugged off the memory of their last trip up there. “Sure.”
“Do kids go up there to make out?”
“I don’t know. I doubt it. There are better places than that.”
Under the Mistletoe Page 4