by Nancy Radke
“What do you mean? Gramps hasn’t done—”
“Gramps took the government lease away from Adam. He’s done so for the past four years.”
“All the forest service contracts?”
“Yes. It cut Adam’s grazing area in half. He was forced to sell part of his herd. Johnny said it really made him mad. And we don’t need it. Dad doesn’t have enough head to graze that many acres.”
What had Adam done to stir up Gramps that much?
“Anyway, what do you think of our meeting place?” Karen added dreamily. “It’s a pretty neat spot, isn’t it? Jo?” Not getting any answer from Jo, whose tired mind was still trying to grasp this latest news, Karen gave up and left.
At breakfast, Jo volunteered to drive Gramps into his three p.m. appointment with Doctor Elridge. The rest of the morning Jo and Karen wrote out some menus and a grocery list, made bread and lunch.
At lunch time their dad came in carrying a list of things he needed from the hardware store. He ran his hand across his gray, crew-cut hair. His forehead was two-toned, light above the hat line, tanned below. He considered Jo’s fair skin thoughtfully. “Better buy yourself a straw hat and some work gloves while you’re in town. I’m not hiring any extra help this summer, so Mike and I will be relying on you two girls more than usual.”
“Are things getting very bad?” asked Jo, concerned.
He sat down at the table beside Gramps, viewing with approval the lunch before them. “Depends. Trouble is the average American is eating less beef. With less demand, prices drop. Even Grampa is supposed to be eating less beef.”
“Beef’s good for you,” the older man declared. “A man can’t do a decent day’s labor without red meat. You just try putting in a twelve-hour day on a belly full of chicken.”
Frank laughed softly. “You aren’t doing that anymore, Dad, so eat like the doctor orders.”
The old man sputtered angrily. “That fool doctor keeps telling me to eat fish and to go easy on the eggs. What’s the good of living longer if you have to eat like a toothless old woman?”
“But Gramps—” Karen tried to get in her say, but the elderly man ignored her, continuing to talk to their father.
Jo took his empty plate. “Are you about ready to leave?”
“Yes. Just let me fetch my hat.” He levered himself up from the table and walked out of the room, still talking. “There was one year I remember those scientists said cranberries caused cancer. Fools.”
Frank stood up. “Good meal, girls. Can you handle the cooking if I use Jo in the fields?” he asked Karen.
“Of course, Dad. I’m nineteen. Sometimes you talk as if I’m still in high school.”
“It’s hard to remember. Whatever happened to my baby girls? You two grew up overnight, while I wasn’t watching.”
“I guess we did, Dad.” She looked at Jo. “We’re getting to the marriageable age. You won’t be having us much longer.”
Frank looked thoughtfully past Karen at Jo. “Do you have some fellow back East you’re interested in?”
“No, no one, Dad.” Jo glanced at Karen who was looking disgusted that her father hadn’t considered she might be the one with a boyfriend. What an ideal opening to mention Adam. “Actually...I’ve been considering dating Adam Trahern this summer.”
Her father raised eyebrows that were almost as bushy as Gramps’. His face changed expression suddenly, from amazement to one of pain, as he looked past her shoulder. She remembered her grandfather, just as he spoke behind her.
“What’s that you say?” he shouted, his voice stumbling in anger. He was standing in the doorway, having re-entered the room behind Jo’s chair. “Go out with that...that varmint? What’s wrong with you, Joanna?”
“Nothing, Gramps, but—”
“And what’s wrong with Peter Johnson? Go out with him if you want to date someone. He’ll show you a good time.”
“But Gramps, Adam—”
“Forget it. Adam Trahern? Impossible. I told you to stop talking about him, Joanna.” He jammed his hat on tightly. “Adam, Adam. Stuff and nonsense. Now you’re thinking of dating him? What’s got into you?” He slammed the screen door as he hurried out with his stiff-legged shuffle. “He’s no good for you… crazy girl.... Adam Trahern, indeed.”
Jo sat silent for a second, staring at the door. Then she turned, troubled, to her father. “If Adam asks me, I’d like to date him, Dad. Do you think Gramps would accept that at all?” She walked to the counter for her purse and the keys.
He stood, shaking his head uncertainly. “I don’t know, Jo. I gave up trying to get through to him a long time ago. If all you’re looking for is a good time, things would be more peaceful around here if you stuck to this Peter Johnson fellow. For some reason Gramps seems to favor him. That would be the easy way.”
He opened the door, ready to go back to work, and stood aside for Jo to precede him. “But then again, you’ve never taken the easy way out when you really wanted something. I wouldn’t want you to settle for second best, and I know you wouldn’t either.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She looked over at him gratefully.
“I guess Gramps might have to learn to live with it. I already know what kind of man Adam is, and Peter will have to be something mighty special to cut him out...especially if Adam decides he wants my shining girl.”
Jo stopped to stare at her father in astonishment. “Wants me? What makes you think a thing like that?”
“Well, Mike and I were putting our heads together this morning and we figure Adam’s had his eye on you for some time. Else that Thompson gal who was out visiting her aunt last summer would have hog-tied him. She was some looker and latched onto him at every community do we had. But no go. He was more amused than interested.
“To add to that, he always keeps tabs on you. Not that he asks directly, but Mike says he knows what you’re up to.”
“But that’s ridiculous, Dad. I’ve never given Adam any kind of encouragement—”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Some men like to do the chasing, dear. That wouldn’t stop him. Try to keep Gramps calm if you can.”
“I will.”
“The doctor isn’t joking about that heart condition, even if Gramps doesn’t take him seriously. See you tonight.”
“Bye, Dad, and thanks.” He had given her plenty to think about. Sliding into the van beside her sullen grandfather, she backed out into the drive, her thoughts busy.
Mike knew Adam well, but he must be mistaken. Adam had been unbearable during high school. And the idea of this engagement — that had come from Karen. He’d only gone along with it for Karen and Johnny’s sake, and maybe to get back at Gramps for taking the leases. She mustn’t forget that. Adam had tricked her once, she must be careful not to fall into a snare again.
Mike simply had to be wrong, she decided. She had been a nuisance in Adam’s life...just as he had been in hers.
It took almost an hour to drive to town. Gramps remained silent most of the way, a disgruntled expression on his face. He wasn’t relaxed, Jo could tell, because he tapped his fingers up and down on the arm rest.
Think on it, Grampa dear, thought Jo. I’ll bring up the subject again on the way home. You’re going to hear about Adam Trahern when you’re stuck in this car and can’t stomp out.
They pulled up in front of the medical building and she asked, “Where do you want to meet me?”
“Here’s fine. I’ll sit in the shade.”
“Okay, Gramps. Have a good check-up.”
“Humph.” He eased himself slowly out of the car and stalked into the building, apparently still upset.
Jo left her father’s list at the hardware store, then drove to the main clothing store. The sales girl was a former school chum who asked about Karen and offered some information about herself. Another customer came in, so she pointed out the shirts. “Call if you need anything.”
Jo picked out two new tank tops, a straw hat and a short-sleeved cotton shirt to we
ar in the fields. She didn’t have a swimsuit, as hers was still in Virginia. She’d put it on the list of things for Robyn to send out, so she should get it by next week.
There was a sale on bras and Jo stopped to look. Most were substantial and functional, but there were two bins of the silky type, wispy pieces of fabric, tiny scraps of material with straps. On impulse she picked out a handful marked 34C and entered the dressing room.
Trying on a black one, Jo smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Although slightly padded, it didn’t leave much to the imagination, making her feel intensely feminine and desirable. The dark color wasn’t transparent, but it was provocative in its own way. Turning from side to side, she had to admit it advertised the fact she was a woman. Laying it aside, she tried on the rest, finally adding a beige bra cut wide and low. Two should be plenty.
She took them over to her friend, Nina, who admired her purchases. “Nice. How about a black bikini brief to go with this, Jo? A beige one, too. They’re all on sale.”
Jo nodded, and added them to her purchased.
“Who’s the lucky fellow? Do I know him?” Nina smiled at Jo’s uncomfortable look. “Not telling? That’s okay, I’ll know soon enough,” she said, reminding Jo of the area’s grapevine. Carefully, she folded the clothing in tissue and rang up the sale. “Bye, Jo. See you.”
“So long, Nina. Thanks.”
Jo picked up the tools, then the groceries, meeting Gramps around four p.m. He grumbled about what the doctor had said — evidently his check-up wasn’t very good.
While he was complaining about the doctor’s orders, Jo considered different ways of bringing up Adam’s name again.
“Gramps,” she finally said, when he paused long enough for her to talk, “tell me more about Peter Johnson. Why do you think I’d like to go out with him, rather than with Adam?”
“Adam?”
He sure could get mad fast. “Yes. What’s so special about Peter?”
That cooled him a little. “Well...well...Peter’s polite, dresses neatly.” He flung out his hand, waving it in the air. “Adam’s impertinent. An agitator. Wild and unmanageable.”
“But Gramps, that was when Adam was young—.”
He raised his voice to cut her off. “Wild and unpredictable. You remember how he cut loose after he graduated? Drove the sheriff ragged, trying to keep up with him.”
“But he never hurt anyone, just—”
“Full of pranks, caused a lot of extra work,” he grumbled.
“I thought some of them were pretty good. Like the time he mixed a few of the babies in their portable car seats, so that after the meeting the ladies took the wrong ones home, just like in The Virginian.” And what a furor that had caused. The memory made her smile.
“You wouldn’t think it funny if your baby was gone.”
“The ladies straightened things out the next day.”
“Maybe. I still think the Warrenston and Hoylan families have their two boys switched.”
“Oh, Gramps.” This time she tried to hide her smile. “Surely those mothers could tell their own babies. Those two boys don’t look anything alike.”
“It’s all his fault.”
“That’s not Adam’s fault,” she giggled. “And that wildness only lasted about two years.” It stopped when she left for Virginia Tech.
“Don’t you believe it. Now you can count on Peter doing the proper thing, but not Adam. He causes trouble just by being there. He can’t resist stirring things up.”
“He does have a sense of humor.”
“Warped.”
“Well, it is different.”
“Humph.”
“I still think I’ll date him this—”
“You don’t want to do that. He’ll land you in trouble, in no time at all. You can’t trust a Trahern. Any of them.”
“But you have to admit he’s good looking,” she put in, to see what her grandfather would say about that.
He didn’t try to deny it. “Looks aren’t everything. He has no manners at all. Calls me ‘Gramps’ when he sees me—as if he were family. I’m not his grandpa, nor his friend. I don’t like him spying on me, either.”
“How do you know he’s spying on you?” she asked.
“I’ve seen him...watching me. I set out on the north porch in the shade, and I know he’s looking.”
“How can you tell, Gramps?”
“The sun catches his lens.”
“Really?” Field glasses, or telescope? How much could Adam see? Her bedroom window was on that side.
“He’s up to his old tricks. He’d date you to rile me. Don’t go out with him, Jo,” he added, plaintively, “he’s using you to get at me.”
“But I want to date him, Gramps. He’s the only presentable young man around—”
“Peter’s here. Don’t forget about him.”
She had forgotten. Peter didn’t seem very real to her. “That’s right,” she agreed, “but I can’t date only Peter.”
“After Saturday night, you won’t want to date Adam.”
“He really must have impressed you, Gramps.”
“Handsome young man. Going to do things with Marv’s place. ‘Sides,” he grumbled, “what makes you think Adam would even ask you?”
“I can tell when a man’s interested, Gramps.”
“Hurrumph.”
“I went with Mike to help fix the fence, yesterday.”
“So?”
“So, Johnny and Adam were both there.”
“The devil you say!”
“It’s their fence, too.”
The old man was silent, brooding, and Jo paused a moment to let him assimilate this before pressing on. At least he wasn’t flushed with anger as he had been yesterday. “After the fence was fixed, Adam and I separated the herds.”
“And Mike?”
“He and Johnny left. It didn’t need all of us.”
“Huh. So that’s what happened. Adam got you off long enough to sweet-talk you into feeling sorry for him.”
“Not at all.”
“He’ll turn you against me if he can. Already has. I don’t want you to have anything to do with that family.”
“I don’t see why not, Gramps,” she insisted. She had probably inherited her stubbornness from him, and in this case it proved useful.
“He said, ‘One of these days, he’d have you.’ That he was going to take you away from me. Permanently.”
“He did? I don’t...it’s...it’s hard to believe. Are you sure?”
“Of course. It was the only thing he could threaten me with. And you’re playing right into his hands.”
Troubled by Gramps’ assertion, Jo slowed down as she approached the graveled road. She needed to concentrate on her driving and decided to let the subject drop for the time being. At least Gramps was talking about Adam to her, even if it was with bitterness and suspicion.
She didn’t doubt the old man’s words. No wonder he didn’t want her near Adam.
At home Karen had supper started and the table set. “Johnny says they’ll meet us down by the corner,” Karen whispered after looking around to make sure they were alone. “Let’s hurry upstairs and change. I like to have Johnny see me looking nice once in a while, and if we dress now, it’ll look like we changed for dinner.”
“Count me out,” said Jo, remembering the conversation this afternoon with a sinking feeling.
“But why? It’ll look strange if just I dress up.”
“I don’t know if I can go through with this.”
“But you promised.”
Did a promise stand when you didn’t know what you were promising? Still, if she went, she could ask Adam why he’d made such a provocative statement to Gramps. “Okay.” She’d stay just long enough to see what Adam had to say.
Over her beige bra, she pulled a loose-fitted shell of raspberry red with navy and white trim. A short flared skirt of navy denim matched the piping. Sliding her feet into rope sandals, Jo debated on wearing a neck
lace to match her silver earrings and decided against it. She didn’t want to appear overdressed.
Her sister hadn’t worried about being overdressed. Karen spun around to show off her light blue dress, soft and flowing with a full circular skirt. “It’s one of my better buys. After supper, we’ll go for an ‘evening stroll.’ I often do, and it’ll be natural for you to join me.”
Later, Karen fairly ran down the trail, so that Jo had difficulty keeping up in her sandals.
The brothers were waiting by the edge of the creek, both dressed in jeans and light colored polo shirts. With a cry of welcome, Karen catapulted into Johnny’s outstretched arms.
He kissed her soundly, said, “See you later,” and pulled Karen through the alders toward the other side of the brushy creek bed. She went without one word of protest.
Amused, Jo watched them go. Suddenly nervous, she turned toward Adam who was standing motionless with that quality of stillness, of leashed power, that she was beginning to recognize as uniquely his. There was a magnetism about him, a strength of character that drew her even as she resisted stepping toward him. She had to clamp down on herself. She had to remember Gramps’ warning.
“I’ll take her away. Permanently.”
How would Adam defend himself?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Unwilling to break the spell that hovered over them, Jo responded to Adam’s simple, “Hi,” with the same greeting.
Reaching out one hand to her, palm up, his eyes admired her while a responding smile began to glow deeply in them. He didn’t move otherwise, nor speak.
Like a person stepping up to give a speech, Jo became acutely aware of herself and her surroundings. The frogs were singing in a great chorus by now, with the crickets doing background.
Adam held his hand still while his fingers beckoned and she stepped forward, placing a slim hand slowly into his large one, the graceful movement an act of acceptance. With a slight pull, he moved her more squarely before him, then released her hand with a quick squeeze.
She was as alert as a startled doe, and just as wary.
“I see you woke up,” he teased gently.
“Yes, finally.” Right now her heart was beating triple time, heightening her awareness of him and the night and the soft fragrant warmth of the air. And of her own feelings. Already she was so in tune with him, she was risking a broken heart.