I’m getting awfully tired of those bumps, my friend.”
Gwen gave her a hug, then said, “I know. Look, I gotta run now. I’ll call you.”
Thirty minutes later, Janey was upstairs in her bathtub, surrounded by lavender-scented bubbles. But she couldn’t relax, despite the tranquil atmosphere. Her insides were wound tighter than a spool of wire.
What next?
Since she had moved back, her life had been anything but easy. If Gwen’s news turned out to be fact rather than rumor, then she was in trouble. As it was, Sweet Dreams was barely turning a profit. If it hadn’t been for Robin’s child support, she would be dipping into her sparse savings. And if business didn’t pick up, she would soon have to do that, anyway, because Robin’s child support would stop when she turned eighteen.
Still, Janey was determined to count her blessings and not her disasters. Robin was well-adjusted in school, making good grades and having a ball to boot. As long as that was the case, Janey could continue to tread her troubled waters and survive.
Thinking of Robin and school suddenly brought Dillon Reed back to mind. While idly scooping a handful of bubbles, Janey admitted to herself that his lean, hard body as he’d strolled into the shop that day had caught her attention.
And seeing him again at the restaurant had apparently kept it, she realized now, recalling how he’d looked and smelled. Suddenly Janey fought the urge to sink her head under the water to cleanse her mind of such craziness.
Thinking about Dillon Reed in those terms could turn into a real problem—a problem she didn’t need.
“Okay, what do you think?”
Janey angled her head. “Mmm, let’s see.”
“Mom! You’re supposed to tell me I look smashing.”
“Okay, you look smashing.”
“But you’re supposed to mean it.”
The teasing glint in Janey’s eyes increased. “Oh, honey, you look better than smashing. You look breathtaking.”
Robin blew out a breath. “I just hope Chad thinks so.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. This is just a date to get a cola, a date that I should have said no to. Even now, I can’t believe I didn’t.”
“That’s because you’re a good mom.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Janey said with mock severity.
As a rule, Robin never went out on school nights unless it was to a school function. But when Chad had asked her out yesterday for tonight and Robin had begged to go, Janey had caved in.
“So mind you, young lady, this is an exception. Don’t let midweek dates become habit-forming. School before play.”
“Speaking of school, have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“About the break-in. Two guys practically destroyed the chemistry lab the other week.”
“Oh, dear, I hadn’t heard. Do you think they were on drugs?”
Robin lifted her shoulders. “Who knows? But I’m here to tell you that Dil—uh, Mr. Reed was hopping mad.”
“I’m sure he was.”
Robin faced the mirror again and fiddled with a piece of hair. “And since then, he and the assistant principal have been stalking the halls.”
Janey sighed. “It’s getting to where I’m afraid to even let you go to school.”
Robin rolled her eyes, her trademark gesture when things weren’t to her liking.
Just then, the doorbell chimed. Robin’s hand flew to her heart. “Oh, my God, he’s here. Are you sure I look all right?”
Janey hid a smile, then shook her head. “Calm down or you’re going to hyperventilate.”
“I’m calm. I’m calm.”
The instant Janey opened the door and Chad Burnette walked through it, something about the young man put Janey on the defensive.
As Robin had said, he was good-looking—model material, endowed with a body made to play any sport. And he was polite, too, extending his hand to Janey immediately and saying that he was pleased to meet her.
Still, there was something about him that didn’t sit well with Janey. Maybe it was the look he gave her daughter, followed by the arm he slung around her shoulders. Both actions appeared territorial, as if he were staking a claim.
Janey strove to override those feelings, but she couldn’t. She could always count on her gut instincts; so far they hadn’t failed her. At the moment, they were screaming at her. She considered telling Robin she couldn’t go. But she couldn’t embarrass her daughter that way, even if Robin would forgive her—which she wouldn’t.
She would just have to tough it out and pray that this one time her instincts were wrong.
“You kids have fun,” she said, trying to hide her anxiousness. “But be careful.”
Robin took her adoring eyes off Chad and faced Janey. “We will, Mom.”
“Be home by nine o’clock and not a minute later,” Janey added.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Mayfield. I’ll have her back.”
Chad’s words should have reassured her, but they didn’t.
Six
Dillon patted his mare on the neck. “Come on, girl, let’s head back to the barn.”
He’d been working with Dandi all Saturday morning, something he did most every weekend and on the rare afternoons when he could sneak away from his office a little early.
On this particular morning, he was really enjoying his outing. Since the unsolved break-in at the school and other teacher problems heaped on top of that, he’d been tense. Now he felt some of the stress ease out of his body, leaving him relaxed.
Dismounting at the barn a few minutes later, Dillon shoved his hat back, wiped his brow, then lifted his head heavenward. He was ready for fall. Here it was the beginning of September, but so far no cool weather or rain. Both were needed, but as far as the eye could see, there were no clouds.
Soon, though, summer would ease into fall, and the huge oaks, maples, and sundry other trees would flaunt their foliage like bright pieces of ribbon flowing gracefully in the wind. A sight to behold.
And, cooler weather went hand in hand with football, his favorite sport. The home game last weekend had gone off without a hitch. In fact, he couldn’t have asked for it to have gone smoother. On the whole, the kids had been well behaved. Only a few minor incidents had cropped up, which his assistant
