Welcome Back to Rambling, TX

by June Faver

  Frank slipped into the pilot’s seat and set about making arrangements to take off. He flipped switches and checked gauges.

  She grudgingly admitted that he appeared to be capable and competent. He seemed to be at ease in anything he did. Surely he wouldn’t take off without being adequately prepared.

  “You’ve flown a lot?” she asked.

  He turned to give her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Reggie. I’ve logged a lot of hours in the air.”

  “Okay. I’m just going to close my eyes until we get there.” She squinched her eyes together.

  Frank reached over and squeezed her hand. “You’re going to be fine. Don’t worry.”

  She opened her eyes, gazing at him earnestly. “I’m not worried. I’m way beyond that.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against it. “I promise I will take care of you. I—” He broke off suddenly and placed her hand back on the armrest.

  Reggie sucked in a breath and immediately curled her fingers around the armrests. She closed her eyes again. “Poke me when we get there.”

  * * *

  Frank was stunned. He had almost blurted out the words “I love you,” and he had never said those words before. He filled his lungs with air and let it out slowly. What was it about this woman? Why did she make him want to totally change who he was?

  He shook his head and started the twin engines, taking satisfaction in the whine. This was something he could control. He taxied out onto the runway and prepared to take off.

  What he could not control were his feelings for the woman beside him.

  For some reason, when in her company, he became someone else. Someone who wanted to say the words “I love you.” Who wanted to say the words “I’ll be by your side forever.”

  In a few minutes, they were airborne. Reggie made a small mewl when they lifted off the tarmac and kept her eyes closed tight as they ascended, her fingers turning white where she gripped the armrests.

  He wanted to comfort her, but he couldn’t speak. He was too confused. Franklin Bell was a man of the world. He had beautiful girlfriends all over the globe. He was worth millions. He could buy and sell anything. He was a man who could make things happen.

  He glanced at Reggie.

  At the moment, all he wanted to do was figure out how to make her fall in love with him…because I love you.

  Chapter 10

  Monday afternoon, Henry Stafford was sitting at a concrete picnic table situated under a metal roof at Rambling Park. It was located near the dam and overlooking Rambling Lake. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and several puffy white cumulus clouds dotted the sky. He had hired a competent young man to mind the store while he granted himself a little down time.

  He sat with his legs outside the table and his back against the concrete tabletop. A fresh breeze kissed his skin. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs and holding it before blowing it out forcefully.

  He had picked up his beloved granddaughter, Shannon, at Babes in the Woods Day Care, and she was sitting on the table with her feet firmly planted on the concrete plank her grandfather was seated upon. They were watching Vern Garland touching up his classic car, a red 1969 Camaro.

  The sheriff was applying a coat of clear wax to his classic car. He opened the cover on the gas tank and lovingly wiped out that cavity until it was so clean and shiny you could eat off it. The chrome gleamed in the sunlight.

  Henry grinned at his old pal. “Tell me how you decided that your car was a male.”

  “Are you kidding me? Just look at the balls on this thing.” Vern snorted. “Have you heard him roar? When I start him up, ol’ Brutus wakes up ready for battle.”

  Henry rolled his eyes. “You’re killing me.”

  Vern turned to him, fisting his hands at his waist. “Well, how did Priscilla let you know she was a girl? I mean, she is sweet and dainty and all, but…”

  “Aw, my Priscilla is a bad, bad girl. I had her up to 140 miles per hour, but don’t tell that sheriff guy. He’s such a pain in the ass.”

  “Hah! There better not be anyone speeding in my county. Bad girls or not.”

  “Well, it was a long time ago, but this pretty girl can still take off like a red-hot firecracker.”

  Vern returned to his task, shaking his head and laughing.

  Henry had his arm around his granddaughter. “Shannon, did you know your uncle Vern was a bit daffy?”

  “Nuh-uh.” She shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing.

  “That sure is one cute little girl,” Vern said. “Now don’t you go filling her head with a bunch of nonsense. She’s gonna grow up knowing all about classic cars.” He gave the passenger-side door a last swipe before going to sit at the picnic table with his friend. “What kind of fancy beer you got in your cooler, Henry?”

  “You’ll just have to dig around and find out for yourself.” Henry always kept the big reach-in coolers at Stafford’s Mercantile stocked with interesting and little-known brands of beer. The locals loved to prowl through his stock, and tourists were always surprised to find such a wide variety of pretty posh brands of beer in a small town.

  Henry grinned as Vern knelt down to examine the contents of the ice-filled cooler.

  The friends were the mainstay of the Rambling Cruisers Classic Car Club. They gathered every week at a spacious parking lot by the dam. The site was lovely, overlooking the lake surrounded by hills, many adorned with luxury houses. There were paths to hike through the oak and pine trees down to the lake. There was also a wide concrete walkway spanning the dam where many locals would take a walk, which was about a 2.4-mile round trip. With so many of the communities around the lake without sidewalks, the dam provided a safe place for people to take a healthy stroll.

  Usually, it was Henry’s daughter, Reggie Lee, who minded the store while Henry mingled with his tribe of classic car buffs. But now that she had assumed the duties of editor of the Rambling Gazette, he couldn’t continue to depend on her when she had so much on her plate. He had hired two part-time employees to help him tend the store and allow him to also spend time with his granddaughter. She needed a good male role model, and Henry had stepped up to the plate.

  Vern’s gaze narrowed, and he gestured toward the wide parking area. “Now, what do you suppose that is?”

  Henry was punching a hole in Shannon’s juice pack with the tiny straw. His hands seemed to be way too big to accomplish this simple task. “Here you go, baby.” He made sure she was able to suck the contents and turned to look at his friend. “What is it that you need my expertise for?”

  “Right there in front of us. What is that little black number that just pulled into the parking area? Are you blind, man?” Vern seemed to have his gaze fastened on a car that was just rolling into a parking spot.

  “Wow!” Henry stood and took a step forward before remembering that his granddaughter was sitting on concrete and stepping back to reach out a hand to keep her seated.

  He stared at an iconic vehicle from the ’70s. “See that curved windshield? That’s a Super Beetle. I haven’t seen it around here before. Wonder who owns it?”

  “Dunno,” Vern said. “Maybe he’s gonna get out and be sociable.”

  The two men stared at the vehicle for a full five minutes, but it seemed that whoever was inside preferred to stay inside.

  Vern shrugged and went back to polishing his Camaro, but Henry had to take his granddaughter to the bathroom.

  “Come on, Vern. I need you to guard the door.” Henry refused to take Shannon to the men’s public restroom because it was generally extremely nasty but insisted his friend the sheriff stand guard outside the ladies’ facilities.

  Once inside, Henry meticulously placed two layers of seat covers on the toilet and lifted Shannon into place. While she was making her deposit, he mused that he would have never thought hi
mself capable of providing this service for his only daughter’s daughter.

  When Reggie Lee had been growing up, she was fortunate enough to have a wonderful mother who did not work outside the home, so she had received a lot of individual attention. Now, he hoped his granddaughter would never recall her grandfather taking her to the women’s restroom. He heaved a sigh and washed his and Shannon’s hands.

  When they exited the facility, he found his pal Vern chatting with two women. They looked him over very thoroughly.

  “Here he is.” Vern gestured to him. “I explained to these two lovely ladies that my best friend had finally found himself and was in the process of becoming the woman he had always wanted to be.” Vern was grinning from ear to ear.

  Henry heaved a huge sigh, glaring at Vern.

  Vern was not the least bit affected. “Ladies, this is my friend Henry and his granddaughter, Shannon. I think he’s secure enough in his masculinity to take his little angel to the potty.”

  Both ladies giggled. They were probably in their fifties and what Henry would consider high-dollar ladies. They both had immaculately manicured fingers, and their toes were painted in the same color. One of the ladies had improbably red hair, and the other’s was jet-black. It appeared that both women wore fake eyelashes, and their makeup had been freshly applied.

  “What a pretty little girl,” the black-haired woman cooed. “What’s your name, honey?”

  Shannon stared at her, open-mouthed. She ducked her head and turned her face to her grandfather’s leg.

  There was an embarrassing silence.

  Henry pulled her closer. “We don’t encourage our kids to talk to strangers.” He knew he was being somewhat rude, but he was not impressed by the women, who seemed to be mostly fake.

  “Oh, well… I didn’t mean anything by it.” The black-haired woman blinked several times, having the effect of a butterfly flapping its wings.

  “Lolly was just being pleasant,” the one with red hair said. “We’re from Houston, and we were interested in the classic car show.”

  Vern grinned. “Well, ain’t that sweet? Henry, these lovely ladies are here for the car show.” He turned to Henry and gave him a look that clearly said Don’t be a dick.

  Henry felt his back teeth grit together. “Yes, it’s nice that you ladies are here.”

  The one named Lolly flashed a wide smile. “My friend Sandy drove us here in her Volkswagen. She’s had it since 1971.” She tilted her head to one side, gazing up at Henry in a manner she must have thought was appealing. “That makes it a classic, doesn’t it?”

  For his part, Henry was staring at the false eyelashes, trying to imagine how it must feel to have something that heavy on one’s eyes. “Um, sure.”

  Vern was not so put off. “Well, of course it does. Tell me, Sandy, are you the original owner?”

  Both men were horrified when Sandy burst into tears.

  Lolly grabbed her in a comforting embrace and proceeded to give her thumps on the back, all the while assuring her that it was okay.

  Vern looked concerned. “I’m sorry, ladies. Was it something I said?”

  Sandy shook her head vehemently. “No-o-o-o! I shouldn’t have come here.” She dashed into the ladies’ restroom, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  * * *

  Reggie was still in a daze. She couldn’t believe she was actually in New York City. She had told her dad she was going to Dallas. That’s what she had assumed. She could hear her dad’s voice in her head telling her that’s what she got for assuming.

  She should have figured Frank would take her to his home turf…his center of power. New York City… The Big Apple…

  Frank stowed her one bag in the trunk of the Lexus he’d rented. He kept up a running commentary on the way to the hotel. Once there, he got her registered and settled in.

  Reggie crossed to the windows and gazed out at the tall buildings. “I never dreamed in a million years that I would ever be here.” And certainly not in a luxurious suite like this.

  “Well, you’re here now.” Frank had come to stand behind her. His voice was deep and seemed to embrace her, although he hadn’t touched her since the kiss episode when he’d safely touched down at the airport.

  She could feel heat radiating from him, or it could have been her imagination. Maybe it was that she wanted him to touch her…to kiss her again.

  “I’ll let you rest and get settled.”

  Reggie turned to face him. “What? You’re leaving me here?”

  He smiled. “My condo is nearby. I’ll pick you up for dinner at seven. Wear something pretty.” He gave her a wink.

  She let out an exasperated gasp. “You made me leave my clothes in Texas. What am I supposed to wear?”

  “There are several boutiques here in the hotel. Select whatever you like and charge it to the room…or you can check out any number of stores nearby.” He held up a platinum card and then dropped it in her open hand. “Surprise me.”

  Reggie stared at the card and then glanced back up at Frank.

  He was grinning broadly.

  “Well, you better believe I’m going to spend you into the poorhouse, mister.”

  Frank laughed at that. “Just you go for it. I’ll see you at seven.” As he opened the door, a bellman stood outside with a rolling cart covered with white linen. “Room service for the lady.” Frank handed the man some bills. “Take good care of her.” He glanced back at Reggie and slipped past the bellman.

  “Yes, sir,” the bellman said enthusiastically as he pushed the cart into the room. He set up the covered dishes on a table and asked her if there was anything else, to which she shook her head. When he left, she locked the door behind him. Leaning against it, she heaved a huge sigh. What was I thinking agreeing to all this? I’m in Frank’s world.

  She straightened and crossed the room to inspect whatever was under the shiny silver dome. As though on cue, her stomach growled. “All right, I’m feeding you.” She seated herself and reached for the napkin. Her feast consisted of a platter lined with lettuce on which shrimp salad, chicken salad, and a fresh fruit salad were artfully displayed. A basket held cloverleaf rolls nestled under a napkin. Nice. Very nice.

  After her meal, she called her father to explain that she was not in Dallas.

  “New York City!” Henry exploded. “What does that young fellow think he’s doing, kidnapping you like that?”

  “It was my fault, sort of. When he said the design center, I thought he was talking about Dallas, but he lives here in New York City, so of course this was what he was referring to.”

  Henry snorted. “Sounds like some hanky-panky going on.”

  “Nothing of the sort,” Reggie explained. “He put me up at a very ritzy hotel, and he went to his condominium.”

  Her father grunted, making it sound as though his suspicions had not been allayed.

  “How is Shannon doing? Does she miss me?” She envisioned her daughter being tearful.

  “Aw, she’s right here with me and Vern. We’re at the park.”

  “Sounds like you’re having a good time.” Reggie sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Everything was going well at home. She was a grown woman on a trip with a grown man…who had flown her to a posh hotel quite a few states away from Texas…and she was trying to be ready for whatever else he had in mind.

  Reggie hung up after promising to be careful. Yeah, right. She picked up Frank’s credit card and her handbag and headed out the door, determined to make him regret leaving her bags behind.

  * * *

  Henry slipped his phone back in his pocket. The fact that his daughter had taken off with the grown-up boy who had made her miserable when they were in high school was a little worrisome, but his task was to care for Shannon and not interfere with his daughter’s career. He was confident that she could handle the young man�
� Well, mostly confident.

  He was horrified that one of the Houston ladies had burst into tears and run inside the women’s restroom at the park.

  Vern was trying to placate the remaining woman. “Sorry. I was just wondering about the car.”

  Lolly spread her hands and shrugged. “I’m sorry too. The Super Beetle was her husband’s plaything. He was the original owner, but he passed a few months ago.” She took a couple of steps to follow her friend. “Sandy’s just been a wreck. I thought it would be good for her to get out a little.” Her false eyelashes flapped as though she was in distress as well.

  Maybe some sort of semaphore code, to Henry’s way of thinking. Was she signaling an SOS?

  Lolly flapped her hands and made a sound between a grunt and a squeal before entering the public ladies’ restroom.

  Henry and Vern gazed at each other in surprise bordering on shock.

  “What do you suppose all that was about?” Vern asked.

  “Beats me, but it’s not our problem…unless you want to make it an official problem, Sheriff.” Henry took a couple of steps away, intending to return to his cooler and bag of snacks. “C’mon, baby.” He held out his hand to Shannon.

  “Dat lady is cwying,” she pointed out.

  Henry hefted her back onto the concrete picnic table, her feet on one of the seats. “I guess she was feeling sad.” He gave her a wink. “But we’re not sad, are we? Not when we have PB and J sandwiches just waiting to be eaten. Are you ready for our picnic lunch?”

  She nodded enthusiastically.

  Henry took a hard plastic container out of the cooler and arranged a dishtowel on the table surface beside her. He laid out a paper plate and unwrapped a half sandwich for his granddaughter. He added some Goldfish crackers and ripped the lid off a small cup of applesauce. “Here you go, sweetheart. Eat up.”

  “I want Spwite,” she insisted.

  Henry gave her a half smile. “How about one of these yogurt drinks? I have strawberry, and I have orange. Which would you prefer?”