The pressure of fingers on her palm proved too real to be part of a dream. “What are you going to do?” Jenny whispered.
“I’m thinking of coming down with gangrene of the throat,” Eddi hissed back. The earnest comment took a hilarious resonance the second it left her lips.
A giggle erupted from Eddi, and Jenny covered her mouth with her hand as she smothered a chortle. “You have a sick sense of humor,” Jenny whispered as blue fire sparkled in her eyes.
“So do you,” Eddi responded and ducked her head in an attempt to control the mirth. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have laughed.”
“I might have laughed. But the difference between me and you is that I would have never thought it.”
“Or if you had, you’d have never said it.”
“Are you two scheming behind my back or what?” Calvin stepped nearer Jenny, his amiable smile ever in place.
“No, it’s nothing to do with you,” Jenny answered, and Eddi wondered if her sister was still seeing Hal Gomez. Jenny hadn’t mentioned him once this trip and didn’t seem to have him on her mind. “Just a private sister joke,” Jenny added.
“Okay,” Calvin said with a nod and a wink. “I won’t pry then.” He peered toward Mrs. DeBloom, who continued assigning roles. Every time a new name was mentioned, the group applauded her choice. “I’m curious about who’s going to play Jane,” Calvin explained. “She would be my leading lady.”
“Well, I tried to take that role,” Eddi supplied, “but apparently Mrs. DeBloom has decided to cast someone else as Jane.”
“So far, she’s left that one out. It surprises me, actually, since Jane would be considered Elizabeth’s supporting female character.” Calvin shrugged. “Charles Bingley, Darcy, Elizabeth, and Jane are the most prominent roles. Since she’s already assigned Charles, Darcy, and Elizabeth . . .”
Eddi rubbed her throat. “I think I feel my neck turning green now,” she muttered under her breath.
Jenny burst forth with renewed laughter.
“Okay, okay.” Calvin crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels. “You two are gossiping about me right under my nose, aren’t you?”
“No, no, for real.” Eddi shook her head and giggled. “Scout’s honor.” She held up her hand to salute. “I was actually once a member of the Greeeeeen Berets . . . a special force of girl scouts.”
Jenny groaned and rolled her eyes. “Now you’re getting really corny,” she said.
“It’s my only means to sanity,” Eddi claimed.
“Excuse me,” Dave’s voice rumbled from behind.
His deep tenor offered the antidote for her wacky humor. Eddi sobered and debated whether to acknowledge the man or drift across the room as if she never heard him. The skin along her shoulders prickled, and she knew escaping was not a possibility. Eddi pivoted to face Dave as if she were a soldier marching into enemy territory.
“Maybe you can make sense of these two,” Calvin teased. “I’m afraid they’re laughing at me.”
“I don’t think it’s you they’re laughing to scorn.” Dave looked down his prominent nose as if he were royalty and Eddi were a mere peasant. Mrs. DeBloom had looked at her the same way a time or two. Eddi didn’t shy from his scrutiny any more than she did his aunt’s. She stood her full height and stared right back at him.
“I’m assuming one of us will want to decline a role,” Dave said with an assured twist of his lips.
“Oh?” Eddi questioned. “Are you going to bow out then?” She smelled a challenge. And challenges were something Eddi Boswick never shrank from—ever. At once, a new desire, amazing and unexpected, sprouted in her mind—a desire to play Elizabeth Bennet and out-act Dave Davidson, even if she did develop gangrene of the throat.
“Actually, I was thinking you would bow out.” Dave crossed his arms as if the decision were settled. The sleeves of his worn denim shirt rustled with his movement.
“Me?” Eddi questioned. “Why not you? I didn’t think you wanted to play the part of Darby anyway.”
Dave’s right eye narrowed, and a spark of ire flickered amidst the inky depths. Eddi hid her smile. If he ever had doubts that she’d overheard his conversation on the porch two weeks ago, they were now officially banished.
“I believe that’s Darcy,” Dave corrected.
“Whoops.” Eddi covered her lips with her fingertips.
“Let’s not play games, shall we?” he said as if Eddi were the most boring woman on the planet. “We’ve got a problem here. Let’s deal with it like adults.”
A flash of irritation swooped upon Eddi, but she refused to give the man the pleasure of reacting to his barb. Instead, she smiled as if he were the most charming human being and nodded.
“Let’s do,” she agreed.
“My aunt wants me to play Darcy,” he said as if that settled the whole argument. “I believe you’re the one who has a freer choice.”
“Do you always do everything exactly the way your aunt wants?” Eddi raised her hand in a wide sweep that included the spacious room. His house within itself was answer to her question.
“That woman means the world to me,” Dave answered. “So yes, I try to please her.” He glanced toward the elderly lady who was now handing out scripts to a trio of participants. “I figure she might have a good twenty years left. Maybe twenty-five, if she lives into her nineties. I want to make certain those years are the tops for her. I owe her big—for me and my kid brother.”
“Your brother?”
“Yes.”
“And he lives . . .”
“He’s outside Dallas.” Dave’s gaze faltered as if he were declaring the subject closed.
Eddi didn’t care to close the subject. “And does he always hop when your aunt speaks?”
“No, never,” Dave bit out. He bent his head, and Eddi observed his dark curls, damp and inviting. Despite her commitment to dislike Dave, Eddi wondered how his curls would feel under a woman’s caresses. Eddi swallowed hard and balled her fists.
“Now,” Dave began and crammed a hand into his back pocket, “what about the part? Are you going to tell her you won’t play Elizabeth or should I?” He leveled a glare at her that suggested she not argue.
“Who said I wasn’t playing Elizabeth?” Eddi lifted her chin and rubbed her toes against her leather sandals.
“I did,” he answered, his voice a little too quiet for comfort. Dave took a step closer. At the new angle, his nose appeared longer, his gaze keener. The faint scent of something masculine reminded Eddi of those minutes she’d trembled in his arms. A delicious desire uncurled in her midsection, but a primeval urge insisted Dave Davidson was the enemy.
Eddi would never deny that the man was an imperious foe. His sepia eyes suggested there was an undefeated warrior in his lineage. She squirmed inside but revealed not one hint of fear. Instead, Eddi stiffened her legs and stood her ground. The guy had accused her of wearing combat boots to bed. Now was the time to show him he might have been closer to the truth than not.
“I’ve been assigned the role of Elizabeth Bennet,” she explained in a soft tone, threaded with iron. “I will play the role of Elizabeth Bennet.”
Dave’s nostrils widened. A crease formed between his brows. He worked his jaw as if he were astounded that anyone would dare cross his wishes. Eddi tilted her head to one side and produced a smile void of warmth.
The scent of roses erupted upon their battle seconds before Mrs. DeBloom appeared. “Here you two are,” she said in a breezy voice. “I have your scripts ready.” She placed her narrow glasses on the end of her nose, and the pearl chain swayed on either side of her lined face. “I’ve highlighted your parts,” Mrs. DeBloom explained as she flipped past two pages of the top script. “We’re going to break for refreshments and then have our first reading tonight.” She handed Eddi her script and pointed a red fingernail to her first line, colored in pale blue.
“Mrs. DeBloom?” Calvin called, and Eddi gazed over Dave’s shoulder to his friend. For the
first time, she realized that Jenny and he were no longer nearby. The two had drifted toward the makeshift stage.
“Yes, I’m coming,” Mrs. DeBloom answered. She shoved a second script into Dave’s hands and said, “You’ll see your part highlighted, as well. We’ll start the first reading immediately after refreshments. You two be ready, okay?”
With that harried order, Madelynne hurried toward Calvin and Jenny.
“You know,” Eddi said as she fumbled with the script, “somehow you don’t strike me as the literary type.” She ran her finger along the top of her script and couldn’t resist the impulse to needle Dave. He’d indicated at their first drama meeting that women were chasing him. Maybe the time had come for him to encounter one who purposefully repelled him.
“Are you sure you’re up to the role of Darcy?” she prodded. “He’s probably one of the most celebrated heroes of classic literature.”
A red tinge crawled beneath Dave’s tan. “Don’t underestimate me,” he snarled.
“Who said I was underestimating you?” Eddi questioned and didn’t impede the drive to continue. After all, he hadn’t hesitated to take shots at her—no matter how unfair. “I’d just be shocked if you ever even read the book,” she continued. “After all, many people don’t encounter it until college lit.”
“What are you suggesting?” Dave purred.
Eddi shrugged and hid the fact that she was struggling for a clever retort.
“If you must know, I stopped attending college before the end of my freshman year.” Dave’s blunt statement held no regrets. He dropped his script into an empty chair, calmly rolled up one sleeve, and started on the other. “Most people I meet don’t seem to mind—especially around these parts.” Satisfied with his sleeves, Dave directed a penetrating glare straight into Eddi’s soul. “But once in awhile, I meet up with an intellectual snob who makes a big deal of it,” he said as if every insulting word tasted like honey. “For the most part,” he lifted a hand to encompass his home just as she had minutes before, “I think you’d have to agree I’ve managed in life just fine.”
Her eyes widening, Eddi lost all ability to hide her growing animosity. “Are you insinuating I’m a snob?” she snapped and flipped her French braid over her shoulder.
“Now, what would make you think that?” he queried with a smirk.
She wadded her skirt in her hand and imagined herself yanking at a clump of his damp hair. Forget loving caresses! This jerk had officially declared war, and Eddi didn’t plan to shrink from one battle. A sixth sense suggested that the angrier she got, the better Dave would like it. She told herself the wisest move would be feigning tranquility—but tranquillity proved beyond her reach.
“You know,” she finally choked out, “it’s been my experience that those who accuse others are usually guilty of the exact sins they criticize.” Her voice grew steadier with each syllable, as if her words were hammering the truth into him.
“Oh?” Dave asked as a sharp ring interrupted their conversation. Without taking his attention from her, Dave reached to his belt loop and whipped out a phone. He flipped open the blue-lighted device and spoke a sharp greeting into the receiver.
Eddi prepared to remove herself from his presence, but Dave’s gasp stopped her. “What? You’re kidding!” he bellowed.
A knot of three participants a few feet away looked up from perusing their parts. Cheri Locaste stopped speaking with Mrs. DeBloom and observed Dave. Eddi eased away from him, claimed a seat, and pretended interest in her script.
“No way!” Dave continued as if he’d won a million bucks.
Holding up her script, Eddi sneaked a glimpse of Dave.
“This is great!” His eyes sparkled and a chortle filled his corner of the room. “Oh sure! Yes . . . yes . . . just as we agreed. I’ll take care of it now! No problem! Sure . . . sure . . . okay . . . thanks for calling so soon! Yes, everything’s set, just like we agreed. I’ll take care of everything,” he rushed and ended with an abrupt good-bye. Dave closed the phone and hurried to his aunt. “I’m going out back,” he said.
Mrs. DeBloom frowned. “You’re going to go into your little house and not come out, aren’t you?” she accused.
Eddi forgot to look at her script as she strained to follow the conversation word for word.
Dave grasped his aunt’s upper arm. “No, I promise, Aunt Maddy. This time, I’ll be back in . . .” he checked his wristwatch, “ . . . give me twenty minutes. If I’m not back here in twenty minutes, then you come after me.”
Mrs. DeBloom glanced at Eddi. She jerked the script toward her face and pretended deep interest. The next time she looked up, Mrs. DeBloom was whispering something to Dave. He frowned and looked toward Eddi. She feigned nonchalance and allowed her gaze to drift past him. The next glimpse Eddi caught of him, he was dashing up the hallway.
“Okay, everybody!” Mrs. DeBloom called emphatically. “Let’s go ahead and eat. But make it quick, people! I want to read through the whole script tonight. We won’t worry about blocking for a while. Tonight, we’ll just be getting the feel for our parts.”
For once, Eddi found herself near the head of the food line. A plethora of finger foods and cheese dip crowned the bar, but this time Eddi wasn’t interested in food. Another scene commanded her attention. Dave strode across the back lawn toward the small brick building as if he were a captain about to board his prized ship. He paused near the white-framed doorway, twisted the knob, and stepped inside.
Eddi’s mind reeled with what that building must hold and what news could have prompted such enthusiasm from Dave. The possibilities spanned everything from a personal business venture to gambling to money laundering. When she began to wonder about international drug smuggling, Eddi halted her wild imagination.
Whatever Dave’s up to, it’s got to be legal, she thought. Doesn’t it? Her forehead wrinkled as her focus roved toward the swimming pool and small pool house to the west of the brick building. He has made a lot of money somehow, she reasoned. Just because he looks honest doesn’t mean he is.
“Hello, up there!” Calvin snapped his fingers. “There’s a line waiting. Are you in a trance or what?”
“Oh, sorry,” Eddi apologized. She offered a smile and realized Jenny was standing between her and Calvin. “I didn’t even know you were there,” Eddi mumbled and put a few odds and ends on her plate.
“No joke,” Jenny answered. “You were on another planet.” She picked up a cherry tomato and popped it into her mouth.
“I just want to know what he’s up to out there,” Eddi said under her breath.
“Probably smuggling diamonds over the Texas/Oklahoma border,” Jenny whispered as if they were FBI agents. “You know how famous that route is for smugglers.”
Eddi rolled her eyes. “Mock me if you will,” she whispered, “but I wager the man’s got something up his sleeve he doesn’t want anyone to know about.” She grabbed a diet soda from an open cooler on the floor and turned from the bar. After settling into a chair, she looked at her plate, which held exactly three chips and one olive. Eddi possessed no memory of placing the items on her plate.
Jenny claimed the chair next to Eddi’s and popped the top on her soda. “I promise, Eddi, I’ve seen Dave Davidson somewhere before.” She pursed her lips and stared at the empty chair in front of her as if the mystery were tearing at her mind. “Maybe if I could figure out where, we could find the answer to what’s in the building.”
“We’re starting to sound like Nancy Drew here,” Eddi said with a wry smile.
“That’s always the effect you have on me, woman,” Jenny quipped. “I show up a normal person and go home a suspicious, clue-sleuthing maniac who suspects every person I meet of foul play.”
“I guess it just goes with my territory.” Eddi munched a salty chip and peered out the French doors.
“What territory?” Calvin asked and plopped into the chair in front of Jenny.
“Oh, being curious goes along with being a lawyer, I
guess,” Eddi said and searched for a means to change the subject. The last thing she needed was Calvin telling Dave she and Jenny had been discussing him.
“Actually, I was just telling Eddi that Dave really looks familiar to me,” Jenny said.
So much for Calvin not finding out we were discussing Dave, Eddi thought.
“Do you have any idea where I might have seen him before?” Jenny continued.
“You mean like on a Wanted poster or something?” Calvin asked with a ridiculous light in his brown eyes.
For starters, Eddi thought. She unscrewed the lid on her Diet Dr Pepper and didn’t voice her mental comments.
“Oh, get serious,” Jenny said as if she and Calvin were lifelong friends. She tapped his arm, and Eddi made a mental note to ask Jenny about Hal Gomez. A few weeks ago, Jenny had even mentioned that Hal was hinting about marriage. Right now, he seemed like the last thing on Jenny’s mind. And Jenny seemed like the first thing on Calvin’s mind.
“Okay, seriously,” Calvin said. “I can’t imagine why you think Dave looks familiar.”
“Well, how long have you known him?” Jenny queried.
“About three years. That’s when he moved to London.”
“Where’d he move from?”
“Dallas.” Calvin crammed a cheese-laden cracker into his mouth.
While Calvin crunched, Eddi watched the small brick building. Still no sign of Dave. She checked her watch and noted ten minutes had elapsed. He promised his aunt he’d be back in twenty minutes.
“Do you know what he did in Dallas?” Jenny asked.
“He owned a ranch there, as well, I think,” Calvin said before guzzling his soda. “You know,” he finally said, “I’m beginning to think you’re more interested in him than me.” Calvin winked. He seemed fond of winking tonight.
Eddi toyed with a chip and silently watched as her sister turned into a demure sixteen-year-old. Jenny tugged on the end of her ponytail and looked down. A tinge of pink touched her cheeks, and Eddi wondered what poor Hal would think if only he knew.
So she sat for the next fifteen minutes watching Calvin shamelessly flirt with her sister, and Jenny not doing one thing to discourage him. Only when Mrs. DeBloom announced the beginning of practice did Eddi check her watch again. Twenty-five minutes since Dave left the room.
First Impressions: A Contemporary Retelling of Pride and Prejudice Page 6
