“No. What’s up?”
“I told Andrea I’d have dinner there. We’re working on my sermon for tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Jess nodded.
“Why don’t you come?” Robbie pointed back with his thumb.
“Nah.” Jess stared at his oven creation. “I’m in the mood for quiche.”
Chuckling, Robbie backed up. “Save me some.”
“Are you coming back afterward?” Jess followed him out.
“No, I think I’ll hang at my Dad’s then head to my shift. If you’re bored, go to the Hall.”
Jess shook his head. “I kind of felt like just hanging at the house. I borrowed Henry’s player and a couple movies from Ellen and I . . .” He stopped when Robbie laughed. “What?”
“Such the homebody you’re turning into. Movies every night.”
“That’s just me. I’ve always been one to prefer staying home and watching a movie to going out. Besides, have you seen Ellen’s collection?”
“Oh yeah.” Robbie smiled. “I even helped build her collection. God, every time we went out on a run, she gave us a list.”
“That’s funny.”
“Don’t stay in alone. Hey . . .” Robbie moved toward the door. “If you feel like it, stop at the Hall later. We’ll hang.”
“You’re going to the Hall later?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought you were filling in for Frank tonight?”
“Check this out.” Robbie grinned. “My Dad ordered him back early. He has a curfew. I’ll be done.”
“So . . . Frank and Ellen are ending their date early?”
“Yep.” Robbie reached for the door.
“What time do you think he’ll bring her home? Do you think it will be too . . .”
“Jess.” Robbie saw the look on his face. “You . . . . you have to get over this.”
“What do you mean?” Jess asked clueless.
“I know this staying in the house, cooking dinner and hanging out is you.”
“It is.”
“I know that’s what you’re looking for.”
“I am.”
Robbie nodded again then nervously ran his hand over the top of his own hair. “Jess, you’re my friend. Can I be totally blunt with you?”
“Please.”
“I see it. O.K.? I’ve been there. You’re liking this ‘playing house’ thing you have going with Ellen, pretending she’s the female version of Len.”
“Robbie . . .”
“No, hear me out please.” Robbie held up his hand. “This training course, it’s just that. A training course to help you find someone that can do that with you every day. Ellen . . . she’s not the one, man. She’s making the time because right now, she has the time. But, for your own sake, because I know, get over it and don’t get used to it especially after tonight. She’s out with Frank. I know what that means. I hope you’ve had enough lessons because I wouldn’t put it past my brother to stop it all together.”
Jess slowly nodded. “You’re right.”
Robbie cringed. “I hope I’m not. Really I do, because no one sits around with El, watching her old movies, talking and such, like you do. I know she likes it, but Frank . . .”
“He won’t.”
Robbie shook his head. “My brother is very possessive of her. I’ve been hurt and burned more times than you know.”
“But you and El are different. You’re in love with her, Robbie. You have a physical past. She and I, we’re friends.”
“It sucks,” Robbie stated. “Her time will be Frank’s time. Always.”
“I see.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No.” Jess shook his head, playing it off. “No. I’m glad you gave me a dose of reality before I settled into our little practice platonic Donna Reed life.”
Robbie chuckled. “You O.K.?”
“Yeah.” Jess waved his hand. “You’d better head over to Andrea’s. I know how she is.”
“You sure you’re O.K.?”
“Me? Yeah. Hey, I was alone for eight years. Losing a budding friendship isn’t gonna wilt me.”
Robbie opened the door. “Look at the bright side. I’m the lonely guy too. You still have me to hang around with at the Hall.”
“Yep,” Jess nodded. “That I do.” He watched Robbie wave and close the door as he left. Then Jess shook his head and walked heavily to the kitchen.
^^^^
New Bowman, Montana
All that kept going through Ellen’s mind--aside from what was up with Frank--was how well Danny did on New Bowman’s own ‘Hoi, Hoi-on-the Range’ It was Danny’s own version of a cowboy style saloon complete with barrels and straw on the floor, a bartender who looked miserable, and very, very few women. It had the modern touch. Music. But the place was loud even with the refined UWA soldiers who hung about playing cards, darts, pool, and talking. Ellen attributed the noise to the Beginnings people who discovered the watering hole.
“Here.” Frank handed her a beer. “And slow down on that.”
“Sorry.” Ellen took a drink and smiled in pleasure of the taste. “God! I haven’t had beer forever. It tastes so good.” She took another long drink. As it dribbled, Ellen slowly and seductively removed it from her bottom lip.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that.”
“You mean with the beer?”
“Yeah.”
“Why is it . . . turning you on?”
“No, it’s driving me crazy.”
“Really?” Ellen trucked her hair behind her ears. “Why?”
“El,” Frank scoffed. “I’m a fuckin recovering alcoholic. Why do you think?”
Ellen’s eyes widened. “Shit. I’m sorry. You wanna leave?”
“Nah. I have the fortitude of steel,” Frank sniffed arrogantly then mumbled, “on some things.”
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Want me to stop drinking?”
“Yeah, but . . .” Frank shook his head, “not because of my problem. Because of yours.”
“Huh?”
“Yep. A few more of those and I’ll be fending you off.”
“Why would you fend me off?”
“You’ll be attacking me with your hands all over me. Out of control. Man.”
Ellen laughed. “Would that be so bad? I mean. . .” She stepped to him. “It’s because I find you incredibly sexy.”
“It’s because you’re lonely and you haven’t had it in a while.”
Ellen gasped, “Frank.”
“El,” Frank closed her mouth that had dropped open. “I know you. Besides.” He cleared his throat. “I’m being good. That’s not what this night’s about. It’s about spending time with you.” Frank leaned closer to her and whispered, “Like these U fuckin WA soldiers you keep bragging about, I’m gonna be a perfect gentleman.” He winked.
“Then I like this side of you, Frank. The softer side. It makes me realize why I love . . .”
“Oh, a juke box!” Frank snapped his fingers. “I wondered where the music came from. I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”
Ellen was so dumbfounded, she didn’t hear Jenny behind her.
“Did you?” Jenny asked.
“Huh?” Ellen turned around. “I’m sorry. What was that?”
“I can’t help but notice how happy Frank is. Did you? He is glowing over this date.”
“Oh, yeah.” Ellen rolled her eyes. “He wants to be here.”
“Yes.” Jenny smiled, “I wondered why the women have been taking the Dan-Tram here on Saturday’s. Now I know why. I love this place and the men . . . not one is hitting on you like a dog. They are all gentlemen.”
Ellen’s eyes went to Frank at the jukebox.
“Hal is the best.” Jenny exhaled. “The epitome of the UWA. I see now why you like Elliott so much. And speaking of Elliott.”
Ellen quickly looked up. “Elliott’s here?”
“At the bar. He’s been here.” Jenny leaned closer. “P
retending he’s not . . . watching you. But he is.”
Ellen smiled and handed Jenny her beer. “How do I look?”
“Good, but what about . . .” Jenny watched Ellen hurry to Elliott. “Frank.” Shrugging, Jenny took a sip of Ellen’s beer and sat at their table.
“Hey.” Ellen sneaked up behind Elliott who leaned into the bar. “Surprised to see me?”
“Ellen?” Elliott turned around with a shocked look. “Did you just come in?”
“No. We’ve been here for a while.”
“I didn’t see you.” Elliott didn’t want to look at the close deep clearing throat near him. He knew it came from Hal. “Who are you uh. . . . here with?”
“Frank.” Ellen indicated across the room.
“I see.” Elliott ignored Hal’s instigating snickers. “A . . . um, date?”
“You could say that.”
“it must mean a lot to you, because you look . . . . you look very beautiful tonight.”
A warmth feeling of ‘good’ swept across Ellen’s face. She couldn’t even say ‘thank you’ because all that emerged from her mouth was an ‘in-awe’ “Oh.”
Elliott smiled.
“Elliott.” Hal sneaked his face around. “What brings you here?”
“Me?”
“Yes. You don’t drink,” Hal stated.
“Um . . .”
Ellen giggled. “To see me?”
“Um . . .” Elliott stuttered. “Actually, I have . . . a . . . date. I’m meeting her here.”
Ellen’s expression dropped. “Oh. Then I’ll let you go. Have a good time. Hal, Jenny’s waiting. Bye, Elliott.” Ellen’s smile she flashed was so fake as she awkwardly and hurriedly turned and went back to their table.
Elliott saw Hal watching him. “Jenny is waiting, sir.”
Hal grabbed the beers. “A date?”
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
“Sir.”
“Elliott, I can’t believe you said you had a date. First off ,with who? Second, why did you say that?”
“Sir.” Elliott blushed. “It just slipped out. I couldn’t let her know that I was here . . .”
“To see her?”
“Yes.”
“Elliott, you like her, don’t you?” Hal asked.
“Yes, sir, very much.”
“Guess what?” Hal asked.
“What’s that, sir?”
Arrogantly and with such Slagel style, Hal grinned. “You just blew it with her. Frank thanks you.” Shifting both beers to one hand, Hal gave a swift pat to Elliott whose entire expression dropped into a major wince. Still laughing in enjoyment over Elliott’s blunder, Hal walked over to his dreaded double date, feeling a little more ‘up’.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
“And this . . .” Trish held up a blue container. “. . . little number is the flavor savor favorite. You can earn this as a free hostess gift if you book in November. With two-fifty in sales and two bookings you also qualify to earn the picnic packet.” She smiled at Bev who sat alone on the sofa. She was the only one in attendance. “Well.” Trish looked at her watch. “I think we’ve waited long enough. Let’s play a game. Everyone . . .” Trish mocked, looking around an empty living room. “Turn your order forms over and we’ll . . .”
The doorbell not only interrupted Trish, but made her grin. “More guests. Hold on.” She darted around the couch. “help yourself to some punch.” She hurried to the front door and flung it open. “Oh look, it’s Danny Hoi.” Trish dropped her voice to a jaw clenching whisper. “I hate you, Danny.” She looked over her shoulder at Bev who walked to the refreshment table.
“Am I late?” Danny questioned.
“Oh! No! You’re! Not! Late!” Again Trish dropped her voice. “An hour, asshole.”
Danny faked gasped. “Trish. Attitude. Can I come in?”
Trish opened the door wider. “Please do.” She moved behind Danny. “You’ll pay.” Walking around him, she went into the living room. “Danny, I believe you know Bev. Good.” Trish clapped her hands. “It’s a party. Sit down.”
Bev sat down. “Are we going to play games?”
“Yes,” Trish answered then saw Danny going to the refreshment table. “Danny. Sit.”
“I want . . .”
“Sit.”
“But I just . . .”
“SIT!!!” Trish’s voice gurgled in the yell then she took a high pitched calming breath. “I have the old new line of all-in-one meal deals I’m anxious to show.”
Shuffling sideways, nervously and with a hint of a smile, Danny sat on the couch. And for the first time in his life, he could actually say he was pretty close to being deathly afraid of a Tupperware lady.
^^^^
The Social Hall wasn’t where Jess wanted to go, but it was where he ended up. It was better than spending the night at home alone. He went there sooner than he thought and started drinking more than he wanted to.
He would have been perfectly content to stay at home had someone stopped by or if Danny Hoi and Trish had continued their argument a little longer. Jess found that entertaining especially how the yelling about Danny mismatching the lids carried the entire two streets over along with Trish’s screaming baby competing for who could be louder.
Jess had to admit to himself he did feel a little slighted when he found out Trish had a Tupperware party and didn’t invite him. But when he discovered Bev showed up, he realized, out of loyalty to Ellen, he wouldn’t have gone anyway.
Jess stood in the Hall. He leaned his elbows on the bar and was well into his forth whiskey and water. He sipped that one because he could feel the effects of the other three. They made his head swoony, his eyes glassy, and his mouth dry. But then Jess oddly felt something else, the touch of someone seemingly and daintily grabbing his rear-end. He looked up from his drink, then over his shoulder.
Jenny giggled. “Sorry.” She stood beside him. “It was just sticking out. It was so cute and firm looking that I had to check.”
The corner of Jess’s mouth rose. “Jenny.” He stood up straight and looked down at his watch. “You’re back.”
“Wow.” Jenny grinned. “You’re happy to see me.”
“How did the date with Hal go?”
“Oh.” Jenny grabbed her chest. “Hal is such a gentleman. He tried nothing. And get this, he . . . he shook my hand goodnight.”
“Really?”
“I swear if it wasn’t an unsanitary notion, I would never wash it again.” She held up her right hand.
“I’m shocked you guys are so early. How did Ellen and Frank’s half of the date go?”
“Good. Ellen, she’s a little, well . . .” Jenny whispered. “They have beer in New Bowman. She drank just a little too much.”
Jess lifted his glass and tilted his head. He sipped. “Maybe I’ll run over and . . .”
“She’s still with Frank.” Jenny saw it on Jess’ face, especially when he took an immediate drink and set the glass down. She watched his sculptured jaw tense up. “Jess? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Jess shook his head and leaned back into the bar. “Just a little bored.”
The accent was long gone, but the dialect remained in Hector’s voice. “I can help. I can use a partner for darts.” He moved to the other side of Jess.
Jenny smiled. “See how nice Hector is.” She patted Jess on the back. “He’s probably bored too. Be the pair to beat.” Happily and still on a ‘high’ from her date, Jenny walked away.
“We can be the pair to beat. What do you say?” Hector leaned closer holding up the darts. “Some say I’m pretty good.”
Jess looked at him. The effects of the alcohol didn’t mask what Hector was doing or what he looked like. He was strong, not real tall, and his hair was prematurely grayed at the temples for his thirty years. His darker Mexican complexion held some lines of hardened years, but not too many lines to mask his handsome face he. After finishing his drink, Jess swiped the darts from Hec
tors hand. “Let’s play.”
^^^^
Frank snickered at the hiccup Ellen released and shook his head as they sat in the parked truck not far from the living section of town. “This is nice.”
“Reminds me of when we were kids.” Ellen kicked her legs up on the dashboard. She looked behind her to the back seat of the truck. “Of course it’s a bigger vehicle, but just like years ago.”
“Riding around.”
“Talking.”
“Parking.” Ellen quickly looked at Frank. “But I won’t ask. I know.”
“You’re drunk.”
“I know.”
“I’m not the same Frank ...” Frank took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t take advantage of your vulnerable state.”
“That’s nice of you. I’m having a good time despite the amount of times you turned me down.”
“El, please.” Frank held up his hand. “I didn’t want to. O.K.? I can’t stress or repeat to you why. I want tonight to be about spending time together, quality time with nothing physical. That’s not what tonight’s about.”
^^^^
“Your win,” Hector said to Jess at the pool table as he walked around from behind him.
It wasn’t Jess’ imagination. He felt the slight brush of him.
Hector set down his pool stick. “You call it.” He stepped closer to Jess. “My roommate is on night shift. What do you say we go back and just . . . hang out?”
Jess stopped chalking his cue stick when he looked at Hector with thought over the suggestion.
^^^^
“You son of a bitch!” Ellen’s strong bellowing scream blasted in the cab of the truck as she kicked back from Frank. “And to think I showed you my breasts. Where did I throw my shirt?”
“Behind the seat.” Frank saw her trying to reach down into the long narrow space. “El.”
“I can’t reach it.”
“El, I have to talk to you.”
Ellen smacked his reaching arm away. “Fuck you.”
“You aren’t listening.”
“I heard enough. I’m getting out of the truck.” She started to crawl over the seat and Frank locked on to the waist of her jeans and pulled her back.
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 113
