“Thank you, Rachel; I enjoyed them, too.”
“Goodnight, Quentin. I hope you also enjoy your visit here.”
I fully intend to do just that and more. “Good night, Rachel Gaines.”
“Good night.” Rachel left him to join her friends as couples filled the floor to do the twist to Chubby’s old hit. She sat down and sipped wine to wet her dry throat. She saw her four friends smiling at her.
“Somebody we know caught a superstar’s eye,” Scott teased.
Rachel poked his arm. “He was just being nice and having fun.”
“From what I’ve seen, you’re the only one he’s asked to dance, and I can’t blame him.”
“Maybe I’m the only single woman here besides his date.”
“That isn’t true and you know it. We’re loaded with divorcees.”
“Let me change it to, I’m about the only one without an escort.”
“Watch out for passes from the ‘Man with the Golden Arm’; true or not, he has quite a wild reputation with the ladies.”
“Behave, Scott Cooper; we only shared a dance and a few words.”
“But the evening isn’t over yet,” the contractor hinted.with a grin.
“It’s a shame he’s about to be cut or traded,” Adam said. “I don’t see how the Cowboys’ owner and coaching staff can do otherwise. They have three excellent quarterbacks in Aikman and Garrett and with their pick-up of Peete. When they trim down their roster to fifty-three after preseason, I doubt he’ll be on it. From what I hear and read, they’re all healthy, and Quentin Rawls isn’t. He’s been having trouble with his famous throwing shoulder since that injury in Superbowl Sixteen in January of ‘82.”
“January of ’82,” Rachel’s mind echoed, right before their cruise…Perhaps he had been escaping a cruel spotlight while recovering. Did he remember her because she helped him through a rough period when he needed comfort and distraction?
Adam continued, “For Pete’s sake, he’s thirty-eight, one of the oldest players in the NFL. Despite his past history with Switzer, the man won’t be able to keep him around if he can’t play. This is Switzer’s first year there, so he’ll be out to prove himself. So will the Cowboys; they’re coming off of back-to-back Superbowl victories and they want to ‘threepeat’. Quentin should call it quits before embarrassing himself by being dumped. Poor guy also has a bum knee from Superbowl Nineteen; he played the last quarter in agony, and won an award. Lordy, that was an exciting game; he won fifty bucks for me that day. I bet his house is loaded with trophies; I know he’s raked them in over the years, even while playing backup to top quarterbacks. I surely do hate to see a man like that go down in smoke. With his personality and knowledge, he’d be a superb sports commentator. I’ve seen him do it a few times when he was on the injured list; he’s good at it. Surely one of the networks is trying to grab him.”
Scott grinned. “He’s got so much money he won’t need to work after he retires. Backup or not, he signed for big bucks. Add that salary to incentives and commercials and he has to be rolling in cash.”
“If he has any left over every month after paying off his ex-wives and from living so high on the hog,” Adam amended. “Besides, he can’t be making as much as he used to or could if he was in top-notch condition and was a starter. You can’t remain or be a star when you’re warming the bench more than you’re playing. I think his golden era is about over. His commercial value has fallen close to zero in the last two years. I don’t see him in ads anymore.”
“Adam’s right, Rachel; he could be after you for your money,” Scott teased. “Yesiree, can’t be too careful around hungry sports jocks.”
“Look who’s talking. If memory serves me right, you two were sports jocks in school,” Becky pointed out playfully. “Musketeers through and through. Both of you had cheerleaders lined up around the field to go out with you.”
“We had to do all we could to keep from breaking their hearts, baby.”
“Ha, both of you broke plenty,” the blonde playfully accused.
“Ah, but not the two that mattered,” Scott murmured to his wife.
“It had better stay that way if you don’t want John Bobbitt being the only male to make history in a certain area.”
Scott made a comical frown. “Ouch! That smarted, woman.”
“You’ll smart even more if you look up any of those old flames who are divorced and giving you the eye tonight,” she joked.
Scott caressed Becky’s cheek. “How could I possibly want another woman when I have a perfect one like you, my sweet thing?”
“How indeed?” she teased, followed by a brief kiss.
The group laughed and changed the subject to former classmates’ activities since graduation and the last reunion; they talked over the mellow strains and evocative lyrics of “Under The Boardwalk” by the Drifters.
As the others chatted, Rachel thought about how nice Quentin was. They had had so much fun and so many kinds of pleasure during that cruise. She was glad she had their initial encounter behind her, and it had been pleasant. She could relax now, as he probably wouldn’t approach her again.
She danced with Scott, Adam, and other friends to past hits such as “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena” and “Leader of the Pack.” Yet, she found herself feeling disappointed that Quentin didn’t ask for another dance; but he had a date who needed his attention and support. He was gallant and kind to help out Carrie Simmons.
Her friends left the table to dance to “Proud Mary” and “Joy to the World,” traditional end-of-night tunes, which were loud and long.
If he does phone you later, Rachel mused, should you lean toward him or run like spilled water? You two live in different worlds and have different needs. He’ll want a family, his own children, and you’re beyond that point in life. Quentin Rawls can have his choice of women, young women, celebrities like himself If you got serious with him, your daughters and son-in-law would think you’ve gone off the deep end. Your friends will think you’ve lost your mind and rush you off to a psychiatrist. People who know you will think you’re robbing the cradle. Janet and Dianne would have a field day at your expense. The Gaineses would finally have the chance to say they were right about you all along! Besides, with all of his current troubles and past marriages, a serious romance is probably the last thing on his mind. Don’t even think of having another brief affair with him, no matter how tempting the thought. After he’s gone, your reputation will be in shreds and you’ll be an outcast like Carrie Simmons; Janet will make certain of that, the spiteful bitch. Please, Rachel, don’t get crazy and horny at your age and screw up your life.
“Rachel Gaines, for heaven’s sake, woman, where are you?” Becky asked as she shook her friend’s arm from behind. “I’ve been trying to get your attention; I asked you a question twice.”
Rachel looked upward, forced a laugh, and said, “I’m sorry, Becky; I was thinking about the girls and other things. What did you say?”
“I asked if you’re ready to leave. It’s after one and the band’s packing up. Most people are gone. We have the family picnic tomorrow, so we’d better get some sleep or we’ll have bags and dark circles under our eyes.”
“That suits me; I’m tired and sleepy and my ears are ringing, but I did have fun as you promised. Thanks for forcing me to come tonight. Last night,” she corrected with another laugh.
“We’re ready, honey,” Becky said to Scott.
“Let’s mount up and ride out,” he said in a comical western accent. “Adam and I will fetch the car; you ladies wait for us at the door.”
On their way out, Rachel glanced around the room as casually as possible, but she noticed that Quentin and Carrie weren’t in sight.
“He left while you were daydreaming,” Becky whispered.
Rachel looked at her friend with a quizzical expression. “Who?”
Becky almost giggled as she nudged Rachel and teased, “You know who I mean, your famous dance partner.”
> “Get real, Becky; I’m too old and dull for a man like that.”
“You are not. You should have flirted with him; he seemed interested. Too bad he doesn’t live here,” Jen said, and gave a dramatic sigh.
Rachel joked with her two best friends in a low voice before they neared others. “If he did, I’d probably embarrass all of us by chasing him down and attacking him, so it’s a good thing he isn’t a local.”
“Would you really?” Jen asked.
They stopped to speak to old friends, preventing any playful replies, and walked outside with them. Adam opened the car door and assisted them into the vehicle. About twenty minutes later, they pulled into Rachel’s driveway. Adam helped her out, walked her to the door, and waited while she turned off the burglar alarm and stepped inside the house.
“Good night, Adam, and thanks.” She waved to the others and closed the door. She rearmed the system, turned off the downstairs lights, and went to her bedroom. What a night, Rachel, one you weren’t expecting. Should you go to the picnic tomorrow and risk seeing him again?
As she undressed and donned a blue silk gown, she mumbled, “Quentin Rawls, why do you have such a powerful effect on me? If we were anywhere except Augusta, I might be sleeping with you tonight or soon; that’s how crazy you’ve made me. Get a grip, Rachel, don’t act foolish; you aren’t a teenager. If I’m not careful tomorrow I’ll wind up making a complete fool of myself. Lord, help me stay clearheaded.”
Four
Rachel was disappointed, but not surprised, that Quentin and Carrie did not make an appearance at the family picnic which was held the following afternoon at the Savannah Rapids Pavillion. She decided, in the event she and others encountered him somewhere while he was in town, it was best to tell Becky and Jen they had met years ago. Before Quentin was thrust into her life a second time, she hadn’t felt guilty about keeping that secret from them. After all, she had become best friends with the women just three years ago, long after the affair was over. But she didn’t want her friends to learn the truth some other way and think she hadn’t trusted them enough to confide in them. Even so, she was not ready to tell them she and Quentin had been lovers, not yet anyway.
“This is incredible, Rach; you two actually know each other. Don’t you just love it when Fate and Cupid are good to us?”
“Honestly, I didn’t think he’d remember me from being his tablemate on that two-week cruise. As I told you, I met him as James Rawlings; he must have been traveling incognito for privacy. Most of the guests weren’t Americans, so I doubt many of them—if any—recognized him, and we didn’t visit the usual tourist stops. I didn’t see him being pestered for autographs or pictures, but that cruise was before he became a big star. By the same token, since I used my birth certificate for identification to enter foreign ports, I went by my maiden name on the ship to avoid confusion. I didn’t recognize him, either; but how much do I know about football?” she said lightly to protect her own privacy. She loved and trusted her friends, but that episode seemed too personal to reveal, as if casual talk about the intimate affair would cheapen it, tarnish her golden memories. Perhaps she would confess the extent of their past relationship another day.
“You didn’t even give us a tiny hint that you knew him, you sneak.”
Rachel laughed. “And have Scott and Adam tease me like crazy and have you two start playing cupid during the reunion? No thanks. Besides, I was shocked to see him there.”
“Well, it’s obvious he remembered you; that’s a promising sign.”
Rachel eyed Becky in confusion. “Of what?”
“That you made a strong and special impression on him, silly. Come on, Rach, he meets thousands of women; but you stuck in his mind, stuck like Super Glue for twelve years, after only two weeks together.”
“There were a lot of people aboard and there were many excursions to keep everybody busy. He didn’t spend much time on the ship after we anchored at our stops.” Neither did I. “Sue and Bonnie, you knew them before they moved away from Augusta, they talked me into taking that trip for my thirty-fifth birthday and even got Martha to stay at the house to watch the girls for me. Bad weather delayed my friends’ flight out of Denver—they were coming from a convention there with their husbands—and they missed the ship’s sailing. I flew to San Juan alone and was supposed to meet them aboard. If I had been told they didn’t arrive and had gotten off the Carla Costa before we were out of port, Quentin and I wouldn’t have met. I assumed we were assigned to the same table because we were traveling alone. Most of the other singles had brought companions with them.”
“It was the hand of fate at work, Rach, back then and now, sheer destiny. How romantic! I bet he’s thrilled he ran into you again; that could be why he’s staying in town longer.”
Rachel’s heart fluttered in excitement for a moment. “No way. I’m too old for him and we live in different worlds. For goodness’ sake, he’s a big celebrity and I’m a small-town girl. My daughters are grown and one has children, when he’s probably just getting ready to settle down and start a family. I wouldn’t interest him. He was just being nice and having a good time last night.”
“Love is blind, Rach; it doesn’t see age, differences, or obstacles. Go after him, woman; he’s a fine catch. You could find out where he’s staying, phone him, and guide him around town. That would be showing real southern hospitality to a visitor. For heaven’s sake, Rach, he’s not a stranger, so it won’t appear forward of you.”
“If I dated a man nine years younger than I am, everyone in our social circle would laugh their heads off and gossip something fierce about me. Besides, if he was interested in me, he would be here today trying to pique my interest.”
“He couldn’t come without Carrie,” Jen said, “I’m sure last night was an ordeal for her, so why put herself through another one today? I feel bad about what happened to her in school; Carrie wasn’t a drinker and didn’t use drugs, so what she said about being tricked might have been true. We were young and foolish and cruel, Rachel, cowards not to give her the benefit of the doubt, to forgive her and stand up for her; after all, she was our friend. It’s just that we were afraid of being ostracized, too; and we didn’t want the boys to think we were sluts for hanging out with her, especially after she made more mistakes.”
Becky agreed with Jen. “That could have been one of us.”
“From what I saw, everybody was polite to her last night,” Rachel said, “perhaps because she was with a sports star and they didn’t want to look bad to him. It was smart of Carrie to bring him with her for support.”
“Surely you noticed those hateful looks Janet and Dianne sent her?”
“I’ve seen her throw those daggers in my direction plenty of times; more accurately, into my body with the intent of drawing blood. I hate for anybody to be her target. And frankly, I hate the way she makes me feel like a coward and unjustly embarrassed when she’s after me and I can’t fight back. Well, let’s forget about her or we’re going to spoil our outing.”
“What are you going to say if Mr. Rawls asks for a date? Do you think he and Carrie are a twosome? It didn’t appear as if they are.”
“Back to that subject, are we?” Rachel watched Becky grin and nod her head. “I don’t think they’re…a couple, and I don’t know my reply to a date offer; I’d have to think it through what I’d say. I wouldn’t want any friendly overtures from me to look like a green light to my bed.”
“He looks like a perfect. traffic stopper to me.”
“Behave yourself, Becky Cooper.”
“If he calls, let us know immediately,” Jen coaxed.
“I will, but I doubt he’ll phone or that I’ll see him again.”
“I bet he does, Rach.”
“So do I,” Jen concurred. “We saw how he looked at you last night; now we know why. His sexy smile could light up the darkest room, and his physique is splendid. Don’t you just swoon over tall, dark-haired men with incredible blue eyes and the face of Ad
onis?”
“You two are hopeless romantics, little cupids through and through.”
“Well, he seems perfect for you. The boys would take him into our group in a flash. We wouldn’t press you if we didn’t love you so much.”
“I know, Jen, and I appreciate your concern. Now, let’s go eat before the food is gone. The guys are signaling for us to join them.”
After church on Sunday morning, Rachel skipped lunch at the country club with her friends because it was storming and she wanted to get out of the bad weather. She changed into shorts and a T-shirt, then wrote letters to her daughters, adding a page with cartoonish drawings for each grandchild with Evelyn’s. Afterward, she relaxed for an hour with a mystery book she wanted to finish. Later, she planned to work on her manuscript, but it would have to be by hand since lightning was attacking the house again and the electricity had flickered off and on several times.
As soon as she laid the novel aside, her gaze touched on family albums nearby. Rachel retrieved them, piled them beside her on the sitting-room sofa, and began to peruse them. She halted for a few minutes when she came to pictures featuring her and Daniel’s college days. She had been compelled to quit in her sophomore year after becoming pregnant when a condom failed during a reckless rendezvous. She had not returned to classes because she became pregnant again at Daniel’s persuasion; perhaps he had needed to cement their relationship before they moved to Augusta and his parents attempted to free him from his “mistake.” She had been forced to put aside her dream of becoming a writer, as a career after marriage to someone in Daniel’s class was either frowned upon or impossible by the Gaineses. She had not worked at a job outside the home since the summer after her freshman year at college. By doing everything that was expected of Mrs. Daniel Gaines she had kept busy over the years, and most of the time with worthy charity causes. Even now, she did not have to work, as Daniel had left her financially secure with insurance, investments, savings, and real estate holdings.
Anything For Love Page 7
