Love at Large (20 page)

Fallon arched her eyebrow and replied, “Well, someone just started meddling, and it was my sixteenth birthday, but not during a game of spin the bottle.” She bit her lip and felt a little foolish talking to the radio.

“Soft and sweet, or hot and sexy, I don’t care. Just call me and tell me about it. In the meantime, let’s kick off this time-warp weekend with a favorite love song from that decade—Berlin’s ‘Take My Breath Away.’”

Fallon appreciated the irony of the afternoon’s topic. As she hummed along with Berlin, she thought of an email she’d received earlier that day from an old summer camp buddy, who was also the best friend of Marcus Carson, her first kiss. She felt the corners of her mouth tilt up at the thought of Marcus. Her heart fluttered, and she started to close her eyes to call his features to mind but stopped before she drove off the road.

As Fallon heard the other descriptions of first kisses, she thought about the moment Marcus’ lips had touched hers and could almost feel the sensation of that sweet pressure. She considered calling in and telling her story once she arrived home, but wasn’t sure she wanted to share such a private moment.

Cassie’s chatter became borderline annoying until Fallon heard her mention the next song. “I’m sure this song inspired many first kisses, ‘Tonight, I Celebrate My Love.’”

Fallon gasped and was swept back twenty years to the night of her sixteenth birthday. She paused long enough in her recollections to navigate safely into her driveway. As she turned the car off, she sighed again and whispered, “Oh yeah, I remember that night.”

She looked at her face in the rearview mirror, and as much as she hated to admit it, she wore a sappy smile. She knew then that she wouldn’t share the memory with Cassie’s audience; it was a private moment to be shared with friends.

She walked into the house and plunked her purse down on the desk by the door. Feeling far removed from the innocent she’d been at sixteen, she glided to her bedroom and stripped until she stood in front of the mirror in just her lingerie. Fallon stared at the reflection of her plump body covered in colorful scraps of lace.

She slid her hands down, caressing her soft curves as she watched herself in the mirror. The sensation of skin against skin reminded her of how rarely her ex-husband had touched her. She couldn’t help but wonder what married life with Marcus would have been like. She thought of how he’d caressed her cheek when they’d kissed –- a soft innocent brush that had sent her heart racing.

Fallon had one wish at that moment—for Marcus to see her so scantily dressed. Would he appreciate the sight of her voluptuous figure barely covered in sexy attire? Would he love the feel of the silky material rubbing against his hard masculine body?

She sighed. “I wish I could see you now, Marcus, to see how you’ve grown up. And you could see how I’ve grown out.” She chuckled as she made an extra large hourglass figure shape with her hands. “But that just means there’s oh so much more of me to love. And I look damn good in this lacy stuff!”

She winked at her reflection, stepped away from the mirror and lay back on her bed, giving herself time to unwind from the stress of the workweek. She closed her eyes as the memories flooded her mind.

T
OGETHER,
F
ALLON WITH
her riotous curls and plump curves and Marcus with his wire-framed glasses and wiry build, were the fat girl and skinny geek that every summer camp had in attendance each year. While many of the other campers ostracized or ridiculed them, there were some that took the time to get to know them. But in seeking out each other’s company, Fallon and Marcus formed a bond of friendship that went beyond the surface.

Marcus’ roommate, Erik Hartwell, one of the more popular boys at camp, took Marcus under his wing, and by the end of the summer, the two boys were best friends.

Until the night of the kiss, Fallon had imagined herself in puppy love with Erik. With the classic handsome features of a young Cary Grant, a lean, fit build, dark brown hair and eyes, he was the object of several girlish crushes and fantasies.

Each Saturday night, a dance was held, starting with awards to the week’s best participant in the different activities. The second Saturday of the eight-week session happened to fall on Fallon’s sixteenth birthday, and she wore the special outfit her mother had sent as a gift.

Dressed in a knee-length denim skirt and an eyelet lace button-up shirt with ribbons French-braided into her hair, Fallon smiled as her name was called for the award as best dancer of the week. In spite of the award and her mother’s gift, she felt a little blue because she wasn’t with her family to celebrate this special rite of passage.

Marcus rushed up to her as soon as the music started, asking for the first dance. “Congratulations, Fallon. You deserve that award. You’re the best partner I’ve had.” He nodded in the direction of the certificate she held in her hands. “Would you like me to put it in my pocket and keep it for you?”

She smiled. “Thank you, Marcus. That’s really sweet of you to offer.” She folded it and placed it in his hand, pausing at the tingle in her fingertips as they brushed his palm.

She stared at him. His lanky build along with slightly mussed hair and wire-frame glasses brought a smile to her face, and she thought he looked nice in his white button-up shirt, black jeans and matching jacket. His eyes were his most striking feature. Even through the lenses of his glasses, there was no missing those piercing, steely blue orbs.

“Marcus?” she asked.

“Yes?”

“You look nice tonight.” She reached up and touched his hair. “It looks like even your hair is trying to cooperate a little.”

Marcus blushed and murmured, “Thank you.”

His cheeks reddened even more as he pulled her into his embrace, and they began swaying slowly in time to “Baby, Come to Me” by James Ingram and Patti Austin. She smiled as she listened to Marcus hum under his breath.

The shivery feeling in her stomach puzzled her. Erik was supposed to be the one she liked, not Marcus. But that night she began to see her friend in a whole new light.

Later, Erik shocked her while they danced, when he began dropping hints that Marcus had a crush on her.

“You know,” Erik began, pulling away from her. “You’re all he talks about.”

“He talks about me?”

“Yeah, every night before we go to sleep he says Fallon did this or Fallon did that. Or he asks, ‘Did you see how beautiful she looked today?’ He’s driving me crazy, and I think you should put him out of his misery.”

He smiled his dazzling smile, but it lost most of its effect on her as the full impact of his words hit.

She peered at him. “What do you mean, ‘put him out of his misery’?”

He whispered in her ear, “You know, kiss him.” He chuckled then pulled back. “That might just make it worse, so I don’t know. All I know for certain is he has it bad for you. The slightest encouragement from you would make his summer unforgettable.”

She frowned. “Are you telling me he has a crush on me?”

“I think it’s more than a simple crush. He’s crazy about you. I can’t believe you can’t see how he feels.”

“I’m sorry, but I …” Her words trailed off as she scanned the room and saw Marcus watching her. The look in his eyes took her breath away – it was obvious he was infatuated with her.

“But you—what?” Erik asked.

She smiled at him. “Never mind.”

After the music ended, he walked her to the edge of the dance floor. “Just think about what I said.” He tilted his head in Marcus’ direction. “He really does have it bad for you.”

Fallon nodded then decided to go outside. The camp assembly hall sat near a lake, and she strolled down to the closest dock and lowered herself onto the rough wooden planks. She could hear the music in the background, but it was quiet enough to allow her time to think about Erik’s words.

She kicked her legs back and forth and stared at the moon’s reflection on the water. She was not used to being the object of a boy’s affection, and it sent a thrill through her to know that someone as nice as Marcus thought she was beautiful. Although her family always supported and encouraged her, she knew that society did not regard her as ideal in appearance. “But then, neither is he,” she whispered.

She smiled as she pictured him pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose or running a hand through his perpetually tousled hair. He might not be a movie star in looks, but he was a prince in actions. She recalled every time he’d opened a door or pulled out a chair for her. He was gallant and sweet.

She shivered as she thought of how deep his gaze seemed to penetrate any time he focused his full attention on her. The more she thought about it, the more she realized he did that often.

She looked down at her hands. “Why me, Marcus?”

She gasped when she heard the object of her thoughts reply, “Why you what?”

Fallon twisted around to find Marcus standing at the edge of the dock, studying her.

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you,” he said and walked toward her. “I saw you leave the dance and wanted to be sure you were okay.”

She stared, struck mute at the sight of him. How had she missed the muscles beginning to form on his arms and chest? Or the slight cleft in his chin and his prominent cheekbones? She shivered again as she returned his intense gaze.

“Are you cold?” he asked, dropping down beside her.

She nodded, knowing she couldn’t tell him the truth. She didn’t understand these strange new feelings, much less how to explain them to him.

“Here.” He slipped off his denim jacket and draped it about her shoulders, then entwined his fingers with hers. “Your hands are cold too.” He folded his hands around hers, lifted them to his face and blew on them, warming them.

Fallon felt a rush of heat low in her body and knew her cheeks must be a bright rosy red. Confused by the suffusion of sensations in her body, she almost shivered again as he continued blowing on her hands. He lifted his eyes, and she gasped at his forceful expression.

“So are you going to answer my question?” he asked, smiling.

She furrowed her brow. “What question?”

“I heard you say ‘why me, Marcus?’ and I replied ‘why you what?’”

“I-I—well, I was just wondering why Erik has this crazy notion that you have a crush on me.” The words came out in a rush, and she felt her cheeks grow even warmer.

“So, he let the cat out of the bag, did he?” He gazed at her. “It’s true, you know. I’ve been falling in love with you from the moment I saw you.”

She opened her eyes wide. “Falling in love with me?” She shook her head. “No, I don’t believe it’s love; a crush I can accept, but love? I think we’re too young to be in love.”

He shrugged. “Believe what you will, but I know how I feel.”

She pursed her lips and tilted her head. “And just what do you know about love?”

He stared at her for a moment. “Maybe not much, but I know that when you walk into the room my world seems brighter, more colorful. I know that every time I see you, it’s like my own personal ray of sunshine begins to beam down on me. I know that every smile of yours that I see makes me happy to be alive. I know that every time we talk, I feel more complete and whole.”

She quivered at the intensity of his words.

He shrugged again and pushed his glasses up his nose. “I don’t know what else to call it but love.” He looked straight into her eyes. “Do you have any ideas what else it could be?”

She swallowed and whispered, “No.” Focusing on her hands in her lap, she vaguely recalled pulling them from his when he’d mentioned the “L word.”

“Then I guess it must be love.” Warm breath grazed her ear, and she lifted her eyes to find his face inches from hers. She took a deep breath, expecting something from him but not sure what.

He pulled away and reached into the pocket of the jacket around her shoulders, his fingers brushing lightly along the edge of the neckline of her blouse. He froze, and she sucked in her breath. “Pardon me,” he murmured then pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “I know it’s not as nice as the real thing, but I wanted you to have this. For your birthday.”

“You remembered.” She smiled at him, noting the blush that crept over his cheeks. “Thank you.”

He swallowed and replied, “You’re welcome. I hope you like it.” He handed her the paper.

“It’s beautiful, Marcus.” Fallon was touched that he had taken the time to draw a rose for her. His attention to detail was remarkable, and she trailed a fingertip over the petals then clasped the drawing to her chest. “It’s really beautiful. I’ll treasure it always.”

He turned his head away, and they both stared out over the lake. She looked him, then reached over and touched his glasses. “Can you see without these?”

He glanced back at her. “Fairly well. The only reason I’m not wearing my contact lenses is my parents figured I’d lose them here at summer camp, and they’re too expensive to keep replacing.” His lips twitched. “I’ve lost about three pairs already since I first got some a year ago.”

Fallon laughed, then touched the frames again. “Could I see what you look like without your glasses?”

Marcus slipped the glasses from his face. “I like to hear you laugh. It’s such a nice sound.”