When You Dance With The Devil (Dafina Contemporary Romance) (35 page)

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Authors: Gwynne Forster

BOOK: When You Dance With The Devil (Dafina Contemporary Romance)
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“The fact that a woman chose to abort my child rather than marry me, even though I was only nineteen does not explain the life I’ve led. When Estelle rejected me, and that was before she married, I realized for the first time how it felt to be pushed aside. And until this morning, I didn’t realize the effect that a casual one-night stand could have on a woman.”
She rubbed her right hand across her brow as if clearing her head. “Do you remember any of them?”
“Of course. After it was over, one told me she had a husband, and I didn’t repeat the act, because I was disgusted. She became a pal . . . of sorts. These women—mostly chic professionals with no home life—were out for a thrill, looking for something different, and I suspect now that they played the field.”
She leaned forward and looked him in the eye. “You changed your life drastically, giving up a stunning career because you didn’t like what you had become or the people you dealt with, and that’s a credit to you. You know, when I walked out of this house with you this morning, I was certain that I wanted you to be my husband.” He sat forward, fighting the tentacles of fear that gripped him. “Maybe I still do,” she went on. “I don’t know, but I need to digest all this.” Her face creased into a frown. “I’m not sure I would have the guts to look at myself as you did and then walk away from what you left. I admire you for it.”
He wanted to say thanks, but he couldn’t get his breath. She hadn’t condemned him, and she hadn’t said it was over between them. That meant he had a chance. He took her hand, and she allowed him to hold it. “If I should lose you, I’m not sure I could bear it.”
“Did you need the variety?” Her voice had a distant, wary quality, and he realized that what concerned her most was his ability to be faithful to one woman. That hadn’t occurred to him, and suddenly he understood how she interpreted what he’d told her.
“Francine, I’ve been completely celibate since I walked out of my office in Geneva all those months ago. Celibacy hasn’t bothered me too much until now, and that’s because of what I feel for you and want to experience with you. As long as I felt that I was in love with another woman, I didn’t let myself get as close to you as my body wanted to. I have personal standards, and they have strengthened with the years. Are you listening to me?” She nodded, but he knew he wasn’t out of the woods.
He didn’t like the unshed tears that glistened in her eyes, but he could only reach out and caress her cheek. And she allowed him that privilege, too. Maybe he should content himself with whatever she could give, but he wasn’t used to taking tidbits. He nearly laughed at himself. He wasn’t used to being deeply in love, either.
“When is your father coming?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
“I’ll make sure I get home early.”
He had hardly settled in his room to write when his cell phone rang. “Richard, this is Jolene. Can you please spare me a couple of minutes?”
“Sure I can. What’s up?”
“I told you about Harper Masterson, the man who got in the accident after I—”
He interrupted her. “I remember all that. Is there a problem with him?”
“I don’t know, Richard. I think the problem’s with me. Is a woman supposed to let a man know she’s half-crazy about him? It’s like I’m in a new world. I never dreamed that being with somebody who cares a lot for me—he does, ’cause I can feel it—could make me ditsy. I can’t sleep, and I almost went nuts waiting for him to get here today to take me to a movie. Is this normal, Richard?”
“Does he love you?”
“He does, Richard. I know he does.”
“Then, I say, go for it. You’re falling in love. Let him know how you feel, but don’t forget to be your own woman. Never look up to a man. Admire him if he’s admirable, but as an equal. I think he’s a lucky fellow. When will we meet him?”
“Tomorrow. He’s coming to supper with me.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” She thanked him and hung up.
He heard the front door close and wondered who’d come in or gone out. More curious than he normally was about the activities of others, he put his writing pad aside and went downstairs to find Judd in the lounge talking with Philip Coles.
“Good afternoon, Reverend,” he said. “Did you come in a minute ago?”
“Why yes, I’m thinking about buying a place down here for my retirement years. I’ll be seventy in ten years, and it’ll take me at least that long to pay for a house. Fannie’s my only living relative, so I’d like to be near her.”
Judd rocked and sipped his ginger ale. “Would you care for some ginger ale, Reverend?” Fannie swished into the lounge before Philip could answer and stopped short.
“Philip! I didn’t know you’d come.” She rushed over and hugged her brother. “I’ll tell Marilyn to set a place for you at supper.”
Hmm. So Philip had a key to the house
. Richard got a container of raspberry ice cream from the machine, ate it there to be sociable and went back to his room.
Why did Philip have to give them a reason for coming to see Fannie so soon after his last visit? Oh, what the hell
, he thought.
Francine was more than enough to keep his mind active. What Philip did was his own business
.
 
On Sunday morning, Jolene went down to breakfast early and found Judd and Richard eating the elaborate breakfast that Marilyn always served on Sundays. She joined them. “Have you had a chance to speak with the Reverend Coles?” Judd asked her. “He said he’s planning to settle in Pike Hill when he retires.”
Jolene sucked air through her teeth, looked toward the ceiling and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, Judd, but the more I see of that man, the more he distresses my nerves. There’s something about him—I don’t know what—that brings out the worst in me.”
“So I noticed,” Judd said, “but he doesn’t seem like a bad fellow.”
She ignored that. “See y’all this evening,” she said and dashed up the stairs to dress for church.
Harper arrived promptly at a quarter of seven that evening and when she saw him, she was glad she’d chosen a pretty red dress with a flounced skirt. When she took his coat, she had to stifle a gasp. This was a good-looking man.
“Hmmm. You look so nice,” she said, referring to his oxford gray suit, white shirt, and gray and yellow striped tie.
“And you look beautiful,” he said, handing her a bunch of red roses. She thanked him, though she didn’t know where she got the breath to do it, took his hand and led him to the lounge. She knew that all eyes were trained on them, and she had never been so proud. She introduced him first to Judd and Richard.
“Where’s Francine?” she asked Richard. “Is she coming down?”
“I expect so.” His wink signaled his approval of Harper, and when she looked at Judd, he said. “Pull up a chair, Harper, and join our little circle. I’m glad to see you.”
“And I’m glad to be here,” Harper said. “Jolene talks about all of you with such fondness, that I couldn’t wait to meet you. This is—” Fannie entered the lounge, and he stared from Fannie, who also wore red, to Jolene and rubbed his chin. “Hmmm.”
“What is it?” Jolene asked him.
“Just a thought.”
She didn’t miss the quick exchange of glances between Judd and Richard. Francine walked in, devastatingly attractive in a royal blue velvet suit, and Jolene rushed to greet her. “Come on over. I want you to meet my boyfriend.”
Richard and Harper stood as they approached the table. “Francine, this is Harper Masterson.” They shook hands, and Richard got a chair for Francine and placed it beside his own.
“Well, Harper,” Judd said, “we’re Jolene’s only family. I’m the oldest person here, old enough, you might say, to be rude with impunity, so I can ask if you have good intentions where our Jolene is concerned?”
Harper stretched out his long legs, folded his arms, looked at Judd and winked. A grin played around his lips for a bit, and then he said, “Judd, somehow I knew you had a streak of deviltry. Good. It keeps a person from being boring. You can tell the world that I’m in love with Jolene and that I will always behave honorably with her.”
Judd rocked in the boardinghouse’s only Shaker rocker. “Don’t surprise me none; you got the bearing of a real man.”
Harper looked at Richard and grinned. “If I don’t pass muster with you, I’m out of luck.”
“I think you’re both lucky,” Richard said, but it seemed to Jolene that Harper’s mind had wandered, that he hadn’t heard what Richard said.
Fannie rested a hand on Jolene’s shoulder. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Masterson. We’ll eat as soon as I introduce our guest and Reverend Coles says the grace.”
Harper’s frown was that of one thoroughly perplexed, but he said, “Thank you. I appreciate your hospitality.” He took Jolene’s hand and followed Fannie into the dining room.
Chapter Thirteen
 
Judd stood and gazed up at Richard. “So I’m not stupid. Harper is downright suspicious, and I suspect he’ll mention it to Jolene before he leaves her tonight.”
“Yeah. My thoughts exactly. What do you think of him so far?”
“Looks solid to me. I think she’s done well for herself.”
He slid his arm around Francine’s waist and began walking to the adjoining room.
“So do I, believe me, she’s come a long way. I’m glad for her.”
“I am, too,” Francine said. “This man is thinking marriage. Maybe not next week, but that’s the way he’s headed.”
He watched as Jolene introduced Harper to each of the boarders, including Percy Lucas, who spoke cordially to Jolene’s friend. In the lounge after supper, when Jolene and Francine left to repair their lipstick, Harper leaned back in his chair and looked directly at Judd.
“Is either of you able to tell me why Mrs. Johnson and Jolene look like mother and daughter?”
Richard looked at Philip and got the reaction that he expected. “If you’ll excuse me,” Philip said, “I have to call a couple of parishioners. They aren’t well, and I want to have a few words with them.”
Richard’s lower lip dropped when Judd grabbed Philip’s arm, restraining him. “That can wait. I’ve been wondering the same thing ever since Jolene came here. You’ve known Jolene ever since she was born, but you don’t know who her father is. She doesn’t know, and her mother refused to tell her.”
Harper sat forward, his brow deeply furrowed and his body tense, like that of a hunter crowding his prey. “Is Fannie Johnson Jolene’s real mother?” When Philip seemed to relax at that question, Richard narrowed his eyes.
“I can tell you that Jolene’s mother is dead,” Philip assured them. “I knew her when she was carrying Jolene, and I performed the baptismal ceremony. Fannie has no children.”
Judd raised his head slowly, and Richard had never seen such an expression of disgust, almost hatred, on his friend’s face, for Judd was a man who preached goodness, grace, and kindness. “I know you don’t have any brothers, because you said yesterday afternoon that Fannie was your only relative. Why did you let Jolene’s mother treat her as if she wasn’t human, and why haven’t you told Jolene that you’re her father?”
At the loud gasp, they all looked up to see Jolene and Francine standing there. Philip remained mute, tacitly admitting Judd’s accusation, while the three men stared at him.
“Say something,” Jolene said, in a voice that was abnormally low, tight, and harsh. “Why don’t you say something?”
Harper jumped up, ran to her, and wrapped her in his arms. “It’s all right, sweetheart. Don’t cry, honey. You made it without him, and you don’t need him. Please don’t cry.” His hands stroked her back and her shoulders, as her tears became sobs.
Fannie ran over to the group. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong with Jolene?”
“Nothing, really, when you get right down to it,” Judd said. “She just found out that Philip here is her father.”
Richard lunged forward and caught Fannie just before she collapsed. “I knew there was something fishy about the Reverend’s sudden rash of visits,” Joe Tucker said to Louvenia, with whom he had observed the scene from a nearby table. “Jolene deserved better than that from him.” Richard wondered who else had heard it.
Louvenia shrugged and rolled her eyes. “At least she’s got his genes, and she can thank him for her good looks, ’cause that is one good-looking man.”
Joe stared at Louvenia. “Oh, hell, woman. You always get everything ass backwards.” He walked over to Richard. “I’ll help you take Fannie upstairs to her room.”
“Thanks,” Richard said and looked at Francine. “I think it would look better if you came with us.”
“Of course,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking. This whole scene is horrifying. What an awful experience for Jolene.”
“Yeah,” Joe said as they plodded up the stairs carrying Fannie. “But if Judd hadn’t challenged the Reverend, he never would have admitted it, and Jolene would never have known who her old man was. Tell you the truth; I think he ought to be horsewhipped.”
“What happened?” Fannie said when she regained consciousness as they put her on her bed.
Francine recounted as much of it as she knew. “He didn’t deny it, Fannie.”
“Well, of late, I’d been more and more suspicious about that. Before Jolene came here, I saw Philip maybe three times a year. At first I thought he wanted her for himself, but I didn’t see any evidence of it, and then it came to me one day that she looked just like me and just like my father. And then I thought that, if Philip was her father, he’d have told her, and I saw no evidence of that, either. So I decided it was a strange coincidence. She must be terribly upset.”
“She is,” Francine said, “and if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see what I can do to help her.” She left and took Richard and Joe with her.
At the bottom of the stairs, Richard looked at Joe. “I thought
I’d
screwed up my life, but the Reverend is a humdinger.”
“Yeah, man,” Joe said. “He obviously cares about her, which is why he’s here so often, but the brother’s a coward. A real dilly of a coward. He preached at her mother’s funeral and didn’t put his arms around his daughter and say, your mother’s gone, but you still have me, your father. That dude couldn’t preach to me.”
“Nor me.” He returned to the lounge and walked over to Judd, who sat alone watching television, the commotion having emptied the lounge. “Where’s Jolene?”
“Harper took her with him. He said they’d be back in about an hour, that he thought she’d be better if he got her away from the Reverend. He’s a good man. I like him.”
“So do I.” Richard sat down and leaned back. “He’s a tough man, too, and he’ll take good care of her.”
“Where’s Francine?”
“She went to the kitchen to ask Rodger for some coffee. Marilyn’s gone home.”
“How’re you two getting on? I can see you’re still together, but—”
“I have hope that we’ll make it. She has to wade through the minute details of what I told you, and that may take a while. I’m not patient, but I have no choice.”
Richard sucked in his breath as Francine glided toward them, her hips swaying gently as if to the rhythm of cool jazz. “You should hear those kitchen windows rattling. The wind must be at least forty miles an hour,” she said, put cups of coffee in front of them and looked at Richard. “Is your window closed?”
“Yes, it is, but the hurricane isn’t due here for another day or so. I’d better check my corner window, though.” He stood and, impulsively, leaned down and quickly kissed her mouth. He didn’t look at her, because he didn’t want to know her reaction, but as he walked away, he heard Judd say, “You two need more of that and less of whatever else it is that you’ve been doing to each other, ’cause it ain’t working.”
He checked the window, and found that it was closed, but more important, he saw in the distance what seemed like flashlights in the vicinity of the beach. If he told her, she’d go out there, exposing herself to that strong, cold wind, but if he didn’t tell her, wouldn’t he be guilty of disloyalty? He turned and ran back down the stairs.
“Francine, may I see you for a minute?” he called to her from the door of the lounge. As she stood within inches of him, her voluptuous lips so close and her teasing breasts within the reach of his fingers, he nearly faltered. “I saw what looked like flashlights on the beach. Call your boss, but please don’t go out there alone.” By the time he finished the sentence she was halfway up the stairs. He wanted to follow her, but what could he do? He couldn’t go with her, and he couldn’t force her to stay home. Five minutes later, she raced down the stairs wearing pants and a hooded storm coat.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going all the way there, and my boss will meet me.” She reached up, patted his left cheek and was out of the door before he could clear his head sufficiently to ask if he could go with her.
“I’d like to know what that was about,” Judd said when he went back to the table, “but nobody’s gonna tell me. Why didn’t you go with her?”
“I’d tell you, friend, but I can’t betray her confidence. I’ll say this much: She’s an admirable woman.”
“Oh, I know that” Judd said. “This has been some night. What kind of conversation do you think Fannie’s having with Philip right now? I’ll bet she’s hotter than an iron poker in a bed of red coals. I imagine you got your niece with you, one of your two blood relatives on the face of the earth, and you don’t even know it.”
“That’s rough. I’d been thinking about the effect this has on Jolene, but you’re right. Fannie must be undone.”
As they spoke, Harper and Jolene walked in and sat with them. Richard could see that Harper had managed to calm Jolene, and he hoped she’d be able to get over her animosity to Philip, and that she’d give him a chance to have his say.
“You had a shock,” Judd said to Jolene, “but you got Harper here to help you through it. If I were you, I’d let Philip say his piece. Then, if you want to, you can say yours.”
“She shouldn’t be disrespectful to him,” Harper said. “Anyway, she doesn’t need him. She’s got me for as long as we live, if that’s what she wants.” Jolene looked up at Harper, causing Richard to wonder if Francine would ever look at him that way again.
“I only want to know why he didn’t tell me,” Jolene said. “The last time he was here, I complained to him about my mama refusing to tell me who my father was.”
Harper slung his arm across Jolene’s shoulder. “That’s all right, sweetheart. Don’t stress yourself disliking him. The man will need you before you need him. I’d better go. That wind is picking up rapidly.”
“I’ll see you to the door,” Jolene said. “Good night Judd, Richard. See you at breakfast.”
Richard looked at his watch. Twenty-five minutes.
Lord, please don’t let her get out of her car unless her boss is there
. He went to the cooler for water that he didn’t drink, walked to the front door, and made himself go back and sit down.
“Take it easy,” Judd said. “She’ll be back.”
At midnight, Richard was still in the lounge, alone, when the door opened. He rushed to meet Francine, grabbed her and folded her into his arms. “Thank God you’re here and you’re safe. Did you get him?”
“No, but we caught one of his cohorts, a man who claims to know every move Ronald Barnes makes. I can’t thank you enough for telling me you saw those lights. I know what it cost you, because you knew what I’d do.”
Drained of both energy and emotion, he put an arm around her waist. “Come on. Let’s go upstairs.”
At her room door, Francine looked up at Richard for a long time, and he waited. Silently. Finally, she repeated what she said earlier, “You didn’t have to do that,” hugged him, squeezed him to her body and opened her door. “See you in the morning.”
He hadn’t expected that she would give in easily, but she hadn’t made him sweat, either. She was honest and sincere in her relationships, and if he got her, it would be more than he deserved
.
 
 
“I’m going to try to get back home—when had he begun to think of the boardinghouse as home?—before my dad comes,” Richard told Judd the next morning, leaving the breakfast table a few minutes after Francine went to work. I have to go down to the courthouse and fill out some forms for my mayoral candidacy.”
“You mean you’re not meeting your father?”
“Meet him? How can I? He doesn’t own a watch, doesn’t believe in schedules and hates regimentation. Said he’ll be here today, and he will.”
Judd seemed perplexed, and he didn’t blame the man. A lot of people thought his father odd.
“What if he gets lost?”
Richard zipped up his leather jacket, tied a scarf around his neck and let a grin slide over his lips. “My dad get lost? Judd, he could find his way to the Khyber Pass without a map. See you later.”
 
 
Jolene plodded down the stairs for breakfast, wishing she were somewhere else. She didn’t want to encounter Philip Coles. Why hadn’t she guessed, and why hadn’t her resemblance to Fannie rung a bell? “How’s it going this morning?” she asked Judd, who’d already begun to eat.
“Same as usual. How are
you
?”
“I called in sick this morning. First time I have done that. I didn’t feel like smiling and being cheerful all day, and since I’m off, I’ll do some Christmas shopping. Want me to get something for you?”
Judd stopped eating. “Hold on. You’re babbling, and that means you’re nervous. I’m the same Judd, and you got no need to hide your feelings and your problems from me.” He paused. “Good morning, Philip. Come over and join us. No point in sitting by yourself. We’re family.”
To her amazement, Philip Coles got up, came to their table and asked her, “Mind if I sit here, Jolene?”
Time was when she’d have told him what she thought of him, but Harper had begged her not to be rude to her father. “No. I don’t mind.”

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