“Yes.”Billie waited patiently.“Should I go get the dictionary?”
Jane chuckled.
“Absolutely not,” Adam said.“I won’t be defeated by a word.It means—”
“It means that your mother and Adam think I was about to say something you’re too young to hear.”Charlene rose to her feet.“And they were wrong.But my feelings are already hurt, so I’m leaving.”She held out her hand.“You can come with me, Billie, and help with the dishes.”
“Aw, do I have to?”
“Yes.Because I found out that someone here broke one of my prize roses.And I have a feeling it was you.Not—” She glared at Jane, then at Adam.“I repeat,notthat anyone had the good manners to tell me.I had to find out on my own.The poor thing is crushed beyond repair.”
Jane stared intently at her plate and struggled not to laugh.“Charlene, I know how much you care about your roses.I meant to say something earlier.It slipped my mind.”
Billie hung her head.“I’m sorry.I’m always breaking stuff.”
Charlene squeezed her hand.“I forgive you.Children are supposed to break things.”
“I’ll be happy to reimburse you,” Jane offered.
“No, thank you.But this is a good time to remind you that charm school would take care of many of her problems.”
Billie rolled her eyes.“I don’t want to go to charm school.It’s dumb, girl stuff.”
Adam leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.“Explain that to me, Charlene.You are the least conventional woman I know, yet since you’ve met Billie, you’ve been trying to turn her into the Southern ideal of a lady.”
Charlene shook her head.Tendrils from the upswept style bounced off her cheeks and her long silver earrings jingled.“Power, Adam.It’s all about power.”She gave Billie the plates and urged her toward the door.“First you have to learn the rules, then you can break them.That’s always been our strength.What was that movie?Steel Magnolias.Look at Jane here.Nine years ago she was a child with no direction, confused.Afraid.Now she’s grown into a beautiful woman capable of taking care of herself.We’re strong.We just don’t want everyone to know right off.”
Billie balanced the plates in her arms.“I don’t understand.”
“You will,” Charlene said, patting her head.“Learn to be a lady and control the world.”
“I’d rather learn a curve ball.”Billie thrust out her lower lip.“Do I have to help with the dishes?”
Charlene nodded.“Think of it as repaying me for that rose you killed.”She followed Billie inside, then turned back.“You two just sit here and talk.We’ll take care of everything else.”
“What do you think of Charlene’s theory?”Adam asked.
“I think she’s right about the rules.I tell my students that in my English classes.You have to know how to construct a sentence before you can start switching things around.As for the power—” She shrugged, then laughed.“I’ve never felt especially powerful.Maybe that’s saved for the true Southern belles.”
He leaned forward and rested his forearms on the round glass-covered table.They sat across from each other.If she leaned forward and restedherforearms on the table, their hands would touch.The thought tempted her.Tonight, while Adam was warm and friendly, she found herself needing to play a dangerous game.She wanted to push a little, perhaps find out if he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to be kissed.His compassion made him approachable.The night made her bold.That and the knowledge that his friendliness would be gone as soon as he found out the truth.
“Why don’t you see yourself as a Southern belle?”he asked.“You grew up here.And if I remember correctly, you went to charm school.”
“And dance classes.Yes, everything appropriate.”
He grinned at her word choice.Those dark eyes flashed amusement and something else that might have been caring.Lies, she thought.This fragile peace was built on lies.Just tonight, she swore, sending a promise out into the cosmos.Just this one evening when the cold stranger had disappeared and in his place sat the handsome lover she had always adored.
“And?”he prompted.
She placed her hands on the table and held on to the curved edge.Rubbing her thumb against the wicker, she stared at the glass surface.And what?“You have to be pretty to be a Southern belle,” she blurted out, then died a little inside.
She didn’t dare look up.
“You were always pretty,” he said quietly, from the other side of the table.“Sweet and soft-spoken.”
“Adam, don’t.There’s no need to make up things just to make me feel better.I lived my life.I know how much I did, or rather didn’t, date in high school.Until you asked me out—” She shrugged again.“Let’s just say I wasn’t Miss Popularity.”
“Boys can be stupid, going after the obvious and common, instead of what’s rare and precious.”
