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“How long have you been with the company?” Harve asked him. Lois and Leigh might as well have been mute for all the contributions they made to the conversation.
“Since I graduated from college, sir. Going on twelve years.” He paused for a moment. Leigh knew the blue eyes were boring into the top of her head. “That may be long enough. I’m giving it some thought.”
Leigh’s head came up with such a quick snap that it hurt her neck. “What?” she asked on a sharply indrawn breath. “What did you say?”
The hand that had been caressing her shoulder now smoothed down the glistening length of her hair. “I don’t want to make you any promises I can’t keep, Leigh, but you may not have long to worry about my career.”
Try as she might, she couldn’t get him to divulge more. He turned a deaf ear to all her pleas. Curiosity gnawing at her, she had to be content for the present with what small hint he had dropped. That he honored her aversion to his work and was weighing the problem in his mind was a relief. The loving way he looked at her made her think he was taking strides to eliminate the one remaining barrier between them and total happiness.
After that, they lapsed into desultory conversation. At one p
oint Harve nodded off and jumped when Lois barked his name. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he yawned. “Why don’t you two go out to a movie or something? Lois and I will stay with Sarah. A young couple about to get married doesn’t need to be sitting around with old folks. They need some time alone together. And I doubt Sarah’s given you much of that.” He winked at Chad.
“That’s a very generous offer, sir,” Chad said with austere politeness, but when he looked at Leigh, his eyes were dancing. “Leigh, how about it? Dare we leave them at Sarah’s mercy?”
A few minutes later they were on their way, after having made sure the Jacksons knew Sarah’s schedule, where there was food and drink to be found, and approximately when the couple would return.
“Thanks, again,” Chad called to Harve Jackson as he closed the door behind them. Starting the car, Chad was like a truant from school. “I can’t believe it. A few hours alone!”
“You know, of course, that my mother will pry into your every nook and cranny. I hope you have nothing to hide.”
“I’m the epitome of discretion.”
“You’ve behaved like a perfect gentleman all day.”
“Well, the perfect gentleman is about to become a beast,” he said with a pretended snarl and, braking at a stop light, leaned across the console to kiss her.
The light eventually turned green, but the driver behind them had to honk his horn three times before they became aware of it. Leigh tried to regain her breath from the smoldering kiss as Chad accelerated the car. “A movie sounds great. We’ve never been to a movie together,” he said. “But first things first.” He wheeled into a steak house with a grinning longhorn steer pointing toward the door in friendly fashion from the billboard outside. Leigh collapsed with laughter.
“I wondered how long you were going to hold out!”
“I’m starving,” he admitted and pushed out of the car.
She watched while he ate a chicken-fried steak with an inch of crunchy breading smothered in rich gravy. Two thick slices of Texas toast and a heaping platter of French fries completed the meal, though he promised himself dessert in the movie.
Arriving at the multiscreened theater in the mall, Leigh excused herself to go into the ladies’ room. When she returned to the lobby, she saw Chad cornered against the wall by two young women, a blonde and a brunette. The dark-haired one dug deeply into the box of popcorn he offered her, leaning into him as she did so in a way that made Leigh’s blood come to a quick boil.
Chad saw her over his companions’ heads and edged around them toward her. The jealous look she couldn’t mask made him smile. “Leigh, this is Helen and her friend… uh…”
“Donna, you unchivalrous creature,” the blonde said, swatting him in the chest.
Leigh stifled an impulse to rebuke the woman for her familiarity. “Hello,” she said coolly.
“Hi,” the two young women chimed in unison.
“There’s gonna be another Western dance and barbecue at the armory on New Year’s Eve, Chad. You comin’?” asked Helen between chomps on her bubble gum.
“I don’t know. I’ll have to consult Leigh. Since our wedding is the next day, we may have to forego the dance.”
“Weddin’?” Helen asked on a high note. “You’re gettin’ married?”
“I believe that’s what one usually does at a wedding,” Chad said gently. Leigh felt her irrational jealousy subside. Chad had only wanted an opportunity to break the news to Helen and Donna; he was as possessive of Leigh as she felt toward him.
“Oh, well, congratulations,” Helen said cheerfully, if insincerely. “See ya, Chad.”
She stamped off, leaving the stupefied Donna to follow.
“You’re gettin’ married?” Leigh mimicked as he escorted her toward the theater.
