This morning I had to walk to the bakery. Momma left early so I chose to walk, the exercise was good for me, and being out of doors, instead of in the bakery, would help with having to sit inside staring at the walls all day.
Soon friends would start going off to college. Even if it wasn’t a college far away, it was still somewhere else. I wanted to do the same, that being the best of my options. But I wasn’t scholarship material and momma couldn’t afford tuition or board or even qualify for the basic loans. She also needed my help at the bakery and I just couldn’t leave her twisting.
A car slowed down beside me. I turned my head to see a black Mercedes, a sedan all slick and gleaming. The passenger’s window lowered automatically and there was Hale Christopher Jude III as present as the clouds in the sky.
“Good morning,” he said, with that smile that was almost too perfect.
“Morning,” I replied, smiling also. Apparently he hadn’t been bored enough to stay away too long. “You in town for a cupcake?” I asked him.
He gave me a small shrug. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea, but I was actually hoping to talk to you.”
Oh. “Okay,” I said, slowing to a stop as he did.
“Want to get in?” I was taught not to get into a car with strangers. But this wasn’t a stranger. Sure, I knew very little about him, but I did know enough I guess. Or at least I thought I did. Opening the door I climbed inside wondering if anyone was watching. The idea of my mother standing outside the bakery ready to scold me in front of Hale made me anxious. But this was definitely worth it. The smell that met me was his cologne and the luxurious smell of new car. I inhaled twice rather deeply.
“Did you enjoy the rest of the evening at the dance?”
I didn’t stay after he left, but I wasn’t sure I should tell him that. It made me sound pathetic. “The punch made everything enjoyable,” I joked and he chuckled in response: “yeah, I guess that would help. However, the little I was there, I enjoyed it completely sober.”
I felt my cheeks warm and blush. “It sure was a surprise you being there,” I said, expertly ducking my head so my cheeks weren’t on display.
“Really? I would have thought my interest was obvious. Do you think I actually come into town so often for cupcakes? Surely you’ve realized my visits are about you.”
This was my Cinderella moment. I wanted to take a photo, or better yet video this. Have it as a memory so when it was over I could remember it actually happened. I needed to respond appropriately. He was polished and refined and worldly. I didn’t need to remind him I wasn’t by saying stupid things. I liked him coming around and I’d deal with momma in time.
“Honestly, I thought you came through here on your way to work and liked the coffee and cupcakes.”
He laughed. I hoped that was a good laugh. One that meant he was really amused and not making me feel better about my true, but goofy response.
“That’s what I like about you. You’re so innocent and sweet. Women who are generally as beautiful as you are never either of those. At least not in my experience.”
I wasn’t beautiful like the women in his world. They had money to make them even more beautiful. But as he measured me next to them it made me smile, feel special and adore him.
“Can I take you to dinner? I enjoyed the dance immensely. But I’d like to spend some time with you, so we can talk and get to know each other, without the loud music and sets of eyes staring directly at us.”
Momma wasn’t going to like this. I would handle that. If I had to lie about where I was going I would do that in a second. This was a great opportunity. I didn’t want to miss this. Hale could be my future.
“I would love to,” I told him, trying not to smile too brightly, appearing psychotic and then scaring him away, leaving me, again, in Moulton.
“Tonight? Seven?”
I wasn’t sure how to pull this off. “Yes. Seven sounds good.” I would have all day to scheme, to figure out how to handle momma.
He pulled up to the bakery and parked the car. “I’ll pick you up here? Or at home?”
Good question. If I had to lie to momma, then him coming to my house was potentially disastrous. But if he picked me up here someone could see us and tell her within a minute.
Letting him sit to wait on my response wasn’t helping matters in the least. I needed to make a decision. “My house,” I blurted, reaching into my purse, bringing out a receipt and pen. I had to give him directions. He had a fancy GPS, but my home was on a dirt road and I was sure it wouldn’t assist him. “Here, I wrote my address on the side, but I seriously doubt a GPS can track poverty into a holler. Sorry, I meant a hollow.”
He nodded, chuckled and tucked it in his pocket. “I’ll see you at seven crazy.”
“Okay.” Before I opened the door and got out I knew momma would have to be faced, sooner, rather than later, if she saw me leaving this car. “And you’ll probably have to come inside and talk to momma,” I told him, apologetically hanging my head.
He grinned: “never doubted that. Knew that was coming from the start.”
Chapter Fourteen
I was fortunate enough that momma didn’t see me exiting Hale’s car. This gave me all morning to work and prepare my case for when I asked her about tonight. She wanted us to be married and have the lives we wanted. I just needed her to realize Hale could very well become that. Then again, he may just be another guy with interest, but he could also be more I thought. I needed the chance to find out.