Filed to story: Love on the Sidelines (Natalie & Karl)
He didn’t even blink. His gaze stayed locked on mine like the sights from a sniper’s gun. “I don’t have a wife. I’ve never been married.” If he thought that’s what I wanted to hear, he was dead wrong. “Oh? Well, I have to say, Karl, I didn’t think it was possible for you to drop any lower in my esteem, but you just managed it. Let me see. What was it you said?” I continued in a mocking voice. “I’ll never have a kid unless I’m married to its mother. A kid should have two parents who love it.”
His head lowered and he stared at the floor for a second. “Some things are out of our control, Natalie.”
“Don’t be stupid,” I snapped. “Or is it possible you’ve still never heard of condoms? You know what those are, Karl? Some people call them rubbers. One of their functions is to prevent pregnancy. Don’t you dare stand there and tell me it was out of your control.” I was so mad I was vibrating.
“I know what they are.” He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture that was so familiar I wanted to scream. “Natalie, don’t-“
For the second time that evening, someone knocked on the door, cutting off whatever Karl had been about to say. Had it only been yesterday I was bemoaning my loneliness? Right now I’d give a month’s wages if everyone would simply leave me the hell alone.
Braced for a battle, hair still on end, I grabbed the knob and pulled. Apparently I wasn’t the only one ready for a fight. I barely registered Hugh’s face before he started yelling at me.
“Have you lost your mind?” His hands fisted on his hips, and he glared at me like he’d never seen me before. Then again, maybe he hadn’t.
“There is that possibility,” I said. “I take it you heard about the events at the IGA?”
“Heard about it?” He was so agitated he hadn’t even noticed Karl. “Gretchen was so hysterical they had to sedate her to get her out of the store! Everybody in town now thinks I’m the scum of the earth. Goddamn it, Natalie, I agreed to your divorce and now you’re trying to ruin me. Do you know what this is going to do to my reputation?” This entire thing was turning into a slapstick comedy, and my lips twitched.
Now he was worried about his reputation?
Choking on laughter, I patted his chest. “Don’t worry about it, Hugh. If your reputation is ruined, you aren’t alone. About two-thirds of the men in town are right there with you. Besides, it’s not like your affairs were a big dark secret. Even your mother knew about them.”
“I didn’t have any affairs! How can you keep accusing me? I loved you; I wouldn’t do that to you.”
My laughter died. “Oh, get a life, Hugh. I knew the first time you did it, and I knew every time after that. How could you think I wouldn’t?” He glared at me, his eyes shooting green fire. “If you really thought I was seeing someone else, why the hell didn’t you ever say anything?” Well, he’d asked for it, and I was in just the right mood to give it to him. “Because your other women were doing me a favor,” I said, voice low and angry. “As long as you were with them, I didn’t have to put up with you. And since I’m being honest, I might as well tell you; for someone who’s had so much practice, you suck in bed, Hugh. Do the women of the world a big favor. Take lessons!” With that pronouncement, I slammed the door with all my strength, praying it would collide squarely with his nose. I stood there, panting like a racehorse who’d just finished the Arkansas Derby in record time, until someone cleared his throat behind me.
Oh, shit. I’d completely forgotten about Karl.
“Well, Peewee. Looks like you’ve gone from trying to catch wowzer cats to whipping your weight in them.”
For the third time in less than an hour, I yanked the door open, then pointed with one outstretched arm. “Out! Now!”
“Okay, okay. I’m going.” He sauntered to the door, then stopped to look down at me. “But I will see you later.”
“Not if I see you first,” I growled.
Thursday, normally a slow day for Southern Supply, turned out to be a bumper day for the business. What was even more unusual was that the increase was due to the women of Morganville. It felt like every female in town found an excuse to stop by, and they all wanted me to wait on them.
I lost count of the times I heard, “bless her heart” flying around, all aimed at Piggy.
A northerner walking in when this was going on would probably think there was something seriously wrong with Piggy and everyone was expressing sympathy. But we southerners know that you can insult someone as much as you want so long as you add that “bless her heart” to the end of your comment.
Everyone wanted to tell me exactly how they felt about Piggy and Gretchen, and thank me for doing what they’d wanted to do for years. A few women even urged me to run for mayor, which was about the silliest thing I’d ever heard. Not only did Southern Supply take up all my time, I hated politics.
Right before lunch, I called Jenna. “Hey, are you busy?”
“Nothing I can’t put off. What’s up?”
“I thought I’d buy you lunch. I need to get out of this madhouse for a while.”
“Sure. I’ll meet you at the Wagon Wheel in fifteen minutes. But be warned. I want the whole story straight from the horse’s mouth.” The Wagon Wheel wasn’t just the largest café in Morganville, it was the only decent place to eat. The food wasn’t fancy, but they did have a great salad bar and down-home cooking. I got there before Jenna and grabbed a booth near the back.
Ten minutes later, she came through the door, paused until she saw me, and then walked back to the booth. She was wearing a blue-green business suit that set off her eyes and hair, and every male gaze in the room followed her progress across the cafe.
Jenna didn’t seem to notice, though, and that was another puzzle I’d never solved. She was gorgeous. She could have any man she wanted. But she never dated.
In the past when I’d asked her about it, she’d only said she was too busy, or she didn’t need a man to make her complete, or she was happy the way she was with no one to tell her what to do. And yet I’d sensed she wasn’t being quite honest about her feelings.
I waited until she sat down, and then reached for her hand. “Have I told you how much I love and appreciate you?”
She blinked. “What brought this on?”
“You. You’re the only real friend I’ve got, Jenna. You don’t judge me or tell me how to run my life, but you’re always there for me, supporting everything I do. That’s very precious to me.”
Her grip tightened until I winced, and her gaze fell to the table. “I hope you always feel that way,” she whispered.
“I will. That’s a promise.”
She shook her head. “Don’t promise, Natalie. You’ll jinx us.” Brushing a hand over her damp eyes, she smiled. “And stop trying to make me forget about Gretchen and Piggy.