Family Bonds

Chapter 6, Episode 2

"I can take a hint." Marty rose. "I'll get the extra thermos from the car. Give me the high sign when I can come back."

Jane nodded. Chet looked so delicious leaning over her, his hair shining, backlit by the sun. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You looked like a water sprite when you came out of the lake. Saw you when I was parking the car."

Her face warmed. "You could have said that in front of Marty." She pulled a towel around her shoulders.

"I wanted you to be the first to hear my news. Got a letter from City College—about a scholarship. I won't be working at the post office after next week."

"That's fabulous." She grinned at him. "What about the other job?"

"I'm keeping it even though I have to commute, but it won't be every night. Oliver said I could work an extra couple hours every day I'm there so I make the same money. Want to make sure I ace my classes. I'm going to take a heavy load, so I can get all my classes done between fall and spring quarters. If I miss a couple because of scheduling, I'll pick them up next summer. That way, I might still be able to get into law school a year from now, assuming I do well on the LSAT." His eyes were shone as he spoke of his hopes and dreams.

Will he want to see me after he's in law school? "I can tell it means a lot to you. Congratulations."

He grinned. "Will you celebrate with me? Tonight? Or do you have to work?"

"Tomorrow night would be better. I have the dinner shift tonight." She sat up straighter. "How do you want to celebrate—with a movie, and maybe dinner? How about if I treat you?"

"No. I want to make you dinner—at my apartment. So you can see I'm—that you can trust me."

She hesitated for a moment, thinking what Bert would say. But it's my life. "Okay, but let me make dessert."

He pulled her to her feet and handed her a piece of paper. "I'd like that. Here's my address. Be there by seven-thirty at the latest. Everything should be ready by then." He gave her a quick hug and lifted a hand in a little wave as he walked toward the parking lot.

She tucked the paper into her purse and was shaking out the towels when he returned.

"Something else you should know." Chet's eyes sparked at her.

"What?"

"You do that bikini proud."

She lowered her eyes as she felt a blush on her face and neck. Her stomach began somersaulting.

"Didn't mean to embarrass you." He looked around. "I'll tell Marty to come back." His dimples winked before he ambled away.

"What did lady killer Chet want?" Marty asked, the extra thermos in one hand and a squeeze bottle of sunblock in the other. "He is so easy to look at—all those muscles, and tanned to boot. Too bad he didn't take off his shirt, the better to let us admire him. From what I could tell, he is so fine ... so fine," she repeated. "Want some iced tea? It's getting hot out here."

Jane stopped applying the sunblock. "Here. You need more on your nose. And iced tea would be good."

"Jane, you're blushing! Tell me why he wanted to talk to you."

"I am not." She pressed her palms to her cheeks. "I'm just hot—from sitting in the sun. Let me have that bottle again, or just squeeze some on my hands, so I can rub it on. He wants me to come over to his apartment tomorrow—to celebrate his scholarship to City College."