Chet grabbed his phone on the second ring, hoping it was Jane.
"Darling, I'm so sorry I interrupted you last evening."
"It's okay, Mom."
"Jane seems like a nice girl, to make you that cake and all. She's very pretty. Do you know her from school?"
"No. But she's hoping to start at City College soon."
"She's younger than you?"
"A little bit. She was at Central for three years. The one Ashley talked to."
"Oh. I promise I'll call you first ... before I barge in again. I shouldn't have assumed you'd be alone." She paused. "You sound tired, dear."
"I have a bunch of reading to finish before I go to work."
"All right. I'd love it if you'd come home. You haven't been in weeks. Why don't you come over later this week, so you can tell me about your school plans? And talk to your father."
As if I want to talk to him. "I'll let you know."
Chet lay back on the bed, thinking of Jane and how she'd felt in his arms, how she'd responded to his caresses. How much he wanted her and how obvious it was to him. She had to have recognized the signs. The more he thought of her, the more aroused he became.
"Damn!"
He went in to the bathroom and took a shower. As he was drying off, he spied one of her hair pins on the small shelf near the sink and he brought it up to his face. The faintest scent of her shampoo clung to it. He groaned when his groin filled. I have to see you again, Jane.
But then he thought of Monique and what led to the abortion, and decided not to invite Jane to his apartment again. Too tempting and she was so innocent. Maybe if he didn't see her so often, maybe if he used the excuse of school and his work at the law office to stop seeing her. Fool. What he wanted was to see her every day. Every night, too.
~ ~ ~
Three days later, Jane raced home.
"Bert! You home?" Jane burst into the little house, eager to share her news.
The old man came out of his bedroom, looking like he had just woken up.
"You okay?" she asked. "I thought you had to work today."
"Picked up the flu. Why are you all excited?"
"I talked to the people at City College. They said maybe I could test out of some courses ... that is, if I pass the exams. And, there's a night class I can take in September that only meets once a week, not when I have to work. If I test out, I can get some credits out of the way and maybe even finish my junior year by Christmas. Could I use some of that money you gave me?"
Bert hugged her. "Of course. What it's for—to get you into school."
She moved into the kitchen and reached for the teakettle. "I wanted you to be the first to know."
"Chet said I should talk to them. That I should try to test out. I didn't think I could." She reached for a muffin. "Mind if I call him, to thank him?" She glanced at Bert before taking another bite of muffin.
Bert ran a hand through his unruly hair. "You're old enough to decide stuff like that." He touched her hand. "One of the men at work told me to butt out, that you deserved to make up your own mind about... things."
She laughed. "You told someone about Chet?"
"Never mentioned a name—only that I didn't much like who you went out with. Amos told me all fathers feel that way when their daughters date. But it isn't any of my business, as long as he's nice to you."
YOU ARE READING
Family Bonds
General FictionAt Jane Collins' five-year high school reunion party in small town Evergreen, Washington, bad boy and law school wanna-be Chet Barton surprises Jane by rescuing her from a would-be rapist. Although she is intrigued by Chet, her guardian Bert doesn't...