Chirp(26)
“Yeah. Me too.” Total lie. Other than using her for sex, Rance had no interest.
He watched until her taillights disappeared, then picked up his cigarettes and shook one out. The kid was right. Too many bad habits, and smoking would be the first to go. He stuck it back inside the package.
“Is your friend gone?”
He turned to face the kid. She looked a mess. Spiky hair standing in every direction. Dark half-moons under her eyes. “Yeah. Hey, I’m going into Danvers today to pick up supplies. You need anything?”
“No, thanks.”
“Thought I’d buy a pair of khakis and new sport shirt for the banquet. You got something to wear?”
“You’re going with me?”
“Why not? Probably get a fancy meal out of it, right? Not that it will be better than your cooking, but I don’t want you to be the only one there without an escort. You have a dress?”
“I borrowed one from Hanna.”
The answer stopped him. Blaze was all angles and sharp edges while Hanna was rounded corners and curves. “Does it fit?”
“Yeah. She bought it before she got—I mean, it doesn’t fit her anymore. It’s blue.”
Rance went back to the pot and refilled his cup. “Is that your favorite color?”
“I don’t know. I guess I don’t have one.”
“Since you mostly wear black, I thought it was your favorite.”
“Not really.”
He thought he’d get more of a response as to why she chose the villainess shade, but that didn’t happen. “What did you wear to your prom?”
“I was homeschooled.”
That might explain her lack of social skills. Parents thought they were doing the right thing by isolating their kids from the evil of the world, but sooner or later they had to deal with it. “So, no high school dances for you?”
Rance took a minute to recall his senior prom. He’d gotten lucky with Jessica Wilson, head cheerleader and homecoming queen. He’d served as her date and halftime escort. Man. That had been a night to remember. No backseat sex for her. She’d taken him to her parents’ lake house. Turned out she had things she wanted to try, and he’d been more than happy to help. “What’d you say?”
She shoved a hand through her crazy hair. “No prom. No dances.”
There wasn’t sadness in her voice. No poor pitiful me, I didn’t have a prom. Just stated the facts as if her life was the same as everyone else’s. Clearly it wasn’t. He could fix that, and this new bit of information gave him an idea.
12
Rance
Before Rance shopped for clothes, he made a quick stop by the building supply. While waiting for his order to be pulled, his mind drifted to his brothers. As soon as the renovations were finished, he’d invite them for a visit. Nick’s coaching duties would be over, and Seth had a break before starting the new job with his future father-in-law.
At least Dad had two sons to be proud of, but what else was new? Even Rance’s full athletic scholarship to Rice University hadn’t won Dad’s approval. No matter how hard Rance tried, nothing had ever been enough. He’d once dreamed of being CEO of a major company, if for no other reason than to prove he could amount to something regardless of the old man’s opinion. But he had no control over how his father or anyone judged him. He’d taken that route. Bent over backward to make the best grades, worked to excel in football and set the right example. That’s why the part-time job offer from Dad’s buddy Jack had been such a surprise.
He’d taken the gesture as a sign things were getting better with his father. And they had for a while, but when the place burned down, Dad had been first in line to believe the worst. He’d known Jack for thirty years. No way would he lie. Yeah. Right. Like a quarter million in insurance money wasn’t enough motivation.
Why was he even thinking about this? He’d filed all that hurt and disappointment away long ago. Or thought he had. During all those endless days and nights in prison, he’d developed a keen twenty-twenty hindsight, and now realized he’d never gain his father’s favor. He’d swallowed that bitter reality and tried to find the good in it. No more pressure. He didn’t have to try anymore.
Sharp raps on the back of the truck shook him back to the present. “You’re good to go, Mr. Keller. Thank you for your business.”
Rance waved to the loader, then drove away. Next stop: Dapper Dan’s Duds. Stupid name, but the clothes in the window looked good. He didn’t remember the last time he’d bought anything but jeans and casual shirts, so he figured a professional’s help couldn’t hurt.
Turned out Dan was quite the salesman, and Rance bought more than he needed. As he loaded the shopping bags into the backseat, a young boy approached, carrying a box. A mop of brown hair fell in waves over his small head. An oversize superhero shirt topped his wrinkled plaid shorts. Green sneakers had holes in both toes. He appeared to be about five and should have been in school. Kid probably wanted a handout.
“Hey, mister. You want a puppy? I got one left.” He set the box down and removed the scraggly dog. “He’s house broke and everything.”
Mixed breed for sure, but resembled a wire-haired terrier, mostly brown, with a tuft of gray between its ears and circling its muzzle. Talk about puppy-dog eyes. Those big chocolate peepers stared up at Rance as if begging for a new home. “What’s the everything?”