“Maybe the management at Carruthers and Yale would have a little respect for someone’s hands wrapped around their collective throats. I’d like to try it. Maybe I could convince them to be a little more flexible. They had no right to do that to you.“
Specter growled, responding to the trace of genuine savagery in Colby’s words.
“Thanks for the sympathy, guys,“ Diana said with a smile.
“Why didn’t you explain just what had happened at Carruthers and Yale before?“ Colby held up one palm before she could answer. “Never mind. You’ve already told me why. My own fault. I didn’t ask.“
“It’s my problem. No reason you should be burdened with it.“
He eyed her closely. “You’re the most self-contained woman I’ve ever met, Diana.“
“I don’t think I’m any more self-contained than you are.“
He considered that. “We’ve got a few things in common, I guess.“ He resumed his pacing. “Damn, I wish I could spend the night with you.“
“Going back to your place to play chaperon?“
“Don’t laugh at me. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.“ Colby braced one hand against the wall and gulped the rest of the brandy. He stared out into the darkness. “Think he’s sleeping with her?“
Diana was taken aback. “How would I know? You’re his father and you’re a man. What do you think?“
“I can’t tell for sure. Maybe I don’t want to know for certain. Hell, Diana, if he gets her pregnant, if he’s as stupid about that kind of thing as I was at nineteen…“
“I assume that along with teaching Brandon how to cook and how to use good manners, you also taught him the facts of life and how to protect himself and a woman?“
“Are you kidding? I wasn’t going to have him grow up believing the usual garbled batch of rumors, misconceptions and mythical nonsense a boy picks up from his buddies. I drilled the facts into him from the time he was old enough to understand that little girls were different.“
“What kind of sleeping arrangements did they request?“ Diana asked. “One bedroom or two?“
“I didn’t give them a chance to make a request. I put them into separate bedrooms as soon as we got back to Aunt Jesse’s.“
Diana couldn’t restrain a burst of delighted laughter. “Poor Colby. I’m sorry,“ she managed when he scowled at her. “I guess it’s not really very funny from your point of view.“
Colby came away from the wall in a smooth, lithe movement, set down his glass and reached out to draw her quickly to her feet. “You’re right. It’s not funny. Brandon is a kid of nineteen. He hasn’t got a glimmer of what he’s getting into.“ Colby paused thoughtfully. “Maybe I should try to talk him into living with her for a while before they make a decision on marriage. I have a hunch the charm of the idea would fade quickly once they started playing house.“
“Easy for you to suggest. You’re the father of the young man involved. The parents of the young woman involved may not like the idea of their daughter living with a man at all.“
“Damn.“
Diana smiled up into his thoroughly frustrated eyes. “I suppose you should be getting back to your place. The duties of a chaperon are quite demanding, I understand.“
Colby swore again. Then he kissed her heavily. “Later,“ he promised in a husky voice as he reluctantly released her. “We’ll finish this later.“
Specter grinned a wide doggy grin as Colby stalked out the front door.
“So, what’s she like?“ Eddy Spooner asked after the second beer. “She any good in bed?“
“Get stuffed, Spooner. I didn’t come here to talk about Diana. She’s none of your business.“ Colby leaned back against the front porch steps and took a swallow of beer. He was already regretting his decision to drive out here this afternoon. The bonds of past friendship were looking weaker and less meaningful by the minute.
“Okay, okay, I was just askin’.“ Spooner concentrated on his beer for a while. “Maybe I’m just feeling a little envious, you know? Been a long time since I had me a woman. That Miss Prentice of yours is about the first really interesting female we’ve had in town in ten years. She looks classy but kind of chilly. Can’t blame a guy for wonderin’
what she’s really like.“
Colby didn’t respond to that. Diana was anything but cold when she lay in his arms, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to share that information with Eddy Spooner or anyone else. Colby considered everything about Diana his own personal turf. He was beginning to realize he didn’t want any other man even coming close to her.
He rolled the cold beer can between his palms and stared out at the swaying fir trees that surrounded the old, ramshackle house. The Spooner place looked almost the same as it had twenty years ago, he reflected.
A general air of neglect still enveloped every inch of it. The front porch still sagged, and one window was boarded up. There wasn’t a scrap of paint left on the wood. Eddy’s father had always been too drunk most of the time to tend to home repairs.
Both front and back yards were still filled with weeds and the skeletal remains of old automobiles. Eddy’s old Camaro was parked in front. The paint job on the car matched the design on Eddy’s fatigues, but Colby knew the engine would be in perfect condition. Eddy’s one great passion in life had been cars, Colby remembered.
“You ever marry, Eddy?“
Eddy closed his eyes and rested his head against a post. “Yeah. Girl I met right after I got out of the army. Her name was Angie. Lasted about a year. Then the bitch ran off with some dude from Seattle.“
Colby nodded in silent commiseration. “Never tried it again, huh?“
“There was another one. A sexy little redhead. I thought she’d be okay. Had the wedding all set and everything. I was gonna move down to Portland and find a good job, you know. But just before the big day, I found out she was still sleepin’ with an old boyfriend of hers. Figured there was no point tryin’ again after that. Bitches are all the same.“
“You like working at the gas station in town?“
Spooner shrugged. “It’s a job. Nothin’ else has ever worked out for me, not the way things worked out for you.
Came close a time or two, but things fell apart.“
“Close to what?“ Colby glanced at him curiously.