convince me, but there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Just remember to be a good girl.” Cassie kissed her cheek.
“Pa helped me get ready.” Maddy smiled bigger.
“He did?” Cassie’s eyebrows moved again.
“Turned on the curlers like he does for you and helped me zip my dress. Even washed his hands to not leave a stain.”
Cassie laughed. “I’ll have to fix him a good supper.”
“Why did he help?”
“‘Cause you gave him a purpose.” Cassie looked more serious.
“What do you mean, Mama?” Maddy half-laughed as if it didn’t mean much.
“When no one would hire him ‘cause of h is leg , Pa lost his purpose in life. He felt useless. When he saw Galen chase off after you that night, he found a new purpose in life. He realized I wasn’t going to be able to keep the boys away from you like a father was supposed to.”
“Poor Galen.”
“Ha.” Cassie pointed a finger at her.
“Don’t tell Pa. I don’t need either of you protecting me from him.”
“He’ll figure it out.”
“Hopefully not before he figures out what Galen is like.”
“Oh now baby, that’s what you have to do. Boys grow up and they’re not the same.”
“I’ve got that down, but then again I’m not the same either.”
“Only time will tell. Speaking of time, you’d better get back in there before Galen thinks I dragged you home.”
“We will talk more about this tomorrow.” Maddy kissed her cheek.
Snow started falling before Maddy and Galen walked out the door at the end of the dance. Ice cream might not be the smartest thing on a cold December night , but everyone at some point would go to The P arlor. It seemed the less time they had alone , the less people would talk. There would be enough talk about the Langley boy taking out the cleaning lady’s daughter.
They ran the block to the malt shop knowing that parking by the building wouldn’t work. They were right: every spot was full , but at least the place was warm. They slipped into a booth across from each other, shaking off the snow that had attached to them.
“Al l right, it’s too damn cold for ice cream. What would you like?”
“You better not let your mama hear you talk like that.” She wiggled a finger at him. “I want something warm.”
“I’m warm.” His eyebrow rose .
“Galen!” She half whispered the admonishment.
“Sorry.” He stared at the table, but she could see him fighting the laugh. “I know what would be good.”
He slid out of the booth and spoke across the counter to one of the busy waitresses. Someone slipped into the booth across from her and she started to object.
“Hey Maddy.” Harland said as he settled into the seat. “No other open seats. I hope you don’t mind.”
Across from her, Rita rolled her eyes and looked around the room.
“Hey Harland.” Galen slipped in next to her. “They’re a little busy, if you want something you might want to tell them like I did.”
“No hurry, they’ll get around to me.” Harland smiled across like he knew a secret.
Her heart flipped as Galen’s hand ran down her leg, settling on her knee. He patted twice and she wondered what shade of red she was.
It took a moment for what Harland said to make it to her ears. “How did you like your first dance, Maddy?”
“It was fun.”
“You look very nice , too.” He added.
Rita huffed and it was Harland’s turn to roll his eyes. Maddy had to bite her lip to stifle the laugh. It was good to know that even he tired of Rita. Of course, they had been dating longer than anyone expected.
“I’m hungry, Harland.” Rita whined.
“I’m sure they will be by in a minute. Someone does have to deliver what they ordered.”
His voice was like honey when he spoke to her. Maddy was thankful Galen didn’t use that tone with her. She’d probably walk away if he tried.
“Did Cassie get to see you all dressed up?” Harland continued to talk to her.
“She came by the dance.” Maddy nodded.
As long as Rita
“Pa helped me get ready.” Maddy smiled bigger.
“He did?” Cassie’s eyebrows moved again.
“Turned on the curlers like he does for you and helped me zip my dress. Even washed his hands to not leave a stain.”
Cassie laughed. “I’ll have to fix him a good supper.”
“Why did he help?”
“‘Cause you gave him a purpose.” Cassie looked more serious.
“What do you mean, Mama?” Maddy half-laughed as if it didn’t mean much.
“When no one would hire him ‘cause of h is leg , Pa lost his purpose in life. He felt useless. When he saw Galen chase off after you that night, he found a new purpose in life. He realized I wasn’t going to be able to keep the boys away from you like a father was supposed to.”
“Poor Galen.”
“Ha.” Cassie pointed a finger at her.
“Don’t tell Pa. I don’t need either of you protecting me from him.”
“He’ll figure it out.”
“Hopefully not before he figures out what Galen is like.”
“Oh now baby, that’s what you have to do. Boys grow up and they’re not the same.”
“I’ve got that down, but then again I’m not the same either.”
“Only time will tell. Speaking of time, you’d better get back in there before Galen thinks I dragged you home.”
“We will talk more about this tomorrow.” Maddy kissed her cheek.
Snow started falling before Maddy and Galen walked out the door at the end of the dance. Ice cream might not be the smartest thing on a cold December night , but everyone at some point would go to The P arlor. It seemed the less time they had alone , the less people would talk. There would be enough talk about the Langley boy taking out the cleaning lady’s daughter.
They ran the block to the malt shop knowing that parking by the building wouldn’t work. They were right: every spot was full , but at least the place was warm. They slipped into a booth across from each other, shaking off the snow that had attached to them.
“Al l right, it’s too damn cold for ice cream. What would you like?”
“You better not let your mama hear you talk like that.” She wiggled a finger at him. “I want something warm.”
“I’m warm.” His eyebrow rose .
“Galen!” She half whispered the admonishment.
“Sorry.” He stared at the table, but she could see him fighting the laugh. “I know what would be good.”
He slid out of the booth and spoke across the counter to one of the busy waitresses. Someone slipped into the booth across from her and she started to object.
“Hey Maddy.” Harland said as he settled into the seat. “No other open seats. I hope you don’t mind.”
Across from her, Rita rolled her eyes and looked around the room.
“Hey Harland.” Galen slipped in next to her. “They’re a little busy, if you want something you might want to tell them like I did.”
“No hurry, they’ll get around to me.” Harland smiled across like he knew a secret.
Her heart flipped as Galen’s hand ran down her leg, settling on her knee. He patted twice and she wondered what shade of red she was.
It took a moment for what Harland said to make it to her ears. “How did you like your first dance, Maddy?”
“It was fun.”
“You look very nice , too.” He added.
Rita huffed and it was Harland’s turn to roll his eyes. Maddy had to bite her lip to stifle the laugh. It was good to know that even he tired of Rita. Of course, they had been dating longer than anyone expected.
“I’m hungry, Harland.” Rita whined.
“I’m sure they will be by in a minute. Someone does have to deliver what they ordered.”
His voice was like honey when he spoke to her. Maddy was thankful Galen didn’t use that tone with her. She’d probably walk away if he tried.
“Did Cassie get to see you all dressed up?” Harland continued to talk to her.
“She came by the dance.” Maddy nodded.
As long as Rita
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