Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (64 page)

For several minutes they listened to the hum of the motor and the flap, flap, flapping sound of tires running over expansion joints in the concrete highway before he continued. “The first thing I need to do is find a place to live. Anything available in Dot?” he asked with an attempted grin showing on his lips.

“I have a spare bedroom,” June replied.

“Yeah, right."

“I'm serious."

“How will you explain that to your boyfriend?"

“I broke up with Frank last night."

“Ouch. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

“I caught him in bed with a married woman. His sister tried to warn me. Frank just is not a one woman man."

“You had a rough night, last night."

“Not as rough as the day you are having today."

“It might work, June. I can rent one of those storage units for my collectibles."

“You can store them in the spare room."

“How many spare bedrooms do you have?"

“One."

“Where am I supposed to sleep, the sofa?"

She shook her head. “You'll be sleeping in my bed with me."

He glanced at her. She was not smiling. “There's nothing I would like better, June, but I'm not a one woman man either."

“I know,” she said. “At least you don't lie about it. You can get my business started and give me private lessons."

“Are your breasts as beautiful as I think they are?"

She started unfastening the buttons of her blouse. “I'll let you be the judge."

Buzz eyed the banners flapping in the morning breeze, went inside and snapped on the lights. He peered out the window to be sure the huge “Dot Food Mart” sign was lighted, announcing the first day of business. He glanced around the store, making certain everything was ready.

He went into the storage room, opened the safe and removed the moneybag and, returning to the sales area, placed the opening day's change in the register. He looked up on hearing the boing, boing sound of the pneumatic tube at one entrance as the Mercedes drove over it.

“I didn't expect you this morning,” he said when Deborah entered the building.

“I wouldn't miss the opening Saturday for anything,” she said glancing around. “I own half of it, you know."

“Rub it in, Teach."

“It looks nice, Buzz. You did a good job. Who's idea was it to give away fifty gallons of gas in a drawing?"

“Billy thought it might attract customers on the way to or from the Dollars’ playground."

“Good idea,” she said. “I missed you at the Korner Kafe last night."

“I ate at Dot's Diner. It won't be open much longer and I wanted her country style steak one more time."

“I understand all her cooks and waitresses are moving to the Korner Kafe. I imagine they will start serving Dot's specialties."

He nodded. “Everyone but June Dinkins. Did you know June and Frank broke up?"

“I don't believe it,” she replied.

He nodded. “That's what Dottie said last night."

“Why?"

“Dottie didn't know."

Boing. Boing.

“Our first customer,” Deborah said and she hurried towards the door, stuffing a handful of raffle tickets in her pocket.

The Food Mart was busy the entire day, but there was enough help to allow Buzz to spend time buttering up each customer. Apparently, Deborah was doing the same on the outside. He frequently watched her greet arriving vehicles, pump gas and clean windshields. He wished her jeans weren't so tight and that she wore a bra under her thin tee shirt.

She came inside and pulled a packaged sandwich from the cooler. Buzz joined her. He selected a ham and cheese from the cooler and, as he unwrapped it, said, “Will you do me a favor?"

“Maybe."

“Go home and change clothes."

“What?"

“Your jeans are too damned tight and you're sweating like a horse. It makes you look like the winner in a wet tee shirt contest."

“The winner?"

“You know what I mean. Just go home and put on something decent."

“I'm wearing exactly what you instructed me to wear."

“That was before."

“Before what?"

“Shit. You're spoiling the customers. They'll expect full service and a damn hootchie cootchie show every time they come in."

“No they won't. I'm telling each one that my service is today's special."

“You let one guy feel you up."

“No I didn't. He was squeezing my butt before I knew what was happening."

“He grabbed your damn tit and you didn't pull away very fast."

“Buzz Adams, are you jealous?"

“In your dreams, Teach.” He walked away.

She followed. “I'll go home and change if you will do me a favor."

“Depends."

“Go to church with me tomorrow."

“Buzz Adams in church? The whole town will have a massive heart attack."

She laughed. “Is it a deal?"

“I don't own a suit."

“Half the men in Dot come in sport clothes."

“Why do you want me to come?"

“In the town meeting that follows, I'm going to drastically change Tim Dollar's incorporation strategy. I'm nervous. I need a friend with me."

“A friend? Hell, Teach, I'm not your friend."

“Deal?"

“On two conditions. You go home and change clothes and you have dinner and go swimming with me tonight."

“That sounds like three conditions."

“Well, make it four. Wear the one piece swimsuit."

“That doesn't seem fair,” she grinned. “You want four favors in exchange for one. You must balance it out."

“How?"

“Take me in the back room and kiss me passionately. Then, tonight, after we relax at the pool, take me to your house and make love to me."

“You don't want much, do you Teach?"

She followed him to the storeroom.

Buzz dived into the water, swam towards Deborah, grabbed her at the waist and tossed her into the air. She came down, arms flailing and laughing like a child as her landing splashed water in his face.

“I swear,” he said, “that damned one piece suit is sexier than the thong bikini."

“Thank you, kind sir."

“Let's take a walk, Debbie—down to the picnic pavilion you told me about."

Her eyes froze.

He laughed. “There are no horny high school kids waiting in ambush. I ... I want to talk with you."

“You sound serious."

He nodded and swam to the side of the pool.

They put on sandals and Deborah slipped into a baggy shirt, leaving the buttons undone.

“I feel like a damn fool,” he said. “If you ever tell what I'm about to say I'll ... I'll..."

“Just get on with it Buzz."

“I've done a lot of thinking since you left my dick waving in the air Friday morning."

“You want me as bad as I want you."

He ignored the comment. “I'm not angry with you any more. Perhaps I never was. I was using you as an excuse."

“I don't understand."

“Since I was a little kid, all I ever wanted was to be a professional football player."

“I'm sorry it didn't work out, Buzz. I should not have interfered."

“You had nothing to do with it. I wasn't good enough."

“Buzz, you were a great quarterback."

He shook his head. “Not big enough, not fast enough and I can't throw moving to my left. I wouldn't have gotten a starting position on a college team, let alone the NFL. I never told anybody, but I was a walk-on at State. They cut me after two weeks. That's the real reason I left school."

“So you blamed me rather than face reality?"

“Yeah. You made a good scapegoat. I told myself that lie so many times I came to believe it."

“And now that you've faced reality?"

“I ... I like working at the Food Mart and I like you. I didn't like watching you display your charms to everybody who drove up this morning. Damn it, I
was
jealous."

She stopped and tugged his hands to her chest. “They're yours, any time you want them."

He pulled her close, kissed her hard on the lips and fondled her buttocks.

“You don't by any chance have a roll of quarters in your jock strap, do you?” she joked.

He took her hand and they continued walking toward the picnic pavilion.

“The whole damn thing is crazy,” he said. “I mean, a brilliant, beautiful mature woman lusting for my body and me working for her. Hell, soon you will not only be the school principal but also the town mayor. I'm the town bad boy. What kind of match is that?"

They stepped into the pavilion and she put her arms around his neck, grinding her pubis against his erection. “Maybe I'm the town bad girl."

He pushed her away gently. “I have an idea and with all my heart I hope you will agree."

“Let's hear it."

“I knew that North Carolina is a community property state and I thought I knew what that means. Just to be sure, I asked Susan Kimel about it when she dropped by the Food Mart this afternoon. Unless there is a prenuptial agreement, the assets of a man and women become joint assets when they get married. If you will marry me, I will be working for us—not just you—and there will be less gossip when people see us together."

“No,” she said simply.

“No?"

“I will not marry you, Buzz Adams."

He moved away and turned his back to her.

She caught up and pressed her breasts against his back as she wrapped her arms around his stomach. “I love you, Buzz, but you don't love me. You're looking for a way to save your manly pride and get a little pussy in the process."

He turned, pulled down the front of her swimsuit and squeezed her breasts in his massive hands. “It was just an idea,” he said as he pinched her nipples. “Let's go to my place and get it over with."

“What?"

“We have a deal. I won't go back on my word. I'll fuck you and go to church with you tomorrow."

“Buzz, don't be like that. I'll give you my interest in the damn Food Mart, I'll move in with you and literally be your sex slave. I don't care what people think. I am offering you every man's dream."

“Are you coming?” he asked as he started towards the parking lot.

She caught up and tried to hold his hand, but he wouldn't allow it.

“Buzz."

“You fucked up again, Teach. You see, I
do
love you. I care about what people think—not about me, but about you. I know it's crazy, but it's the damn truth. That's why humiliating you didn't make me happy. You want to be my sex slave? Well, you've got it, Teach, and Monday morning you'll sign over the damn Food Mart to me—just like you want. Before I take you to my house and service you tonight, we're going to stop by your house and pick up the cattle prod. You're going to be in such pain you'll whimper through your whole speech tomorrow."

“I hate seat belts,” Deborah said as Buzz drove her Mercedes towards the Dot Baptist Church.

“I hate going to church."

“I can't snuggle up to you wearing this thing."

“They save lives."

“Buzz, why didn't you, you know, use the prod on me last night?"

“By the time we arrived at my place, I wasn't in the mood. I wasn't angry anymore."

“You enjoyed the sex."

“It was okay."

“You enjoyed it again this morning."

“I was half asleep."

“Your dick wasn't."

He grinned. “You like that thing, don't you?"

She nodded. “Buzz, what is the most exciting thing you ever experienced?"

“That's easy, and it sure as hell wasn't screwing you. I tossed four touchdown passes in the game against Myers Park in my junior year."

“Mine was waking up this morning with your arm around me."

Deborah thought that Mack McGee's twenty-minute sermon was the longest she ever endured. Trying to force down a barbecue sandwich while smiling and shaking hands was no picnic either. It was obvious the men she greeted were disappointed that she showed no cleavage and her skirt came to mid-thigh.

She sat behind the podium on the makeshift stage in front of the large fireplace at one end of the pavilion. She thought Tim Dollar would never shut up. Her thighs ached as she continually forced her knees together. She knew Buzz, sitting in the front row, would prefer that she spread her legs as much as the skirt would allow, showing off her pink panty-covered crotch. She wondered if he would punish her when they got home.

Finally Tim introduced Leora Borders and the string of short, canned speeches began. The speakers regurgitated their messages exactly as written and Tim and Sandra smiled and bobbed their heads in agreement as each line was spoken.

Deborah looked at Buzz. He wasn't smiling. He placed his hands on his knees and exaggeratedly pushed them apart. She pretended she didn't notice. She felt her hands begin to tremble. She was the next speaker.

Tim walked to the stand and smiled at the assembled crowd. “You all know Dr. Andrews,” he began. “Her educational background and experience working with children will serve us well as she performs her duties as mayor of Dot during the initial months of incorporation. Dr. Andrews,” he said as he turned and smiled at her, “the proceedings have taken longer than expected and the children are getting restless. I know you won't mind if we skip your speech."

What the hell is he doing? she thought as he invited those assembled to take home with them the leftover barbecue. There was no time to think. She could only react.

She jumped to her feet and joined him at the podium. “Actually, Mr. Dollar,” she began, interrupting him, “I do mind. I've worked hard on my speech all week. What about it, folks? Can you endure two more minutes?"

Several male voices of assent drowned out scattered groans. Tim nodded and continued to smile as he backed to his seat. “It was worth a try,” he whispered to Sandra.

“I think you will all be interested in what I have to say,” Deborah began nervously. “In a small community like Dot, gossip is a favorite pastime. I enjoy it too. During the past few weeks, I have been the subject of many gossip sessions in our little town. Gossip is usually much more enjoyable than truth, but in my case, that may not be accurate. I want to tell you the truth about Debbie Andrews."