The Ride of Her Life (30 page)

Still chuckling under her breath, Lilly walked back into the kitchen.

“What’s so humorous?” Mr. Thorton glanced up from his desk as she entered.

Lilly startled. “When did you arrive?”

“A couple of minutes ago. I saw you made it to the roller coaster’s inaugural run.”

Lilly’s stomach soured. “I hope you didn’t mind. There was no one in the restaurant, and Eugenia was still here.”

Mr. Thorton leaned back in his squeaky chair and tucked his arms behind his head. “No, that was fine. I saw that Nick Perrin let Levi pull the switch to start the whole affair. I bet your boy loved that.”

“He certainly did. It’s all he can talk about.” Lilly paused and blinked. Why was Mr. Thorton watching her? Could he be the one relaying information to Claude Hart? Someone had told her former father-in-law about Nick, and Mr. Thorton had already made it clear that he’d spoken with the Harts.

“By the way, where’s little Levi at now?”

“He’s outside playing.” Her nerves tingled, and she glanced toward the back door. She could see Levi playing with a toad. Surely Mr. Thorton had seen him when he arrived as well. “I’d better get back to the dining room and see to our customers.”

Mr. Thorton nodded. “Yes, of course, but don’t forget to check on your son from time to time. You never know when a boy is going to get a hankering for an adventure.”

A cold hand of fear drew a line up Lilly’s spine. She only wished she knew why.

29

With her hand tucked in the crook of Nick’s elbow, Lilly mounted the steps to enter Lake Manawa’s vaudeville theater with Levi in tow. Boisterous conversation echoed from within, and she smiled. A little laughter was exactly what she needed tonight. She’d considered sharing her fears with Nick concerning Mr. Thorton, but now was not the time.

After Nick secured tickets, they entered the theater. Nick led them toward the front, and they slipped into an empty place on the pew-like seating. Within minutes the auditorium filled, and Lilly was glad she hadn’t taken the time to change into yet another dress. She’d already tried on two, but she still feared the one she was wearing might be a bit too fussy with its black, lace-edged flounces on the silk skirt.

She smoothed the lapel of the matching tailored jacket and glanced at Nick, who was speaking to Levi beside him. Levi’s eyes lit up when Nick told him an animal act would perform.

Her gaze swept the rest of the crowd. Other women wore equally fancy dresses, although most were more fashionable. While beautiful, her frocks lacked the latest details that would make them in vogue. She doubted Nick would notice, but it was yet another thing that had changed since Ben’s death.

She shouldn’t complain. Many women had only a few dresses from which to choose. Thanks to Ben, she’d been blessed with three trunks full, and this dress had been one of Ben’s favorites.

“You look beautiful.” Nick touched her arm. “That color brings out the golden flecks in your eyes. What do you call it? It’s not quite green and not quite true gold.”

“The color? I call it ocher, but who knows what someone else might say.” She smiled.

Nick looked rather handsome himself in his double-breasted suit and knotted tie. But it was the stylish homburg hat with its dent in the center that she liked the most. It was so different from the bowlers most of the men wore, but it must have cost him a week’s salary.

She blinked when she realized she’d been staring. “How’s Levi doing?”

“Chomping at the bit to see the animals.” Nick placed his hand on the boy’s bouncing knee. The heavy curtains opened, and lively organ music filled the air. He leaned close and pressed his lips to Lilly’s ear. “Ready for a show filled with endless surprises?”

His hot breath on her skin sent chills coursing through her. She was ready as long as the surprises were onstage and not coming from the man next to her. How did he convey so much in a few words?

He winked at her.

She pulled out her fan and waved it in front of her flushed cheeks. What a night this was turning out to be!

The show opened with a barrel-chested man singing a lively patriotic song. He was followed by two Irishmen, the Brady brothers, billed as novelty bag punchers. The men demonstrated pugilistic techniques on a fast punching ball and ended their act with a mock boxing match. Nick applauded their display with great enthusiasm.

When a woman known as “only Lizette” took the stage with her collection of trained poodles and cockatoos, Levi sat on the edge of his seat. The poodles leapt over one another as if they were children, balancing balls on their noses, jumping through hoops, and even climbing a ladder. The crowd had to hush to hear Lizette’s cockatoo, Cookie, speak. Levi giggled when the white bird bobbed its feathered head and said, “Hi, dolly.” Lizette persuaded Cookie to kiss her cheek and say, “Love you.”

Nick leaned over and brushed a kiss on Lilly’s cheek. “I like the way Cookie thinks.”

Lilly’s cheeks grew warmer under the implied message.

While another performer sang a teary ballad, the curtains closed for the stage hands to set the scenery for the next skit. When the curtains parted, a park scene was revealed. A woman entered wearing a dark veil. She sat down on the bench and closed her parasol.

Seconds later, a mustached actor approached her and spent several minutes trying to persuade the woman to remove her veil, wanting to see her beauty. No matter what he did, she neither spoke nor took off the veil. He even performed acrobatics to impress her and sang a love song in a rich tenor voice. He made one final attempt by telling her a sad tale about how his brother had always gotten the girl. Still, she refused to lift the veil. Finally, he departed, despondent over her lack of response.

Another actor then entered the stage. He sat down by the woman, draped his arm around her shoulders, and asked how her day had gone.

She giggled. “Well, you just missed your brother.”

The man laughed, lifted her veil, and kissed the woman soundly.

Nick sat bolt upright. Every muscle in his body seemed to tense. He stared at the actress until she left the stage.

Lilly touched his arm. “What’s wrong?”

“That was Ruby.”

The strains of the young Greek violinist’s aching solo only heightened the tension in Nick’s chest. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

Ruby was here.

Now.

At Lake Manawa.

He drew in a long breath and released it through his nose. He glanced at Lilly. Her face was pale, her hands clutched in her lap. He should whisper something reassuring in her ear, but his mind refused to formulate words.

It figured. Ruby had always had a way of making his life chaotic, and without knowing it, she’d done it again.

Applause erupted as the last song concluded and the curtain closed. Lilly glanced at Nick. He’d hardly breathed since Ruby’s first act. Was Nick having second thoughts about her now?

“Ice cream!” Levi jumped up from his seat. “You promised we could get some after the show.”

Nick tore his eyes from the stage and stood. “You’re right, Chipmunk. I certainly did.” Offering his hand to Lilly, he drew her upward. “Let’s get out of here. The sooner the better.”

As she and Nick walked side by side down the Midway toward the ice cream parlor, Lilly ignored the hawkers trying to get Nick to play their penny arcade games and win her a prize. Not once did he give them a second glance. Of course, with all his travels, he was used to this sort of fare, but his silence told her something troubled him.

Not some
thing
. Some
one
. Five feet, seven inches of exotic womanhood named Ruby Rawlins.

The buttery scent of freshly popped popcorn filled the air. She smiled as the lights came on, and the whole Midway illuminated in a magical way.

Nick suddenly stopped. “Hey, Chipmunk, have you played the Japanese rolling-ball game?”

“He doesn’t need to do that, Nick. If you want some time alone—”

“No.” His voice, firm as iron, made her step back. “I’m sorry. I meant I don’t want to be alone. I want to be with the two of you.” He placed his hand on Levi’s head. “So, ready to play?”

“Posilutely.”

Lilly exchanged a glance with Nick, and they both snickered. “Levi, honey, it’s
positively
or
absolutely
. You can’t have both.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not a word.” Lilly took his hand, and the three of them headed toward the Japanese rolling-ball arcade. The red scalloped awning flapped in the breeze. She stepped inside the area, and the heady scent of incense reached her nostrils.

“Who makes up the words?” Levi asked.

“People.”

“I’m a people.”

“You’re a person.”

Nick hoisted Levi onto a step stool the proprietors had created for the children to use. “And right now, you’re a person who’s going to learn to play the Japanese ball game.”

“How’s it work?” Levi scrunched his brow.

“Here’s a man that’s a good fella!” the Oriental woman running the game shouted to the crowds. Her deep voice didn’t seem to go with her feminine red kimono. “He’ll take a chance.” She turned to Nick. “You get a present either way, mister. Yes, sir, that’s a fact. A nickel per ball.”

Nick handed the owner a quarter, and she passed him five small balls. Nick gave two to Levi. “You see the pins at the end of this board? You roll the ball and knock down all ten pins to win a bigger prize.” He swept his hand toward the rows of oriental trinkets and dishes. “If you don’t get them all down, you don’t win much.”

“But that’s not fair.” With a frown, Levi tilted his head to the side to get a better view of the pins.

“There are a lot of things in life that aren’t fair.” Nick sighed, then gave Lilly a weak smile. “You want me to show you how to do it first?”

“No, I can do it.” Levi clutched his two balls to his chest.

“Okay, go ahead and try, but stay behind this line.” Nick pointed to the line painted on a yellow board.

Levi rolled the ball and it curved to the right, only taking three pins with it. He clapped. “I did it.”

The proprietor set the pins up. “Why don’t you try again? See if you get more.”

With the tip of his tongue protruding between his lips, Levi rolled the ball. This time several of the pins tumbled, leaving only three standing.

“Good job.” The woman handed Levi a reed whistle.

Levi immediately raised the toy to his lips, blew into it, and released a long, shrill sound.

Lilly grabbed it. “I think I’ll hold on to this until we’re home.”

“We don’t have a home, ’member, Mama?”

His words jabbed her, but she covered her feelings with a smile. “Then I’ll keep it until we get to Emily’s.”

Nick held out a ball in his palm. “Your turn, Lilly.”

“You go ahead. I don’t think I need to show you how good I am.” She tried to offer him a teasing grin to lighten the moment.

“I disagree. It’s your turn.” He glanced at Levi. “And we should always take turns with our friends, right, Levi?”

“That’s what Mama always says, and she said Mr. Nick was her friend.”

“Is that so?” Nick chuckled.

Lilly gave him a mock glare and took the ball.

“Want some help?” Nick offered with a crooked grin.

“I think I can manage.” Lilly rolled the ball and knocked down half the pins. The Oriental woman handed her a flimsy paper fan. Lilly rolled her eyes but thanked the lady.

“And how does my girl get a silk fan?” Nick pointed to the pretty ones displayed in a case.

“Only one way. Knock down all the pins. Twice.” She pointed to the pins. “Very difficult.”

Nick bent to examine the game. “There has to be a trick to the board’s tilt or bend that makes it so hard.” He pointed to the center. “See there, Lilly, it’s a smidgeon higher.”

“But that makes it nearly impossible.”

“Nearly impossible is my specialty.” He moved the ball in his hand up and down, apparently making calculations in his mind.

Lilly smiled. “This isn’t a roller coaster.”

“But it’s all about curve and velocity.” He winked at her and gave the ball a shove. It followed an arc, then hit between the first and second pins. One by one, the pins fell.