A Love Story Read online

  “Whoa, lady! How about spreading those kisses around a little,” said Bob, who continued to drink during the contest because he couldn’t find a partner.

  “You’re drunk, go away,” she said, giving his chest a little shove.

  He grabbed her breast with one hand and ripped her blouse with the other. Mac stood up.

  FSS, Kyle would say to me…foot, shin, shove.

  She brought her foot down hard on his instep. He howled in pain and let go of her, then she kicked his other shin as hard as she could. When he doubled over, she shoved him to the ground.

  “Keep your hands to yourself, Bob,” Callie said. She got a huge round of applause from the people at the bar. Mac walked over so when Bob got up to go after Callie from behind, Mac grabbed his collar and threw him against the wall.

  “Leave the lady alone,” he said.

  Callie turned around, amazed to see him there.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, a little tipsy.

  “Watching you dance. You’re amazing. Where did you learn to defend yourself?” he asked, smiling.

  “A friend in the military,” she tossed off.

  “Can I buy you a drink?” Mac asked.

  “Maybe coffee. Thanks.”

  They went back to Mac’s table in the dark corner. Callie sipped her coffee and tapped her foot to the music of the jukebox.

  ‘Do you dance?”

  “Two left feet. Where did you learn to dance?”

  “I studied dance as a kid. I love dancing and do it whenever I can. You don’t dance at all?”

  “Slow dance, but fast dances with intricate steps confuse me. I play basketball, but never learned to dance.”

  “Slow dancing is kinda like having sex on the dance floor…oh, pardon me. Slow dancing is is….is…well…you get the idea. It’s not challenging. But if you’re athletic, like playing basketball with good footwork, you could learn to dance. I could teach you,” she said, glowing with the affects of the three previous glasses of wine.

  “Would you?”

  “Tell me when. How about now?” she said, pushing back her chair.

  “Not now,” he said, taking her arm and guiding her back to her chair.

  “Look what the bastard did to my special blouse. Now it’s ruined and I can’t afford to replace it. I should sue him,” she said, examining the damaged neckline and sleeve.

  “Would you let me buy you a new blouse?” Mac asked.

  “Should I? Isn’t it like taking favors or something?”

  “It’s doing a friend a favor. I think you’ve had too much to drink,” he said, placing his hand over hers on the table.

  “I think so, too. Isn’t it great? I haven’t been out dancing for years. And now I’m drunk…sort of…am I your friend?” she asked, flirting with Mac.

  “Of course,”

  “Too bad. I thought we could be something else,” she said.

  “What did you have in mind?” he asked, flirting back.

  “Lovers instead. Are lovers friends, too? Can you be a friend if you’re a lover? Yes. Can you be a lover if you’re a friend? No. I don’t think you can be the last one,” she said, smiling up into his eyes.

  “Now you want to be my lover?”

  “Are you propositioning me?” she asked, grinning mischievously.

  “It was your idea.”

  “That’s what they all say,” she said, giggling.

  “Maybe it’s time to take you home.”

  “Do we have to leave?”

  “You’re pretty loaded.”

  “Am I? I feel good. Do you feel good?” She asked him.

  “I’m here with you, what could be better?” he responded, reaching for her hand.

  “Being in bed could be better.”

  “I could arrange that,” he said, desire flickering in his eyes.

  “Arrange what?” She asked.

  “I could arrange…never mind. You’ll never remember this tomorrow. Let’s go to Doc’s Diner, a piece of pie will fix you up better than coffee alone.”

  “I love Doc’s pie.”

  “Let’s go, where is your coat?”

  “There it is,” she said pointing.

  Before Mac could retrieve her coat, the jukebox played “Unchained Melody” sung by The Righteous Brothers.

  “My favorite song!” Callie said, “Let’s dance.” She took Mac by the hand and led him onto the dance floor. Mac was glad to have the chance to put his arms around her.

  He took her right hand in his and folded it into his chest, covering it with his while his other hand found her waist. He pulled her close. She rested her left hand and her cheek on his chest and snuggled up to him. He bent his head down to rest lightly on hers and they moved around the dance floor as if in a trance. Callie sang the words softly while the sweet scent of her freshly washed hair and her lavender perfume enticed him.

  It was so long since anyone held her, even on the dance floor and it felt so good to be in his arms, Callie relaxed. Her imagination drifted. She dreamed of getting lost in his embrace, tumbling down into the soft safety of his heart and wrapping the strength from his arms around her body, protecting her from heartbreak forever.

  Mac kissed the top of her head. His hands brushed over her hair, his fingers combing through the long locks and settled on her back, holding her against him. He rested his cheek against her head and closed his eyes, drinking in her lavender scent while he moved her slowly around the dance floor. It had been a long time since such a desirable woman wanted to be in his arms. He closed his eyes and smiled.

  When the song was over, Callie reluctantly moved away and looked up into his eyes. Mac tried to kiss her, but they were jostled by other people leaving the dance floor. Mac helped her put the coat on over her ripped blouse. She leaned on his arm as they got out of the dark bar and into the night outside. The cool night air was refreshing.

  “Do you always get drunk on three glasses of wine?”

  “Only three glasses of wine and then you can have your way with me.”

  “Can I have my way with you now?” he joked.

  “Pie first,” she said, pulling him toward Doc’s.

  * * * *

  “Hey, Mac, back again…and with Miss Callie too. Good choice, she’s real pretty,” Doc said.

  Mac blushed as he showed Callie to a table in the back.

  “Thanks, Doc,” Callie said.

  “Two coffees and two pies, Doc.”

  “No pie for me. I used up my pie budget on wine,” Callie said.

  “Let me pay for the pie,” Mac said, unable to imagine what it must be like, not to be able to afford a glass of wine and a piece of pie on the same day. His heart melted.

  “But we’re only friends.”

  “We’re not. I’m paying. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Thank you,” she said, gazing warmly at him.

  Mac wanted to know more about this elusive, pretty young woman. There was so much to learn about Callie’s private life, since she spoke mostly about her classes and rarely said a word about her past when they were together on Friday nights. Now he had his chance.

  Doc brought two steaming cups of coffee and two pieces of homemade apple pie right away.

  “I love Mary’s apple pie, don’t you?” Callie asked, picking up her fork.

  “Your family must be proud of you, going to school, supporting yourself, being independent. Too few students take on such a challenge,” Mac ventured, changing the subject.

  “I don’t have a family. I’m not a brave person, giving my parents a break. I’m on my own because I have to be, because it’s the way it is,” she said.

  Mac was quiet, worried his probing caused her pain.

  “Oh, it’s okay. They have been gone for ten years now.”

  Mac looked up Callie’s records and knew she was only twenty-six. Must have been tough to lose your parents as a teenager.

  “The pie is great!” she said, touching Mac’s hand. “I don’t eat
here often, but I get a cup of coffee and a home-made donut when I get a good grade. It seems foolish, rewarding myself like I’m a little kid…”

  “What happened to your parents,” he blurted out, embarrassed at his bluntness.

  “Everyone asks me that. Killed in a car crash. A drunk driver plowed into them. Gone in an instant.”

  He gazed at her, threading his fingers through hers, closing them around her hand.

  “What about your family?” she asked.

  “My mother died about five years ago. My dad and my brother teach at Vaal University in South Africa.”

  Mac had no family nearby, like her. She relaxed her shoulders, squeezed his hand, and gazed into his eyes, obviously more comfortable with him.

  People with close families made Callie feel sorry for herself. She hated the feeling. Kyle told her never to feel sorry for herself. No matter how bad things were, there was always someone worse off. She tried to live up to the ideal, but it was difficult sometimes.

  Never having a chance to say good-bye to her parents, to be able to prepare for their passing, made adjustment difficult. Hit by both loss and the shock of their being gone so suddenly, Callie’s recovery took a long time. She didn’t like to explain about her family. While she missed the camaraderie of the group of friends she shared with Kyle, she was reluctant to get close to anyone new. People felt pity for her. Maybe she was different, but she didn’t want anyone to befriend her because they felt sorry for her. And they always did feel sorry for her.

  It felt good to confide in Mac, the first new person she talked to about her personal life since Kyle died. She didn’t worry if he felt sorry for her because she felt sorry for him, too.

  “Do you miss them?” she asked him.

  “Sometimes. I have good friends here who have become like my family,” he said.

  “Holidays and weekends are the hardest times. Most of the time, I’m okay. But when holidays roll around, it’s hard.”

  “I get together with faculty and students at holidays. It helps,” he said. “I don’t mean to pry, but how are you paying for school?”

  “Money left to me by someone…enough to pay for this year’s tuition. My savings covered books so far and my job pays for my living expenses, if I’m careful. I hope to get a scholarship next year.”

  “Talk to Eliza, she handles all the finances for students. I’m sure she can find the money to keep you in school,” Mac advised. “We don’t have many students like you. I respect what you are doing.”

  “Don’t make me out to be noble. I’m not, I’m only trying to survive…some days are easier than others.”

  Mac reached out and took her small hand in his. His gesture melted Callie’s defenses. She put her other hand over her eyes, pushing her thumb in to keep from crying. She didn’t want to cry but the wine and the truth demolished her self-control. It was hard for her to go to class, study, and work, get her meals and be completely alone. While people in the office were friendly enough, they went home to family every night, while she sat in her room by herself.

  Callie had so little money after paying her rent she had to watch every penny.

  She hawked sales at the grocery and drug stores and ate what was on special or skipped a meal. The extra money from babysitting and the dinner at Mac’s house on Fridays helped her budget. She didn’t skip meals anymore. She wanted to hide her neediness from him.

  Callie was determined not to give up. What would Kyle say? What about the sacrifices he had to make in Iraq? What did Kyle have there? Not much and plenty to be afraid of. If he could do that, I can do this. She needed his strength and he wasn’t here to help her.

  Mac reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his handkerchief and pushed it across the table to Callie. She took it, grateful to disappear in the white cloth while she fought to compose herself.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t usually do this, I had a hard day and three glasses of wine,” Callie said, thinking about Kyle’s birthday.

  “Do you want to talk about it.?” He asked, folding his hand over hers.

  “It won’t make it better. This is so embarrassing,” she said.

  “We all have hard days. Don’t worry about it,” he tossed off, trying to sound casual.

  Mac held her hand until she regained her composure. Then she disappeared into the ladies room.

  * * * *

  Left alone, Mac thought about Callie and what a strong person she was. But there were still things about her he didn’t know. He was no longer put off by the aura of sadness he felt about her. Perhaps they both had things in their lives to be sad about. Perhaps a woman without difficulty in her life didn’t develop strength, become empathetic or interesting.

  When she got back, Callie looked much better.

  “I hate to rush you, but its closing time, folks,” Doc said.

  Sure enough, it was ten-thirty. Mac paid for the coffee and pie and left the tip. Callie thanked him.

  “Can I walk you home?” Mac asked, unable to keep from staring at the swell of her breast revealed by the ripped neckline of her blouse. His desire to make love to her was crowding every other thought out of his head.

  “Sure,” she said, her warmth penetrating his heart.

  It had been raining hard since they came in, but now it had stopped. Mac stepped over a big puddle by the front door. He reached his hand out to Callie to help her over the puddle. When she crossed it, he pulled her a little closer to him and didn’t let go of her hand. Callie left her hand in his.

  They walked hand in hand along the empty back road in the cool, misty autumn night. The few gold leaves still on the trees shone by the light of street lamps. The tree branches, black from the rain, were casting shadows. The air was pleasant. Two blocks from the house where Callie lived, Mac stopped, directed her into the shadow of a tree and pulled her up against him.

  Electricity ran between them when their bodies touched. Mac felt a bolt of sexual lightning. Callie shivered. She tilted her head up to look into his eyes, and he brought his mouth down on hers with a deep, hungry kiss. Callie responded completely, all shyness gone as his tongue claimed her mouth. The power of his kiss made her tremble all the way down to her toes. When he let her go, she fell back against a tree, breathless. Neither one uttered a word.

  Callie stepped closer to him and put her hands on his hard chest while his arms held her up against him again. She slid her hands up and around his neck and he kissed her again, slower, more probing, more sensual, his tongue teasing hers. He felt her body go soft against his as she leaned into his kiss.

  Mac hadn’t dated much since his divorce. He focused on his career first and women second. Caught unawares, his desire was released by the kiss of this beautiful, lonely creature. Sweat broke out on his forehead and his hand trembled slightly when he touched her face. She rested a hand on his chest. His feelings went beyond those for any other woman, beyond sexual desire alone. He was losing control of his heart.

  They stood quietly, close to each other, staring, neither one making a move to leave. Callie broke the silence.

  “Good night,” she muttered, touching his cheek then scampering away before anything else happened to shake her world. Mac’s gaze followed her to her door. His life had been changed, he felt alive again.

  Chapter Five

  The next day, Callie went about her work in the office, ignoring her encounter with Mac the night before. It was obvious she tried to forget her drunken behavior and the suggestive things she said to him by not making reference to anything from the night before, preferring to avoid embarrassment by pretending she forgot when she was around him.

  Mac, too much of a gentleman to refresh her memory, wasn’t convinced she didn’t remember. He was intrigued by the bolder side of Callie he saw for the first time, the confident young woman who danced to win, defended herself easily and came on to him shamelessly.

  Although local schools were closed, the college was not. It was business as usual the next day, for C
allie and Mac. At the office, the sexual electricity ignited the night before was still there. When Callie filed documents in the file room and Mac came in, he could see her shiver. Mac had a hard time not touching Callie.

  When she reached for his hand, he immediately threaded his fingers through hers for a moment. Then they stepped back and went about their business.

  * * * *

  Jonesy noticed they spent a lot of time in the file room, the library or the kitchen. It was apparent to her they couldn’t stay away from each other. Callie and Mac were smiling more, Jonesy observed…she occasionally caught a glimpse of them gazing fondly at each other. She picked up on the way they looked at each other when they thought no one could see. Jonesy saw everything, but said nothing.

  “What’s with Mac these days? I barely get ‘hello’ out of him. I bought this new dress, so low cut, you know. But he hasn’t noticed at all. I think he’s sleeping with the new girl, Callie,” said Jill one of the other part-time assistants.

  “Be quiet, Jill. If Mac doesn’t like you maybe it’s because you’re a gossip and lazy to boot. Stop stickin’ your nose in other people’s business. There’s nothin’ going on with them.”

  Jonesy didn’t believe her own words, she believed her own eyes. Her plan to make a match appeared to be working.

  While the others went back to work, Jonesy slipped into the kitchen where Mac was getting a fresh cup of coffee. He looked up when she came in.

  “What’s up with you and Callie, Mac?” Jonesy asked, pretending to look for something in the cabinets.

  “Jonesy…I…Callie. I can’t stop thinking about her,” he confessed.

  “Like her, huh?”

  “I do, but I’m staying away…the office, working together…don’t want to step out of line, do anything I shouldn’t. She’s on my mind all the time, even when Jason is with me. She’s so good with him and…well.”

  “The heck with the office, Mac. If she’s for you, go get her,” Jonesy said, pouring milk into a fresh mug of coffee.

  “You think so?” he asked, taking a small sip from the cup in his hand.