a few years back when Wanna was sweet on the Robertson boy, but that didn’t work out, so here we are.”
Deena Lee leaned back on the counter. “And what about you? Any hot romancing come your way?” She didn’t smile.
“Had my flings, but none seemed like the settling down type.”
His mind caught a snag. On more than one occasion, Wanna had told him that he was too slow in his relationships. “Your romancing is like your driving — at least ten miles per hour below the speed limit,” she had said. Evidently, in this part of the country, once courting was initiated, it quickly filed through all of the local formalities leading to matrimony. Anything less than an accelerating succession of requisite events in the relationship was viewed as a lack of significant interest.
Before he could say anything else, Deena Lee’s attention was swiped by a request from one of the other customers. As she busied herself to satisfy the patron’s needs, she opened a long-range conversation with Teddy.
“Teddy, I’m needing a partner for the couple’s bowling tournament on the twelfth. You know anybody who can knock down a pin or two?” She shifted her eyes in Gabe’s direction.
Gabe knew there were two kinds of conversation in the Herndon’s Edge. If one was initiated loud enough for all to hear, it was an invitation for full out participation by the entire congregation of diners. On the other hand, if the conversation was meant to be private, it was necessary to speak in hushed tones, either in a booth, at the ends of the counter, or in Deena Lee and Teddy’s case, behind the half-wall of the kitchen. This subject was now officially open to all in the diner.
Deena Lee took two steps in Gabe’s direction, raised her eyebrows, and smiled. “Gabe, you do any bowling?”
Gabe frowned. “Naw. Tried it once, but my fingers were too big for the holes in the balls they have there. I couldn’t find one that fit so I had to hold the ball in both hands and roll it at the pins. I kept putting them in the gutters. Got blisters on two of my fingers, so I haven’t been back to it since.”
Deena Lee lost some of her smile. “You can have a ball specially made. One with the holes drilled to fit your fingers.”
“That’s what I call too big a chance. I could do that, sure, but what if I didn’t like it, or didn’t do well? If I spent the money to buy a special ball, I’d feel like I had to get my money’s worth. Then I’d be doing something just because I spent the money, not because I liked to do it. That’d make me a fool.” He looked at Deena Lee, then lowered his gaze. Her eyes seemed to be watering.
Gabe’s stomach churned. Maybe I should have lied and told her I hadn’t tried bowling, but I’d like to, he thought. Then we could have gone out together, just the two of us, somewhere other than the café. Or I could have told her that I did try it and I’d like to try it again. He rejected both alternatives since she might lose respect for him if she found out he was lying just to go out with her. He didn’t want to take that risk.
Gabe finished his meal, put a handsome tip under his plate, and stood at the counter. He curled his index finger in a “come here” motion to Deena Lee. When she came close, he leaned so his mouth was near her left ear. As Teddy and the diner patrons tried to home in on the words, Gabe whispered, “Maybe we can go out sometime.”
He didn’t wait for a response since it was once again blistering hot in the Edge. He thought he heard a soft “okay” as he turned to leave. There’s plenty of time to confirm the response, he thought. Don’t want to rush her.
Gabe drove home the long way and mulled over whether he should make an investment in a bowling ball. He decided against it since Deena Lee might interpret that as being too forward. He wanted to take special care to consider her feelings at every step. He was already feeling hungry for lunch the next
Deena Lee leaned back on the counter. “And what about you? Any hot romancing come your way?” She didn’t smile.
“Had my flings, but none seemed like the settling down type.”
His mind caught a snag. On more than one occasion, Wanna had told him that he was too slow in his relationships. “Your romancing is like your driving — at least ten miles per hour below the speed limit,” she had said. Evidently, in this part of the country, once courting was initiated, it quickly filed through all of the local formalities leading to matrimony. Anything less than an accelerating succession of requisite events in the relationship was viewed as a lack of significant interest.
Before he could say anything else, Deena Lee’s attention was swiped by a request from one of the other customers. As she busied herself to satisfy the patron’s needs, she opened a long-range conversation with Teddy.
“Teddy, I’m needing a partner for the couple’s bowling tournament on the twelfth. You know anybody who can knock down a pin or two?” She shifted her eyes in Gabe’s direction.
Gabe knew there were two kinds of conversation in the Herndon’s Edge. If one was initiated loud enough for all to hear, it was an invitation for full out participation by the entire congregation of diners. On the other hand, if the conversation was meant to be private, it was necessary to speak in hushed tones, either in a booth, at the ends of the counter, or in Deena Lee and Teddy’s case, behind the half-wall of the kitchen. This subject was now officially open to all in the diner.
Deena Lee took two steps in Gabe’s direction, raised her eyebrows, and smiled. “Gabe, you do any bowling?”
Gabe frowned. “Naw. Tried it once, but my fingers were too big for the holes in the balls they have there. I couldn’t find one that fit so I had to hold the ball in both hands and roll it at the pins. I kept putting them in the gutters. Got blisters on two of my fingers, so I haven’t been back to it since.”
Deena Lee lost some of her smile. “You can have a ball specially made. One with the holes drilled to fit your fingers.”
“That’s what I call too big a chance. I could do that, sure, but what if I didn’t like it, or didn’t do well? If I spent the money to buy a special ball, I’d feel like I had to get my money’s worth. Then I’d be doing something just because I spent the money, not because I liked to do it. That’d make me a fool.” He looked at Deena Lee, then lowered his gaze. Her eyes seemed to be watering.
Gabe’s stomach churned. Maybe I should have lied and told her I hadn’t tried bowling, but I’d like to, he thought. Then we could have gone out together, just the two of us, somewhere other than the café. Or I could have told her that I did try it and I’d like to try it again. He rejected both alternatives since she might lose respect for him if she found out he was lying just to go out with her. He didn’t want to take that risk.
Gabe finished his meal, put a handsome tip under his plate, and stood at the counter. He curled his index finger in a “come here” motion to Deena Lee. When she came close, he leaned so his mouth was near her left ear. As Teddy and the diner patrons tried to home in on the words, Gabe whispered, “Maybe we can go out sometime.”
He didn’t wait for a response since it was once again blistering hot in the Edge. He thought he heard a soft “okay” as he turned to leave. There’s plenty of time to confirm the response, he thought. Don’t want to rush her.
Gabe drove home the long way and mulled over whether he should make an investment in a bowling ball. He decided against it since Deena Lee might interpret that as being too forward. He wanted to take special care to consider her feelings at every step. He was already feeling hungry for lunch the next
Similar Books
