Chapter Five
Ahot breeze blew Libby’s hair back when she stepped outside the shop on Sunday evening, but she was just glad that it wasn’t rushing so fast that it felt like she had opened an oven door. She glanced up at the sky to see dark clouds shifting back and forth across the setting sun and caught a whiff of rain in the air. She was a little surprised that the last vehicles leaving hadn’t wiped away any bits of the sweet smell of the approaching rain. She had sure been wrong about no one driving out into the boondocks to look at or buy antiques. For the past twelve hours, she hadn’t had time to sit down for even a couple of minutes between customers. And it had been like that all three days.
“Think it will rain?” she asked Benny after he had locked the door.
“I hope so,” he answered and fell into step beside her. “It will settle the dust and cool the air. Was this anything like a day at your grandmother’s shop?”
“Good lord, no!” she gasped. “We didn’t sell this much merchandise in a week—but then, there are several antique shops in Jefferson, so there was a lot of competition.”
Elvis made his way out from under the shade tree at Opal’s house and walked with them the last few yards before leading the way up onto the old station porch and stretching out in front of the door.
Benny took two bottles of water from the cooler, sat down at the table, and offered her one. “This was a slow day compared to what will most likely happen next weekend. The first one of the month is always hectic.”
She took the water from him, eased down into a chair, stretched her long legs out in front of her, and twisted off the top. “The ladies mentioned that. If I was more graceful, I would seriously consider buying roller skates. How did you ever manage it alone?”
“It wasn’t easy,” he answered and drank down half his bottle of water before coming up for air. “I just kept moving as fast as I could, and folks had to be patient. Having some help helped even more than I ever dreamed possible. And what makes you think you’re not graceful?”
“Experience,” Libby said. “I can stumble over air. I grew so fast that my balance couldn’t keep up—I was always the tallest kid in the classroom.”
“Were both your parents tall?”
Libby shook her head. “Nope. From the little my grandmother told me about my mother, she was a short girl, and my dad was just average.”
“Well, you’ve surely outgrown that clumsy stage now,” Benny said with a yawn. “And even if you hadn’t, I’m glad you are working for me.” He stood up and rolled his neck to get the kinks out. “Elvis and I will be leaving early in the morning. What’re your plans for the days I’m gone?”
“I’m going grocery shopping tomorrow. What y’all or Benny stocked for me in the kitchen is about gone. Got any suggestions as to what store to go to in this area?”
“You can find a fairly good one in Powderly, and that’s about five miles from us. Or you can drive down to Paris or up to Hugo, Oklahoma. It’s maybe fifteen miles to either of those.”
“You’re not much help,” she said. “Which one do you use?”
“I buy what I need on the way home from my trips,” he answered with half a shrug and headed toward his trailer. “Minilee and Opal go shopping about once a month. You could ask them where they like to go.”
“Anything in particular you want me to do while you are gone?” she asked.
He stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked back over his shoulder. “Keep track of your hours. Payday is each week on Thursday evening.”
“Then my first job is to get that office in order. Have a safe trip,” she said and went inside to find Minilee and Opal sitting at the long table in front of the books.
A quart jar full of wildflowers and two empty vases sat in the middle of the table. The clouds parted in the sky outside, and a few minutes of light flowed through the sparkling, clean windows.
“That sunset is almost as beautiful as those flowers,” Libby whispered.
“We gathered them for book club tomorrow evening.” Minilee gestured to a green antique vase with pink flowers painted on the sides. “I think the bouquet would look best in my vase.”
“I’m better at arranging flowers,” Opal declared. “And my crystal vase would show them off better. Which one do you think is best, Libby?”
Libby hesitated for a moment, not wanting to take sides this early in the friendship. Then she noticed the array of colors created on the far wall when the sunbeams passed through the water in the jar.
She pointed. “Hurry up and look at the wall behind you before the clouds cover up the sun again.”
“Well, would you look at that?” Minilee said with a smile.
“Looks to me like that is a sign that you should use the quart jar,” Libby finally said.
Opal pursed her thin lips and eyed the flowers. “We could put a ribbon around the top. And use my fancy lace tablecloth. We should think of using quart jars at Benny and Tatum’s wedding. We could have a country wedding and use burlap for ribbons.”
“Benny is getting married?” Libby wondered how that would affect her job. Was that the reason he wanted her to sign only a six-month contract?
“Of course he is,” Opal answered. “He doesn’t have much choice in the matter. Once Tatum sets her mind to get something done, it’s as good as finished before she even starts, and she’s had her eye on Benny since they were just kids.”
Isn’t that just the way my luck runs! Libby thought. She could be booted right out of her new job early by a woman who wanted to get hitched to Benny.
“But back to our book club,” Minilee said. “We always have supper before, so don’t plan on cooking for yourself on the nights that we all meet up. We eat at five, and then we talk about the book until about seven and catch up on all the local gossip. That way Ilene and Sally can get home before dark. After the time change in the fall, we have our meetings at lunchtime rather than supper.” She pushed back her chair and picked up her vase before she stood. “We realize you haven’t had time to read the book, but this can be a trial run for you to see if you want to join us while you are here.”
While you are here? Did they already know that this was a six-month job?
“I would love to,” Libby replied and wondered how she kept her voice so calm when she wanted to scream. “What can I bring? I’m going to do some grocery shopping in the morning—”
“Which way are you going?” Opal butted in.
“I don’t know yet. Do you have a favorite place?” Libby asked. “Would y’all like to send a list or maybe go with me?”
“We would love to go along,” Minilee answered. “We usually just go to Powderly since it’s closer, but every few months, we drive up to Hugo to the Walmart store. We were both raised between Grant and Hugo, and it’s nice to drive up through that area every so often.”
“Then Hugo it is,” Libby said. “What time do you want to leave?”
Minilee started for the door but then turned back. “You are the driver, so you tell us. We have our morning coffee on my back porch every morning at six. If the weatherman is right and it rains tonight, then we won’t have to water the garden. We just need time to fix supper before club starts, so we need to be home by midafternoon.”
“How about we leave at eight o’clock?” Libby suggested. “We can do our shopping and maybe have ice cream as a midmorning snack afterwards. We’d be home before noon and have plenty of time to get ready for the book club meeting.”
“That sounds great,” Minilee answered.
“We’ll be ready,” Opal added. “Just honk and we’ll come running.”
“You can run,” Minilee giggled. “I’ll walk.”
“You know what I meant,” Opal fussed.
Libby could still hear their banter when she went inside her apartment and closed the door behind her. She eased down onto the sofa and kicked off her shoes, then leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her phone rang and jerked her awake a few minutes later.
“Hello,” she answered groggily, and then saw Amanda’s bright smile on the screen.
“Hey, girl, how did the first weekend go?” Amanda asked. “You look like you just woke up.”
“I did, and the time went fast. And it was hectic.” Libby covered a yawn with her hand. “How are things going there?”
“Fantastic! That means you aren’t bored. I loved the pictures of your apartment. I can’t believe that you are getting it free, even if it is in the back of a service station. And you’ve got a trail to run on in the morning. Man, you must be in love with the whole thing. Plus, you get to work with a sexy guy every day ...” She stopped to take a breath.
Libby jumped in and tried to turn the conversation. “All is good. Tell me about you and John.”
“Things are so good!” Amanda’s eyes sparkled, and her smile broadened. “We are going to move in together. My house is bigger than his apartment, so we’ve decided to live here. You still haven’t given me the address for your boxes—do you have it yet? He’ll need to use some of the garage.”
“First of all, congratulations. You and John are perfect for each other. And yes, I have an address.” Libby rattled off the one Opal had given her. She would have to weed out some more things before these six months were up. Her SUV had been jam-packed when she left Austin. There was no way she could cram what was in the extra boxes into her vehicle.
You might as well let her keep them. You’ll get tired of living in the boondocks, Victoria whispered in her ear.
“Hush!” Libby growled.
“What was that?” Amanda asked.
“I had to cough,” Libby lied. “I’m so happy for you and John. This is just the first step, you know. Before long, you’ll be looking at big white dresses.”
“Or maybe booking a trip to Las Vegas,” Amanda said with a giggle.
“That sounds even better.” Libby hit the speaker button, laid the phone on the table, and fixed herself a glass of sweet tea while she talked.
“It does, doesn’t it? No fuss or planning. Just go to one of those chapels and come out married—but that’s a ways down the road. John will be home in five minutes, and I need to freshen up. We’re going out to dinner tonight.”
Libby opened a can of gumbo and poured it into a saucepan to heat. “We’ll talk again soon. Except for Monday, my evenings are free until Friday.”
“One more thing before I go,” Amanda said. “How are things with the sexy Benny? Have you been flirting with him?”
“I learned today that a woman named Tatum has set her eye on him and that she always gets what she wants,” Libby answered.
“Ha! She sounds like fun.” Amanda chuckled. “But I was hoping he might be the one for you. Maybe Tatum—I never have liked that name—won’t get what she wants this time. After all, Benny does have a say-so in the matter. Maybe he will be the first one to not give Tatum what she wants, and he will be the one for you.”
“Not a single chance of that. I’m still too busy trying to figure out who I am,” Libby said and quickly ended the call.