The Slipper by Jennifer Wilde Read Free Book Online Page B

in and took their orders. There was something touching about her, a vulnerable quality you couldn’t quite define. She returned to the table after a few minutes with a basket of rolls and a dish of butter, apologizing for the delay. When she left Nora shook her head. Hard to believe she was their age and already married. That brought her own lack of progress with the boys to mind again, and she frowned, squeezing dollops of ketchup onto her French fries.
    â€œHappy birthday,” Carol said, lifting her Coke in a mock toast. “How does it feel to be eighteen?”
    â€œShitty. I feel like a dismal failure. When Françoise Sagan was eighteen Bonjour Tristesse was published. Gaby Bernais had Kisses for Breakfast come out when she was eighteen. How can I ever write a sexy blockbuster if I don’t meet some men, get some experience!”
    â€œYour time will come,” Carol assured her.
    â€œYeah, and the way it looks right now I’ll be wearing orthopedic shoes and carrying a cane when it does. I want you to be brutally honest with me, Carol. I want you to be frank—is it my breath?”
    â€œThe boys just haven’t discovered you yet.”
    â€œMaybe I should wear a sandwich board with ‘Available’ printed on both sides, but that probably wouldn’t cause any stampedes, either. ‘Free Tail’ might be more provocative.”
    â€œYou’re incorrigible, Nora.”
    â€œNo I’m not, sweetie. I’d just like to be.”
    They had almost finished their meal and were contemplating dessert when the silver bell over the door jingled and four boys walked in. Nora glanced up casually, then gasped and grabbed Carol’s arm across the table.
    â€œIt’s him !” she whispered excitedly.
    â€œWho?”
    â€œThe track star, the boy I saw that first day jogging in those cute little blue sateen shorts. I told you about him.”
    â€œOh. Which one is he?”
    â€œThe gorgeous one,” Nora said under her breath.
    It was him, all right. Tall and lean and mean. Muscular, but not too much so, not like one of those drippy weight lifters. He was wearing scuffed brown loafers and snug tan slacks and a soft pale lime-green V-necked sweater with white shirt beneath. His golden-brown crew cut was short and neat, accentuating the shape of his head, and his eyes were a mossy green, flecked with brown, witty eyes, wicked eyes. His features were rather foxlike, the cheekbones sharp, the nose long, the lips wide and thin, curling slightly at one corner. Not really handsome in a conventional sense, but talk about animal magnetism! The other boys were okay, too, obviously jocks like him, but they faded to invisibility with him around.
    â€œHave you ever seen anything so delectable?” she whispered.
    Carol glanced at him, unimpressed. “He’s not my type,” she said.
    â€œThank God for that !”
    The boys took a table near the front window. Julie went over to take their orders, chatted briefly with the track star and then came back to ask if Carol and Nora wanted dessert.
    â€œCake?” Carol inquired.
    Nora shook her head, trying not to stare.
    â€œIce cream?”
    â€œI couldn’t eat another bite. Who is he, Julie?”
    Julie followed the direction of Nora’s gaze. “Which one?” she asked.
    â€œThe sexy one. The one in the lime-green sweater.”
    â€œOh, you mean Dick. Dick Sanders. He’s a junior, twenty years old. He plays basketball and is on the track team, throws the discus, too, I believe. My husband gave him some private tutoring in geometry last year when Dick fell behind.”
    â€œDick,” Nora said. “What an auspicious name.”
    â€œWould you like me to introduce you to him?”
    â€œIntroduce me to him? Of course not! He’d think I was an idiot. He’d think I wanted to meet him!”
    â€œWe’ll just have our check, please, Julie,” Carol said.