Tiny Dancer by Patricia Hickman Read Free Book Online Page B

hotel room from the telephone in our bedroom. He had not told me what time exactly he would show up at Neptune’s. Still, I wanted the evening to feel like a surprise and calling Billy again might cause him to give away my plan in a manner that might be all too evident to Irene. The afternoon was slipping away and the chances were that he was only just arriving at Wrightsville Beach. Claudia could wind her way around her mother but I was not as adept at manipulating a woman I admired. Then it took a lot of shameless begging on Claudia’s part to coax Dottie away from her grilling endeavors. She had already marinated half a dozen chicken breasts.
    “Ms. Willoughby, you shouldn’t spend the first night in the kitchen,” I finally said. “You and Irene need some time to catch up on things.”
    “How thoughtful,” she said with much enthusiasm. “I don’t mind cooking for you all though, Flannery.”
    Claudia pinched me from behind. “Besides,” I said, “Claudia is prone to seasickness. That would be awful if she had to spend the week in bed.”
    “She is prone to nausea,” said Irene, casting her eyes at Claudia, woefully sympathetic. She gave me a bit of a wink, though. Claudia had grown up boating with her daddy. Irene was on to us and caving in all the way.
    Dottie was as much a sympathetic sort as Irene and did not want to ruin our first night in town. She acquiesced pretty as you please. Claudia and I were off to the guest room to doll up for the boys we hoped to meet soon at Neptune’s.
    Neptune’s was not quite filled up when we drove up to the little oceanside nightspot. I worried the women had gotten us here too early. The lanterns strung along the boardwalk lit up as a host seated us at an outdoor table. Dottie was ecstatic about the water view although Irene kept bringing a handkerchief to her nose unaccustomed as she was to fishy pier smells. Billy and his friends were nowhere in sight. Claudia and I made excuses and immediately headed for the women’s room and then took a turn around the entire restaurant.
    Irene had alr eady ordered an appetizer when we returned and the ladies’ drinks were being served. She and Dottie were selecting a plate of steamed oysters to share, insisting we try them. Since it delayed our turn at choosing an entrée, I quickly agreed and Claudia followed my lead.
    Claudia hated the oysters even more than I did. But I kept trying them to keep the women talking about the food and to slow down their need to order entrees. Just as the waiter pressed us to make up our minds, I heard my name called from across the dock. I turned as casually as I could muster and had to hold back my elation upon seeing Billy grinning and waving. He led his group to the front door.
    “Would you look who just arrived?” I said to the ladies. I jumped up to cross the room but also to keep Billy from giving away the fact he had tipped me off to their plans. I greeted his friend Marcy who walked in behind him, her arm hooked inside his other friend Drake’s arm. Ashley, brought along by Marcy, shrieked upon sight, throwing her arms around me as if we were old friends. I barely remembered meeting her in the high school cafeteria seated with Billy’s friends. Irene and Dottie were smiling across the way at us and all my plans were coming together.
    “I sn’t this a surprise?” I asked Billy.
    A glimmer in his eyes, he did not give away my scheme. “Have you already eaten?” he asked.
    “ Appetizers only,” I said, the residue of salt and slick seafood coating my tongue.
    “Good. Can you join us or would that be rude?”
    “I’ll ask,” said Claudia.
    I introduced Billy and the group to the women but insinuated myself between Jordan and Claudia whose attention lingered over the tanned youth, the one male not attached besides Billy. Claudia said to her mother, “You ladies must have so much to catch up on. Why don’t we join the young folks at their table and the two of you can go ahead