Waiting and Watching by Darcy Darvill Read Free Book Online Page A

people around her squeezed him out, he just stood aside and stared at her. He showed no interest in anyone except her, not even Julio, who couldn’t have cared less. Julio spent the night talking and dancing with a petite strawberry blonde who turned out to be Lily from the other night at the tavern.
    Connie walked over to say hello. “Hey, Lily, so nice to see you again.”
    She smiled back, saying she had decided to come since the Friday night mixer was open to all classes from Tilden Park High. Connie wondered if Julio had asked her to come. It wouldn’t surprise her, as he was happiest when he had a pretty girl in his arms.
    Connie returned to a group of friends and spent the rest of the evening actively avoiding Martin. She could see out of the corner of her eye that he followed her everywhere with a cold blank stare.
    By the time the night was over, Connie had talked to almost everyone in the room. She had broken the ice and felt a personal victory for having finally faced this ordeal and gotten through it with flying colors. She finally felt like the homecoming queen Nola had said she would have been.

Chapter 12
    Saturday—September 6, 1986
    That morning, Connie found herself looking forward to the formal affair that night. She and Julio lazed around for most of the day, watching some old movies on television, doing some light reading and napping whenever they felt like it. They enjoyed each other’s company and snacked on junk food without feeling the need to do anything useful.
    Around five that afternoon, Connie decided to take a long, hot, leisurely bubble bath. The Inn’s bathrooms were old, and each one had a lovely large claw-footed tub accompanied by various sundries for the bath and body. The tub was deep enough for her to submerge under a glittering blanket of rainbow colored bubbles.
    Rinsing off the skin-softening bath gel, she lathered herself in a body lotion that matched her perfume. Relaxed, refreshed and feeling adequately self-pampered, she removed the new couture dress from her closet, bought expressly for this evening. The sea foam green chiffon, cut on the bias, accentuated her slim athletic figure.
    She had been determined to do everything to make this trip a success. Although the dress had been a budget buster, she’d splurged again on a pearl necklace by rationalizing that it would go with everything. Fortunately, the slim silver clutch bag and four-inch heels had been on sale.
    Her shopping spree included make-up from one of the counters at Saks Fifth Avenue. Normally, she never used more than lipstick and mascara, so the sales clerk demonstrated how the new products would enhance her natural beauty. She even suggested a fashionable hairdo for the special occasion.
    After her very elaborate prep session, Connie felt quite elegant and sophisticated, and announced she was ready for the big event.
    Julio, on the other hand, had waited until the last possible minute to dress for the evening. After a quick shower he donned a navy blue, tailor-made suit and Italian silk, blue patterned tie. Lack of effort did nothing to diminish his Cuban good looks. Connie was always amazed at what a handsome man he had grown into. Better looking than most movie stars, it was no wonder he had women falling all over him.
    Julio got their car from the parking garage and drove to the front entrance of the Inn, where Connie waited for him. He took one look at her and whistled loudly.
    â€œHey. You really clean up well. You’re quite the hottie, in fact. Martin will be drooling all over you like a puppy dog.”
    â€œOh, please, don’t remind me. That was so awkward last night when he asked me to dance. We’re old friends, but we’ve certainly never been romantic. I got this creepy feeling that he was watching me all night.”
    â€œThat’s because he was. I think he’s a weirdo, like his mother. They’re both whack-jobs and I think we’ve spent