Part 17 (1/2)

Manning nodded, his lips quirking up. ”I do worry about Brooks, believe me.” He turned to his wife and winked. ”I'll be right back.”

He walked away and Caroline let out a sound of exasperation. ”Those two are downright difficult to figure out.”

Debbie Mae took her arm and walked her toward the food table. ”Ignore him. He's mad there are no hush puppies. You've got to try the flummery. It's perfect!”

She tried not to grimace at the sight of the quivering towers of multicolored jelly. She bent down and peered at one. ”Is that... a boiled egg in there?”

”Sure is! They suspended all sorts of things in the middle. There's sweet flummery and salty flummery and if you're really lucky you might get one that has olives and plums together. I've heard it's really tasty.”

Caroline had a vision of the pickle and raisin ca.s.serole and fought back a laugh.

”There you are,” a low voice said on her left. She looked up to see Frank smiling down at her. He was perfectly dressed in Regency attire, although his tie was a bit crooked.

”I've been trying to call you,” she said, offering her hand the way a Regency lady might.

He bent low over it, eyes locked on hers. His lips touched her skin and she waited for some kind of emotion to zap through her system. But nothing came, just the warm press of his lips on the back of her hand.

”Frank.” The tone in Brooks' voice was enough to make Caroline s.n.a.t.c.h back her hand.

He stood behind them, holding a cup of punch. His face was tightly controlled anger. ”How is Lauren?”

Frank glanced at Caroline and rolled his eyes, laughing. ”Fine, I guess. She's around here somewhere.”

”You guess? I figure you'd know better than that.”

Caroline glared at him, willing him to stop with the hints. He was mistaken about the kissing in the car, she was sure of it.

Frank didn't respond for a moment. He smile faded and he seemed to take stock of Brooks. ”I saw her on the way in. She looked spectacular.”

”You mean, you met her around the back before the dance.” Brooks stepped forward, putting the cups of punch on the table. ”See, Frank, I walked my bike around the corner so it would be out of the way. I saw you two back there.”

Caroline looked from one to the other, bile rising in her throat. Why would Frank pretend not to know Lauren? Why try so hard to be unimpressed with her beauty, her talent?

He shrugged. ”So, we had a little momentary diversion. It's the summer air. The costumes. No one can resist a man in breaches, you know. I'm sure-”

Frank broke off abruptly as Brooks stepped forward, hands clenched. He looked for all the world like he was going to take a swing. Caroline put a hand on his arm, alarm coursing through her.

”Get away from her. I don't want to see you talking to her again. Don't call her. Don't invite her to lunch. Don't touch her. Ever. Again.” His voice was deep and calm. He was more angry than she had ever heard him.

”Okay, back off, buddy. I'm going.” Frank turned on his heel and walked away.

Caroline could feel the tension pulsing through Brooks' arm. ”Hey,” she whispered.

He turned and seemed to see her for the first time. ”Sorry about that. You know I can't stand a liar.”

She nodded. It was something that really set him off. But this was more than losing respect for a man who fudged the truth. This was about Lauren. He had warned Frank away from Lauren in a way that was completely proprietary, like a man would who found a creep touching the woman he loved.

The music started up behind them and Brooks tried to smile. ”Ready for another round?”

She shook her head. ”It's just a bit warm in there. I think I'll sit down for a moment. You go ahead.”

He glanced at her, then dropped his eyes. ”I'm sorry you had to hear that.”

”I'm surprised. I suppose I should have known, but I'm not always the most observant.” She felt her stomach tighten into a knot and she lowered herself into a chair. She saw how he acted that day she'd mentioned Lauren, the day he'd said he was staying for the summer. It was obvious. To anyone but her.

”Brooks, you can't hide over here.” Manning jogged over. ”There are way too many women here for you to stand in the corner.”

He opened his mouth to say something, and seemed to think better of it. Seconds later he was moving across the dance floor, taking up a position directly across from Lauren.

She swallowed back the ache in her throat. He'd been trying to tell her for so long and she hadn't wanted to know. She never wanted anything to change, but the world didn't work that way. Everything changed. Even the deepest of friends.h.i.+ps.

”It is not every man's fate to marry the woman who loves him best.” Mr. Knightley

Chapter Twenty.

Brooks watched Frank hover by the exit until the dance was over. Lauren had smiled politely through their turn as partners but as soon as the last notes sounded, she made her way to the same doorway, slipping out into the night. Frank followed, glancing behind him.

He was glad he hadn't actually punched the guy. Nothing worse than a good party devolving into an all-out brawl. He tried to force down the fury but every time he saw Frank bending over Caroline's hand, and putting his mouth to her skin, he wanted to hit the man. He should have told her alone, should have broken the news some other way than announcing in mid-conversation. But what he'd seen behind the barn was not a momentary indiscretion. It was two seasoned lovers taking their chance at reacquainting themselves with the pleasures they had already sampled. Hands had roamed places hands didn't roam on a first date.

He glanced at Caroline's face and his chest went tight. She looked crushed. Frank had promised many things, spoken and unspoken. He guessed that the job offer was really the least of her attraction to Frank. The guy was handsome, smooth, and a lot more fun than a journalism professor.

The dance went on for what seemed an eternity. He tried his best to keep her attention, but she didn't seem to be able to focus. Their eyes would meet, she would look pained then glance away. He cursed Frank and his slime-bag, cheating ways.

”I feel weird.” Caroline blinked a few times. ”Do you feel weird?”

Brooks shrugged. ”How weird? We're all dressed like people in a Jane Austen book. I think weird comes with the territory.”

”My head feels woozy. Maybe it's the heat.” She stood up and fell against him. ”Ugh. Sorry. I wonder if I ate something bad.”

”What did you have?” he asked. He looked at the table of wobbling structures and hoped she didn't have food poisoning.

Debbie Mae came up and her eyes opened wide. ”Have you been drinking?”

”Me? Not a drop!” Caroline protested but her words were slurring together.

Brooks sucked in a breath. ”Oh, boy. I think I know what happened.” He searched the barn until he found Blanche.

He jogged over and said, ”Someone's been messing with the punch again.”

She laughed. ”A little. I don't see how you can have a party with virgin punch.”

He groaned. ”Grandma, we've got people driving. You can't just dump a liter of rum into the punch bowls.”

”It was only one bowl. The other one is fine. n.o.body's complaining.” She waved a hand. ”See? Everybody's having a great time.”

Not bothering to respond, he went to find Jennie Purdy. He explained as best he could and she nodded. Grabbing the microphone, she called out for quiet. ”We have a little bit of news. Looks like there was a misunderstandin' at the punch table. Looks as if one bowl has got some liquor in it. We don't want any of y'all to be in danger driving back to town. If you had the rum, we ask that you find a ride home.” The sound of murmurs and laughter filled the hall. ”If you're in doubt, you come on up here and I'll smell ya. I can usually smell it real clear when a person's been drinkin'.” With that she turned off the microphone and stood at the ready, waiting to offer her services to the guests.