Part 22 (1/2)

He had to admit, being outdoors had lost much of its appeal. With Thanksgiving only a week away, fall had swooped in with gray skies, chilling winds, and occasional rainstorms. But the walls of the dining hall felt confining-he needed s.p.a.ce.

”You can wear my jacket over your sweater, and I'll hold you close.” He winked, smiling when she giggled and blushed. ”Let's go.”

They remained on the paved walkways rather than strolling across the gra.s.s. The recent rains had left the ground soggy, and Alice-Marie wanted to protect her shoes from patches of mud. As he'd promised, he tugged her snug against his side, but he admitted the closeness was as much for him as for her-warmth radiated from her body, staving off the cold.

Other students pa.s.sed them. Everyone-men and women alike-smiled and nodded at him. Bennett found himself strutting. His popularity had doubled since word circulated naming him as the instigator in Roy's humiliation. None of the others involved had openly admitted their part in the prank, but he didn't mind. He'd take full credit, even if Roy plotted revenge. At least Roy had stopped pursuing Libby and stopped bothering other students so much.

Alice-Marie s.h.i.+vered and wriggled even closer to his side. ”Are you going home for Thanksgiving, Bennett?”

Bennett had a.s.sumed he and Libby would return to Shay's Ford. He hoped Pete would be there, too-and Jackson. ”Probably.” He smiled down at her. ”Why? Were you hopin' I'd come to your house instead?”

Her face flooded with color. He should stop talking like this- he was giving her ideas. Now that he'd won over several of the Beta Theta Pi men, a.s.suring his place in the fraternity despite Roy's objections, he had no need to keep company with her. Besides that, with his increased status around campus, he could snag any girl he wanted. Be a lot more fun to play the field than stick with one. Yet he couldn't seem to separate himself from Alice-Marie.

She b.u.mped him with her elbow and gave him one of her simpering smiles. ”I'm sure Caroline would adore showing you off to her mama and papa. Maybe you'd rather spend Thanksgiving with her.”

Bennett growled, baring his teeth, which only made Alice-Marie laugh. ”You know better than that.” Tomorrow he'd endure his promised trip to the drugstore with the plain-faced girl, and then he'd be done with her. Good riddance, too. Her moony looks across the dining hall or from the other side of the lawn tried his patience.

Alice-Marie sighed. Her breath formed a little cloud that hung in front of them for a few seconds. The air was cooler than Bennett had realized. His hands were starting to feel numb. He slipped the one resting on Alice-Marie's waist into the pocket of his jacket, which hung from her shoulders. With a slight push of his torso, he steered her toward the women's dormitory. He'd deposit her in Rhodes Hall so he could reclaim his jacket. He needed it.

She offered him another secretive look, her strides narrowing until he was forced to slow his steps. ”I know you can't come for Thanksgiving-it's such a short break and you'll want to go be with your friends at the orphans' school-but might you consider spending a few days of the Christmas holiday in Clayton?” Pink stained her cheeks, and Bennett suspected the color was unrelated to the cold air that brushed their faces. ”I truly would like for Mother and Daddy to get to know you. The short minutes you and Pete were at the house last weekend didn't give them sufficient time to become acquainted.”

What would Alice-Marie's parents think of him? She hadn't been put off by his orphan status or unknown lineage, but would her parents accept him, just for himself? Uncertain what to say, Bennett chose to tease. ”My, my, Miss Daley, aren't you the bold one. I didn't think fine-bred girls were supposed to be so forward.”

Her lips pinched into a displeased line. She stepped out from under his arm. ”I apologize if I seemed forward forward. I didn't realize a simple invitation would be misconstrued as presumption.”

Bennett laughed. Her sa.s.sy response reminded him of how Libby used to react to his teasing. How they'd loved to spar. Would that impertinent side of Lib return when they'd finally received word about Jackson's condition?

With her nose in the air, Alice-Marie huffed, ”And if you're going to be rude enough to laugh at me, then perhaps I shall withdraw my invitation. There!” She frowned up at him, her eyes snapping. ”Now what do you say?”

Bennett didn't say anything. Instead, he tipped his head downward with the full intention to plant a kiss on her saucy lips. Kissing was always better than arguing. But before he could make contact, a cry split the air.

”Bennett!”

He jerked upright, expecting to find Caroline shrieking on the sidewalk. Instead, Libby raced toward them. She waved a telegram. Tears streamed down her face. He stepped away from Alice-Marie. The sight of Lib's tears almost stopped his heart. It must be awful news if Libby was crying.

Holding her shoulders, he peered into her tear-damp face. ”Is it Jackson? Is he-”

”He's going to be fine!” A sob choked off her voice. Shaking her head, she gazed at him in wonder. ”G.o.d saved him, Bennett! He heard our prayers, and He saved him!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE.

G.o.d saved him! G.o.d saved him!”

Libby's words echoed through Bennett's head so loud and strong they made his ears ring. He released Libby and stepped backward, forcing a reply through clenched teeth. ”That's great, Lib.” He reached blindly, snagged the sleeve of his jacket, and yanked it from Alice-Marie's shoulders.

Alice-Marie released a displeased yelp, but he ignored her protest and jammed his arms into the sleeves. He turned and strode toward the men's dormitory. An unnamed fury made him pound his feet against the concrete, the solid contact stinging his soles.

”Bennett, wait!” Libby's bewildered cry found his ears right before a hand grabbed the back of his jacket.

He shook loose and marched on, but a persistent click-click click-click on the sidewalk let him know she was still pursuing him. He stopped and spun to face her. ”What?” The single-word query snapped out, surprising even him with its vehemence. on the sidewalk let him know she was still pursuing him. He stopped and spun to face her. ”What?” The single-word query snapped out, surprising even him with its vehemence.

She drew back momentarily then scurried forward to curl her hands over his arm. ”I thought you'd be pleased. I know you've worried about Jackson. So why are you so . . . ?” She seemed to be peering beneath his skin, trying to find the real emotion underneath.

He turned and glared across the yard, his teeth clamped so tightly his jaw hurt. ”I'm happy Jackson's fine.” His throat ached with the effort it took to speak. ”It's good news. Jackson's fine. Pete's fine. You're fine. Everybody's fine!” His hands formed fists, and he jammed them deep into his pockets so he wouldn't be tempted to raise one and use it to do something he'd later regret.

Grabbing his arm again, Libby guided him off the sidewalk and beneath the eaves of the nearest building, where they were somewhat protected from the wind and away from curious eyes. ”Tell me what's wrong.”

Her tears had dried, leaving s.h.i.+ny paths on her smooth cheeks. The tenderness in her eyes made his chest feel tight. She needed to stop looking at him like that. ”Nothin'.”

”There is is something. The last response I expected from you at the news of Jackson's recovery was anger, yet you're angry, Bennett. I can see it.” She squeezed his arm, leaning close. ”Tell me why.” something. The last response I expected from you at the news of Jackson's recovery was anger, yet you're angry, Bennett. I can see it.” She squeezed his arm, leaning close. ”Tell me why.”

Bennett jerked free of her grasp. ”No.”

”Why not?”

”Because it won't change anything!” He wished she'd get mad back-snap at him that he needed to change his att.i.tude or remind him to behave like a human being. She hadn't hesitated to blast him with her opinions in the past. If she'd do it now, he'd have an excuse to shout and rage, too. But she went on looking at him in that soft, sweet way. In a way he didn't deserve. ”Leave me alone, Lib.”

”I won't. Not until you let loose of what's bothering you.”

”What's bothering me is you!” If anything would make her spout in defense, that would do it. He braced himself, prepared for the deluge of furious words sure to spew from her lips.

As he'd expected, her expression hardened. She opened her mouth slightly, her chin lifting into an arrogant angle. But then, to his disappointment, she appeared to shrink into herself. Her eyes slipped closed for a moment, and she drew in a deep breath. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, all of the fury of moments before was gone. That odd calm acceptance he'd witnessed in the past few days returned, and it raised Bennett's irritation another notch.

”Stop making excuses, Bennett. You're hiding from the truth.” Her composed speech did nothing to ease his frustration. ”You aren't angry at me, but you are angry. What is it?”

He leaned forward until his face was only inches from hers. With his jaw so tight he could barely form words, he snarled, ”All right, Lib, you want the truth? You're right. I'm downright, all-fired, purely mad mad right now, and I've got every reason to be. Apparently it's not bad enough that I have to listen to my best friend-turning-preacher spouting G.o.d-talk at me every minute- now you're starting to do it! right now, and I've got every reason to be. Apparently it's not bad enough that I have to listen to my best friend-turning-preacher spouting G.o.d-talk at me every minute- now you're starting to do it!

”I've never fit in anywhere-not at the orphanage, where someone dumped me, not with the Rowleys, where I could never measure up to Pete, not here on this campus with its kids from good families . . . but at least, in a way, I had you. We were alike, you and me-not finding a family like other kids from the orphans' school did, not fitting in anywhere . . . together.” He paused. How could Libby understand anything he said? He couldn't even make sense of his own ramblings.

But in spite of his disjointed spillage of words, Libby listened intently. Looking into her open, accepting expression, his anger swelled again. ” 'G.o.d saved Jackson.' ” He mimicked her higher-pitched tone, putting a sarcastic note into his delivery. ”Well, doesn't that make Jackson special? G.o.d just seems to save everybody-Pete, Jackson, all those kids who got adopted instead of me-” He swallowed, finally acknowledging the source of the change that had come over Libby in the past few days. ”Even you.” Bennett broke out in a sweat despite the cold temperature. ”So where does that leave me? What's G.o.d ever done for me?”

Tears glimmered in Libby's eyes. Another change-Libby never cried. He had no idea how to respond to Libby's tears. ”Stop that!” He pointed at her face as one tear slipped free and ran toward her chin. ”Don't be bawling like a baby. I didn't do anything to you.”

She shook her head, her chin quivering. ”I'm not crying for me, Bennett. I'm crying for you. Because you just can't see.”

”See what?”

”That G.o.d's been with you all along.”

He snorted. ”Oh, yeah. That's just as clear as a brand-new window pane.” Derision laced his words. He turned to storm away.

Libby caught hold of his jacket front. Even though he wanted to pull away, something made him stay put. But he wouldn't look her in the face. Her soft voice reached his ears, though, her warm breath touching his cheek.

”I understand, Bennett. I didn't see Him, either. Not until I tripped and fell into His arms. But He's here, right now, loving both of us just like He always has. Our problem is we've been trying to find Him in the midst of our own selfish wants instead of realizing He's waiting in the middle of where He needs us to be.”