Pearl (21 page)

Pearl’s mouth dropped open. “Thanking you?”

Cindy nodded. “All Roy had to do to change was hit rock bottom. I know what he was doing to you up there. I figured if it got too bad, he’d have to stop.” She smiled. “Problem solved.”

Pearl tasted so much bile in her throat she was afraid that if she opened her mouth, only vomit would come out. Her eyes flashed as she stared Cindy down. Her hands were locked in fists that so desperately wanted to pound Cindy to the ground, and she had to remind herself that children were watching.
 

Cindy hopped back in the car. “You’ll see, Pearl,” she said as she turned the engine on. “You’ll get that I just had your best interests in mind.”

Pearl stood blazing as Cindy pulled away. She was so engulfed in rage she didn’t even feel Vernie’s arms around her. “Come on now, precious Pearl, let’s not let her ruin our day.” She guided Pearl back to the house. “I need to soak you all up while I still got you.”

When Pearl returned home, Roy’s truck was in the drive. She opened the door hesitantly to the silence of the trailer, and poked her head around the empty room. She heard a scuffling sound coming from the bedroom. Slowly she crept down the hall, resting her hand on the bedroom door for a moment before slowly turning the handle. Roy stood beaming, holding a hanger adorned with black lacy fabric.
 

“What is that, Roy?” she asked, eyeing the slinky dress.

“It’s for you, baby.” Roy grinned proudly. “Taking my girl out to dinner tonight—thought I’d splurge and buy you something real pretty.”
 

“Are you sure that wasn’t in the nightgown section?” she asked timidly.

Roy’s face fell. “Don’t you like it?”

“Of course I do,” she chirped. “I just thought it was a little showy for your taste.” She eyed him cautiously. The Roy she had seen on the farm would have never let her leave the house in something so revealing.

Roy handed her the dress. “I have the best-looking wife in town. You bet I’m gonna show her off.”

Pearl swallowed hard. She took the dress from Roy as he slipped out of the room to anticipate her grand entrance. She pulled off her worn jeans and faded T-shirt and glided the tight fabric over her slim body, the thin straps digging deep into her shoulders. She looked down and could see her small breasts bursting out of the wire cups. She tugged the dress down, pleading with it to touch her knees, but it continued to bounce back up. She looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied that she looked too much like a hooker to imagine Roy would let her out of the house like this. She tousled her hair for effect and stepped out of the room. Roy’s mouth dropped.

“Baby, we may not make it to dinner with how hot you look in that.” He curled an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “But we can wait for that.” He kissed her passionately, just long enough for Pearl to taste the distant sour tang of beer. Her heart sank.
 

“Let’s go, baby. I want to show these guys what Roy Blackwood comes home to every night.”
 

As Roy parked the truck, Pearl sank deeper into her seat. She saw the multiple cars that were heading to the same restaurant as they were, and she wanted to hide. Roy opened his door, jumping out of the truck with glee in his step. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around the sweater she grabbed at the last minute when Roy ran out the front door. Pearl counted her breaths as she exhaled, startled when Roy slammed his hand on the hood of the car. Her eyes flew open.

“Come on, baby,” Roy said, with slight annoyance in his tone.
 

She stepped out of the truck, pulling the sweater tighter around her chest.

“What’s with you tonight?” Roy asked. “You didn’t seem like you liked your dress, and now you won’t get out of the truck.” He shook his head. “All I’m doing is trying to do something nice for you.”

Pearl eased a smile at him as they walked through the door. “Of course, Roy. I’m just cold is all.”

“Well, cold or not, I want you to lose that sweater. I didn’t buy you that dress so you could cover up.”

She nodded, slipping the sweater from her shoulders.
 

He wrapped an arm around her and leaned into her ear. “See now, that’s better. I like it when you tease me. It’ll be hard to sit through dinner, looking at you.” He straightened with a smile. “Now, let’s go show these women how your husband spoils you.”

The waitress sat them at an open table in the middle of the room. The place was busy even for a Saturday night, but not so engaging that the customers didn’t stop to stare as they found their seats. Pearl tugged at the fabric, hoping the lace would cover her exposed breasts. The dress was too snug around her waist for her to sit or eat comfortably. The waitress was back before Pearl could open her menu, a bottle of merlot in her hand. Pearl looked to Roy for his reaction as she began to pour the wine into his glass. He stared, his eyes shimmering as he followed the bottle as it made its way to Pearl’s glass. She didn’t say a word as the waitress talked on about sampling their vino special. Roy licked his lips and then smiled at Pearl. “Well, what’s one drink? We’re celebrating!”

He took a sip of the wine before foregoing his etiquette and gulping it down. His eyes flashed as he licked his lips, craving more. Pearl couldn’t stomach taking one drink. She set her menu down, settling only for a small garden salad. Roy ordered the special, never acknowledging her lack of appetite.
 

“What are we celebrating, Roy?” she asked as their dinner was served.
 

Roy cut through his bleeding steak, sucking the juices through his teeth. She looked away, disgusted, just as Ben walked through the door.
 

Roy chuckled. “You’ll never believe it, baby. J.T. Tucker saw the work I was doing down at Ray’s and he got so jealous he said something about wanting me back on his team. Can you believe it? I bet I could scrape a little more cash from him this time. Maybe even start a bidding war!”

Pearl tuned Roy out as she watched Ben examine the crowd. Her breath escaped her as she absorbed the sight of him. She had spent too long trying to erase his beautiful face from her mind, and then in one glance her hunger for him returned. His eyes met hers immediately. He scanned down her face, his eyes blazing as he honed in on her revealing dress. Ben would know in an instant that this was not Pearl’s choice. Pearl had faith that he would know she would never propose to expose herself this way.
 

He turned to leave but was pushed forward by a little brunette looking up at him and smiling, practically standing on his feet.
 

Pearl dropped her gaze. Ben was here, and he was on a date, and she was in a horrifically slutty dress with the man she was trying her damnedest to adore. It was all too much for her. She pushed her seat back, with all intention of heading to the bathroom before her tears fell down her cheek. Seeing Ben pushed the unwanted desires forward that she had been denying. Seeing Ben with another woman just about brought her to her knees.
 

She stood, just as a burly man made his way to the table, his tongue dragging over his lips at the sight of Pearl. She quickly fell back into her seat.
 

“Well, looky what Roy brought out tonight,” the stranger purred.

Roy looked up at the man who towered over their table. A proud smile pursed his lips. “Just a regular Saturday night with the wife. How’s it going, Joe?”

Joe pressed his damp lips into a twisted grin, his eyes still on Pearl. She turned away to see Ben seated in the far corner. She would have to stretch to see the girl he was with. Ben raised his eyes, catching Pearl’s stare. He smiled softly.
 

“I can see why you’ve been staying home, Roy.”

Pearl turned her gaze back to the table as Roy draped an arm over the back of her shoulders, pulling her toward him. Her gaze dropped from the brawny man, knowing without doubt his eyes were on her breasts. It made her sick, and her throat closed up. She reached for her water, realizing the glass that held her wine was now gone.
 

“So, Roy,” Joe said. “Will we be seeing you next Friday at Ricky Bloodhound’s place? We’ve been short a poker player since you’ve been…” Joe smirked at Pearl. “…busy. But if you don’t come back soon, we can’t hold your spot anymore.”

Roy looked uneasy. “I don’t know, Joe, I’ll have to do some thinking and get back to you.”

Joe laughed as he pushed away from the table. “You do that.”

Roy nodded. Pearl saw his longing expression as he watched Joe walk away. He caught Pearl’s tentative look and smiled. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m not going.” He nuzzled into Pearl’s hair. Her gaze darted to Ben’s flaming-red face as Roy whispered in her ear, “I swear you won’t see me out with the boys again.”

Pearl’s eyes rolled to her empty wine glass, which had somehow made its way to Roy’s side of the table, and she knew this time she could not smile through his false promises.

CHAPTER 19

Sammie’s wedding landed on a cool but sunny day in June. It was scheduled for just after sunset, but being the matron of honor, Pearl was due at the ceremony site by late afternoon. Locked in her bedroom, she pulled the pink sequined strap over her shoulder and shimmied the seam down over her ankles. The dress was not the worst bridesmaid dress she had seen, though it was embellished with too much glitter for Pearl’s taste. But this was Sammie’s day, and Pearl would wear a bag over her head if that was what Sammie wanted. She slipped the faux diamond earrings into her ears. The earrings dangled gently by her soft flowing curls, which fell from her loose style at the nape of her neck. She had never been one with a curling iron, but she practiced hard to get it right for this day. She looked in the mirror, thinking it odd that she was more done up on her friend’s wedding day than her own.
 

She stepped into the living room, where Roy lay stretched out on the couch. She did her best to ignore the beer can propped up on his stomach, though it had been weeks since he had tried to hide his booze from her. He had maintained his temper, and so to that she thought to play it safe and not mention the drinking. She also was used to the nights he spent away, and was grateful to have Vernie so close.
 

She sauntered in front of the TV. Roy narrowed his eyes in annoyance before catching a glimpse at her. He sat up in amazement as she twirled for him.

“What do you think?” she asked sheepishly.

“Baby, you look amazing,” he said with approval.

She blushed. “Well, it is a bit much, but that’s Sammie.”

Roy grunted at the sound of her friend’s name. “I don’t know how you managed to get tangled up in Sammie’s mess, but I’m sure it will cool down now that she’s knocked up.”

“She’s good to me, Roy,” Pearl said softly. “She’s the first friend I’ve had—that’s my age, anyway.”

Roy shrugged and stretched out back on the couch.
 

Pearl wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. “So I’ll see you down there this evening?”

Roy took a swig of beer and crumpled it in his hands. “Ah, baby, you know I don’t want to go.”

Pearl felt a slight twinge of hope at his refusal, but played it coy. “Roy, I understand that you don’t want to be there, I do. But I would really love to dance with you.”

“I don’t dance.”

Pearl nodded. “If you change your mind…”

He looked up at her as she turned to walk away. “Not too late, all right?” he rumbled. “Don’t want my wife out flaunting herself in that dress all night. Someone could get the wrong idea.”

She sighed. “Will you even be home?”

His eyes flashed to hers. “Of course I’ll be home.”

“Okay, Roy,” she said smiling to cool the fire. “Not too late.”

She squeezed into the Thunderbird and drove herself to the church where Sammie was getting ready. She punched the gas with her stiletto heel, almost missing the parking space. She turned off the engine just in time to see Ben step out of his car. His attention turned to her, and she looked away. She wished now she had waited to quit smoking. A little moonshine would also help to calm her nerves. She had neither.
 

She kept her eyes low as Ben walked to her side of the car and opened the door.
 

“Aren’t you going to get out?”
 

She looked up to see his smile. He looked incredible in his smooth black tux, his short chocolate-brown hair polished and swept back from his face, showing the gold in his coffee eyes. She looked away from him, terrified of the expression on her face.
 

“Come on, Pearl,” he said, holding a hand out to her. “I promise I won’t bite.”

She sighed, succumbing to his invitation. She lifted her hand to his and stepped from the car. He gripped her tightly behind the waist as she stumbled from the height of her shoes. She steadied herself and released him.

“I’m fine, thank you,” she said, still not meeting his eyes.
 

“So formal.” He laughed. “Must be the dress.”
 

She smoothed her gown nervously, her fingers gathering fallen glitter. She cursed lightly as she wiped her hands together. Ben laughed, and Pearl lifted her eyes to glower at him.
 

“Were you waiting out here for me?” she asked daringly.

He lifted a brow. “Hmm, well, you wouldn’t speak to me last night at the rehearsal dinner, and I figured you would blow me off during the wedding.”

Pearl dropped her gaze at the mention of the night before. It was the first time she had seen Ben since the restaurant. The first time they had been in the same room able to speak to each other since she left him at the stables. She had done what she could to put every barricade between them, and he had still managed to find his way to her.

“There is nothing to say,” she said.
 

“Maybe for you,” he said, matching her audacious tone. He stepped closer to her. “Come back. That’s all I wanted to tell you. Just give it another try.”

“I can’t,” she breathed.