This wasnt exactly turning out as she had visualized somehow, she had ended up sitting dangerously close to Big Pants and playing bingo for Grandma. Well, hell, shed done everything else, why not? Not that she was playing all that well. The problem being that she hadnt actually heard Grandpa say much of anything since she had made contact with Matts body and the deep-sixed memory of last Friday night was flooding all her senses again, just like it had last night when he called.
No more than five numbers had been called, but shed already lost her place (Grandpas off-colored remark about O-69 had practically sent her under the table). And while she was desperately trying to catch up, he was just sitting there, watching her mark her cards, his thigh pressed against hers as if this was no big deal, like he made women howl like hyenas every other day. Just casually letting his thigh burn right through her skirt, right through her skin and bone, right into the marrow.
Missed one, he said, and leaned across her, his head startlingly close to hers, pointing to a B-4.
I know, she lied, slapping his hand away so she could mark it.
Can he slow this down a little? she heard someone behind her grouse. Hes going too fast!
Everything was going too fast, spinning furiously around her brain, muddling her thoughts and all her self-preservation techniques.
Amateurs, Matt muttered, pointing to another number under the G column on Rebeccas card. You missed that one, too.
Rebecca scooched up to the edge of her seat and quickly marked it. Perhaps youd like to get your own bingo sheet, she suggested.
Nah, he said, and reached for one of two extra markers Grandma had laid out (in case of an emergency), marked another G number on two more of her cards. I like playing yours. Besides, you obviously need all the help you can get.
That was definitely the understatement of the year.
Here we go, folks! Heres an N-32! Dont believe we ve had a 32 yet. . . not with an N, anyway.
Matt reached across her again to mark numbers, his arm inadvertently brushing against her breast. Beg your pardon, he said with a half-cocked grin.
Great. Fabulous. Rebeccas body responded to that brief contact with a gut-sinking shiver of anticipation. She tried to shift her chair away from Matt, but Grayson had wedged his chair in between hers and Jo Lynns so he could stand to draw pictures on the back of the bingo card sheets.
Come on, Mork, youre losing focus, Matt said to Rebecca, and casually slinging his arm across the back of her chair, leaned forward to mark more. His spicy scent filled all of her senses and sent her into a cloudy panic.
Give me the marker, she demanded, holding out her hand.
No, he said, studying the cards.
Look, these are my grandmas cards, and if you screw them up
I got the picture, thank you, which is why I am helping
you. I figure if you mess this up, Grandma will shoot first and take names later.
Who am I shooting? Grandma asked behind them, pushing and shoving her way down the aisle to get to her cards. Okay, okay, Ive got it, she said, snatching the marker from Rebeccas hand. Yall help Grayson or someone. What does that say up there? Jo Lynn needs to write bigger!
N-32, Rebecca said.
Will you lookie here? We got us another B. B-9, that is. As in, good news, Elmer, looks like that growth on your butt is beee-nign! Thats a B
BINGO! BIN-GO, BIN-GO. a man shouted.
God- dam -mit! Grandma cried, and threw down her marker.
MOM! Grayson gasped. GRANDMA LIL SAID A DIRTY WORD!
Dont you worry, Boo-boo, Grandma said soothingly. God is punishing me as we speak. She looked at Matt and smiled. I still wish he hadnt said it to the entire world, but Ill tell you what Elmer was right about the beans!
Thanks for the heads-up, Matt said cheerfully.
Okay, so if a hole to China would please present itself. To make matters worse, Grandma dazzled them with one of her big Ive got an idea smiles that Rebecca and her sisters feared. She leaned across and gave Matt the once-over. So, you work with our Becky?
Rebecca immediately stood up. Grandma, will you watch Grayson? Its time for Toms speech.
Well, sure, sweetie! You and Matt run along, she said, grinning broadly as she turned her attention to the next bingo sheet. Rebecca quickly stepped around Matt, paused only to tell Grayson to stay put with Grandma Lil until she got back.
Will you look at that drawing, Matt? Grandma was smiling proudly at Grays drawing of a monster with really big teeth. He has his mamas artistic talent and eye for the unusual.
Is that a fact? Matt asked, taking his sweet time getting up.
Oh my goodness, yes! Grandma laughed. She was forever drawing monsters and vampires and such!
I was six, Grandma! Rebecca impatiently reminded her.
Excuse me, but we cant hear him call the bingo! a woman hissed behind them.
Well, thats because hes not calling bingo at the moment! Grandma hissed back.
Gawd. It was like floating in a sea of grandmas who had been taken off their hormones after a million years. Rebecca gestured for Matt to come on, but he chatted with Grandma for a moment before he finally followed her.
Okay, ladies and gents, we re going to take a little break here and verify this bingo! Dont go far! That, apparently, was the cue for everyone to jump out of their seats and make another beeline for the buffet.
Great. Wheres Tom now? I left him back by the sign-in table, Rebecca moaned, looking around the room.
Lets hope hes not testing the beans, Matt said jovially. When Rebecca gave him a dark look, his smile faded a little. Okay, he said, putting up a hand. Ill find him.
He went one way, Rebecca went the other, to the dais to tell Grandpa it was time. Only Grandpa wanted to review with her some of his better jokes, which he did until Matt showed up with Tom. Tom had obviously been enjoying the free food, judging by the bit of barbecue sauce on his shirt. Angie was with them, too, as was Gunter and the photographer. Pat was right behind them all, looking very disgruntled. I think the whole thing is rigged. I lacked only one number for three calls and still didnt bingo!
Okay, is everyone here? Tom asked, gleefully rubbing his hands together as Gunters photographer bounced around them, snapping pictures. This is our big moment, the reason all these folks came out tonight. So! He looked at Rebecca. Do you have my remarks?
The question stunned her. Didnt.. . didnt Gilbert prepare some remarks for you?
Yep, Tom said congenially. He said he was faxing them to you.
No one uttered a word; Rebecca could only gape at him until Pat muttered, Dear God.
No, it was more like, shoot me now, someone please SHOOT ME NOW. As she frantically racked her brain, Matt stepped forward.
The rainy day fund, he said quickly. Talk about how we need that fund to meet the needs of everyone in case of an emergency, to ensure that we are never in danger of cutting back on services.
Yeah, thats good, said Tom, jotting it down in his pocket notebook. Rebecca silently agreed, recognizing instantly that she wouldnt have come up with that in a trillion years. Which begged the question of what, exactly, she would have come up with.
I can talk about how Im a huge advocate for saving money, Tom said. Not that I can save my own damn money, but they dont have to know that, right? he asked, laughing easily. Pat groaned again.
Okay folks, we have a real treat for you tonight! The Silver Panthers president, Francine McDonough, is coming up here to tell you all about it!
Francine, eager for the microphone, pointed her scooter toward the dais and punched it. Matt likewise nudged Tom toward the dais, made him take two steps up behind Francine when she parked her scooter and inexplicably bounded up the steps.
And health care initiatives, he said to Tom. Mention that. Remember, dont take any questions, and for Gods sake, be vague!
Tom laughed. Dont worry, Parrish! This aint my first rodeo, you know. With a wink, he jogged up the steps and began sauntering toward Francine.
Rebecca looked at Matt from the corner of her eye. Okay ... the rainy day fund was close to brilliant. Thanks. I really owe you one for bailing me out.
Matt grinned down at her, his gray eyes sparkling with
delight. Do my ears deceive me? I do not believe sweeter words were ever spoken.
She tried very hard not to smile. You know what I mean
Uh-huh, he said, enjoying her exasperation, and a wobbly feeling shot straight to Rebeccas knees.
Okay, she said, and her smile went deeper, dammit. She waved a hand at him. I didnt mean
Great thing, debts
Stop it
First I owed you one
She laughed nervously as Gunters photographer turned and suddenly took several shots of them.
Now you owe me one ...
Excuse me! Rebecca whispered to the photographer, and pointed at Tom. The photographer shrugged, turned back to Tom. She could hear Matts deep chuckle, but she refused to look at him, lest she lose what was left of her composure, and refused to think about debts or bets in any direction. But while they waited for Francine (who seemed to like the limelight as much as Grandpa) to finish her long spiel, the feel of him standing so close to her, his body radiating delicious energy, she could not keep the admittedly seductive thoughts of debts from her mind. By the time Francine turned it over to Tom, Rebecca was so uptight that she feared she might actually twist off and spear herself into the ceiling.
Tom strutted across the stage, thanked Francine, and began to speak about why he had come tonight and how important the Silver Panthers were to the state and to candidates like him. He then launched into a little well-rehearsed speech about what he hoped to accomplish as lieutenant governor which consisted, when one cut through the rhetoric, of not raising taxes. And then a plug for a new superhighway, from Dallas to Old Mexico, with a gas pipeline running beneath that would bring commerce to Texas.
Huh, Matt muttered. Thats new.
You know, he looks like a sausage, Gunter said thoughtfully as Tom spoke extemporaneously. Hes really not very photogenic.
Okay! Rebecca said, feeling better as the crowd clapped. This is going pretty well! She glanced hopefully at Pat. Pat shrugged.
Now about that rainy day fund, Tom continued from the dais. Ive heard a lot of talk about that. Everyones concerned, myself included. And I have a lot of colleagues who would like to take a bite here and there. But I say no! I say we jeopardize our future and the future of our children by messing with our savings account. As residents of Texas, we need to make sure that the rainy day fund goes untouched so that all needs are met, and if we should hit a rough patch God forbidservices are not cut!
That was met with strong applause all the way around. Rebecca turned a beaming smile to Matt at the very same moment Tom said, And oh, by the way, today I pushed a fun little bill through that I think youll find improves the quality of all our lives.
Pat instantly threw her head back and closed her eyes. Oh my gawd she groaned. Please tell me he is not going to say it!
Say what? Rebecca asked, but Pat was too mortified to say anything as she stared at Tom, stricken.
My bill designates chips and salsa as the official state snack of Texas! Tom said, raising his arm into the air in some sort of half-cocked victory pump.
Wow, Angie exclaimed, wide-eyed. He really did that?
He really did that, Pat confirmed with a sigh.
But theyll think its cute! Rebecca insisted.
Political suicide is not cute, Pat snorted.
Rebecca looked around at her colleagues. Do you honestly think that one silly reference to chips and salsa is political suicide?
Its definitely a cry for help, Matt said. Just take a look at the blue hairs he lost them.
Rebecca peeked around him; the crowd noise had
definitely fallen to a low pitch. Dozens of wizened faces voting faces were upturned to Tom, waiting for the punch line that was, apparently, not going to come.
So! Wander on into the dining room and get some chips and salsa!
Whos going to tell him there are no chips and salsa on the buffet? Pat asked of no one in particular.
There was another smattering of applause; Grandpa shuffled on stage and took the microphone from Tom, beaming from ear to ear. Ready for the last session of bingo?
Tom came striding off the stage, grinning. Well done, Senator! Angie cried as he jogged down the steps and paused for another photo.
I thought he was sort of charming, Rebecca muttered to no one in particular.
Ah, Re-be -caaaa! Tom said, stretching his arms wide for a hug, into which Rebecca reluctantly walked. Thanks again, he said, squeezing tight. Thanks a million for putting all this together.
Honestly, sometimes she thought Tom would gush if she stood up and belched. No problem, Tom, she said, wiggling out of his embrace.
We could all take a page out of your book, Tom continued, and Rebecca couldnt help notice that Pat and Angie, standing to one side, looked as if they might barf all over his shoes. You two be safe getting home, now. Come on, girls! Im going to treat you to a beer on the way home! He marched toward the exit with Angie, Pat, Gunter, and his photographer trailing behind.
I have to agree, Matt said, shoving his hands into his pockets as they watched Tom glad-hand his way to the door. Pretty amazing job you did here.
Rebecca smiled in spite of herself. Thank you, I think.
But you know he hasnt even begun to ramp up, dont you?
Meaning?
Meaning, we arent going to have the time or luxury of this sort of setup again. You might want to adjust your expectations for the long haul.
Was this guy for real? What is it with you? she demanded. At least I have expectations.
Hey, Im not criticizing, quite the contrary. Im just saying. ..
Say it to someone else, she said pertly.
Surprised, Matt lifted a brow. Well, arent you just a little on the feisty side tonight? If I didnt know better, Id think you escaped from rehab again.