Charley (18 page)

“Listen, you’re in the South now, we don’t need swim suits as long as we have our birthday suits. Come on you big woose, I’ll race you to the pool.”

And I started toward the pool, unbuttoning and pulling off things as I walked. I looked behind and he stood there. “Come on silly, I’ll let you win at Marco Polo!”

By now I was slipping off my thong and unhooking my bra and he hadn’t made a move. I don’t know whether he was shocked, embarrassed or just plain amused. Didn't matter, I was going swimming. Totally naked I ran back to him and grabbed his hand. I stood on my tip toes and whispered. “If you don’t go swimming, our unfinished business will stay unfinished.”

I ran back to the pool and did a major cannonball, splashing water almost to his feet. When I came up, he was running straight at me, and he did an even better cannonball in the deep end of the pool. He came up laughing and splashing water and bouncing his six foot four inch frame off the bottom of the five foot pool. I splashed water back in his face and backed away, flipping water at him. Playing helped ease the sexual tension that had been building up. When we had been inside, it was like he didn’t know where to start, or what to do next. The pool party took care of that, he knew to just have fun.

Watching him shake his wet hair and brush it back with those huge hands, and seeing his tight butt as he swam furiously to catch me, sent a nervous tingle through my whole body. After a few minutes, I knew it was time to get down to business.

I let him catch me, and with boyish enthusiasm he bounced on top of my head and pushed it under the water.  I pushed off the bottom and shot up in front of him. Gravity took over, and I landed in his arms with my breasts nuzzling his face. Even PJ knew the time had come. As my body slipped down his, he pulled me to him and kissed me. We stood there as the water settled down, and we were slowly whirling around as our bodies melted in one.

My arms wrapped around his neck and my soft breasts flattened against his chest, to eagerly draw passion from each other.

At that moment, I knew, I just knew that I loved him! I knew because I didn’t care whether we made love in the pool or in the bedroom.  In fact, I didn’t care whether we made love at all. I was just happy to hold him and have him hold me. At that time I knew that we were slipping from lust to love; at least I was!

I hated to see him leave. At least this time it was a different good bye. We lingered in the short-term parking garage, and kissed like teenagers.  I walked him to the check-in and over to the security check point. I stood on the non-flyers side of the barrier, and watched him as long as I could.

The walk back to the car was slow as was the drive in on I-40. My mind was racing. I was already planning our next meeting, when my thoughts were interrupted. The familiar voice on the cell belonged to Shelby Loomis.

“Morning, Shelby.” I was too happy to stay angry with him.

“Charley, has your friend left yet?”

Strange question?

“I just put him on a flight back to Cincinnati. Why? What’s up?”

I was starting to get a little worried.

“Ronnie and I had breakfast this morning and he told me about your meeting yesterday. He’s in my office now, and we were hoping you could meet with us. I asked Terry Weldon to join us if that’s okay.”

“What’s this all about, Shelby?”

“We’ll talk when you get here.”

“Be there in fifteen.”

Mrs. Watson escorted me to the Bank President’s office. Ronnie, Shelby and Terry stood up as I came in, and Mrs. Watson brought me a coke and a tablet and pen. I guess this was going to be a serious meeting. “Gentlemen. Good to see you this morning. Now, what is going on Shelby?”

“Charley, Ronnie has been filling me in on the meeting yesterday with the investor group interested in Jimmy’s. He told me Terry was in the meeting as well … so I called him to see if he had anything to add. He said he would tell us what he had found out when we were all together.”

“Wait a minute,” I replied, quick as lightning. “Before we go into anything, I want to know something. Why did you feel it was any of your business what I did with Jimmy’s? You read my proposal request and didn’t have any questions then. Why now?”

Shelby was my friend, but that didn’t give him any right to meddle in my affairs. I wasn’t being emotional, but my mind went into alert mood. I started to ask another question, but held my thoughts. I wanted to hear what he had to say.

“Charley …”

I could tell he was being careful with his words.

“Ronnie and I … well, we have an emotional interest in Jimmy’s place that extends back to the beginning. You know Jimmy, Ronnie and I were in Vietnam together, and we were pretty tight. While I was in Vanderbilt, we conceived the concept of the Bar. Jimmy was the idea man for the Bar, I loaned him the money, and Ronnie came over to show him how to make it profitable. We all have an emotional stake in the Bar. After the meeting, Ronnie thought I would want to know what was happening, so he called me. So that is why I’m interested in your business, as it relates to Jimmy’s Bar and Grill.”

If you’ve have ever sat in on negotiations of any sort, you quickly learn when the other side is serious, and not likely to change their position. Shelby Loomis looked like that now. He sat back in his big leather chair and crossed his arms, and looked directly at me with that non-committal expression that I’d seen before. “Shelby, I wasn’t challenging you. I just wanted to know what interest you had in Jimmy’s. I really do understand your attachment to Jimmy’s and Ronnie.”

I hoped that would ease the tension, I really didn’t care why he was interested. In fact, I was glad to have him on my side. I turned to Terry. “Okay, attorney Mr. Weldon. I wasn't aware that you were going to do any investigating. What did you find out that is so important?"

“As your attorney, I thought I should look into this Player’s Investor Group. They are actually a management firm for a group of investors, made up primarily of former and current basketball players. In fact several of whom were players for the Memphis Grizzles. I didn't get a list of the investors, but didn't Coach McCoy play for the Grizzles?”

“Yes he did, several years ago.”

“Well, Charley, I suspect he is one of the investors in this group.”

“What are you saying Terry? Why do you think that is important?”

Shelby interrupted and said. “I think he’s saying that Coach McCoy showing up just now might not be an accident.”

Ronnie chipped in. “He might be the inside man they hope will encourage you to accept their offer.” Ronnie filled in the obvious implications although he didn't seem particularly convinced.

I was stunned by their suggestion. PJ couldn't possibly be involved in something so underhanded. “I don't believe you. He can't be involved. There are too many things that he didn't control. He was here for the Coach's Convention. I got him directed to Jimmy's. He didn't even recognize me on Friday night.”

Ronnie responded firmly. “Charley, you’ll have to admit, things between the two of you have been moving pretty fast.”

“But that's because of me. I've been pushing it.”

I hated to admit it, but I wasn't as convinced as I had been at first. Maybe he
was
playing me. “Damn,” I sighed. “I need some time to think.”

Terry's calm and monotone lawyer voice broke the silence. “Charley, I’m sorry, but it seems fairly obvious that your friend is involved in some way.” He turned to Shelby. “I wish I could stay, I know you have a lot to talk about, but I have to go. I’ve delayed an appointment to come over on such short notice. Let me know what I can do to help.”

I just sat there stunned. My stomach was churning. My mind was processing a hundred thoughts a second. What possible reason could PJ have for deceiving me? It’s a straight business deal, isn't it? He didn't even know anything about it before I told him. Or, at least, he acted like he knew nothing. This is crazy. I love the man, or I could easily fall in love with him. He acts like he loves me? No, he can't be involved. But …?

And so my mind jumped from 'yes' to 'no’ and back again. My face and body language must have conveyed my inner turmoil.

I heard Ronnie's calm voice. “Charley, Charley, are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh … sure, I’m okay. I just have a lot going through my mind now. I really can't believe that PJ is involved in anything underhanded. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I know he wouldn’t.”

Funny isn’t it, how you can convince yourself of almost anything. And I was convinced PJ wasn’t involved; but I needed some confirmation. “Ronnie, what do you think?”

For once, Ronnie was silent. He just shrugged his shoulders and said. “I don't know Charley.”

As I was starting to get up, Shelby spoke up. “Charley, tell me about this man, this Coach.”

There was something about the way he asked the question that just didn’t sit right with me. It was as if he was trying to interfere in my personal life.  Business life, I would understand, and business relating to Jimmy's I certainly understood. But dammit, my personal life was my own. All the people in my life who had a right to butt in were dead or out of my life: my mom, my deadbeat dad, Randle, even Jimmy and Sarah. Internally, I was in no mood for Shelby, or anyone else probing into my personal business. Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep that feeling inside.

“Shelby, you’ve been my friend for a long time. I appreciate all you’ve done for me over the years, but you have no right to get involved in my personal life. At least when mom died, Ronnie took us under his wing and became my substitute father. You didn't do anything. To have been such a good friend of mom, I never saw you express any interest in me or her, or care what we did or what happened to us. I really don't need for you to start now.”

By this time, my breathing was catching up with my temperature. I still don't know where all that frustration started from, but it was real. It just erupted out of my soul, and I was surprised with the intensity of my words. I looked at Shelby, expecting him to bristle up like a big grizzly bear, but instead he slumped into his chair, dropped his head to his chest and shut his eyes.

While I was watching this unexpected transformation of the powerful Shelby Loomis into the status of ordinary human, Ronnie eased forward in his chair, put his arms on the massive desk, and spoke to Shelby in a low voice. “You have to tell her. Charley is old enough now, and deserves to know.”

Ignoring my presence, the two old men conversed in low tones as if no one was in the room. I wanted to interrupt and remind them I was there, or get up to leave them alone. But I did neither. I sat quietly and waited.

“I can't tell her. I’m afraid of how she’ll react. She’ll find out soon enough when the trust is terminated. I could lose her.”

“Helen and Teresa already know. You must do it. Kate would want you to.”

When I heard my mother’s name, I couldn't contain myself any longer. “What are you two talking about? What would my mom want you to do, Shelby?”

There was a long pause, during which both of them looked at me and back at each other. Shelby finally fixed his eyes on me, but his head was down, and his shoulders sunk as he leaned forward and put his hands on the desk. His raised his hand and slipped his chin into the palm, his fingers curled under and resting on his cheek. He blinked several times, as if he were trying to hold back a small tear. Ronnie leaned forward in the chair, and rested one hand on the chair arm and the other on the desk. His expression was blank. His eyes were focused on Shelby, waiting for the man to speak.

“Well?”

“I really don’t know how to begin.”

The most powerful financial man in Middle Tennessee had a catch in his voice. I had never seen him this way.

When he regained control, he cleared his throat. “Charlotte, I loved your mom since the day in the eighth grade when she helped me with my math homework. I loved her through high school, and college, and until the day of her accident. I still have strong feelings for her memory, and wonder what things might have been like if I had married her. It’s not fair to say I didn’t care what happened to her.”

“You didn’t …” I started to say.

“Wait a minute, let me finish.”

His voice started getting stronger and he raised his head and looked me in the eye. “And I
damn
sure care about you!”

I was startled by his emphatic emphasis. It seemed he was now finding the words to say, and becoming eager to say them.

“Did you ever wonder,” he continued, “why Helen and I were your kindergarten teachers at church? Did you know why you were invited to every birthday party our Teresa had? You remember going to Disneyworld when you were ten?  How do you think your mom afforded that trip? Your first car, your mom got a good deal on a four year old convertible. She never paid a dime for that car.”

He was warming up, but I still didn’t know where he was going with all this.

“Charlotte, honey, and don’t say a word about me calling you honey, I paid for all that. Helen and I made sure you had every advantage our Teresa had. You won a basketball scholarship to play at Tennessee, but you needed money for things the scholarship wouldn’t cover. We paid all that too. When you and Randle got married, we helped your mom pay for that as well.”

This was starting to get out of hand, going beyond my understanding. “Why? Why did you do all that? Why? Just because you were in love with my mom in high school?” My voice shouted as I leaned forward on the edge of my chair. “Why?”

Shelby slumped back in his chair, his bravado spent. His hands went to his face. Ronnie reached for my arm and spoke softly and deliberately. “Charlotte, Shelby did it … because he is your father, your real father.”

Ronnie continued to hold my arm gently as the words washed over me. They took my breath away, and threatened to drown me. I was stunned and I was shocked. I didn’t believe him. I felt betrayed. A wave of depression swept over me. I sank back into the overstuffed chair, and desperately tried to organize my thoughts to make sense of it all. I just couldn’t. I barely even heard Shelby reply.