Finding Libbie (5 page)

“You should invite Libbie out to the farm some evening for supper. You two can go horseback riding or something. I’d love to get to know her better,” Bev said.

Jack nodded. Maybe it would be fun for her to meet his family. Especially his mother. Everyone who came to the farm liked her. “I’ll ask her,” he said.

Libbie sat quietly at the dinner table. Gwen, her husband, Walter, and their one-year-old baby girl, Lynn, were eating with the family tonight. Libbie didn’t like Walter all that much. He was always bragging, and he had no reason to. He’d only gone to college for one year, and yet he acted like he had a PhD. He and Gwen had married in a rush a year out of high school, and then Lynn came along. Walter ended up working in the office of his father’s construction company, writing up bids for projects. Libbie didn’t always like how her sister acted, but she thought Gwen could have married better if she’d been more careful.

They were eating roasted chicken with new potatoes and glazed carrots. Libbie ate but hardly tasted the food. Her mother always took credit for cooking dinner, but truth be told, their housekeeper, Sandra, did most of the work. Sandra prepared the meal, and all her mother had to do was put it in the oven or boil something on the stove. But of course her father always complimented her mother on the delicious meal.

Walter was rambling on about the recent construction bid he was writing up for a new office building going in northwest of town. Randall listened with interest.

“Why would anyone build in that direction instead of closer to downtown?” Randall asked. “There’s nothing out there but an old restaurant and hotel. The rest is all open land.”

Walter shrugged as his meaty hands reached for another helping of potatoes. Libbie thought he didn’t need to eat any more. He wasn’t much taller than her sister’s five foot eight, and he was stocky, bordering on fat. At twenty years old, he looked more like forty to Libbie, but then, Libbie thought the same of her sister. Gwen was taller than she was and built wider and sturdier. Her face was more like their mother’s, with that straight nose and pinched look. But she still might have been pretty if it hadn’t been for her overbearing personality. Gwen was a bossy know-it-all, and Libbie was usually the one she bossed around.

“The owner thinks that the northwest section of town is going to sprout up with businesses over the next few years. I guess he can think what he wants. As far as I’m concerned, the south end is the way to go,” Walter said.

“Land is cheap on the northwest side. Might be worth looking into. Maybe this gentleman knows something we don’t,” Randall said.

Libbie smiled at her father. He was an easygoing man who was usually open to new ideas, especially if there was a profit to be made. That was why he was so successful. He’d inherited businesses from his family, but he’d also expanded those businesses and opened new ones as he saw a need.

Silence filled the air as they continued eating. Gwen was busy trying to entice Lynn to eat her carrots. Libbie thought that she was being too forceful. Gwen ran her household like a prison. Poor Lynn followed a strict schedule of eating and sleeping, even if the little girl wasn’t hungry or tired. Libbie decided that when she had a baby, she’d be less rigid about a schedule and enjoy her baby more.

“I saw your
friend
at the filling station today, Libbie,” Abigail said from across the table. “Jack, isn’t it? The boy who’s been coming out here every so often.”

“Oh?” Libbie said casually, even though her heart started pounding. If her mother was bringing up Jack, there had to be some motive behind it.

“He seems like a polite young man, despite his working in such a dirty place,” Abigail said, wrinkling her nose. “It seems you’ve been seeing a lot of this boy lately.”

“We’re just friends, Mother,” Libbie said as calmly as possible. “We’ve gone out occasionally as a group. Carol is dating his friend, Larry, so Jack and I tag along.”

“Really?” Gwen interjected with raised eyebrows. “Then why did I see you and this Jack alone at the movie theater the other night?”

Libbie stared at her sister. She hadn’t seen Gwen or Walter at the theater. And here she’d thought she was being very careful. “It was just a movie. I’m seventeen years old. Can’t I go to a movie with a friend without getting the third degree?”

“Who is this young man you’re talking about, dear?” Randall asked curiously.

Libbie let out the breath she’d been holding and relaxed. She knew her father wouldn’t judge Jack. “Jack Prentice, Dad. He’s one of the boys who comes here swimming sometimes.” She turned to her mother. “Just like Ron, Matt, and Arnie do. And no one ever questions why they’re here.”

“That’s because
they
live on the lake and you’ve known them your entire life,” Abigail said.

“I’ve known Jack practically my entire life, too,” Libbie countered. “We go to school together. There aren’t separate schools in town for the different social classes, Mother.”

“Unfortunately,” Abigail said haughtily.

“Jack Prentice?” Randall said, seeming to ignore the tense exchange taking place. “Is his father the cabinetmaker?”

“Yes, he is,” Libbie answered.

“Oh, yes. He made beautiful new cabinets for the Andersons just down the road. Remember how you complimented her on her new kitchen, Abigail?”

Abigail glanced up, her lips forming a thin line. “Yes. They were lovely.”

Randall smiled at Libbie. “So, is young Jack going into the family business when he graduates?”

“No, Dad. He’s more interested in engines. That’s why he works at his uncle’s gas station. He’s going to school to become a mechanic.”

“Not much money in that,” Gwen sneered.

“And such a dirty job,” Abigail said, sipping her tea.

Randall winked at Libbie. “Well, we do need good mechanics to keep our cars running properly, don’t we?”

Libbie smiled at her dad. At least someone in her family was on her side.

Later that evening, Libbie had come downstairs for a drink before bed when she overheard her parents talking in the living room.

“I can’t stand the thought of our Libbie dating that dirty gas station boy,” Abigail said. “What if it becomes serious? What if she ends up married to him?”

“Now, Abbie, don’t get yourself worked up. She’s only seventeen. I’m sure by this time next year, Libbie will have moved on to some nice young man. You really shouldn’t get upset over it.”

Libbie stood there in the hall, fuming. How dare her mother talk about Jack that way? She didn’t know him. She heard the clinking of ice cubes in a glass, and she knew her mother was on her third or fourth gin and tonic.

“I don’t know, Rand. You haven’t seen them together like I have. I think there’s more to it than Libbie is letting on.”

“Oh, Abbie, you always get yourself into a fret over these things. Believe me, it will all work out in the end.”

She heard the sound on the television being turned up, and Libbie knew that was her dad’s way of ending the conversation. She slipped into the kitchen for her drink and then quietly headed upstairs again.

They were wrong. She cared more for Jack than for any boy she’d ever dated before. She might be only seventeen, but she knew how she felt. And there was nothing they could do to get between her and Jack.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Is that really what she said?” Larry asked Jack a few days later. They’d taken the rowboat out onto the small lake that bordered the farm’s back forty acres and were fishing.

Jack nodded. “I guess she’s afraid Libbie and I might get serious.”

Larry snorted. “Might get serious? Man, you’re already there. I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at Libbie. And I can’t blame you. She’s not only beautiful, but she’s nice, too. Obviously, she didn’t get her personality from her mother.”

“What about you and Carol? Have you met her parents yet?”

“Yeah, but by accident. We were heading back to my car after walking through the park downtown and there they were. I was holding Carol’s hand, and she dropped it like it was a hot potato. Then she introduced me as a
friend
from school.”

“Ouch. What happened?”

“Oh, they were very polite and then left. But I could see in their eyes that they weren’t happy. I wasn’t all that pleased, either, with the way Carol acted like I was nothing.”

“Yeah, but you’re still seeing her, aren’t you?”

Larry grinned. “Yeah. I can’t help it. She’s cute.”

Jack laughed.

“But it’s not like you and Libbie, you know? I mean, I’m sure Carol will dump me as soon as school starts, and I don’t really care if she does. But you and Libbie, you two really care about each other. It’s going to be a rough ride for you with that family of hers.”

“I know. But Libbie is worth it,” Jack said.

“I sure hope so, Jack. I sure hope so.”

It was late July when Jack invited Libbie out to the farm to go horseback riding and have supper. She was excited to go but nervous, too. What if Jack’s parents didn’t like her? Or thought she was a snob, like her mother? She wasn’t sure what to wear, either. Jeans or a dress? It seemed rude to underdress, but if they went riding, then she couldn’t wear a dress. She’d never been more nervous about meeting anyone in her life.

Jack solved the problem for her. “Wear jeans to go riding in and bring something to change into afterward.” Libbie was relieved. She had thought of bringing a change of clothes, but then wondered if she’d seem too prissy for them.

“Don’t worry,” Jack told her. “My parents will love you.”

And Jack had been right. The moment Libbie walked into the farmhouse, she was welcomed with a warm hug from Bev. Then Jack took her out to the shop and introduced her to his father. Norman Prentice looked a lot like Jack, but there were smile lines that crinkled around his eyes and strands of gray running through his dark hair.

“It’s nice to meet you, Libbie,” Norm said as he shook her hand. “I can see now why Jack took off work every chance he could get.”

Jack’s face reddened, and Libbie thought it was cute that he was embarrassed.

She looked around the workshop, amazed at all of the beautifully crafted cabinets. “You made all of these yourself?” she asked Norm.

Norm nodded. “Mostly. Jack helps with the finishing work and staining. I’ve been letting Ray help a little, too, but he’s still young.”

Libbie walked over to a table by the wall that held small wooden boxes with lids decorated with carved flowers or hearts. They were painted and stained in a variety of colors. “These are lovely,” she said, picking one up and opening it. Inside, on the bottom, was a piece of fine velvet.

“They’re jewelry boxes,” Jack said, coming to stand beside her. “Dad makes them and my mom sells them at the craft fair by the lake every year. She’ll be there in a couple of weeks.”

“They’re beautiful,” Libbie said.

Jack and Libbie left the shop and walked out to the barn. In the corral was a white mare with brown spots. The horse chewed on grass and stared at them.

“She’s pretty,” Libbie said. “Do you have others?”

“Nope. Just her. My mother used to ride, but now we kids ride her most of the time. She’s getting old, but she’s still a good mount.”

“What’s her name?” Libbie asked.

“Sprite.”

“That’s so cute.”

Jack walked into the corral and retrieved Sprite. He led her by her halter over to Libbie. “Ready to ride?”

“Aren’t you going to saddle her?”

Jack shook his head. “We always ride bareback. It’s not the most comfortable way to ride, but it’s easy.”

Libbie hesitated. “Won’t we fall off?”

Jack laughed. “Don’t worry, Libbie. I won’t let you fall.” He pulled himself up onto Sprite’s back and then told Libbie to climb on the fence rail so she could get on the horse. With his help, she slipped up behind him. “Hang on to me, okay?”

“Okay.” She wrapped her arms around Jack’s waist and held on tight. When she saw him take ahold of Sprite’s mane, she asked, “Don’t you need a bridle and reins?”

“Nah, we never use them. I always ride like this.”

They headed off down a trail that led to the back of the property. The day was warm, but there was a nice breeze, which helped to keep the bugs away. Libbie watched as Jack maneuvered Sprite by gently pulling her mane one way or the other. She’d never seen anyone ride bareback before, and it amazed her how he could control the horse so easily.

“I’ll take you to the back forty where the lake is that we fish in,” he told her.

Libbie held on to Jack tightly, and soon she got used to the rhythm of Sprite’s walk. The path turned into a line of trampled-down grass among the foot-tall grass blowing in the breeze. Trees sat here and there, but for the most part, it was all open field. In the distance, Libbie saw a line of trees. She pointed them out to Jack. “Is that where the lake is?”

Jack nodded. “Yep. It isn’t far.”

“Do your parents own all this land?” Libbie asked. It seemed like so much open space to her.

“Most of what you see we own. It goes back to where the lake is. Everything you see from left to right is ours, too.”

“Wow, that’s a lot. What do they do with it all?”

Jack chuckled. “Not a whole lot. My great-grandparents owned this land and they used to raise cattle and horses on it, but my dad only uses a portion of the acreage to raise a few head of cattle. He sells some off each year to local people who want fresh beef. Some of the land he uses to cut hay to feed the cattle all winter. Other than that, it all just sits, unused. My dad prefers making cabinets to working a farm.”

They reached the trees, and spread out in front of them was a small body of water.

“This is a lake?” Libbie asked. “It’s so small.”

“Yeah, it’s small, but we still catch fish in it,” Jack said, pointing to the rowboat sitting on the shore. He slipped off the horse and then helped Libbie down. Sprite took the opportunity to graze in the tall grass.

“Where do the fish come from?” Libbie asked as they walked over to the water.

“There’s a small stream that feeds into the lake. Fish come from it. Way out that way”—Jack pointed out into the distance—“there’s a river that feeds the stream. When it rains, the lake gets even larger.”

Libbie drew closer to the lake and knelt to run her fingers through the water. “It’s cold. It feels nice.”

Jack smiled. “Want to go out in the boat?”

“Sure.”

He motioned for her to get in it and then he pushed it out into the water and jumped in. Slowly, he rowed it a short way into the middle of the lake.

Libbie liked how peaceful it was out here. Birds sang in the trees and frogs croaked loudly. There was no noise from boat engines or kids swimming and hollering, like on Lake Ogimaa.

“I love your lake,” she told him. “It’s so blissfully quiet here.”

“I’m glad you like it. Maybe we’ll come out here more often.”

Jack had stopped rowing, and Libbie moved to sit on the middle bench beside him. Jack took her hand and held it.

“I really like your mom. She’s sweet. And your dad is nice, too,” Libbie said.

“That’s good, but you only spent a couple of minutes with my mom.”

“Yeah, but I felt more warmth from her in that couple of minutes than I have from my own mother my whole life.”

“That’s sad,” Jack said. “I’m sorry.”

Libbie shrugged. “I know my mom loves me, she just doesn’t know how to show it. And she always thinks she knows better than I do what’s good for me. My sister is like that, too. It’s frustrating.”

“Where did you tell your parents you were going today?” Jack asked.

Libbie looked directly into Jack’s eyes. “I told them I was coming here for dinner. I’m not going to lie to them anymore. If they don’t like it, I don’t care.”

Jack’s brows rose. “Really? What did they say?”

“My mom got a little huffy about it, but my dad said to have a nice time.” Libbie giggled. “My mom didn’t like that he said that, though.”

Jack’s face grew serious. “I don’t want you to have problems with your parents because of me, Libbie. Maybe I should come and meet them properly. If they’d get to know me, they might not mind you seeing me.”

Libbie sighed. “Maybe.” She wished it would be true, but she knew her mother well, and she would never approve of Jack.

They sat in the boat a long while, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the gentle rocking of the water. Libbie lay back against Jack and put her feet up on the edge of the boat. The warm breeze felt good on her face. Libbie had never felt as comfortable with anyone in her life as she did with Jack. At home, she always felt like she was on edge, never knowing when her mother or sister would criticize her. At school, she was supposed to be the perfect, well-behaved girl who made good grades and volunteered for everything. When she’d dated Bill, she never dared get too close to him because he thought it was an invitation to paw at her. But with Jack, it was different. She felt like she could relax and be herself. She loved it when they held hands, and when he kissed her, her heart soared. But he was never inappropriate, and she appreciated that, too.

She gazed up at Jack. “Do you realize that this is the first time we’ve been alone together?”

Jack smiled down at her. “Yeah, I guess it is. Except for that night under the tree in the canoe.”

“That was a fun night,” Libbie said dreamily. “I really like being with you, Jack. You’re always so sweet to me.” She grinned. “And I like kissing you.”

“I like kissing you, too,” Jack said, gazing down at her. He slowly lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Libbie sat up and raised her arms around his neck, and Jack kissed her again, running his arms around her waist. Chills tingled up her spine. She’d never felt like this when Bill had kissed her. In fact, she’d felt nothing. But with Jack, her whole body came alive every time he touched her.

Jack finally pulled away. He stared down into her eyes as he ran a finger down the side of her cheek, tucking a stray strand of blond hair behind her ear. “We should go back to the house,” he said softly.

Libbie sighed. She supposed they should, but she would have been happy sitting in the boat with Jack until nightfall. “Okay,” she said reluctantly.

As he rowed the boat to shore, Jack told her how much his sister, Jan, admired her. “You’re like royalty to her,” he said, chuckling. “When I said you were coming to dinner, I thought she’d die. She’s been in her room all day primping so she’ll look just perfect.”

“Why?” Libbie asked. She’d never thought she was that special.

“Because you’re older and you’re going to be a senior this year and you’re beautiful. All the younger girls in school want to look and be just like you.”

Libbie laughed. “That’s silly. I’m nothing special.”

Jack helped Libbie out of the boat and stared into her eyes. “You’re special to me, Libbie Wilkens. Don’t you ever forget that.” He placed a light kiss on her lips.

Libbie’s heart melted. Hand in hand, they walked back to where Sprite was grazing and rode back to the farmhouse.

Jack’s world was getting better and better. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have Libbie in his life. After that first time, Libbie had come out to the farm often. Bev had extended an open invitation to her to eat supper there any time she wanted, and Libbie had taken her up on it. Many times, Jack found Libbie’s Mustang in the driveway when he came home from work and Libbie in the kitchen helping Bev cook supper. Libbie said she loved helping, something her mother never let her do, and so far, Bev had taught her how to bake bread and cookies and cook different meats and vegetables. As July turned into August, Libbie came to the farm so Bev could teach her how to can vegetables and fruits. Jack found it amusing how Libbie thought this type of work was fun. It even made Jan want to help out so she could be around Libbie.