Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (37 page)

Frank laughed. “June didn't warn me. I'll remember that next Sunday."

June smiled and tugged at his arm. “Next Sunday you'll be sitting in the choir and can't slip out early. Everyone will see you."

“Not if I do it during the benediction."

“Mommy,” Junior said, not wanting to be left out of the conversation, “daddy didn't close his eyes during the prayers."

Sandra looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. “How do you know, Junior?"

“I saw him,” Junior responded before he realized it was a confession of his own transgression.

Everyone laughed and Junior blushed. As the meal progressed, conversation centered on the tragic events of the previous day and then degenerated into less significant observations. June thought she had never talked so much in her life. Frank made certain she was included.

The first time he slipped his hand to her thigh under the table she was startled, but she welcomed his touch after that. At one point, she returned the gesture while looking directly at Tim Dollar. Her aim was off and she flushed when she realized what part of Frank's anatomy she squeezed. Frank didn't bat an eye.

“If you folks don't have plans for the afternoon,” Sandra said, “we'd love to have you join us. We're going to do a little fishing."

“Thanks, Mrs. Dollar,” Frank replied, “but June is going to show me the town this afternoon."

“That won't take long,” Tim joked.

“That's what I told him,” June giggled.

“I want to check out those sites you suggested for my garden shop, Mr. Dollar. I'm in a hurry to get started. One day next week I'd like to go over my plans with you. I sincerely appreciate your offer to help me out financially."

Tim coughed and no one spoke until the waitress finished serving their desserts.

“Frank, I hope I didn't mislead you. Sandy and I don't make direct loans. That's the job of the BB&T Bank. We do, occasionally, cosign notes for worthy projects, however."

For just a second Frank's smile seemed pasted on his lips. “I think I have enough capital to acquire the products and equipment needed for a small shop, but I could not buy the heavy equipment you were talking about the other day, Mr. Dollar."

“I think you will find Tom Anthony at the bank to be very understanding and helpful,” Tim said, averting his eyes from the young man.

“Well, we'll see. I have no credit record to fall back on. Getting a loan may require a cosigner."

“What you need to do is come up with a list of necessary purchases and expenses and contrast that with projected revenue. Let me see your business plan before taking it to the bank. Perhaps I can offer some helpful advice."

“There is an alternative,” Sandra said. “Tim and I are always looking for good investments. We own part interest in many of the businesses in Dot."

Frank smiled carefully. “That's a possibility, I suppose, but I was in a partnership with my four brothers in Atlanta. My heart is set on owning my own business here in Dot."

“I admire you for that, Frank,” Tim said. “Like they say, you have to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run. There's nothing wrong with starting your business on a small scale. A tractor with attachments will allow you to do the landscaping I have in mind."

Sandra smiled and her eyes seemed to narrow as she looked at Frank. “Mr. Anthony will probably make you a good offer, and if he doesn't, well, rules can always be bent. Tim's a softie. He won't let your business fail for lack of sufficient capital."

Frank stared at the slender woman. His pasted smile was back. Her foot was rubbing his leg under the table and he did not dare move it.

June needed the ladies room and, while Tim was paying the tab, Sandra tucked her arm in Frank's and ushered him into the parking lot. “I'm not as young as June and I certainly don't have boobs as large as hers, but I have money—lots of it. In addition to ready cash, I have a body that makes grown men beg and teenagers have wet dreams. Fifteen minutes a week in back of the barn will make you a happy and well funded man."

“Mrs. Dollar, I'm not going to play this game."

“You can't succeed without Dollar money and business. You know that, Frank. I'll meet you in the barn at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon, and I want you in a bathing suit on our dock before the sun sets today.” Her eyes flashed. “That's an order."

Tim, Junior and June joined them in the parking lot. “You two look mighty serious,” Tim said.

“You threw him for a loop, Tim,” Sandra covered. “He thought you were going to back him in his new business. I assured him things will work out."

“Sure, Frank,” Tim said, slapping the taller man on his back. “I'm sorry if I misled you, but there is no shame in starting small. Hard work will have your business expanding in no time."

“Frank,” Tim Junior said, tugging on Frank's index finger, “please come fish with us. It's fun."

Frank scooped the youngster up and lifted him high in the air. “Like your daddy said, Dot's a small town. Maybe June and I can join you later this afternoon."

Sandra grasped June's hands. “Please wear a bathing suit, June. It's a perfect day for sunning and your pasty white skin could use a tan."

June climbed into Frank's pickup, snapped the seatbelt in place and rested her hand on his thigh. “Frank, I'm sorry about ... you know ... where I touched you before."

He flashed his magnetic grin. “
I'm
not sorry. Now, Lovely Lady, show me the metropolis of Dot."

“I like that,” she said.

“Like what?"

“You calling me Lovely Lady. That's what you called me the first time you came in the diner. It took my breath away."

He picked up her hand and held it gently. “Then that's what I will call you from now on.” He nuzzled her hand to his cheek before kissing it. “Now we need to find a pet name for me."

“Pet name?"

“Something special. All lovers have pet names for their sweethearts."

“How about Pretty Man?"

He laughed. “I don't think so."

“Is that what we are, Frank—sweethearts?"

“I'm not certain. I know I love you, but I don't know how you feel about me."

She looked at her hands, now clasped in her lap. “I love you too, Frank."

He reached for her and she held out her arms to him, but their seatbelts would not allow an embrace. They burst out laughing and Frank started the engine. “Where do we start, my tour guide?"

“Well,” she began. “Diagonally across the intersection is Dot's only gas station, the Dot Super Save. It's owned and operated by Dottie Frank's son, Billy. On the corner across from us is Dot's Grocery. The Adams family owns it.

Frank chuckled, remembering an old television program by that name.

The Speed Shop is on the other corner, but as you can see, they've built a new garage area and are replacing the old building with another service station.

“Competition for Billy Frank, huh?"

She shook her head. “Billy's going to manage both. He went into partnership with Mr. Bennett."

“Now hold on. You're confusing me. I thought George Bennett owns the Korner Kafe and Motel."

“He does, but he and Billy went together and bought the other corner of the intersection."

“You think there is enough business in Dot to support two service stations?"

She shrugged her shoulders. “There's plenty of traffic at the intersection that doesn't make it into the business district. It comes from Charlotte and turns left on Highway 13. The Dollars recreational complex is two, maybe three miles beyond their farm."

“What is a speed shop?"

“I'm not sure. I've heard they build engines for race cars—modified race cars, whatever they are."

“Oh. There's a short track in Atlanta where the modified cars race."

“Folks around here go to Winston-Salem on Saturday nights for the races, but I've never been."

“Lovely Lady, you don't know what you're missing. That's where we are going next Saturday night."

She smiled at him. “Okay, but they say the cars are so loud you need to wear earplugs. Remind me to bring some cotton."

He laughed, reached for her hand and put it back on his thigh. “What's down the Old Charlotte Road?"

She didn't notice the direction he was looking and said, “Silly, it leads into the Dot business district."

He grinned at her. “I mean the other side of the intersection."

“Oh,” she said, a little embarrassed. “If you go far enough it leads to Charlotte, but the only thing that would interest you is the lumber yard and the Dot Fire Station."

“Dot has a fire department?"

She nodded. “Volunteers, and they are good. They have the highest rating in the state. Maggie's a member."

“My Maggie is a fireman? She didn't tell me that."

They drove to the lumberyard, parked, looked at the stacks of lumber and at the Fire Station next door, and then reversed direction. They turned left onto Highway 13 and drove to the Dollar Recreational Complex. The huge parking lot was jammed.

June showed Frank the large fishing lake surrounded by rental log cabins, the Olympic sized swimming pool, the nature trail, the par three golf course and the golf course clubhouse. She explained that the Dollars were building expensive houses along the perimeter of the three championship courses and speculated that would be the source of most of Frank's landscaping and lawn care business.

On their way to inspect the business district, Frank stopped at the traffic light. “Looks like the grocery store is open. I figured all the stores would be closed on Sundays."

She shook her head. “Not any more. Dot's Diner is the exception. Most stores don't open until one o'clock, so everybody can go to church, but there's too many people coming from Charlotte to play golf and stuff to be closed on Sundays these days."

Her skirt had ridden up to mid thigh and he placed his hand just above her knee. Too late she tried to stifle a moan. He snapped off his seatbelt, inched the hem of her skirt higher and kissed her inner thigh. “I love you, Lovely Lady,” he said. His breath on her flesh felt like leaping flames of passion.

He straightened up and said, “I've been freeloading off you long enough. It's my turn to buy soft drinks and snacks."

June propped on the counter, watching Frank fill his arms with potato chips, crackers, cookies and candy. Buzz Adams leaned over the counter and whispered, “Is that the guy you bought the condoms for?"

She blushed and fled to Frank's side.

After a quick stop at June's apartment to put away the groceries and let her change out of high heels, they walked, hand in hand, up one sidewalk and down the other. Frank listened intently to June's description of Dot's downtown businesses.

They stopped at the Dot Pharmacy to buy ice creams cones.

Frank paused and picked up a small box from a gondola.

“What's that?” June asked.

“It's a microcassette tape recorder."

“A what?"

He laughed and showed her the picture on the box. “It's a battery operated tape recorder that's small enough to fit into a pocket. I've always wanted one."

“Why?"

“I'm a bit forgetful, June. I can record notes to myself during the day and write them down at night."

She nodded. “It might come in handy after you get your business started."

He took it to the register. “You'll need batteries with that,” the clerk said.

June held both cones of ice cream as they sat a table near the soda fountain. Frank inserted batteries and punched buttons while June read the instructions.

“It says here that thing can be voice activated."

“Really?"

She pushed the instructions towards him with her elbow.

“Well I'll be a monkey's uncle,” he laughed. “What won't they think of next?"

They licked and dripped their way past the Post Office to the Dot Baptist Church with Frank happily speaking into the microphone of his new toy.

“What's that ugly building across the street?"

June chuckled as she wiped chocolate ice cream from her chin. “One of the Dollars few failures,” she answered. “Years ago it was a tobacco auction warehouse, like the building the Discount House is in. The Dollars turned it into a flea market. There were plenty of fleas,” she giggled, “but not enough dogs. It closed last year."

“You think it's funny?"

“I know I shouldn't, but they think they are so smart. It's nice to know that not everything they touch turns to gold."

He grabbed her hand and led her across the street. Cupping his hands against his temples, he tried to peer through the dingy glass on the door. He studied the loading dock at the edge of the building and imagined farmers backing their trucks up to the dock to offload their golden leaf. He again grabbed June's hand and pulled her behind him as he hurried down the side of the building.

“Frank,” she gasped as she stumbled behind him. “Slow down. I can't keep up."

“Sorry,” he said as he slowed and put his arm around her waist.

“Why are you so excited?"

“I want to see the back of the building."

They moved around the corner and Frank shouted, “All right!"

She followed his gaze but could see nothing but a weed filled field. “I don't get it."

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her feet from the ground. “Lovely Lady, it's perfect. There's even a creek back there."

“So?"

“The building is much larger than I need, but it can house the garden shop. I can build a greenhouse back here and pump water from the stream to keep the plants moist."

“What if Mr. Dollar doesn't own all of this?"

“Then I'll rent the land from whoever does own it."

She looked into his eyes and saw ecstasy turn to despair. “What is it, Frank?"

He set her down and hugged her to him. “Money,” he grumbled. “It costs a ton to buy the equipment and merchandise I need and to build greenhouses. Then there's the rent and utilities and I will have to hire someone to run the shop while I'm out doing the hard work. I've just got to get that loan from the bank."

She tightened her grip on his shoulders. “I'll run the shop if it will help."

He swung her gently from side to side and rested his cheek on the top of her head. “Thanks, June, but you've already told me you don't want to do that."