“Thanks, Marley.”
She batted her lashes. “Anytime.”
Chase ignored her obvious flirting, sipped the strong punch, and watched the dance floor. The music slowed and the lights dimmed, but even so, he knew something was wrong. He narrowed his eyes and peered around swaying bodies until he found his table. Maddie was gone.
In the low light everyone looked similar. He tried sniffing, but the extra odors blocked Maddie’s scent. At least she didn’t seem to be in danger; he hadn’t started shifting.
On the dance floor, couples floated aside. Chase bit his tongue until a metallic taste filled his mouth. In the crowded center, now visible, Dougal clutched Maddie’s waist, dragging her ever closer. Their bodies seemed to meld into one. Maddie appeared relaxed, comfortable, as if she enjoyed Dougal’s nearness. Chase squeezed his fingers into a fist and punch splashed on the floor.
“Ch-Chase, would you like a napkin?” Marley said.
He threw the paper cup in the trash bin, grabbed the napkin, dried his hand, threw it ditto, and stalked onto the dance floor.
“May I cut in?”
He expected Dougal to resist, but he didn’t even seem surprised by the interruption. Instead, Dougal stepped aside with a sweeping flourish. A gloating smile graced his lips and Chase forced himself not to punch it away. It wasn’t easy.
Chase guided Maddie into the middle of the crowded dance floor. His initial grip was tight and she tensed beneath his hands. Relax; he had to relax, and he concentrated on slowing his breathing. Within a minute, their hearts again beat as one.
Next to her ear, he whispered, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
She shook her head, and then laid it on his shoulder.
He smoothed her hair. He wanted to ask if she’d been forced to dance with Dougal, but if she said no, that she’d gone willingly, the answer would hurt. So he kept silent.
The music finished and a new one began, its tempo faster. Strobe lights flashed, covering the ceiling and walls in a plethora of colors. Bodies gyrated across the wood floor. Maddie joined them and swung her hips in time to the music. Surprised, Chase could barely keep up.
They’d called her a dork? What idiot had started that? Watching her dance, Chase marveled at her grace, the fluid way she moved with the music. A smile spread her lips and she let her hair fly. It was the happiest he’d ever seen her and her mood was infectious.
The deejay announced, “Now for a blast from the past. What’s a dance without a little yearly shout out? We’ll start with the Roaring Twenties and dance our way to today. So guys, grab your gals and let’s boogie.”
With a whoop, Maddie intertwined their hands and kicked her legs out to one side. The first kick nearly pulled him over.
“What are you doing?” he whispered, sending wayward glances at their watching peers.
“The Charleston!”
Giving in, he followed her lead as best he could. Maddie’s laughter and enthusiasm grew with the music. As they covered the dance floor, students moved aside and cheered them on, clapping in time to their rhythmic steps.
“Now that was a sight to behold. Let’s give our dancers a big round of applause as we start ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’!”
Maddie pulled him to a chair, her chest heaving. Sweat glistened on her face, but it only made her more stunning.
“Don’t you know this dance?” He plopped into a chair and swiped his brow. She wasn’t the only one working out.
“Of course!” Her smile broadened. “But I have to save my energy for the 50s and 60s. Those are my favorites.”
“How do you know this stuff?”
“I took dance back in my hometown. And, well, I guess I should confess that my parents were dancers, at least on the weekends. People paid them to teach dance lessons at parties.”
“Really?” He couldn’t keep the surprise from his voice.
“Yes, really. Surely it isn’t that hard to believe.”
Chase studied his hands. When he lifted his chin and looked into her face, he became serious. “Since I’ve come to Coal Creek, nothing is hard to believe.”
Her smile faded, but the frown replacing it was short-lived. Elvis Presley belted out “Jailhouse Rock” and her face lit up like the Fourth of July.
“We have to dance this! Come on!”
She dragged him back to the dance floor and he tried to shake his hips with her. Heated gazes bore into him, but the elation on Maddie’s face was enough to keep him going. He ignored the leering and let himself go until the song ended.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Maddie asked as they strolled back to their seats.
Chase shrugged. “I may have watched a couple movies with my mom.” She snickered under her breath and he poked her in the ribs. “That was quality time, girl. Don’t be laughing about that.”
They shared a smile and Chase drew out her chair. As he held it for her, he noticed Dougal across the room, leaning against the stowed bleachers and furrowing his brow. Unable to resist, Chase saluted. Dougal threw his cup in the garbage can, grabbed Stephanie’s arm, and hauled her onto the dance floor.
Excellent. The troublemaker could stay with the other troublemaker and her friends. Chase kept his eyes fixed on Maddie, the beautiful girl sitting beside him.
They danced for hours, resting every few numbers and talking about everything and nothing. It was a great evening, and Chase reluctantly drove Maddie home. “Did you have a good time?”
“Most definitely.” Sure seemed that way; she hadn’t quit grinning yet. “I can’t wait until the next one.”
Mind racing, he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Should he spoil it by asking about that first dance with Dougal?
Before he could, she shifted in her seat. “Look, I’m sorry about the dance with Dougal. He just kind of appeared and led me onto the floor before I even knew what was happening.”
Fortune had shone on him. Relieved, he cleared his throat. “Dougal has that affect on people.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” But he’d never forget the image of the world going fuzzy, as if Dougal had rewound time.
“Are we still on for the hike tomorrow?” she asked.
“Sure.” If his legs didn’t fall off overnight. She’d worked him out but good.
****
At breakfast, Grandma Draoi smacked her empty coffee mug on the table and looked Maddie up and down. “You look like you’re going somewhere.”
“I am. Remember, I told you Chase asked me to go hiking.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember.”
Her grandma lowered her gaze. Guilt plagued Maddie. Why hadn’t she considered that Grandma might be lonely?
Maddie laid down her fork and wiped her hands on a napkin. “Hey, Grandma, how about when I get home we watch a movie together?”
A quick breath as Grandma Draoi’s aged eyes brightened. “Are you sure you don’t have homework or something else you need to do?”
“Nope. I’m all done. So, what do you think? Can you fit me into your busy schedule?”
Grandma giggled like a schoolgirl. “Aye, I believe I can.”
Maddie yawned. Oops; she hadn’t intended to do that.
“Are the dreams really bad?”
And she hadn’t intended to do that because she hadn’t wanted to discuss it. Maddie clasped her hands under the table. “I’d hoped you couldn’t hear me.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Maddie didn’t reply and Grandma continued. “When I was a little girl, I had this one recurring dream. I was in a field of heather in Ireland, and in the distance there was a tall, white, shimmering tower. In my dream I would walk and walk, but I would never get close enough to touch it. The dream wasn’t scary but I was always afraid to talk about it. I didn’t want anyone to think I was weird.”
Maddie gasped and quickly covered her mouth. How had she known? “Grandma?”
“Yes, dear?”
“I’m really freaked out right now.”
“How come?” But she didn’t seem all that surprised.
“Because I think I might have had the same dream.” Maddie shared the details — the purple flowers, the field of tall grass, and the tower that shimmered just out of reach. She didn’t bother explaining about the dreams’ shift to her parents’ gruesome death, since it wasn’t part of the mystery. “What does it mean?”
“Do you ever touch the tower?”
“No.”
Without looking up, Grandma drummed the table with her fingers.
“How could we both have the same dream?” Still no answer, and not even a glance. “Grandma, if you know something…”
Finally she raised her head. “Do you dream about other stuff?”
Maddie shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Should she tell her about the dream from last night? But before she could decide, Chase knocked on the back kitchen door. Shading his eyes, he peeked through the door’s parted curtain; a goofy grin covered his face.
Out of time. But Maddie wasn’t quite ready to give up. “Grandma, I—”
“You go. Have a good time. We’ll talk about this when you get home.”
Something prickled at the back of her soul and Maddie hesitated. Grandma Draoi opened her arms and Maddie hugged her before opening the back door.
“Would you like to come inside?”
“Sure.” Chase entered and took an offered seat.
Grandma Draoi said, “May I get you something to eat?”
“No, thank you.” He patted his flat stomach. “My mother forced me to eat before I left home.”
“A growing boy can always use more.” She plopped a plate with a biscuit down in front of him.
He smiled, slathered it in honey and butter, and shoved it into his mouth.
Maddie sipped at a glass of milk until he finished.
“I guess you two kids better get a move on.”
Chase stood and scooted his chair underneath the table. Grandma Draoi shook her gnarled finger. “Be careful. The woods can hide many secrets.”
Strangely enough, she didn’t seem to be teasing.
Outside, Chase opened the truck door and Maddie climbed in. As he started the engine, he didn’t speak, and Maddie worried he had bad thoughts about her grandma.
“Sorry about Grandma. She can be a little — cryptic.”
With a surprised glance, he shook his head. “Not a problem. Parents and grandparents are always concerned for our safety.” He shifted gears and drove off.
Maddie studied her hands then the passing scenery. No, that hadn’t sounded like normal concern. Something had disturbed Grandma, but she wouldn’t learn about it until that night.
In the silent truck, the drive seemed to take hours, even though it was less than one. When they arrived at the park, Chase found a spot in the nearly deserted lot. “Ready to go?”
“Yup, lead the way.”
He grabbed two filled water bottles and several granola bars from behind the bench seat and stuck them in a backpack. Then he pulled out two wooden walking sticks. Both were twisted, gleaming wood and they shone in the afternoon sunlight.
“These are beautiful. Where did you get them?”
“I made them.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. I didn’t make the wood, of course.” Chase grinned, a lopsided grin that lifted only one side of his mouth. “It was really simple. Nothing more than cutting down a small tree, shaving off the bark, sanding it down until it was smooth, then adding a little bit of stain and polyurethane.”
“Well, I think it’s amazing.” She took off for the park entrance.
He walked behind her and leaned forward, whispering, “It’s yours.”
Maddie stopped and he bumped into her. “It’s mine?”
“Yeah, I made them a while back. I was just waiting for the right person to give one to.”
She turned to face him. They were so close their breath mingled as one. Her pulse beat a rapid tattoo in her chest as his head lowered toward her mouth. She drew in a swift breath and prepared for the shock of his touch. When their lips met the electricity pulsed through her whole body. Every nerve ending burned as if it were on fire.
As he kissed her, their bodies melded. Right when she felt she would be consumed and that reality was slipping from her grasp, Chase stumbled as a passing hiker bumped him, and they separated. It was like a splash of cold water, more painful than losing a limb. They struggled to steady their breathing, their eyes seeking one another.
Maddie spoke first. “We should walk.”
“Yeah, we should.” Chase glared at the apologizing hiker, who scurried away.
The crisp, cool autumn air kept the park from being crowded, and at times no other hikers were in view. Alone, they hiked the trail around the wilderness area, stopping to admire the waterfall that cascaded over the mountainside. Chase wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. When he nuzzled her neck, chill bumps raced along her spine.
“You have an amazing effect on me,” she said.
“I do? How so?”
“I don’t think I should tell you. You don’t need any more evidence that testifies against my sanity.”
He laughed deep in his chest, and it reverberated through her. The breath of hot air he blew on her ear tickled and he pleaded, “Tell me.”
“Hmm… you’re not fighting fair.”
“Have you ever thought that perhaps you have an extraordinary effect on me, as well?”
The thought had never occurred to her. Floored, she didn’t know what to say.
“Well?”
She leaned back in his arms. “Let’s say I believe I have an effect on you.”
“Good.”
“Uh, are you going to tell me what it is?”
“Tell you what?”
“Chase!” Really, the man exasperated her.
He laughed. “Do you really want to know?”
“Of course!” She paused. “Wait, maybe I don’t want to know. I mean, if you are going to say something like you’re disgusted by me, then you can keep it to yourself.”
“Okay, and if I’m going to say something else…?”
“Do you enjoy baiting me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said with a smile.
She punched him playfully.
He pretended to rock from the blow. “Do you know when you’re happy, your eyes take on a deeper shade of green? It’s very pretty.”
“Oh.” Heat flushed her cheeks and she tried to hide behind a veil of hair.
But he brushed it back. “I know we haven’t known each other long, and that we haven’t talked of being anything more than friends, but I have to tell you that when I touch you, I feel a spark, an electric sensation.” His gentle hand lifted her chin. “And I never want it to stop.”
“Chase,” she whispered and tried to look away, but he held her in place.
“Let me finish. There’s something about you I can’t get enough of.”
Hot tears slipped down her cheeks.
He pulled her close and hugged her. “Don’t cry.”
Crying on his shoulder; what a dorky thing to do. Maddie sniffed, pulled away, and swiped angrily at her wet cheeks.
“Maybe we should finish the hike.” He clasped her hand, his fingers sliding between hers.
Thankful for the distraction, Maddie agreed and allowed Chase to lead the way. They finished the trail loop and returned to the truck around two o’clock. Instead of eating lunch on a park bench, they opted to eat inside the cab. The motor hummed and warm air whooshed into her face.
“Are you ready to go home?”
No, she thought but said, “Yes. I hope you don’t mind. My grandma seemed kind of lonely this morning and I promised to watch a movie with her.”
He nodded, put the vehicle in gear, and pulled onto the road.
****
Chase concentrated on the road and sang along. The radio crooned a smooth tune as they drove the miles back to Maddie’s house. She hummed under her breath. But the words flowed from his mouth and she stared at him with wide eyes.
“You can dance, and I sing.” He shrugged. No big deal.
“Anything else you want to share with me?” She crossed her arms over her chest like she was upset, but ruined the whole effect with a charming smile.
And he loved that smile. “Hmm, let’s see. I play guitar, secretly love old church hymns, and really like to play football, but hate being forced into it because I look the part.”
“I see. Very revealing, Mr. Donovan.”
“And what about you? Anything you’d like to share?”
She gnawed on her lip and studied her fingers. Dirt spots covered her fingertips and she rubbed them against her jeans. “I like to draw,” she said, so low he had to lean in to hear her.
“Really? My mom loves art. Maybe you guys could talk about it sometime. She tries to corner us, but we’re not interested and we just make her frustrated.”
Maddie looked at him, and again tears shone in her jade eyes. “I would like that.”
He loved how little things meant so much to her. Chase squeezed her hand before turning in to her driveway. He put it in park and let the truck idle in front of the house. Parting was such sweet sorrow. Shakespeare had been spot on with that one.
“I guess you better go inside and visit with your grandma.”
Maddie stared at the house through his dirt-streaked windshield. “Yeah, I guess so.” She took a deep breath and swung around. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“I think we’re trying out the church next to our house.”
“That’s where my grandma and I go.”
“Oh.” Okay, he was supposed to do something, say something. But nothing came to mind.
“How about we go together?” she said.
Relieved, he said, “Sure. I’ll tell my parents I’m coming to pick you two lovely ladies up in the morning. I’m sure they won’t mind.”
“Great! I’ll tell Grandma that her friend doesn’t have to come get us.” Maddie jumped from the truck and closed the door. She waved and he waved back.
Chase waited until she vanished inside. He hadn’t wanted to take her home so early. Every time they parted it was like separating from himself.
He couldn’t explain it, but he felt closer to her with each passing moment. It was as if they were two ropes intertwined. With each touch shared, the binding twisted tighter, causing them to be stronger.
He drove away, consumed by an ominous feeling. A change was coming; something was in the air that he couldn’t explain.