It Just Happened Ch. 10

For a second I thought I had flustered her, but Millie recovered quickly. "On the contrary, they're whispering that you've come home broke and in debt. Your brother has taken you in and given you a job. They're whispering that you have to borrow you sister-in-law's car and they're also whispering that you must have a kind heart to have taken pity on a librarian, who is totally infatuated with you."

Millie leaned back in her chair, satisfied with the way she had topped me. I didn't know if she was serious about being infatuated with me or not. But she certainly had me thinking. Lacking anything else to talk about, I told her about my new truck. "I'll pick it up next week, after they add the ladder racks and paint the company name on the doors."

"Crew-cab? Does that mean we can make out in the back seat?" she asked, shamelessly blinking her eyes.

"I don't think Ed would approve of the truck being used for parking with my girlfriend, not with the company name printed on the door.

"Hmmm... so now I'm your girlfriend?"

"Would you go parking with a total stranger?"

This quieted her, temporarily.

Several people stopped by the table to say hello on their way out of the restaurant. Millie introduced us, some I remembered, most I did not recall. One woman said she had heard about me and wanted me to quote on building an addition that she and her husband were considering. I took her name and telephone number, saying I would be in touch. Later, Millie told me the woman was the wife of the District Attorney and that she had a twin sister. "They were two years ahead of me in high school so you wouldn't know them," she said.

We left the restaurant at ten P.M. and since I didn't think Millie would want to be seen in a club, (she was a librarian- a city employee) I took her home.

"Would you like to come in?" she asked when she saw where we were.

Her parents had gone to bed and since we had already had coffee at the restaurant, we sat on the sofa looking at each other, wondering what to do next.

It was an awkward moment. We were two adults, in her parents' home.

"I've got to get my own place," Millie said, obviously frustrated.

"I'll go half," I said.

"You will?"

"Well, no, that's not possible."

"But if I...you know...got a place of my own?"

"YES!" I said, and then, thinking I had overstated my bounds, declared it was time for me to leave.

We were at the front door, saying goodbye. "Did you mean it about us celebrating that I was your girlfriend?"

"I meant it. Will you?"

"I think it would be fun, don't you. We get along fairly well."

"Miss Hawley?"

"Yes?" she asked, watching closely for what I was about to say.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes Mister Crumbly. I would like nothing better."

We kissed and kissed again. I drove home in a cloud, unable to focus on the road or where I was. All I could think about was the decision I had to make. Who would I call first tomorrow morning, my girlfriend or Miss Spencer?