Return to Summer Days

*****

I awoke alone in the dark. I felt around on the bed and then sat up. Christy wasn't anywhere in the room and the bathroom door was open and the room dark. There was a little colored light coming in the room from around the drapes. Enough for me to get up and turn on the main light.

Her clothes and boots were gone from the floor next to the bed. My clothes were still on the chair in the corner but they were folded and stacked neatly. My wallet was lying on the table next to the chair with a piece of paper beside it. I scooped up the paper and read:

Sorry for having to steal from you but I have to get out of town as far as I possible can. Just before we left the car show, I found out that my boyfriend had ripped my uncle off for a lot of money. All of the money from the show and the auction as a matter of fact. To add insult to injury, he left town without me. He took my older sister instead.

I left you a few bucks for breakfast.

You are one hell of a lover. Too bad I didn't meet you first instead of my asshole boyfriend.

Love and kisses,

Christy

I reread the note again and shook my head as I picked up my wallet and opened it. There was a ten-dollar bill in it. I did a quick tally in my head and figured she had left with around three grand.

"Well, shit!" I said as I picked up my pants and started to put them on. The little clock next to the bed caught my eye. It was just past 3 AM.

First, I wondered when she had left and where she had gone. Secondly, my mind supplied pictures of two truck stops full of big rigs. That answered the second part easily. She could be anywhere by now.

I sighed and took my pants back off. She was long gone and I was an idiot. The young and naive act, if it was one, had caught me, hook, line, and sinker. I shook my head and walked over to the bed. The sex had been great and I had probably paid more for less in the past.

Chuckling at my own stupidity, I pulled the covers down and climbed into bed.

*****

The next morning, after a shower, I walked over to the motel office and asked the guy behind the counter how far it was to the nearest town with a bank. He told me, Braverton, ten miles east.

I did a double take. Braverton was my hometown. Why hadn't I remembered that? Big tits and a tight ass was the first answer and there hadn't been a freeway here when I lived there was the second.

Nodding I headed for my car. As I got in, my first thought was for breakfast at one of the truck stops. Both probably could get money wired to me, was my second. Somehow neither one of them appealed to me, so I pealed out of the motel parking lot headed east.

I pushed the car through the twisty turning road until it started to look familiar. I slowed back to the speed limit and cruised into town below the speed limit. That was something unusual for me back in the day. I was a speed freak and always had been.

Passing the Rocking M cafe across the street from the Courthouse, I made the block to park out front. I wondered if Jenny's mom still worked there as I got out of the car. I figured probably not since she would be in her late fifties by now. The local sheriffs car caught my eyes as I crossed to the door. It was a newer model than the one that had chased me so many times, years ago.

With a grin at the memories, I opened the front door and walked inside. The place hadn't changed much, if any at all. I crossed the room and took the back booth in the corner. The same one Jenny and I had sat at many times. More memories crossed my mind.

A sweet young thing came over with a menu and a glass of water. As she put them both down on the table, she said, "I'll give you a few minutes to decide on your order."

"Coffee for sure," I said as I picked up the menu.

As she turned to walk away, my eyes followed the sway of her little ass under a tight skirt. "Ummm. Ummm," I whispered under my breath and then frowned as Christy's face and ass flashed across my mind.

The squeak of a door behind me, made me look around. A sheriff's deputy was coming out of the bathroom. He didn't look familiar so I looked back at the menu. My ten bucks would still cover the breakfast special plus the coffee and leave me some change for a tip.

When the waitress came back, I gave her my order and asked what time the bank opened. She looked at me funny and replied, "It's Sunday, the bank won't open until tomorrow morning at nine."

I felt like an idiot again. Of course it was Sunday. The car show had been on Saturday. I shook my head at my own stupidity. Where had my brains gone? Then I smiled as Christy's face and body crossed my minds eye again. I chuckled as the waitress went to turn in my order.

The fact that I was probably royally screwed crossed my mind. I didn't carry credit cards as I did a strictly cash and carry business. Cash or carry your broke ass had always been my motto. Now my ass was broke unless I had enough gas to get back to one of the truck stops to get some money wired to me.

As the waitress brought my breakfast, the deputy walked toward the front door on his way out. He opened the front door and stopped looking in the direction of my car. He turned and walked over to my table. "Nice ride," he said.

"Thanks, I like it."

He looked at me a moment longer and said, "Just watch your speed while you're in town."

"Yes, sir," I replied with a grin. He very obviously didn't know me from back in the day.

He stared at me for a few second longer and then turned toward the door and left.

"He can be an asshole," the young waitress said under her breath as she turned toward the counter.

"So can I," I said to her retreating back, my eyes once again on her swaying ass.

*****

I was finished eating and leaned back sipping my coffee when the front door opened and a familiar looking older woman came in. She looked at me and then headed behind the counter. She stopped at the kitchen door and looked at me again, with a thoughtful look on her face. Then she went on into the kitchen.

Maggie Stafford, Jenny's mother, flashed in my mind a moment later. She had been a beautiful woman back in the day. It hadn't been hard to figure out where Jenny got her good looks. She still looked good for her age, which brought my mind to wondering what Jenny looked like now.

I was still deep in thought as my coffee cup was refilled. I looked up to say thanks and was greeted by Maggie's smiling face. "Mike Miller?" she asked softly.

"The one and only," I replied. "How have you been Mrs. Stafford?"

"As good as can be expected, I guess and it's Maggie. I think you're old enough to call me by my first name."

"It's good to see you, Maggie," I said as I poured a little sugar in the coffee.

As I stirred it in, she stood there looking down at me. I took a sip, since I had no other idea of what to say to her.

She frowned and asked, "You aren't going to ask about Jenny?"

I sat the coffee cup down and shrugged. "She's a married woman and probably living in a big house, in a big city somewhere."

"She's divorced and at my place," Maggie replied.

I did a double take. "What!"

"Since you're in town, I thought you knew."

"Uh, no. I'm here to get some money wired to the bank but I forgot it was the weekend."

Her eyes narrowed. "Forgot it was the weekend?"

"It's a long story," I said with a grin.

"Uh huh, with you it always was a long story."

I shrugged again. "The short version is, shit happened and I'm short on cash until the bank opens tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow is a federal holiday. The bank won't be open."

I groaned and shook my head. "Just my luck."

"Where are you going to stay?" She asked as she sat the coffee pot down on the table.

"Uh... I hadn't thought that far ahead yet. Maybe Miss Emily will give me some credit at the Motel."

"Miss Emily died two years ago and some Indian people now own the Motel. They're standoffish but nice people. Anyway, I don't think they do credit."

I groaned again.

"You could stay at my place," Maggie said with a smile.

"Uh... I'm not sure that is a good idea with Jenny there."

"I think it would be a great idea," she said with a grin.

I looked at her hard for a moment and then shook my head. "I always thought you didn't like me all that much."

"Times change, people change. I didn't not like you, I just didn't see a bright future for Jenny with you."

"That's plain enough," I said with a grin. "I've done pretty good over the years. I've got a transmission shop, a garage, and a damned good reputation for building custom cars."

The older woman nodded. "I've read some about you over the years. Charity events you've sponsored among other things."

"You've got to have tax write offs," I said quickly.

"Uh huh. Always the hardheaded businessman, I take it."

"Not always," I said with a grin as Christy's face crossed my mind. The Jenny from years ago replaced it suddenly. "How is she anyway?" I asked a few seconds later.

"Kind of shell shocked would be the best way to put it."

I nodded and picked my coffee cup up as I tried to picture an older Jenny in that state of mind. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. She had always been so upbeat and outgoing.

"I'll call Jenny and tell her to expect you. You can use the front bedroom," Maggie said as she picked up the coffee pot and turned toward the counter.

I frowned and sat the cup down. Part of me wanted to tell her not to do it, that I didn't want to see Jenny and get everything stirred up in my heart and head again. Another part was more curious than anything. I was still mulling it over as she went into the kitchen.

*****

The young waitress was on the register when I paid for my meal. "You used to live here?" she asked as she took the ten-dollar bill.

"A couple of hundred years ago," I said as I waved off my change.

She laughed and dropped the change in her pocket. "Welcome back," she said as her eyes ran up and down my body. When she looked back at my face, she smiled. "There is a dance at the Community Center tonight."

I nodded and smiled as I said, "I'll keep that in mind and maybe I'll see you there."

She looked out the front window and said, "I like your car. There's nothing like it around this little town."

"It's one of a kind, hand built, you might say," I replied as I turned toward the door.

"Maybe I can get a ride in it sometimes."

I grinned as the memory of Christy sitting next to me with my hand on her big breast floated around in my head. I looked over my shoulder and pointedly looked at the front of the waitress uniform the young woman wore. Definitely no big boobs under there, I thought as I nodded and opened the front door.

She saw where I was looking and raised her arms to cross them over her small breasts. I gave her a wink and went out the door.

*****

Maggie's house was on the western edge of town, down a narrow street that dead-ended a hundred yards past her driveway. I drove past and turned around at the end of the street. There was a red convertible in the driveway and an empty space next to it where I figured Maggie parked. I pulled up at the curb out front and stopped.

As I shut the motor off, the front door opened a crack and then closed. I thought it odd but shrugged it off as I got out of the car. Why not peek through the blinds? Why open the door and then close it? Then I remembered how many times I had waited while Jenny got dressed just so. I was smiling as I knocked on the door.

I knocked a second time and a minute or so later, a third. Maybe she wasn't going to open the door. I sighed and turned away. Maybe it was for the best.

As I stepped off the porch, the door opened and Jenny asked, "Where are you going?"

I turned around and stared. She wasn't the Jenny of old. She was older but then again so was I. She had filled out some and had more curves. I was still making comparisons as I stepped back up on the porch. "I... uh... I," I said like a fool and then sighed deeply. "It's good to see you."

She nodded and opened the screen door. She had on shorts and a t-shirt, and no makeup, her feet were bare, something totally unlike her from the past. "Good to see you, also."

"I like the new look," I said and then smiled.

She shook her head. "It's called sloppy and lazy."

"That works for me a lot of the time."

She looked at my jeans, western shirt, boots, and leather jacket. "A little more expensive but much the same," she said. "How have you been?"

"I've been pretty good. How have you been?"

She frowned and said something that shocked me. "Not worth a fuck." I had never heard her ever use a cuss word.

"That good huh?" I said with a grin.

She frowned. "Are you coming in or are we just letting the flies out?"

I chuckled and stepped over to the door as she backed off to the side. "I thought you would never ask," I said as I squeezed past her and entered the living room.

"Mama called and said you were going to stay with us for a couple of days. Is the trip business or pleasure?"

"It started out as business and then it was pleasure and now its kind of desperation."

Her eyes narrowed as she thought about what I had said. "How does that work exactly?"

"I was showing a car in Dallas at the car show, I made a side trip, and got robbed. This was the closest town with a bank but tomorrow is a holiday, and Miss Emily has died so credit at the motel was out. So here I am," I said cutting everything down to the bare bones.

She listened to me and then grinned. "I'd ask about the side trip and who robbed you but I don't think I really want to know."

"Lets just say they didn't use a gun and leave it at that," I replied with a grin of my own.

"You're still a magnet for trouble, I see."

"Mostly of my own making." I told her and asked, "So what brings you back to the old home town?"

She gave me a hard look and moved across the room to sit down on the couch. She curled her feet up under her ass and sighed. "A divorce. A messy divorce. I'm hiding out."

"Uh, from whom?"

"Myself mostly."

"I've never tried that one. I tried whiskey bottles a long time ago but the hangovers hurt too much."

"I always had you pictured as more of a beer bottle man."

"It takes to many of those to get me drunk and I have to pee too much," I shot back at her.

She grinned and shook her head. "You still make jokes about everything."

"Laughing is more fun than crying."

She nodded and said seriously, "Tell me about it."

"Maybe you should tell me about it. The divorce that is."

She shrugged. "He had an affair so I went out and had one. Two wrongs never make a right and we divorced."

"So where did the messy part come in?" I asked as I walked over and sat down on the couch next to her.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Property settlements, trust funds, college funds for the kids, and other assorted bullshit."

"It's the bullshit that gets you every time. You never seem to have the right sized bag to hold it properly."

She laughed softly and nodded. "Now there is a pearl of wisdom."

"I'm full of it, uh, them."

She laughed again. "Yes you are."

There was a short silence and then she sighed deeply. "He is a lawyer, you know. He knew exactly what to do and how to do it. My Liberal Arts degree didn't stand a chance against him. He knew the judge, he knew my lawyer, he knew everyone in the damned courthouse."

"So he got the gold mine and you got the shaft?"

"Pretty much. Hell, he even got my business and the damned blonde he was having an affair with."

"What kind of business did you have?"

"A graphics art and design studio. One of the better ones in the country."

I nodded. "I've used a few for designs on my custom cars and they ain't cheap. If they were, the design sucked."

Jenny chuckled softly and then laughed aloud, long and hard. Then she sobered and shook her head. "Maybe this designer should have sucked more."

"The way to a man's heart is not through his stomach. I don't care what they say."

She looked over at me with a smile on her face. "I think you're exactly what I've been needing." When I reached for the zipper on my jeans, she laughed harder than ever. "That's not what I meant and you damned well know it."

"A guy can dream can't he? I remember back in the day...."

She threw a throw pillow at me. "Hush about that. I was young and always horny."

"Like I wasn't?"

"I was a good girl until I met you."

"Uh... well... okay, I'll give you that much. I was a bad influence but you seemed to enjoy it as much as I did."

She nodded and then sighed. "Maybe I should have stuck around to see where you and I would have gone."

"As much as I hate to say it, you leaving was the best thing for both of us. It got us both out of this one horse town. Otherwise we would have ended up in a double wide trailer, with a bunch of kids, probably hating each other."

She looked at me for a long moment and then shook her head. "I don't think we would have ended up divorced."

"Yes, we would have. I was wild and immature back then. I still am in some ways. The wild part has calmed down a little with age but I still do things without thinking them through completely."

"The side trip and being robbed without a gun?" she asked with a grin.

I nodded. "A prime example."

"Why didn't you ever marry?" She asked changing the subject.

"Who said I didn't?"

"Mama, who else? She always did like you."

"I never knew that. Maybe I should have stuck around and married her."

"Daddy might have objected some."

"Yeah, he hated me from the get go."

Jenny laughed. "Well, you did carry his only daughter off into sin, among other things."

"Uh... if I remember correctly, you jumped into my old car all by yourself. We were at the Community Center dance and I got in a fight with someone. Then the cops were there and I got out of there. You jumped into my car as I was turning around."

Jenny nodded. "I'd had a big crush on you for years and years. I saw my chance to get you alone and took it."

We sat in silence as we both went back over that night in our minds. Kissing and petting in the front seat down by the lake. The soft moans and whimpers as I got to first base and then second. The yells of passion from her and the clawed back for me in the back seat. Then the two weeks of worrying to see if her period would start.

"A great time was had by all," I whispered and then grinned.

She shivered and shook her head. "All except those next two weeks."

"Uh, yeah. That was the most nervous I'd ever been in my life."

"Me too but that didn't stop us afterwards. We just learned about protection and used it."

My mind jumped to Christy and our bareback episode. "Uh yeah," I whispered.

Jenny looked at me funny so to change the subject, I asked, "So are you going to set up another design shop?"

"I've thought about it but he kind of locked my client list up from me."

"That's not right. Maybe I can throw some business your way. Between me and some of the people I know, maybe we can build you another list. How are you with an airbrush?"

She shook her head. "It's been a long time since I've used one but I used to be pretty good."

"You'll have to come down to Houston and check out my shop. I have three new cars under construction. They'll need paint and art pretty soon."

Jenny looked at me for a moment and then asked, "You didn't know I was back in town did you? Not until mama told you anyway."

"No I didn't. I didn't even know I was going to be here until someone pointed me in this direction."

She nodded and whispered, "Sometimes fate can be really tricky."

"And sometimes fate can be an accident looking for a place to happen."

She swung her legs over the edge of the couch and stood up. "Lets take a drive down to the lake."