Dreams (Part Two) (Dreams #2)(11)
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

“It’s just like I was telling Harry a while back. Colby Savagar always did have all the luck. I been workin’ at that gas station for years. Put gas in damn near every car in town. Clean the windows, check the oil and fix problems every damn day of the week. But no one here even knows I exist. Colby, though, he leaves town with everyone around callin

’ him every name they can think of, and he comes back twenty years later like some kind of hero.“

“I don’t think they consider him a hero,“ Diana said gently. “They’re just curious about him because of his past and the fact that he wrote some popular books.“

Eddy shook his head. “It ain’t that. People always talked about Colby. They were always curious about him.

Whenever he got into trouble, everyone in town gossiped about it. I was with him a lot of the times he got picked up by Sheriff Thorp, but no one said much about me. They just talked about Colby.“

“I gather that when they did talk about him, they didn’t have much good to say,“ Diana reminded Eddy.

Eddy nodded. “They all claimed he’d come to a bad end, all right. But as usual, Colby made out like a bandit. Some guys get all the breaks.“

Half an hour later Diana caught sight of Colby making his way toward her through the crowd. His eyes narrowed briefly as he saw the kindly-faced older woman to whom his wife was talking. Then he smiled faintly.

“Hello, Mrs. Grimley,“ he drawled as he drew close. “Giving my wife a quick rundown on what an outstanding student I was in high school English classes?“

Ada Grimley smiled with the air of superiority only a veteran high school teacher can muster. “As a matter of fact, I was just telling Diana that I always knew you had the ability. It was just a matter of your settling down and getting to work, which you obviously eventually did. Congratulations, Colby. I’ve read all your books, and I like to think I can take some personal credit for having pounded the basics of English into you. Lord knows it was tough going at times.“

Colby grinned, surprising not only Diana, but Mrs. Grimley. “Yes, ma’am. I know it was. But I couldn’t have written any of those books if it hadn’t been for you. I never thought I’d say it, but here goes: thanks for all the hours you spent beating English Lit. and grammar into my head.“

Ada Grimley beamed. “You’re quite welcome, Colby. I shall look forward to your next book.“

“There you are. Dad. I’ve been looking for you.“ Brandon wove his way through the crowd. He was carrying a small package, and he had Specter at his heels. The dog was licking wedding cake frosting off his muzzle as he trotted along in Brandon’s wake.

“What’s that?“ Colby asked, eyeing the package in his son’s hand.

“A present.“ Brandon waited until Ada Grimley moved away to speak to a neighbor. Then he glanced at Diana and flashed her a brief, almost apologetic smile. He turned to his father with a very serious expression.

“Dad, before I give you your wedding gift, it occurs to me we need to have a little father-son chat.“

“Is that right?“ Colby’s brows rose ironically.

“I’m afraid so.“ Brandon cleared his throat portentously. “It has come to my attention that, in spite of all those talks we had about the male reproductive system, in spite of all those lectures on the merits of a man learning how to say no, in spite of all those warnings about how hard it is for a man to stop once he gets started and how it’s better to finish the job by hand, so to speak, on certain occasions…“

“Brandon, you are my one and only son and heir, but if you want to live to see the ripe old age of twenty, you’d better cut this short,“

“Don’t rush me, Dad. This is for your own good. As I was saying, in spite of all those conversations we had on birth control and how to keep the zipper of one’s jeans in an upright and locked position, it seems something, uh, fell through the crack, as it were.“

“Brandon…“

“I’m sure you can just imagine my surprise when Diana informed me I was about to get a baby brother or sister.“

“Son, I’m warning you, you can be replaced.“ Colby was going a slow, dull red.

Brandon ignored him, his fine brown eyes alight with mischief. “Now, while I am absolutely thrilled at the prospect of being a big brother,“ he continued, “I nevertheless feel it’s my duty as your son to fill in certain gaps in your education which have recently become glaringly apparent.“ He presented the brightly wrapped package to his father with a flourish. “Here you go. A wedding present from your son purchased with your educational advancement in mind.“

Diana managed a smile as she watched Colby unwrap the package. She knew Brandon was only teasing, and the last thing she wanted to do was spoil the humor of the situation. But it was hard for her to see anything amusing about her pregnancy yet. She was learning to accept it, and she thought that with Colby by her side she just might be able to handle it, but she hadn’t gotten to the point where she could joke about it.

Colby ripped off the wrapping paper and gazed down at the book he found himself holding. “Geez, Brandon, this was real thoughtful of you. Remind me to flatten you later when there are no witnesses around.“ He grinned and playfully cuffed his son.

Brandon laughed and dodged. “I knew you’d appreciate it. Dad. You’ve always been real big on learning things from books.“

“Let me see.“ Diana moved closer to peer over Colby’s shoulder. She read the title aloud. “The Responsible Man’s Complete Guide to Modern Sex.“

“Don’t worry,“ Brandon said cheerfully. “It’s got lots of pictures.“

“It’s a good thing I’ve got another kid on the way,“ Colby said to Diana, “because Brandon’s chances of surviving until next week are real shaky.“

“Alone at last. I thought all those people would never leave,“ Colby declared several hours later as he began unbuttoning his shirt.

“What’s that?“ Diana called from the other side of the closed bathroom door. “I didn’t hear what you said.“

“I said I thought that damn wedding reception would never end.“

“It was very sweet of Evelyn Thorp to organize it for us. Were you surprised that so many people showed up?“

“‘Stunned’ would be a better description. It must have been the promise of free booze and cake that brought them out of the woodwork.“