Chapter One
1486 Words
Chapter One
Coy
May 1988 – Carthage, Texas
My high school graduation party, meant to reacquaint me with those I’d attended kindergarten with, had me nearly as nervous as the day my parents dropped me off at boarding school in Dallas when I was just six years old. “This is surreal.”
My mother patted me on the back as she smiled. “I know it feels that way to you. I want you to have a good time, though. So, don’t let nerves get the best of you, son.”
Nodding, I sipped on some punch as people began showing up. At first, I stayed seated, but then I got up and went to the door to welcome everyone and introduce myself to those I’d known back when I was young. “Coy Gentry.” I shook a guy’s hand as he came in.
“Yeah, I know.” Freckles speckled his face as he smiled at me. “Tanner Richardson — I sat behind you in our kindergarten class.”
“Wow, you remember that?” I couldn’t believe it. “It’s great to see you again, Tanner.”
“Yeah, you too, Coy.”
I pointed to the refreshments. “Go grab something to eat and drink, and we’ll catch up later on.”
As soon as he walked away, another guy I recognized from school entered, and then more and more of my old classmates followed. In no time, I felt as comfortable as I’d felt at boarding school with the kids I’d grown up with.
Chatting with a group of guys as we hung out on the outer edge of the dancefloor, the band playing a slow country song, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. When I turned to see what had captured my attention, I was left breathless.
She had long, dark hair that shone in the twinkling lights. Her dark eyes reminded me of those of a doe’s, and her caramel complexion, flawless. My eyes moved down her body, finding curves that some might find to be on the dangerous side — I found them delightful.
Scanning back up her body, I realized that her eyes were on mine and that a smile was curving her plump lips. I moved toward her, pulled in like a magnet. “Wanna dance?”
“Okay.” She held her hand out, and I took it.
For a moment, I had no idea what was happening. My head felt light, my heart sped up as sparks of electricity shot all through me, and my manhood tingled. “Thanks.”
Pulling her into my arms, making sure to leave some respectful distance between our bodies, I began to move slowly back and forth. “So, your name is?”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Coy Gentry. And you are?”
“Lila Stevens.” Pink filled her cheeks as her eyes darted away from mine. “So, I’m dancing with the guy who’s throwing this party.”
“You are.” I pulled her a bit closer, inhaling her scent. Baby powder and the slightest hint of lemons made me heady for some reason. “Did you graduate this year too?”
“I did. I wasn’t in your kindergarten class, though. But the ad in the newspaper said this party was for the entire graduating class of Carthage High.” Her hand moved across my shoulder as she got more comfortable in my arms. “I heard you went to an all-boys school. So, where’d you learn how to dance?”
“We had socials with all-girls schools.” I liked the way she moved. “You dance well. Where’d you learn how to dance?”
“At local dances. So, I guess you’ll be leaving to go to college at the end of the summer.”
“Yeah. Lubbock to Texas Tech. That’s where both my parents went.”
“Your mom was my third-grade teacher. She talked about you, and there were pictures of you on her desk too. You were a cute kid.” She ducked her head as if feeling shy. “You’ve grown into a handsome young man, Coy Gentry.”
My body heated. “You’re a beautiful young woman, Lila Stevens.”
“I bet you say that to all girls.” She laughed a little. I loved the way it sounded.
“I do not.” I hadn’t dated anyone. My studies were too important to let romance interfere. At least, that’s what my father and grandfather had shoved down my throat since I’d hit puberty. “I haven’t talked to many girls.”
Her dark eyes widened. “So, am I to believe that I’m the first girl you’ve called beautiful?”
It was the truth. “You are.”
The band switched to another song, this one on the faster side, so we had to move around the dancefloor, dancing the Texas two-step. With the music loud and the movement fast, we didn’t talk; we just danced and laughed.
This is nice.
I couldn’t seem to let her go, and before I knew it, we’d danced until we were out of breath. I didn’t let go of her hand as I led her off the dancefloor. “Come on, let’s get a drink.”
“I’m with ya, Coy. Whew! You can sure tear up a dancefloor.”
“So can you.” I picked up a cup that was already filled with fruit punch and handed it to her. “Here ya go.”
After we took a few gulps of the cold beverage, she asked, “When do you have to take off to Lubbock?”
“At the end of the summer. Are you heading out to college then too?”
“No. I’d go if I could. My family doesn’t have the money to send any of us to school. It’s just the way it is. I’ll probably get a job at the grocery store or something like that. You can work your way up there. Start out sacking groceries, move up to cashier, then up to head cashier, and maybe even assistant manager a few years later.”
She looked smarter than that. “Well, I bet you move up to a manager in no time, Lila.”
Laughter peeled through the air as she must’ve thought it to be a crazy notion. “You’ve got faith in me that my family doesn’t.”
I didn’t like to hear that. “I’m not trying to pry, but how were your grades in school?”
“A’s and B’s. I’m not dumb. It’s complicated, but my family kind of keeps us all grounded, and we tend to stay in the same lane they walked in. Do you know what I mean?” She sipped the punch, then licked the red off of her lips.
A tremble ran through me as I watched her tongue graze over her lips. “Uh, yeah.” I’d lost my train of thought as my manhood stirred. “Are you doing anything tomorrow?”
“Depends.” Placing one hand on her hip, she c****d her head to one side.
“Depends on what?”
“What you’re about to ask me to do with you.”
“I thought I might take you up to Dallas and show you where I went to school, and then I’d take you to this fancy restaurant that’s shaped like a huge sphere and is way up in the sky. It turns around in slow circles so you can see the entire downtown skyline too. Some of us went this one time, and I thought it would be the perfect place to take a date.”
“How many dates have you taken there?”
I didn’t want her to know how inexperienced I was. But then again, I didn’t want to lie either. “Lila, I feel like I can be honest with you, and you won’t make fun of me.”
Her eyes drooped a little as she put the drink down and took my hand. “I promise you that I won’t.”
Relief spread through me. “Well, Lila, you’re the first girl I’ve asked out.”
Blinking a few times, she asked, “Are you serious right now?”
“I am.” Butterflies began to swarm inside my stomach as I anticipated her walking away from me.
“Wow.” She smiled and squeezed my hand. “What an honor. I would love to go on a date with you tomorrow, Coy.”
“So, that’s a yes, then?” I had to ask to be sure there wasn’t a but that was still coming.
“That is a yes.”
I’ve got a feeling this is going to turn out great!
- Writer
