A Daddy for Jacoby

Chapter Ten

No big deal.

I can do this.

We’re just friends.

Gina’s collection of mantras was growing by the minute. Not that any of them helped as she and Justin walked up to the festively decorated entrance to the high school.

Kiss him senseless.

Now there was a mantra she could get behind.

No, she chided herself, there was no kissing between friends. Friends or not, she still couldn’t believe Justin had shown up at her house, looking like a GQ model for cowboys, to escort her to the dance.

Actually, that wasn’t what he’d done. He’d shown up because he promised his sister he would. But did he have to bring her a corsage? Or was that Racy’s idea, too?

The yellow rosebuds tickled her wrist, but it was the heat of Justin’s hand suddenly against her lower back that caused her to jump.

“You okay?” His hand dropped away.

Gina jerked her head in a quick nod, trying to ignore the quivering in her tummy.

She’d surprised him when she’d agreed to come. Heck, she’d surprised herself, but she couldn’t let the fantasy of this evening invade the reality of the situation.

She hadn’t wanted to come alone.

Justin hadn’t wanted to come at all.

In fact, on the ride here, in the restored 1946 Ford pickup Justin said her brother had insisted they use, Gina had come up with a plan. Check in with the head chaperone, apologize for being thirty minutes late and see if her services were still needed. If not, she’d find the twins, say hello and get out of there.

When they arrived at the double glass doors, their hands collided as they reached for the handle at the same time. She snatched hers back as if burned. Okay, not burned, but his touch certainly made her skin sizzle.

“I think opening the door is my job,” Justin said.

She looked at him. He’d left his Stetson in the truck, making it easier to see his face. Not that she could read anything in his stare.

He raised a brow. “What?”

“If you don’t want to go inside, I’ll understand,” she said in a low whisper. “We can say you gave me a ride and leave it at that. I’m sure I can find someone to give me a ride home.”

He took a step closer, then dipped his head. His gaze dropped to her mouth for a split second, almost as if he—

She blinked hard and he raised his chin.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He pulled open the door and stepped back. “After you, Miss Steele.”

Gina walked into the school’s brightly lit lobby, the faint sounds of a classic Elvis tune filling the air. A table stood off to one side. Two women around her mother’s age sat behind it. One stood when they approached.

“May we help you?” the lady asked.

“Yes, I’m one of the chaperones for tonight’s dance. My apologies for arriving late.”

The woman, reading glasses perched on the end of her nose, dipped her head. Looking at Gina over the thin black rims, her lips pressed tightly together. “Your name?”

Gina tried not to take the woman’s disapproval personally. She lifted her chin and offered a smile. “Gina Steele.”

The other woman rose and the two of them looked from her to Justin. The turn of their heads, slight frowns on their faces, and the arching of their eyebrows occurred in perfect unison.

Their silent judgment hung in the air like a dark cloud. Gina recognized the second woman as a member of the town’s betterment committee and a close friend of the group’s leader, a woman who tried to use the committee to cause trouble for Racy just a few months ago.

“If you could tell me where we can find the senior class sponsor,” Gina said, hoping Justin didn’t recognize the woman who’d tried to hurt his sister. “We’d appreciate it.”

“Mrs. Powers should be in the gymnasium.” The same woman spoke while the other reached for a pen and made a notation on a nearby sheet of paper. “It’s straight down this hallway, past the cafeteria.”

“Do you need to add the name of my escort to your list?”

The second woman jerked up her head. “Ah, yes, of course.”

“Dillon. Justin Dillon,” he spoke before she could open her mouth, “but you already know who I am, Mrs. Lyons.”

Gina looked at him, but he’d turned away. She hurried to join him and they walked down the hall, side by side, but not touching. Gina peeked at him, but Justin stared straight ahead, his jaw clamped tight.

“Boy, schools sure look different at night, don’t they?” Her voice came out a hushed whisper. “Is this the first time you’ve been back here since you graduated?”

“I never graduated from here. I dropped out the start of my junior year.”

Before she could think of a response, they turned a corner, the music louder now, and soon they arrived at the gym. Young people in varying degrees of formal wear, most of the girls dressed like her sister and herself in vintage dresses, stood in small groups in the wide hallway. Curious glances from the teenagers greeted them, but it was the outright stares from the adults that caused Gina to freeze.

Two older gentlemen, one of whom was the football coach, stood at the other end of the hall, directing a line of teenage couples waiting to get their pictures taken. The men were soon joined by two women, probably teachers, as well, and all four spoke in hushed voices. From their furtive glances it was obvious Gina and Justin were the topic of a heated discussion.

“Let’s go inside, okay?” Gina clutched her handbag.

Justin waved her ahead of him. It was warm inside the gym, with a faint whiff of sweaty socks in the air. A mirrored ball hung from the ceiling, sprinkling dots of light over crepe-paper swirls in the school colors of blue and white. A stage at the far end held a pair of disc jockeys and an empty set of thrones waiting for the crowning of the king and queen. Teenagers filled the center of the gym as well as the round tables set up alongside the stacked bleachers.

Gina’s age discrepancy from her classmates and her own shyness had kept her from ever attending a dance while at her private high school. She’d tried to go to the freshman mixer her first year at college but had only made it as far as the front steps before chickening out and heading back to her dorm room.

She could now see the magic she missed out on, but recapturing a stolen moment wasn’t going to happen tonight.

“I think your sister is headed this way.” Thanks to the loud music, Justin had to speak right into her ear. The warmth of his breath caused those proverbial tummy quivers to spread to her entire body.

“It’s about time you got here.” Giselle joined them, dragging along her date by the hand. “Where’s your— Ah, hi.”

“Ric’s home sick with the flu,” Gina explained, placing a hand on Justin’s arm. His muscles tensed beneath the smooth fabric of his suit and she tightened her grip. To reassure him or herself?

“Justin graciously agreed to stand in as my date tonight.” She was babbling, but as always, once she started it was impossible to stop. “He even managed to get Gage to lend us his beloved pickup.”

“Wow, that’s so cool! Both Garrett and I tried to wrangle the keys to that baby, but he refused.” Giselle smiled. “Hey, Justin.”

“Hey.”

His one word reply had Gina scrambling to put her earlier plan into action. “Giselle, do you know where I can find Mrs. Powers? I think I should check in with her.”

“Probably the closest bathroom because she’s ready to pop any moment.” The tall, muscular, blond teenager standing with Giselle spoke and tugged at his tie at the same time.

“Mrs. Powers is pregnant,” Giselle explained, “and her due date is just a week away. Come on, we’ll find her.”

Gina looked at Justin. “Will you be okay if I—”

“Sure, he will. Justin, this is Stefan Marcuso, my boyfriend.” Giselle made a quick introduction. “Stef, Justin Dillon.”

The kid stuck out his hand and a heartbeat passed before Justin shook it. Gina let her sister drag her away, hoping he didn’t mind being left with the boy.

“So, is it true you did time in prison for dealing?”

Gina cringed at the teenager’s question, but the sooner she checked in the sooner she’d be able to tell Justin his escorting duties were over. Moments later, they found Mrs. Powers outside the girls’ restroom. Giselle made introductions and headed back to the gym.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Gina apologized again. “But I’m here and ready to go to work. What do you need me to do?”

“Actually, our chaperone ranks are pretty full.” Linda Powers, a math teacher who served as the senior class adviser, pressed one hand to her extended belly. “So many long-time staff members wanted to participate in the festivity.”

Gina studied the mother-to-be and found herself wondering if she, too, held the same contemptuous attitude toward Justin that so many other adults at the dance seemed to. “Oh, well, if you’re sure you don’t need me—”

“You’re welcome to stay—you and your date—and enjoy the dance if you’d like. Excuse me, I need to check on the voting for tonight’s royal court.”

“Yes, of course.”

Gina watched the woman slowly make her way down the hall. She wanted to believe the sincerity of the invitation, but after all they’d experienced from the other adults, she wasn’t sure. Needing a moment to collect her thoughts, she slipped inside the ladies’ room. In the last stall, she locked the door and leaned against the wall.

Free to go. Free to stay.

She took a few deep breaths, and pushed away the image that popped into her head of her and Justin sharing a slow dance to a classic doo-wop ballad.

Leaving was the best answer for everyone.

She exited the stall and looked at her reflection in the mirror. A quick swipe with the lip gloss and she was ready.

“…but to bring that man here? To a high school dance?” The door opened and the two women Gina had seen earlier with the football coach entered.

“One would think as the sister of our sheriff,” the second woman spoke, “not to mention from one of the town’s finest families, she’d know better.”

“Better than what?” Gina turned and faced them, enjoying the look of shock on their faces.

“Ah, Miss Steele.”

“Yes, that’s who I am, but I’m afraid I don’t know you ladies.”

She was surprised her voice sounded so calm. Inside, she was shaking with fury. “Third time’s the charm,” wasn’t that the familiar saying? At the front door, then when they arrived at the gym and now here.

Enough was enough.

“I believe you have an issue with my date?”

The first woman folded her hands in front of her. “Yes, frankly, we do. I’m Beverly Simpson, an English teacher here at the high school. I am also a parent with two children attending this dance and I feel this is the last place a former drug dealer should be.”

“Justin has paid his debt for his past behavior. He is working hard to rebuild his life, for both himself and his son.”

“And how can we be sure he hasn’t reverted to his old ways? Like father, like son, as the saying goes.”

“Does that mean we can assume your parents instilled this narrow-mindedness in you?” Gina advanced on the second woman who’d spoken. “Maybe it’s best not to stand in judgment on others, lest you be judged yourselves.”

“Are you really that sure of him?”

“Yes, I am.”

Memories of that night in the bar three months ago came rushing back to Gina. It hadn’t taken long for her to realize the men who barged in were old friends of Justin. He’d wanted nothing to do with them or their plans and ended up being hurt while defending her.

She offered the ladies a gentle smile. “Perhaps it’s time for a leap of faith, in ourselves and in others.”

Gina headed back for the gym. She stopped at one of the refreshment tables and took two cold drinks. With a new-found confidence, she made her way back to where she’d left her date.

He wasn’t there.

Ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat, she continued to walk the perimeter of the dance floor. Justin wouldn’t just leave, not without saying goodbye. When she finally spotted him, her footsteps faltered. He was sitting at a table in the far corner, surrounded by a group of teenagers, including the twins and their dates.

“Hey, sis.” Garrett rose from where he sat next to Justin when she reached the table.

Justin’s head swung toward her. He stood. His suit jacket hung from the back of his chair and he’d rolled his shirt sleeves back to below his elbows. Taking the sodas from her, he placed them on the table.

“So what’s going on?” she asked, after returning her brother’s hug.

“Ah, nothing.” Justin shoved his hands into his pockets. “Just talking.”

“So you were really that good at running?”

Justin’s gaze shifted between her and a kid who spoke from the other side of table twice before he replied. “Ah, yeah, I guess. I was on the varsity track team, running cross country, my sophomore year,” he shrugged. “Who knows where it might’ve led if I hadn’t been stupid and dropped out.”

“You still run now?” one of the girls asked.

“I’ve started to get back into it, when I can.” Justin paused, then continued when the teenagers remained silent. “I was able to use an outdoor track while in prison, but running in circles surrounded by an electrified fence and guards just wasn’t the same.”

“But you finished high school and got your college degree while you were in prison,” Giselle said. “That’s impressive.”

He did what?

Surprised, Gina looked at him. He’d told her only an hour ago that he’d never graduated from high school.

From this high school.

“It would’ve been more impressive if I accomplished those things without getting drawn into a world of fast money,” Justin replied.

One kid nodded, his face a study in concentration. “My cousin was all set with a big-time basketball scholarship and he blew it, getting too full of his own glory. He thought he could get away with anything. Instead he got busted and lost it all.”

“Which is why I steer clear of that crap,” said another one of the boys. “Figuring out the future is hard enough, you know?”

“Something none of you have to do tonight.” Justin gestured toward the dance floor. “Have a good time, that’s what the dance is for. Leave the figuring for tomorrow.”

Everyone moved away, most to the dance floor until it was just Gina and Justin at the table.

“You never told me you had a college degree.”

Justin slumped back into the closest folding chair. “You never asked.”

“Okay.” Gina sat next to him. “I’m asking now.”

He didn’t say anything, so she waited.

“I’ve got a bachelor’s degree in English,” he finally responded to her unspoken question. “With minors in Liberal Arts and Humanities.”

Her mind flashed back to the overflowing bookcases in the cabin. “That is impressive. So, what was all this about? With the kids?”

“Your sister’s boyfriend asked me what I did to get sent to prison.”

“I know, I heard him.”

“It was a nice change to be asked directly instead of all the stares and whispering, so I told him.” Justin wrapped a hand around one of the sodas. “Next thing I knew I was surrounded, talking about the stupid things I did as a teenager that led to the stupid things I did as an adult, and the price I paid.”

Gina leaned forward and placed her hand on his. “Most people just tell kids what to do or what not to do. I think it probably helped them to actually speak with someone who could share the consequences of his actions.”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Justin scowled, “a ‘consequences of my actions’ kind of guy.”

“You’re so much more than that,” she protested. “And you know it.”

“Do I?” Justin pulled from her touch and popped open the can. He took a long draw before he spoke again. “Just because I share a couple of stories and try to scare these kids into keeping on the straight and narrow doesn’t make me a good person.”

“You are a good person. You came tonight even though this is the last place you wanted to be. You’ve put up with the rudeness of so many people so I wouldn’t have to face walking into this event by myself.” She paused and swallowed hard before she continued. This was the last thing she wanted to say, but it was only fair. “So, if you want to go, it’s okay.”

He turned to look at her. “What?”

“We’re free to leave.” Now she was the one to look away, her focus on a small candle flickering in the center of the white linen tablecloth. “I guess they’ve got enough chaperones to keep the kids in line, we’re not needed.”

“Or wanted.”

She shrugged and tried not to show how much what was probably a correct assumption bothered her. “It’s no big deal.”

Biting on her bottom lip couldn’t stop the words from slipping out, but at least it muffled most of her groan. Of all the words in the English language, why did she pick those four?



She was wrong. It was a big deal.

Ever since they’d left her house tonight, Gina had been working overtime to maintain an invisible barrier between them because she had to have known the kind of reactions they’d get showing up together. And those reactions were bothering her more than she was willing to admit.

Not that Justin blamed her. She didn’t deserve them. Or his chilly attitude since the moment she’d surprised him by agreeing to come here tonight with him.

What had he told those kids? To enjoy themselves? And here he was, so wrapped up in his own issues that he’d failed to make sure Gina enjoyed this night, too. He stared at her, waiting until she looked at him again. She finally bowed to the silent pressure and glanced up through her lashes.

“You’re amazing, you know that?”

Her beautiful blue eyes widened as she turned fully toward him with those damn shiny lips open in surprise.

“You’re the one who’s had to put up with the disrespect of these people tonight…because of me.” He stopped her un-voiced protest with a wave of his hand and scooted his chair closer until he bracketed her legs with his. “If you’d shown up with Ric, everyone would be smiling and happy, you’d be smiling and happy. Instead, you got stuck with someone who can’t even hold a pleasant conversation, much less— Look, staying or leaving isn’t my call, it’s yours.”

Justin cut off his tirade and pulled in a deep breath. “From this moment on, this night is about what you want. So what’s it going to be?”

She opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. He leaned in, knowing he shouldn’t touch her, but still he ran the tip of his finger along her jaw. “Don’t think. Just go with the first thing that comes to your mind. What do you want?”

“I want to dance.”

Of all the possible answers, that was the last thing he’d expected her to say.

He straightened. “You want to what?”

“I want to dance,” she repeated softly, “with you.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet as a rock and roll classic pounded through the speakers.

“Justin, are you sure you want to do this? Dance with me?”

“More than anything.”

That was a lie. What he wanted to do more than anything was kiss her, but her smile, wide and full of life, captured him. It was the first time he’d seen that smile in almost two weeks. In fact, the last time was when she’d held his son’s simple crayon drawing in her hands.

His son.

Thanks to a delay from the laboratory he’d found out just this afternoon that Jacoby was indeed his flesh and blood. Justin hadn’t been surprised. Deep inside, he’d known the boy was his. The sudden urge to share his news with Gina filled him, but he decided to wait until they could talk without music blaring. He tightened his grip on her hand and led her to the crowded dance floor.

When she turned to face him, he said, “Are you sure about this? Two-stepping is more my speed. I don’t think I can swing, or jitterbug, or whatever kind of dancing goes with ol’ time rock and roll.”

Gina pressed her cheek to his, her lips moving against to his ear. “Like these kids do? This music belongs to their grandparents. Just have fun!”

It was fun, all of it, from the crazy songs to the teenagers bouncing around them, to being able to hold Gina’s hands in his as they did their own version of cutting loose. It took him until the second song before he stopped caring if others watched, and as he’d advised the teens, he enjoyed himself. He hadn’t relaxed like this in a long time and being able to share it with Gina made it even more special.

When a slow ballad finally came on, Gina slipped into his arms. He wanted to press her close, to feel her curves against his chest. Then he noticed they were being watched by her brother and sister who were close by, dancing with their dates.

“We’re not officially chaperones,” Gina said. “But we should probably display the proper decorum.”

“Have you checked out the couples around us? No one else is dancing with enough room between them for a third party.”

“Would you like to sit this one out instead?”

Justin grinned and shook his head. “No, I have a much better idea.”