Progress (The Progress Series) (19 page)

*

He pulled into her driveway at seven twenty-five and walked swiftly to her front door. He knocked on the door and waited.

Why am I nervous? Well, actually feeling something is good, I guess—

“Hey Jesse, good to see you again, come on in,” Charlie’s father said in a soft tone, reaching his hand out to shake Jesse’s.

“Oh, yes, you too. Oh, um, sir,” Jess said.

“Ha! You can call me Bill. Charlie is still getting ready, can I get you a beer?”

“Sure, thanks.”

The football season had begun, and Bill was an obvious fan. He was wearing purple and yellow zebra-print pants to prove it. Scanning the room, Jesse saw that a football game was on a small TV in the corner, and a fire was lit in the fireplace. A very large cream-and-white cat scurried past him and hid.

“You must be Jesse. Hi, I’m Karen. Charlie will be up in a minute.”

“Great, thanks. I think that’s one of the biggest cats I’ve ever seen,” Jess said before taking a very large swig from his beer.

“Oh, that’s just Wheatis. Burt is around here somewhere too. He’s the gray one.”

Jesse nodded.

“So Jesse, are you from around here?”

“I graduated from Eagan high school,” he said.

Please don’t ask me any more questions.

“Jesse! I’m downstairs! I’ll be up in a second!” Charlie shouted from the basement.

“What’s your last name? Maybe we know your parents,” Karen asked.

“Anders.” He nervously took another sip.

Hurry up, Charlie
.

“Oh, I don’t know if I’ve heard that name before--”

“Okay… I’m done.” Charlie appeared from the steps, made an apologetic expression toward Jess, and mouthed the word “sorry.”

Charlie’s hair was pulled back with soft strays coming down around her face. Her makeup was simple but she wore a dark red lipstick that emphasized her red dress, and her lashes were long and dark. Her dress was short-sleeved and wrapped around her torso with a simple, black silk ribbon.

Jesse’s expression softened as soon as he saw her face.

“So, what did I miss? Any interesting conversation?” Charlie raised an eyebrow.

“I was just asking Jesse if we might know his parents,” Karen said.

“No, Mom. You don’t know everyone’s parents. Besides, Jesse moved here from…Seattle.”

Thank you.

“Will I need a jacket?” Charlie asked.

Look at her. She’s radiant.

Why is she staring at me? Why am I still smiling like an ass? Wipe this stupid grin off your face!

“Oh, ah…yes. Probably. It’s outdoors,” he finally said.

“Thank you for the compliment,” Charlie whispered as they walked toward the front door.

“Compliment?” he asked.

“The way you looked at me just now was nice.” She grabbed the door handle and waved at her parents. “I’m not too overdressed am I?”

“No. You’re fine.” He held the door for her and turned to say goodbye. “Karen, Bill, it was nice to meet you both.”

“You kids have fun!” Bill said, offering to take Jesse’s unfinished beer.

“Thanks, Dad!”

Casually strolling to his car, Jesse jingled the keys in his pocket. “Thank you for saving me in there.”

“No problem. Mom has this thing about thinking she knows everyone’s parents. I should have warned you.”

“It’s okay. No harm done.” Jesse instinctively opened the passenger side car door for Charlie. She stopped and stared at him, confused.

Oh my god. What am I doing? I don’t think I’ve ever opened a car door for anyone before.

“Um, for clarification purposes, I’d like to know if I should be considering this as something more than just getting drunk and smoking in the corner of your family reunion,” she said.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean…no. I mean, no. This isn’t a date or anything,” he said.

“Good. Otherwise I would have worn my sexy underwear.” She winked and gracefully set herself down into his car.

“Where is this thing, anyway?” Charlie asked once they merged onto the freeway.

“Minnetonka. It’s about a half-hour.”

“Do you mind if I smoke?” she asked.

“Knock it off,” he said.

“What?”

“You’re acting so…proper. I don’t give a shit if you smoke or not.”

“Sorry. Something happens when I put on a skirt. I feel like I should be…formal.”

“Well, cut it ou
t. Or I’ll rip that skirt off you.”

“Tease,” she said as she lit a cigarette.

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow.
Is that a dare?

“So, how have you been feeling? You look a little better,” she said.

“Not so great the past week, but today I do feel a little better.”

“Good. We’ll have fun tonight then.” She smiled and took another drag from her cigarette.

*

The drive was quicker than he had anticipated. Charlie did most of the talking, but she wasn’t overwhelming. He was grateful for questions that only required a “yes” or “no” answer.

“So, is there anything I need to know about your family? Like, dirty secrets or subjects to stay away from?” she asked.

“Not really. My mom is a lawyer, her name is Susie. Dad’s name is Keith and he’s a trucker. They adopted me before I turned eighteen. My sister is Molly and my brother is Donovan. You won’t need to know anyone else, they probably won’t speak to you.”

“Sounds simple enough. I think I can handle that.”

“I feel I should warn you, though. You’ll probably get some questions and strange looks,” he said.

“Why?”

“I don’t usually bring women to meet my family. I mean, they’re used to seeing Jake. People are probably going to assume we’re a couple.”

“Oh. Well, I’m pretty sure I can handle that. How would you like me to respond?” she asked.

“I don’t care what you tell them.”

“Oh! How fun! I get to be Jesse’s girlfriend for an evening! Can I hold your hand and stare at you longingly?” she asked while giving him puppy eyes.

“No. That’s not allowed,” he said seriously.

Her eyes searched his. A hint of a smirk played on his lips and they both laughed in unison.

*

“We’re here,” he said.

Jesse looked at Charlie and her eyes reflected the white lights draped over the trees and perfectly trimmed hedges in the yard. He watched her look at the house as her lips parted slightly.

The four-story house was mostly gray brick with white trim. It had four garage doors and a small boathouse in the back. It sat ashore to a lake with large pine trees along the landscape. There were five white canopies set up along the back of the patio, each one lit with hundreds of small white Christmas lights.

“It’s beautiful,” Charlie whispered, “Oh, and in case I forget, thank you for inviting me.”

He nodded. “Let’s go.”

Charlie shivered on her way to the backyard and put on her jacket. The left side of her collar was flipped up, so Jesse fixed it for her.

“Thanks.”

The murmurs from the crowd became louder the closer they got. They could now hear soft music and the clinking of champagne glasses.

“Jesse!” A woman’s voice shouted from several yards in front of them.

“Hey Charlie, if I don’t get drunk enough to tell you,” he paused and faced her. “You look beautiful tonight.”

She eyed him in amazement.

“Hey Jess!” A petite blond wrapped her arms around Jess and stood on her tiptoes to complete a rather violent bear hug. She was almost half the size of Charlie and looked to be in her late forties.

“Hey, Ma.”

Charlie tried to conceal herself behind Jesse as to not impose on their moment.

“So, where’s this Charlie?” Jesse’s mother looked around the yard for an unknown gentleman.

“
She’s
right here.” He pinched Charlie’s elbow.

“Ouch,” Charlie said and slapped his hand away. Jesse laughed.

Jesse’s mother looked at her and then back to him. “Oh.
Charlie
. Well, it’s nice to meet you. Jesse didn’t tell me he was bringing a date.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Susan, right?”

“You can call me Susie.” Susie and Charlie exchanged warm smiles. “Well, come on! The food is delicious, as usual. And the alcohol is free, so drink up. Oh, Jesse, Dad couldn’t make it tonight, an emergency came up at work. Molly can’t make it either. But Dad wanted me to tell you he says ‘hi,’ and that he still plans on kicking your ass next weekend at the golf tournament,” Susie said while guiding them towards the bar. “She’s pretty. And tall,” Susie whispered into Jesse’s ear.

Jesse smiled and looked at a blushing Charlie who was pretending not to eavesdrop.

“Go find us a seat. What can I get you to drink?” Jesse asked Charlie.

“Whatever you’re having is fine. Thank you.”

He pulled Charlie close and whispered within inches from her face. “I told you not to be so formal. Don’t tempt me, Charlene. I
will
rip that skirt off you.”

“Okay, okay. What do you want me to say? Gimme a beer, damn it.” She pulled away from him slightly as he noticed the closeness made her uncomfortable.

“Better. I’ll be right back.” He smirked.

Charlie chuckled and s
earched the sea of white tables for a spot away from the crowd. Settling on an inconspicuous table in the corner, one with an ashtray, she sat and lit a cigarette.

Jesse returned with four beers, removed a cigarette from Charlie’s pack and lit it.

“So, you golf?” she asked, eyeing him up and down in disbelief.

“Yep,” he said, taking a seat.

“You any good?”

“I suppose. I’m not great; I don’t play often enough to be great. Once or twice a year my dad and I enter weekend tournaments. It’s fun and it gives him a chance to say we spend quality time together.”

“Do you get to wear those fun pants with a mismatched Polo, too?”

“No. I wear jeans and a T-shirt.”

“Damn. I was having fun with that image.” She laughed.

“Enough. I want to know more about your art,” he said.

“What? My what?”

“You’re pretty good, you know. Actually, I’ve never seen anything like that…it was one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.”

“When have you seen my art?” she asked, searching her mind for when she would have shown him. “I haven’t worked on anything…since…since that night you slept in my driveway… You little shit! You were spying on me?”

“I, well…”

“Don’t worry about it,” she waved her hand in the air. “I’d like to try and pretend I’m offended, but I’m not. I really wish you would have called me that night. I stayed up late and was looking for something to pass the time--” she said.

“Hey, man!” said a voice near their table, interrupting their conversation.

“Oh hey, Donny! This is my friend, Charlie. Charlie, this is my brother Donovan.”

Donny
was in his mid-twenties with a medium build, sandy brown hair, and a dimple in his chin.

“Mom said Charlie was
a guy
…” Donny said, reaching to shake Charlie’s hand.

She glanced at Jesse, not understanding if that was a private joke or not.
She shook Donny’s hand, lit a cigarette and sipped her beer.

“Yes, there’s been some confusion about that tonight. No, I can assure you that Charlie is a female,” Jesse said.

“I see that. A
good-looking
female, to boot,” Donny said, directing his next words back to Charlie. “It’s nice to meet you, pretty lady. Why don’t you ditch this brother of mine and just come home with me tonight?” He winked.

Charlie coughed out her sip of beer. There was always something about Donny that made him smoother, more dignified. If Jesse had tried using that line, it would have sounded cheap. There was a pang of envy Jesse felt for his brother, making Charlie smile and blush the way she did.

“Hey, I’m going to get a drink. Does anyone need anything while I’m there?” Donny asked.

“Nah, we’re still working on our first two,” Jesse said as Donny retreated to the bar.

“Your brother is cute,” Charlie said as she tipped back her beer.

“For your own safety, I caution you to stay away from that one. He breaks two hearts a week.”

“Oh, Jesse. Thank you for thinking I would even be in the same league as him! But, I am a realist. Men like Donny don’t go for women like me.”

“League?” he asked.

“Oh you know, the beautiful. The smooth. The I-look-good-in-a-bathing-suit. The perfect bone structures, the parties, the ones with the right one-liners and hair that still looks perfect in the morning.” After taking another sip from her beer she added, “I’ve always fantasized about being one of the elite. Tall, skinny, big boobs, gorgeous. More than looks though. I always wanted to be the kind of girl that had witty comebacks, strength, inner beauty, a brain…the kind of girl that’s irresistible… I’d be able to have my choice of any man I wanted because I was secure enough, smart enough, and pretty enough to get him.”