Hometown Legend Read Online Free Page B

been spared too much of the getting-together suggestions that most other eligible ladies and
     I get from everybody, cause even though we go to the same church and work together, Bev’s got a way of acting older than she
     is and sorta mothering me, so people just don’t see us that way—at least I don’t. Plus she’s got two cats, and that’s about
     all I need to know about a woman.
    Now she’s heading for lunch. “You want me to pick you up something from Carl’s Jr.?” she asks. I tell her yeah, thanks, the
     usual, but she says no.
    “No?” I say.
    “No, sir,” she says. “You eat one more of them grilled chicken thingies and you’ll be clucking before you know it. Now you
     can’t weigh a pound more’n you did when you graduated high school, so it won’t kill you to have a little red meat.”
    “It might,” I say, proud to have stayed in shape despite the scrambled knee—and halfway impressed that she noticed.
    “Well, what say we find out? I’m bringing you back their biggest, meatiest, cheesiest burger with the special fries and you’re
     gonna danged well eat it all.”
    “Can I at least have a diet drink with that?”
    “You’re hopeless,” she said. “All right.”
    “And you’ve got to eat the same.”
    “Now, no! I’m only getting you that cause I can’t. I’m up two pounds and just want to enjoy it, whatcha call it, vicariously.”
    I didn’t see the two pounds on her but I wasn’t about to say that. I just waved her off. “So you’re gonna watch me eat, is
     that it, Bev?”
    “No, but I’ll smell it and know you’re enjoying it. Now promise me you’ll ignore the phone. I got it on the machine and the
     world will survive without you for a few minutes.”
    She was back in less than half an hour, during which I scoped out a new work schedule for the lock stitchers and obeyed her
     by ignoring a phone call. She plopped the greasy bag and Diet Coke on my desk, and I said, “There’s one message waiting.”
    “I noticed. How’d you manage to ignore it?”
    “Learning to obey, Mother,” I said. I took a huge bite of the double cheeseburger while Bev checked the message at her desk.
     With the phone to her ear, she spun in her chair to look at me. Course the first thing I thought was Rachel and I was already
     kicking myself for not having picked up the phone. I forced the bite into my cheek and mashed the intercom button. “What?”
     I said.
    “Might be a crank, Calvin,” Bev said. “But you’d better listen to this.”
    I grabbed the phone. “Yeah, uh,” the recording began, “I’m sorry I missed Sawyer, but this is Buster Schuler and I’d appreciate
     a call back.” He left a number with no area code and a nearby prefix.
    “Where’s that number from, Bev?” I said, mouth still full.
    “Was that really him?”
    “I’d know that voice anywhere. That number local?”
    “Fairhope, if I’m not mistaken.” Bev was never mistaken. “Shall I dial it?”
    I swallowed quickly and shoved my lunch aside, nodding. “Just tell me when it’s ringing.” I didn’t want Coach Schuler to think
     I was so bigheaded I had to have a secretary place my calls. Bev dialed, waited a beat, and pointed at me. I sat up and actually
     straightened my tie.
    “Fairhope Rehabilitation Center.”
    “Um, yes, ma’am. I’m returning Bust—ah, Mr. Schuler’s call.”
    “One moment, please.” She covered the phone and I heard her calling out to him and telling him he could take it on the house
     phone.
    “Sawyer?”
    “Coach?”
    “Well, nobody’s called me that in ages, but how in the world are you?”
    He’d never been one for small talk and I knew he’d appreciate me helping him get to the point. “I’m good. What are you doing
     here?”
    “I’d like to come see you,” he said. “But I’m not ready for people to know I’m in town.”
    “I’ll meet you anywhere.”
    “Well, I’d like to see you there at your work, and maybe I’m kidding myself to