The Necklace - The Dusky Club, June 1962 - Linda S Rice (books to read fiction txt) 📗

Ian. “You think he can pull it off tonight then?”

“I’m having no part of this,” interjected James. “You make your wagers, but keep me out of it.”

He turned on his heel and walked away.

“Losing your touch?” Derek said teasingly after him. Both Derek and Ian laughed.

Mindy and Susan were shortly back with a large sack of fish, chips, malt vinegar, and lots of American ketchup, which Mindy said was called “sauce” in England. The boys loved ketchup. Mindy said Derek put it on just about everything. They all sat cross-legged on the floor, except for Susan, who had her legs tucked under to the side due to wearing a dress. The feast sat in the middle. Mindy, who was wearing a pair of jeans, sat next to Derek, and James nodded his head at Susan to sit next to him. She felt as if she were in heaven.

They ate and talked, asking Susan questions about America, while she asked them questions about Brighton and England. She tried to slant her questions towards history to fit her story of being a history student, but the topic didn’t get much response, so she gave it up in favor of more interesting subjects like music, the all-consuming passion for the boys.

“So, whatcha think of us and our music?” asked Ian. “How does it compare to America? Do you think we’re as good as Elvis?”

“Far better,” she responded. “You’re going to be famous someday, you know.”

“And how would you know that?” he asked.

“As I told Mindy earlier, I have intuition. The only thing is...you’ve got to lose the greasy-hair. You all look like you haven’t washed it in a month”

“Wait just a minute! We cultivate this look, you know!” exclaimed Ian. “It’s the Elvis look with the hair and all. We put stuff in it to make it look this way!”

“You sound like Jimmie, now, always tellin’ us we need to clean ourselves up a bit...look more presentable and all,” said Derek.

“Well, no offense or anything, but to me, it just looks like you haven’t washed your hair in ages. What girl would want to run her hands through a guy’s greasy, dirty hair?

“Are you saying you want to run your fingers through my hair, then?” quipped James.

She turned to glare at him. “No, I didn’t say anything at all about running my fingers through your hair.”

“If I washed it up all nice and didn’t put stuff on it, would you run your fingers through my hair?”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Well, would you?” asked Ian.

She rolled her eyes. “I was just saying it would look a lot nicer is all. No reason not to have clean hair.”

“But it is clean,” said Derek. “We just put stuff in it.”

“Well, then quit putting stuff in it!”

“If I quit putting stuff in it, will you run your fingers through my hair then?” asked James again.

“You’re all making fun of me, aren’t you?”

“No, Luv,” said Derek. “We’d never make fun of you. Don’t want to get on your wrong side, do we, James?”

James shook his head. “Hot temper is what she has.”

“I do not!”

“Might be hot in other ways,” mumbled Ian.

“I beg your pardon...what did you say?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“Speaking of feeling hot, let’s go take a little nap before we have to go on,” Derek said, helping Mindy to stand up.

‘I’m off to get some guitar strings,” said Ian. “Come along with me,” he said, looking at Blue.

“A nap sounds good to me,” said Susan.

James raised his eyebrows at her. “Am I invited?” he asked.

“Go home and wash your hair,” was her response, as she got up, flung her purse over her shoulder, and went out the door.

“See you later.”

The club was crowded and smoky, and Susan had to push her way to the front where Mindy was saving a stool for her at the same table she’d been at yesterday.

“Cor! And I’d almost given up on you!”

Susan slid onto the other stool. “I went back to my hotel after the practice, fell asleep, and woke up late. I didn’t realize what time it was. I think I still have jet lag…”

Mindy looked at her, again wondering why she chose to wear those ridiculous dresses when everyone else was in leather or something more casual. Mindy wore jeans most of the time. She thought that maybe Susan was some rich girl, like maybe one who’d gone to what they call a “finishing school,” where the daughters of wealthy parents are sent to obtain the ladylike skills needed to be part of the upper classes. She sure didn’t fit in here, that was for sure! James was playing with fire if he was playing with a little rich girl.

“Well, here come the boys now,” she said with a smile, forgetting about Susan, as her eyes focused lovingly on Derek.

Susan looked at James. He was wearing a leather jacket again, but this time he had on the dingy white shirt instead of the black t-shirt. He still had the greasy hair.

“So much for any fingers in his hair later on,” she thought, then immediately halted her line of thinking. She was not going to be tempted by him; she was not! They started singing.

“Well now, when your hands begin to clap…

And your fingers start to tap…

And your feet start to shuffle all around…

Your senses float away…

You begin to twist and sway…”

The next two songs she knew and had to stop herself from singing along. It was annoying, knowing the words to the songs so well but having to keep her mouth shut. She knew Mindy was looking at her, possibly waiting for a slip-up. It was apparent that she had sensed something odd.

“La de da, da, da...La de da, da, da…It’s not just how you look that stills my heart...

It’s not only how you kiss that rips me all apart...

Uh, oh…oh no…all the days and nights pass on by...

I sit by my phone at home, and I sigh all due to you...

And it’s so true...

I just can’t quit my love, because honey, it’s always you...

Always you…”

The boys played three sets, and as the last song ended, James leaned over and said something to Ian and Derek, and they began playing again. Mindy nudged Susan.

“James’s gonna sing something special for you now. I can tell. Derek was waving at me to have you pay attention.”

James started singing.

“I know I’m gonna fall...

Gonna fall for you...

I know I’m gonna fall so far in love with you...

You’re just too sweet...and so dear...

I’m gonna fall deep down in love with you...”

Mindy smirked. “Hey, I know the words to this song. Listen up good.”

She reached out and swiveled Susan’s stool around, so she was directly facing James. His eyes pierced hers as he sang.

“So now you gotta hug me tight...

Make it happen for us tonight...

Sweetheart, you gotta let it go...”

Susan froze, numb in her seat at the words, “Make it happen for us tonight...” This was all going way, way too fast for her even to think straight. She started fingering the chain of her necklace and bit her lip. She’d only met him last night. She’d only come here to meet him and maybe look into his eyes or something.

Something!? She hadn’t given any thought to what would happen after she met him. And, here he was, a very sexy young man, at a time in his life where girls were crawling all over him, hoping to get in his bed, even if it was just for one night.

And here she was, lost in a storm of her conflicting emotions without enough time to think what she should do or where this might lead. She crossed her arms over her chest and swiveled her stool, so she faced away from James. She felt the heat creep into her face.

“Making love to you is what I really need to do...

I need you for the whole of the night...”

“Whoa!” said Mindy, “He has it bad for you. That’s what happens when a bloke don’t get what he wants right off; he gets all obsessed and stuck on it. He’s sure stuck on you. You shouldn’t torture him so much, you know. Go on ahead and ‘make it happen tonight,’ as he’s singing to you.”

“Torture him?!” exclaimed Susan. “I just met him last night! We went out for tea and talked is all...”

“And he took you back to your hotel, and you brushed him off...and you came to practice today all dolled up and not only brushed him off, but you put him down and in his place...and you teased him about his hair, so he went home and washed it.”

“He did? He went home after practice and washed his hair? Then why is it still all so greasy looking?”

“Because the boys refused to go on with him looking so tidy. They even made him put on his regular old, dingy shirt and take off the clean white one he had on. They make fun of him always wanting to look more neat and clean. They like to look teddy-boy tough, ya know.”

A weak, “Oh,” was all Susan could think to say.

Mindy swiveled Susan’s stool back around, so she was facing James again.

James was facing her as he continued singing, his eyes searching hers questioningly.

“So now you gotta hug me tight...

Make it happen for us tonight...

Sweetheart, you gotta let it go...

Making love to you is what I really want to do...

I need you for the whole of the night...”

She couldn’t think of anything to say as the song ended. She had six nights left. Should she give in as Mindy suggested and make it happen tonight? After all, it wasn’t like she was a virgin in her head…just in her young body. No! She was not about to be manipulated! If and when she decided to give in, it would be her choice, not his!

But then she wondered just how long it would take before she let her defenses down. Just one hole in her defenses and she knew she would allow him to “make it happen tonight.”

On top of that, her seventeen-year-old hormones were playing havoc with her body and its response to him. They were jumping up and down in anticipation. She slapped them down. To be alone with him would be downright dangerous. Oh, she shouldn’t have come here! It was all getting too complicated. She wished Lynn was here to give her advice!

“So, are ya gonna do it then?” asked Mindy.

“Do what?”

“Ya know, make it happen tonight and all. Enjoy a tumble in the sheets.”

“No! Most definitely not! I’m not that kind of girl!”

Mindy looked at her curiously. “So, and don’t tell me it’s true, but are you really all virginal and all?”

Susan turned a deep shade of pink. “What if I am?”

“Well, if you are, I’m thinking you’ll need a little instruction for tonight then.”

“Instruction??!! I don’t need any instruction! And I’m not tumbling in any sheets tonight!”

“Ha! That’s what you think,” her hormones whispered. She angrily shooed them away; they were getting to be annoying.

Mindy contemplated the situation for a few seconds but decided to ignore Susan’s comments about not making it happen tonight. She figured James would end up having his way with her sooner or later, and if this strange American was untouched, she needed to know a few things.

“So, then,” Mindy said as she leaned