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Show 70. "I guess I've heard him once or twice." "Every day, nine to twelve, my mom listens to him. It's nauseating." "Is he a friend of the family?" JD was still trying to figure out where he himself fit into this dinner arrangement. "He and daddy were at Laramie together, at the U. Fraternity brothers and all that. Daddy says he's getting too liberal for us, but we still have dinner with them when we go to Laramie for the football games." She squeezed his hand tight in both of hers. "Come on, now, just relax, JD, and be your charming old self." "I'm charming, all right," he laughed. And then they were there, standing exactly where JD had stood hundreds of times before to ring the bell. Impulsively, he pulled Gayle back into the shadows of two large arbor vitae. Laughing softly, she got her hands inside his coat and slipped her arms around him, nestling against his chest. Her kisses were as warm and greedy as ever. He hoped his last minute hoarding would carry him through the evening. "Oh, here you are!" Mr. Evans met them at the wide double doors of the den. He shook hands with JD and clapped him on the shoulder. "Glad to see you!" JD mumbled his thanks and allowed the older man to take his coat. Inside the room, the fire was blazing, drinks had been passed around, and it sounded like the evening was well underway. Mrs. Evans gave him a polite hug, then told Gayle to fix them some ginger ale. In the meantime, she introduced JD around and invited him to sit close to the fire in a comfortable leather arm chair that looked suspiciously like the seat of honor. He'd have preferred being by Gayle on the sofa, but he guessed now he was strictly on his own. Everyone made small talk and exchanged pleasantries while Gayle passed a tray of little meat and cheese things. So far the fraternity man Tom Gordon was leading the only conversation going and Gayle's mom was hanging on his every word. Mrs. Burke, plump and smiley, seemed to size up JD's discomfort and began asking questions about school. They were the usual. What grade was he in? Would he be glad to |