CHAPTER THIRTEEN

" Oh no," Samantha wailed pathetically. "What have I done? How did I create such a mess?"

Through the monsoon of men, women, and children, Samantha spotted Nellie standing next to Eddie Ryland as he bought a bag of popcorn from a vendor. They linked arms and walked away, over to an open clearing.

What is she doing? Thought Samantha. To her chagrin Nellie threw a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it in her mouth. Eddie seemed to think that this was a fantastic, worldly, accomplishment. Eddie tried that same, but it ended up landing on the lawn, and being intercepted by a pigeon. So Nellie had to instructed him how to do it. Samantha watched in horror as Eddie and Nellie tried to catch pieces of popcorn in their mouths for the next five minutes. Uncle Gard had been the one to get Nellie and her sisters onto trying to catch popcorn in their mouths. Samantha never thought it would be a useful talent.

Samantha could tell that Eddie was smitten and falling hard for Nellie. He was beaming as popcorn pelted her face. One got caught in her hair. Grandmary would go on a tirade if she ever saw something so unladylike. It wasn't the spectacle that Nellie was making, or the fact that Eddie was falling for her. He was supposed to do. It was the way that Nellie looked back at Eddie that Samantha did not like. Samantha knew what it was like to be a woman in love, and Nellie looked too close to it. Their next actions confirmed her nightmares. Eddie very tenderly brushed the pieces of stuck popcorn into her hair.

"Wait right here," he said to her. He went over to one of the vendors. Samantha almost went over to Nellie to talk some sense into her, but Eddie was too close by. In a minute he was back, holding a single red rose.

"Yuck," Samantha thought. If it had been anyone else besides Eddie Ryland, Samantha would have been amused by the towering, burly, man being so sweet and buying her a rose. Nellie accepted the rose and hugged him, and then to Samantha's shock Eddie took his fingers, and gently lifted her chin so that their eyes met. Then slowly, he bent down, and kissed her on the lips. Samantha's mouth dropped open as Nellie kissed back.

The world spun around Nellie as her lips met Eddie Ryland's. For once, Nellie could understand the "taste of man" that Samantha was always rambling about. The noise of the people around them, and the band playing faded into the background and all that existed that very moment was her and Eddie Ryland. She didn't think about feeling guilty for leaving Eugene alone to deal with Samantha, or Peyton, or Samantha and Peyton, or Edith Edelton. This was her time, her love, her man.

Samantha watched as Eddie led Nellie over to a shady patch to watch the game.

Well that must explain Eugene trying to entertain me. Samantha said to herself. This is all my fault. He must have seen Nellie with Eddie and thought he'd take revenge with me. I will do nothing of the sort. Eugene, Eddie, and Nellie all need a good deal of straightening out.

Just then Samantha noticed Edith Edelton strut by with her posse of Clarisse VanSicklen and Ruth Adams. They were probably heading to the bathroom, since that was what women usually did in groups. Edith was smirking at everyone she walked by.

"I don't know why she thinks she is so special," Samantha thought. "She has a face like a pit bull. A pit bull with curly hair."

There was one thing that could pull Samantha away from a simpering Edith Edelton, and Nellie and Eddie the lovebirds, and that was Peyton Denardo. The men were starting to pair up and get ready to start the game. He looked extremely sporty and debonair in his spotless, pressed, white pants, pristine white shoes, and his dapper straw boater's hat. Samantha looked behind her. Good. Hawkins was engaged in conversation with some gentleman way over by the hitching posts. She could no longer contain herself, and she knew she had a minute before the game began. Holding her skirts so she wouldn't trip she ran onto the bocce ball field.

"Peyton! Peyton my darling!" Samantha yelled, a few people turned to look.

"What in the world?" Peyton exclaimed. "Samantha what are you doing here? I thought granny doesn't let you out of the house anymore."

"She said I could see you again," Samantha said breathlessly. "Everything is right again."

"Samantha darling, we are about to start the tournament," Peyton said.

"That is why you need this," Samantha put her arms around his neck and gave him an affectionate and deep kiss. It felt glorious to be kissing Peyton again! A few of the other boys whooped.

"So is Grandma of Doom going to be in a snit if I come over to call tomorrow?" Peyton asked.

"No," Samantha said. "I would love it if you would you come. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too sweetheart," Peyton said and smoothing a loose curl of Samantha's hair. "I have to get to the tournament now. But I will see you tomorrow."

"All right," Samantha sighed. She wished they could go for a walk after the game, or even have a drink out on the hotel porch, but she understood that Peyton would probably go to the gentlemen's lounge afterwards. She whispered one more thing into his ear, before leaving him. "I love you."

Grandmary's girls were sure on a roll today. Eugene had seen Nellie with some tall, beefy, boy, and then he had witnessed Samantha run out onto the field and in a dramatic show kiss Peyton. He knew that Nellie had to have some lad somewhere that she was seeing, she was too pretty not to. Eugene couldn't believe Peyton's luck. He was sure lucky that Edith Edelton wasn't there or else there would have been even more drama.

"Looks like everyone is lucky in love except me," he said glumly. He could see

Samantha holding a pair of binoculars and standing next to Hawkins, staring adoringly at

Peyton as he got up to throw. He couldn't take any more. Eugene stomped his way out of

the crowd, up the stairs to the porch, and inside the hotel to go to his room and drown his

sorrows in the bottle of Jack Daniels that Peyton had bought a few days ago. Sometimes

he wished the Denardo family had never taken him in at all, and that Peyton wasn't his

brother.