Audra’s chest tightened, and her heart pounded harder with every step she took toward her trig class. Wednesdays were the worst. As always, the same seven girls were huddled around the radiator near the classroom door, waiting to pounce.

“Hey, Queenie!” Chris shouted, loud enough for the entire hallway to hear.

They always called her that—and worse. Ever since Audra had won the summer pageant, they’d singled her out. Sometimes, just for laughs, they’d wear crude crowns made of paper or crumpled tinfoil, mocking her, attempting to spoil every glittering step toward her win.

Who cares? Audra told herself, forcing her fingers to unclench.

“Losers,” she muttered, just under her breath. She didn’t dare say it louder—Chris was the toughest girl in school, a fighter, and proud of it.

Audra could defend herself with words. She was tall, strong even, but physical violence was out of the question?

The thought of it seemed crude, almost savage. It simply wasn’t her style. Instead, she did the only thing she knew how, she squared her shoulders, fixed a smile on her face, and walked past the seven devils without flinching, ignoring every bite of their words. Not sure which was worse—the taunts, or the trig class.

Nothing seemed to stop them. They were bullies, and bullies fed on their own ugliness. That truth unsettling as it was, cut straight to her core. Many thoughts crossed her mind, being completely alone in this was foremost, then the dread knotted that tightened in her stomach each time she neared them.

On their own, handling any one of them was doable. Individually, they were weak in spirit, no match for Audra’s quick wit and sharp tongue. But Chris and her sister Tara were another matter. Especially Chris. She was volatile, truly dangerous. Say the wrong thing, even look at her wrong, and she’d come unhinged. Audra had seen her in action, it was frightening.

Why Chris was so determined to be cruel to Audra was a mystery. There didn’t seem to be a reason, but that didn’t matter. Being in her crosshairs was not the place to be.

Every trig class began the same way—with remarks, rattling Audra’s composure and stoking the fear that twisted inside her. She’d thought about reporting it, but  it would only make things worse. The principal wouldn’t help, yes, she’d seen too many times how speaking up only led to more harassment. The idea of that made her stomach ache more.

As she slipped into her seat, the usual chill settled over her. Maybe, eventually, they’d lose interest. That’s what usually happened. Their cruelty had a short attention span. When something more exciting arose, they would move on. Take their attention away.

Audra pondered her thoughts with hope as she carefully looked around the classroom. It was her final year at Pinehurst High School, and she couldn’t wait to move on—toward new horizons, new people, and new experiences. As much as life on the farm was a known quantity and comforting, Pinehurst itself offered her nothing. It was a tiny town, tucked away in the middle of nowhere, she grimaced at the thought.

Sitting at the front of the class—she could focus better – closer to the teacher blocked out the whispers from the girls behind her. Replaying the events of the pageant, time warped forward. 

Winning had made all those sleepless nights worth it. It meant she’d qualified to complete in the state pageant in the fall for a much needed scholarship, and for the first time, she’d felt like she mattered. There was no way she was going to let those girls dim the glow of that memory.

It all felt so unreal being on stage in front of all those people. It was kind of like acting a part. It had created a combination of fear and excitement.

She and her mother had arrived at the local fairgrounds and walked over to the demonstration building, where all the contestants were gathered. It was a place so familiar to her—where she had presented her 4-H projects, where judges had evaluated her on her cooking skills, her finesse and finished product. But today was different. This time, it wasn’t about what she could do, but how she looked. It was a beauty pageant. She would stand on a stage, not just in front of judges, but before an entire audience, expected to speak with poise, to walk gracefully under the weight of their gaze. Her stomach fluttered with nerves. Still, she held on to the hope that all of it—the pressure, the vulnerability might lead to something real, a win, and with it, a much-needed boost to her college fund. After all that was the reason behind entering in the first place, her college fund.

Audra’s mind went a little off. She found herself thinking about baking brownies. In 4-H, she had taken cooking classes, and oddly enough, the pageant reminded her of following a recipe. Step by step, she had moved through the process, hoping that like a well-made dessert her efforts would come out just right. One of the first steps had been buying a new summer dress, carefully chosen for this very occasion. Then came the speech she’d written for the judges, the poised answers she’d given in their private interview, and the walk across the stage, presenting herself with as much grace as she could summon. She’d gathered all the ingredients. The recipe was complete. No swimsuit competition. No talent portion. Like a brownie, it didn’t require frosting, the core had to stand on its own. The true test would be whether she came away with first place or placed at all.

The reward was a two-hundred-fifty-dollar cash prize meant to support college plans, but technically hers to spend however she chose. Since it was a county pageant, it had been held at the fairgrounds grandstand and was sponsored by the local electric company, EDG. The irony made her smile. The final step was baking the brownies in an electric oven. Voila!

Queen contests were controversial for sure, so perhaps comparing herself to a baked dessert wasn’t the most dignified metaphor—but in the swirl of nerves and expectations, it was a way to make sense of it all.

She heard her name called and awoke from her daydream. Adorned in her new blue denim dress with floral cap sleeves and her platform shoes she walked into the judges’ room smiling, hoping she could remember her speech. Her stomach churned with more nerves than she’d ever experienced at once. She wanted to throw up. She thought she might faint. She wondered if the color had drained out of her face.

One of the judges asked her to remain standing for her speech. Of course, the speech was about electricity, which was the basis of the “pageant”, EDG, the sponsor.

“Greetings” she said pressing her smile as long as she could, standing at the podium giving herself a second to adjust to her first competition.

“I want to thank you for this opportunity today. What a revelation, electricity!” She shifted her feet trying not to show how nervous she felt.

She managed to finish her five-minute promotional speech without any mistakes.

One of the judges, a woman that looked vaguely familiar, said as she finished, “Please take a seat.” She pointed to a chair, Audra moved a few steps from the podium where she’d stood just seconds before. Seating herself with as much elegance as she could muster, crossing her legs at the ankles. She sighed to herself.

“Thank you,” the judge uttered without evident concern for how nervous Audra must be.

Audra sat there remembering all the tips she’d read in an article from a former beauty contestant, cross your legs at the ankles.

Check, she thought and smiled at herself. The article had suggested rubbing Vaseline on her teeth to keep her lips from sticking to her teeth. Remembering that particular tip made her laugh to herself, and as a result, she was slightly less nervous while awaiting the first question. She had no idea what she was about to be asked. She took a breath in.

Finally, a judge spoke. “Please tell us where you are from, Ms. Stanton.”

Over the next ten minutes, Audra answered all their questions to the best of her ability. Nothing of great significance came up, no questions about war, abortion rights, religion or anything controversial. At the end of the interview, Audra stood, thanked the judges, then walked back to the waiting area where the rest of the contestants waited their turn. The tension was as thick as glue in the waiting room; every contestant was either fidgeting or eyeing the competition. Getting her mother’s attention, she motioned for them to leave, they walked outside and waited in a shady spot near the building. It must have been upwards of 90 degrees in the shade. After a minute or two Audra’s shoulders relaxed a little, the result of a cool breeze and leaving the tension filled waiting room.

“Well, how did it go? Marge squeezed Audra’s arm.

“Good.” She cleared her throat and responded more strongly. “Really well, I think. I was nervous at first, but once I started, things got better. The interview seemed to go by in seconds once I started talking.”

They walked around the fair grounds for a few minutes to avoid the tension in the building.

After all the contestants completed their speeches and interviews, they were directed to walk over to the grandstand, behind the stage and line up. As the contest began, each contestant was called by name and required to walk across the stage in front of a full house of family and friends. It was nerve-wracking, but Audra managed to maintain her perfect smile as she held herself as tall and willowy as she could manage. After walking across the stage in front of the judges, she lined up with the rest of the contestants to await the verdict. That was it. No swimsuit or talent competition, thank the lord!

The pageant had left her feeling uncomfortable. No one would fault her for entering the pageant, at least not in this community where pageants and pageant winners were esteemed. And she reminded herself, the scholarship was the goal. The two-hundred-fifty-dollar cash award was going to be added to her meager college fund, which was why she’d entered the contest.

Money was what she needed, for college, if she was ever going to escape this place.

Marge had told her that if she won the title and the award, she could choose whatever university she wanted to attend. She was so excited at the prospect of being able to leave the area if she won. There were only fifteen girls in the competition, all from small towns within the county. So, she felt she had a fair chance at winning and making good on her end of the promise.

She would find out later that Marge’s promise was never meant to be.

Audra had only ever seen the Miss America pageant on television. She had no other reference. The Miss America pageant was glamorous with evening gowns, swimsuits, and talent competitions, and it took place over several days. Hers was just today, one afternoon, and she couldn’t have been happier.

As she stood waiting with the other contestants, those nagging conflicting thoughts about pageants popped back into her head, she questioned her decision to enter the pageant in the first place. Was it worth it? She decided to let the thoughts go and focus on her goal.

A smile glued on her face and her stomach churning, she stood as straight as possible, turning her thoughts to what she would do after the pageant. Maybe go for a swim, that usually calmed her. It was warm out, with an occasional breeze once and a while, a welcome relief.

The MC came on stage. His presence brought her back to reality. He announced, “The moment you have been waiting for.”

She could feel the crowd sit taller in their seats as the contestants’ families waited to hear the results.

He began immediately. “The third runner up is Mary Anne Howser.”

Audra watched her walk over, accept a bouquet of flowers and then move to where she’d been told to stand. The crowd clapped loudly.

One down, Audra thought to herself. The MC continued, “The second runner up is Peggy Crawford.”

The same process took place, then the MC paused a minute before continuing. The suspense grew. Audra grew weary. Standing for hours in the heat was tiring. She adjusted her stance and continued to smile.

The MC smiled as he made his short announcement. “The first runner up will take the place of the winner in case there is any reason the winner cannot complete her duties.” He paused and looked out at the crowd before continuing. “The first runner up is Diane Williams.”

He cleared his throat. “Okay, the moment we have been waiting for,” he said again with a bit more enthusiasm than before. “The winner of the 1975 EDG Competition is” … he paused. “Audra Stanton.”

Audra heard her name, but it took a few seconds for it to register. Her hand flew to her mouth as soon as it did. She took a few seconds to shift into winner mode, then managed to walk over to where the former queen was standing and smiling at Audra.

Audra felt like she was outside of her body. The former queen hugged her, whispered “congratulations,” and put the sash over Audra’s head, then placed the crown. From the side someone stuffed a bouquet of flowers into her arms. Still stunned, she didn’t know what to do. Instinct kicked in and she managed to glide across the stage with grace. The crowd clapped, and the applause warmed her from head to toe. Savoring the moment, she slowed her walk down before turning around and coming back across the stage, slowly waving until she reached the microphone. The MC stepped out of the way, and Audra stepped up.

“It is an absolute pleasure for me to be here today,” Audra said in a clearer voice than she’d expected. “And I’m so thrilled to have been chosen as the winner today. I look forward to completing my duties to the best of my ability. Thank you.” She stepped away from the mic.

The MC grinned and nodded at her before looking back at the crowd. “Thank you all for coming and see you next year.”

It was over just like that. Audra was the winner. Her mind span with possibilities as she allowed herself to dream about what this could lead to while she and her court were told to wait for the photographer.

She had to admit she was happy to have the scholarship and be selected the winner. At that moment, she made a firm decision to allow herself to be okay with pageant competitions and winning, she had goals and dreams to achieve, it was a means to an end, that’s all.

After photos were taken, they were directed towards the exit, Audra assumed a queenly persona as she floated down the steps. Groups of people lined up to congratulate all the winners. Audra was blinded by the flurry of activity, and by the people congratulating her and hugging her as she walked off the stage. She didn’t see anyone she knew.

Sweat began to trickle down her back and pool at the base of her spine and her head started to spin. She was feeling light-headed, the adrenalin was wearing off. Where were her family?

Then she saw them. They were all smiles. Audra’s shoulders sagged with relief. Her mom waved with the enthusiasm of a cheerleader, and as Audra walked over to her parents, their proud beams brought a lump to her throat. She was so relieved to finally be finished and to be surrounded by her family, she needed familiarity and support.

Her dad said, “You did a great job. I’m so proud of you.” He hugged her. She was so pleased to get her dad’s hug, it really helped ground her. She felt revitalized after being hugged.

Audra and her family stood near to where the judges were talking.

“Hey, I’m going to go over to speak to the judges—say thank you in person.” With her bouquet in hand, her sash over her shoulder and her crown in place, she walked over to the judges.

“Hello,” she greeted the nearest judge. “I’m so happy and surprised that I won today. I just wanted to thank you.”

“Great to meet you again,” the judge said. “Outside the competition, I’m Mrs. English, and I’m delighted to speak with the winner of our pageant.”

What a gracious woman. Audra was glad she had thought to introduce herself.

Marge, Audra’s mom, joined them. “Hello,” she said to Mrs. English. “I know you, I believe. At least I’ve seen you around. You live in Leighton, correct? It’s nice to meet you in person. And, I am so glad Mary Anne Howser placed today. She is such a deserving young woman.”

Audra looked at her mother sideways, she wanted to kick her, but instead she smiled and took her mother’s arm to spirit her away from the judge.

After saying goodbye to Mrs. English and struggling across the grassy lawn in their high heels, they were stopped by the photographer.

“The pictures will be in the local paper tomorrow in case you want copies,” he told them.

Audra stiffened. She hated having photos taken. She definitely didn’t want the whole town looking at her in the morning paper while they ate their breakfast.

“Thank you,” Marge said. She squeezed Audra tight, almost knocking her over as they walked on towards the car. Marge looked at Audra as if to see if she was excited about the idea of having her photo featured in the newspaper.

Audra sighed before feigning a smile. Then she asked, “what was that about Mary Anne Howser? She is not the winner or your daughter. You didn’t even thank the judge for selecting your daughter as the winner. What were you thinking?”

“I just meant that Mary Anne was deserving, she needs the money.”

“We all need the money.” She let go of her mother’s arm feeling disappointed about her mother’s comment to the judge. They walked over to join the rest of the family.

After all the excitement, the Stanwick family decided to de-pageant. They all wanted something to drink, so they loaded into the family car, a sporty lavender colored Chevrolet that her dad was very proud to drive. They headed to JoJo’s diner. As they entered the eatery, Audra remembered she still had on her sash and crown. She took them off after being seated with her parents at a large round table that took up most of the space on one side of the room. Everyone in the diner now knew she’d won.

The waitress arrived. “Everyone would like iced tea,” her dad, Marvin, said. “Sweet or regular?” the waitress asked.

“Sweet for me,” Audra said.

No one else spoke, so Marvin said, “Regular for everyone else.”

“Wow,” Audra said with a sigh. “It feels like the event was about a second long. The day has flown by.”

Audra then exploded with information, letting out every detail to her mother at a million miles per hour as the rest of the family listened.

“You know,” Audra began, “I almost tripped when I entered the stage wearing these.” She pointed to her platform shoes. “I specifically chose these shoes because they’re so solid. I thought they’d be comfortable and make me look taller.”

Ryan, her older brother laughed. “You are always such a klutz. I’m surprised you didn’t trip.”

Audra frowned. “Thanks, Ryan. Gee, why do you always have to be such a “fartling?”

Marvin intervened. “Enough you two, this is Audra’s moment. Ryan, do NOT say another word.” Marvin gave Ryan a hard stare.

“I had a difficult time standing for so long without locking my knees. I wanted to, but I knew it would look silly.” She took a quick sip of her iced tea. “Thank goodness for a cold drink. I was parched.”

“You did a great job today,” her dad said. “You should be proud of yourself.”

Audra looked at her dad and gave him a sincere smile. “Thank you.” She was appreciative of his comment and the earlier hug, but it felt strange, and she hadn’t been sure what to think. Her dad was never one to give praise or hugs. She wondered what had prompted this change in behavior.

Audra couldn’t remember the last time she felt this happy. She’d done it! She’d proved to herself and to her family that she was worth something. That she was special. And now she had the cash award to put toward college, any college she chose, she could finally leave town for good, go to the college of her choice, after graduation.

Then her mom did what she always did, and dropped a tiny little bomb, with no awareness of the silent destruction it would leave in its wake. “Darling,” Marge said, “You know the only reason you won the pageant is because they thought you were Roger and Jodie’s daughter.”

Ryan put his fist over his mouth and coughed loudly covering a laugh. Audra glared at him with furrowed brows. Jenny, Audra’s younger sister said, “Gee, mom, that wasn’t very nice.”

***

The comment had hit Audra like a cold slap across her face. Even now, sitting in class and trying to focus on what her teacher was saying, her mom’s cruel statement joined the chorus of ugly words of the seven mean girls and danced around in her mind.

Why didn’t anyone want her to succeed? And why should she have to have her dreams drenched in negativity by the one person who was supposed to be there for her no matter what? Audra sat up straighter at her desk and leaned forward before glancing around the classroom.

She’d worked hard to get where she was, both inside and outside of school, and she wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from her.

“Good grief”, she thought to herself. I won! I actually won. Thinking about how cruel her mother had reacted. She was certain about one thing. She would prove her mother wrong.

Arriving home, after avoiding the stares and the stinging catcalls of the seven in the corridor, she rushed to the sanctuary of her bedroom and immediately showered off the stress and hurt from the day. Feeling a little better, she dressed and plucked her sash from the wall, holding it close as a reminder of all that she had in front of her. 1975 Miss EDG Cimeron County. She slipped it over her shoulder and looked in the mirror.

She smiled to herself. Dancing a little jig as she uttered the words. I won. I won! She had met the agreement her mother had laid out. Nothing was going to stand in her way now.

Audra came back to reality. She thought about all the chores that awaited her. Her mother was studying for her master’s degree while teaching at Pinehurst junior high – which was attached to Audra’s high school – and so a lot of the domestic duties fell upon Audra’s shoulders. Audra felt that the master’s was a never-ending project because she’d been assigned so many chores by Marge since she had started classes.

Audra had been put in charge of fixing meals for the family on weekends. And during her last summer before her senior year, she was also in charge of lunch on weekdays. The farm required hired help, so in addition to her dad, brother, and sister, there were two other men to cook for at lunch time. It wasn’t hard; it just took time. Thankfully, her grandmother, Adele, who lived in town, was a great Southern cook and invited them to lunch at least once a week.

Going to her grandmother’s house meant no cooking and eating her grandmother’s food, which was divine. Adele made everything from scratch and had fresh-from-the-garden meals in the summer. Her signature meal was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, a salad of fresh greens, and tomatoes, usually accompanied by a wonderful homemade pie for dessert.

When good things happened in the family, there was a moment of recognition, sometimes a meal dedicated to the event, and so when her grandmother called to invite them for lunch that day, it felt like she was acknowledging Audra’s pageant victory.

As it was a weekday, her mom was at university, so Audra and the rest of the household made their way over to her grandmother’s bungalow. Audra smiled as she passed the big front porch and swing and went inside.

As Audra walked into the living room, she felt comforted. In the living room was the slightly worn davenport covered in a green flocked fabric. Adele and Carl, her grandparents had just bought a color television and it was all the family had talked about for weeks.

Many family dinners had been hosted in the dining room with its worn woven area rug under the table. After looking at the table set for lunch, Audra proceeded to the kitchen, Jenny followed her. Audra looked out onto the screened-in porch. It was the beginning of canning season, so the two tables were full of glass jars, lids, and boxes.

Audra was always asked to help with the gardening, from picking vegetables to the preparation of the vegetables like shucking the corn and cutting the kernels off the cobs for canning. She also had to snap green beans and hull peas. These weren’t her favorite jobs—she felt like she was living in the Dark Ages—but that was how gardening and canning worked. The positive side of the vegetable prep was when she sat with her grandmother, they had time to chat. Her grandmother would often share local gossip that she had heard at coffee with the ladies.

When they began lunch, Adele was absent, watching her favorite soap opera on television. This was her ritual. She was never to be disturbed when it was time for her “story,” as she called it. If anyone needed anything, they had to wait for the commercial break.

After lunch, Audra drove back to the farm with Jenny in tow. Jenny jumped out of the car as soon as they arrived home. Audra sat in her car, reflecting on what she needed to accomplish that day. At least she wouldn’t need to make lunch now.

Audra mowed the five-acre lawn weekly and had to feed the cattle twice a day in the morning and in the evening. It wasn’t hard work, but it meant filling fifty buckets of corn from the barn and loading the back of the pick-up with them.

The cattle perked up at the sound of the truck as it approached. It was like a ritual, they walked in line one in front of the other in Audra’s direction at the promise of food. She’d have to empty one feed bucket at a time until all the buckets were empty, and the feed tables had been filled, and ensure the buckets were filled again for the next day.

Audra enjoyed working with the animals—most days, anyway. Rainy days were a different story. The mud turned the feed lots into a slippery mess, and the stench of mud mixed with wet manure clung to everything. It was hard to feel like a queen slipping around in the muck, boots caked, clothes reeking and wet hair in tangles. She laughed quietly at the irony. Crowns and feed buckets—just another part of her life’s strange balancing act. She laughed at the irony.

Chapter 2

As soon as the school term ended, Audra signed on as a counter waitress at the Burger Barn. It was time to take a job that earned her a paycheck. She hoped this would help towards college tuition.

On her first day, she learned how to fill the ice cream machine, make cones, drinks, and take orders. She didn’t do anything on the grill; the owners, who were friends of her parents, were in charge of the food.

It was a Monday, and the shift had begun as a quiet one. The sun was out, and many of her friends – who didn’t live on farms or who weren’t working during the summer break – were most likely headed to the lake to swim and sunbathe.

Audra swallowed the lump of envy sitting in her throat. She’d made her choice, and she just needed to stay focused on her future.

As her shift went on, her new white uniform got increasingly covered in ice cream stains, and she knew she smelled like a French fry. She’d felt proud of her newly purchased dress when she first put it on. She’d hemmed it and teamed it with white tennis shoes with navy ties.

As the day picked up in business, she had taken orders, made about a hundred ice cream cones for customers, and had learned how to dip them in chocolate. Her feet hurt and she winced at the thought of how they’d feel at the end of the week—especially after the owners told her she’d be working every day except Monday when the season got busier.

At the end of her shift, Audra had never been so happy to climb into her ’62 Corvair—a two- door hardtop that, maybe a decade ago, had been a stylish shade of aqua green. Maybe. These days, rust had claimed it like some slow-moving disease, chewing through the paint until it sported splotches of reddish-brown that looked less like a car finish and more like battle scars from a long, hard life.

Most of the time, she found the car more embarrassing than endearing—definitely not cool. Old, loud, and moody, with holes in the floorboards that let in cold air in the winter and hot dust in the summer, it was never comfortable. And as for reliability? Forget it. In her mind, it was a rolling death trap on four mismatched tires. She trusted it to get her short distances—barely—but anything further felt like tempting fate.

Her dad had given her the Corvair to drive, a car he’d originally bought for one of the hired hands, who’d long since moved on to another job. It wasn’t exactly the kind of car most girls her age dreamed of cruising around in. Honestly, it looked and sounded like it had been dragged straight out of a junkyard’s retirement party. But it got her where she needed to go… most of the time. Her dad could’ve easily gotten her something newer, something that gleamed in the sunlight and didn’t make ominous clunking noises when it turned left. But she’d insisted on paying for her own car, and until she could scrape the money together, the Corvair with its rust patches, drafty holes, and general sense of automotive despair—was hers. Embarrassing or not, it was freedom on four wheels.

The farm also had two motorcycles, both meant for chores around the property, but Audra was allowed to ride them whenever she liked. She always chose the smaller one, a 175 Honda that felt fast, agile, and just rebellious enough to make her feel alive. The 750 was a beast, heavy, and powerful. She could handle it, sure, but she didn’t love it the way her dad did. He was a car- and-motorcycle guy to his core, and there was something in his eyes—something soft, proud— when he saw her take interest. Sometimes, she’d catch a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as she pulled up the driveway, helmet under her arm, windblown and grinning like she belonged to the road.

***

After a few weeks the weather warmed up. Today, when the after-lunch rush hit, she was alone at the counter and working as fast as she could. People were crowded up inside and wanted their orders fast. She didn’t know what to do or who to call for help, and she didn’t have time to step away from the counter, so she just did her best.

A man sauntered in through the doors and pushed his way through the crowds. Audra recognised his sneering face instantly as she’d gone to school with his daughter, Deidre.

“I was here first. I was waiting at the outside window to be helped. Why haven’t you served me?”

Audra stared back at him.

“Young lady, you are an imbecile.”

Audra raised an eyebrow. Surely, he was the imbecile in this situation. It was obvious the place was packed, and he hadn’t been first in line. The window service was closed. “I feel sorry for Deidra if this is how you conduct yourself,” Audra retorted.

Dennis left without paying.

Her shoulders sagged with relief. She hoped this type of encounter wouldn’t happen again. It was humiliating, and she hated the way it made her feel inadequate, as if she was bad at her job, especially when she was doing her best to keep up.

After a few minutes, the owners finally showed up. Paul came out to the counter, taking orders and payments. Audra filled the ice cream and drink orders, and Paul’s wife, Leslie, cooked. After two hours of constant customers, the place started slowing down.

Audra was finally able to take a break. She went outside under the shade tree and drank a chocolate shake she’d made for herself. It was so soothing and cool, just what she needed. She hoped it would be quiet after the rush. She went back in and walked up to the counter, expecting a line of customers. To her surprise, the place had emptied out. It was late afternoon now. Her shift was almost over.

“There’s usually a quiet time before dinner and the evening rush,” Paul told her.

She looked at her shoes and her uniform. They were smeared in chocolate ice cream. She was glad there was only an hour to go.

Paul went back into the kitchen to check on Leslie, so Audra was on her own again at the front counter. She started cleaning and straightening things up.

She heard the door open and close and turned around. She expected to see a local come in for ice cream, but when her eyes settled, she found herself staring.

He was around her age and had the most piercing, clear, blue eyes. He was wearing surfer- style swim trunks and a T-shirt, which she thought looked completely ridiculous but also totally cute. He was definitely not a local. He was tall, tan, and well-built; not bulky but muscular. The local guys were all bulky somehow. This guy had a very different energy.

He walked up to the counter to order. She finally found her words.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

He laughed, which she thought was odd.

Oh God, is there something in my hair? Is it the chocolate stains?

He pointed vaguely. “May I?”

She blinked, not knowing what he was asking. He reached for the order pad, wrote something on it, and then pushed it towards her, chuckling. She was afraid to look at it. It was bound to be something uncomfortable.

It read: telephone number, cheeseburger, and fries. It was written with such poor script she could hardly make out what was on the paper.

She looked at him, confused. “Are you asking for the Burger Bar’s telephone number? Here it is.”

She wrote it down and gave him the paper. “But we don’t deliver.”

He laughed again. “No, I’m asking for your phone number.” Then he paused a moment before adding, “I would also like a cheeseburger and fries. If that’s okay with you?”

“O-of course,” she stammered.

She scratched out his handwriting, rewrote the order, and placed it for the kitchen to prepare.

The guy remained standing at the counter. “Is there anything else?” she asked. “Yes, what about your number?”

He was cute, but so arrogant. He might be a stalker or an axe murderer – how could she know? She decided to put him in his place.

“Sure, here you go.” She wrote “no way” on the pad, tore off the page, and shoved it at him before returning to her duties.

He laughed when he read it. She wasn’t amused. Who did he think he was?

She kept her back to him as she continued working. She heard him sit down in a booth behind her, the crunch of his body hitting the orange pleather seat.

She turned to clean the counter facing the big picture window that overlooked the parking lot. A green car, the only car in the lot was parked in front of her. It was foreign. Everyone in this community drove US brands, so she assumed it was the mystery guy’s car. She’d never seen a car like it before. She looked at the name on the grill, running it around in her head, wondering how it would be pronounced?

She sounded it out quietly. “Vol-vo.” “Yes, it’s pronounced Vol-vo.”

She turned. He was standing at the counter again, this time leaning over it. She glared, embarrassed that she didn’t know the brand of the car, color rising in her cheeks, but she appreciated his help with the pronunciation.

His order came up. In her discombobulated state, she’d forgotten to ask if he wanted his food to go or to eat in.

“Here or to go?”

“To go,” he responded.

She bagged his order, then handed it to him. He took it and winked at Audra as he walked out.

Wow, he’s cute. He probably always gets what he wants when it comes to girls. She was determined not to be impressed. She watched him as he went to his car but there was a feeling fluttering around in her stomach.

She’d probably never see him again. What the heck? She could be cheeky too. Facing the huge picture window that overlooked the parking lot and the Vol-vo, she blew him a kiss as he entered his car. Color rose up in her cheeks, and her tummy churned, and she was proud of her comeback.

He smiled back at her. His eyes twinkled, and his smile was beautiful. Now she really noticed the heat in her cheeks. To avoid his stare, she looked at his license plate. Illinois. There it was. She pressed her brows together in confusion. How had he managed to find the Burger Barn in this remote area of the world? And why he had gone so far as to ask her for her telephone number? It didn’t make any sense.

Finally, her shift was over. She was tired, hot and sticky, and covered in chocolate stains.

And she felt like going to the lake for a swim despite her appearance.

Parking her car in the parking lot at the lake behind the bath houses, she didn’t see many other cars in the parking lot, but she did see a guy who looked exactly like the mystery guy as Audra now dubbed him in her mind. The one who had come into the Burger Barn, earlier that day.

Where was his Volvo? She was sure it was him. She watched as he walked down the catwalk, jump in the water, and swim out to the floating dock.

After showering and changing into her bikini, she waded into the water and launched into a breaststroke, feeling the cool water slip over her body from her arms to her toes as she glided along, enjoying every stroke. She swam out to the floating dock but didn’t see anyone she knew, so she swam back to shore, wrapped herself in the oversized towel she had packed, gathered her dry clothes and headed home.

As soon as she arrived home, Audra telephoned her best friend Abbey to catch up on things but mostly she wanted to see if Abbey had ever seen the mystery guy at the lake or around town. “I don’t think I’ve seen him around. I didn’t see anyone new at the Lake today,” Abbey said.

“I waited on him at the Burger Barn,” Audra explained. “He drove a green Volvo with Illinois plates. Then at the lake I saw him again, but he left in a big red farm truck. He’d been swimming.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure. But I will keep a look out for him.”

That meant Abbey would scope him out to see if he was worthy dating material. Abbey always had time for boys—always. Audra, on the other hand, didn’t have time for anything extra right now, let alone boy drama. Even so, one great thing about Abbey was that she was popular, well-connected, and generous with her social calendar—at least when she wasn’t booked solid with dates.

The next day, Abbey stopped by the Burger Barn late in the afternoon. Her eyes were sparkling, and her smile lit up her whole face, signs she’d encountered the mystery guy. She slid into a booth in her swimsuit cover-up, looking like she’d just stepped off the cover of a teen magazine while she waited for Audra’s break.

It was hard for Audra not to feel a little envious. Abbey always looked effortlessly fabulous and somehow had endless time to do exactly as she pleased with zero responsibilities dragging her down.

When things finally slowed down, Audra joined her.

“I saw the mystery guy,” Abbey announced, adopting Audra’s words like she was delivering breaking news. “He was at the lake around noon. I think they’re from Chicago. His name is Jurgen. He has a brother, but I didn’t meet him.”

She stopped there. Audra didn’t bother pressing for more—she knew better. Abbey gave what she gave, and that was it. Any extra details would have to wait… or be overheard.

Then Abbey added with a dramatic sigh, “I was disappointed he didn’t ask me out on a date.”

“He said he had to hurry back to the farm. Apparently, his dad’s coming in from Chicago to visit him and his brother.” She took a breath, her voice softening just a bit. “I hope I see him again.”

Audra laughed a little and said, “Of course you’ll see him again. They have a farm here. By the way, do you know where their farm is located?” Oops, direct question, Audra thought to herself.

“I don’t really know. He didn’t say, and we didn’t talk about it. Actually, he didn’t say much. So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. I hope he comes to the lake tomorrow.”

Audra sighed. “Abbey, I think you can count on that.”