Free Sparked by Lily Cahill

wondered if there was something else going on. But she didn’t seem to want to talk about it, so he didn’t pry.
    “I thought maybe you might have a secretarial position available at the bank?”
    “No secretarial work, no,” he said, and her face seemed to fall a bit. For whatever reason, this was important to her. “But we have been looking for a teller.”
    “A teller?” Her eyebrows rose, and he couldn’t quite tell if it was out of hope or fear.
    “Yes. Come to think of it, you might be perfect. We could really use a friendly face like yours behind the counter. How soon could you start?”
    “Any time,” she said, relief flooding her features.
    “Good. Come by Monday morning and we’ll get you sorted out.”
    “Thanks, Clay,” she said, beaming. “Just, well. Thank you.”
    “Clayton,” a voice called from across the room. Violet waved, then glided over to them.
    Clayton couldn’t deny that she was a striking beauty. With her long wave of blond hair, classic face, and curvy hourglass figure she could easily rival Marilyn Monroe. The men in his circle often toasted her as the prettiest girl in town—though Clayton wasn’t so sure of that anymore. Her violet eyes seemed dim in comparison a certain pair of blue ones he had seen recently. If he was honest with himself, Violet’s looks had been why he had chased her in his high school years—that and the challenge of winning her over the other boys. But he had no regrets where Violet was concerned. They were both happier as friends.
    He was actually surprised she had been invited. Violet wasn’t from a wealthy family like many of the women here, though you wouldn’t know it by the way she held herself. Her father owned the local movie theater, so they weren’t poor either. But it was her beauty, not her wealth, that had gained her admittance into their set. When Clayton considered it, he nearly laughed. There was a day when his parents had objected to his dating her. But perhaps at the prospect of Cora Murphy, Violet suddenly seemed like a very good option.
    “What are you two talking about?” she asked with a wry smile. “You look so serious.”
    “Turns out Clay’s been a bit … blindsided by this whole event,” June said.
    Violet rolled her eyes and laughed. “Your life is so hard, isn’t it? Trapped inside a room full of pretty girls. However will you manage?”
    He could always count on Violet for a little perspective. He was glad they had been able to stay friends after breaking up.
    “I suppose I am being a bit of a beast,” he said.
    They both laughed.
    “It wouldn’t be the first time,” Vi said.
    He was almost ready to take everything in stride and try to make the best of the night. But at that exact moment he spotted his mother flitting by, looking all too pleased that he was chatting with them.
    “You’ll excuse me, ladies. I need to speak to my mother.”
    He followed her as she made her way toward the kitchen, but stopped her in the long hall which was currently—and thankfully—empty.
    “What’s going on here?” Clayton said. 
    “What do you mean?” she asked with perfectly innocent expression.
    “There isn’t an eligible bachelor for miles,” he said.
    She straightened his lapels and grinned. “I see one very eligible bachelor standing right in front of me.”
    “Mom—”
    “Don’t you ‘Mom’ me. It’s a mother’s prerogative to set up her son.”
    “I don’t need to be set up.”
    “You’re graduated now, Clayton. And you never once brought a girl home to visit. I don’t think you realize how small the pond gets after college.” 
    “I’ve never had any trouble before.” Clayton could feel his anger building. Did his own mother think he was so helpless where women were concerned that he needed her intervention?
    “I’m sure you don’t,” she said. “But the good ones won’t wait around forever and you don’t deserve the leftover scraps. There’s bound to be someone in this room