Sunshine Walkingstick Omnibus

by Celia Roman

  I laughed and all the uneasiness dissipated. “I’d pay to see it.”

  “You wouldn’t be the only one.” She sighed, a happy sound what sorta floated outta her. “Well, at least one of us will have fun.”

  I doubted that. Couldn’t bring myself to ruin her enjoyment, though. “He sorta asked me to go with him so I could talk to the folks out on Greenwood Cove. The ones having trouble with their docks and such?”

  “I remember. You’ve decided to help them, then?”

  I shook my head. “Still thinking on it. I went out there the other day and poked around some. Met this really gorgeous man, too.”

  She arched one eyebrow. “Why, Sunshine Walkingstick. You’ve been holding out on me.”

  “Not quite,” I said drily. “This’un sprung up on Belinda’s dock while I was looking it over. Said his name was Abercio Okeanos. Lordy, was he something.”

  “Abercio Okeanos,” she murmured. “That sounds very familiar.”

  I shrugged. “I never met him before. Don’t think he’s from around here, neither. Had this really awesome accent. You shoulda seen him, Missy, all dripping wet with nothing but swimming trunks on.” Just thinking on it heated my skin up. I shivered and propped my elbows on the table. “And sexy. He kissed my fingers, he really did, and he said something as how he liked the sun shining on the water. I was pretty sure he didn’t mean the big, ol’ yellow ball in the sky, neither.”

  Missy’s mouth tilted into a frown. “He came on to you.”

  “Well, it do happen ever once in a while.” Not often enough for me to get used to it, more’s the pity. “Said he’d see me this Friday and we was gonna…”

  “You were going to what?”

  “Dance. He said he’d see me Friday and we was gonna dance, but that was before Riley asked me to go to Rhapsody.” How had Teus knowed I’d be at Rhapsody when I hadn’t knowed it myself? I shook the nonsense outta my head. Nobody could tell the future, could they? ‘Cept maybe Old Mother, and she weren’t no certainty. “I reckon he figured I was one of Belinda’s friends and he’d see me there or something.”

  “I’m not so certain, Sunny.” Missy drew her lower lip between her teeth and gnawed on it. “I don’t like the sound of this gentleman at all.”

  “Oh, poo, Missy. He was just trying to get my goat, is all. You shoulda seen the way he dived back into the water, though, like he was part of it. Didn’t even make a splash.”

  “Didn’t…” She grabbed my arm and her fingers dug in real hard. “Tell me everything, Sunny, every single detail.”

  I shot her a side-eyed look, but I did as she asked, relating ever moment from the time Teus appeared behind me to the time he dove into the water. “I’m telling you, Missy, he weren’t harmless, but he was nice enough. Said I could call him Teus and—”

  The color leached from her face. “Teus. Oh, no. No, no, no.”

  “What is it, Missy?”

  “If this man is who I think he is, he’s very dangerous.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “You know him?”

  “Yes. No.” She squinched her eyes shut and shook her head, jiggling them sable curls of hers. “Maybe.”

  I barked out a laugh. “Well, that was clear as mud.”

  “No, Sunny, please. Listen to me. I think I’ve met this man before, a long, long time ago, before I came into possession of my ring. He’s not what he appears to be.” She shook her head again. “No, he’s never what he appears to be. Don’t trust him, sweetie. Don’t you dare trust this man.”

  That was an easy enough promise to make. I didn’t hardly trust nobody, let alone a charming, handsome as sin stranger. “I weren’t planning on it.”

  “Good.” She sighed and patted my arm right over the bruises she’d dug into it. “Good, then. You’ll call Riley tonight?”

  “I done said I would.”

  My words didn’t have any starch behind ‘em, much as they shoulda. My mind was too caught up on Missy’s reaction to Belinda’s outlander friend. Me and her visited a while longer, then I trudged on home, worrying over Missy knowing Teus and that dadgum promise she finagled outta me. I was gonna have to call Riley and eat some crow. I hadn’t never liked the taste of it, neither.

  I put it off ‘til eight o’clock, like a child avoiding a hated chore. In between, I throwed myself into shining the trailer up good, scrubbing the worn linoleum in the kitchen and the bathroom ‘til it sparkled, dusting down all the cobwebs.

  No matter how clean a body liked their roost, spiders was determined to muck up the place. Living in the middle of the woods made it twice as hard to keep the dadgum things from crawling inside and planting roots.

  I dusted and vacuumed and changed sheets, did the scant two loads of laundry accumulated over the week, not counting the sheets and towels, and finally, I just couldn’t put it off no more. I dug Riley’s card outta my pocket and dialed his number.

  He answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

  My mind went about as blank as a clean chalkboard. “Um.”

  I winced. Oh, lordy, was I an idjit. This was Riley, for crying out loud. I’d knowed him since we was kids. Shoot, I even seen him nekkid once. He was about eleven at the time and scrawny as a bean pole, but still. I seen him in all his natural glory. Why I let him intimidate me now was beyond me.

  I took a deep breath and tried again. “It’s Sunny.”

  Something squeaked on his end, and when he spoke, his voice was warm and rich. “I figured you’d torn my card up by now.”

  If I’da thought on it, I mighta. Too bad for me I spilled my guts to Missy first. “No, I still got it.”

  “And you used it, too.”

  “Yeah, I, uh.” I winced and cleared my throat. Dang, this was harder’n I imagined it’d be. “You still want me to go to Rhapsody with you?”

  “If you want to go with me.”

  Not rightly, but I’d already promised, hadn’t I? “I reckon I should.”

  “I’ll pick you up on Friday, then. What color dress are you wearing?”

  I gripped my cellphone real tight. “Missy’s taking me shopping on Tuesday. Won’t know ‘til then.”

  “Call me when you know.”

  My eyes slid closed. Oh, Lordy. I hadn’t even made it through the first call, and he already wanted me to call again? Hadn’t he talked to me enough in the past week? “Why?”

  “So I can pick out something that matches.”

  “Oh.”

  “I don’t want to wear a brown suit if you’re wearing blue.”

  “Oh.”

  His soft chuckle tickled my ear. “Ask Missy if a black suit will be ok and what color tie would go best with your dress.”

  “Maybe you should ask her yourself.” I smacked my forehead. Lordy, my mouth had gotten me into a chunk of rudeness here lately. “I mean, maybe I’m not the best person to ask her that.”

  “I trust you.”

  Well, that made one person, anyhow. “You ain’t gonna try to cash in on them meals, are you?”

  “There’ll be food there, and no, that doesn’t count.” That squeak came again and I finally placed it. He was shifting around on something leather, sounded like. “You still owe me two meals. That’s two dates.”

  “I never agreed to the first one,” I muttered.

  “Give it a chance, Sunny. Maybe you’ll like being with me.”

  I dropped my head back and stared at the water stained ceiling. A long time ago, I’d liked being around him a mite too much. You’re beneath his notice, sugar. I pushed Belinda’s voice outta my head, still clear as a bell after nigh on a decade. “I’ll see you on Friday.”

  “Call me Tuesday when you get home.”

  “I will.”

  “G’night, Sunny.”

  The words were soft and sweet. I said goodnight and hung up. Later, when I was in bed and it was just me and God alone in the dark, I remembered that soft sweetness and fell asleep with it echoing in my head.

  Chapter Six


  I spent the whole rest of the weekend stewing and worked myself into the ground trying to stop, starting with the trail between me and Fame. Sunday morning, I hauled out his wheelbarrow and carted wood chips and sawdust from the pile behind his trailer to the trail, spreading it out in thick, smooth piles. Winter’d be on us before we knowed it and that trail got mighty muddy after any kinda weather.

  That afternoon, I turned on the radio and piddled around my own trailer, repairing little things, finishing up the week’s laundry, and generally running through what energy God give me for that day. I’d just sat down to supper with a dog-eared Louis L’Amour when my phone rung. I checked the caller, thumbed the line open, and said hello to BobbiJean.

  “Jazz was on duty at lunch yesterday when a man came in with a ring kinda like the one you’re looking for,” she said.

  I turned my book over on the table, saving my place, and sat straight up. “Ya don’t say.”

  “I had to run to Gainesville yesterday, so I haven’t seen it myself yet. Jazz was just telling me about it and I thought I’d better let you know.”

  “’Preciate it. Y’all open tomorrow?”

  “Naw. We’re at a show in Atlanta right now or I’d open up for you.”

  I leaned back in my chair and crossed one ankle over the other. “No big. I reckon it’ll wait ‘til I can get in there.”

  “How about Tuesday? We could do lunch, me and you. I’ll make Jazz watch the shop so we can have some girl time.”

  I grinned. Ten to one, girl time with BobbiJean meant wedding talk. I didn’t mind none a’tall. It was nice hearing somebody else’s plans, ‘specially when I had none of my own. “Missy’s taking me shopping at the mall on Tuesday. You orta come with us.”

  She hissed in a breath. “Ooo, Sunny, you are the very devil.”

  I snickered. As if. “Well, it’s all your fault I gotta go anyhow. You might as well come along.”

  “Now, wait a minute. I ain’t done nothing lately.”

  “You told Riley Treadwell I needed a date for your wedding,” I said, tart as a green cherry. “And he took it to mean I needed a date, period. We’re going to Rhapsody together.”

  A clattering bang come through the line. I jerked the phone away from my ear and glared at it. A moment later, a breathless BobbiJean come back on. “Sorry, Sunny. The phone slid right outta my hand. Did you say you’re going on a date with the hunky Riley Treadwell?”

  “Does Jazz know you’re lusting after another man?”

  “Oh, posh. He’s the hunkiest and he knows it.” A low, male drawl sounded on BobbiJean’s side and she sighed. “That’s right, darling,” she murmured. “Nobody compares.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You wanna go shopping or not?”

  “Wanna, definitely. Can y’all meet me at Injun Bob’s first thing Tuesday? Y’all can take a gander at the ring before we go.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll let Missy know. Maybe having her ring back’ll cheer her up some.” Or at least get her mind off my love life. “Tell Jazz I said hello.”

  “Will do. And Sunny?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for letting me tag along.”

  “Hey, you’re saving me from Missy’s undivided attention.”

  She laughed, and a few minutes later, we said our goodbyes and hung up. I finished my supper with a grin on my face, neglecting poor Louis while my mind turned over the upcoming trip to the mall.

  Monday morning brung a spatter of business. Young Billy Kildare phoned and asked me to come down and help him look for his favorite Blue Tick, called Ol’ Blue. Dadgum dog run off about ever other week, and poor Billy fretted the whole time, worried something had eat his best friend. Most of the time, it lit off in search of female companionship. Soon as Billy hung up, I called around. Sure enough, Billy’s dog had wiggled his way under a fence and had a high ol’ time with a lady friend down the road named, appropriately enough, Lady.

  The Kildares lived not half a mile from me and Ol’ Blue weren’t a half mile beyond that. I pulled on sturdy tennis shoes and walked over, picked up the Blue Tick, and dropped him off at Billy’s on my way home. As payment, his mama Dori gifted me with enough sour cream pound cake to do me three days, and Billy swore he’d keep a better eye on his dog.

  I had my doubts there, but I let ‘em pass. Billy was a good young’un, wide eyed and freckle faced, not much older’n Henry woulda been if he’da lived. I couldn’t do for Henry no more, but I sure could do for other young’uns. Plus, Dori Kildare had the magic touch where pound cakes was concerned. Only a fool would pass a slice up, and I sure as tootin’ weren’t no fool.

  Harley Jimpson was sitting on the steps of my porch when I come home, his wrinkled face sagging in a forlorn frown. I sighed and invited him in for a glass of sweet tea. Long as Fame and Harley was friendly, I couldn’t get outta helping the other man, hang all. Fame was gonna get an earful, though, I sworn, soon as I could pin my uncle down.

  I poured Harley some tea and settled into the chair behind my desk, my hand close enough to the .380 for easy pulling. Harley weren’t exactly a bad man, but he was slimy as an oil slick and about as trustworthy as a bear with an abscessed tooth.

  He sipped his tea and smacked his lips. “Mighty fine tea, Miss Sunny.”

  “Thank ye kindly. What can I do for you?”

  His rheumy eyes took on a canny gleam. “Way I heard it, you was stepping out with the Sheriff’s son.”

  I pressed my lips together. Hadn’t taken long a’tall for that rumor to spread and we hadn’t been on the first date. “Me and Riley go way back. Don’t mean we’re stepping out.”

  “So you wouldn’ta heard none what he’s doing snooping around the water.”

  “Matter of fact, he found what might be toxic waste dumped into the waterways near y’all. You might wanna keep you and yourn outta there for a while.”

  Harley’s lips curled back in a snaggle-toothed grin. “You know an awful lot for somebody he ain’t stepping out with.”

  “We’re friends,” I said, patient and even like. Friendly, anyhow, and I reckoned that was close enough where Riley was concerned. “You need something else?”

  Harley’s expression hardened. “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?”

  I inched my hand toward the hilt of the .380. “I got business, is all. Fame’s expecting me up his way soon. You know how he is about being on time.”

  “I know Fame right well, little missy, maybe better’n you do.” Harley slapped his palms on his thighs and stood. “’Preciate the news.”

  “Any time. Give your family my regards. Keep ‘em outta the water.”

  “No worries there. Ain’t got a one what likes getting wet.”

  I showed him out and locked the door behind him, and danged if my phone didn’t ring as soon as his car’s engine turned over. I picked it up and answered, and that was the last I thought on Harley Jimpson for a good, long while.

  Me and Missy run out to Injun Bob’s first thing the next day, me with a wad of nerves filling up my gut, her all wreathed in smiles.

  BobbiJean was waiting for us behind the counter wearing a t-shirt over her rooster pants. “I’ve got breakfast for us. Jazz got up early and made us some fresh biscuits and country ham.”

  I propped my elbows on the counter and stifled a yawn. Mornings was fine by me. I liked the sunrise same as the next woman, but Missy done drug me outta bed a mite too early. Said we had to hurry or we’d miss all the good stuff in the after Labor Day crowd.

  Another yawn sneaked its way out. “You got coffee, too?” I asked.

  Missy patted my shoulder. “We’ll stop at Micky D’s and get all you want, Sunshine.”

  BobbiJean spun around on her stool and hopped off. “I got that ring in the back. Didn’t want it to slip away on us.”

  She headed into the office and was back out again before I could hardly blink. She slid a tiny plastic bag across the counter. Missy picked it up and held it in the flat of her palm, shaking her
head.

  I blinked through the grit filling my eyes and grunted. The ring was gold, all right, and had an inset ruby, and it was shaped kinda like Missy’s, but it weren’t hers.

  BobbiJean’s shoulders slumped. “Well, shoot. I’m sorry, Missy.”

  “It’s close, BobbiJean, so very close.” Missy’s lips trembled into a wobbly smile. “Thank you for letting us look.”

  I straightened and covered Missy’s hands with my own. “It’ll turn up, Missy. You wait and see.”

  “It has to, Sunny,” she said, and her voice was all wrong, so sad and hoarse and frail, and for a minute, that strange sense come to me, of fresh mowed grass and a musty tomb and the hot stench of the dying.

  I shook it off and led her and BobbiJean out to the IROC. We backtracked to Micky D’s, ordered a ton of coffee, and ate Jazz’s from-scratch country ham biscuits as we roared down the highway. By the time we hit the Mall of Georgia, Missy was near back to her old self again.

  More’s the pity.

  Them two gals could shop like demons. We run into and out of ever shop in the whole dadgum place, those what had fancy dresses. I tried on enough for a whole army of women, short dresses, long dresses, dresses with sleeves and them without, and some held up by nothing a’tall.

  How was a woman supposed to keep her boobs covered in a dress like that anyhow?

  The three of us finally agreed on a cranberry colored, scoop necked satin dress with cap sleeves and a mid-thigh hem. That’s what BobbiJean called it, anyhow. Me? I just called it a red dress.

  Missy picked me out some shoes, and there again, the two of ‘em went all fancy on me. Shoes was shoes, wasn’t they? These was mighty fine and they suited the dress and my scrawny legs ok, but they was just shoes. After that come matching underwear and hose, and I’d about had enough by the time we was done in the lingerie store.

  While we was at it, Missy made me buy a good, winter coat. It was black wool, nice and thick, and fell below my hiney, so at least I wouldn’t freeze. And then, Lord help me, we had to match the dress to a tie. My cheeks burned something fierce the whole time. Imagine, having to buy a man a tie so his outfit wouldn’t clash with mine.