Chapter 6
Dixie felt as if she floated on a cloud the whole way home from the ball field with Jake rambling by her side. She couldn’t remember a thing about what they said to one another. When they reached her trailer, he sat with her on her stoop to drink another glass of her sweet tea then leaned in to have another sip of her honeyed lips. He left shortly after saying he had to go before he completely lost his mind. Watching him walk away, ‘Cinderella’s Fella,’ kept playing through her mind. All those Disney movies with Mama, waiting for the prince to come, she’d never imagined it could really happen to her. When would she turn into a pumpkin?
All Dixie knew was that boy had managed to steal her heart that afternoon. Night dropped down and she lay on a blanket in the yard, staring up at the stars and wishing he were there to share them with her. She went to bed and dreamed of him. They were in the ball field again, all the people were gone. The sun was shining brightly, a gentle breeze played with their hair. Jake was dressed in a tuxedo, she was in a shimmering gown of silver. He held her in his arms and they danced round and round until night fell and the stars above lit nature’s ballroom. They looked exactly like Fred and Ginger in those old movies Mama loved to watch with Dixie. She came awake with the feel of his arms holding on and her lips still hot from the kiss he planted on her. What a strange new sensation, letting someone into her heart this way, aching and feeling good at the same time. She wasn’t sure where he would take her, only that she wanted to keep going. Dixie couldn’t wait to catch up with Jake, to see him and talk to him, make sure it wasn’t all a dream. Too shy to drop by his house, fearful of being forward, there was nothing to do except get through the time between now and then when they were at work again.
She’d have to bide her time because Sunday came first. Talk about the laziest of days. A turtle plodding alongside the road had more get up and go. Dixie tried some baking to occupy her hands and mind that was stuck on Jake Jackson but nearly keeled over from heat stroke in her sardine can of a trailer. Shower number two gave her a slight revival until she started to wilt on her stoop. The old ladies in the park were out in their house dresses, fanning themselves under their umbrellas while their men hid under wide-brimmed hats in nothing more than undershirts, shorts, and knee socks pulled up high. Even the dogs wouldn’t make more of an effort to move than a half-hearted flap of their tails to swat away a fly.
Unable to sit still what with the jitterbugs under her skin, the heat couldn’t pin Dixie Down. She dipped her toes and fingers down in the dirt of her garden, yanking weeds with more energy than was necessary. Her knees hit the floor while her hands scrubbed a spotless home. She poked around the park and on the country roads. She flipped the pages of a book, reading the same one over and over and glued herself to the TV.
No matter what she did with herself, the pictures kept popping into her head every time she closed her eyes. Jake Lee Jackson, at your service, mam. Sweet as pie, full of melt in your mouth goodness. Hip propped against the counter with that crooked grin and the words dripping off his tongue with that Southern drawl that made them sound even better. The way his muscles filled out that white t-shirt when he had some heavy lifting. Those lips of his, and his body up close, making her just want to wrap herself around him like a ribbon on a present. Somehow, the day finally came to a close and dragged off to bed…to stare at the ceiling, wide awake, and think of him.
The next morning Dixie was up with the birds. She took extra care getting ready for the day, spending longer in the shower, dousing herself with a floral scented spray on sale in the Dollar Store, and wrapping her hair in a French braid. Hands on hips, she stared into her closet, debating. She wanted to look pretty, something she’d never had to worry about before as the Incredible Disappearing Girl who was always covering up. How she looked never mattered, only that no one would see what was underneath the clothes. The bigger, baggier, and darker the better. Jake deserved someone who looked fine. Flicking through a few more items from the thrift shop, her fingers skimmed over a sundress in pale blue, a perfect match for her eyes. A light touch of makeup and Dixie thought she’d pass muster—even Miss Carole Sue couldn’t find something wrong with her today. Might even turn that peaches and cream skin green with envy.
After careful consideration, she popped apple turnovers in the oven for the morning treat because they were Jake’s favorite and then she was ready. The trip into town seemed to take twice as long, Dixie was so eager to get there. A few of the local men passed her by, admiration clear in their eyes, dropping a whistle or a compliment out of an open window. By the time her feet touched the porch at Jackson’s General, her cheeks were hot with all of the attention and she wondered if she’d chosen wisely after all.
“Good morning, sugar gal,” Jake’s honey tones flowed over her the moment she stepped in the door. She pressed herself up against the sturdy wood and closed her eyes, suddenly in need of support because her legs had turned to rubber at the sound of his voice. Shouldn’t that have stopped by now? What was the matter with her and why was her heart suddenly pounding like she’d been in a race with the blood rushing in her ears? Her experience with men being limited, Owen caused the same reaction, rooted in fear. This thing with Jake was a whole other ball game.
“What are you doing here so early? You’re supposed to have it easier now that I’m here, remember?” She gathered herself together and followed the sound of Jake’s voice. Peeking around the counter, she was surprised to see him below eye level, elbows on his knees, face in his hands. He looked like he couldn’t catch his breath.
Jake found himself sitting behind the counter, unsure of how he got there, pulling himself into something presentable. He had a case of Dixie Mason and he had it bad. Something about her in that blue dress, looking like a soft flower and giving him a peek of those cute little legs and more of that fine skin that brought to mind the fresh, Georgia peaches, just in that morning. The girl had him feeling light-headed and his knees so wobbly, he nearly dropped like a stone. Good thing that stool was handy. Jake had always been a goner for a girl in a dress, starting with little Susie Murray on the first day of school in kindergarten. The dress had been pink, like cotton candy, with lots of fluff, frills, and a matching bow to top it off in her goldilocks curls. Jake took the bow in the school yard and after she gave chase, he stole a kiss too. Got him his first shiner and he’d taken a shine to the fairer sex ever since.
Miss Dixie Mason had Susie and all the rest beat. There was no denying the fact that she had him hooked. Worse than baseball cards, bubblegum, or snitching whiskey and cigars from his daddy’s liquor cabinet, he didn’t think quitting her could be done and wouldn’t even want to try. Jake hadn’t had more than three hours of sleep at a stretch since spending Saturday afternoon with her. His every waking moment had been filled with the way she seemed to fit just right in his arms, her scent like walking through Mama’s garden, those piece of the sky eyes, and that fiery hair. He’d made a point of arriving early, had his first two cups of coffee already, trying to make the clock tick faster, to bring her through his door. Then to catch sight of her in that dress, with that hair piled on her head…she was like a princess come walking in and he was bound and determined to be her prince.
Dixie stepped around the counter with a shy smile and reached for his hand. Her touch was electric, making him jump to his feet and nearly tip the stool over, his head crashing into the shelf above. He stood rubbing at the offended spot with a grimace on his face. The whole fiasco set him to laughing at himself and she couldn’t help but join in, if a little nervously. “Are you okay? You seem a little jittery.”
Jake grinned, attempting to be casual. “Ahh, it’ nothing, just drank two cups of coffee while I was waiting for you. Guess I don’t hold my coffee well. I’ve got to tell you…you look mighty fine this morning, pretty as a picture. Well, not just this morning. You’re always pretty as a flower bloomin’ i
n Mama’s garden, but especially this morning. Aw, shoot, you’ve got me tripping over my tongue, girl.”
Dixie’s telltale blush returned and her lashes brushed her cheeks as she stared down at her feet. “Thank you. If you don’t mind my saying so, you look awfully handsome yourself.” It was true. His short-sleeved button down shirt was a pale green that lit up his eyes and made them glow. Jake was a breath of cool air in off-white clam diggers and sandals and looked every bit the southern gentleman, head to toe without even trying. One would think he’d lord it over others, that his family had money and a position in this town, but he was the sweetest, most down to earth person Dixie had ever met. She would never forget that he was the first one to give her a chance.
They found themselves staring at each other, an awkward silence standing between them. They were saved by the ringing of the bell as a firecracker burst through the door. “Wooee, Jake Lee Jackson, who’s this pretty little thing you’re swoonin’ over and why haven’t I ever seen her before?” The young woman was the real-life version of what Dixie had tried to be when she first arrived. Her coal black hair was piled high on her head, giving big hair its name with a scarf like a gypsy keeping a mess of curls barely contained. She was an explosion of color, the rainbow splashing across a dress made of some filmy material that floated wherever she went. The girl was loud and over-the-top inside and out. Eighteen and just out of high school, she had lived in Dale’s Hollow all her life, had shared a playpen with Jake since they were in diapers, and she knew all the comings and goings that went on in their small town. This new, little gal was an exception to the rule and she just had to get all the goods on her.
Jake reached out and gave the newcomer a hug then wrapped an arm around Dixie’s shoulders and drew her forward. “Sue Ellen Butler, this is Miss Dixie Mason. She just moved to Nichols’ Trailer Park and she’s our new Godsend. Dixie, this is Sue Ellen. She’s one of your neighbors and we’ve been best friends since we were knee high to a grasshopper. How was your visit at your daddy’s?”
Sue Ellen shook her head and gave him a long-suffering look. “It was something to be endured, the obligatory spring visit in Tennessee. I won’t have to go back until Christmas if I’m lucky. At least I went to Dollywood.” She extended a hand for Dixie to shake. The latter couldn’t help but notice Sue Ellen’s nails were painted in brilliant hues to match the dress. “Honey, it sure is nice to meet you and know there’s someone my age in that park. I thought I’d be rattlin’ around with a walker and no one to talk to all my life. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get some shopping done for Mama.”
Jake shook his head, that signature sense of humor warming his eyes. “My, but that girl can talk your ear off. If she stops by, get ready to sit a spell because Sue Ellen never runs out of steam. It’s always been her biggest downfall. Every grade school teacher mentioned her overactive tongue and never did make no difference anyhow. Listen, sugar gal, I’ve got to run a few errands for Daddy and I’ll be back soon.” He turned to go then swung back her way again. For a moment, Dixie thought he was going to kiss her again when he reached past her. “Excuse me, darlin’, but I’ve got to take a piece of heaven with me on the way. Those apple turnovers are making me drool. I could smell them before you even floated through that door. Thank you for keeping some skin on my bones. Bye, sugar.” A wink and he was out the door, leaving her tongue tied this time. She stood at the door, pressed to the glass, and watched him pull out in the red, 50’s pick-up with the Jackson’s General logo on the side. She sighed then gave her attention to her job.
“Miss Dixie, do you have any fresh eggs in back? Mama insists they be as close as newborn for anything she’s going to bake or it just isn’t worth it.” Sue Ellen called from the refrigerated aisle, a few items swinging in a basket on her arm. Hand on her hip, she cocked her head in the direction of the counter at the front. A smile warmed her features like sunshine after rain. Another friend falling Dixie’s way?
“Just a moment, Sue Ellen and I’ll check. I agree with your mama. Fresh eggs make all the difference.” Dixie ducked in the storage room and checked outside. Sure enough, that morning’s shipment was waiting against the wall, ready for Jake to cart them in. She brought a carton to Sue Ellen and placed an armful more in the fridge. She glanced outside and saw that their morning fixtures had taken their places in the porch rockers. Balancing a tray loaded with coffee and turnovers, she pushed the door open and made a delivery to the appreciative Jasper and Walter. She watered the plants, swept the floor, and returned inside to man the counter in preparation for Sue Ellen’s checkout. Obviously her customer had learned to be very particular about her groceries because she was hemming and hawing over each item.
The bell rang again, announcing the arrival of Miss Carole Sue and friends. They all looked like they had walked out of the pages of Southern Living without a hair out of place, make-up artfully applied, crisp in summer dresses in a classic style. Once again, they were looking down on the rest of the world in high heels. If they were up any higher they’d be dizzy from air that was too thin for the likes of them. Carole glanced at Dixie out of the corner of her eye, discounted her, and walked down the aisle, face screwed up in disgust upon sight of the other customer in the store. Her friends followed close behind. Sue Ellen looked up, her forehead creasing with a frown, then approached the register. “Carole Sue, Bobbi Jo, Laura Bell, good mornin’ to you.”
In answer, Carole Sue put a foot out in front of Sue Ellen, tripping her up and sending her to the floor. Her basket went flying, the eggs crashing down and splattering Sue Ellen’s face and clothes, leaving her sputtering. Carole Sue and her friends giggled while she reached out and nudged Sue Ellen with her toe. “My, my look what the cat dragged in. You know, Sue Ellen, you probably wouldn’t be so clumsy if you didn’t take up so much space.”
Dixie’s hands curled into fists as the ring of children’s cruel laughter echoed in her ears and she was on the playground again. The others were pointing and taunting a little girl who looked so out of place in her dark, long-sleeved sweater and pants on a hot, summer day when everyone else wore shorts and sundresses. She pulled herself out of that train wreck of a memory and yanked the door open, the bell clanging and getting the attention of the posse in disguise as ladies. “If you cannot treat our customers in a civil way, then you are not welcome here. Kindly leave the premises.” Dixie kept her voice steady although her insides were flip-flopping until she almost felt seasick. Drawing herself up to her full height of about 5’4”, fire flashed in her eyes, showing she meant business.
Carole Sue was struck speechless but only long enough to fill her lungs, red in the face with shock and outrage. She marched to the door and glared at Dixie. “Well, I never! You just wait until my daddy talks to Mr. Jackson. You’ll be looking for a new job and no one else in this town will give you one if I have any say so and I do. Come on girls.” The others trailed after their ringleader and went down the steps.
Furious that anyone would dare to behave in such a way, Dixie searched for the first thing she could get her hands on and grabbed an apple out of the basket by the door. She stormed out on to the porch and called out, “Hey, Queenie! You can’t walk all over everyone just as you please.” She waited until they all turned around then let her missile fly, making the fruit smash at Carole Sue’s feet and splash on her dress. “Next time you come in here, I won’t miss!” Those baseball lessons with Jake had come in handy.
The three marched away in unity, rigid with indignation while Dixie felt the shaking inside take over the outside. She closed her eyes and fought back tears. That’s for Jamie, for all the times no one stood up for her. She felt someone’s hand brush her shoulder and Jake was pounding down the stairs, his own eyes snapping with fury. “Carole Sue, don’t even bother talking to your daddy. This here is my store and you will not be coming back. My daddy and I see eye to eye on the ma
tter of manners.” His voice was loud and clear. When he turned back, Dixie gave him a grateful smile before scooting inside.
Sue Ellen was kneeling on the floor, picking up the items in her basket and trying to clean up the egg shells. Dixie squeezed her arm. “Don’t you worry yourself about that, I’ll mop it up. Come on in the bathroom and we’ll get you straightened out. I just cannot get over the nerve of some people. It’s beyond me why anyone thinks they have the right to walk on someone else.”
She offered a hand up which Sue Ellen accepted. Once in the bathroom, Dixie grabbed a washcloth, added soap and warm water, and began to dab at the other girl’s dress while Sue Ellen washed her face, her eyes tearing. “Oooh, that girl makes me so mad I could spit! She has been this way since we were stuck with each other in grade school and she still thinks she owns the world. If only I could give her a piece of my mind. Thanks for giving her a piece of yours.”
Dixie smiled and squeezed her hand. Add another brick in a friendship being built that day. “Think nothing of it. I’ve had my share of the same and it was the least I could do.” A warm spark, deep inside, was burning higher. Standing up for someone else was even better than doing it for herself.
Sue Ellen gathered the smaller girl into a hearty embrace. “Honey, you and I are going to be the best of friends. I have to help Mama with babysitting during the week. I’d love to get to know you better. Could I stop over and visit with you on Saturday afternoon when you get out?”
Dixie’s smile was warm and genuine. “I’d really like that. Let’s find you some new eggs and get you checked out. Your mama probably misses you!” She quickly and efficiently took care of Sue Ellen with hearty assurances that they would get together on the weekend while Jake took care of the mess on the floor, silently fuming and mopping with short, jerking movements. The rest of that day, Dixie was quiet, mulling over what had happened with Carole Sue that morning. It was a revelation, this getting fired up for what she believed in. It felt good. She felt stronger, taller, better than she had in a long time. She could get used to it. Several times throughout the day, she caught Jake looking at her with open admiration shining in those amazing eyes and she had to admit that felt good too.
The rest of the week went quickly with Jake and Dixie dancing around each other and the kiss. It was not repeated and Dixie wondered if another would ever happen again. Had she imagined that Jake enjoyed that brief instant as much as she did? Was it because they were at work and he wouldn’t do anything unprofessional? Regardless, she relived that moment on the ball field many times and daydreamed about the next time, if there was a next time.
Saturday morning rolled around. The day looked promising with the sun shining, not a cloud in the sky, and a light breeze to keep the temperature tolerable. Dixie pulled on denim shorts and a sleeveless shirt that looked like a bandanna, sure to keep Jake’s blood pumping, with her hair piled on top of her head. She looked cute, lively and even a little sassy. Maybe he’d give that kissing business another try. The thought had her own heart skipping a beat and made her nervous at the same time. Who was this new person she was turning into?
Jake nearly had to pick up his jaw at the sight of Dixie’s long legs coming up the road and onto the porch. He gulped down his coffee, bringing tears to his eyes as he scalded his tongue. “’Morning, Miss Dixie. You sure are looking pretty today.” Pretty was getting tired and didn’t come close to doing her justice but he couldn’t think of anything better at the moment. The thoughts flew clear out of his head whenever he laid eyes on her.
A knowing smile stretched across her face. Still learning, she’d been right on the money with that cute, little outfit. “Why thank you, Jake. What are you doing in here so early today?” She reached behind him to get her own cup of coffee, brushing his arm with hers and giving him the nudge to take another swallow. It was still too hot and made him wince and start to sputter.
“I’ve got to work on the roof and thought I’d start early before it gets too hot up there.” His tongue could not be spared from a good scorching. Maybe his body could do some cooling off if he kept busy enough. Spend much longer with this sugar gal and the steam would be rolling off of his body.
Dixie’s eyebrows rose warily. “And what are you doing on the roof?” She handed him a slice of freshly made banana bread, taking pleasure in the way his eyes got to glowing like the sunrise. Mama had always said that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. Judging by the shine in Jake’s glimmer-green gaze, Mama was right.
Jake appeared to be on the same wave length after his first bite. “Mmmm, sugar. You keep this up and you will have my heart forever. As for the roof, I need to fix some loose shingles after that wind storm the other night. Don’t you worry your pretty head. I’m good at carpentry.”
Dixie crossed her arms, her expression doubtful. “I’m sure you are. You’re good at anything you set yourself to doing. I still don’t like you going up there. Why don’t you hire someone to do the job?”
“Darlin, my ancestor General Robert E. Lee almost led the South to victory and my other relation, General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson could make his men walk barefoot through thick and thin with him walking beside them. I’m not going to let a roof get the best of me. Besides, I really do know what I’m doing. Daddy has me do this kind of work all the time, has for years.” He patted her on the back and headed out the door.
Dixie didn’t like it one bit. She did her duties inside—sweeping, dusting, inventory—but her mind was on Jake. She paced back and forth then peeked out the window only to see the ladder. She jumped when she heard thumps above her head from time to time. She was about to go outside and spot him when a steady stream of customers kept her hands busy but not her overactive imagination.
Two hours went by with no end to the customers who decided to “have a real chat and bring out the welcome mat,” as Ms. Franklin mentioned, a relative of the Benjamin Franklin, thank you very much. Was there anyone down here that wasn’t related to someone of great historical significance? Sometimes, Dixie felt like she’d walked into a history book. That morning the shop had the most business the place had seen to date and most of those dropping in made sure to connect the dots to their past! While Dixie tried to keep all of their stories straight, Jake still must have been occupied as evidenced by the pounding of a hammer and stomp of footsteps overhead.
“Lord sakes but that boy can do whatever he lays hands to or sets his mind to thinkin’ on,” Mr. Will Jefferson—a distant connection to the one and only Thomas, of course—drawled to Dixie as he stood at the counter and sipped the best cup of coffee he had tasted in his life. He had taken to stopping by each morning just for the coffee and Miss Dixie’s company. Being a widow was lonely work and she offered a little bit of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy day. “You know that boy finished high school at 15 and college in two years. He could have done anything, gone anywhere but all he wanted to do was come on back home to run the family business. Roots run deep, really matter to him. Only nineteen and already he carries himself like a man with grown-up responsibilities and a mature bent of mind. Something I think you understand.” The old man gave her a knowing nod, sizing her up. “No, you don’t find many like him.”
Dixie nodded distractedly, giving half-hearted “hmm’s” and “I see’s” in what she hoped were the right places. She looked out the back window. Who knew what possessed her to pay any mind to the doings outdoors at that particular moment? There was a rush of motion, a blur of colors, and a body went pell- mell through the air with a startled shout. Dixie felt rooted to the floor, her heart slamming against her rib cage. It took only an instant and then she was moving fast. The elderly Mr. Jefferson proved to be remarkably agile and actually beat her to the entrance.
“Well, boy, you are quite a sight!” Mr. Jefferson leaned against the door. Thank the Lord Almighty for its sturdy construction and support. He began
to wheeze with laughter, regaining the color he had lost when he saw Jake’s fall and feared the worst. He fanned himself with his straw hat, hoping his heart would stop its galloping fit to thump out of his chest.
Dixie covered her mouth to hide her own smile but she couldn’t disguise the mirth dancing in her eyes. Light-headed with relief, she grabbed hold of the side of the dumpster that had conveniently broken Jake’s fall. She felt dizzy again at the realization that only a half hour later it would be emptied. There would have been a much different ending to his story with a much harder landing if he’d fallen then. She shuddered at the thought.
“Go ahead, sugar, get a good, ol’ , belly laugh out of this one. I’m sure I’m right entertainin’ to look at.” Jake urged her, a banana peel sliding off of his hair, his clothes covered in goo, a disgusting odor clinging to his skin. All three of them lost it then, raising Jake one more notch in Dixie’s book because he could laugh at himself. Owen had never laughed except at the expense of others.
Jake hooted until his sides hurt, giddy at his close call, then heaved himself over the rim of the dumpster. “Whew! I must be part cat to have survived that one. Figure I’ve got a few more lives to spare. Good news—the roof is fixed. I’ve got to go home and make myself presentable. I’ll be back shortly.”
Mr. Jefferson shook his head, his sharp, black eyes glinting as he watched the young man leave. “That boy is something else, special I tell you, really special. There’s no other like him around these parts. A girl could do much worse. How his poor mother has survived him, I do not know. Well, I’d best be getting home to Gracie. She’ll need to be let out and she’s waiting for me to share my turnover with her, spoiled little dog. I’ll see you on Monday, Miss Dixie.”
Dixie waved goodbye then went out to the porch and dropped into one of the chairs. She rocked back and forth, waiting for her heart to behave itself and her bones to turn back from jello, glad there were no customers to allow time to regain her composure. Jake returned to find her that way, looking small and a little pale. His hair was still wet, slicked back against his head. He wore jeans and a short, sleeved green button-up shirt, open over a white t-shirt. His eyes sparkled and his smile was wide. Coming out on the right side after a near-death experience was quite exhilarating, made a body feel right cocky. He pulled up the other rocker and sat down beside Dixie. “All’s quiet now, eh? You all right, sugar gal? You’re looking rather peaked.”
She nodded, reached out, and touched his hand. “You really scared me. Don’t ever do that again. You are the first, true friend I’ve ever had and I don’t want to lose you.” Her chin started to wobbling and she looked down but not before a few tears squeezed out.
Jake covered her hand with his own and put a finger under her chin. “Remember, I’ve got Southern blood in these veins. Makes me darned near invincible and for you, sugar gal, I’d make get through the fires of hell and back again. Why do you think those Southern boys made it as long as they did in the Great War? They had a special belle waiting at home. I’m not going anywhere, okay? That’s a promise. ”
Dixie took a deep breath and began to feel a little steadier. She just might be able to stand up. “Okay, as long as you keep your promises. The people in my life haven’t done a good job of that.” She stared back at him, watched him nod, and her insides were melting all over again.
Jake brushed her lips with his and leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m part Lee, part Jackson. I keep my promises. It’s in my genetic code.” He didn’t know how long they sat that way, only that he started to drift away on the ocean held within her eyes but somehow forced himself to pull back. Couldn’t go too far or too fast with this one. Slow and steady, that was the way to win Miss Dixie. “Listen, Mama and Daddy are tired of hearing me yammering on about you and they’d love to meet you. You’re invited to dinner tomorrow. Say you’ll come, please.”
Dixie couldn’t refuse him. She nodded even though it was hard swallowing the lump of fear that suddenly lodged in her throat. She’d never been to someone else’s home for dinner, much less the home of a wealthy family. “All right…what time? What should I wear? What should I bring? What if they don’t like me—“
He stopped her with a finger to her lips. “Calm down! You don’t need to bring anything except you, you can wear a mop on your head with a garbage bag for a dress if you like, and I’ll come get you around noon. We can spend the afternoon together. And like you, why, shoot honey, they’ll fall in love with you, I guarantee it. I’ve got good taste. I only bring the keepers home and here’s a secret, sugar gal.” He gave her a wink and that crooked grin. “You’re the first one.” Jake stood at the door, watching her go, trying to get a hold of his runaway heart. She’d said yes and he likened spending the day with her to his free fall off the edge of the roof, scared out of his mind until something caught him. Dixie was a soft landing with a mettle of steel underneath. Well worth the fall.
Deep in the Heart of Dixie Page 14
