“It’s a beautiful course, isn’t it?”
“It sure is. I’m glad I’ll be able to play as much as I want to this summer.”
“It’s practically free to residents of this town, so go as much as you’d like. Let me get you my member card, that way you’ll be charged the reduced resident rate,” Myra said, pulling it from the wallet in her purse. She handed it to Kendall.
“Thanks,” Kendall said as she pushed it into the back pocket of her shorts.
“Have fun.”
“I will, and you get someone to help you lift those boxes when you get where you’re going,” Kendall said.
“I will,” Aunt Myra said, disappearing out the front door. Kendall stood inside the house and watched as her aunt pulled away from the house a few minutes later.
Kendall went back to the kitchen, grabbed some of her aunt’s chicken salad, and parceled out six crackers, her self-imposed limit, or she’d have some serious dieting to do at summer’s end. Her aunt was one damn fine cook.
She took her meager snack over to the kitchen table. She would eat first, and then it was back over to the course. Maybe the driving range first; her driver was starting to be a little wonky, and she could get in some practice. She been interrupted yesterday, and if her luck held, she’d get interrupted again tonight.
She popped a cracker into her mouth and let her thoughts wonder. They didn’t have far to travel. She’d kept the images of him close at hand. He was something else, from a whole new realm, and he had taken her into it as well. She still had chills at the thought of him standing behind her, and the way he’d made her feel, the plethora of orgasms she experienced with his talented fingers. Did women have orgasms like that on the regular?
What were the possibilities that there could be more to LC than his role as a golf maintenance man? Not that there was anything wrong with that occupational choice. A down-to-earth man and a simple, uncomplicated life of work and family had its possibilities if she were interested in staying in a small town long term. Could that even work?
LC seemed like a nice guy. You could tell a lot about a person by the way they played the game. He wasn’t a hothead; he was calm, he gave some back. He didn’t show his hand, and his ego didn’t egg him on. She hated showoffs, had seen enough of them growing up, all of them so eager beaver to show her that she was outclassed. She used to laugh inside and wait, and she’d end up kicking plenty of men’s asses. LC could take a joke, wasn’t intimidated by her, and he hadn’t backed off or offered excuses when she beat him, even with the advantage he’d given her.
Not being intimidated by her was huge, a really big turn-on, right up there with the other kind of turn-on he’d been, and he was so different from Houston, or least that was her impression of him.
Houston hadn’t been intimidated by her mind, maybe ’cause he felt like he’d still held the advantage between the two of them. He was the one actually making money, while she only taught business, as he’d pointed out to her, jokingly of course. Them that can’t…teach and all that. It had rubbed her the wrong way, but she’d let it go, along with so many other things she’d let go.
While Houston hadn’t been able to handle her beating him, Cooper had just smiled, laughed, and made her scream his name later. And just that quickly she was transported back to yesterday, to the sight of him standing in the nude at the end. She sighed. She’d stopped eating, was just sitting there staring into space.
She checked her watch. She’d killed ten minutes daydreaming. Time for a quick shower and off to the course to hit a few balls—or not, and it was the not part that she was most excited about.
#
“What the hell, Luis, you hired my ex-fiancée,” Cooper said, quietly but forcefully. They were at the bar later. Cooper was working while Luis sat and rested. Celeste was in the back, so he was free to talk about her for a few minutes.
“Celeste was your fiancée?”
“Yes,” he said, watching as Luis sat back against the chair, surprised.
“How was I to know that?” he asked, like it was somehow Cooper’s fault. “You’ve never talked about her or allowed anyone to meet her. It was like you were ashamed of us or something.”
“I wasn’t ashamed. You didn’t need to know, plus we were mostly done before I came back, and I meant to keep it that way.”
“Well, apparently she doesn’t agree. You think she’s back for you?”
“How the hell should I know?” he said, his shock had transformed into anger. “She told me you rented a house out to her too?”
“Ah, man, I would never have done that had I known,” he said, quiet for a minute or two. “You think she’s going to be a problem?”
“Depends on what she wants,” Cooper said, and shut up, nodding in the direction of the kitchen.
Luis turned, spotted Celeste walking through the door, following behind Donna, who was carrying a large tray covered in plates.
“Have you asked her?”
“No,” Cooper said, and closed his month, giving Luis a look that conveyed a we’ll-talk-later message. Luis’s brother, Juan, the mayor of Coopersville, had entered the pub, making a beeline to the bar. He slid into a seat next to Luis.
“Hey,” Juan said, glancing between his brother and Cooper.
“It’s the mayor,” Luis said, teasing.
Cooper had known the two brothers since elementary school. Luis and he were the same age and closer in their friendship. Juan was older by two years and liked to pretend he was the all-knowing one. Luis and Juan had seen him through most of his life. In his eyes, they were all brothers. Luis managed the bingo hall in town, and occasionally worked here. Juan had been elected the town’s mayor for the last two terms.
Cooper set a glass of beer in front of Luis a few moments later. He reached for a pitcher this time. A pitcher of IPA had been ordered. It was just as busy as he’d expected. Memorial Day revelers driving up to the state park up for vacation.
“Was that Houston Black, the ex-NBA player, I saw leaving earlier?” Luis asked. He’d seen Houston and another dude in the parking lot on his way in. Houston was getting into a really sweet Porsche. He’d intended to ask Cooper about it earlier, but had gotten sidetracked by the whole business with Cooper’s ex-fiancée.
“It was.”
“I wouldn’t have imagined him as a state-park kind of guy,”
“He was here checking up on a woman,” Cooper said.
“It’s always about a woman, isn’t it? Anyone we know?” Juan asked.
“Kendall Edwards,” Cooper supplied.
“Really? Myra’s niece, the one she’s so worried about? She’s dating Houston Black?” Juan asked, his eyes on Cooper.
“Interesting,” Luis said.
“They’ve broken up. She broke them up,” Cooper said.
“Has anyone talked to her yet?” Juan asked, glancing between Cooper and Luis. Juan had gotten Myra’s instructions along with everyone else.
“Cooper’s talked to her already, haven’t you, Coop? She and Cooper even played a few holes of golf yesterday, along with a few other things…” Luis said, his voice falling away at the glare Cooper sent his way.
“Too late. I already know. You always get the cool assignments,” Juan said, smiling, his gaze on Cooper. “There are very few secrets between brothers,” he added, laughing at the eye roll Cooper gave him.
“There are few secrets between Luis and anybody,” Cooper said, adding three glasses to the pitcher of beer he’d poured. He looked around, spotted Junior making his way over to him to pick up the pitcher.
“So, do you think she’s after Myra’s money? Does Houston think so? Did you ask him?” Juan asked.
“Hell no, I didn’t ask him, but she probably is. Aren’t they all?” Cooper said, pulling out another pitcher, filling it with the pub’s stout this time.
“He’s reverting back to the old suspicious Cooper, and after all the hard work we’ve put in to change him,” Luis said, smiling. Coo
per ignored him.
“Houston thinks the professor is playing games with him, that Kendall’s here to make him come after her. He’s not sure if she’s after his money or not. She probably is, though, just like the rest, hands extended, palms open, looking for something for nothing, wanting to eat the bread rather than help make it, not remotely interested in accepting a man for who he is,” Cooper added, releasing his animosity, letting it spill out, all brought back to the surface by the resurrection of his ex.
“And it’s Cooper to Aunt Myra’s rescue,” Luis said.
“Yep, don’t fuck with me or mine,” he said.
“Don’t I know it? Glad you’re on our side,” Juan said, laughing at how quickly his friend had become irate.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if you’re wrong about her and you fall for her,” Luis said.
“Not likely,” Cooper said.
“One day you’re going to find someone…and I’m going to sit back and laugh,” Juan said.
“Had that, remember?” Cooper said, sweeping the room with his eyes again. “No way am I going there again,” Cooper added, noticing the way Juan’s gaze lingered on Celeste. Hell, most men’s gazes lingered on her. She was a very beautiful woman, and that hadn’t changed one bit.
“I don’t know if our boy Junior here is going to make the cut,” Cooper said, changing the subject, his eyes now on Junior, who stood in conversation with Celeste. “He dropped off an order and was supposed to return to the bar to pick up the next one.”
“The new girl is pretty. I can see why he wouldn’t want to come back. I’d do the same in his shoes,” Juan said, his gaze still on Celeste. “You picked a nice one this time, brother,” Juan said to Luis. “I’m going to have to see if she needs any help. I am part owner in this establishment, you know,” he said. Luis glanced over at Cooper.
“It’s a cooperative, everyone’s an owner,” was all Cooper said.
Luis smiled, took a sip of beer, and looked over at his brother. “Don’t let him change the subject. You liked her didn’t you?”
“Liked who?”
“Myra’s niece?”
Cooper shrugged again. Yes, he had. He’d enjoyed himself immensely. He had fun playing golf with her, and what had happened afterwards had ranked right up there with his best sexual encounters, but maybe it wasn’t wise to get mixed up with someone who could be another Celeste, and thankfully the real one had arrived in the nick of time to remind him.
“Myra isn’t going to like what you’ve done,” Luis said.
“She won’t know unless you tell her.”
“I won’t,” Luis said.
“Right,” Cooper said. “I’m not even going to pretend to believe you.”
“I’m surprised, it usually takes you a long time to get as cozy as you got the other night with Myra’s niece. What happened to Charlotte?” Juan asked.
“She’s still around, but he doesn’t call her as much,” Luis said.
“And I saw you kissing Sally behind the bleachers,” Cooper said, in a falsetto voice. “What are we, thirteen, sharing our little girl secrets?” he added.
#
Juan and Luis watched as he walked away, heading over to poor old Junior. Juan smiled again, looked over at his worrywart of a brother, and then found Celeste with his eyes again.
“So tell me about the new girl.”
“She’s not a new girl. She’s Cooper’s ex-fiancée.”
“No way! What’s her name?” Juan asked, still staring.
“Celeste.”
“What was he thinking kicking her out of bed?” Juan asked.
“I think she was the one that did the kicking, and not so nicely, I’m afraid,” Luis said.
“He let you hire her?”
“He didn’t know, and neither did I.”
“Between Myra’s niece and his ex, it will be really interesting around here this summer,” Juan said.
“Yep, it sure will be something. Hope it’s interesting good and not the other way around.”
“You’re worse than Myra, worrying enough for all of us,” Juan said, smiling.
“It’s a hard job, but somebody’s got to do it. Might as well be me,” Luis said, deadpanning, not bothered in the least by his brother’s attempt at ribbing. Yes, it certainly would be interesting around here, good interesting, he hoped. And while he was at it, here’s to wishing the professor might turn out to be a good woman for Coop, washing away the memories of the old.
Six
Saturday evening
“Kendall,” Myra called out. She stood at the front door, home from having run her errands. She headed to the kitchen, stopping to check out Kendall’s room. It was neat and organized, which pleased Myra’s sensibilities.
She was alone, and that meant she needed to hurry, because she wanted to have this done before Kendall returned. She wished she’d thought to do it sooner; it would have put a stop to the angst she’d felt at the thought of her niece, Vivian’s daughter, spending the summer under her roof.
She liked Kendall. Her first impression had been one of honest and sincerity, which had surprised her, and so did the ease with which they got along. Kendall was helpful too. She’d gamely cut the yard, worked in the shed, done whatever Myra had asked of her.
Picking up the phone, Myra dialed the number she’d found for Butch, Kendall’s father. It said something that Kendall thought so highly of her father. Besides her husband, George, and Cooper, Myra had yet to meet a finer man. He had been the genuine article. She’d met him first, and then Vivian had gotten her claws into him and nearly destroyed him.
Myra had done a Google search and found his website. Butch’s Garage, it was called. She had written down both the work and mobile numbers listed on the site, and it was the mobile number that she was calling now.
“Butch here.”
“Butch, it’s me, Myra Wilson, Vivian’s sister,” she said.
He started to laugh, like you do when an old friend you hadn’t spoken to in forever calls you and it makes you happy. An unexpected yet pleasurable surprise—she could hear both emotions in his voice.
“Hello, Myra, this is a pleasant surprise. It’s been a long time.”
“It has, too long. I hear that your youngest daughter, Lark, is living with you now.”
“Yes, and you have my Kendall,” he said.
“She has grown into a beautiful young woman,” Myra said.
They spent a few minutes reminiscing before Myra got around to the reason for her call.
“I think I may have made a mistake in my opinion of your eldest. I haven’t seen her since she was ten. Never knew why Vivian sent her to me then, but it was the only time I’ve spent any time with either of them. Vivian has kept them away from me too. When she showed up here with this story about Kendall needing to get away from a man, I thought it was a ploy, and of course I didn’t believe her. I was worried that she was up to something, and I thought your eldest might be in working in cahoots with her mother. Now that we’ve met, though, I think the young woman who arrived on my doorstep is nothing like her mother. She told me that she and Lark are both getting to know you. Is it true?”
“It is,” he said, and she heard the change in his voice, like he was fighting back tears.
“How did it happen?” she said, into the silence on his end.
“Lark found me. They are lovely girls, lovely women, and that’s a miracle, don’t you think?” he said.
“I do. I felt like Kendall was different. My spirit did, but I’ve known my sister too long not to stay suspicious, you know?”
“I understand, and thank you for calling me. She’s fine, her sister’s fine, and they’re both people worthy of your trust. She doesn’t want your money, Myra, I’d stake my life on that. Lark is here, dragging me back to life. I was going through the motions, you know?”
“I do.”
“She’s taking over the business. Have you seen our new website?’ he asked.
“I have.
It looks so fresh, so modern.”
“I know. That’s all Lark. She’s taken over the towing part of the business. She’s out now, towing trucks. She has plans, Myra, so many plans it makes my head spin. She wants me to expand, and she’s been taking classes at the community college. My Lark is a whirlwind of activity,” he said, laughing. “Kendall is older and more cautious, but she’s a really sweet young woman, so Vivian must have done something right, despite how she and I ended. I wouldn’t worry about her being there for any reason other than getting to know her aunt.”
“Thank you. I’d come to that conclusion myself, but our conversation has confirmed my initial impressions of your daughter. I can relax and enjoy her, and you’ll have to come and visit me with Lark. It’s been too long.”
“I’d like that, and we will see you both soon,” he said.
#
“Thought I might catch you before you before I clocked out,” Celeste said, standing at the door of Cooper’s office.
Why? he wanted to ask. “Sure. Come in, have a seat,” he said instead, watching as she sat down in front of his desk. “What can I do for you?” He wanted to keep things on a strictly business level.
“I felt like I ambushed you earlier today, with me working here and all, and I wanted to explain,” she said, watching him closely. “How do I say this?” She seemed surprised by his control and self-possession.
“Just say it.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, searching his face for a reaction. “I’m sorry for the way things turned out between us. When we met, I was young, and I was looking for the wrong things. I’m not the same person as I was then,” she said.
He was quiet for a minute, not sure what to say.
“I thought you had gotten married,” he said.
“Yes, well, I’m no longer with him. I’m still married, though, until I can save up enough for a divorce anyway. I’m back to my maiden name, Henderson. My husband and I lived in Austin. I tried living there after we broke up, but Austin was way too expensive for me on my own,” she said, gazing into her lap. “I didn’t want to live in a big city like Houston or Dallas, and I didn’t want to go back to my hometown either.
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