by Dylann Crush
“What’s this?” I turned around to see Robbie holding the wooden box. “Please tell me this is your grandma’s recipe box.”
My mouth broke into a giant grin. I reached out and took the box from Robbie. “It is. Found it last night in the back of the last cabinet. Remember when I gave it to her?”
“Yeah, it was right around your birthday, wasn’t it?”
“Sure was.” I was surprised he remembered. That was the one where Grandma made me a Barbie doll cake like the ones she used to make my mom when she was a little girl. Cake full of sparkles and ruffles and plenty of buttercream frosting. Robbie scowled when he saw it. Said he wouldn’t dare put a single bite of pearly, sugary, glittery pink or purple Barbie butt in his mouth. I saw him sneak off with a plate of it though when Grandma invited the Jordans over. Later he pulled the whole naked Barbie doll out of the middle and pointed out all of her pertinent parts to me on the plastic molded body. I should have known then he’d be trouble.
“Are they all there?” He looked like a little kid about to ravage a candy shop. “Chicken and dumplings?”
“Yep.”
He licked his lips. “The pecan peach cobbler?”
I nodded.
He grabbed my arm. “Meatloaf. Tell me you got the meatloaf, and I’ll be happier than a two-peckered rooster in a hen house.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the dopey smile plastered across his face. “They’re all here. Every single one.”
He let out a whoop then grabbed my hands and spun me around the kitchen.
“Slow down. You’ve gone bat-shit crazy on me.”
Robbie stopped dancing around and hugged me to him, the corners of the box pressing into my chest.
“Ouch. Let go.”
“Oh, sorry.” He backed up and a tinge of pink flushed his cheeks. “I guess you can tell I haven’t had much in the way of good cooking for the past couple of years.”
“You think?” I set the box down on the counter. “Speaking of roosters, do you hear that asshole bird every morning?”
“Yeah, that’s Romeo. Lives somewhere out in the back pasture. Scrawny little bastard, but he sure can cause a ruckus.”
“Romeo? The same bird we used to chase around the chicken coop?”
“That’s the one. When your grandma decided she couldn’t keep up the hen house she gave all the birds to my dad. I tried to catch ol’ Romeo but he got away. He’s been free ranging since then.”
I moved to the coffee pot to pour us each a mug. “Think anyone would miss him if he disappeared one day?”
Robbie gave me a cautious grin. “What’re you thinking?”
“I found my grandpa’s shotgun in the bedroom closet. Thought I might hunt some rooster. I think grandma had a recipe for creamed cock on toast.”
“That’s a good one. You be careful though. Legend has it Romeo can peck your eyes out faster than you can say cock-a-doodle-doo.”
“Are you pulling my leg?”
“He’s been out there at least five or six years. Any rooster who can survive out there with all the coyotes has got to be a tough ole pecker.”
“If I ever get my hands on him, he’ll have more than his pecker to worry about.”
Robbie turned away, a smile playing across his scruffy mug. “If you’re looking for a pecker to play with…”
I grabbed the dishtowel and snapped it at his backside. “Will you ever grow up?”
He bounced around like a boxer and tapped me on the head. “I sure as hell hope not.”
I shook my head. After my phone call with Parker last night it would be a long time before I let myself go anywhere near another pecker. More trouble than they were worth. I turned around in the kitchen. It looked so empty without grandma’s old tin canisters sitting on the counter and her collection of antique enamelware no longer gracing the tops of the cabinets.
“It’s going to start coming together now.” Robbie stood next to me, surveying the bare room.
It would be nice to see some progress. Up to this point all the repairs had been behind the scenes. Robbie’s plumber friend had swapped all the corroded steel pipes for copper. They’d dug up the backyard and replaced the line to the septic tank and the electrician had rewired the whole house, bringing it up to code. I’d already spent the life insurance money grandma left me and had yet to see evidence of all the work that had been done. Now it was time to get started on the fun stuff. Refinishing the cabinets, picking out new paint colors. Restoring the porch to its former glory. And we were starting in the kitchen. Right after everyone enjoyed the long Fourth of July holiday weekend.
“When are you taking off for Texas?” Robbie asked.
My heart stalled for a brief moment at the reminder of the change of plans. “Oh, my plans fell through. I’ll be sticking around here.” I tried not to let my residual bitterness and anger come through in my voice.
“What happened?”
I waved a hand at him, trying to downplay the situation. “Nothing. Parker’s got to go out of town to meet with some potential investors. It’s no big deal.” It wasn’t necessary to mention the fact that my boyfriend, correction—ex-boyfriend—had pimped himself out in return for a weekend away with said investors.
“On a holiday weekend?” Robbie hooked his thumbs through his belt loops, prodding me with his stare.
“Yeah. It’s the restaurant business. Holidays don’t apply.”
He squinted like he was trying to get a read on me. “Looks like it’s your lucky day then, Cassafrass.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jake’s family has a cabin down in the Ozarks. His folks are takin’ the kids for the weekend and some of us are headin’ down.”
“I don’t want to interfere with your plans. I’ll just stick around here.”
“Misty would cut off my balls and feed ‘em to the dog for breakfast if she thought I didn’t invite you.”
The reference to Robbie’s balls made my breath catch. I coughed. “Thanks for painting that mental picture.”
Robbie smiled. “I told her you were going to Texas. Otherwise I’m sure she would’ve invited you herself.”
Misty and I had rekindled our friendship over the past few weeks. She was like the recipe for Asian churros I’d been perfecting in my head. Crispy on the outside, but gooey and soft on the inside. She put up a hard crunchy shell, but I’d seen glimpses of her softer side when she dealt with the boys or watched Jake when he didn’t know she was looking.
“Fine. Check with Misty. If you’re sure she’s okay with me coming then maybe—”
“Already done.” He held up his phone for me to see the screen.
Rob: Cass is coming to the cabin with us.
Misty: Yippeee!!!!
“Well, don’t you work fast?” I gave him a crooked grin.
He shook his head. “You have no idea.”
A few hours later, after I’d cleaned up and Robbie had stacked the remaining boxes on the back porch, the two of us barreled down the eastbound lane of US-54 in his truck, headed toward the Sunrise Beach area on the west side of the lake. Thin wispy clouds floated across a brilliant blue sky. We had the windows rolled down, and a warm wind blew through the cab, whipping my hair into a nest of tangles. It would probably take me an hour to get a brush through it later. I didn’t care. I closed my eyes toward the sun and let it warm me from the inside out.
For the next three days I had no plans, no expectations, and no commitments. Sounded like heaven. The roar of the wind made it impossible to carry on a conversation, which was fine by me. Robbie found a country station, cranked up the radio, and Kenny Chesney’s voice filled my ears.
The road twisted and turned for the next sixty miles or so while I let my mind mull over the events of the past few weeks. After Misty confirmed Robbie’s involvement with Caroline, Swallow Springs’s sweetheart, I’d retrained my brain to avoid thinking about him in any kind of romantic capacity. My heart had been more difficult to control. At times, t
he line between past and present seemed to blur a bit, and the warm fuzzies would heat up again. Spending the weekend with him might ignite those sparks again. I’d just have to do my best to tamp them down.
I’d almost nodded off when Robbie’s hand on my arm made my eyes fly open. “Hey, we’re here.”
I followed him out of the truck and faced the house. The small home was painted a dusty sage green with white trim. Cheery flower beds filled with colorful geraniums framed the sidewalk leading up to the front door and variegated hostas lined the front flower bed.
“The front doesn’t look like much, but the back is spectacular.” Robbie appeared at my side. “Want to take a look?”
“Sure.” I followed him down the rock steps to the wooden deck. It wrapped around the side of the house in a narrow walkway and opened up to a huge two-story deck off the back. The house itself sat up on a hill and the backyard sloped down toward the lake. The view of the water took my breath away. Docks and boat lifts dotted the shore. The tree coverage was dense, but every once in a while I could make out the lines of a house or cabin nestled on the hills across the water.
“This is beautiful.” I leaned against the railing of the deck and welcomed the warmth of the sunshine on my face.
“Sure is. Jake and Misty invite some friends out about once a year. It’s always a good time,” Robbie said.
I shut my eyes to the sun, letting the oranges and reds dance around on the insides of my eyelids.
Robbie nudged me in the side with his elbow, and I opened my eyes to look at him. “I sure am glad you came.”
“Me too,” I said. At least I thought I was. Hanging out with Misty and Jake would be fun. I’d been enjoying getting to know them again. And spending the weekend around a shirtless Robbie wouldn’t be too much of a hardship—as long as he continued to keep his hands to himself.
A car door slammed then Misty’s voice called. “Robbie? Y’all out back?”
“Sounds like Misty and Jake are here. Should we head out front?” Robbie asked.
“Sure.” I followed him back around to the driveway.
Jake and Misty stood in the driveway, already unloading their truck. When he caught sight of Robbie on the deck, Jake rushed past us toward the steps leading down to the lower level. “Last one in has to go get the keg.”
Robbie took off after him, and Misty and I walked around the side of the house to the back deck. As he caught up to Jake, Robbie peeled off his shirt and tossed it onto the grass. He threw an arm around Jake’s shoulder and wrestled him to the lawn.
“Being married to Jake is like having a third child.” Misty leaned up against the railing next to me.
I laughed. “This is just a guy thing, right?”
“Yeah. They’re in charge of the alcohol.” She smiled. “Unfortunately, that means we’re in charge of the kitchen. Come on, you can help me figure out what we’re going to feed everyone.”
Everyone? How many of their friends were coming? “So, Misty?”
“Yeah?” She’d already started walking back around to the front of the house.
“How many more people are coming?” Visions of a frat style party weekend danced through my head. Totally not my scene.
“Just a few more. You remember Jake’s sister, Heather?”
I nodded.
“She’s bringing her boyfriend. That’s it. I think you’ll like them.”
So Misty and Jake, and his sister and her boyfriend. As I matched everyone up in my head, I realized Robbie and I were apparently going to be taking part in a couple’s weekend. Just what I needed. Too late now, I’d have to make the best of it. He hadn’t tried anything since that stupid kiss a few weeks ago. Hopefully he’d extinguished any old embers, and we could handle ourselves like mature adults from here on out.
Misty unlocked the front door, and I followed her in. The exterior didn’t do justice to the inside. What appeared to be a small, cozy lake house from the front was deceiving. The interior opened up to one large room. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the back wall facing the lake. The kitchen had been updated with stainless steel appliances and a double oven. Warm wood floors flowed throughout the family room. A giant sectional sofa wrapped around an entire corner of the living room and faced a huge television screen.
“So Jake’s family owns this place?” I asked.
Misty opened the fridge and began unloading bags of groceries onto the shelves. “Yeah. His grandparents retired here then decided they’d rather be in Florida. His folks took it over about five years ago and made all the updates. They usually spend most of the summer here, but let us use it one weekend a year to get our friends together.”
“It’s a great house.” I passed her a jug of bloody mary mix and she set it in the fridge.
“You haven’t even seen it all yet. Help me finish putting all this stuff away, and I’ll give you a quick tour.”
Ten minutes later, we’d stored all the food and Misty led me around the house. She pointed out the master bedroom where she and Jake would be staying, then the other two bedrooms; one with a double bed and one with a queen.
“So where does everyone usually sleep?” I asked. It didn’t take a math whiz to figure out with Misty and Jake in one bedroom, there weren’t many options for the rest of us.
“I’ll put you in the double. Heather and Ryan can take the other bedroom and Robbie can crash on the couch.”
“Oh, I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“Trust me, you won’t. With this crowd, half the time they won’t even make it to a bedroom. The guys usually just end up sleeping where they pass out. One year we found Ryan on the roof. Sound asleep and naked as a jaybird.”
“You’re kidding. Weren’t you afraid he’d roll off?”
She looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t met Ryan yet.”
I cocked my head. “Okay.”
Misty grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the stairs. “Come on. You’re going to need a drink or two before Ryan and Heather get here.”
13
Robbie
If I squinted and shaded my eyes with my hand, I could make out the forms of Misty and Cassie on the upper level deck. I lifted a hand to wave and Cassie raised a tall, full glass toward me. Then Jake grabbed me around the neck and pulled me backward off the swim platform and into the cool water.
We rolled around together under the water. I pushed him down and swam back to the edge of the platform. His head bobbed up. He shook the water out of his hair then swam up next to me.
“Had enough yet?” I asked.
“For now. Let’s go grab the keg in town,” Jake said.
I fake punched him in the arm. “Hell no, you were the last one in the lake. That’s your job.”
“And if you hadn’t taken me down in the grass, I’d have been first in, not last.”
I was ready to get out of the water and go check on Cass. “Fine. Let me go dry off.”
We swam back to the boat dock and pulled ourselves out of the water. Heather lounged on the edge of the dock, dipping her toes in the lake.
“When did you get here?” Jake stood over her and shook his head wet-dog style, flinging droplets of water all over her.
“Just a couple of minutes ago. Haven’t even been up to the house yet. You’re still annoying as ever, I see.” She brushed her hair back with a palm as she got to her feet. “Come on, give your big sis a hug.”
Jake opened his arms to pull her up against his wet chest. Before he could, she pushed him backward into the lake.
He sputtered and spit out a mouthful of water. “You better watch out. When you least expect it, I’m gonna get you back.”
Heather laughed. “How’ve ya been, Rob?”
“Good, real good.” Heather lived up in Kansas City where she was finishing up nursing school. I hadn’t seen her since last summer.
“Where are you boys off to?” Heather asked.
“Gotta get the keg in town.” Jake climbed out
of the water again, grabbed his T-shirt off the dock and used it as a towel on his hair.
Heather put a hand to her brow to shield her eyes. “Hurry back. Misty put me in charge of entertainment, and it’s game night tonight.”
“Aw, hell. We’re doing that again?” I asked.
“Yeah, although we’ll be one short since your girlfriend’s out of town.”
Jake shook his head. “Nah, we’re even. Robbie brought Cassie along.”
“Cassie?” Heather’s eyes widened. She hadn’t paid too much attention to me growing up, but even she knew about the connection I shared with Cassie.
“Yeah.” I didn’t bother to tell them that I broke up with Caroline over a week ago. That was her news to share when she felt the time was right. Besides, as long as Cassie was still involved with that restaurant guy, it didn’t matter. “Cassie’s back to fix up her grandparents’ place to sell it. But she didn’t have plans this weekend so I asked her to come along.”
“Well, this ought to be an interesting weekend.” Heather steepled her pointer fingers together then pressed them to her lips.
“Don’t get too excited, sis. Robbie and Cassie are pretending they’re not into each other anymore.” Jake lowered his voice to a mock whisper.
My fist knocked into his arm. “Shut up. We’ve matured. Cassie and I are friends, that’s all.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right.”
Heather cleared her throat. “So, is now a bad time to tell you I invited Becca?”
“That’s cool.” Jake said.
“Hell no it’s not.” I tried to wrap my head around the idea of Cassie having to share space at the table with Caroline’s over-protective cousin. Had Caroline broken the news to her yet? If so, things could get really ugly. “I thought she had plans with her family.”
“What’s the problem?” Jake didn’t get it.
“Becca and Caroline. Cousins.”
Finally, a lightbulb must have gone off over his head. “Oh. Yeah, that might be a little awkward.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know you’d have Cassie here.” Heather grimaced. “I suppose it’s too late now. If you and Cassie are just friends, there’s really nothing to worry about, right?”
