Daisy sank down in her seat and looked out the front. "No, but it made me realize that when I tell him aboutNathan, he's probably going to be a lot angrier with me than I'd figured. Not that! thought he wouldn't be, butthere's always been a part of me that hoped he'd understand." She took the claw out of her hair and leaned herhead back against the seat. "Jack wasn't ready for a family. He'd just lost his mother and father, he wouldn'thave been able to handle the news that I was pregnant. I did the right thing."
"But...?" Lily prompted.
"But I've never let myself wonder what kind of father he would have made." She tossed the claw onto the centerconsole. "I've never let myself think about that."
"And now you're thinking about it?"
"Yeah." Although it was probably best not to, she couldn't help but think about it.
The door to an upstairs apartment opened and Ronnie stepped out with one of his arms around a dark-hairedwoman. Daisy had only met Ronnie twice, when he and Lily visited Seattle, but Daisy recognized him. He wasgood-looking with strategically disarrayed blond hair and a gee-shucks smile that fooled some women. UnlikeLily, Daisy had never been impressed, much less fooled.
"Turn off the car," Daisy told her sister. This morning, Ronnie's Stetson shaded his face and cast a shadow onthe shoulders of his red cowboy shirt. He wore a belt buckle the size of a dessert plate and his wranglers were sotight they looked painted on.
"I'm not going to run him down."
"Turn it off Lily." They were too far away for Daisy to get a good look at Kelly's face, but even at this distance,she could see that her hair was pulled up on top of her head in a ponytail and that she had a big behind coveredin black spandex shorts.
The engine shut off and Daisy reached over and took the keys from the ignition. She grabbed Lily's arm to keepher from opening the door.
"He's not worth it, Lily."
The two moved to a white monster truck with metallic red flames blazing down the sides. Ronnie helped "Kellythe skank" up into the truck, then he fired up the Ford and the two of them took off. Anger for her sister burnedin Daisy's stomach as she watched them drive out of the parking lot. Lily covered her mouth but a high-pitchkeening leaked through her fingers. Daisy reached across the center console and pulled her sister into her armsthe best that she could.
"Lily, he's not worth your tears," she said as she smoothed her hair.
"I still love him so-ho much. Why can-can't he love me-me?" Lily cried. Daisy held her and felt her heartbreaking too. What kind of worthless man abandoned his wife and child? What kind of A-moral A-hole ranaround with another woman and emptied the family's bank account so he wouldn't have to pay for his child?
The more Daisy thought about it, the angrier she got. Somehow, Ronnie would have to pay for hurting hersister.
"Honey, have you thought of maybe getting some counseling?" she asked her sister.
"I don't want to ta-talk about it with a stranger. It's too-too humiliating." After that her sentences becameincoherent, and she mostly sounded like a distressed dolphin.
"Let me drive us home," Daisy said. Lily nodded and while Daisy ran around to the other side of the car, Lilycrawled to the passenger seat. "Do you want a Dr. Pepper?" Daisy asked as they drove out of the parking lot. "Itmight help your raw throat."
Lily wiped her nose on her sleeve and nodded. "Eee-hee," she managed.
She drove to the Minute Mart and pulled into a slot in front of the store. She pocketed the keys in case Lily gotideas, grabbed a five from her purse, and put her sunglasses on the dashboard. "I'll be right back," she told Lilyand opened the door. Once inside the store, she filled up a twenty-four-ounce cup with Dr. Pepper, sealed thetop with a lid and grabbed a straw. When Lily calmed down, she'd talk to her about her lawyer and see what hewas doing to help her.
"Good morning," the clerk said, his green uniform hung on his bony shoulders. His name tag said he was Chuckand that she should have a nice day. She doubted that was possible now.
"Morning." As Daisy handed over the five-dollar bill, a white Ford truck with red flames down the sides pulledinto a parking slot a few cars away from Lily's Taurus. She watched with a sense of impending doom as Ronnieand Kelly stepped out of the truck. "Oh no."
The passenger door of the Taurus flew open and Lily shot out of the car like a bullet. She confronted the tworight there on the sidewalk in front of the Minute Mart. Daisy could hear Lily's hysterical screaming through theglass, and she was sure the people at the gas pumps were getting a good show.
She set the straw on the counter and held up one hand, palm out. "I'll be right back." As Daisy yanked open thestore's door, Lily called Kelly a whore and a fat-ass, and Kelly swung and slapped Lily across the face. Lily'ssunglasses sailed off, and she raised her hand to retaliate. Ronnie grabbed her arm and shoved.
Lily fell and everything within Daisy narrowed, like looking in the wrong end of a telescope. Rage flowedthrough her like a toxic chemical, and she ran full steam, launching herself at her soon to be ex-brother-in-law.
Years ago, Steven and Jack had taught her how to defend herself. She'd never used those lessons before, but shehadn't forgotten. Like riding a bike. She got a shoulder into his sternum.
He grunted and grabbed her hair. He shook her but she hardly felt it as she tucked her thumb and punched himin the eye.
"Ow, you crazy bitch!"
Without thinking about it, she kneed him just below his belt buckle. She didn't think she'd hit him squarebetween the legs like she'd been aiming, but enough that the air left his lungs in a big whoosh. His fingersloosened and she stepped back. Ronnie doubled over and several long strands of Daisy's hair got tangled in hisfist.
"You ever touch my sister again," she told him between breaths, "and I'll kill you, Ronnie Darlington."
He groaned and stared at her through squinty eyes. "You can try, you stupid bitch."
Daisy didn't mind being called a crazy bitch, because sometimes it was true. But she hated being called a stupidbitch. She launched herself forward again, but someone grabbed her around the middle and pulled her back.
"You've won, buttercup."
She pushed at the arm around her stomach, but he pulled her onto her toes. "Let go. I'm going to kick his butt"
"I think it's more likely that he'd kick yours. Then I'd have to step in and knock the shit out of him for laying ahand on you. And I really don't want to do that. Buddy and I came here for a fill-up and a cup of coffee, is all.
We weren't planning on a brawl."
Daisy blinked and her peripheral vision came into focus again. She was aware of her heart pounding in herthroat as she looked over her shoulder. "Jack?"
The shadow from his beige cowboy hat cut across his face, and she watched his mouth form the words, "Goodmornin'," but he didn't sound like there was anything good about it.
She turned her attention to Lily standing with her back against the front of the store. She had a cut on the bridgeof her nose and a red palm print on her cheek. A man in a blue T-shirt stood next to her, talking to her as sheshook her head. Kelly sat on her butt on the ground, and her ponytail was pulled to one side of her head. Ronniestraightened with a grunt and felt his crotch as if to make sure everything was still there.
"I hope you can't use it for a month." Daisy spat at him, and Jack pulled her lighter against the solid wall of hischest.
Then Jack spoke to Ronnie from beside Daisy's temple. "Take your girlfriend and get out of here while the twoof you can still walk."
Ronnie opened his mouth, shut it again, then grabbed Kelly, who'd started screaming at the top of her lungs. Heshoved her inside his truck, fired the engine, and the two of them took off, monster truck tires squealing out ofthe parking lot.
"Are you okay, Lily?" she called out to her sister.
Lily nodded and took her sunglasses from the man talking to her.
"What was that about?" Jack asked. "The two of you out here spreadin' sunshine for the hell of it?" He didn't letgo, and she loo
ked up at him again. The breeze picked up several strands of her blond hair and carried themacross the front of his dress shirt. She raised her gaze past his mouth and looked deeper into the shadow createdby the brim of his hat. His light green eyes stared back at her. Waiting.
"That's Lily's husband and his girlfriend."
He tilted his head back and the shadow slid from the middle of his nose to the deep bow of his top lip."
The adrenaline in her veins made her feel suddenly shaky, and she was glad Jack held her so tight.
"He's a rat bastard."
"So, I've heard."
Daisy wasn't surprised that Ronnie's reputation preceeded him. Lovett was a small town. "He emptied their bankaccount and won't give her any money for Pippen."
Jack slid his palm across her stomach as he dropped his arm. He took a step back, and the solid wall of his chestwas replaced with cool morning air. Her hand throbbed, her head hurt, her shoulder ached, and her knees feltwobbly. It had been a long time since she'd felt a man's strength surrounding her, supporting her, and she wouldhave liked nothing better than to melt right back into his chest and arms again. Of course, that was impossible.
"I hurt my hand."
"Let me see." He turned her to face him and cradled her hand in his warm palm. The sleeves of his bluebroadcloth shirt were rolled up his forearms, and over his breast pocket, was embroidered PARRISHAMERICAN CLASSICS, in black. "Wiggle your fingers for me," he said.
With his head bent over her hand, the brim of his hat almost touched her mouth. He smelled of soap and deanskin and his starched shirt. His thumb brushed the heel of her hand and little tingles radiated outward from herpalm over her wrist and traveled up the inside of her arm. Her adrenaline was doing funny things to her. Eitherthat or she'd pinched a nerve.
He lifted his gaze and his eyes stared into hers. For several long seconds he just looked at her. She'd forgottenthat when you looked real close into Jack's eyes, you could see darker green flecks. She remembered now.
"I don't think it's broke, but you probably should get an X-ray." He dropped her hand.
She made a slow fist and winched. "How do you know it's not broken?"
"When I broke my hand, it swelled up almost immediately."
"How did you break your hand?"
"Fighting."
"With Steven?"
"No. At a roadhouse bar in Macon."
Macon? What had he been doing in Macon? In the last fifteen years, he'd had a whole life she knew nothingabout. She was curious about it, but she doubted he'd tell her much if she were to ask.
The clerk from inside the store moved toward Daisy and she turned to him as he handed her her sunglasses.
"Thanks, Chuck," she said and slid them on her face. He gave her the change and she took the Dr. Pepper withher good hand.
"Should I call the police?" he wanted to know. "I saw them hit the other blond woman first."
A police report might help in Lily's divorce, but Lily wasn't completely innocent. There was the little matter ofLily's stalking. She didn't know if Ronnie knew about that, but he might. "No. That's okay."
"If you change your mind, let me know," Chuck offered and headed back inside.
Daisy turned her attention to Lily and the man talking to her. "Is he with you?" she asked Jack.
"Yeah. That's Buddy Calhoun."
"Older or younger than Jimmy?"
"A year younger."
Daisy didn't remember much about Buddy beyond having the bad teeth and flaming red hair of all the Calhouns.
She glanced around at the people in the parking lot and at the gas pumps at the far end. The ramifications ofwhat she'd done that morning began to sink in. "I can't believe I fought in public." She raised the cool Dr.
Pepper to her cheek. "I never even swear in public."
"If it's any consolation, I don't think you swore." No, it wasn't much comfort, especially when he added, "Butyour sister has a mouth like a trucker. We heard her clear over at the gas pumps."
Daisy didn't live in Lovett anymore, but her mother did. Her mother would be mortified. Daisy and Lily wouldprobably be the latest topic at her single's dance. "Do you think very many people noticed us?"
"Daisy, you're standing at the intersection of Canyon and Vine. In case you've forgotten, it's about the busiestintersection in the city."
"So people are going to know that I socked Ronnie Darlington in the eye." She removed the cool cup from hercheek. Good lord, could things be any worse?
Evidently. "Yep, and that you kneed his balls."
"You saw that?"
"Yeah. Remind me not to piss you off." He glanced over her head. "Ready, Buddy?"
Buddy Calhoun turned and flashed Jack a straight white smile. So much for Buddy having the Calhoun badteeth. His hair was a dark red too, riot carrot like the others. He was better-looking too. "Be right there, J. P.," hedrawled.
J. P.?
"Try to stay out of trouble," Jack said to her as he tuned to go. "Next time someone might not be around to saveyou from doing something stupid, like going after a man who weighs twice what you do."
She put her bad hand on his arm to stop him. He was right. "Thanks, Jack. If you hadn't stepped in, somethingreally bad could have happened." She shook her head. Maybe he didn't hate her as much as he wanted her tothink. "When I saw him shove my sister... I don't even remember how it happened, but I just lost my mind andwent after him."
"Don't make too much of it, Daisy." So much for feeling special. "You could have been anyone." His gazedropped to her hand on his aim.
"Since I'm not just anyone, you should let me thank you properly," she offered in the hopes that perhaps theycould now relate to each other on friendlier terms, and she could talk to him about Nathan.
One corner of his mouth slid up as his gaze moved to her breasts, up her chin, to her mouth. He wasn't fooled byher offer and was purposely trying to annoy her. "What did you have in mind?"
"Not what you have in mind."
From within the shadow of his hat, he finally looked into her eyes. "What then?"
"Lunch."
"Not interested."
"No, ma'am." He stepped off the curb and said over his shoulder, "Come on, Buddy."
Daisy watched him move across the parking lot to a classic black Mustang parked at one of the gas pumps. Tworazor-sharp creases ran down the back of his shirt and were tucked into the waistband of his Levi's. He wasn'twearing a belt, and his wallet made a bulge in his back pocket. Buddy followed and Daisy turned to her sister.
The red welt on Lily's cheek had started to fade.
"Are you okay?" Daisy asked as Lily moved toward her.
"I'm okay." She reached for the Dr. Pepper and took a long drink. "I think I'm going crazy."
Really? "Maybe a little."
The two of them moved to Lily's Taurus and got inside. Lily spoke as she buckled her seat belt. "I'm sorry aboutwhat I said about Steven. You're right. I was being an insensitive bitch."
"I think I said you were a brat."
"I know you did. Let's go home."
Daisy started the car. "How long do you think it will take for Mom to find out?"
"Not long," Lily sighed. "She'll probably try to ground us."
Through the rearview mirror, she watched Jack's Mustang pull out of the parking lot.
"Daisy?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. You were really something going after Ronnie like that."
"Don't thank me, just promise you'll stop stalking him and Kelly the skank."
"Okay." She took a drink of her cup. "Did you see her butt, though?"
"It was huge."
"And flabby."
"Yeah, and you're a lot cuter and have better hair."
Lily smiled. "And breath."
Daisy chuckled. "Yeah."
When they got back to their mother's house, Lily grabbed Pippen and lay down on the couch with him. Sheturned on a Blue's Clues video and nestled her nose in his little mullet. "Love y
ou, Pippy," she said. Withouttaking his eyes from the television, he raised his face and kissed his mother's chin.
"Did you get the job?" Louella asked from the kitchen, where she was baking cookies and filling the house withthe smell of peanut butter.
"They said they'd call," Lily answered, hiding her smile behind her son's head.
"Chicken," Daisy whispered.
Lily was a mess, no doubt about it. Daisy had three days before she needed to return to her life in Seattle.
Nathan's last day of school was today, and she needed to call him and ask how it went.
She had a lot to do. She had three days to help straighten out her sister's life, give Steven's letter to Jack and tellhim he had a son. Then she could return home and get on with her life. She and Nathan could lie around on abeach somewhere, soaking up rays. She'd drink pina coladas while he watched girls in bikinis. Heaven for bothof them.
But right now, all she wanted was to take a shower, put ice on her hand, and take a nap. Her adrenaline spent,she was tired and achy, but if not for Jack, she was positive she would be feeling a lot more achy right aboutnow. Going after Ronnie like that hadn't been real smart, but she hadn't thought at all. She'd just reacted to himpushing Lily to the ground.
I think it's more likely that he'd kick yours. Then I'd have to step in and knock the shit out of him for laying ahand on you, Jack had said. He'd also said he would have come to the rescue of any woman. He'd told her not tomake too much out of it.
But now as she thought back with a clearer head, she doubted he would have held just any woman a little bitlonger than was absolutely necessary. Not like he'd held her, tight against his hard chest. And she really doubtedhe would have brushed just any woman's hand with his thumb. She also doubted he'd even known he was doingit.
She'd been so focused on everything else around her, she hadn't realized that Jack's touch had been a little morepersonal, lingered a second longer than just a Good Samaritan helping out any ol' woman.
She realized it now, and just the memory of his touch made her catch her breath. Her mother called out to her asshe moved up the stairs to her bedroom. "Okay," she called back, then shut the door behind her. She leanedagainst it as a hot little tug pulled at her abdomen and between her thighs. The warmth of it spread across herflesh and her breasts grew heavy with it. She hadn't felt anything like this in a long time, but she knew what itwas. Lust. Pent up sexual desire. Years of it pulling at her.
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