chapter Eight
Sugar found herself sitting in Jake’s truck the next evening, picked up almost as if they were going on a date. They weren’t. He’d called it “dinner to make amends for being a dumbass,” so she’d accepted. “This is not necessary.”
“Don’t want my renter ticked at me.” Jake pulled in to a tiny bar and grill with a small white-gravel parking lot. “Pecan Fanny’s” flashed in pink neon above the black roof. “This is the place you never hear about if you’re a tourist.”
“Does Pecan Creek have many tourists?” Sugar asked.
“Not enough,” Jake said. “Only at Christmas for the small-town parade bullcrap we put on. We get a few antiquers in the summers. Occasionally someone on the road back from Louisiana when the highway’s jammed up. We’re an out-of-the-way side road, but folks stumble on us that way.”
Sugar smiled. “You love this place, don’t you?”
“I’m pretty sure I don’t love anything except my mother in a maternal sense. Maybe my buddies, in a fraternal sense.” He shook his head. “The military had my loyalty and my gut. I loved it until I realized I was too lazy to be a lifer.”
“You aren’t lazy.” She looked at Jake as he got out of the truck. He came around to her side, helping her out. “You talk about being lazy like it’s a goal. But I don’t think you’ve quite succeeded yet.”
“I’m working my ass off on it, though.” He walked her inside, and they took a table by a sparkly clean window that looked out over an open field. “Can I get you a drink, Sugar?”
She looked at him. “I’d love a beer.”
“Good woman. Two longnecks, Suzy,” he told the waitress, who looked pleased to see Jake in the tiny eatery. “So, Sugar, I’m sorry about the other day.”
“Why?” She was curious to know exactly what Jake was apologizing for.
“For saying I’d like to get you naked. I would, of course, but don’t let it worry you. I know how to keep my inner animal locked away.”
“Good.” Sugar looked at him. “I shouldn’t have dumped you in the pond. I have a short fuse for jerks. And I think I’m pretty much not ready for men who are probably nice guys but say something jerky.”
“Understood.” He raised a longneck to her when Suzy put them on the table. “Apology accepted?”
She nodded. “The thing is, I think my basic frustration with you is Maggie. I feel like you have an opportunistic side, and I don’t want you using my mom.”
“I get it.” He nodded. “You think I’m playing the whole Cassavechia family.”
“Well, not Lucy. Lucy’s too clever to let some guy use her.”
He sighed, and Sugar wondered what was on his mind. But he drank his beer and pretended to study the menu, not broaching whatever he was thinking. Sugar did likewise, almost too jittery to select something to eat, until she realized she was jittery because she actually forgave Jake for jumping the gun with the naked comment, and maybe she even kind of liked him, and then she felt a little ill.
It was far too soon to fall a little bit in like with someone, especially a sexy, handsome guy like Jake who had a tiny blonde that would make her feel like a basketball player standing next to her.
A huge truck painted with camouflage pulled up on the gravel next to Jake’s truck, and Jake sighed. “Here comes excitement. Do you mind company?”
Sugar looked at the door in time to see three big guys come in with two women. “Friends of yours?”
“Lifelong.” Jake grimaced when his buddies filtered over to their table, crowding around and pulling up chairs. “Everybody, this is Sugar. Sugar, in case you don’t recall, this is Bobby German, Evert Carmichael and Kel Underwood. They own the Bait and Burgers. This is Cat Jenkins, who works at the coffee shop, and Sandy Goody, the sheriff’s daughter. They’ve got a farm that keeps Sandy busy.”
“Hi, everyone.” Sugar nodded, smiling.
They pulled up a table, connecting the two together, and sat down in a noisy flock of fun. Evert sat Cat next to him, tagging them as a couple, and Sandy took the chair on the other side of Cat, obviously unattached. “I’ll call Lucy to round out the group,” Sugar said, and Jake said, “No!”
She put her phone back in her purse. “O-kay.”
He put a hand over hers, leaned close. “I’ll tell you later.”
His hand was warm; he smelled great. Sugar blinked, feeling something snap inside her. She gazed into Jake’s dark eyes, just four inches from hers, and felt herself gripping hard on to the edge of the side of sanity.
If she let go, if she slipped and let herself fall into the pit of love again, she knew she would regret it. It was a dark, foul pit full of heated emotions and sharp ups and downs, the roller-coaster ride from hell.
No roller coaster of love for her.
“We’ve figured it out, Jake,” Bobby said, and the girls nodded enthusiastically.
“Got what figured out?”
“Where we’re going to have our party. The last party of the summer.”
“Yet it’s pretty much fall already,” Jake said. “There’s a hook here, watch for it,” he told Sugar.
“A party sounds like fun to me,” Sugar said, and the girls smiled at her.
“We’re going to have the party at Sheriff Goody’s in the field where we play shirts ’n’ skins,” Bobby continued. “And we’re going to have it open to the community and bill it as a charity event for Pecan Creek. We’ll charge admission, and the money will go to put an ad up on the billboard outside of town.”
“What ad?” Jake asked carefully.
“A year-round ad that proclaims Pecan Creek as the most honest, growing town in Texas,” Evert said. “Thousands of people will see it all year long.”
“You didn’t tell me that the highway sign needed an ad buyer,” Sugar said.
“I didn’t,” Jake said, meeting her gaze, “because rotating ads have been working just fine. And we’ve been booked solid.”
“Not since August,” Kel said. “The economy has dried up the billboard business in town, as local businesses are suffering. That’s the brilliant thing. We’ll take it over for Pecan Creek in January. That way, the sign doesn’t sit bare in our slowest month when we could use advertising.”
“The timing’s right,” Cat said. “We could all stand a little extra business here.”
“I did ask about the sign,” Sugar said.
Jake spoke carefully. “It’s a thorny problem.”
“Only for you,” Sugar said. “Who made you the keeper of the billboard?”
“We all did,” Sandy Goody said. “Jake’s pretty good at wheedling money out of people.”
Sugar looked at Jake. “It’s not thorny. It’s you being the keeper of the gate.”
“I know. But I was being honest when I said that it was probably best not to rile folks around here if you want to fit in. And I think Maggie does,” Jake said, directing his words for Sugar’s ears only.
“I just don’t think you should be the one to decide whether we’re accepted or not,” Sugar said, “since you know very well your mother would never accept anyone.”
“What are we talking about?” Cat asked, overhearing the last words.
“Nothing,” Jake said.
“The party sounds like a great idea,” Sugar said, so the edge wouldn’t be taken off the group’s excitement.
Jake squeezed her knee in thanks under the table, and Sugar pinched the hell out of his wrist so he’d move his hand. He did, lightning fast.
“Meany,” he said. “Can I buy you another beer?”
“Yes,” Sugar said.
“What do you do, Sugar?” Cat asked. “I heard you and your family moved to Pecan Creek. I’m sorry I haven’t been by to say hello.” She smiled, so friendly and cute that Sugar took heed of Jake’s wish that she keep their business secret for Maggie’s sake, for now. Besides, they didn’t have a recipe yet. No sense stirring the fire, although she was going to fire Jake up later.
“My mom is in remission from breast cancer,” Sugar said. “We came to Pecan Creek because it’s quiet here, and relaxing. We were looking for a small town with nice people, and Pecan Creek was everything we wanted.” She smiled, super-friendly in return, and everyone beamed at her.
Maybe Jake was right. Soft-shoe things a bit in the beginning. Make friends. Don’t go at everything headfirst, like she had all her life. Sugar relaxed, and Jake patted her knee again, and this time, she didn’t pinch him.
She did move his hand, though. No point in letting him off the hook too fast.
A big man ambled over to their table, and everyone turned their attention to him with big smiles.
“Hello, Lassiter,” Jake said. “Lassiter Johnson, this is Sugar Cassavechia. She and her family have rented our family place.”
Lassiter shook her hand, smiling with a well-groomed mustache and blue eyes that twinkled in his acorn-colored face. He lifted his tan Stetson to reveal a nice thatch of silver hair. Black boots, huge rodeo buckle, strong shoulders complemented his appearance. The effect was pretty stunning for a probably sixty-year-old man, and Sugar was charmed.
“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Cassavechia,” Lassiter said.
“Lassiter was a rodeo star,” Sandy told her.
“Lassiter was and is a helluva rider,” Jake said. “He’s won more buckles than we have teeth in our heads. Now he runs a horse ranch outside of town. Got a helluva setup.”
Not to mention he had a helluva physique and a well-worn, movie-star face. “It’s nice to meet you, Lassiter,” Sugar said, and as Kel pulled up a chair for Lassiter, a thought hit her like a lightning bolt from God. “Excuse me,” she told Jake. “I need to check in on Mom.”
“Sure.”
He pulled out her chair, stunning her since Ramon had never done that and she wasn’t expecting it from a “snake” like Jake. She was steamed with him about the billboard, but maybe he had a point too.
She’d think about that later. Outside, she speed-dialed Lucy. “Lucy, bring Maggie down to Pecan Fanny’s. Yes, I’m serious, that’s the name. I haven’t met Fanny yet, but I’m presuming her name is part of the small-town charm. Make sure Maggie looks beautiful,” she said, talking quickly in case Jake came looking for her. A tiny blonde doll walked past her, entering Pecan Fanny’s, but other than a brief smile at her, Sugar barely paid attention to her.
“Make Maggie beautiful?” Lucy asked. “Why, are the town crazies holding a beauty pageant?”
“Just bring her. If you can’t find it on the computer, call Pecan Fanny’s and ask directions. I wasn’t paying attention to where we are.”
“Because you were paying attention to Jake,” Lucy said, “I understand.”
“Just bring her. And hurry,” Sugar said, turning off her phone and going back inside.
The tiny blonde had taken over Sugar’s chair in her absence, planting herself right next to Jake, who didn’t look all that happy, but neither did he look upset.
More like a deer caught in headlights on a county road. “Hi,” Sugar said, going to the table.
“This is Averie Pipkin,” Jake said, his expression a bit miserable. Everyone else looked at her with careful smiles.
“Hi, Averie,” Sugar said, feeling, indeed, like a basketball player as she looked at the tiny doll dwarfed by Jake. Averie offered her a small smile, certainly not friendly by any means, and Bobby German got up and dragged over another chair for Sugar since it was clear Averie didn’t plan to relinquish her spot next to Jake unless asked.
“Oh, did I take your chair, Sugar?” Averie asked, as if Sugar’s drink wasn’t sitting in front of her, half consumed.
“Not at all,” Sugar said, her smile smooth. “There are no names on the chairs, are there?”
Averie looked pleased. Jake looked like he was being dragged to a hanging.
Now that she was seated next to Cat and Sandy, they had a thousand things they wanted to talk to her about, which kept her from looking over too often at him and Averie.
“Don’t worry about her,” Cat said, her voice quiet. “Averie can’t get it through her head that Jake moved on a long time ago.”
Sandy nodded. “I love Averie,” she said in a soft voice, “but she can be clueless.”
“Oh, it doesn’t matter to me,” Sugar said, surprised but delighted to be included in “girl” talk. Girl talk wasn’t something there’d been a whole lot of opportunity for in the military. “Jake is my landlord. That’s all.”
Cat smiled. “Jake doesn’t spend time with a girl unless he likes her.”
“Well,” Sandy said, “he’s nice to all the girls, don’t get us wrong. What Cat means is that he’s not interested in Averie. He wouldn’t have brought you here if you weren’t special to him in some way.”
Sugar smiled. “It’s fine. Really.”
They turned to their beers, and the guys ordered some chips and other favorites. Sugar tried not to look at Jake, though she found her glance floating over to him when she thought he wasn’t looking. He smiled at her and Averie glared, and then Kel said, “So, how’s Lucy?”
Sugar blinked at the big, muscular man smiling at her. “She’s fine, Kel. Thanks for asking.”
He smiled at her. “Your mother is nice.”
She was about to say thank you when Fanny’s door opened. Lucy ushered Maggie in, and Kel jumped up like a firecracker exploded in his jeans.
“Hey!” Kel exclaimed, pulling up a couple more wooden chairs.
Lucy had done a good job making Maggie “beautiful”. Her mother wore an emerald-green umbrella skirt and a white blouse that showed off the Florida tan that was baked into her skin. She even had on a little makeup and a chunky gold necklace and big, flashy gold hoop earrings. Lucy and Maggie made their way over, and Kel took it upon himself to make the introductions all around.
“Sit here, Mom,” Sugar said, guiding her to the chair nearest Lassiter.
“Oh.” Maggie smiled at Lassiter. “I guess this is the old-folks corner.”
Lassiter laughed. “Then it wouldn’t be where you’d belong,” he said gallantly, and Sugar was so charmed and pleased with her matchmaking that she beamed at Jake.
He didn’t smile back. His gaze was on Lucy, who looked like Lucy always did, nothing flashy but definitely on the edge. But then Kel leaned close to Lucy, and Lucy stared at him, like what-the-hell-are-you-doing, and Sugar looked back at Jake.
Averie massaged Jake’s arm, catching his attention. Everyone chattered, ordering drinks for the newcomers Maggie and Lucy, and then they put in orders for food and Sugar realized she somehow was odd-woman-out.
Which was nothing she hadn’t been before—except that tonight was supposed to be amends-among-friends night for her and Jake.
It shouldn’t matter—but for some reason, it did.
Jake was stuck, hoist on the horns of good manners. Averie clung to his arm, claiming him. Sugar barely glanced his way, letting him and everyone else know it didn’t matter that they were no longer sitting together, which was well played on her part, and probably true as far as she was concerned.
He wanted her next to him. But if he insisted that Averie move and Sugar retake her seat, it would look odd as hell, since everyone had switched seats a few times, depending upon whom they wanted to be able to hear best at the moment. It was an easy, friendly night, just the way it should be, except this was supposed to be undeclared-first-date night, taking it easy and working his way in slowly. That was the plan.
It was dumb. Sugar didn’t want to date him.
Forcing the seating chart would practically proclaim his interest in Sugar. Averie would not take this strategy lying down, and he was in no mood for a meltdown. Across the long table, Kel practically slobbered on Lucy, who seemed bemused by all the attention. Lucy knew Kel was married but didn’t know Debbie had filed, so she probably thought Kel was a harmless doofus flirting while the wife was at home.
Lucy had no idea the danger she was in. He’d never seen Kel act like this. Jake was a bit annoyed with Sugar for calling Lucy when he’d tried to clue her in that it was a bad idea. Lucy was young and while not necessarily tender, she had to be lonely in a one-horse town. Kel might have some appeal to a woman like Lucy.
It was a terrifying thought.
“Jesus,” Jake said to no one, and Averie said, “I thought you were going to come by last night.”
“You told someone you wanted me to come by. I run my own social calendar, Averie.”
“Don’t make it sound like I was being bossy,” Averie said, hurt clear in her blue eyes. “I made dinner for you.”
Dinner and sex, the route to his heart she’d always parlayed. Very successful combo too.
He looked at Sugar, thinking about saucy nuts and sassy nights and complicated family members, a tangle of emotions that had him fascinated for reasons he couldn’t explain to himself.
“Sorry, Averie,” he said, his gaze on Sugar, “but we’ve been over for months now. It never occurred to me you’d make me dinner.” He spoke low so no one could hear, because he genuinely didn’t want to embarrass her.
Yet he knew Sugar had to feel like she had been cut adrift, though she bravely sat and chatted to the other women. At the opposite end, Maggie seemed entranced by Lassiter, who appeared knocked to his knees by the vivacious redhead. Lucy did a good job of keeping Kel in his cage.
And then, the unthinkable happened.
Big, dark-haired, woman-loving Bobby German scooted his chair close to Sugar’s. Jake blinked, recognizing Bobby’s ploy for what it was: he had Sugar in his sights.
Bobby was single. Bobby was charismatic. Bobby’d had his back on more than one occasion in the war zone; he could count on Bobby to make sure he didn’t end up blown to bits. Bobby German was a helluva warrior, he was a good friend, he was a decent man.
Sugar seemed happy to have Bobby paying attention to her, and Jake couldn’t blame her. She was new to town; he’d left her alone among strangers. He’d turned her down for the billboard, which could boost her fledgling business. Tonight was about making up for his get-your-clothes-off crack, and now he was sitting with another woman draped over him.
There wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change the hand he’d been dealt. Maybe he was as hopeless as Kel, begging to have his heart run over. Averie put her hand on his arm again, and Jake tried to collect his wits.
Sugar made his wits fly like balls on a pool table, busted apart by a hard-hit, existential pool cue.
The night was not destined to turn out well.