Swamp Happens: The Complete Swamp Bottom Series

by Cora Kenborn

  After devastating me with his mouth, he pulled away slowly, easing back with a few soft kisses on my swollen lips.

  “Hi,” I whispered.

  “Hi.”

  “What was that for?”

  His eyes crinkled a bit at the corners as he smiled widely at me. “I just missed you, that’s all. I feel like I haven’t kissed you in weeks.” His thumbs stroked my cheeks as he spoke, his breath tickling my already tingling lips. “I don't want to go that long without seeing you again.”

  “Me either," I said softly, tightening my grip around his waist to emphasize my point.

  The time we’d spent apart was just as hard on me as it seemed to have been on him. I hadn’t realized until he kissed me how much he’d come to mean to me in the past few months, and how much a few days without him could hurt.

  He pulled away and took me by the hand, leading me back around the side of the house where he’d come from. “Now come on, I want to show you off.”

  When the hedges opened at the back of the house, we were met with a party in full swing. Led Zeppelin blasted from a boombox set up on the back porch, and kids chased each other with water guns around the backyard.

  Pope led me to a cooler where he twisted off the tops of two beers and offered me one. I gratefully accepted, feeling like I needed something to settle my nerves. Next, he guided me with a hand at the small of my back toward a guy who could’ve rivaled Bam-Bam in size. He stood with his back toward us happily manning the barbecue.

  “Hey, Gus!” Pope called out over the noise. “I want you to meet someone.”

  When the mountain of a man turned around, I noticed a long silver scar bisected one cheek and ran from the corner of his eye all the way down to his jawline. The scar would’ve made the man look menacing had he not been grinning from ear to ear.

  “So, you must be the famous Savannah. This fucker won’t shut the hell up about you.”

  Pope’s right fist shot out and struck Gus in the shoulder. The blow would've knocked an ordinary man on his ass, but Gus didn’t even flinch. I laughed, because even though he hadn’t introduced me to his friends before, it was good to know he’d at least talked about me.

  “And you must be the infamous Gus,” I answered. Pope had told me about his partner, Gus, and how ecstatic he’d been when he’d transferred to the NOPD and discovered he’d been assigned to work with his old buddy from the academy.

  A gorgeous woman with braids piled high on top of her head joined our little trio. The woman’s white sundress contrasted beautifully with her dark skin, and aside from sporting a large baby belly, she looked as if she could’ve walked here straight from a runway.

  When she approached, Gus threw an arm around her. “Hey, sweetness,” he said planting a kiss on her forehead.

  “Savannah, I'd like you to meet my wife, Gabriella. Gabriella, this is Savannah, Pope’s girlfriend.”

  The woman beamed at me. I guess there was some truth in that pregnancy glow shit people talked about.

  She reached out her thin arms and enveloped me in a somewhat awkward hug, considering her giant belly. “Oh my goodness, it’s so good to finally meet you! We had Pope over for dinner a few weeks ago, and he couldn’t shut up about you.”

  Gus snorted. “Yeah, I told him we needed physical proof that you weren’t a blow-up doll.”

  Pope gave him another little shove. “Can you believe I have to depend on this dickhead to keep my ass safe out on the street?”

  Gus pointed his barbecue tongs at Pope. “I did a pretty good job of saving of your ass from that dude with the knife last week.”

  Dude with a knife?

  Gabriella must have recognized the look on my face because she smacked Gus in the stomach and gave him a stern look.

  Bile rose in my throat at the thought of Pope getting hurt. “Someone tried to kill you?”

  The “oh shit” look that crossed both Pope and Gus’ faces would've been comical had I not been stunned. I’d never actually taken the time to consider how dangerous his job really was.

  All the stories he told me were of intoxicated tourists trying to pee in fountains, so I assumed he just patrolled Bourbon Street and knocked around drunks. The only law enforcement I’d ever known was Sheriff Tucker, and he was either drunk or half-asleep most of the time.

  “Hey,” Pope said, taking my face in his hands. “Gus is just being an asshole and making it sound worse than it was. I promise I wasn’t in any real danger. He was just a drunk guy with a pocket knife and could barely stand, let alone successfully stab someone.”

  “But—” I started, but Pope cut me off.

  “I know you. If I told you every little incident that happened while I was on beat, you’d drive yourself crazy. We handled the situation, and no one got hurt, so I didn’t see a reason to make you worry.”

  I wasn't sure how I felt about him not telling me that he’d almost gotten stabbed. Was not knowing truly better than knowing?

  “Well,” Gabriella said loudly, bursting our little bubble. “We’re gonna leave you boys to man the meat. I’m going to take Savannah over to meet all the ladies.” Gabriella linked her arm with mine and guided me away from the men. “Oh, and Pope? Make sure Gus doesn’t burn the steaks this time.”

  We both laughed at Gus’s protests as I let her steer me through the crowd. Once we were out of earshot of the boys, she leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “Being one of us and being with a cop is not an easy task. We live the job just like they do and sometimes even more. You guys are going to have to sit down and discuss how you’re going to handle it at some point. You’ve got to figure out if you want him to tell you everything or nothing at all. You can’t be half in and half out, or it’ll drive you crazy.”

  “What do you and Gus do?”

  She laughed and shook her head as if she remembered something funny. “At first, I didn't want him to tell me anything, but then he got called to a bar fight one night and took a glass bottle to the side of the face.” Placing a pink fingernail on her own cheek, she indicated the path of the scar on her husband’s face. “When I got the call to come to the hospital, I was terrified. I knew then I needed to know everything, otherwise every night I’d stay up waiting and wondering. Some nights I still do, but it’s better this way. Of course, anything could happen on the job, but most of the time, your imagination is worse than the reality.”

  “How long have you two been together?”

  If possible, her smile got even bigger. “Going on fifteen years. We’ve been married nine, and have been together since high school.”

  “Is this your first baby?” I asked, and she blinked at me, her face suddenly becoming blank.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, her tone sharp.

  My heart seized.

  Shit.

  She let out a huge belly laugh. “I'm just fucking with you! This is our third actually. The other two are around here somewhere, probably setting something on fire.” She waved a dismissive hand in the general vicinity of the house.

  Oh, thank fuck.

  “Girl you should’ve seen the look on your face. That shit never gets old. Come on, let me introduce you to the girls. We have a little wives and girlfriends club that’s kind of like a support system. If you ever feel like you’re cracking, give one of us a call, and we’ll talk you through it. Most of us have been around a long time, and we’ve seen it all.”

  “Do you guys always go all out for a Monday night cookout?”

  “Cops don’t have regular schedules. It’s difficult to find a day that works for everyone, but we try to get together at least once a month.”

  “That’s pretty cool.”

  Gabriella squeezed my shoulder and ushered me forward towards the group of women hanging out around the fire pit. “We’re a family. You’ll learn soon enough.”

  A giant German Shepherd came bounding over to where we stood. He looked friendly enough. He circled me, smelling the ground at my feet and ultimately sizing up
the newest arrival.

  “Oh, who’s this guy?” Squatting down, I scratched behind his ears, instantly endearing me to him for life. Animals were easy. A little love and attention went a long way.

  “That’s Rufus. If he likes you, you’re in.”

  Done with the mini massage, Rufus nosed between my legs and started sniffing quite enthusiastically. I delicately tried to shove his giant head away from my crotch and stood up. It didn’t deter him. Instead, he slammed his head between my knees in search of the clearly intoxicating scent of my cooch.

  I took a step back and futilely tried to block the dog’s pursuit. “Okay, that’s enough,” I ordered, but he just kept coming.

  The women in the small circle started to laugh.

  “Oh, my God! I swear I washed my vag today!” I announced, feeling the need to clarify that there was something wrong with the dog and not my lady bits.

  The laughter around me escalated to full cackling. Gabriella was no help as she gasped, doubled over in hysterics. “You got a steak hiding in those shorts?” She asked through ragged breaths while trying to regain her composure.

  I tried in vain, again, to push Rufus away.

  “Rufus, come!” A loud male voice commanded suddenly, and I looked up to see Gus and Pope coming toward us to witness my humiliation.

  Thankfully, the dog retreated, trotting off to meet Gus.

  “What the hell is wrong with your dog?” I asked, pulling down my shorts that had ridden up in the struggle.

  Gus looked concerned. “I don't know. He's been through years of specialized training. I've never seen him act like that when he wasn't on duty.”

  Huh?

  “On duty?”

  “Yeah, he’s a trained K-9 unit. Had to retire him last year because of a bum hip.”

  Oh, fuckity fuck.

  I gulped. “Like a trained drug sniffing dog?”

  “Exactly,” Gus said absently, scratching behind Rufus’ ears. “What's wrong, bud?”

  Pope pinned me with a knowing look. “You have a joint in your pocket, don't you?” he accused.

  Maybe this was why Pope didn't want me to meet his friends. Not even fifteen minutes into the party I was about to get arrested.

  “Uh, maybe?”

  Gabriella immediately lost what composure she’d regained as she bent forward, held her giant baby belly, and laughed so hard I wasn’t sure if she was breathing. Gus joined in, his laugh louder than the blaring music while Pope just shook his head.

  Way to make a first impression, Savvy.

  “Relax,” Pope said. “It’s fine, but next time you go to a cop party, you probably don’t want to bring contraband.”

  “So, you're not going to arrest me?”

  He threw an arm around my shoulder and pulled me in close so only I could hear him. “No, but I might use my handcuffs on you later tonight.”

  A chill ran through my body. That, I could handle.

  “Oh, you are so in,” Gabriella said, finally catching her breath. A chorus of female shouts and hoots came from behind her.

  A redhead sitting in a lounge chair by the fire pit hollered and raised a fist in the air. “Hell yeah!”

  “Oh, she’ll fit in just fine,” the blonde next to her said in agreement.

  And just like that, they accepted me into the fold. The boys went back to the grill, and I was quickly pulled into a conversation with the redhead about our most recent vintage purchases and our favorite eBay shops. By the time the food was passed around, I felt comfortable—like I’d known these people for years. All my previous worries about Pope having some secret life I didn’t know about quickly slipped away.

  Until a late arrival showed up.

  The guy looked to be about Pope’s age and wore a backward baseball cap and cargo shorts. Clearly, everyone knew him. They all laughed as he walked into the backyard and shouted at the top of his lungs, “I’m here fuckers! Let’s get this party started!”

  Pope leaned into my side and whispered into my ear. “That’s Johnny. I went to college with him.”

  “Is he a cop?” I prayed the answer was no. He seemed like the kind of guy I would’ve dated before Pope—so, basically a douche canoe.

  “Used to be, but he decided the private sector was more lucrative. Now he does personal security.”

  “That guy does personal security? Like for rich people?”

  Pope’s smile seemed forced, but he gave my thigh a reassuring squeeze. “Yeah, mostly rich people and politicians.”

  “Aren’t they the same thing?”

  He chuckled at that. “I suppose they are most of the time.”

  “I can’t picture frat boy, over there, protecting millionaire oil tycoons.”

  “Try billionaire.”

  I felt my eyes widen in shock. “Are you fucking serious?”

  “He’s not always this…” he paused, searching for the word, “exuberant.”

  “I see.” I took a long pull of my beer as I watched Johnny make his way over to us, giving high-fives and hugs along the way.

  “Q, my man,” he said, clapping Pope on the shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Who’s this fine specimen next to you?” He grinned at me, but the little wink he added was more friendly than lecherous. He seemed to be playing up the sleazeball act just to fuck with Pope. Of course, I fully approved.

  I gave him a little finger wave. “I’m Savannah.”

  “Nice! Dude, I saw your dad the other day. He said he hadn’t seen you in a while because you’ve been putting in overtime. I guess I know what he meant.” He winked at me again, but then looked confused when he saw my smile fall.

  Pope told me that his parents were out of town for an extended trip and that was why I hadn't met them yet. But if what Johnny said was true, he lied.

  I’d found a way to understand things from his side. I’d realized that my feelings were hurt over him not opening up to me, but he hadn’t truly done anything wrong.

  Until now.

  I could overlook a lot. My past relationships proved that. But I would not tolerate being lied to.

  Johnny immediately jumped into apology mode. “Shit, I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m so sorry. I was just joking around.”

  I managed a passable fake smile. “You’re fine. I just forgot that I needed to call my sister. If you’ll excuse me for just a second.”

  Pope tried to catch my eye as I stood, but I avoided his gaze and made my way around the side of the house and through the front gate.

  I was sick and tired of playing this shadow game with him. I felt like the only one who tried, while he continually put up roadblocks. If he wanted me in his life, he had a shitty way of showing it. I was done trying to force it out of him.

  After crying the whole way back home, I parked sideways in the driveway and left the truck idling as I ran into the house.

  “Kevin!” I called, rushing into my bedroom. He popped his head up from a mountain of blankets in the center of my bed. “Get up, lazy ass. We’re leaving.”

  Within minutes, I stumbled out the door with my stuffed messenger bag slung across my shoulder and a pig under my arm. As soon as I slammed the truck door, the tears I’d been holding back started to fall, and they didn’t stop the entire drive back home to Terrebonne.

  There was only one person who could help me now, and she had the best vodka south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

  26

  Pick A Lane, Addie

  Adelaide

  Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

  After the fourth bug carcass had wedged in between my two front teeth, I had a drastic change of heart about riding in Zep’s truck bed. What seemed like an impressive display of independence outside the office, now felt more like a one-way ticket to YouTube infamy. At every intersection and stoplight, cars full of amused onlookers pulled up beside me, snapped pictures, and took lengthy videos accompanied by I assumed to be a colorful running commentary.

  To be fair, a screaming woman in a business
suit holding on for dear life while swatting suicide bug bombs must have been a rare find.

  Still aggravated at the turn of events, I swore that if I made it out alive, first thing Saturday morning I’d visit small compact car dealership and get my own wheels. Daddy had meant for us to share the truck equally. However, on a regular basis, Savannah ran off to Pope’s with it or took off from work early to meet him, leaving me to mooch a ride off the one person I had no business being alone with in a car.

  And after Zep’s unbearable taunts all day, I didn’t trust myself around him.

  He hated me. He wanted me. He mercilessly pushed my buttons and enjoyed watching the show as I imploded. I had no idea what his endgame was, nor did I plan to find out. While I agonized over putting the brakes on whatever was brewing between us, he’d already moved on with someone else before I changed the sheets.

  A someone else who needed a better dye job and a good exfoliator.

  There was no accounting for taste.

  As Zep maneuvered the truck to hit every pothole and imperfection on the road, I cursed and gave him a one-finger wave through the cab window. What the hell did he see in that woman? Sure, I supposed she could be considered pretty on a purely aesthetic level, if you were into the nipped, tucked, enhanced, and permanently surprised look. But, what she had going on upstairs didn’t mesh with what I knew of the person Zep was today. He struck me as a man who got off on a good conversation just as much as a good fuck. Add them together and a woman might as well hang a cape on the front of her pussy and spend her spare time saving the world.

  Because she ruled it.

  Locked in a fantasy world of action hero role play with a very rugged and bearded Superman, I neglected to notice the turn he’d made from the highway onto a dusty dirt road. I was oblivious to the miles of trees and wildlife until it was too late.

  Completely out of my element, I gripped the side of the truck bed until my fingers turned a blinding shade of white. Without a doubt, I knew we were surrounded by starved animals because as the truck bounced, dozens of glowing, hungry eyes appeared out of nowhere and stared at me like I was their long-awaited meals-on-wheels.