Lulu's Café

by T. I. Lowe

  “I didn’t mean it!” Leah swore and turned to make a run for it, but the excuse was too late. The mud slapped against her from the back of her calves all the way up to the crown of her head. She stopped dead in her tracks and started digging in the mud with her toes again. She launched a good splatter up Crowley’s side as he turned to retreat a little too late.

  “You are so going to get it now, Lee,” Crowley said too calmly for Leah’s likings.

  She didn’t wait for the retaliation. She gave up the whole toe method and bent down to grab two fistfuls of mud and flung it at his midsection. Crowley responded with a slimy chunk aimed at her chest. It landed perfectly, then slid beneath her tank top as she screamed and giggled. Both ended up covered head to toe in mud.

  Crowley had gathered another handful of mud and was about to launch it when he froze, midthrow.

  “Leah, stop moving.”

  She ignored him and pulled her arm back to launch another mud grenade.

  Crowley dropped the mud and held his palms up in surrender. “I. Said. Stop.” The stern look on his face and his sharp tone made Leah automatically obey in confusion. Before she could figure it out, Crowley slung her over his shoulder and in an instant they were on dry land.

  He placed Leah back on her feet and quickly grabbed up a broken tree limb. He sprinted back to the river’s edge and began beating the water with all his might. Leah stood stunned at the man’s strength. He broke the limb and had to grab another to finish his job. Shock hit her when Crowley pulled a dead five-foot-long water moccasin out of the water. The monster hung limply in his powerful fist. His face was still set in a stern manner. Clasping the snake, Crowley started up the shore, and that was the last thing Leah remembered.

  “Leah?”

  She pried her eyes open and saw that he was crouched beside her. When she couldn’t form a reply, he lightly shook her shoulders.

  “Are you okay? It didn’t bite you, did it?” Crowley asked in a rushed tone as he started running his hands over her legs to check for any marks.

  “I’m fine. . . . It was beside me . . . in the water . . . wasn’t it?” Leah asked though the answer was already clear, even in her hazy state.

  Crowley helped her sit up. “Yep. Maybe you’ll listen to me a little quicker next time.”

  “Was it poisonous?” Leah leaned forward, resting her forehead on her muddy knees.

  “In a big way.” He patted her back. “You think you can stand?”

  “Sure.” She slowly stood with Crowley’s help.

  “Let’s go hose off.” He draped his arm around Leah’s lower back for support.

  “I really hope no one just saw that,” she said. She allowed Crowley to pull her toward the back of his town house while she tried to untangle her jumbled thoughts.

  “You actually fainted.” He laughed as he lightly tickled her side. “You wimp.”

  Leah popped him in the gut with the back of her hand in response. He released her as they made it to the hose. He turned it on full blast and sprayed her.

  “Ladies first,” he declared as she let out a yelp, hopping around under the cool shower.

  “You’re trouble, Crow.” Leah yanked the hose out of his hand, sprayed him in the face, and then turned the water back on herself. She pulled her tank top away from her body and aimed the hose underneath it to wash out the sticky mud.

  “I can help you with that.” A muddy Crowley grinned as he reached his hand out.

  Leah shook her head. “Trouble,” she said as she refused to give him the hose and aimed the spray at the top edge of her pants. After a few moments, she handed the hose back to him. “I think that’s about as good as it’s gonna get.”

  Crowley turned the hose on himself and tried unsuccessfully to work the mud off. He gave up and put the hose away.

  Knowing the only solution was a shower, Leah left him fiddling with the hose and went to retrieve her shoes by the bench.

  “What? No ‘Thank you for the great time’ or ‘Thank you for saving your life’?”

  “Thank you for the great time. Thank you for saving my life. Blah, blah, blah.”

  She turned as he strode toward her. She picked up his flip-flops and tossed them at him.

  Crowley caught them with ease and tried eliminating the space between them, but Leah was already moving away. “You just gonna take off on me?”

  Leah laughed. “Look, buddy, I’ve got mud in places where mud is not welcome.” She crossed the street and waved at him. “I’ll catch you later.”

  Leah flew through the door and raced up to her apartment, going straight to the bathroom and turning on the shower. She stripped and jumped in before the water had time to warm completely. As she washed away the mud, the idea of her playing in the mud with a grown man had her giggling uncontrollably.

  Leah stepped into her bedroom to retrieve some clothes after de-mudding. As she pulled a shirt over her head, there was a knock at the door. She hustled to put on a pair of pants and dashed to the door, grinning.

  As she opened the door, Leah had to readjust her eye level—way down. “Who are you? Aerobics Barbie?”

  Ana stood before her wearing a pink tank top bejeweled with silver rhinestones and matching yoga pants. She whipped her flirty ponytail off her shoulder. “Please. My legs will never be long enough to pull off being Barbie. You, on the other hand, can be.” She looked at Leah’s long legs.

  “Whatever,” Leah said as she stared down at her petite friend before glancing down the stairs.

  “What? Are you expecting someone else?” Ana asked, raising her perfectly plucked eyebrows.

  “No. There’s only a few who can get up to my apartment. I didn’t know you were one of them.”

  “Let me in,” Ana said as she raised her full arms. “I brought pizza and Diet Mountain Dew.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry.” Leah stepped aside and motioned for her to come in.

  Ana headed straight to the dinette table and began unloading supper. “Lulu gave me a key for emergencies.”

  “This is an emergency?” Leah asked, gesturing toward the pizza and soda.

  “Yes. Jake went home, and now I’m lonely.” Ana pouted.

  Leah went a few steps to the kitchen to grab two plates and some napkins. “I can’t believe you would actually bring such contraband into Lulu’s.”

  “The pizza is Lulu-approved with super thin crust loaded with veggies only and very little cheese. And the sauce is even organic.” Ana slid a piece onto each plate.

  “Regardless, you’re bringing the trash home with you,” Leah said around a mouthful of pizza.

  “Fine.” Ana shrugged and dug in, too.

  “By the way, thank you for supper.” Leah smiled.

  “You’re welcome, honey.” Ana smiled back.

  They enjoyed their pizza in silence for a short bit until Ana asked, “Why do you have a pile of muddy clothes?” She pointed to the soiled clothes near the bathroom door.

  Leah served them both another slice of pizza. “Crowley saw me down by the river earlier and thought it would be fun to mud bomb me,” she said, trying to sound annoyed.

  “Jerk,” Ana said between bites.

  Leah nodded as she chewed. Changing the subject, she asked, “When’s Jake coming back?”

  “Next Thursday. He and Crowley were talking about him moving his office down here. He handles all of Crowley’s financial stuff anyway. It would be more convenient for us all.” She took her last bite before asking, “So, what do you think of Jake?”

  “Good grief, Ana, he is just the dreamiest thing.”

  “What do you think about us together?”

  “You’re dreamy. He’s dreamy. I think you make a perfect match.”

  “I agree.” Ana slid a can of soda over to Leah and opened one for herself. They took large guzzles of the cold fizz to help wash the pizza down. Ana put her can down and released a man-size burp.

  “Eww. Gross, Miss Priss.” Leah laughed and burped in the process, caus
ing both friends to be overtaken by a giggling fit. After they settled down, they moved over and stretched out on the comfy sofa.

  “We missed you last night,” Ana said, resting her head on the back of the sofa.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. After you called to tell me you weren’t going, I brought two of my friends so I wouldn’t be the only female around all of that testosterone.”

  “Oh, come on, you wouldn’t have minded that.” Leah grinned. “Did any of your friends make a love match?” Leah began flipping through the TV channels for a movie.

  “My friend Marla didn’t mind flirting with the whole bunch of them.” Ana shook her head in disapproval. “But my friend Jenny seemed to really hit it off with Greg.”

  Leah stopped flipping and looked at Ana. “Really?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Crowley was taunting me today about Greg having the hots for me, but I figured he was just giving me a hard time.” Leah shrugged.

  “Puh-lease. Crowley barely hung out with us last night long enough to know anything that was going on. He kept going out onto the front porch.” Ana shook her head and eyed Leah.

  Leah shrugged and went back to surfing through the channels. “Maybe that spicy chili gave him gas.” Both women laughed at the idea. Leah found a chick flick playing, and the two settled in to watch it.

  Two hours later, they gathered the pizza garbage for Ana to carry with her. Ana turned around at the door. “Let’s go biking tomorrow.”

  “Okay. I’ll let you use me to keep your mind off Jake,” Leah agreed, knowing she could use a little help keeping her mind off a few things and perhaps a certain person.

  18

  “ARE YOU SURE we are allowed on the property?” Leah asked again as Crowley loaded her bike into the back of his truck. She couldn’t believe how matter-of-fact he was about trespassing, especially for a lawyer.

  “Absolutely. It’s where I go to do all my fishing,” he said. After he finished loading her bike, Crowley glanced at her black T-shirt and black capris. “Black isn’t the best color for a fishing trip.”

  Leah looked down at her outfit. Dawn was breaking, and she wasn’t awake enough yet to have given her wardrobe much thought. “What color is?”

  “Lighter colors reflect the sun and heat,” he said, and she headed back inside to change.

  Five minutes later, she pulled the truck door open, startling Crowley. “Wow. That was fast.” He nodded his approval of her choice of a light-blue T-shirt paired with tan cargo shorts.

  She’d bought the baggy, well-worn shorts last week from a thrift store as a joke for Crowley and to annoy Ana. As she glanced his way, she felt as if the joke was on her, because there he sat, wearing nearly the exact same outfit. How did I not notice earlier?

  “Funny, Lee.” Crowley shook his head and pulled away from the curb. “Fishing twins.”

  She waved off his tease. “Are you sure we won’t get in trouble for trespassing?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Well. Good.” She smiled. “Ever since I’ve started jogging past that beautiful drive, I’ve been dying to get a glimpse past the gates.”

  Crowley hit a button on a remote control attached to the sun visor as they reached the wrought-iron gate a few minutes later. A massive stone archway outlining the gate announced they had arrived at Big Oaks Plantation. As the gate slid open, he looked at Leah. “Stop holding your breath, Lee. I don’t want you passing out on me again.” He pulled the truck into the drive.

  Leah gasped in awe as the truck crept under the massive oak trees that lined the driveway. She’d never seen trees like this before. Long branches were dressed in a sweeping drapery of silver Spanish moss and reached out as if to greet the trees opposite them. The grand hostesses graciously beckoned their visitors forward toward the enormous white plantation house.

  The three-story mansion was fitted with a deep porch that lined the entire front. The porch, with its inviting heavy rocking chairs, two hanging porch swings, and cushioned wicker chairs that were grouped around small tables, called to guests to come sit awhile. Voluptuous ferns swung on hooks across the front of the porch. Large black shutters and a shiny tin roof dressed the house with even more Southern charm.

  Crowley nudged Leah as he steered the truck to the side drive at the left of the house. “I said breathe, Lee.”

  She did as he instructed and took several deep inhales. “It’s absolutely breathtaking. Have you ever gotten to see the inside?” Leah asked, mesmerized. The plantation was an image straight from North and South.

  Crowley’s voice sounded a little funny when he said, “Yeah. I’ve been allowed in a few times.”

  As she admired the property, Leah noticed that the plantation seemed to be vacant, yet well maintained. “Do the owners live here?”

  “No, the owner does not.” Crowley pulled around back.

  “Why on earth not?” Leah thought it an injustice to leave such a lovely place standing empty. She surveyed the back of the house, finding it dressed with an extravagant veranda towering over a swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

  Crowley parked beside a two-story garage and glanced at the house. “Too large,” he answered and he climbed out of the cab. “I just have to grab a tackle box.”

  “Okay,” Leah said. She looked out at the majestic view. The wide river bordered the back of the property. There was an open field that looked to be about a half mile wide between the house and river. Lodged neatly on the bank near the water was a large cabin. The one-story building was partially shaded by thin river birch trees. A long deck jutted out into the river, much wider than the one in front of Lulu’s. A dry dock housed a boat that Leah instantly knew belonged to Crowley. The custom paint job matched his Gator.

  Crowley hopped back in and took off toward the water.

  “Why would someone own such a large place if that’s not what they wanted?” she mused out loud. “It’s nice of them to let you store your boat out here.” She pointed at the striking boat.

  “How do you know it’s mine?” he asked as he parked by the cabin.

  “The flames,” she said, eyebrows raised, making him chuckle.

  Crowley pulled a khaki-colored fishing hat out of the glove box and placed it on Leah’s head. “Here.” He handed her a tube of sunblock before exiting the truck. He tugged a tattered gray baseball cap out of his back pocket and shoved it low onto his head, almost hiding his ocean-colored eyes from view. He took off down to the dock.

  Leah slathered some sunblock on her exposed arms and neck. While she rubbed in the lotion, she watched him quickly lower the boat into the water and tie it off on the dock with an efficiency only attained by a lot of practice. There was no doubting Crowley Mason was well-versed in any and all things fishing related.

  After she gathered her bag and tackle box, Leah moved down the small incline and onto the dock. “What should I do with my stuff?”

  “Just set it on the dock for now while we get everything else hauled down here.” Crowley led Leah back to the truck, where they scooped up the fishing poles and cooler.

  “What’s in the cooler?” Leah asked as they carried the supplies to the boat dock.

  “It’s a surprise for lunch.” He set the cooler down and handed Leah one of the fishing poles. “Let’s you and I have a quick casting lesson before we take off.”

  Crowley led Leah to the end of the dock, where he went over the simple mechanics of the fishing pole. He gave her pointers on how to hold the casting button and when to release it. He showed her the easiest way to flick her wrist to cast out the hook, which in Leah’s opinion looked easier than it really was. Crowley also advised her on how not to hook herself—or him.

  He demonstrated a few times with his pole and then watched her practice, letting her get a feel for the pole. The lesson wasn’t rushed, and he answered all her questions as a patient teacher.

  Before Leah was sure she had the knack of it, he asked, “You think you’re ready?” When she hes
itated, he encouraged her to practice some more. Eventually Leah declared she was ready, so they walked back to the boat, and Crowley loaded the fishing poles. He held out his hand to help Leah step onto the boat.

  “I’m quite impressed, Crow,” Leah said as she took the seat next to his and looked around, noting the dark-gray interior and lighter-gray seat cushions. The boat was fairly roomy. It had another row of seats behind theirs and additional seating at the front. “I’ve never been on a boat before.”

  “Never?” he asked.

  “Never.”

  Crowley gave her a measured look. “Do you know how to swim?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you’ll be just fine,” Crowley reassured her. He turned the key, bringing the boat to life as the motor began to quietly gurgle. He eased the boat from the dock and headed away from town.

  Leah sat back and enjoyed the new experience as Crowley navigated down the river for quite a ways. The river was busy with a variety of Sunday guests. An assortment of birds sat perched on overhanging tree limbs, waiting intently for their breakfast. Snapping turtles neatly lined floating logs to get a head start on their sunbathing.

  Leah didn’t spot any snakes, but she knew they were welcomed in the river as well. The memory of last week’s snake wrangling flashed through her head, causing her to shiver.

  A good-size bass breached out of the water as the boat cruised by. Leah reached over and slapped Crowley on the arm to get his attention. He leaned forward so he could hear her. She pointed behind the boat in the direction of where she had spotted the fish.

  “There was a big one!” she yelled, trying to be heard over the roar of the motor.

  “A big what?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Fish.”

  “There’s plenty more where that came from.” He continued on down the river.

  Minutes later, Leah leaned close to him and in a mock whine asked, “Are we there yet?”

  Crowley shot her one of his signature grins. “Almost. Now sit back and enjoy the view.”